Sunday Gazette: January 11, 2026

Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday! Today is National Sunday Supper Day, a perfect reminder to gather around the table with the people who matter most. Whether you're cooking up a family recipe, ordering takeout from a local favorite, or keeping it simple with whatever's in the fridge, it's the company that makes the meal meaningful.

Wishing you a warm and delicious Sunday evening!

COMMUNITY

Riverside Backyards Feed Neighbors Through Gleaning Program

Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino collects excess produce from residential properties to distribute to families in need.

Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino collected nearly 24,000 pounds of citrus and produce from residential properties last year through volunteer gleaning teams.

Why it matters: If you have excess fruit trees in your Riverside yard, volunteers will harvest the produce for free and distribute it to neighbors facing food insecurity — keeping food out of landfills while feeding your community.

By the numbers: The food bank conducted 33 gleaning events across both counties in 2024, diverting tons of fresh produce from waste.

• Most common harvests: oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, with some pomegranates, apples and avocados

What's happening: Volunteer teams visit residential properties, farms and gardens when trees overflow during peak harvest season — typically late winter and early spring for citrus.

The big picture: The program is expanding to include winter vegetables like carrots, beets and potatoes, which would provide fresh produce year-round.

• Many Inland Empire homes produce more citrus than owners can use

Yes, but: The program's biggest barrier is awareness — homeowners don't know they can donate excess produce, and volunteers aren't familiar with gleaning.

Read and share the complete story... (2 min. read)

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NEIGHBOR OF THE WEEK

Neighbor of the Week: Jim Palmer

Neighbor of the Week is a series profiling the hidden heroes of Riverside, doing incredible works of service throughout our different neighborhoods.

Jim Palmer has spent nearly three decades quietly making a profound difference in the lives of strangers. On January 31st, surrounded by fellow donors and the phlebotomist who drew his 10th gallon, Jim reached an extraordinary milestone at Lifestream in Riverside: his 100th gallon of blood donated. That's 800 pints—enough to potentially save or improve the lives of more than 2,000 people. "It warms my heart each time I donate, knowing that someone in need will be given a chance at a better life due to my sacrifice," Jim says. For him, blood donation isn't just a good deed; it's a calling that brings joy with every visit.

While Jim's blood donation journey is remarkable, his commitment to community extends far beyond the donation center. For over 30 years, he has been an active member of Magnolia Church in Riverside, participating in countless church-sponsored events and supporting outside groups that use the facility. He also helps sponsor an annual KCBS Master Series BBQ Event in Riverside, bringing professional pit masters from across the state and country to compete while drawing certified BBQ judges who volunteer their expertise. The event has become a celebration of BBQ culture that highlights the culinary talent in the local community.

Though not a California native, Jim has spent more of his life in Riverside County than anywhere else. "To me, community matters," he explains. "God blesses each one of us with certain gifts, and I am blessed to be gifted with a desire to serve others. Riverside is my home for now. Serving others here brings joy to my heart." Whether he's at Lifestream, at his church, or enjoying a quiet evening with his wife at one of Riverside's local restaurants, Jim embodies the spirit of service that makes Riverside special.

Get to know Jim...

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CREATIVE PROMPTS

It’s a Date

A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.

Greetings, fellow humans. It’s great to be back after a short winter nap; I firmly believe my time away is not far off from the actual length of winter in Riverside. Last month (or last year if you lean dramatic) we wrapped up four more seasons of creative poking and prodding—making sounds out of jars, turning sidewalks into galleries, and generally finding meaning where none was promised. If you participated in even one of those exercises, thank you. I’m excited to begin 2026 with you.

Which brings us to this week’s creative nudge: an old calendar. In my house, calendars are not generic objects. Every year, my wife makes me a custom calendar using photos from the year before: trips we took, our pets doing pet things, our daughter growing faster than seems polite. Each January, I unwrap a brand-new artifact of recent memory… and immediately face the quiet, unresolved problem of what to do with last year’s version of my life.

Read and share the complete story...

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This Week in Riverside

Sunday, January 11

• English Country Dance at First United Methodist Church of Riverside
• On Peace and Friendship: A History of the Mt. Rubidoux Peace Tower at Main Library
• Prayers and Public Information Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
• Registration Now Open-Magnolia Center Little League at Shamel Park ($75- $180)
• Sacred Radiance Mini Wellness Retreat at Life Arts Center

Monday, January 12

• Board of Library Trustees at Riverside City Hall
• Board of Public Utilities at Riverside City Hall
• Land Use Committee at Riverside City Hall
• Interfaith Prayer Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
• Inlandia Writing Workshops at Riverside ($50)
• Monday Carillon Recitals at UCR Bell Tower

Tuesday, January 13

• City Council at Riverside City Hall
• Inland Empire Chorus Rehearsal at Temple Beth El Synagogue

Wednesday, January 14

• Stretch & Dance Class at Janet Goeske Senior Center
• Riverside East Rotary Club at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
• Commission of the Deaf at Riverside City Hall
• Finance Committee at Riverside City Hall
• History on the Rocks - Round Two! Presented by The Mission Inn Foundation at Mission Inn Foundation ($60)
• Vision board creation with Connie at Packing house brewery
• Riverside Mission Belles at Victoria Presbyterian Church
• Riverside Open Mic Music Series at Back to the Grind
• RUSD Honors Musical: Singin' in the Rain at Fox Performing Arts Center

Thursday, January 15

• Mobility and Infrastructure Committee at Riverside City Hall
• 80's Music Bingo at Thompson Brewing Co.
• Haunt Me at Riverside Municipal Auditorium- Garden Room
• History on the Rocks! Presented by The Mission Inn Foundation at Mission Inn Foundation Store ($60)
• Cal Baptist Lancers Women's Basketball vs. Abilene Christian Wildcats at Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center
• Women's Basketball vs Long Beach State at SRC Arena

Friday, January 16

• New Certified Farmers Market at Farm House Collective
• Noche de Cumbia at Palenque kitchen by Mezcal
• Antibalas at Farm House Collective at Farm House Collective

Saturday, January 17

• Woodcrest Market Collective at Woodcrest Public Library
• Love Your Neighborhood: New Year, Clean Start Clean-Up at Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
• The Desert Underground: Exposing a Valuable Hidden World Under Our Feet at Land Use Learning Center
• Men's Basketball vs Cal State Fullerton at SRC Arena
• Mt. Rubidoux Walking Tour at Mt. Rubidoux Trailhead, a short walk from Ryan Bonaminio Park. ($21.20)
• Shaun Cassidy - The Road to Us at Fox Performing Arts Center
• 2nd Annual Winter Goth Ball at The Hideaway Cafe & Lounge
• Tijuana Panthers Live at Farm House Collective at Farm House Collective
• Woodstock '99 Tribute Show at Riverside Municipal Auditorium

Save the Date

• February 1: On Peace & Friendship - History of the Peace Tower & Friendship Bridge at Riverside Medical Clinic Basement Meeting Room
• February 7: Woodcrest Market Collective at Woodcrest Public Library

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