It's a hectic time of year but maybe a night at the basketball arena with some nachos is a perfect break from shopping. We are butting up against Christmas break for both college and high school athletics but there are plenty of incredible events this week.
Fiery sunrise lights up the Thursday morning sky over Canyon Crest, with dramatic red and orange clouds above the silhouetted mountains and palms. (Bob Sirotnik) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Sunday Gazette: December 14, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday!
This is my final message about our year-end campaign before we update you with final results tomorrow. 65 of you have become new paid supporters since Sunday; that's 26% toward our goal of 253. Thank you!
I launched our first year-end campaign two years ago to help us "hire the first new reporter exclusively dedicated to covering Riverside in nearly a decade." Readers contributed $11,375 toward that goal and I hired Ken Crawford.
"But wait, Justin, that math isn't math-ing!"
Right, $11,375 isn't enough to cover the salary of a full-time reporter...
Shortly after that first campaign fell short of its goal, I accepted a contract with a multi-billion dollar company that provided significant guaranteed revenue for three years to help hire our first reporter. The catch? We had to regularly use and test their AI tools. It seemed reasonable—until it wasn't. That contract pushed us toward publishing content that didn't serve Riverside.
So I terminated the contract. I walked away from tens of thousands in guaranteed revenue because it was compromising the work I am try to do for Riverside. Unfortunately, that has also meant transitioning Ken from a full-time to a freelance role while I rebuild a sustainable financial foundation (he's got an exciting personal update to share with you later this week) for this newsroom.
This experience taught me a critical lesson: community support isn't just ONE way to fund local journalism. It's the ONLY way that protects it. When readers support us directly, we answer to you—not to corporate contracts, not to tech companies, not to anyone who might compromise what we want to cover or how we cover it.
That's the harder path. That's the right path. That's the path 65 of you joined us on this week. Thank you, truly, thank you.
If The Raincross Gazette has given you helpful news coverage of your city, if our calendar has introduced you to events you wouldn't have known about, if our reporting has helped you stay connected to Riverside—will you join us on this path?
Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Elizabeth Adame, Judy Anderson, Andrew W Balogh, David Barnhart, Falon Barton, Chani Beeman, Sharon L Bivins, Andrew Boganwright, John E. Brown, Virginia Burroughs, Micah Carlson, Kathy Christmas, Kaylan Cummins, Jennifer Curl, Lynne Dalton, Keith Downs, Sandy Ellison, Kathleen Fanning, Betty Fuller, Patricia M Funder, Clara Zeitz Gallanes, David Gillett, Judith Glenn, Jerry Gordon, Patti Harlow, Sherry Hartman, Christine Heinemann, F. Johnson, Eric Johnston, Pamela Kaptain, Andrea Kaus, Katie Keating, Carol King, Cary and Wretha Knight, Sue Levick, Terry Lindsay, Nancy Litchfield Magi, Gregory Marrujo, Larkin Martin, Julie Masters Sullivan, Hal Myers, Lynda Noxon-House, Suzanne Pia, Carolyn Power, Jessica Qattawi, Nanette Pratini, Candice Rabe, Jill Rasmussen, Nancy Resto, Robert Reul, Peggy a robbins, Desiree Rodriguez, Estelle Shay, Akash R Suri, Christopher Torma, Esther Valdez, Dawn Van Wagenen, John Willis and Lauretta Wilson. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves!
Sweet Fridays: Meals on Wheels and Riverside Cookie Shoppe Hit 100,000-Cookie Milestone
Partnership between nonprofit and bakery brings weekly joy to homebound seniors, with volunteers reporting "tears of joy" on cookie delivery days.
Volunteers with Riverside Meals on Wheels package cookies for Friday meal deliveries (left). Riverside Cookie Shoppe donates a variety of cookies each week, combining day-old inventory with specially baked batches for the program (right). (Courtesy of Riverside Meals on Wheels)
Meals on Wheels and Riverside Cookie Shoppe delivered their 100,000th cookie to homebound seniors — turning "Sweet Friday" into the most anticipated day of the week.
Why it matters: The partnership that began in winter 2023 does more than feed people — it combats senior isolation. RMOW now has zero waiting list and the best client retention in years, with volunteers requesting Friday deliveries because "the joy is in the air."
How it works:
Cookie Shoppe donates day-old cookies every Thursday (plus extra batches when needed)
150 volunteers deliver cookies with Friday meals
Seniors like Mrs. Guthrie bite into cookies at the door; Mr. Carlos jokes they "need a friend"
By the numbers: RMOW delivered 37,000+ meals this year to disabled and homebound Riverside residents.
What they're saying: "Our cookies are a source of nostalgia, a part of our hearts and home," says owner Crystal Gomez, who continued the donation tradition from previous owner Nicky.
The bottom line: "When we give wholeheartedly, we're always going to get back more than we give," Crystal says — a philosophy feeding both bodies and spirits.
It's a hectic time of year but maybe a night at the basketball arena with some nachos is a perfect break from shopping. We are butting up against Christmas break for both college and high school athletics but there are plenty of incredible events this week.
Freshman Guard Jordan Muller finds space for an open shot. (Matt Horrocks: CBU Athletics)
Riverside Diving Invite
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 14-15 at Riverside Aquatics Complex (RCC campus)
The Riverside Aquatics Complex hosts a major diving invitational this weekend featuring UCLA and other top programs. The Olympic-sized venue at 4800 Magnolia Ave on the RCC campus includes four 1-meter springboards, four 3-meter springboards, and platforms at 3, 5, 7.5, and 10 meters—it's one of the premier diving facilities in the region.
Harvard-Westlake at Arlington
Monday, Dec. 15, 5:30 PM, Varsity Boys Soccer
Kevin Watson's Arlington squad opens their season against Harvard-Westlake. Watson is dynasty-building at Arlington and remains a tireless advocate for soccer excellence in both CIF and club soccer spaces. The Lions are looking to dominate again and make another run at Open Division CIF play. Tickets
Ramona at Poly
Monday, Dec. 15, 5 p.m., Varsity Boys Soccer
Ramona travels to Poly for boys soccer action. Tickets
Poly at King
Monday, Dec. 15, 6:15 PM, Varsity Boys Basketball
Poly (5-5) travels to face King (10-4) in boys basketball. King has been strong out of the gate this season. Tickets
UC San Diego at CBU
Monday, Dec. 15, 6 p.m., Women's Basketball at CBU Events Center
The Lancers host UC San Diego in Big West action. CBU returned from a grueling road trip with mixed results but there was a lot more by which to be encouraged than there was to be worried. CBU basketball games can be streamed on ESPN+. Tickets
Stanton University at UCR
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Men's Basketball
The Highlanders return home to host Stanton as they continue their non-conference schedule. UCR basketball games can be streamed on ESPN+. Tickets
Sacramento State at CBU
Friday, Dec. 20, 5 p.m., Men's Basketball at CBU Events Center (Holiday Series)
The Lancers close out the pre-Christmas schedule with a Holiday Series matchup against Sacramento State. CBU basketball games can be streamed on ESPN+. Tickets
This week, we shift our attention from the record of past transactions to the relentless marker of the future: the watch. I’m talking about the timepiece we wear, the one that lives on our wrist or resides in a pocket, the kind that exists solely to keep track of time, separate from the distraction of a phone. A watch with hands, a simple digital readout, or a classic pocket watch—any will do.
Our relationship with time is complex and deeply personal. Pay too close attention to the clock, we feel its pressure; ignore it when it matters, we pay the price. Yet, releasing our constant observation of time when it doesn’t matter is a powerful creative choice.
Awareness of time’s passing depends on the task we are doing and our state of mind. Time flies when we are engrossed in a creative task and drags when we are waiting for inspiration to arrive. I notice my sense of time changing as I get older; it seems to accelerate, the minutes shrinking into moments. But that acceleration is okay if I can use the awareness of time passing to nudge me into a more creative, intentional space.
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.
