Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, June 26, 2026:
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- Enrollment data shows seniors make up about one percent of the student population at Merced College — and less than that at other Valley universities. Still, those students say even at their age they reap the benefits of education when they do enroll, like exercising their brains and bodies.
- California voters will decide on 14 state ballot measures this November. That includes a controversial wealth tax on California billionaires that remains on the ballot after yesterday’s deadline despite a flurry of negotiations.
- Senator Alex Padilla is launching a first of its kind initiative to help protect against interference in the November midterm election. The program will train Senate staff to serve as official election observers. They’ll document any type of meddling either on Election Day or in the post election certification process.
- The FIFA World Cup continues. The U.S. saw its first defeat Thursday night against Turkey, in a 3-2 loss, but the Americans will still advance to the knockout stage along with fellow hosts Mexico and Canada. Over in Watsonville, one group of kids got to experience the World Cup real close.
Seniors Stay Young with Education
Merced College instructor Ofelia Cruz is 73 years old, but whenever her students in her “Injury and fall prevention class” figure out her age, they’re shocked. She says ‘The secret is movement and consistency. You have to do it all the time.’
That’s why Cruz is teaching this class at an assisted living home called Park Merced. Fall prevention is just one Merced College class that attracts people 65 and older.
Rikki Alvarez is a program manager at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Fresno State, which is open to anyone 50 and older. OLLI is a non-profit that operates at universities all over the country. And the one at Fresno State served more than 500 students last year.
Research shows education can help older adults with stress management and isolation. It can also help improve confidence, adaptability and memory.
Some classes talk politics. Other classes teach new games to play, or even how to write a memoir. Most of all, people attend these classes for the social connection, because finding friends is not the same as it used to be.
Lisa Bell is the executive director of Fresno State’s OLLI. She says, “We don’t talk to our neighbors. We just open the garage and we pull in…many of the old ways that we made connections even for working people, younger people are just not as strong.”
Crowded Ballot for Californians this November
The crowded state ballot will include a proposal to enact voter ID, limit local taxes, and grow California’s rainy day fund. There’s also two housing bonds and a measure that would exempt many developments from state environmental law.
The legislature is asking voters to approve two changes to California election law — one measure to expand public financing in local races, and another to change the rules of governor recall elections.
Local Kids Walk the Pitch in World Cup
Eleven students from Freedom Elementary School in Watsonville got to walk onto the field at Levi’s Stadium holding the hands of players for a match last week. The school chose the students in partnership with the nonprofit America SCORES.
Nine-year-old Franco Salinas Raygoza says going to the world cup was his dream.
“ I felt excited and just grateful that I was picked for such a once in a lifetime experience. The player I was with, I got to talk to him, and he was playing around with my hair in the tunnel.”
He was nervous, but excited, and said the energy was “chaos,”
The students stayed for the game. Franco’s mom, Zaida, saw her son’s amazed face on TV.
“ I think he lived the dream for many, many of us.“