Merced County’s top stories this week: Five Guys closing, baseball title, bear contest
The Merced Sun-Star covered a busy week in Merced County, from a championship baseball win and a national chain’s departure to a community art project seeking public input. Here’s a roundup of the top stories.
Here are key takeaways:
• El Capitan High baseball claimed its fifth straight Central California Conference championship with a 2-0 win over Los Banos, improving to 13-1 in league play. The Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs begin Tuesday.
• A wrong way head-on crash on southbound Highway 99 near Atwater early Sunday left multiple people, including three juveniles, with major injuries. Both drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI.
• Five Guys will permanently close its Merced location at 3572 G St. on June 26, cutting 13 jobs. The restaurant opened in the Yosemite North Shopping Center in June 2016.
• Merced County is asking residents to help name a new wooden bear sculpture in Courthouse Park, carved by Dos Palos artist Tommy McCarty from a 100-year-old diseased tree. Submissions are due May 31.
• Tony’s Tacos & Catering, a food cart at 1619 I St. in Merced, won the Sun-Star’s Best of Merced County burrito poll with 50% of 506 votes. Panaderia Guadalajara finished second with 18%.
• Stone Ridge Christian High’s boys basketball team will travel to Bangkok, Thailand, during Thanksgiving week to compete and participate in clinics alongside St. Joseph High School of Santa Maria.
• UC Merced students will perform “If All the Sky Were Paper,” a play by Andrew Carroll featuring real wartime letters, May 1-3 at the Multicultural Arts Center. Tickets are $10, with proceeds going to American Legion Post 83.
