Merced County Times

12/08/2025

Merced County Students Prepare for annual Spelling Bee Competition

More than 100 elementary and junior high students from across Merced County will represent their schools at the Merced County Spelling Bee on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10.

The elementary spelling bee will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9 followed by the junior high spelling bee at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Both competitions take place at the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) Downtown Center and are closed to the general public.

Parents and families are invited to watch the competition via the livestream available on MCOE’s YouTube Channel and on Comcast channel 97. MCOE will share the livestream links on social media.

The word moderator for the elementary competition is MCOE Director of Human Resources Stacy Shasky, and the word moderator for the junior high competition is MCOE Senior Coordinator of Credentialing Holly Crivelli.

Students prepare for the written competition as early as the start of the school year. Both public and private schools host their own spelling bees and then send the top two spellers to compete in the county competition.

The first and second place competitors at the county spelling bees will advance to the California State Spelling Bee, hosted by the San Joaquin County Office of Education, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Manteca this spring.

The Merced County spelling bees are written contests, as opposed to the spoken spelling bee MCOE hosts with UC Merced in the spring. Students who qualify in the spoken spelling bee qualify for the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

Click here for the Elementary Spelling Bee livestream link.
https://www.youtube.com/live/_Wfma1dwYFE

Click here for the Junior High Spelling Bee livestream link.
https://www.youtube.com/live/LK4Yj9E_1yc

For more information on the Merced County Spelling Bee, contact Stacie Arancibia at [email protected] or call (209) 381-5910.

7th & 8th Grade Students - Spelling Bee

12/08/2025

The University of California, Merced today announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an extraordinary new commitment from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

READ STORY HERE:

12/07/2025

Si Se Puede car club rides in today's Christmas Parade in Merced.

12/07/2025

Having fun at the Holiday Hit Parade in Merced.

12/07/2025

Studio K dancers perform at today's Christmas Parade in Merced.

12/07/2025

Hawaiian culture at today's Christmas parade in Merced.

12/07/2025

Hawaiian culture at today's Christmas Parade in Merced.

12/05/2025

The Goods Italian Market — one of the best new fall additions to Downtown Merced — is open at 348 W. Main Street, as an extension of the popular Bella Luna restaurant.

The highly anticipated store is the place to pick up fine and carefully curated Italian cuisine, including fresh deli products, prepared deli dishes, canned and packaged items, kitchenware, and specialty gifts.

Some of the highlights include an array of custom imported meats, such as Mortadella with pistachios, Soppressata, and Coppa, as well as high-quality cheeses, and an impressive variety of pastas and sauces.

The Goods is quickly becoming a staple spot for not only local foodies, but also the average downtowner who is looking for a quick bite.

This new space is the latest venture by local entrepreneurs and Bella Luna owners, Giancarlo DiTullio and Anaid Martinez-DiTullio.

In an interview with the Times, Giancarlo DiTullio explained: “We had an ear out over here at the restaurant where folks were asking, ‘Can I buy your mortadella? Or, ‘Can I buy prosciutto from you guys?’ And so, you know, we just were listening to what the community was saying. We realized there is no deli in town that serves imported cold cuts and imported cheese. People have to travel out of town for it. So, the idea stage was in January, and then we just kind of, organically put things together.”

DiTullio went on to express his gratefulness for Head Chef Noah Jackson, who has not only been a key figure in Bella Luna, but is also the creative mind behind the varied and incredibly tasty menu for the Goods Market.

“The menu is led by Chef Noah in the kitchen. He leads the culinary side of what we're doing for The Goods. Whether it's specials, cooking demos, and guest-facing interaction. He's definitely, you know, a key component to what we're doing.”

You can read the full story on our website.

Story & Photos: Andrew Hardy

12/03/2025

Thirteen residents applied for the job, but only five showed up for the interview.
After questioning a smaller number of applicants than expected, members of the Merced City Council on Tuesday night selected Yang Pao Thao, a current city planning commissioner, to fill the open District 2 seat on the dais at City Hall.

  Thirteen residents applied for the job, but only five showed up for the interview. After questioning a smaller number of applicants than expected, members of the Merced City Council on Tuesday night selected Yang Pao Thao, a current city planning commissioner, to fill the open District 2 seat on ...

12/03/2025

The Goods Italian Market — one of the best new fall additions to Downtown Merced — is open at 348 W. Main Street, as an extension of the popular Bella Luna restaurant
The highly-anticipated store is the place to pick up fine and carefully-curated Italian cuisine, including fresh deli products; prepared deli dishes; canned and packaged items; kitchenware and specialty gifts.

  The Goods Italian Market — one of the best new fall additions to Downtown Merced — is open at 348 W. Main Street, as an extension of the popular Bella Luna restaurant The highly-anticipated store is the place to pick up fine and carefully-curated Italian cuisine, including fresh deli products...

12/02/2025

Downtown Merced has been home to a town clock for nearly a century, beginning with one in front of the Merced Security Savings Bank Building at 437 W. 17th Street (now Main Street).

  By SARAH LIM Special to the Times Led by the Central Valley Opportunity Fund, a local campaign has been launched to raise funds for a new Town Clock in Bob Hart Square. The existing clock, which was installed in October 1979, has served the community well, and will soon take up residence at the [...