Los Banos News

Police believe a man arrested on suspicion of shoplifting last week is also the suspect they’ve been searching for in connection with an armed robbery of a fast food restaurant in April.The Los Banos Police Department arrested Gregory Valencia, 22, of Dos Palos June 13 after he allegedly attempted to steal items from Wal-Mart, located on the ... (more)

A 33-year-old man reported being assaulted and robbed of his wallet while walking on West I Street, police reported Thursday.

About half of the city's 18 lighting and landscaping districts will get a maximum increase in fees for a second year.

Pastor Sylvester Bland of United Saints of America plans a trip to Washington D.C. this summer to lead a prayer rally at the Lincoln Memorial.

A 33-year-old man reported being assaulted and robbed of his wallet while walking on West I Street, police reported Thursday.

The bureau announced plans last week to spend $414,000 on conservation and efficiency grant projects on the west side in the 2013 fiscal year.

A 62-year-old San Jose-area man who drowned Sunday at the O'Neill Forebay has been identified by the Merced County coroner's office as Rene Cordero.Cordero's body was located Monday after a search by the Merced County Sherriff’s Office Water Rescue and Recovery Team.According to park rangers, Cordero went swimming around 12:15 p.m. Sunday off ... (more)

A Hollywood couple was injured Monday in a crash on Interstate 5, according to the California Highway Patrol.Solomon Smith, 37, and Lynette King-Smith, 40, were traveling southbound on the interstate, north of Highway 165, in a 2005 Jeep, CHP said.

Police said they arrested a man who was trying to burglarize a business on Place Road Monday.Police responded to the 1300 block of Place Road at approximately 3:50 a.m. after a call from the business’ alarm company.

Supervising Ranger Steve Barber said the man, whose name and age have not been released, was pulled from the O’Neill Forebay around 2:35 p.m. Monday.

Traffic returned to normal on Highway 152 Wednesday after a 124-acre grass fire shut down both lanes earlier in the week, the California Highway Patrol reported.

That couldn't be more true for an abandoned pooch who wandered onto the fairgrounds during the Merced County Spring Fair in Los Banos last month.

About half of the city's 18 lighting and landscaping districts will get a maximum increase in fees for a second year.City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved those increases, which are 10 percent in seven districts and 5 percent in one.Depending on the district, landowners will pay an additional $5.70 to $28.12 per parcel per year in those ... (more)

She served as dean of the Los Banos campus of Merced College for 11 years. Then she served as the college's vice president of student personnel in Merced for eight years.Before coming to Los Banos, she was the re-entry center director in Merced, then an intern dean of instruction.

Avoiding the heat will be difficult, as record and near-record temperatures are forecast for the weekend.

When El Capitan High School opens in late August, Principal Anthony Johnson said, his expectations are to hit the ground running -- as if the school has been open for years.

Traffic returned to normal on Highway 152 Wednesday after a 124-acre grass fire shut down both lanes earlier in the week, the California Highway Patrol reported.

That couldn't be more true for an abandoned pooch who wandered onto the fairgrounds during the Merced County Spring Fair in Los Banos earlier this month.

For most of Merced County's high school seniors, this is a memorable week, with graduations scheduled Thursday and Friday.

NEAR HOLLISTER/LOS BANOS, Calif. -- Five agencies responded to a fire that started along Highway 152 at Dinosaur Point Tuesday afternoon.