> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.raincrossgazette.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 🍊 Sunday Gazette: August 17, 2025 - URL: https://www.raincrossgazette.com/sunday-gazette-august-17-2025/ - Published: 2025-08-17T12:00:21.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-09T02:20:49.000Z - Description: Ken Crawford shares homecoming progress, Russell Park naming controversy revisited and a creative prompt on moth magnets. - Author: Gazette Staff - Tags: Newsletter, #bulk-2026-08-08 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2025/08/image-3.png) **Riverside’s Summer Postcards* – Day 5: Bob Sirtonik enjoyed a sun-filled day on the Balboa Peninsula. Thanks to all our readers who shared their vacation photos—it was a fun week seeing where you went and what you experienced! Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? [Share it with us](https://goldstandardca.notion.site/13eef165d2ee80fa91c3de069cc9ec29?ref=raincrossgazette.com) and help celebrate the beauty of our community! **Sunday Gazette: August 17, 2025** **Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday!** The Gazette team didn’t take a summer break this year, just a couple long weekends here and there. This week we’re slowing the pace a bit to recharge and put the finishing touches on some big projects we can’t wait to share. It will be a lighter news week, but we’ll be right here with you. Have a wonderful week, Riverside, and we’ll see you tomorrow! --- 🧡 Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Evelyn Cordner, Mark Elliott, Mary Kate Grady and Luis Nunez. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves! --- #### [COMMUNITY](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/community/) ## A Year After the Fire Ken Crawford shares an update on his family’s journey back home, with construction progress bringing hope for a Christmas move-in. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2025/08/DJI_0478.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2025/08/SING0010.jpeg) From left, an aerial view shows the fire-damaged roof; at right, the newly replaced roof. A full year has passed since that morning when I woke up to find my house in flames. I had only recently joined the Gazette when the fire happened, but the support from this community has meant everything during this long process. I’m excited to share that we’re finally seeing real progress on the rebuild. The roof is now on, and both the electrical and plumbing systems are installed and ready. We did encounter a minor plan change that required additional approval and inspection, but we’ve cleared that hurdle and are moving forward. The most encouraging news? We’re expecting drywall and stucco work to begin within the next week or so. After that comes flooring and cabinets, and if everything stays on track, we’re hopeful to be back home by Christmas. It feels surreal to even write those words after such a long journey. What has touched me most throughout this process is how many of you stop me when we’re out and about to ask about our progress. That simple question, “How’s the house coming along?” reminds me that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves here in our community. Your genuine interest and investment in our family’s story has been a high point in a tough situation. Thank you for caring, for asking and for making us feel truly welcomed and supported. This experience has shown me the very best of what community can be. Thank you all, Ken Crawford --- Advertisement ([Become an advertiser](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/advertise/)) [![Advertisement](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone_static/169513/image/0?seed=20250817)](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/169513/click/0?seed=20250817&ref=raincrossgazette.com) --- #### [HISTORY](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/history/) ## From 'Russell Park Saga' to Hunt Park: How a Naming Controversy Shaped Riverside's Arlington Treasure A 1955 land purchase sparked months of debate over whether to honor Hollywood royalty or local civic leaders—until theater mogul Roy C. Hunt's legacy won the day. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2025/08/RG-Feat-Image-Template-131-1.jpg)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/from-russell-park-saga-to-hunt-park-how-a-naming-controversy-shaped-riversides-arlington-treasure) Hunt Park Sign. (Photo by author) Early in 1954, the City Council and the parks board discussed the need for a new park to better serve the Arlington area. Arlington Park was near the intersection of Van Buren and Magnolia, but residents and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce wanted a second park. After months of study, the council in May 1954 endorsed the site recommended by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Planning Commission. Riverside purchased the 15-acre tract at the corner of Jackson Street and Garfield Street for $30,000 from the Kenneth Russell family of Los Angeles. The site had 600 feet of frontage along Jackson and extended 990 feet back to Sherman Drive. [Read and share the complete story...](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/from-russell-park-saga-to-hunt-park-how-a-naming-controversy-shaped-riversides-arlington-treasure) --- Advertisement ([Become an advertiser](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/advertise/)) [![Advertisement](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone_static/169515/image/0?seed=20250817)](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/169515/click/0?seed=20250817&ref=raincrossgazette.com) --- --- #### [CREATIVE PROMPTS](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/creative-prompts/) ## Moth Magnet A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns. [![a street at night with a street light in the distance](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1713840544691-ab385755e464?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE4fHxzdHJlZXQlMjBsaWdodCUyMHJpdmVyc2lkZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTUyMDc2MjV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/moth-magnet) ([Nicolás Flor](https://unsplash.com/@nicolasflor?ref=raincrossgazette.com)/[Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit)) For many of us who grew up before smartphones, the streetlight was a beacon of a different kind. I still remember the click and fizzle as they blinked on, signaling that the day's play was over and it was time to head home. It was an unspoken, universal curfew, a promise of family waiting for you; a comforting sign of order in the twilight. [Riverside’s modern LED streetlights](https://riversideca.gov/utilities/projects/current-projects/electric-projects/led-streetlights?ref=raincrossgazette.com) are quieter and use a fraction of the energy. Of course, [not everyone sees them in the same light](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/artificial-night-sky-light-pollution-trees-insects?ref=raincrossgazette.com). To some, the streetlight is a clear sign of progress, a technological marvel that pushes back the night, allowing commerce and life to flourish after dark. To others, they are a nuisance, a symbol of light pollution that robs us of the star-filled skies and disrupts the natural rhythms of nocturnal life. This duality is fascinating. It shows how technology fundamentally changes our environment and, in turn, our experiences and our creativity. [Read and share the complete story...](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/moth-magnet) --- Advertisement ([Become an advertiser](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/advertise/)) [ ![Advertisement](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone_static/169514/image/0?seed=20250817) ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/169514/click/0?seed=20250817&ref=raincrossgazette.com) --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2025/08/RG-Feat-Image-Template-126.jpg)](https://shop.raincrossgazette.com/?ref=raincrossgazette.com) Our neighbors at Feeding America are repping their Riverside pride! **LAST DAY:** [**End of Summer Sale – 50% Off All Raincross Gazette Shirts!**](https://shop.raincrossgazette.com/?ref=raincrossgazette.com) All Raincross Gazette shirts are 50% off for our End of Summer Sale. Stock up while supplies last and wear your local love loud. --- 📣 ****See something? Say something.** Your tips and ideas are what fuel The Raincross Gazette. If you know of something newsworthy happening in our city, please [share it with us](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/contact/). --- ## This Week in Riverside ### Sunday, August 17 - [Cars & Coffee](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/cars-coffee-the-historic-riverside-auto-center/15063312/2025-08-17T08) at The Historic Riverside Auto Center - [National Thrift Shop Day](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/national-thrift-shop-day/16249643/2025-08-17T00) at Assistance League Riverside Thrift Shop - [Your Place: The Unexpected Power of Writing About Place](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/your-place-the-unexpected-power-of-writing-about-place/16184928/2025-08-17T13) at Inlandia Institute ($150- $350) ### Monday, August 18 - [Assistance League Thrift Shop Accepting Donations](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/assistance-league-thrift-shop-accepting-donations/1615922277/2025-08-18T09) at Assistance League Riverside Thrift Shop - [Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/downtown-area-neighborhood-alliance/16552056/2025-08-18T19) at Izaak Walton Building in Fairmount Park ### Tuesday, August 19 - [City Council](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/city-council/16086102/2025-08-19T13) at Riverside City Hall - [Challenging Bias and Bigotry in the Workplace](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/challenging-bias-and-bigotry-in-the-workplace/16131409/2025-08-19T00) at University of California, Riverside - [Find Your Voice in Picture Books](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/find-your-voice-in-picture-books/16185044/2025-08-19T16) at Inlandia Institute ($150- $350) - [Inland Empire Chorus Rehearsal](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/inland-empire-chorus-rehearsal/14934551/2025-08-19T18) at Temple Beth El Synagogue - [Tuesday Karaoke](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/tuesday-karaoke/12771587/2025-08-19T19) at The Hideaway ### Wednesday, August 20 - [Riverside East Rotary Club](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/riverside-east-rotary-club/13565436/2025-08-20T07) at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern - [The Discussion](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/the-discussion-garden-room-rma/16197321/2025-08-20T19) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium- Garden Room - [Divine Dining](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/divine-dining-at-the-historic-mission-inn-riverside-ca/16365970/2025-08-20T14) at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa - [Life After College: First-Time Homebuyers Workshop presented by AP Mortgage](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/life-after-college-firsttime-homebuyers-workshop-presented-by-ap-mortgage/16503321/2025-08-20T18) at University of California, Riverside - [Riverside Open Mic Music Series](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/riverside-open-mic-music-series/15529475/2025-08-20T17) at Back to the Grind ### Thursday, August 21 - [Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Riverside](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/architectural-walking-tour-of-downtown-riverside/16462116/2025-08-21T10) at Mission Inn Foundation & Visitor Center ($21.20) - [**AT&T Connected Learning Center Launch**](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/att-connected-learning-center-launch/16529104/2025-08-21T10) at Janet Goeske Center - [Women's Soccer vs. UTEP](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/womens-soccer-vs-utep/16168256/2025-08-21T19) at UCR Soccer Stadium ### Friday, August 22 - [**Goeske Talent Show**](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/goeske-talent-show/16334060/2025-08-22T18) at Janet Goeske Foundation ($10) - [LIMEWIRED a 2000's Dance party (21+)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/dj-gallixc-presents-limewired-a-2000s-dance-party-21/16197322/2025-08-22T21) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium - [Noche de Cumbia at The Hideaway Riverside!](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/noche-de-cumbia-at-the-hideaway-riverside/16545253/2025-08-22T21)at The Hideaway Cafe & Lounge ### Saturday, August 23 - [2025 Fall School Picture Day](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/2025-fall-school-picture-day/16509402/2025-08-23T10) at My Learning Studio ($35- $65) - [Friendship Bracelets](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/friendship-bracelets/16287102/2025-08-23T15) at Arlington Library - [Live tribute to The Strokes](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/live-tribute-to-the-strokes-in-riverside/16389674/2025-08-23T21) at The Hideaway Cafe & Lounge - [MC Magic, Baby Bash & Lil Rob](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/mc-magic-baby-bash-lil-rob/15074684/2025-08-23T19) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium ($37- $47) - [Open House at Woodcrest Plaza](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/open-house-at-woodcrest-plaza/16507431/2025-08-23T10) at My Learning Studio - [Uptown Funk - A Tribute To Bruno Mars](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/uptown-funk-a-tribute-to-bruno-mars/16197323/2025-08-23T19) at Fox Performing Arts Center ### Save the date - August 25: [Bingo at the Janet Goeske Center](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/bingo-at-the-janet-goeske-center/16155655/2025-08-25T12) at Janet Goeske Center ($20- $100) - Sepember 10: [Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/beginning-square-dance-lessons-with-line-dancing/16544377/2025-09-10T18) at Cowtown Square Dance Center ($5- $7) - October 18: [The Riverside Citrus Classic Bike Ride](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/the-riverside-citrus-classic-bike-ride/16132674/2025-10-18T06) at Riverside Plaza ($15- $80) 🗓️ [See More Events](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/)📝 [Submit Your Event](https://hub.cityspark.com/Event/Submission/Raincross?ref=raincrossgazette.com) 📸 [Submit a photo](http://raincrossgazette.com/submitphoto?ref=raincrossgazette.com) to be featured in our newsletters and social media accounts. 🏆 [Nominate a remarkable Riversider](https://rgnotw.paperform.co/?ref=raincrossgazette.com) as Neighbor of the Week. ---