On Bicycle Day, we thought it was fitting to share our managing editor's bicycle built for two — parked outside the Riverside Historic Courthouse. Catch her and her husband cruising Downtown on an evening or weekend and you just might get a wave. (Luke López) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Sunday Gazette: April 17, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday! Today is Bicycle Day, and Riverside has something fitting to celebrate. The Blue Zones Project Riverside launched its first moais yesterday, including the Biking Moai: a 10-week Saturday morning ride through the city, hosted by the Riverside Light Parade crew. It's relaxed, it's open to everyone, and it meets at Fairmount Park at 8 a.m. If you want the full story on what Blue Zones has been building here over the past year, it's worth a read.
See you tomorrow!
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Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Marcella Cook, Andrew Corr, and Debbi Guthrie. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves!
Built on land donated by a Riverside mayor, the American Legion's Lake Evans home has served veterans for a century.
Photo of the American Legion Post 79 Clubhouse in November 2022. (Zachary Wenzel)
One hundred years ago, on August 8, 1925, Riverside Post 79 laid the cornerstone for a clubhouse on the shores of Lake Evans. Seven months later, on April 9, 1926, the building was completed and dedicated. One hundred years later, that historic clubhouse still proudly stands and serves the present members of the local American Legion.
World War I ended with the armistice signed by the Allies and Germany on November 11, 1918. A few months later, on March 15-17, 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force gathered in Paris to set up an organization for veterans. On May 8-10, a gathering was held in St. Louis, and the official name of the American Legion was adopted, along with a draft of a constitution. The United States Congress officially chartered the American Legion on September 16, 1919. The American Legion was founded.
Where to Find the Best Coffee in Riverside? Arcade Coffee Roasters Has Spent 13 Years Earning That Answer
Tips on what to plant, when to pick, and what to watch out for in your home garden.
Arcade Coffee Roasters co-founders Stevie Hasemeyer and Shane Levario at the production facility that launched their Riverside roasting operation.
On the roasting floor of Arcade Coffee Roasters' production facility, Monday and Tuesday are the most important days of the week. That's when head roaster Westin Mills and lead roaster Gabe Beltran work through a schedule of single-origin coffees, blends, and wholesale orders — roasting, bagging, and getting everything on shelves by Wednesday.
Everything on those shelves was roasted the day before you buy it.
"You are the last line of defense to make sure this coffee is good," co-founder Stevie Hasemeyer tells his team. "This coffee started at a farm in Colombia. That guy worked hard to make sure the soil was good, that there was enough water. Then it got processed, dried, shipped here. There's so much work that went into getting it to that point — don't mess it up."
That sense of accountability — to the coffee, to the farmer, and to the customer — is what has made Arcade Coffee Roasters the benchmark for specialty coffee in Riverside and across the Inland Empire. Co-founders Stevie Hasemeyer and Shane Levario started roasting out of a small home roaster in the early 2010s. Today, Arcade operates three Riverside locations: Downtown, the Tasting Room in the University neighborhood, and the Bakehouse in Canyon Crest. The obsession that built those locations hasn't changed.
Neighbor of the Week is a series profiling the hidden heroes of Riverside, doing incredible works of service throughout our different neighborhoods.
Sir Williams at Tyler Mall, one of his favorite spots to connect with Riverside youth. (Brenda Flowers)
Sir Williams came to Riverside looking to move forward with his education. What he didn't expect was finding an opportunity to mentor youth the way he had been mentored during his own high school years through Young Life.
These days, when he's not hitting the books as a finance major at California Baptist University, you might find him at Tyler Mall chatting with Riverside youth over a Cinnabon or hot pretzel. As a dedicated Young Life leader, Sir consistently shows up for local high school students, building meaningful relationships and creating a safe, supportive space where teens feel valued and encouraged. He volunteers countless hours mentoring students, attending their games and events, and walking alongside them through the challenges of adolescence.
What sets Sir apart is his genuine care for the youth he serves. Through Young Life clubs, camps, and weekly time spent with students, he has made a lasting impact on many young people in Riverside. His commitment, humility, and passion for serving others make him exactly the kind of neighbor who makes a real difference — and Riverside is better for it.
This week’s creative nudge uses something that we try to make as noticeable as possible. In fact, some would say that this week’s object is often on display…and always broadcasting. This week our creative push comes from a ring.
It might be the ones you wear on your digits—gold or silver or prize from a vending machine. It could also be the one on many front porches—the digital eye, the corporate-branded “Ring,” watching comings and goings like a polite but nosey neighbor. A ring can mean commitment, status, memory, identity. It can record something personal or broadcast something public.
When I take walks and trigger a Ring just by walking on the sidewalk, I have to admit being a little annoyed by the robotic intrusion into the community space. Perhaps choosing this nudge is a way for me to see these moments in a more creative way.
See something? Say something. Your tips and ideas are what fuel The Raincross Gazette. If you know of something newsworthy happening in our city, please share it with us.
