Closing out a look back at the news of the past year, this week we highlight some of the stories making the front page of The News over the second half of 2022. The stories were featured from July through December.
JULY
The City of Riverbank began a Turf Replacement Program, officially opening it on July 1. Participating residents will be able to receive a rebate on their water bills, if they convert their landscaping to drought tolerant materials. Information on how to qualify for the program is available online, at: https://www.riverbank.org/623/Turf-Replacement-Program.
Riverbank City Council Member Luis Uribe offered a ‘Meet and Greet’ last Thursday, June 30 at Perko’s Restaurant in town, seeking input from residents about their concerns and ideas for the city’s future. In addition to himself, Uribe brought City Manager Marisela Garcia to the event. Garcia assisted by taking some notes, but maybe more importantly, helped answer some of the questions the residents had.
Riverbank Police Services (RPS) has a new Community Service Officer (CSO), Ana Davalos, that people may have already seen or met around town. Although Davalos has only been with RPS since March she has participated and helped organize several community events. “Growing up I always wanted to do something where I could help others and give back to the community,” said Davalos. “I have gone through multiple jobs. Every job I have had has been helping others. When I moved back to my hometown in Modesto, I applied to the Sheriff’s Department and kind of wanted to see where things go.”
Several Riverbank youngsters were the happy recipients of free bicycles given away this past week. On Wednesday, July 13, there were 21 donated bikes given away, from the tiny, training wheel models, to the full-sized, 26-inch wheel bicycles, eliciting lots of smiles. Instead of the Community Center Park location where road work is underway, the annual Bike Rodeo, Health and Safety Fair event was held in Plaza del Rio Park and on Third Street, just in front of City Hall North.
The heat was on but so was the patriotic pride at the American Veterans First (AVF) Car Show this past Saturday, July 16 in Riverbank. Guests rolled in throughout the day making this another sensational event for AVF. There were about 80 classic cars spread out in the parking lot at AVF headquarters on Oakdale Road. Founder and AVF CEO Duke Cooper greeted guests and thanked everyone for coming along with board members and volunteers. Although the day was hot and there were other events going on in the area, Cooper expressed that the event was a success.
The final program of the summer camp season was offered this past week, hosted by the City of Riverbank’s Parks and Recreation Department. The camps and programs this summer have been a success with some even having a waiting list, according to staff. The final Western Camp was held last week with 30 campers, staged at the Riverbank Teen Center. The campers were ages 6 to 12 and had a variety of activities like crafts, games, free play, and a crowd favorite, swim time at the community pool.
AUGUST
Celebrating yet another milestone, the board members and other volunteers at American Veterans First hosted a Grand Opening of its military museum at the organization’s 6436 Oakdale Road headquarters on Saturday morning, July 30. The many family members, spouses, veterans and other volunteers in attendance were welcomed by AVF CEO Duke Cooper, who introduced the board members and volunteers who help the organization function. Cooper, a Marine Corps veteran himself, has collected military artifacts through the years and noted that AVF will be celebrating six years in service to the community this month.
This year’s National Night Out event was celebrated across the country, and in Riverbank, some neighborhoods across town hosted gatherings as well. The event is held annually the first Tuesday of August. The Riverbank locations included gatherings on Gallery Drive, on Glow Road, and ending up at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt on Oakdale Road in the Crossroads Shopping Center.
School is back in session for Riverbank Unified School District (RUSD) with the first day of the 2022-23 school year on Thursday, Aug. 4. The summer is still upon us but the break for students is over. Currently there are no mask mandates and all students will return to in-person class instruction. There are a few changes this year with new start times for the high school students and some new staff. RUSD Superintendent Christine Facella noted that the elementary school and middle school start times will remain the same. The only start times that will change this school year are for the students at Riverbank High School (RHS).
Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District (SCFPD) has had several changes throughout the years and most recently has obtained a new administrative contract with the Modesto Fire Department. With this new contract, Tim Tietjen has accepted the role as Fire Chief for SCFPD in Riverbank and is at Station 26 running things on a daily basis. Tietjen is an Assistant Chief for Modesto Fire and has also taken on fire chief duties for the city of Oakdale and Oakdale Fire Protection District. The Modesto Fire contract with SCFPD began in February this year and is for administrative services only. It is not a full contract and the employees are still SCFPD employees. Other internal agency agreements also remain with the SCFPD.
The hoopla stretched from morning to evening last weekend for Riverbank residents enjoying the finale of the city’s Centennial Celebration. Festivities began early Saturday morning at the Riverbank Sports Complex on Morrill Road, and concluded that evening, on the stage at the Plaza del Rio Park, with a dramatic surprise closing out the evening. It was an early start, Aug. 20 at 6 a.m., with hot air balloons being launched from the stadium at the complex. Five balloonists were on hand, each in turn heating up their multi-colored entries, launching one by one as the sun rose in the east. The fifth balloonist remained behind, allowing youngsters to ride up, and down, in his balloon, still tethered to the ground.
There was a buzz at Silva Park this past Saturday – not only from the Sheriff’s office Air 101 helicopter that buzzed the Crossroads neighborhood with sirens blaring – but also the community that attended the barbeque hosted by City of Riverbank and Riverbank Police Services (RPS). The free meal and festivities began at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27 and was open to all residents. Officials said the event was very well attended.
The first presentation during last week’s city council meeting was a proclamation commemorating the City of Riverbank’s 100 years in action, presented by Mayor Richard O’Brien to Gaby Hernandez along with flowers. Hernandez is the new city clerk for the City of Riverbank. The city was incorporated on Aug. 23, 1922 and 100 years later at the City Council meeting on Aug. 23, 2022 the city’s history was commemorated. There were Centennial celebrations in recognition of the city turning 100 with the grand finale a couple of weeks ago. Prior to becoming the city clerk, Hernandez was an Administrative Assistant Confidential and was part of the Centennial Committee. During that time, she had a big part organizing and coordinating the centennial celebrations throughout the year.
SEPTEMBER
If you have ever stopped into O’Brien’s Market in Riverbank, there is a good chance you know Kenny Wey. He has been employed with O’Brien’s since Aug. 1, 1984. Recently, he served his last customer, hung up his apron, and officially retired from the market on Aug. 27.
Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Block, in association with the Stanislaus Sheriff K9 Association, and a team distributed school supplies to Cardozo Middle School (CMS), California Avenue Elementary, Mesa Verde Elementary, and Riverbank Language Academy this past Friday, Sept. 2. The weather was warm and the smiles were bright as the caravan approached each school site. “I’m a small piece of a grand puzzle,” said Block. “The school supplies donation, this has been kind of ongoing for about three to four years, I believe. I was just lucky enough to represent our association and canine unit. There is a lot of planning amongst our unit. I personally love giving back to the kids but our unit as a whole and association enjoy doing things like this.”
The City of Riverbank has been partnering with the City of Oakdale for Animal Control Services since 2009. The Riverbank City Council unanimously approved the new contract for the next five years at the last city council meeting. The City of Riverbank’s Senior Management Analyst Norma Torres-Manriquez presented the council with the specifics of the new Animal Control Services Agreement. Currently, the city has a two-year agreement, one full time officer, two part-time shelter attendants which is a shared cost, one supervisor, and 24/7 dispatch services with an annual cost of $232,287.
Monday morning, Sept. 12 was supposed to be the start of not only another school day for students at Riverbank High School (RHS) but the beginning of fun festivities for Homecoming week. However, due to a threat of violence written on a bathroom wall on campus, students and staff were locked down for a few hours while law enforcement was contacted and a search was conducted. Officials reported that the threat was unfounded and there were no weapons or contraband found during the search.
Riverbank Unified School District officials have announced an amendment to its policy for serving meals to students under the National School Lunch/School Breakfast Programs for the 2022–2023 school year. The new program, CEP – Community Eligibility Program – allows all students that are enrolled to be served lunch and breakfast at no charge. The no cost meals will be provided at the following school sites: Adelante High School, California Avenue Elementary School, Cardozo Middle School, Mesa Verde Elementary School, Riverbank High School, and Riverbank Language Academy.
Riverbank High School celebrated fall homecoming with a week filled with a variety of activities and traditions. RHS Education Specialist, Melissa Werner, Leadership Advisor Ray Perez, and the leadership class had a busy but successful week. It was capped off with the naming of Alex Nisperos as Homecoming King and Alyssandra Urrea as Homecoming Queen during halftime festivities at the Sept. 16 varsity football game. “Our goal is always to build on the successes of the year previous, and we were able to accomplish that again this year,” said RHS Principal Greg Diaz. “Leadership Advisor, Ray Perez, and his students worked really hard getting Spirit Week together this year with dress-up days, lunchtime activities, the Powder Puff game, and the Homecoming Rally, all of which turned out amazing.”
OCTOBER
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and the Riverbank City Council recently presented Norma Torres-Manriquez, Director of Viva Mexico Ballet Folklorico, a proclamation for Hispanic Heritage Month. The presentation came at the regular city council meeting; Mayor Richard O’Brien presented the proclamation to Manriquez and the Folklorico group. “I was very honored to have been selected to receive it this year,” said Manriquez. “All of our Folklorico family was very excited to be recognized for our work in the community.”
The 45th annual Riverbank Cheese and Wine Festival was spread out through downtown Riverbank and the wine tasting returned to the city’s Community Center this past weekend. The City of Riverbank contracted with Simply Divine Events once again for this year’s festival. According to Tamra Spade with Simply Divine Events, it was a great weekend overall and there were a lot of people in attendance on both days. The weather was unseasonably warm over the weekend which may have affected the attendance. However, there were several people that hit downtown Riverbank with their kids and pets, strolling through the assortment of over 100 vendors and festivities.
With 49 teams registered – and the majority of them setting up on site – the Relay For Life of Greater Stanislaus County surged past the $110,000 fundraising mark over the weekend. Hosted for the second year at John Thurman Field in Modesto the second weekend in October, the 24-hour Relay brought together those who previously participated in the Oakdale, Modesto and Turlock events, combining for the one large, regional Relay For Life. Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon were all represented in addition to teams and participants from the larger Modesto and Turlock communities.
Riverbank Unified School District and C.A.S.A. (Community And School Altogether) del Rio family resource center hosted a Lights On After School Celebration this past Friday at California Avenue Elementary. The event is held annually to promote after school programs and immensely supported by the community. “The event was really well attended and well received,” said Program/Grant Manager Armando Nuñez. “We got a lot of positive feedback from the students, and the parents and even the community members and community partners have expressed a lot of praise for the event and the effort that was taken to bring everyone together. It was a feel-good event for a Friday afternoon in Riverbank for sure.” The blacktop at California Avenue Elementary had students, staff, and families swirling about the activities and information booths that were on hand for the event. They bussed students to the event from Riverbank Language Academy, Mesa Verde Elementary, and Cardozo Middle School.
Cambridge Academies, in cooperation with the City of Riverbank, is bringing a program to those in need; a program called Riverbank Restart. Cambridge Academies Community Outreach Engagement Coordinator Deena Fernandez is available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Scout Hall, 3017 High St., Riverbank, to assist those in need with resources and information.
NOVEMBER
The Día de los Muertos celebration had a record number in attendance this past Friday, Oct. 28 with the gathering hosted by the City of Riverbank Parks and Recreation Department. This is the third celebration of its kind to be held in downtown Riverbank with assistance from originator Nancy Garcia that many called a huge success. “We have received so much positive feedback from the event,” said Garcia. “I personally feel that it was our best event thus far. We had more people wanting to participate in the altar displays. The altars/ofrendas each year are becoming more and more elaborate and more families, community organizations and schools are coming together to create these beautiful displays.” There were 25 altars this year that were presented by families, community groups and schools that were lined on both sides of Third Street in front of the Plaza del Rio Park. The new layout gave plenty of room for the intricate and beautiful altars that had pictures of loved ones that had passed away. This also allowed more space for folks to watch the entertainment on the stage in the park.
The winter watering schedule for the city of Riverbank began on Nov. 1 and will continue through March 31. If your address ends in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) you may only water your yard on Tuesdays and Saturdays. If your address ends in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) you may only water your yard on Wednesdays and Sundays.
There were several celebrations in the area for Veterans Day this past Friday, Nov. 11 and American Veterans First, headquartered in Riverbank, hosted an America Strong dinner featuring Medal of Honor recipient Robert M. Patterson. There were over 150 people in attendance that were surrounded by patriotic pride. AVF CEO Duke Cooper recognized the volunteers and the AVF staff that assist in making the organization a success including Executive Secretary Paige McLaughlin, Director of Outreach Shirley Serato and Event Coordinator Gloria Robertson. The dinner was held at the American Event Center which is right next door to AVF headquarters which is where they were previously.
At a special meeting of the Riverbank City Council, a ‘changing of the guard’ was approved. Longtime Public Works Director Mike Riddell previously announced his retirement after 11 years with the city, and the council held a special session to name his successor. Cody Bridgewater was named to take over the position. His employment as the new Public Works leader begins on Friday, Dec. 2. Riddell’s last day on the job is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 16.
There were several people mingling around Save Mart in the Crossroads Shopping Center this past Saturday, Nov. 19. They were not just purchasing groceries and preparing for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday; some were perusing the car show and donating toys for the Toys for Tots campaign. The Car Show and Toy Drive was organized by Central Valley Community Resources (CVCR), Casa del Rio, Valley Improvement Projects and the Marine Corps Reserve of Stanislaus County.
Katie Wedge just edged out Delayne Coker in a race for the Riverbank Unified School District Board in the Nov. 8 election. The official election results were posted by the Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters just before Thanksgiving. The school district race was in Area 2 and the final vote totals showed Wedge with 338 votes, for roughly 52 percent and Coker with 312 votes, for 48 percent. It was the only contested local race; there were two candidates seeking terms on the Riverbank City Council but each was unopposed.
DECEMBER
Tis’ the season of giving and that is exactly what the annual “Give Back” toy drive celebration is all about on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Riverbank downtown area. The event will be hosted at Hometown, 3340 Santa Fe, by owner Bruce Gong in collaboration with Israel Flores of the A-Team Presents, an event production company, along with several local sponsors. Gong and Flores are both Riverbank natives and had a unified idea to do something special for the Riverbank community during the holiday season. This led to the creation of the Give Back event that started in 2016 and was originally held in the Crossroads Shopping Center.
During the last meeting for 2022, the Riverbank City Council saw two of its seats renewed, so to speak, as one member retained his seat, and another returned to the council last week. Mayor Richard D. O’Brien also took the opportunity to recognize retiring council member and Vice Mayor Cal Campbell, thanking him for his nine years of service to the community, presenting him with a plaque from the city. Campbell’s seat was filled following the November General Election by Leanne Jones Cruz, who ran unopposed for the District 3 seat. She has served on the council in the past. After a bit of celebration in honor of Campbell, the meeting resumed while O’Brien issued the oaths of office to Cruz and Council Member Luis Uribe. He continues to represent the residents of District 1 after running unopposed in November.
The City of Riverbank this past weekend proved that more than just the postman can fight the weather, especially the rain, to complete its “rounds.” Despite the steady rain on Saturday, Dec. 10, the city’s Christmas Craft Faire and 53rd Annual Christmas Parade in downtown continued as scheduled. Opened at noon on Third Street, in front of City Hall North and the Plaza del Rio Park, the Faire presented some stalwart vendors, selling food items and gift items useful for holiday presents.
The Christmas spirit could be felt this past Wednesday, Dec. 14 during the annual Shop with a Cop event as law enforcement and volunteers shopped with youngsters at Kohls in the Crossroads Shopping Center. There were about 40 kids that received a shopping spree for essentials and afterwards a pizza party where the joy, warmth, and spirit of Christmas endured.
Christmas came early for the youth in Riverbank thanks to a collaborative effort through the Toys for Tots Foundation. The cars lined Santa Fe Street this past Saturday, Dec. 17 for the toy distribution held at the Cardozo Middle School Auditorium. The toy collection was held for a few weeks beginning in November and ended a few days before the distribution. There were donation boxes placed at several different locations throughout the community. The Riverbank Toys for Tots committee is a collaboration of Central Valley Community Resources (CVCR), Casa del Rio, Valley Improvement Projects and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
Riverbank Unified School District (RUSD) has contracted with Interquest Detection Canines, Inc. to reduce students’ use of unlawful drugs, alcohol, and prohibited items on campus. With the increase of deaths among the youth nationwide that are drug related and a couple threats of violence that were reported this year at Riverbank High School (RHS), the district has taken action. The contract will extend through May 2023. Each visit will be unannounced and is $250 per visit.
