The contractors are now hard at work rebuilding my house after a fire last August. (Ken Crawford)
Friday Gazette: March 21, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday!
A reader suggested that I give an update on how my family and I are doing and a progress report on the construction after I lost my house in a fire last August. I appreciate the concerns and interest and am happy to give you guys an update on what has been going on.
If you need to be caught up, on August 16, 2024, I was jolted awake by loud banging noises that sounded a lot like gunshots. The banging noises were roof tiles above my garage falling onto my garage door as the roof joist burned through. I immediately woke my wife and two boys, grabbed the dogs and some valuables, packed the SUV, stood out on the street, and watched my house burn. The Riverside Fire Department are heroes in real life, and I appreciate their quick response, which saved much of what was in the bedrooms at the house.
I've said this before: our family mantra has been "annoying isn't suffering." It's been a bummer, and of course, I wish the fire would not have happened, but we were well-insured and well-supported by family and community, and we never really lost our security.
The good news is that, as of St. Patrick's Day 2025, construction has begun in the rebuilding of our home. We're eager to get back to our old neighborhood. It may seem trivial, but being 20 instead of 5 minutes away from the Mary Street Stater Brothers has been one of the bigger adjustments I have had to make. While we wish it had never happened, the "bright side" is that we will be picking our materials and finishes as if we were buying a new house. This is exciting.
We don't have an estimated finish date on construction, but I will provide another update in a couple of months and, hopefully, some interior construction shots of our new house. I appreciate the outreach from the Raincross Gazette readers. You guys really showed me what it means to be part of a community. I also appreciate all who donated and all who have shown me love around the city.
It has been a wild year, and I'm looking forward to some quiet peace in the new place.
Sports Shorts: Lancers to Join Highlanders in Big West
Lions and Bears in Saturday Baseball Showdown.
Junior Pitcher Ryan Kitteridge has recorded 19 strikeouts and allowed 2 home runs in 23 innings pitched for the Lancers. (Courtesy of CBU Athletics/Mariah Rodrigues)
CBU Finds New Home Alongside UCR in Big West
California Baptist University's recently announced move from the Western Athletic Conference to the Big West Conference marks a significant shift for Lancer athletics. After enduring the WAC's high membership turnover and Texas/Utah-focused geographic footprint, CBU joins a more stable, California-centric conference featuring established rivalries.
The transition delivers immediate benefits: dramatically reduced travel costs, greater fan access to away games (seven of eleven destinations within a two-hour drive from Riverside), and most intriguingly, regular in-conference matchups with crosstown rival UC Riverside Highlanders.
Riverside Couple Hopes to Build Community of Local Vendors at Muse Market
The Canyon Crest boutique offers a variety of locally made goods from clothing to cookies.
Amber and Mario Ostler, co-owners of Muse Market at Canyon Crest Town Center are proud to be a Riverside focused business. (Ken Crawford)
Mario and Amber Ostler's Muse Market is redefining local shopping in Riverside. The boutique, which opened last December in the Canyon Crest Town Center, offers a curated selection of Riverside-themed and locally created merchandise.
Driving the news: Muse Market provides a platform for local artisans to showcase their products, from Raincross stickers to handmade jewelry and pottery.
The store's success offers an alternative to global online retailers, supporting Riverside's economy.
Why it matters: In an era dominated by e-commerce, Muse Market represents a return to traditional brick-and-mortar retail with a hyper-local focus.
Co-owner Mario Ostler emphasizes their commitment: "We are a Riverside Business. We are happy to have a platform to sell Riverside stuff to our neighbors."
The big picture: Muse Market's model allows customers to support local creators and the city's economy while shopping for unique, locally-made items.
Products range from confections to clothing, all with a distinctly Riverside flavor.
What’s next: As Muse Market continues to grow, it’s proving that shopping small and local is not just possible but rewarding — and may inspire more locally focused shops in Riverside.
Local Real Estate Broker Launches $4,000 Contest for Riverside Yard Makeovers
Tower Agency broker James Monks aims to spark neighborhood beautification movement.
The Good Neighbor program incentivizes curb appeal improvements with cash prizes. (Zach Cordner)
A Riverside real estate broker is incentivizing community beautification with cash prizes up to $4,000 for residents who transform neglected yards.
Driving the news: James Monks of Tower Agency launched the "Riverside Good Neighbor Project" to encourage residents to identify and improve unkempt properties throughout the city.
Participants must obtain homeowner permission, take before photos, complete the yard work, and submit before and after photos by April 30.
Why it matters: The project aims to inspire widespread neighborhood improvement, with Monks noting that renovating one property often motivates others to follow suit.
Winners will be selected from each zip code, with an additional bonus for the best overall transformation.
The big picture: Monks plans to continue the competitions and hopes the project will expand through community investment.
The initiative stems from his experience with property renovation projects, where he observed the positive ripple effect of improving a single property.
Meet this week’s featured furry friend from the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center. Dedicated to eliminating pet homelessness, the center provides compassionate care and facilitates adoptions for animals in need of loving homes. Find your new companion and help support their mission of humane care and responsible pet ownership.
Is it too obvious to say that Peaches is sweet as pie? Well, it’s true. This lovable gal is a favorite among the volunteers and staff at Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center thanks to her calm personality and gentle nature. She does great on walks and absolutely adores affection. Plus, her speckled snoot is simply irresistible. Peaches is 3 years old, weighs 72 pounds, and has been waiting since January to find her forever home. She’s currently on a kennel break, so please email fostercare@petsadoption.org to set up a meeting with her.
RCC and UCR’s unprecedented dual institution housing partnership for transfer-bound students has already received 294 applications from students looking to move in this fall.
The SPC Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library will temporarily relocate to a new site while construction begins on its permanent $43 million facility at Bobby Bonds Park scheduled to open in 2026.
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