Merced City Council

Photo of folks standing against a painted mural of an Indigenous child.

Merced artists push to pause $10,000 mural projects as council questions how budgets were set

Christian De Jesus Betancourt / The Merced FOCUS

A push by Merced artists to pause two $10,000 mural projects revealed confusion over how the projects were shaped and what the city’s Arts and Culture Advisory Commission was asked to approve.

Government & Politics

Merced officials demand transparency on high-speed rail station

Rachel Livinal

Merced leaders are requesting more meetings with state leaders and the establishment of a mitigation plan.

Members of the California High Speed Rail Authority Board are shown during a discussion of the project’s proposed Merced to Bakersfield segment.

Government & Politics

California High-Speed Rail board approves business plan that suggests moving downtown Merced station

Victor A. Patton, The Merced FOCUS

A business plan that forecasts where Merced’s proposed bullet train station may ultimately end up has received unanimous approval from the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s board.

Merced Mayor Matt Serratto, far left, is shown speaking during a Jan. 12, 2026 meeting about potentially moving a proposed High Speed Rail station about four miles southeast of the city. Meanwhile, from left to right, City Attorney Craig Cornwell, and council members Mike Harris, Shane Smith and Yang Pao Thao, are shown listening.

Government & Politics

Rail Authority proposes new Merced bullet train station outside city limits, says it could save $1 billion

Victor A. Patton, The Merced FOCUS

California’s High Speed Rail Authority is proposing a new site for a Merced station in its quest to build a bullet train connecting Southern California with the Bay Area.