Ducks drift across the mirror-like waters of Lake Evans as dawn light filters through the graceful willows at Fairmount Park. (Debbie Schwartz) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Tuesday Gazette: October 21, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Tuesday! We're searching for Riverside's most impressive Halloween displays - from eerily elaborate to delightfully whimsical! Is there a house on your street that stops trick-or-treaters in their tracks? If you know the creative neighbor behind it, even better - we'd love to feature their Halloween handiwork. Drop us the address (and their contact information if available) at newsroom@raincrossgazette.com. Help us showcase the residents who transform our neighborhoods into Halloween wonderlands!
In the adjacent room of Mr. Habereder's music production classroom at Poly High, Brandon Joseph spent his entire senior year teaching himself drums and perfecting his guitar technique. The teacher had given him unusual freedom after recognizing skills the teenager had developed on his own.
"Basically for the whole school year, all I did that year is just play guitar in class," Brandon told The Raincross Gazette in an exclusive phone interview Friday, his voice lifting with the memory. The 27-year-old alt-R&B artist, who performs simply as "Brandon," was calling from Phoenix, but his thoughts kept returning to Riverside—the city that shaped him and continues to anchor his identity even as his career ascends.
That rootedness challenges an industry where suburban artists routinely claim Los Angeles, regardless of actual ZIP code. Brandon's debut album "Before You Go," released in May on respected indie label Secretly Canadian, represents a different kind of authenticity: 11 tracks written, produced and recorded entirely in his Riverside home studio by an artist who refuses to obscure his Inland Empire origins.
Riverside Neighborhood Partnership to Honor Community Leaders at 13th Annual Gala
Evergreen Masonic Center to host recognition event Nov. 8.
Mission Grove Neighborhood Alliance representative Brian Kerr receives recognition from Chynna Clarke at the 2024 Riverside Neighborhood Partnership 12th Annual Good Neighbor Award Gala. (Courtesy of the Riverside Neighborhood Partnership)
The Riverside Neighborhood Partnership will celebrate community heroes at its Good Neighbor Award Gala on Nov. 8. The event recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to improving Riverside neighborhoods.
Driving the news: Nominations are open for community members who work to create community and make Riverside a great place to live.
Winners will be announced in three categories: Jack B. Clarke Sr. Good Neighbor Award, Neighborhood Hero Award, and Neighborhood Spirit Award.
Why it matters: The gala highlights often-overlooked local individuals who have gone above and beyond for community betterment.
Jessica Qattawi, partnership president, notes a shift toward more grassroots, collaborative efforts in recent years.
The details: The event runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Evergreen Masonic Center. Tickets cost $30 and include dinner.
Proceeds support the partnership's neighborhood outreach programs.
What's next: Nomination deadline is Oct. 25. Submissions require photos and a written explanation of the nominee's community impact.
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