An excerpt of Cihuatlampa: The Place of Giant Women by Amalia Mesa-Bains, part of her solo exhibition Archaeology of Memory, is on display now at The Cheech. (Ken Crawford)
Friday Gazette: March 7, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday!
Great art is subversive. It takes the familiar, bends and twists it until we see something we never noticed was there. Even the slightest change can make an impact as new perspectives challenge existing modes of thought and action. The texture and shape of a garment magnified to giant scale might reveal what we've missed in passive observation.
Iconic Chicana artist and cultural critic Amalia Mesa-Bains understands this power. For fifty years, she has remained at the avant-garde of aesthetic, cultural, and social movements. During the opening reception of her new exhibition Archaeology of Memory at the Cheech Marin Center last Thursday, Mesa-Bains addressed the crowd about artists' responsibility during challenging times, declaring, "We are artists, we are thinkers, we are brave, and we must be brave again!"
The exhibition, which explores themes of memory, identity, and resilience, runs through August 15th.
Project Food and Riverside Free Clinic Serve to Bridge Food, Health Gaps
The First Congregational Church basement serves as hub for weekly meals, and biweekly free medical clinic.
From left to right: Sandra Soare (Project Food), Richard Wing (Riverside Free Clinic), Sharon Alexander, and Kristin Fontaine (RCC). (Courtesy of Mario Sandoval)
For four decades, Project Food and Riverside Free Clinic have been serving Riverside's vulnerable populations from the First Congregational Church basement. These initiatives provide essential services to those in need, from free meals to no-cost medical care.
Driving the news: Project Food serves weekly meals to a diverse group of food-insecure individuals, while Riverside Free Clinic offers bi-weekly medical and mental health services.
Sandra Soares, Project Food chairperson, notes that many guests struggle to balance household expenses with food costs.
Why it matters: These programs fill critical gaps in community support, serving those who might otherwise go without essential services.
Richard Wing, co-founder of Riverside Free Clinic, emphasizes the dual mission of providing healthcare and training future medical professionals.
The big picture: The church at Lemon and Mission Inn Avenue has become a hub for community support, offering:
• Weekly meals and essential supplies through Project Food • Diabetes and hypertension management • Dental care and hygiene products • Nutrition counseling and family planning services
What's next: Both organizations continue to rely on community volunteers and donations to sustain their services.
Those interested in supporting Project Food can contribute through their Amazon Wishlist.
Rams and Bears Both Make an Appearance in CIF State Tournament
Highlanders and Lancers look to move up in the conference standings before next week’s conference tournaments.
Ramona Rams boy’s basketball after their 64-62 victory over Southwest San Diego High in the first round of the State Tournament. (Courtesy of Ramona Basketball)
Riverside's high school and college athletes are making waves in wrestling and basketball, with postseason tournaments on the horizon.
Driving the news: ML King Junior's Giada Tanahara placed sixth in her weight class at the State Wrestling Championships, while local college basketball teams prepare for conference tournaments.
• Tanahara is one of only six girls in school history to wrestle for a state title.
Why it matters: Conference tournament victories are crucial for UC Riverside and California Baptist University basketball teams to secure spots in March Madness.
• As mid-major conference teams, winning their respective tournaments is likely their only path to the NCAA Tournament.
The big picture: All Division 1 Basketball teams from UCR and CBU, both men's and women's, are headed to conference tournaments next week.
What's next: Important games this weekend will determine tournament seeding for both universities.
• Key matchups include UC Riverside Men at Cal State Fullerton and CBU Men vs. UT Arlington on Saturday, March 8.
Right-Turn-Only Rules Already in Effect at Key Downtown Intersection
$7,465 Market Street project heading to Council after January implementation.
Delineators and signage restrict traffic to right turns only at the Market and Sixth streets intersection in downtown Riverside, part of a $7,500 city pilot project awaiting formal Council approval.
The City of Riverside is evaluating safety countermeasures for the intersection of Market St and 6th St, which has seen 30 collisions in recent years.
Driving the news: A case study by Kimley-Horn analyzed collision data and potential safety improvements for the high-traffic intersection.
The intersection currently has a HAWK pedestrian signal but still experiences frequent collisions.
By the numbers:
25,524 total entering vehicles daily
30 total collisions, including 3 involving pedestrians and 1 involving a bicycle
40% of collisions were broadside, 23% sideswipe, 23% rear-end
Top countermeasures:
Installing green bicycle paint in conflict zones ($29,184 cost, 5.35 benefit-cost ratio)
What's next: The city will likely consider implementing some of the recommended safety improvements to reduce collisions at this busy downtown intersection.
Meet this week’s featured furry friend from the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center. Dedicated to eliminating pet homelessness, the center provides compassionate care and facilitates adoptions for animals in need of loving homes. Find your new companion and help support their mission of humane care and responsible pet ownership.
Hope is a fun-loving, easy-going gal who has been waiting for her new home for almost two months. One of her favorite things to do is go for walks and explore. However, snuggles, pets, and scratches rank a close second. She also can’t wait to impress you with how smart she is. Hope is 5 years old, 80 lbs, and can’t wait to meet her new family. She is currently in a foster home; email fostercare@petsadoption.org to set up a time to meet her.
PS. Previous adoptable pets Dorothy and Gamora have found their forever homes!
Daylight Saving Time: Good news! Sunday’s edition will arrive an hour earlier this week—don’t forget to set your clocks forward before bed on Saturday. For tips on adjusting to the time change, check out this guide.
UCR researcher Anandasankar Ray discovered novel mosquito repellents up to 100 times more effective than industry standards using machine learning techniques, earning a $2.5 million NIH grant to advance this promising work against mosquito-borne diseases.
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