dlm (february)

Dear Reader,

Ive heard it over and over again. Ive heard it from people from Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco. Artists and musicians who fi nd themselves in Merced on their journey through California always say the same thing Wow.

Theres nothing better as an event promoter than to hear those words, which are usually followed with something like I had no idea or when can I come back?

Last month we hosted a talented couple of singer/songwriters at a house show. Chris Brokaw and Jennifer OConnor landed in California from the East Coast and were on their way North to San Francisco and Sacramento.

They played in front of a full house and an attentive crowd. By the time they left the next morning Brokaw was planning a stop in Merced on his next tour.

A few weeks later we screened an indie documentary at the Multicultural Arts Center produced by a pair of fi lmmakers in Los Angeles. One of them traveled to Merced for the screening and when the night was over he had some very kind words.

Theres something really special going on here. Youre onto something, he said.

Its these moments that make me proud to be a Mercedian and to be a participant in the development of our artistic community. Hes right, we are onto something and I hope everybody who reads this makes a conscious decision to support our local artists by attending a concert or a play or visiting the Multicultural Arts Center. Find a way to participate.

The PlayersPUBLISHER: Tom Price [email protected] PUBLISHER: Janna Rodriguez [email protected] MANAGER: Samantha Yniguez [email protected] EDITOR: Nathan Quevedo [email protected] GURU: Kenneth Nelson [email protected]: Donna Nelson [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & EDITORS: Ben Davidson, Karen Nicholson, Matt Robinson, Theresa Hong,

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Juno Appleseed, Megann Ward, Wil Mathews

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Editor & Publisher

COVER: Logan Loader, Team Cash Call

PHOTOGRAPHER: Contributed Photo

Find UsWEBSITE: www.thedlm.comFACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/thedlmTWITTER: www.twitter.com/downtownlifemagEMAIL: [email protected]: 209-568-6363EDITORIAL: 209-777-6176SNAIL MAIL: PO BOX 1604 Merced CA, 95341

Issue #41Volume #3

The Cover

Downtown Life Magazine is a monthly publication distributed downtown and at more than 90 other locations,

including: UC Merced, Merced College, Raleys grocery store and every Starbucks Coffee Company in Merced and

Atwater. 5,000 DLM magazines are distributed every month. For more information, go to www.thedlm.com

C O N T E N T S

THE LEDE 08Broadway Sing-Off returns to Playhouse Merced; Weaver Elementary performs Little Mermaid.

CYCLING CLASSIC 23-33Official program for the 20th running of the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic.

MC GALLERY 12Merced College Art Gallery showcasing pair of Bay Area artists.

NICK JAINA 14Portlands Nick Jaina stop by Merced during house show circuit.

THE HOBBIT 16Playhouse Merced visits Middle-earth with production of Tolkien classic.

HAMLET 18Merced Shakespearefest takes on Shakespeares most famous tragedy.

KRS-One 10A hip-hop legend will be performing in Merced for the first time on Feb. 23 at The Partisan.

Downtown Life Magazine February 2013

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the lede Events in and around Merced

Playhouse Merceds Broadway Sing-Off is back on Sundays through Feb. 17.

The brainchild of Playhouse Merced board member Valiant Reyes, the Sing-Off came to him while he was watching Playhouse Merceds other live game show, Drama Island.

I love the shows like American Idol and The Voice, says Reyes, there is something so incredible about watching those young, amateur singers taking their shot and nailing a song. So last year, Broadway Sing-Off debuted with the late Chent Cervantes hosting, and panel of judges: Reyes, plus Playhouse Merced artistic director Rob Hypes

and performer Dianne Kocher. Sort of our version of Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, and Paula Abdul, chuckles Reyes.

This season, like on the X Factor or The Voice, changes have occurred. Cervantes passed away unexpectedly last summer and left a hole in the hosting duties. Reyes will be filling in as host.

Its daunting to be replacing Chent says Valiant. He was such a great guy and a fantastic host with such a natural way with the contestants. I hope I can do half as well.

Returning judges Hypes, Shade and Kocher are joined this by Darrel Lingenfelter, former Atwater High School

band director, and piano player extraordinaire. Lingenfelter brings to the mix 40-plus years of experience, both in bands and theater.

The contestants on this seasons show are GB Blackmon III, Elena Carter, Justin Choi, Jilliann Giacalone, Bethy Harmelin, Melina Hunter, Stephen Mouillesseaux and Loretta Spence.

Each week they will be given a theme or task and are expected to rehearse the song by the time the next episode rolls around.

Broadway Sing-Off 2013 runs at 7 p.m. every Sunday through Feb. 17. Admission is a role of the dice ($1-6).

Broadway Sing-Off continues in absence of late host Cervantes

Photo by Meganne WardContestants G.B. Blackmon III, and Jilliann Giacolone embrace after finding out they made it another week.

9Downtown Life Magazine February 2013Like Us on Facebook www.facebook.com/thedlm

the lede Events in and around Merced

More than 50 students in the Weaver Union School District have been delving under the sea most days after school since mid-August.

These students are part of the school districts production of The Little Mermaid Jr.

Public performances will be held Friday, March 1, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 2, at 1 and 7 p.m. and school performances for students will be held Wednesday, Feb. 27 through March 1 in the morning.

Drama students learn a number of skills through the process of auditioning, rehearsing and doing the show, says Jeff Sanders, teacher at Weaver and director of the musical. Most will memorize lines, stage directions, songs and dances. In the end, they will perform in front of audiences of up to 1,100 people. Every child will have a different experience, but some of these students will gain so much in confidence and skill that it will change their future in a positive way.

Auditions for the musical began after school started in mid-August (Weaver is on a slightly different track than most school districts). The first round of auditions takes place at each

Weaver students perform Little Mermaid

of the three school sites in the district. At this audition, all students sing a short excerpt from the same song and do a brief dance routine they have learned. Around 60 students auditioned at each of the schools nearly 180 total.

About 100 students were selected to continue to the next round of auditions where they are given songs and scenes specific to a role. All students are considered for all roles, regardless of what part they are given to use during auditions.

Students are then selected for roles and rehearsal begins.

Rehearsal takes place three days a week after school. While some students practice acting, dancing or singing, other students stay after school to help make props or set pieces.

There are 56 students, from grades 4-8, with roles in the show and seven students assisting as the stage crew.

Tickets are $8 and available at all schools in the Weaver district and at the theater for each performance.

A Drag Double Featureat Merced Theatre

Merced Full Spectrum, a local LGBT awareness group, in conjunction with the Merced Theatre will be screening two classic films starting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 8 at the Merced Theatre.

They will be showing Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Birdcage.

Priscilla is a 1994 Australian comedy-drama that follows the journey of two drag queens and a transsexual woman across the Australian Outback in a tour bus that they have named Priscilla.

Birdcage is a 1996 comedy about a gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion who agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiances right-wing moralistic parents.

Cost is $10 for both movies and its half off if you come dressed in drag.

Photo by Nathan QuevedoFrom left, Randu Terrazas, 12, 7th grade, plays Prince Eric, Jaden Phillips, 11, 6th grade, performs as Sebastian and Lydia Lumley, 11, 6th grade, stars as Ariel, in Weaver Middle Schools production of The Little Mermaid Jr.


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Legend lands in MercedContributed PhotoHip hop pioneer KRS-One will be performing at The Partisan on Feb. 23.

One of hip-hops most outspoken, pivotal and controversial voices, KRS-One, is coming to Downtown Merced.

With nearly 20 full-length albums and a career that spans back to the 1980s, the American rapper of Jamaican descent has received numerous honors and accolades for his effort towards the Stop the Violence Movement as well as the overall pioneering of hip-hop music and culture.

The ackronym KRS-One stands for Knowledge

Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone.

In the 1990s, as hip-hop grew more commercialized and corporate, KRS-One who openly rejected the cultural exploitation and grounded music and culture style to its original principles of peace, love, unity and safely having fun.

Its an honor to help some one like KRS-One continue to grow the art form he was at the forefront of in its early stages, says James Deans, aka Destructobunny, whose production group Yoga for Your

Ears organized the show. He embodies everything hip-hop is and stands for: knowledge of self.

The hip-hop legend gained notoriety for his staunch opposition to commercial music, being featured in songs from artists from a variety of other styles and strong stance on social and cultural issues.

KRS-One will perform at The Partisan on Feb. 23. Tickets are $10 and available online at www.brownpapertickets.com.

For more information on the show, check out The Partisan on Facebook.

Music KRS-One

KRS-One to play Partisan on February 23

Downtown Life Magazine February 2013Like Us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thedlm

OPENDAILY6:30AMto9PM

BREAKFASTLUNCHDINNER

1720 G Street (209)383-2558

BREAKFASTLUNCHDINNERBREAKFASTLUNCHDINNER


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A vintage Brownie costume hangs with its traditional chocolate brown color contrasting off the white paint on the wall. A massive orange tie pertrudes from the collar and falls all the way to the ground where it is rolled out flat.

Embroidered on the tie are images from a 1940s Brownies handbook. Bay Area artist Roz Ritter tells stories through what she calls biotapestry. She will be showing her work along with Mari Bergstedt from Feb. 19 through March 14 at the Merced College Art Gallery.

I embroidered those pictures from the handbook and they represent ways I was taught to be raised, sewing, cooking, cleaning, going to church and living at home in the suburbs, says Ritter. The reason I have the tie so long is to represent that weight we feel on how we are supposed to be.

The piece she says is still in progress. The next step will be to show what really happened.

I will include some photographs of me in the 70s living in a teepee, she laughs.

Ritter says the purpose of all her work in this show is to explore and pay homage to her family through visual storytelling. She is inspired by her grandmother Julie, who was a seamstress in the summer palace of Franz Joseph during the Ottoman Empire. And she says her father. Lew, was a haberdahser to the stars.

Contributed PhotoThe Brownie Costume by Roz Ritter is a bio-tapestry piece featur-ing images from a 1940s Brownie handbook.

Biotapestry exhibit to open at Merced College

Artist Profile Roz Ritter and Mari Bergstedt

Bergstedt is more of a conceptual artist. The work she will be showing is the reconstruction of her childhood memories using deconstructred, torn and degenerating antique pieces combined with new fiber, wire and button work.

One of her pieces is a sculpture of woman made almost completely out of buttons.

Growin up as a foster child I obsessively observed other peoples lives, looking everywhere for individuals and families in harmony,

says Bergstedt. Knitting, crocheting and sewing provided a framework for my daydreams and gave a sense of order to my life.

The reception for the show will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 20 at the Merced College Art Gallery. The show will run from Feb. 19 through March 14. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Susanne French, gallery coordinator at (209) 384-6064.


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Nick Jaina has expanded his repertoire during the past few years. He wrote the score for film Cement Suitcase, composed an original ballet with the Satellite Collective, which features dancers from the New York City Ballet, is the composer and musical director for a play in New Orleans called Girls Who Drew Horses and has a new album due out in April.

Music Nick Jaina

Contributed PhotoPortlands Nick Jaina will perform at a DLM Live house show on Feb. 15.

nick jainaPortland songwriter treads into unfamiliar waters

Words by Nathan [email protected]


In between all of this, hes taken piano, guitar, percussion and music theory lessons.

Jaina says there are several reasons for branching out into so many areas.

What Ive been trying to do is invest in my infrastructure, says the 35-year-old during a phone interview from his home base of Portland. Part of the idea (for guitar lessons) is that Ive been touring solo somewhat and I wanted to be able to give a more compelling show.

Jaina is scheduled to play in a three-piece acoustic group for a DLM Live house show on Feb. 15 at The Olive House. (Check Facebook for more details)

I have actually never even

met one of them, he says laughing. I know Danah, the cellist, and she plays with Spirits (of the Red City).

I ran into Danah in Denver and we were talking about stuff we can do and she said you should come to Northern California and play some house shows, he continues. Were gonna start out at Folsom Prison Ive played at some prisons in Oregon and its a pretty amazing experience.

Jaina, whos been on multiple West Coast and national tours, says he can tell immediately if a house show will be a success.

You can pretty much tell right when you get to the house

what its going to be like, he says. The best host is one that knows what goes into planning a show.

Back to his recent deluge of lessons, the city of Portland was actually a sponsor behind this endeavor. I actually got a grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council in Portland, says Jaina. I wrote a proposal and got a little bit of money to take lessons.

He was ready for something new, something that wouldnt come so easily.

If youre just singing pop songs in a band, youre not challenged musically, he says. For me its a craft songwriting and making better music.

Jaina marvels at the thought

of the new directions he has embarked on.

Its pretty amazing to write ballet music and have these beautiful, talented dancers perform music that I came up with in my head, he says. Ive gotten to work with dancers from the NYC, which are some of the best in the world.

Discussing his new album Primary Perception, Jaina says he didnt want to show off.

I learned how to score string arrangements I dont know exactly what ways that shows up on this record, he says laughing. I didnt want to be so obvious and intellectual

like heres everything I know. He also wanted the process

to be more organic and not contrived, like most studio sessions are.

This time I tried really casually setting up recording dates, Jaina says. Sometimes I would have eight people in the studio and people would make up their own parts as we went along. The engineer would just set up microphones.

He says he wanted it to be a flow of ideas and to make the overall experience a satisfying one.

Jaina says an important question he asked himself in the studio was How can we make fun the first priority? Thats a lot more fun than play

exactly like this and do these parts.

Jaina said hes excited to head out on the road with a full band in the Spring in support of the new album.

When asked about Portland musicians he works with, Jaina says he cant seem to be in the right place at the right time.

Im really good at not meeting really important people that I should meet, he says laughing.

Check out Nick Jaina with Willy Tea and Michael Clark at the DLM Live House Show on Feb. 15. Tickets are $10, for more information, visit www.thedlm.com.

If youre just singing pop songs in a band, youre not challenged musically. For me its a

craft songwriting and making better music. Nick Jaina


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Full disclosure. The last time I read J.R.R. Tolkiens book The Hobbit was 35 years ago in high school English class.

It wasnt a love connection. That world of mythical creatures and epic travel across vast fantasy landscapes just did not connect with me. Over time, I have become familiar enough with some of the iconic characters. Bilbo Baggins is a cuddly, friendly hobbit. Gandalf is a tall bearded wizard. Gollum

is a creepy, stringy creature that purrs my precious.

There are dwarves, goblins, trolls, elves, soldiers and trees that live and fight in a place called Middle-earth. Yet for every one of me, the guy with limited imagination, millions of fans adore Tolkiens The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books and know the folklore within them backward and forward. For me, It would require some research to be able to take the journey. Over

the Misty Mountains, into the forest of Mirkwood and down into the Brandywine River to find out what makes the Tolkien books so popular.

What drove Mike Kittel, Playhouse Merceds associate artistic director to bring the live version of The Hobbit to the Playhouse Merced stage, and to direct the show as well?

A bit of background. The Hobbit was written as a childrens book in 1937 by British author J.R.R. Tolkien.

Photo by Meganne WardJake Nelson holds the precious ring during Playhouse Merced performance of The Hobbit.

The HobbitA Journe

y There and Back AgainWords by Jim [email protected]

Theater The Hobbit


It tells the tale of the aforementioned Bilbo Baggins and his adventures through the fi ctional land called Middle-earth as he tries to win a portion of treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug.

Mike Kittel fi rst read The Hobbit as a high school sophomore and was instantly taken with the characters, settings and adventures.

Some of the scenes I found absolutely terrifying, she admits. But I loved it.

Kittel really gears up when she starts talking about The Hobbit.

Grinning ear to ear, she rattles off bits and pieces of Tolkien trivia, (J.R.R. stands for John Ronald Reuel. He served in World War I, losing most of his friends in battle, declared himself a misanthrope and in his later years was a bit of a hermit, casting aside his popularity received from the books. Theres no doubt, Kittel is passionate about The Hobbit.

By the way, she explains. Were not nerds. Were Tolkienists.

Noted. Playhouse Merceds unit

set designed by production designer Corey Strauss, allows it to become the many different locations on Bilbos adventures.

We have created several different levels and playing areas, with staircases and places that the actors can make entrances and exits, says Chris Battisti, assistant technical director.

When the right lighting is added and the magic of live theatre, the set can become all the various places around Middle-earth.

The cast is equally passionate about The Hobbit. More than 70 people

came out to audition for the production.

That really blew me away. says Kittel Lots of new people who really wanted to be a part of this show because they also enjoy the books.

Leading that cast is Jake Nelson who plays the part of Bilbo Baggins. Nelson, 20, has participated in Playhouse shows as a Conservatory member, and was most recently in 9 to 5: The Musical and A Few Good Men. With Zach Ellis as Gandalf and Smaug, Jeshamon Volkerts as Gollum, the epic-sized cast expands to more than 30 actors.

Playhouse Merceds production is also designed to be family-friendly and great for all ages.

With all those hobbits and dwarves and elves, there are some epic battle scenes and some dramatic moments including Gollum and Smaug the dragon.

But, Kittel reassures parents and grandparents that young people will be delighted by the live version of The Hobbit.

With any luck, she says. Maybe it will lead them back to the original book, which would be fantastic.

While I may not remember what an Arkenstone is, it is clear that 76 years after it was fi rst published, Bilbo and his friends are as popular and beloved as ever. Let us raise a fl agon of Miruvor and salute J.R.R. Tolkien, and Playhouse Merceds production of The Hobbit. Anyone got some cram?

Playhouse Merced presents The Hobbit through Feb. 17. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets call (209) 725-8587 or playhousemerced.com).


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xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx

HamletWords by Tom [email protected]

Merced Shakespearefest takes on Shakespeares most well-known tragedy

He drops to his knees, clutches the young womans shoulder and erupts into his passionate, anger-fueled dialogue. The half dozen actors leaning against the wall in Merced Shakespearefests rehearsal room for Hamlet are hushed and fixated on the two actors sprawled out on the floor in the middle of the room.

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Downtown Life Magazine February 2013Like Us on Facebook www.facebook.com/thedlm

Hamlet, played by Colton Dennis, is ending his engagement with Emily Wilsons Ophelia in a physical and emotionally draining scene. His eyes stare with the furiosity of a wild animal stalking its prey and the veins bulge from his neck as he delivers his lines:

If thou dost marry, Ill give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go, farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell.

For Dennis, the opportunity to play the title role in Merced Shakespearefests Hamlet was somewhat of a last chance for the veteran actor.

Hamlet is one of those pivotal roles for an actor, says Dennis who last performed in Merced in August 2011 in Much Ado About Nothing. He is currently the Artistic Director at the Patterson Repretory Theatre.

This was probably my last chance to play Hamlet. Im getting too old. Playing Lier will be the next stage.

Hamlet is widely regarded as Shakespeares most well-known tragedy and features many quotes that are commonly used in the English language.

Its a lot of pressure to perform this play because so many people know the play, says Dennis. The challenge is to still make this character my own. I want to draw from my own experiences and find what works and I dont think I will know that is until that

moment.Hamlet covers many

themes from revenge to sorrow and political intrigue to insanity, while weaving the story of Prince Hamlet, who is called upon to avenge the death of his father the King of Denmark. Hamlets internal battle with these themes easily makes him one of Shakespeares most complex characters.

I see Hamlet as a cerebral and intelligent man who is witty, ironic and he can play with words like no other, says Heike Hambley, the plays director.

Hambley has added some unique twists to her Hamlet. It will take place in modern day and will be performed in front of a very intimate audience at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center.

This story is so intense and the Arts Center crowd will be right up to the stage, says Wilson, another veteran of the Merced Shakespearefest.

It will be amazing to see in person.

In total there are 19 actors performing in the play ranging in age from 16 to 70. Eleven of the actors are from out of town with some traveling more than 40 minutes to be a part of the play.

At first I was concerned that we were working with so many actors not from Merced, says Hambley. In the meantime, I see it as a good sign that we are getting known in the region as a place where good Shakespeare is produced. And those actors will bring audiences from out of town to our Downtown Merced.

Hamlet will run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from Feb. 22 through March 3 at the Multicultural Arts Center. Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for students and children and can be purchased at the Arts Center or by calling (209) 723-3265.

Photos by Tom PriceFrom left, Hamlet (Colton Dennis) and Ophelia (Emily Wilson), break off their would-be engagement in an emotional and physi-cal scene of heartbreak and anger.

Theatre Hamlet

Recurring EventsMUSIC AT J&R TACOSWHAT: Patty Lou and the Flower Pots entertain at J&R Tacos. WHEN: 7:31 p.m., Every WednesdayWHERE: Playhouse MercedINFO: Facebook

COFFEE BANDITS OPEN MICWHAT: Local talent showcasing their skills. WHEN: 8 p.m., 1st and 3rd Wednesday of monthWHERE: Coffee BanditsINFO: Facebook

PARTISAN OPEN MICWHAT: Local talent showcasing their skills. WHEN: 8 p.m., Every MondayWHERE: The PartisanINFO: Facebook

BRAINGAZMWHAT: Pub trivia game. Groups compete in rounds of trivia and physical challenges to win prizes. WHEN: 9 p.m.,Every Tuesday WHERE: The PartisanINFO: Facebook

POETRY JAMWHAT: Local poets read and share their work. WHEN: 8 p.m., 4th WednesdayWHERE: Coffee BanditsINFO: Facebook

CONJUNTOSWHAT: An artist, poet and musician create improvised work on the spot WHEN: Last Sunday of every month.WHERE: J&R TacosINFO: Facebook

BAD FICTION NIGHTWHAT: What is the worst thing youve ever read? Come share with the group WHEN: 2nd Wed of monthWHERE: Coffee BanditsINFO: Facebook

FARMERS MARKETWHAT: Certified Farmers Mar-ket in Downtown Merced. WHEN: 8 a.m.-Noon, every SaturdayWHERE: 18th and N StreetINFO: http://www.mercedcfm.com

FEBR

UARY

EVE

NTS

We need your help, send us

your event information to:[email protected]

or call(209) 777-6176

DowntownBus Schedule

Monday through FridayDeparture times for a few popular bus stops on

the UC Merced/Downtown loopRoute 22

Location Times7:18, 7:48, 8:18, 8:48, 9:18, 9:58, 10:28, 10:58, 11:28, 11:58, 12:38, 1:08, 1:48, 2:18, 2:48, 3:33, 4:03, 4:33, 5:03, 5:48, 6:18 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:10, 9:40, 10:10, 10:40, 11:10, 11:40, 12:20, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:45, 4:15, 4:45, 5:15, 6:00, 6:30

7:38, 8:08, 8:38, 9:18, 9:48, 10:18, 10:48, 11:18, 11:48, 12:28, 12:20, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:45, 4:15, 4:45, 5:15, 6:00, 6:30

7:43, 8:13, 8:43, 9:23, 9:53, 10:23, 10:53, 11:23, 11:53, 12:33, 1:13, 1:43, 2:13, 2:43, 3:13, 3:58, 4:28, 4:58, 5:28, 6:13, 6:43

7:45, 8:15, 8:45, 9:25, 9:55, 10:25, 10:55, 11:25, 12:05, 12:35, 1:15, 1:45, 2:15, 3:00, 3:30, 4:00, 4:30, 5:15, 5:45

7:50, 8:20, 8:50, 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:10, 12:40, 1:20, 1:50, 2:20, 3:05, 3:35, 4:05, 4:35, 5:20, 5:50

7:57, 8:27, 8:57, 9:37, 10:07, 10:37, 11:07, 11:37, 12:17, 12:47, 1:27, 1:57, 2:27, 3:12, 3:42, 4:42, 4:12, 4:42, 5:27, 5:57

10:04, 11:14, 12:24, 1:34

10:28, 11:38, 12:48, 1:58

10:46, 11:56, 1:06, 2:16

11:05, 12:15, 1:25, 2:35

Main & K Street(Hollywood Theater)

Merced College (M Street)

Paulson & Yosemite (Starbucks)

UC Merced Kolligian Library(Arrival)

UC Merced Kolligian Library(Departure)

Paulson & Yosemite (Starbucks)

Merced College (M Street)

UC Merced Kolligian Library(Arrival)

Merced Mall Theatre

Main & M Street(Hollywood Theater)

Scholars Lane

Friday & Saturday NightsDeparture times for a few popular bus stops on the UC Merced/Downtown loop (10 p.m.-2:35 a.m.)

NiteCat Line Location Times

Morning Afternoon & Evening

For complete schedule go towww.cattracks.org

13 Shut Up N SmileWHAT: Come learn the basics of fi gure drawing with the very merry people of Shut up and Smile! All ages welcome. WHEN: 6 p.m.WHERE: Coffee Bandits (309 W. Main Street.) COST: FREEINFO : Facebook

14 Dinner and a MovieWHAT: Enjoy Cocktails and Dinner (Calamari Steak/Linquine w/Clam Sauce) for Valentines Day at the Italo Lodge and screening of Letters to Juliet at the Merced Theatre. WHEN: Dinner 6:30 p.m.; Movie 8:30 p.m.WHERE: Dinner at the Italo Lodge (1351 W. 18th Street); Movie at the Merced Theatre (301 W. Main Street) COST: $20INFO : (209) 723-8541

15 DLM House ShowWHAT: DLM Live presents a house concert featuring Nick Jaina, Willy Tea Taylor and Mike Clark. WHEN: 7 p.m.WHERE: The Olive HouseCOST: $10 (www.brownpapertickets.com)INFO : www.thedlm.com

16 GearboxWHAT: Local rock group Gearbox with Bus Stop Boxer. WHEN: 9 p.m.WHERE: The Partisan (432 W. Main Street)COST: $5INFO : www.partisanmerced.com

20 MC Gallery receptionWHAT: The Merced College Art Gallery reception for Relativism The theory that truth is an ethical relative to the individual or group that holds it. Mari Bergstedt and Roz Ritter.WHEN: 6-7:30 p.m. with artist talk at 6:30 p.m.WHERE: Merced College Art Gallery (22240 California 152)COST: FreeINFO: www.mcc.org

22-Mar. 3 ShakespearefestWHAT: Merced Shakespearefest presents Hamlet.WHEN: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.WHERE: Mullticultural Arts Center (645 W. Main Street)COST: Adults $10, Students $5INFO: (209) 723-3265 or www.mercedshakespearefest.org

23 KRS-One at the PartisanWHAT: Hip-hop legend KRS-One performing with Atlatis Rizing, Defi ant Strike Crew, Jusumone, Dthamc, UnkoolKid-dz and DJ Chill Zo. WHEN: 8 p.m.WHERE: The Partisan (432 W. Main Street)COST: $10 (www.brownpapertickets.com)INFO : www.partisanmerced.com

CATCHING UPCATCHING UPWill this be the year a team other than Bissell dominates the headlines?

OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF THE 2013 MERCO CREDIT UNION CYCLING CLASSICPresENTED BY MERCY MEDICAL CENTER

Downtown Life Magazine February 2013 www.thedlm.com

When it comes to the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic, its Bissell Pro Cycling and everybody else.

Last year it was Patrick Bevin who dominated the podium with two stage wins to go with his overall title and the year before it was Ben Jacques-Maynes who had one stage win and finished in the Top 3 in two others. In each of those years Bissell took home the team title and

dominated the field. Bissell will once again enter

this years Classic as favorites, but there is competition brewing with a handful of teams emerging as contenders.

Team Cash Call, already a team on the rise, added a new face this year that could have them squaring up against the big boys all season long.

Logan Loader, a 22-year-old veteran of the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic, joined the team during the offseason, leaving the Exergy team he competed with last year. Loader says he is anxious to compete in Merced with his new team.

Any race I go to my goal is to help my team get a result. I train to the best of my abilities no matter what teams will be there

or what riders will be there, says Loader, who has no doubt his Cash Call team will compete with Bissell. I am very confident in my team mates and truly believe we will be up for the job regardless of the competition.

Loader reached the Classic Podium twice last year and finished second overall, winning the Hilltop Ranch Road Race and finishing third in the McDonalds Downtown Grand Prix.

Loader is a Monterey native, with family in Fresno who says he has been to Merced so many times it feels like its home field advantage.

I have been racing the MERCO Cycling Classic since I was a junior and this is why I have come in the past with such

Photos by Wil MathewsPatrick Beven hoists the Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic trophy after finishing first overall at the 2012 race. Tom Zirbel (left) finished second and Logan Loader (right) finished third in the overall standings. All three cyclists will be back for the 2013 race.


TEAM CASH CALLThis Southern California based team is a team on the rise. WIth an already stacked team, Cash Call added Mike Olheiser and Logan Loader this year, which many believe will allow them to compete with anybody this season.

motivation, says Loader, who fully expects his success at the Classic to continue. This year I will be coming with a full team and the goal is for either myself or one of my team mates to win GC. We have some really strong riders and they are extremely motivated for MERCO.

Another cyclist likely champing at the bit for a chance for the top spot on the podium is Tom Zirbel, who finished third overall at last years Classic.

Zirbel, 34, is a cycling veteran who has been riding professionally since 2006. In addition to his success at MERCO last year, he won a stage at the Tour of Elk Grove last year and finished second a the 2011 USPRO Time Trial Championships.

I think MERCO is a safe and well-run race which provides a great opportunity to get some early race fitness, says Zirbel. The elite amateurs and pros who live in California are always flying in February and March and that makes for some challenging racing.

Zirbel says you can always count on Bissell presenting a daunting challenge, especially at MERCO.

They are a very strong team to begin with and often they come to MERCO directly from training camp so the riders are fit and hungry for results, says Zirbel. They are difficult at any point in the year, but they always seem to bring their A game to MERCO.

OTHERS TO WATCH:Team Cal Giant always

brings a team eager to

show the big pro teams what they are made of. A year ago Stephen Leece was a supporting rider to Evan Huffman in what turned out to be Evans breakout race in 2012 at Merco. This year Stephen has been given the green light to race for his own overall at Merco.

Ben Jacques-Maynes, a former winner at the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic and a former member of Team Bissell returns with some new digs.

Now a member of Jamis-Sutter Home, will be motivated racing against his former team for the first time. Jacques-Maynes spent four years with Bissell, where he was a frequent winner.

TEAM OPTUM HEALTHOptum Health had two riders who with strong starts at MERCO last year, but only one of them finished. Tom Zirbel finished second overall and teammate Chad Haga was placed high before crashing out. Optum placed six riders in the Top 10 last year.

TEAM GIANT STRAWBERRYGiant Strawberry is the David to Bis-sells Goliath. They have a dynamic team of young riders that can sneak up and surprise the big guys if they arent careful.

Downtown Grand Prix ScheduleThe Downtown Grand Prix takes place March 2. See race map for Downtown locations for events below.

Community Fair: 10 a.m. to 4p.m.Hospitality Tent: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. serving 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. (invite only)Beer Garden and band: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Pee Wee signup: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Pee Wee race time: 1 p.m.Tricycle Race: 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.EECU Breakaway Zone10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


Bringing State of the Art Healthcare to Merced CountyThe new seven-story medical center, with 186 licensed beds, features private rooms and state-of-the-art technology throughout. Next to the medical center is the Mercy Medical Pavilion which features outpatient surgery, lab, imaging and the Dignity Health Medical Group.www.mercymercedcares.org209.564.5000


STILL A CLASSIC AFTER 20 YEARS

Susie Rossi came up with the idea. She thought it would be great to have a bike race at the Mercy Gulch Festival, says Fluetsch. The Mercy Gulch Festival was a yearly event that kicked off the Merced County Fair in Downtown Merced. Sounded like a great idea to me, not realizing that it would be in the middle of the summer time.

When race day came, it was 106 degrees and only 150 riders showed up, most of whom did not even finish the race because of the conditions.

It was a total disaster, laughs Fluetsch.Nobody came out,

nobody wanted to even go to Mercy Gulch because it was so hot. And for those who did want to go, the bike race was just an inconvenience because they had to drive around it.

Fluetsch thought the race was done, but Rossi and the races sponsor McLane Pacific hadnt lost faith.

They moved the race to March the next year and added a second day.

By the third year they were on the National Calendar, which listed them as one of the top 15 races in the country.

Now a four-day stage race,

MERCO is easily in the top 3 stage races in California, with the Tour of California and the Redlands Bicycle Classic and is one of the premier early-season races in the country.

Fluetsch laughs at the thought of all the mishaps and misfortune theyve had to overcome to reach this point.

They once forgot to put film in their finish line camera, they had an angry farmer dump cow maneuver over the road and they had a lightning storm that downed trees.

I think the growth of Merco to what it is today is really a testament to the community and the engraved stick to it attitude Merced has, says Fluetsch. The first McLane event started rough, we got bruised, thrown on and off, on again and then elected to stay off the National Racing Calendar yet we are still considered one of the best races in the country. I am proud of that.

Contributed PhotoAn archive photos from the second or third McLane Pacific Cycling Classic. Scott McKinley (Saturn) leads Trent Klasna (Chevrolet-LA Sheriffs) onto the narrow section of N Street at the Downtown Grand Prix.

The MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic came from humble beginnings. Doug Fluetsch, the event director, says the first race was a one-day nightmare in the middle of the summer.


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MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICTMERCED BOOSTERSMCDONALDSHILLTOP RANCHTHE COURSESTHE COURSESRACE SPONSORSRACE SPONSORS


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THE PURPLE JERSEY Best young rider under 23 years old

THE PURPLE JERSEY Best young rider under 23 years old

THE JERSEYSTHE JERSEYSTHE Red Jersey

The Susie Rossi Most Passionate Rider

The YELLOW JerseyOVERALL LEADER ON TIME

The BLUE JERSEYBEST RIDER OVER 45 YEARS OLD

Susie Rossi is a pioneer of this cycling event. She was the director of the Merced Downtown Association and was a key element to the beginning of the race. Her job was to promote Downtown Merced and with no knowledge of cycling she embraced an event that she envisioned could become a true community celebration. She worked with the event for the first three or four years, passionate of something she knew nothing about. Sadly Susie passed away in 2003 after a battle with cancer and never really got to see the event become what it is today to the community of Merced.

The BLUE JERSEYBEST RIDER OVER 45 YEARS OLD

The GREEN JERSEYLEader on points

The GREEN JERSEYLEader on points

The YELLOW JerseyOVERALL LEADER ON TIME

The Power of Local Radio SM

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A race like the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic doesnt survive 20 years without the contribution and support of a community.

What started as a one-day event 20 years ago has now become a weeks-worth of entertianment and excicing cycling.

The race operates like clockwork, with assistance from dozens of organizations

and businesses. The Rescue Mission helps with race setup, the Police Explorer Scouts man the intersections and volunteers throughout the community serve as coordinators.

It is humbling to see how its grown and some of the things weve seen happen, says Mike Malone, CEO of MERCO Credit Union. As an organization we are only as successful as our community.

A community is more than a place to sleep, eat and work. People need to be engaged in quality of life such as the arts and events like this.

The event gives back to the community in many ways, from fi lling out restaurants, hotels and shops throughout the four days of the race by drawing thousands of

MERCEDS RACE

Photo by Wil MathewsEach year hundreds of volunteers and thousands of community members turn out for the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic.


Shaer Building Photo Courtesy Merced County Historical Society

100 years of thanks to you.

725 W. 18th Street, Merced Ca 95340(209) 722-1541 fandb1912.com

In 1912, the Shaer family founded our family-owned insurance agency, had a bridge built over the Merced River and constructed their namesake building on what is now M and Main Streets. All three still stand. Our 100th year in business is a humbling milestone only achieved with many thanks to our customers and community. We look forward to serving you in the Century ahead.

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out-of-towners or by donating all the proceeds to charity. Last year, more than $5,000 was raised and given back to the community through aid to the organizations volunteering in the event and through United Way. In 18 years Fleutsch estimates more than $150,000 has been raised.

Mary Bigelow, Director of Resource Development with United Way, says the race has become their biggest event of the year and is an example

of how community-minded folks can make a tremendous difference.

Merced is such a giving community says Bigelow, who credits Merced for its selfl essness.

I see it every day through the way people volunteer their time or invest fi nancially back to this county.

This event is a refl ection of the hundreds of people, businesses, & organizations committed to the success of

this race and the betterment of our community.

It is has been a wonderful event to be a part of and watch grow these last 5 years.

More than more than 500 people volunteer each year for the race, which has grown from two to four days and demands more than 10 hours of work each day of the race.

According to Bigelow one volunteer hour equates to $21.

It is humbling to see how its grown and some of the things weve seen happnen.

As an organization we are only as successful as our community

Mike Malone, CEO of Merco Credit Union


Davis Phinney was at the tip of the spear of USA Cyclings incredible growth spurt in the 80s and 90s. The Colorado native medaled in the 1984 Olympics and he won two stages at the Tour de France helping put a niche sport on the national stage.

But his greatest accomplishments might have come long after he retired from the sport and was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinsons in 2000. It was then, that this cyclist known for his sprinting ability, began the uphill battle against this devastating disease.

Phinney, founder of the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons will be a guest speaker at the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classics Champoins Dinner at 6 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Merced County Fairgrounds Pavillion.

In 2000, I was covering a race in Australia for a TV network, and I was having trouble holding the microphone. I could not will my hand to stop shaking, says Phinney, who enjoyed a career as a broadcaster after retiring in 1993. That was the aha moment. It was 90 degrees outside but I couldnt get my hand to stop tremoring.

Contributed PhotoUSA Cycling legend Davis Phinney will speak at the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classics Champions Dinner on Feb. 28 at the Merced County Fairgrounds Pavillion.

Legend Phinney to speak at dinnerWords by Tom [email protected]


Phinney would return to his hometown of Boulder, Colorado, and spend months visiting different doctors and neurologists all of whom were baffl ed by his symptoms. Phinney would fi nd the answer himself one night while searching the internet.

I had done some searching and found something on early on-set Parkinsons and it had a checklist of symptoms. I checked 8 out of 10, says Phinney. I just had a feeling that was it.

A neurologist in Denver would confi rm his diagnosis.

It was a sobering moment for both my wife and I, says Phinney. I was not familiar with Parkinsons at all.

Phinneys busy post-cycling career came to a halt. At the time of his diagnosis he was working with a local clothing company, he was the VP of a sports marketing fi rm and he was a partner in a local bike shop all while doing TV work for ESPN and Outdoor Life Network.

This is the kind of disease that the more stress you put on yourself the more your symptoms wreak havoc on you, says Phinney, who says he essentially checked out of his previous life. I basically stopped everything.

He says the months following the diagnosis

were especially diffi cult. He felt like everybody was watching him and the burden grew too strong.

We ended up deciding to move to Italy and check out of life as I knew it, says Phinney. I wanted to get out from under the microscope of my friends in Boulder.

His wife and two kids would spend three years in Italy before making the decision to return to the states. Phinney, who had been doing some work for the LiveStrong Foundation, realized he could direct his energy toward helping people with Parkinsons.

I saw that my voice could be used for greater good than hiding away in Italy, says Phinney.

The Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons is committed to providing inspiration and education for the Parkinsons community with ideas, tactics and strategies on how to live better with the disease.

Phinney also wrote a book about his life with the disease, titled The Happiness of Pursuit, which is available online through Amazon.com.

Tickets for the Champions Dinner are $25 each and are available by contacting Ellen Riggs at (209) 777-2765 or email at [email protected]. Space is limited.


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Any guess on how fast the Mens Pro Field cyclist will be moving around the downtown MERCO/McDonalds Downtown Grand Prix?

Faster than cars, cyclist move through the Downtown course at an average speed more than 30 MPH.

These high speeds are maintained for the race duration, 90 minutes. To top it off, the final sprint will reach speeds in excess of 40 MPH.

How are cyclists able to reach and maintain these speeds?

Drafting. Pedaling a bike at 30 MPH takes a lot of energy. Most of this energy is used to overcome air resistance from the increasing speed.

By drafting, or following the cyclist in front of you closely, it takes 30 percent less energy to maintain the same speed as the lead cyclist. This savings allows the second (and third, fourth, etc.) person in line to work less, save energy, and in turn, rotate to the front and take a strong pull.

As long as the chain remains unbroken, the effect of the drafting is strong for all riders in the field even if the field is strung out over three blocks. If something happens, a crash or a weaker rider failing to maintain the draft position, the riders immediately behind must work really hard to reconnect the line. If not, a separation in the field will occur, preventing some riders from finishing with the front group.

Drafting also plays into race strategy. Sprinters, or cyclists within a team whose

primary function is to out-sprint the opponents during the final 100 meters, will tend to stay protected within the pack to conserve energy for the final push.

Teammates will often work hard to surround their sprinter to reduce their work load. Some riders may move to the front and ride at a hard pace in order to split the field, weaker riders who cannot maintain the increased pace fall out of the draft line and thus out of contention. Finally, other riders may drop off the back of the pack to bring a rider back into the pack.

When watching the Downtown race this year, keep an eye on the cyclists and how they move through the field. These movements will help identify the teams race strategy. For most riders, however, a ride in the mens Pro field at MERCO will be all about hanging on and finishing with the field as the quality of competition, duration, and speed of the race is quite intense!

How cyclists reach speeds exceeding 40 mph

Last Word David Doll

Faster than cars, cyclists move through the Downtown course at an average speed

of more than 30 miles per hour. These

high speeds are maintained for the race duration, 90

minutes.

Words by David Doll

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Downtown Life Magazine February 2013Like Us on Facebook www.facebook.com/thedlm


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