As we continue to look at those stories that made headlines for Riverbank during the past year, this week’s installment is the second of four. Part two features items from the months of April, May and June.
APRIL
In action at their Tuesday meeting, April 1, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved the temporary closure of the Riverbank Library at 3442 Santa Fe St., Riverbank. The library, built in 1977, is in need of critical infrastructure improvements that will close the library for an estimated five months. The project is being made possible due to Building Community Services Investments funds allocated by the County Board of Supervisors and will address several Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) deficiencies, water intrusion issues, and asbestos abatement in existing floor tiles. The closure will begin on April 13, with a targeted reopening in September 2025. Library staff has worked with the City of Riverbank to identify a temporary site to provide library services and are finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the use of space at the nearby Teen Center at 3600 Santa Fe.
The City of Riverbank hosted a presentation of the 2025 State of the City address by Mayor Rachel Hernandez, staged on Thursday, April 3 at the Riverbank Community Center. The city provided a Spanish translator, and Mayor Hernandez repeated some of her comments in Spanish as well. She noted that “Riverbank has long been a place where small-town charm meets opportunity, where families grow, businesses thrive – small and large, and where we look out for one another. That is the heart of who we are.”
The Drama Department at Riverbank High School put on four performances of Mean Girls Jr., based on the 2004 film. Both were written by Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey. It was directed by drama teacher John Thiel and staged in the Black Box Theatre on the RHS campus. The cast was made up of 19 students, with a production crew at least twice that number.
Spring is here, the weather is warming up and, to go along with that, there are changes at Jacob Myers Park. The summer season hours officially began last weekend and that means later hours and parking fees return for those using the park. Parking fees are now $7 for residents and $10 for non-residents on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, through Sept. 30. The park will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., with the Dog Park and the Trail closing at 7:30 p.m.
Riverbank Mayor Rachel Hernandez and members of the City Council offered special recognition to a longtime resident on the occasion of his 95th birthday at a regular meeting. Edward Jones, better known as “Fast Eddy” around the community, was the grateful recipient of the well wishes at the April 8 session. Mayor Hernandez and the council presented a certificate to Jones, citing his “lifetime of dedication, perseverance, and excellence. Your unwavering spirit, kindness, and the positive impact you’ve had on everyone around you is truly inspiring.”
Having exceeded pre-registered volunteers from past years, more than 300 people fanned out across Riverbank on Saturday, April 26, undertaking all manner of repair, fix-up or clean-up projects. They were all part of the Love Riverbank community day of service. The event kicked off at 8 a.m. at the Riverbank Community Center, where the volunteers signed in, enjoyed some music, then headed out to their projects throughout the City of Action. These included family friendly work, with clean up all across the city and in some areas along the river, painting kindness rocks, planting trees and other activities such as yard work and minor home repairs for those in need.
A new event came to downtown Riverbank on Saturday, April 26, with events and activities designed to appeal to area residents of all ages. The Somar Cultural Music Festival was held at Santa Fe and Third streets from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Plaza del Rio. It was the fourth annual presentation of this event, held this year here in Riverbank. It was billed as a free, family-friendly activity, with live music, cultural performances, a classic car show, and much more.
Tuesday, April 29, the Housing Authority of the City of Riverbank hosted a special Grand Opening celebration for the new McRitchie Community Center. The center is at 6600 Third St., Riverbank. Partners with the City of Riverbank in the project include the Stanislaus Regional Housing Authority, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Housing Authority of the City of Riverbank. TPH Architects was the architectural firm with Simile Construction the general contractor.
MAY
Evening shopping on the streets of downtown Riverbank has returned once again, with the Night Market starting up its months long run this past Saturday. May 3 was the beginning of this season’s market, which is scheduled to continue through October this year. They only hitch is, it’s now set to run every other week, which means it won’t be happening again until Saturday, May 17.
Operating along Atchison Street in downtown Riverbank for more than 60 years, Sno-White Drive-In has definitely stood the test of time. Owner Daryl Daniel and General Manager Myron Daniel recently had a ribbon cutting ceremony and a special gathering to mark the occasion. “I’ve owned it since 1993 and my dad built it in 1963,” Daryl Daniel explained, adding that the original founder of Sno-White started the business in the early ‘50s and focused primarily on ice cream. The Riverbank Sno-White features a variety of food and drink items and specials in addition to the cool ice cream treats.
The Riverbank City Council received an update on progress of construction on the North County Corridor’s Phase 1 project at its Tuesday, May 13 meeting. A spokesman for the company doing the work showed maps and charts on how the work is planned, and explained how some of it would most impact Riverbank residents. He noted that Oakdale Road would be widened from Claribel Avenue southward to where a new section would be built going east.
The Riverbank Parks and Recreation Department kicked off a preview of the coming summer swim season at the pool on Saturday afternoon with a free ‘Pool Party’ on May 24 for residents to enjoy recreational swimming. Opening day is formally scheduled on Monday, June 2.
Riverbank’s Mayor, City Council and city staff organized another Memorial Day ceremony; it was staged midday Monday, May 26 at the Veterans Wall in front of the Community Center. Guest speaker was California Fifth District Congressman Tom McClintock, who reviewed the meaning of the day.
The sound of Pomp and Circumstance has been echoing down the byways of Riverbank this past week. One final time, on Thursday, May 29, the familiar notes ushered Riverbank High School seniors, 151 members of the Class of 2025, in to their final gathering as Bruins. The 7:30 p.m. start time helped guarantee that temperatures would be getting cooler, not hotter through the event.
JUNE
There are signs that a new shopping center is in the works. Not in Crossroads West, but along Patterson Road. Marking out the area just east of Dutch Brothers, beside and possibly behind the coffee shop, the signs indicate three of the four shop spaces available have been spoken for. The first listed is Tractor Supply Co., founded in 1938. The next on the list is Grocery Outlet Bargain Market. It’s an American discount closeout retailer. The final shop will be a Habit Burger & Grill, formerly known as The Habit Burger Grill. The eatery is a California-based fast casual restaurant chain that specializes in chargrilled hamburgers.
The Tuesday Night Market has returned to downtown Riverbank for its summer season, on Santa Fe Street, between Third and Fourth streets. It’s advertised as an event to bring the community together to enjoy fresh food, crafts for the kids, music, local vendors, and lots and lots of fun. The Market is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each Tuesday.
The Bike Rodeo and Safety Fair returned to downtown Riverbank on June 11, with lots of fun activities for the youngsters who participated, and a number of bicycles given away. The event was again organized by Central Valley Community Resources and Riverbank Police Services, and officials were extremely pleased with the 37 bicycles donated by people and organizations in the area.
The Riverbank Chamber of Commerce staged its second business expo on Thursday, June 12 at the Community Center. It was billed as an opportunity for members to showcase their businesses and shop with other members at the same time. It provided a time for networking as well as casual conversation. Participation was free for Chamber members, with a small fee for non-members, and it was free for the public to attend.
Even though it’s summer, the Riverbank High School football organization hosted a fundraising car wash on Saturday, June 28. Most of the summer activity for the gridiron team features conditioning, camps and scrimmages, but the players and cheerleaders suited up for a different cause on Saturday, raising money for the program.
Next up, the third quarter of the year will be in focus, July through September, featured in the Jan. 14 issue.
