New Hospital Opens Merced

FRESNO, Calif. The $260 million facility opened less than 20 minutes ago, at 6 a.m. It features nearly 200 beds in spacious, mostly private rooms.

Sunday patients will be transported by ambulance from the old hospital that's closing to the new state of the art, seven story building.

Local and state emergency management officials are conducting an earthquake exercise in conjunction with the hospital patient move.

It will simulate a 7.1 earthquake hitting the valley just east of the city of Merced.