🗞️ Riverside News- March 5, 2026

Thursday Gazette: March 5, 2026

Hello Riverside, and Happy Thursday! Before we get into today's news, we want to take a moment to say thank you. Every morning you open this newsletter, you're placing a little bit of trust in us, and we don't take that lightly. It truly is an honor. So in the spirit of Words Matter Week, here are a few we mean wholeheartedly: we're grateful, and we're excited. Starting this Saturday, you'll begin receiving Your Riverside Weekend, a brand-new Saturday edition catching you up on the Riverside stories that mattered most each week. We can't wait to share it with you.

See you tomorrow!

Advertisement (Become an advertiser)

COMMUNITY

Riverside Art Museum Celebrates Legacy of Leaders Who Shaped RAM and The Cheech

Seven leaders recognized for roles in building RAM and The Cheech, including four posthumous honorees.

The Riverside Art Museum will recognize seven leaders — including three posthumously — at its annual TOP DOG awards March 11, spotlighting the people who built both RAM and The Cheech.

Why it matters: If you care about Riverside's arts scene, this is a chance to celebrate the leaders who transformed a dog pound into a downtown cultural anchor — and helped bring The Cheech to life.

Driving the news: Former Executive Director Drew Oberjuerge headlines the 2026 honorees, recognized for 13 years of leadership and shepherding The Cheech from concept to opening — half of which unfolded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The big picture: The TOP DOG awards reflect how much RAM has changed — from a small organization in an abandoned city dog pound to a two-site museum anchored by a Julia Morgan-designed landmark and a nationally recognized Chicano art center.

2026 honorees:

• Drew Oberjuerge, former Executive Director
• Todd Wingate, lead capital campaign donor for The Cheech
• Lucile Arntzen, former RAM President and Art Alliance leader
• Ofelia Valdez-Yeager (posthumous), board president and Cheech Capital Campaign chair
• Dan Benner (posthumous), architect who donated expertise during The Cheech construction
• Madelyn Millen (posthumous), UCR curator and collections archivist
• Doug McCulloh (posthumous), photographer and curator

What's next: The celebration is Wednesday, March 11, 5:30–8 p.m. at the Riverside Art Museum's Julia Morgan building, 3425 Mission Inn Ave. Tickets are $125 and are available here.

Read and share the complete story...

Advertisement (Become an advertiser)

Noteworthy

UCR's Chicano Latino Alumni Chapter has awarded scholarships to more than 50 students since 2016, fueled by "100 for $100" crowdfunding campaigns that rally 100 donors to raise $10,000 for first-generation Latino undergrads.

La Sierra University's John Thomas, who has led the Zapara School of Business for 27 years and raised $18 million for its building, received a 2026 Weniger Medallion recognizing excellence in Adventist education.

Advertisement (Become an advertiser)

What's Happening in Riverside

Today

• Lincoln Park Community Group at Lincoln Park Community Center
• CBU versus Abilene Christian: Hometown Heroes Night at Fowler Events Center ($8- $30)
• Women's Basketball vs Hawai'i at SRC Arena
• FREE ADMISSION - First Thursday of every month during Riverside ArtsWalk at Riverside Art Museum
• Her EARS: A Women's History Month Open Mic at The Barn
• History on the Rocks! Presented by The Mission Inn Foundation at Mission Inn Foundation Store ($60)

Tomorrow

• Certified Farmers Market at Farm House Collective
• UC San Diego Track & Field at Riverside City College Invitational at RCC
• Paint your Pet, a Comedy Paint and Sip at Carbon Nation Brewing ($39.19)
• Rethinking Bodyminds at Downtown Riverside

Save the Date

• 
  March 9: REEF's Best Event Ever! Take 9! at Fox Performing Arts Center ($10- $75)
• March 14: Riverside Sunrise Rotary 22nd Annual Black Tie Bingo at Riverside Convention Center ($130- $250)
• March 19: Empowered Leadership: Cultivating Influence and Impact at Work Well ($165)
• March 21: LiTEArature: A Fairy-Themed Afternoon Tea - JOIN WAITLIST at Heritage House ($25)
• March 28: Goeske Spring Festival at Janet Goeske Center
• March 30: Sip with a Scientist at Bar Ni Modo

🗓️ See More Events     📝 Submit Your Event

📸 Submit a photo to be featured in our newsletters and social media accounts.

🏆 Nominate a remarkable Riversider as Neighbor of the Week.