One of Mom’s last captured smiles on my first Mother’s Day without her.💜 (Ken Crawford)
Friday Gazette: May 9, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday!
Happy Mother’s Day weekend! If you're lucky enough to have Mom around, make sure she feels special. Here are some ideas that don’t involve waiting in a restaurant lobby for two hours.
If your mom is active, the Mission Inn Foundation is debuting their Mt. Rubidoux walking tour. If she loves soulful oldies, Penrose Recording artists Los Yesterdays and Vicky Tafoya are making their first appearance on the Farm House Collective stage. Tickets for all events are in the links.
The Riverside Unified School District Board of Education has officially named its newest campus the Ofelia Valdez Yeager Eastside School, honoring the former school board member and community leader. The $62 million project will serve 900 TK-6 students in the historic Eastside neighborhood.
Driving the news: The school, located near 14th and Park Avenue, will consolidate students from six different schools, reducing long bus rides for many.
Community advocates have pushed for a neighborhood school for decades.
Why it matters: The new campus brings educational resources directly to one of Riverside's oldest neighborhoods, addressing long-standing community needs.
The school is expected to open for the 2027 fall semester.
The details: The 6.87-acre campus will feature modern learning facilities, including:
Two two-story classroom buildings
Specialized spaces for visual and fine arts
Shared recreational areas with adjacent Lincoln High School
What they're saying: Art Alcaraz, former president of the Latino Network, called Yeager "not just a leader in our community. She was a true hero and a source of inspiration for many."
What's next: Dawn Brawley, previously principal at Emerson Elementary, has been appointed as the school's first principal.
City Council Approves Historic District Sign Program Update
Council votes to spend $135,000 on new signs, landmark plaques and future district survey.
A bronze landmark plaque on the Lerner Building (1927) at Orange and 10th streets downtown. City Council recently approved $35,000 to fund similar plaques for newly designated historic properties after budget cuts halted the program in 2018.
The Riverside City Council unanimously approved a comprehensive update to the city's Historic District Sign Program, allocating $135,000 from the Historic Preservation Trust Fund to enhance visibility of the city's 13 historic districts.
Driving the news: The plan dedicates $75,000 for new historic district signs at intersections, $35,000 for landmark plaques, and approximately $25,000 for a future historic district survey.
Councilmember Philip Falcone championed the update, noting that many residents were unaware they lived in historic districts due to limited signage.
Why it matters: The program aims to increase awareness and pride in Riverside's historic areas, potentially boosting community engagement and preservation efforts.
Heritage Square will be the first district to receive new signage, with other districts to follow.
The big picture: The update addresses the deterioration of signs adopted in 1997 and includes funding for backlogged city landmark plaques.
The plan also allocates funds for a survey to support designating one of approximately 10 potential historic districts already identified in the city.
What's next: Mid-century modern architecture is a focus for potential new historic districts, with the Victoria Club area and Grand Avenue Bluffs as candidates in Ward 3.
The Historic Preservation Fund will be fully spent, and the committee will be disbanded following this allocation.
Sports Shorts: CBU Baseball Wraps Up Regular Season
Lancers Softball Exits the WAC With Quarterfinal Loss.
WAC Player of the Week Nicholas Dumesnil. (Jonathan Vivanco, Courtesy CBU)
Summer Break
Local sports get a bit tricky during the summer. There are some sports features we will be pursuing during the break, but this will be the last regular sports update until the fall.
Lancers Baseball Pushes for Higher Tournament Seed
California Baptist University's baseball team enters the final stretch as they push to improve their WAC Tournament position. Currently fifth in the conference with a 9-9 record (26-23 overall), the Lancers are riding a three-game win streak after sweeping Tarleton State last weekend.
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.
Adopt Yoda, you must. This charming little guy has been waiting three months for his forever home, and we can’t figure out why. Yoda is 8 years old, great with kids, and gets along well with other dogs and even cats. He loves neighborhood strolls, belly rubs, and treats—not necessarily in that order. He’s currently enjoying a short break from his kennel life, so if you’re ready to welcome Yoda into your home, email fostercare@petsadoption.org to schedule a meet-and-greet.
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