{"id":614620,"date":"2026-04-30T05:01:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T05:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/614620\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T05:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T05:01:09","slug":"central-californias-lumbering-wood-statue-needs-a-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/614620\/","title":{"rendered":"Central California’s lumbering wood statue needs a name"},"content":{"rendered":"

Move over Yogi \u2014 there\u2019s a new big bear<\/a> in town.<\/p>\n

A massive wooden bruin just planted itself in the San Joaquin Valley, and unlike its real-life cousins<\/a>, this one isn\u2019t after picnic baskets \u2014 it just needs a name.<\/p>\n

Merced County<\/a> is crowdsourcing ideas for the larger-than-life sculpture, carved straight out of a dying 100-year-old tree that once stood in the park. Instead of hauling it away, officials say the County \u201csaw an opportunity to repurpose the stump into a meaningful and lasting addition to the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

Merced County is crowdsourcing name ideas for the larger-than-life sculpture. Facebook\/Merced Golden Wire News<\/p>\n

McCarty knocked out the piece in just three days \u2014 and says the reaction has been overwhelming. Facebook\/Merced County Courthouse Museum<\/p>\n

District 2 Supervisor Josh Pedrozo says the hulking statue captures \u201cthe character and spirit of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s be honest \u2014 Merced has a thing for bears.<\/p>\n

The Applegate Zoo houses two real black bears and is gearing up to debut a new exhibit<\/a> next month. Even Merced High School flies the bear as its mascot. Safe to say, the town\u2019s not lacking in bear pride.<\/p>\n

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Merced has a thing for bears. TikTok\/@jaimelozano18<\/p>\n

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The new addition to Courthouse Park comes courtesy of local carver Tommy McCarty, a Dos Palos native who\u2019s been shaping wood for over a decade and went full-time in 2020 with his business, McCarty Wood Sculpting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe park had contacted me to do this tree because it was dying and its over 100 years old. They didn\u2019t want to just remove it. They wanted to put something for the community something that will be beautiful and last for hopefully another 100 years,\u201d McCarty said in a TikTok video. <\/p>\n

@thehonorengraved<\/a> <\/p>\n

From a fallen redwood to a full on bear \ud83d\udc3b\ud83c\udf32 Right in Courthouse Park, this tree got a second life. This is the newest Bear sculpture art piece in Merced right now. You can still see the texture of the wood, but now it tells a whole new story. Proof that even something once considered \u201cdead\u201d can turn into something powerful. Sculpture by Tommy McCarty Jr. \ud83d\udccd Courthouse Park, Merced<\/p>\n

\u266c Circles \u2013 Instrumental \u2013 Post Malone<\/a> <\/p>\n

McCarty knocked out the piece in just three days \u2014 and says the reaction has been overwhelming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea how many bears I\u2019ve carved, carved so many that I just know where the cuts are at and I just do it. It seems extraordinary to the spectators but to me, it\u2019s just my job and I just do it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Name submissions are open through May 31. County of Merced<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s up to locals to give the beast a name \u2014 whether it\u2019s clever, historic or just plain fun.<\/p>\n

Submissions are open through May 31<\/a>, and the winner gets a shoutout from the Merced County Board of Supervisors.<\/p>\n

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