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Scott M. Rich found a way to beat the Riverside heat — with a trip to Greenland. Traveling somewhere memorable this season? Send us your vacation photos and tell us a bit of what you experienced.

Friday Gazette: July 24, 2026

Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday! If you're looking for something to do indoors this weekend, here are a few options.

Start Friday at the Marcy Library, 6927 Magnolia Ave, from 10am to 6pm for the Summer Seed Exchange. Grab a seed packet to plant at home, and if you have extras of your own, bring them to share.

Also this weekend, the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern, 3933 Mission Inn Ave, is hosting a community conversation inspired by the book "Banished Citizens," reflecting on the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s and inviting those with family stories of that era to share and connect.

Then on Sunday at 4pm, head to the Mission Inn Foundation, 3598 Main St, for a Tea & Tarot Fundraiser with DragonMarsh Apothecary & Teas, featuring tea tastings, a group sound bath, a lecture on Eliza Tibbets, and tarot readings. Ages 18 and up.

Check out our community calendar for even more happening around town this weekend.

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PARKS

Skatepark, Pool and Park Projects to Get $1.265 Million in Unspent Federal Grant Funds

The unanimous vote moves $1.265 million in unspent federal grant funds to skatepark, senior center, pool and park improvements before the grant money could be forfeited. 

A brick sign marks the entrance to Tim Strack Park. (City of Riverside/Facebook)

Riverside will spend $1.265 million in unspent federal funds on park upgrades across three wards.

Why it matters: Bobby Bonds Skatepark, the Janet Goeske Senior Center, the Bobby Bonds Sippy Woodhead Pool Pump Room and Tim Strack Park all get funded fixes, with work aimed at benefiting Wards 1, 3 and 6.

Driving the news: Council approved the funding shift July 14 without discussion, after a staff presentation and no public comment.

  • Staff said unspent Community Development Block Grant funds could be recaptured by HUD if the city didn't reprogram them.

By the numbers:

  • $500,000 — Bobby Bonds Sippy Woodhead Pool Pump Room rehab
  • $340,000 — lighting and outdoor fitness equipment at Tim Strack Park
  • $250,000 — new flooring at Janet Goeske Senior Center
  • $175,000 — Bobby Bonds Skatepark improvements

What they're saying: Senior Project Manager Michelle Guzman said excess funds "could be subject to recapture by HUD."

Yes, but: Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes recused herself, citing property she owns within 1,000 feet of one project site.

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HOMELESSNESS

Council Extends Path of Life Shelter Contract Through 2027

Rising costs prompted the funding increase, which will push the total contract value to about $2.32 million.

Path of Life Ministries operates anemergency shelter in Riverside. (File photo/Raincross Gazette)

The city added $362,900 to its Path of Life shelter contract, raising the per-bed reimbursement rate to $120 a night.

Why it matters: Path of Life is Riverside's only shelter serving single adults, and the deal guarantees 53 beds reserved for local residents through June 2027 as unsheltered homelessness persists.

Driving the news: Council voted July 14 to extend the nonprofit's contract one year, lifting its total value from $1.96 million to about $2.32 million.

  • The reimbursement rate rises from $100 to $120 per occupied bed-night, which officials say still falls within the region's $80–$160 range.

By the numbers:

  • 90 total shelter beds, including 53 reserved for Riverside residents
  • 394 people served between July 2025 and May 2026, with just 21 — about 6% — moving into permanent housing

What they're saying: Path of Life CEO Chris Oberg said the added funding "gets us closer to our expenses," with donors covering the rest.

What's next: The extension runs through June 30, 2027. The city expects the shelter to serve at least 270 single adults and 48 transitional-aged youth, assuming 60-day average stays.

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ENTERTAINMENT

The Wiz Comes to Fox Theater for Two Shows This Fall

Tickets go on sale Friday, and group sales will help fund arts education for local students. 

"The Wiz," the Tony Award-winning musical retelling of "The Wizard of Oz," will play two performances at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Downtown Riverside this fall.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 24 at 10 a.m. at foxriverside.com.

The touring production is part of an ongoing partnership between the City of Riverside, Live Nation and the Fox Riverside Theater Foundation, now in its 13th year. Under a new arrangement, a portion of proceeds from group ticket purchases of 10 or more will go directly to the Foundation.

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