🍊 Sunday Gazette: April 27, 2025

Sunday Gazette: April 27, 2025

Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday!

Every time we publish this newsletter, it’s a small act of love for this city. The Raincross Gazette is built by a tiny but dedicated team of three, led by someone who believes wholeheartedly that Riverside deserves a newsroom focused solely on its people, neighborhoods, and future.

This weekend, as the city comes alive with events that bring us together—neighborhood cleanups, local performances, and cultural festivals—we’re reminded of how special it is to live in a place that feels like a big small town. The support, encouragement, and care we’ve seen lately, both for our team and for one another, confirms what we’ve always believed: Riverside shows up.

Thank you for believing in this work. We’re building something meaningful here, together.

See you tomorrow!

Amy López

NEIGHBOR OF THE WEEK

Neighbor of the Week: Alec Briggs

Each week, we will introduce a new neighbor. This is not a who's who list. These are regular Riversiders doing exceptional things.

Alec is a proud Riversider known for his joyful spirit, strong work ethic, and dedication to community. Alec has made a lasting impact through his volunteer work, particularly at Sunrise Assisted Living Center, where he’s spent the past three years singing for residents on every major holiday. For many, Alec’s performances are the only visits they receive all year, turning each occasion into a heartwarming family gathering.

A lifelong Riversider, Alec is deeply engaged in the city’s cultural life, frequently visiting landmarks like the Mission Inn, the Cheech, the March Field Air Museum and local parks and museums. He graduated from Martin Luther King High School, where he sang in the men's choir for four years, volunteered in the attendance office, and supported fellow students as a classroom aide. Through Riverside Unified’s Project TEAM, Alec gained work experience across various local businesses and is now seeking a job in hospitality. He’s great with people, takes direction well, and thrives as part of a team—bringing his signature enthusiasm wherever he goes.

Get to know Alec...

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ART

16,000 Cardboard Spoons Highlight Child Hunger Crisis

La Sierra University art installation turns macaroni boxes into powerful statement on food insecurity.

In the golden hour glow of the atrium at La Sierra University's Zapara School of Business, more than 16,000 cardboard spoons hang suspended from a net, each one cut from a thin, mac-and-cheese-style box. Each spoon represents a child facing food insecurity in our community.

This installation, by Rebecca Waring-Crane, titled "Article 24," a reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child's assertion that all children should have access to adequate healthy food, has transformed the business school's atrium during the university's recent homecoming weekend.

Read or share the full story behind “Article 24”...

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CREATIVE PROMPTS

The Electric Company

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

This week’s creative nudge into a new direction uses something that hums — metaphorically, I hope — in the background of our lives: the electric outlet (or electrical outlet — both terms are commonly used). This is the gateway through which our devices come to life, powering our work, our entertainment, and our connections to, well, just about everything these days.

Think about the sheer potential contained within those simple slots. They are a direct link to a vast network of power generation and distribution, a silent promise of energy on demand. Power when you want power, and you didn’t have to build or maintain any of it yourself! The outlet is a study in minimalist design, yet it underpins the complexity of our technological society.

Read or share the complete story...

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This Week in Riverside

Sunday, April 27

• BPM Vocal Spring Recital at The Box Theater
• Eat Your Catfish documentary screening & talkback at Culver Center of the Arts

Monday, April 28

• Baseball vs. California Baptist at Riverside Sports Complex
• Beginners Round Dance Class Two Step at Cowtown Square Dance Center (Free- $10)
• Board of Public Utilities at Riverside City Hall
• Housing and Homelessness Committee at Riverside City Hall
• Monday Carillon Recitals at UCR Bell Tower
• UC San Diego Softball at CBU

Tuesday, April 29

• Baseball vs. San Diego State at Riverside Sports Complex
• Champions of Magic at Fox Performing Arts Center
• Inland Empire Chorus Rehearsal at Temple Beth El Synagogue
• Tuesday Karaoke at The Hideaway

Wednesday, April 30

• Botanical Printmaking at Riverside Public Library, Marcy Branch
• R3 Da Chilliman at Riverside Municipal Auditorium- Garden Room

Thursday, May 1

• A Midsummer Night's Dream at Riverside Community Players
• ArtsWalk- Free First Thursday at Riverside Art Museum and The Cheech
• May Day - MoR at Artswalk at Downtown Riverside

Friday, May 2

• Riverside Sunrise Rotary at Zacatecas Mexican Cafe
• Volunteer Interest Hour at Riverside Meals on Wheels, Inc
• Courthouse, Murals and Heroes Walking Tourat Mission Inn Foundation ($23.18)
• Live Enanitos Verdes tribute in Riverside! at The Hideaway Cafe & Lounge
• The Magical Music of Harry Potter at Fox Performing Arts Center ($30- $75)
• The Murder Mystery Co’s Dinner Theater Show at The Old Spaghetti Factory ($69)
• World Music Festival at University Theatre

Save The Date

• May 3: Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Group at Discovery Commons Raincross
• May 4: Counts, Dukes and Archdukes at Westmont Village ($20- $40)
• May 7: Senior Conference at Janet Goeske Center
• May 15: CBU Family Business Center Morning Meetup at CBU - Copenbarger Room
• May 17: Blue Zones Project - Riverside Kickoff Festival at Riverside Airport
• May 17: Vintage Home Tour at Throughout Riverside ($30)

🗓️ See More Events     📝 Submit Your Event

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🏆 Nominate a remarkable Riversider as Neighbor of the Week.