🍊 Thursday Gazette: May 1, 2025

Thursday Gazette: May 1, 2025

Hello Riverside, and Happy Thursday!

That was fun to type.

If you missed yesterday's announcement, The Gazette is adding Tuesdays and Thursdays to our publishing schedule andwe will now be in your inboxes every morning (except Saturdays) at 5 a.m.

In all honesty, we're making this move a bit before we feel ready. We're making the leap because our vision for our relationship with you is so strong; we want to help you kick off each day with everything you need to make the most of living or working in Riverside. It's wonderful here and your active engagement only makes it better.

RAINCROSS RUNDOWN

Raincross Rundown: The Best of Riverside in May 2025

A curated list of upcoming events and happenings The Gazette team is most excited about.

Your May Raincross Rundown is here! From banda beats in North Park to Victorian ice cream socials and anime conventions, this month’s events reflect the full range of Riverside’s creative, cultural, and community spirit. We’ve highlighted the shows, festivals, exhibits, and gatherings we’re most excited about—whether you’re into soul music, cosplay, classic cars, or guided history tours. Start bookmarking now: there’s something happening almost every weekend. 

Read or share the full May Raincross Rundown...

EDUCATION

New Casa Blanca Elementary Nears Completion for Fall Opening

Historic name returns for Riverside’s first purpose-built STEAM campus.

Riverside's Casa Blanca Elementary School is set to open for the 2025-26 school year, marking a significant investment in the Hispanic neighborhood's educational future. The state-of-the-art campus on Lincoln Avenue will be the first in the district designed with STEAM integration as its foundational concept.

Driving the news: The school represents a pioneering approach to early education, bridging the gap between elementary learning and workforce readiness.

• The facility features learning spaces equipped with technology and resources to support project-based education.

Why it matters: The new school revives the Casa Blanca name, holding deep significance for community members who advocated for a neighborhood school that celebrates local identity.

• The original Casa Blanca school closed in 1965 during the integration of Riverside schools.

The big picture: Casa Blanca Elementary aims to form strong connections with local organizations and industry leaders to provide real-world learning opportunities.

• The school's design and programming honor the neighborhood's cultural heritage while preparing students for future workforce demands.

What's next: Saturday morning tours are currently available for community members interested in seeing the innovative campus before its official opening.

Read or share the complete story...

BUSINESS

Last Call: UCR's Getaway Café Shutters After Three Decades

Community hub falls victim to financial pressures as university and owner differ on circumstances of closure.

The Getaway Café, a beloved University of California, Riverside student hangout for nearly three decades, served its final customers Tuesday amid financial struggles and an eviction filing by the university.

Driving the news: Owner Shahram Sabbagh cited mounting financial pressures, including a 60% rent increase over two years, as the reason for closure.

• UCR officials claim the café was "in serious default with payments," leading to an unlawful detainer action.

Why it matters: The closure marks the end of a community hub that served as more than just a restaurant for generations of UCR students.

• A petition on Change.org has gathered over 1,500 signatures from alumni, students, and community members seeking to save the business.

The big picture: The Getaway Café continued a tradition of community gathering that began with its predecessor, the Bull and Mouth.

• The café walls showcased paddles from Greek organizations and jerseys from nearly every UCR sports team.

What's next: The empty space in Bannockburn Village will remain, but the community memory of what once filled it will echo for years to come.

Read or share the complete story...

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ART

Pristine Decay: Hawthorne's "Vices" Exposes Marketing's Seductive Shadows

Art exhibition captures allure of addictive substances through contrasting visual techniques.

Allyn Hawthorne's "Vices" exhibition at Cal State Fullerton presents a powerful dichotomy, contrasting gritty subject matter with immaculate presentation. The Riverside native's senior solo show for his BFA in experimental photography explores urban decay motifs while questioning marketing tactics for vices.

Driving the news: Hawthorne's work portrays vices as tantalizing rather than dangerous, inviting viewers to consider their own relationships with these substances.

• The exhibition features thoughtfully composed film photographs and well-crafted props, including a giant "Vape" with a video monitor display.

Why it matters: The project aims to spark discussions about the marketing tactics that have ensured lifelong battles with vices for younger generations.

• Hawthorne's goal is to engage individuals who share similar experiences and hardships related to vices.

The big picture: By romanticizing the visual experience of smoke shops and liquor stores, the exhibition raises questions about the allure of vices and their acquisition process.

• The artist suggests that most people will have indulged in their vice by the end of the day, despite knowing it's not in their best interest.

What's next: Although the exhibit has closed, Hawthorne plans to continue exploring this theme and encouraging dialogue about the impact of vice marketing on society.

Read or share the complete story...

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor: Build Communities, Not Warehouses

As the May 12 vote nears, Riverside residents urge the March JPA Commission to reject a rebranded warehouse project that threatens neighborhood health, safety, and quality of life.

On May 12, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., the March Joint Powers Commission will vote on a proposal to build a complex of industrial warehouses in Riverside’s Orangecrest and Mission Grove neighborhoods. The West Campus Upper Plateau project, which the developer has attempted to rebrand as the “March Innovation Hub,” would sit on land formerly owned by the March Air Force Base—the site of munitions bunkers that housed nuclear and conventional weapons. The proposed project, which would be adjacent to the Grove Community Church and surrounded on more than three sides by homes, has been almost unanimously opposed by residents over the past three years.

Read or share the full story...

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Noteworthy

Riverside Unified School District seeks community input on qualities desired in the next superintendent as Renee Hill prepares to retire; offering participation through an online survey open until May 21 and three public meetings beginning May 7.

The City’s First Annual Aerospace Community Expo invites Riversiders to explore career paths in aviation, and meet local aerospace companies, and free flights for children on a limited registration basis.

Students in California Baptist University's architecture, visual arts, and design programs showcased their work in a weeklong celebration last week with 6-foot all-weather cubes temporarily installed on campus.

What's Happening in Riverside

Today

• Board of Ethics at Riverside City Hall
• Free Admission, First Thursday of every month during Riverside ArtsWalk at Riverside Art Museum
• May Day - Museum of Riverside at Artswalk Downtown Riverside
• Solar Valley Annual Conference 2025 at University of California, Riverside
• Spring beer soap making class at Carbon Nation Brewing

Tomorrow

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

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: Ananda Yoga Festival at White Park ($20- $40)
• 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.