Merced County's most-read stories this week. Here's what to know
From summer break countdowns to fair concerts and a Los Banos ultramarathoner’s gritty Arizona attempt, readers had plenty to follow this week.
Here’s a roundup of the stories that drew the most attention in the Merced Sun-Star:
- Summer break is approaching for Merced County students, with last day of school dates ranging from May 29 to June 10, depending on the district, based on a district-by-district breakdown.
- Los Banos resident James Thornton, 49, recently attempted the Cocodona 250, a 250-mile race in Arizona. He completed 190.6 miles before withdrawing due to lung issues he described as “an acceptable reason to quit.”
- Playhouse Merced will host a season preview on May 29 to unveil its 2026-27 lineup, with tickets priced at $50 and available at playhousemerced.com.
- The Merced County Fair announced its free concert series lineup, which is included with paid admission and features acts ranging from mariachi to country to R&B.
- Readers can vote in the Sun-Star poll for the best breakfast in Merced County until noon on Monday, May 25, with top spots in Merced, Atwater, Los Banos and other areas identified using Yelp and Google ratings.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.