Sunday Gazette: September 14, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday! Today is National Coloring Day, a reminder that even simple things like coloring can help ease stress and bring a little calm. Life comes with plenty of pressure and the "Sunday Scaries" don’t make it any easier, so why not grab some crayons or markers and give your mind a break? If you’re looking to celebrate, World Coloring Day – Color Palooza runs today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with pages, supplies and a chance to relax with your neighbors.
Take care and see you tomorrow!
BUSINESS
Canvas Pizza Upgrades to Food Trailer After Five Years of Pop-Ups
Riverside pizza operation transitions from portable ovens to mobile kitchen, targeting November launch.
Riverside's Canvas Pizza is transitioning from pop-up to mobile food service with a custom trailer, set to launch by year-end. The upgrade will triple production capacity, enabling the company to cater events more efficiently.
Driving the news: The new trailer features a double-deck oven capable of producing 11 pizzas simultaneously, reaching 150 pizzas per hour with full staff.
- This marks a significant operational upgrade for the five-year-old business, which evolved from founder Arthur White's driveway experiments.
Why it matters: The expansion reflects the growth of Riverside's artisanal food scene, showcasing how local businesses can scale while maintaining quality and community connections.
- Canvas Pizza's success stems from customer demand for White's sourdough pizzas, which began as a hobby.
The big picture: The company plans to expand its catering services within a 25-mile radius of Riverside, maintaining its cook-to-order approach and simple menu philosophy.
- The menu includes vegan options using Miyoko's oat-based mozzarella cheese to ensure broad accessibility.
What's next: White views the trailer as a stepping stone toward opening a brick-and-mortar location in Riverside, with potential for additional mobile units as the business grows.
Read and share the complete story...
Advertisement (Become an advertiser)
NEIGHBOR OF THE WEEK
Neighbor of the Week: Ernesto Rodriguez
Each week, we will introduce a new neighbor. This is not a who's who list. These are regular Riversiders doing exceptional things.
Ernesto is a long-time Riverside resident whose work is fueled by kindness and lived experience. Once justice-involved himself, he turned his own journey of incarceration, addiction and self-doubt into a mission to help others rewrite their stories. Alongside his wife, Kathleen, Ernesto co-leads Kindful Restoration, a Riverside nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals affected by addiction, trauma, and involvement with the justice system. Through mentorship, education, and emotional guidance, he helps clients develop empathy, accountability, and practical life skills, breaking cycles of generational violence and providing hope for a brighter future.
Beyond his nonprofit work, Ernesto is deeply connected to his community. He draws strength and perspective from daily walks and reflections on Mt. Rubidoux, embraces Riverside’s local culture, and celebrates the city’s history and people in his work. Known for his compassion, patience, and dedication, he strives to make Riverside a place where every individual has access to support, opportunity, and a second chance.
Through Kindful Restoration, Ernesto has expanded Riverside County’s reentry and youth programs, partnering with local agencies and schools to create pathways to recovery, employment, housing, and leadership for those most at risk. His work has empowered countless individuals to reclaim their agency and rebuild their lives, exemplifying how one person’s commitment to empathy and service can ripple throughout a community.
Advertisement (Become an advertiser)
CREATIVE PROMPTS
Fluff and Fold
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
This week, we’re shifting our attention to something you can get your hands on: dryer lint. As someone who finds themselves doing laundry between teaching online classes, I've realized that for many who work from home, doing laundry isn't a hindrance but a much-needed mental reset. The tactile effort provides a break from the computer screens most of us spend eight hours in front of. That’s why I thought dryer lint would make a suitable object to nudge our creative efforts for a few minutes today.
Dryer lint is a compressed history of our week, a fibrous collection of every sock, towel, and shirt. Each load adds another distinct layer to that compressed history, much like the laws of stratification in geology where layers of sediment are built up over time. The lint from Monday's workout clothes might be a distinct stratum atop Sunday's bedsheets and towels, each layer a clue to our activities and habits.
Read and share the complete story...
Advertisement (Become an advertiser)
This Week in Riverside
Sunday, September 14
- World Coloring Day | Color Palooza at Marcy Library
- Prayers and Public Information Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
- Jose Luis Zagar y Kevyn Contreras (18+) at Fox Performing Arts Center
- Meet Ludmila Pawlowska, the artist behind Icons in Transformation at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Schools
- Towards Zero at Riverside Community Players ($20)
Monday, September 15
- Assistance League Thrift Shop Accepting Donations at Assistance League Riverside Thrift Shop
- Commission on Aging at Riverside City Hall
- Men's Soccer vs. Northwestern at UCR Soccer Stadium
- Park and Recreation Commission at Riverside City Hall
Tuesday, September 16
- Inland Empire Chorus Rehearsal at Temple Beth El Synagogue
- Saund vs Cochran Filmmaker Talk at Civil Rights Insitute of Inland Southern California
- Riverside County Board of Supervisors Meeting at County Administrative Center
- Tuesday Karaoke at The Hideaway
Wednesday, September 17
- Riverside East Rotary Club at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
- Stretch & Dance Class at Janet Goeske Senior Center
- Hispanic Heritage Month | Pan Dulce Felting at Marcy Library
- Free Reading Assistance Program at My Learning Studio
- Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center ($5- $7)
- Riverside Mission Belles at Victoria Presbyterian Church
- Riverside Open Mic Music Series at Back to the Grind
Thursday, September 18
- Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Riverside at Mission Inn Foundation & Visitor Center ($21.20)
- Women's Soccer vs. Loyola Marymount at UCR Soccer Stadium
- The Mission Inn's Atrio Wine Dinner at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
Friday, September 19
- Propagation Station Debut: Plant Swap at Arlington Library
- The Emo Night Tour - (18+) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium
- Noche de Cumbia in Riverside! at The Hideaway Cafe & Lounge
Saturday, September 20
- DeaFestival 2025 at Riverside City Hall breezeway
- Blue Zones Project Riverside: Mindful Movement Moai at Zhu Strength Downtown Riverside Studio
- IE Alumni Street Cleanup at University Ave.
- Ward 5 Beautification Project - Sign-Up to Volunteer! at Arlington Park
- Olivewood Cemetery Tour at Olivewood Cemetery ($21.20)
- Historic Churches of Downtown Riverside at The Chinese Pavilion at the corner of Mission Inn Ave and Orange Street ($21.20)
- Bill Burr Live at Fox Performing Arts Center
Save the Date
- September 24: Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center ($5- $7)
- September 26: Concert Under the Stars at Private Residence ($200)
- October 5: Local History Book Fair and Silent Auction at Riverside City Hall
- October 6: Moon Festival at Heritage House
- October 15: Fifty & Better Health Fair at Janet Goeske Center
- October 18: Pink on Parade Breast Cancer Awareness Walk at Ryan Bonaminio Park ($22.20 - $32.80)
- October 18: The Riverside Citrus Classic Bike Ride at Riverside Plaza ($15- $80)
- October 25: Aquamotion Aquathon at Shamel Park Pool
- October 25: Friends of the Mission Inn Present: Nosferatu - a Silent Movie at The Mission Inn ($30- $35)
🗓️ See More Events 📝 Submit Your Event
📸 Submit a photo to be featured in our newsletters and social media accounts.
🏆 Nominate a remarkable Riversider as Neighbor of the Week.
