CVJC Newsletter Sept. 25 edition: The latest Merced and Valley news
Here are some of the top news items that made recent headlines in the San Joaquin Valley
Welcome. Bienvenidos. Bem-vindo. Zoo siab txais tos. Savāgata hai.
We are the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, a new nonprofit newsroom geared toward covering Merced and the San Joaquin Valley.
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The following is a collection of news items written by CVJC, in addition KVPR, Fresnoland and other partners.
Scroll through this newsletter to see these highlights:
Search for Merced school superintendent hits bump
Merced to get new airport terminal
Some now comparing Los Banos to the City of Bell, and that’s not a compliment
Construction begins on $138.5 million Merced County jail expansion
Bankrupt Madera hospital wants to sell off farmland to help settle debts
Signs unveiled on Highway 140 in honor of fallen Merced County firefighter
Merced council chooses Scott McBride as new city manager
Merced voters to decide whether to extend public safety tax
UC Merced looks to Valley high schools for next generation of local doctors
'One pill will kill.' Merced County launches fentanyl awareness campaign
The San Joaquin Valley needs more doctors. New university programs are producing them
A CSU degree in four years? Valley campuses aim to help students finish faster
Central Valley communities of color lack flood control. Would representation on water boards help?
A plan to guarantee community college transfer to California’s public universities died. Now it’s back
Workers pay the price while Congress, employers debate need for heat regulations
Even the least expensive areas of California are becoming less affordable, and more desirable
Meetings and events calendar
Search for Merced school superintendent hits bump
MERCED (CJVC) – The Merced City School District board of trustees voted 3-2 Friday night to terminate its contract with the search firm charged with finding its next superintendent.
After deliberating for more than three hours in closed session, board President Allen Brooks announced it would end the agreement with McPherson & Jacobson.
MCSD has been through two permanent superintendents and two interim leaders since January 2020. Serving 11,400 students at four middle schools and 14 elementary schools, it is Merced County’s largest school district.
Its last superintendent, Diana Jimenez, was fired after less than 10 months on the job. She had succeeded Richard Alan “Al” Rogers who resigned in July 2021 amid allegations of sexual harassment.
The board voted in June to award McPherson & Jacobson of Omaha a contract worth up to $24,880 to lead the superintendent search.
Brooks joined trustees Birdi Olivarez-Kidwell and Jessee Espinosa in voting to terminate the contract; trustees Priya Lakireddy and Beatrice McCutchen opposed the move.
The decision, Brooks said, was not taken lightly.
“We believe that the selection of our superintendent is one of the board's most important jobs and we take this job seriously,” he said. “The board will continue the important work of identifying the district's next superintendent in a transparent manner.”
The MCSD board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening.
-Michelle Morgante/CVJC
Merced to get new airport terminal
A new terminal is in the works for the regional airport in Merced.
The Merced City Council approved a $15 million contract to build a new 11,000 square-foot facility. Most of the cost will come from CARES Act funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Merced’s airport is a designated Essential Air Service terminal with daily flights connecting travelers to Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
City officials say the current Merced airport terminal needs substantial updates to improve the experience for customers, visitors and pilots. Work is expected to wrap up next September.
— Brianna Vaccari
Some are now comparing Los Banos to the City of Bell, and that’s not a compliment (Westside Express)
When your city is being compared to Bell, California, it’s worth paying attention – especially if those making the comparisons include a former city manager and former city councilman. Photo by Gene Lieb. READ FULL STORY
Construction begins on $138.5 million Merced County jail expansion, decade in the making
After a decade of planning, work is finally underway on the much-anticipated expansion of Merced County’s John Latorraca Correctional Center, which officials say will improve public safety and offer better educational and rehabilitation services for inmates. READ FULL STORY
Bankrupt Madera hospital wants to sell off farmland to help settle debts (KVPR)
In an attempt to chip away at their millions in debt, Madera Community Hospital’s leaders are trying to sell off a 35.58-acre parcel of land for more than half a million dollars. KVPR photo READ FULL STORY
Signs unveiled on Highway 140 in honor of fallen Merced County firefighter
A section of Highway 140 near Gustine is now immortalized with the name of a fallen hero of Merced County. READ FULL STORY
Merced council chooses Scott McBride as new city manager
The Merced City Council appointed the city’s building and housing leader, Scott McBride, as the next city manager, setting its sights on the city’s future growth toward the UC Merced campus. READ FULL STORY
Merced voters to decide whether to extend public safety tax. Issue qualifies for March ballot
The future of Measure C, a half-cent public safety tax that benefits Merced’s police and fire departments, will be in voters’ hands in 2024. READ FULL STORY
UC Merced looks to Valley high schools for next generation of local doctors
A new program is encouraging students to get their entire medical education in the Valley and practice locally. READ FULL STORY
'One pill will kill.' Merced County launches fentanyl awareness campaign
With the simple message, “One pill will kill,” Merced County’s top prosecutor hopes to save lives by educating young people about the prevalence of fentanyl. READ FULL STORY
The San Joaquin Valley needs more doctors. New university programs are producing them
The San Joaquin Valley has a shortage of doctors. But local students who aspired to build careers in medicine long have known they would need to leave the Valley to do so. Now, new programs are beginning that aim to train the next generation of Valley MDs close to home. READ FULL STORY
A CSU degree in four years? Valley campuses aim to help students finish faster
A new report from the education watchdog group Campaign for College Opportunity shows the CSU system is falling short of graduation goals it has set for each campus, including the three campuses in the San Joaquin Valley: Fresno State, Stanislaus State in Turlock and CSU Bakersfield. READ FULL STORY
Central Valley communities of color lack flood control. Would representation on water boards help? (Fresnoland)
Community leaders are reiterating a call to diversify water boards to give marginalized groups more power. FRESNOLAND PHOTO READ FULL STORY
A plan to guarantee community college transfer to California’s public universities died. Now it’s back (Cal Matters)
It’s rare for a California bill to come back to life after enduring a quiet legislative death, but a shelved effort to help more community college students transfer to the University of California suddenly has new legs. Cal Matters Photo READ FULL STORY
Workers pay the price while Congress, employers debate need for heat regulations (KFF Health News)
There are no federal standards to protect workers when days become excessively hot. And without bipartisan support from Congress, even with urgent attention from the Biden administration, relief may not come for years. KFF HEALTH NEWS PHOTO READ FULL STORY
Even the least expensive areas of California are becoming less affordable, and more desirable (LA Times)
New data shows that even inland areas far from the shores — such as Modesto, Bakersfield and Stockton — are significantly less affordable compared with the national average, further worsening the housing crunch in a state facing an unprecedented crisis LA TIMES PHOTO . READ FULL STORY
Meetings and events calendar
Atwater City Council, 5:30 pm. Monday, Sept. 25, 650 Bellevue Road in Atwater.
Merced City Schools District board meeting, 7p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, STEAM Center, 2900 Green Street in Merced and on YouTube at @mercedcityschooldistrict9067.
Merced County Supervisors, 10 a.m. Sept. 26 County Administration Building, 2222 M St. in Merced.
Merced City Council, 6 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Civic Center, 678 W. 18th St. in Merced.
Livingston City Council, 7 p.m. Oct. 3, 1416 C St. in Livingston.