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🌱 How UC Merced students turn drug discovery into a game for teens

Merced, California Patch AM: a 4 min read

Cheers Merced! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How UC Merced students turn drug discovery into a game for teens
  • How a 650-acre Merced County wildfire was finally contained
  • Key Merced County highway closures you’ll face starting Monday

Also on today's calendar: Merced County Water Quality Forum and 2 more events.

Today's riddle: When is a car not a car? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: Mostly sunny and warm, with a high of 97 and low of 62 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Sunday: Sunshine and a few clouds, temps: high: 95, low: 60.
  • Monday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 94 and low of 58 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Meet the 2026 SOC grant awardees (asbmb.org) — UC Merced undergraduates are bringing hands-on drug discovery lessons to high schools and community centers in Merced, Madera and Modesto, helping local teens imagine themselves in STEM careers. Their “Drug D&D” project, one of five national outreach grant winners, uses playful molecule-building to demystify biochemistry for a largely Latinx, under-resourced region.
   

2. Update: Point Fire in Merced County remains 100% contained by Friday morning (sacbee.com) — A 650-acre wildfire that started near Highway 152 and Dinosaur Point Road in Merced County is now 100% contained, though investigators are still determining the cause. Fire crews from the Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit used engines, air tankers, and control lines to stop its spread. Residents should know the fire can still burn within the perimeter but is not expected to grow.
   

3. Traffic Advisory Merced County 07/03/26 (ca.gov) — Drivers in Merced County should prepare for overnight and daytime lane and ramp closures next week on State Routes 33, 99, and 140, including work near East Atwater and Winton Parkway. Caltrans will use one-way traffic controls and a full on-ramp closure on southbound 99 for several days. Plan extra time and consider alternate routes during the listed hours.
   

4. UC undergraduate campuses are the top public schools in the nation, new ranking shows (universityofcalifornia.edu) — UC Merced has been recognized by Money magazine as one of the nation’s best-value colleges, with strong outcomes for students and relatively low debt. The piece explains how all UC campuses scored highly, while spotlighting UC Merced’s role in boosting economic mobility for lower-income students.
   

5. What are shifts like for police officers in Merced County? We tagged along to find out (themercedfocus.org) — Police officers in Merced County cities like Los Banos, Gustine, and Atwater juggle medical emergencies, traffic enforcement, and quiet patrols, often in the same shift. A ride-along shows how they respond to life-or-death calls, debrief tough incidents, and balance small-town familiarity with serious responsibilities. Officers emphasize community safety, emotional resilience, and staying positive while serving local residents.
   

📸 Around Merced

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Merced

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📣 Merced Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hello,
    I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get affordable help for these babies. They are strays, 5 in total, and I don’t want to take them away… (Nextdoor North Merced)
  • Hello folks!
    My son has PANINI STICKERS World Cup 2026, he would like to exchange! Please let me know! Ty (Nextdoor East Alexander)
  • Government Jobs posted a job opening for Accounting Technician (Full-Time Only) in Merced. Apply here.
  • Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. posted a job opening for Team Member in Merced. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Merced here.

Ok Merced! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: When it is turning into a driveway! (Thank you Dana J. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

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Stay in the loop with what's happening in Merced

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Merced

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.