Introducing the Inaugural 2024 Neighbor of the Year to celebrate the hidden heroes of Riverside doing incredible works of service throughout our different neighborhoods.
Show Off Riverside's Beauty! We're proud to feature community photos at the top of our newsletters and on social media—capturing the charm and vibrancy of our city. Got a favorite shot of Riverside? Share it with us and help us celebrate the beauty of our community!
Sunday Gazette: January 12, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Sunday!
One of the best parts of my job as Content Manager at The Raincross Gazette is reading the incredible stories that come through our Neighbor of the Week submissions. Each one reminds me of the heart and soul of Riverside—the hidden heroes quietly making a difference in our neighborhoods.
Every time a submission crosses my desk, it invigorates my love for this city and strengthens my belief in the power of community. It’s our mission to make this series as vibrant and diverse as Riverside itself, sharing stories of neighbors from all walks of life who are doing extraordinary work to uplift others.
I hope today’s introduction of our inaugural Neighbor of the Year award inspires you as much as it inspires me. If you know someone whose story deserves to be told, we want to hear about them! We’re also looking for young Riversiders, kids and teens, who are doing special neighborly things to make a difference. Think about your day-to-day: is there someone who always goes above and beyond; a barista, a crossing guard, or anyone else who brightens your world? We’d love to feature them too!
Thank you to the Subscribers who became paid supporters this week: Jacquelyn Scott-Cook. Your ongoing financial support is vital to our success in serving Riverside with the news it deserves!
Introducing the Inaugural 2024 Neighbor of the Year to celebrate the hidden heroes of Riverside doing incredible works of service throughout our different neighborhoods.
In May of 2024, The Raincross Gazette introduced our Neighbor of the Week feature. Publishing news and events that inspire neighborliness in Riverside is our core mission, and we felt it was important to feature, as a matter of habit, Riversiders who embody that spirit. It has become one of our most popular features, and we have highlighted some really incredible people making big differences on a grassroots level.
Today, we are excited to introduce our inaugural Neighbor of the Year Award given to a Neighbor of the Week from the previous year whose neighborliness exemplifies what we love about our community and whose acts are durable enough to extend a year of honor each January.
While she was not one of last year’s Neighbors of the Week, we are honored to announce Ofelia Valdez-Yeager as the Inaugural Neighbor of the Year. This past Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary of her passing, making this a serendipitous time to celebrate Ofelia’s neighborliness, which set the standard for future Neighbors of the Year.
Staying Dry in January? Dave Stolte’s Shirley Temple Should Help
Local legend of libation offers a sophisticated twist on the popular mocktail.
We have a special treat for those of you who are still sticking to your Dry January commitment. We asked our good friend and bonafide beverage expert, Dave Stolte, to offer an alcohol-free refreshment to help keep you satisfied and sober for the rest of the month.
The Shirley Temple is an American classic and possibly the most famous mocktail. Dave’s version eschews the sticky sweetness of lemon-lime soda and the radioactive red syrup mix that we all know and love for a spicy, floral, sophisticated soft drink that maintains the ceremony and sophistication of your chosen nightcap without the alcohol.
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
(Titus Pardee)
This week, we're giving ourselves over to a world of chance and probability, led by the unpredictable roll of the dice.Whether you're a seasoned Dungeons & Dragons adventurer, a casual board game enthusiast, or simply starting 2025 as a professional gambler, dice offer a unique opportunity to explore creativity through chance encounters and unexpected outcomes.
So, grab your dice – whether they're the classic six-sided cubes, the intricate polyhedral dice used in role-playing games, or even those fuzzy dice hanging from your rearview mirror. Let their rolls guide your creativity, and their randomness spark unexpected ideas via one or more of these dicey propositions.
