Sunday Gazette: April 20, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday!
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HISTORY
Marcella Craft: Riverside’s Own Easter Soloist
The celebrated opera singer returned home from Europe to perform at Mount Rubidoux’s Easter Sunrise Services, becoming a beloved part of the city’s holiday tradition.
For the second annual Mt. Rubidoux Easter Sunrise Service, a soloist was added to the program. Harry Girard, the composer of the music for the Passion Play, and his wife sang solos, which became a regular feature of the Easter Sunrise Services. One regular soloist was Riverside opera diva Marcella Craft.
Marcella Craft, Riverside’s opera star, came home for the 1915 service. Sarah Marcia Craft was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 11, 1874. She and her parents moved to Riverside in 1893. She demonstrated musical talent from her early years, and soon after arriving in Riverside, she sang at several events. Two years after graduating from Riverside High School, she traveled first to the East Coast and later to Europe to study opera. Several Riverside businessmen, including Frank Miller, helped support her financially. While studying and performing in Europe, she changed her stage name to Marcella. She became a celebrated opera singer at the Munich Opera. When Craft and her mother returned for a visit in 1909, they stayed at the Mission Inn. Then, when they returned to Riverside in 1914 because of the impending war, they again took up residence at the Mission Inn.
Read or Share the Full Story of Riverside’s Opera Star and Easter Sunrise Tradition...
COMMUNITY
The Riverside Supper Club: Creating Community Through Cuisine
Yolena Ramirez and Adrian Gamero bring people together over monthly themed dinners in downtown Riverside, attracting food lovers from across the region with their globally-inspired menus and intimate atmosphere.
At the Riverside Supper Club, it’s not just about what’s on the plate—it’s about who you’re sharing it with. Every month, Yolena Ramirez and chef Adrian Gamero transform their cozy upstairs studio into a warm, candlelit space where strangers become friends over multi-course meals inspired by global flavors. From homemade limoncello to lamb meatballs passed family-style, every detail is thoughtful, local, and infused with joy. Community contributor Ivan Elizalde recently had the chance to experience the Supper Club firsthand, and his story captures the magic of it all. Come hungry, leave full—in more ways than one.
Read Ivan's full story here...
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EDUCATION
RUSD Board Appoints Six to New Leadership Roles
Changes include staffing for district's newest school, the yet-to-be-named Eastside Elementary, opening fall 2025.
Five principal-level positions filled for 2025-2026 school year as RUSD reshuffles leadership across its campuses serving nearly 40,000 students.
Driving the news: The district's Board meeting on April 16 revealed new assignments for key administrative roles, reflecting RUSD's commitment to strong leadership and addressing unique challenges at each school.
- Appointments include principals for elementary, middle, and specialty positions.
Why it matters: These transitions bring new perspectives and priorities to school communities, potentially impacting educational approaches and student outcomes.
- The careful selection process aims to match administrator strengths with specific school needs.
Read or share the complete story...
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CREATIVE PROMPTS
Chalked Up
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
This week, we turn our attention to a steadfast sentinel of our streets, a portal that brings news and fanfare to your doorstep, six days a week: the mailbox. Often blending into the background of our daily routines, it’s literally full of content we can use.
How to make the most of our priority mail? Let’s consider the quiet rituals associated with the mailbox. The brief pause we take to check when coming or going, the hopeful glance inside, the tangible weight of correspondence in our hands. The sorting of useful content and spam. In our increasingly digital world, the mailbox retains a certain grounding presence, a physical link to a physical world.
Read or share the complete story...
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This Week in Riverside
Sunday, April 20
- Riverside Easter Sunrise Service at Mount Rubidoux
- Easter Service and Egg Hunt at First Congregational Church of Riverside
- Cars & Coffee at The Historic Riverside Auto Center
- Arlington Library| Crochet Club at Arlington Library
Monday, April 21
- Commission on Aging at Riverside City Hall
- 56th Hays Press-Enterprise Lecture at University Theatre
- Beginners Round Dance Class Two Step at Cowtown Square Dance Center (Free- $10.00)
- Monday Carillon Recitals at UCR Bell Tower
- Great Big Beautiful Life Midnight Release Party at Cellar Door Bookstore
Tuesday, April 22
- Inland Empire Chorus Rehearsal at Temple Beth El Synagogue
- RUSD Civic Showcase at Riverside Convention Center
- Baseball vs. UNLV at Riverside Sports Complex
- Riverside Food Lab Earth Day at Riverside Food Lab
- Tuesday Karaoke at The Hideaway
Wednesday, April 23
- Sustainability Showcase and Flea Market at UCR
- Paint n Sip Party!! Super Bloom!! at Riverside Food Lab
- Two Benches at the Beach- Paint and Sip at The Old Spaghetti Factory
Thursday, April 24
- Amadeus at Landis Performing Arts Center
- Catharsis (of a Poet) at Culver Center of the Arts
Friday, April 25
- Riverside Sunrise Rotary at Zacatecas Mexican Cafe
- Book Lovers Speed Dating at Cellar Door Bookstore
- Celebrating 100 Years at Flabob at Flabob Airport
- grentperez - Backflips in a Restaurant Tour at Riverside Municipal Auditorium ($39.50)
- Open Mic & Karaoke at Euryale Brewing Company
Saturday, April 26
- 12th Annual Riverside Tamale Festival at White Park (Free- $100.00)
- Walk with the Animals at Fairmount Park ($15- $40)
- Bourns Next Generation Outreach at Winston Chung Hall
- Sugar Scrub Masterclass at Riverside Rustic
- And Water Brings Tomorrow at Culver Center of the Arts
- Brincos Dieras at Fox Performing Arts Center
- Swing Under the Wing w/ Pete Jacobs Wartime Radio Revue at Flabob Airport
- Riverside Electric Light Parade Monthly Ride Experience at 4050 Main Street
- Riverside Flower Show and Garden Tour at Elks Lodge (Free- $10.00)
- Riverside Philharmonic Matinee Concert at Calvary Presbyterian Church ($20- $60)
- Softball vs. Cal State Fullerton at Amy S. Harrison Field
Save The Date
- May 3: Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Group at Discovery Commons Raincross
- 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)
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