Launchpad Collective broke ground July 7 on a 32-unit affordable modular housing project at 125 W. Baseline St., a development its founder said is intended to become a model for housing, economic opportunity and neighborhood reinvestment along the Baseline corridor.
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The project is expected to be completed in April 2027, with the first residents moving in shortly after. Launchpad Collective founder and CEO Robert Carrillo said the development will include 22 studios, six two-bedroom units and four one-bedroom units, with apartments ranging from about 500 square feet to about 1,000 square feet.
Carrillo said the project is being planned
By Manny Sandoval
Fiesta Village Family Fun Park, a longtime family destination for Colton and the Inland Empire, will close its doors for good July 11 after more than 50 years in business, while neighboring Nickelodeon Pizza is making clear that it remains open.
as a mixed-income development under Assembly Bill 2011 and San Bernardino’s transit-oriented development framework. The site will not include parking, an approach he said reflects the area’s transit access and the city’s push for more walkable communities.
For Carrillo, the project is not only about Housing, Cont. next pg.
Pizza remains open in Colton for dine-in, phone and delivery orders as owner Mike Prieto works to preserve the restaurant’s longtime recipes, including its famous chorizo avocado pizza, while expanding digital order opportunities.
Current Fiesta Village owners Michelle and Patrick O’Brien announced the closure last week, saying the decision was difficult after decades of serving local families, schools, employees and community partners.
“After more than 50 years of serving the Inland Empire, Fiesta Village Family Fun Park will be closing its doors,” the ownership team said in a statement. “This deci-
sion has not been easy.” The park’s roots date back to 1974, and the O’Briens said their goal over the past 25 years was to preserve Fiesta Village as a welcoming place for connection, celebration and joy.
As word of the closure spread, some community members also raised concerns about Nickelodeon Pizza, a neighboring Business, cont. next pg.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Launchpad Collective leaders, partners
community members break ground July 7 on a 32-unit affordable modular housing project at 125
W. Baseline St. in San Bernardino.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Fiesta Village Family Fun Park will close July 11 after more than 50 years as a Colton and Inland Empire destination for birthday parties, picnics and family outings.
PHOTO MIKE PRIETO Nickelodeon
Pasos
Housing (cont.)
- adding housing. He said Launchpad is designed to connect residents with supportive services, entrepreneurship opportunities and workforce development through partnerships that include the San Bernardino Community College District and the California University of Science and Medicine.
“Launchpad isn’t about buildings; it’s about people,” Carrillo said during the groundbreaking. “The people we’re trying to serve aren’t living their lives in silos. Everything is interconnected.”
Carrillo said the development is intended to serve young people aging out of foster care, transitional-age youth, immigrant youth and veteran women with children. But he said he hopes the project is remembered less for the building itself and more for the lives that begin there.
“When I drive by sites like this in San Bernardino, I don’t just see vacant lots,” Carrillo said. “I think about the young people and families who needed this kind of opportunity sooner — someone to see their potential before seeing their limitations.”
The ceremony included welcome remarks, invited dignitaries and a ceremonial groundbreaking. State Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes and the city of San Bernardino also presented certificates of recognition for the project.
Carrillo said his measure of success will not come when construction is finished or when the building is fully occupied, but when Launchpad can replicate the concept on other sites.
“I’ll know we succeeded when we’re standing on another lot, when we are replicating this and
breaking ground again,” Carrillo said. “This is not meant to be one building. It is meant to become a model — a model that proves neighborhoods are worth believing in.”
The project follows Launchpad Collective’s public opposition to a proposed McDonald’s drivethru across the street, a proposal that went before the San Bernardino Planning Commission several times before the City Council ultimately denied the project.
Carrillo argued the McDonald’s proposal conflicted with the intent of the corridor’s land-use rules because it would have required changes to allow a drivethru, additional parking and other site adjustments in an area he said should prioritize mixed-use housing.
“The highest and best use of that site is housing with commercial space below,” Carrillo told IECN in April 2026. “We could have McDonald’s there, but why not have residential units above it? Why not have more commercial spaces?”
Carrillo said the parcel could support roughly 100 to 120 residential units above ground-floor commercial space if developed to its highest potential. He said opponents of the McDonald’s proposal focused on land-use and policy arguments rather than emotion.
“It wasn’t, ‘We hate McDonald’s,’” Carrillo said. “It’s about saying we have a better vision for what can be here.”
Carrillo also pointed to what he described as a broader pattern in lower-income neighborhoods, where projects are often accepted simply because they are viewed as better than vacant land.
“You only hear, ‘It’s better than
nothing,’ in these parts of town,” he said.
Carrillo said Launchpad’s project includes 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and is projected by his team to generate at least $17 million in local economic impact in its first year. He said the estimate includes jobs, local economic activity and reduced strain on public systems, though the projection has not been independently verified.
Matthew Blake, president and CEO of Buildy Design & Construction, said he first connected with Carrillo at a development event hosted by Mayor Helen Tran and was drawn to the project’s focus on using real estate to support people and communities.
“As you know, I joined ARIA Inland Empire because I believe the Inland Empire is the future,” Blake said. “This is where we’re going to make changes to help communities and individuals through our real estate endeavors.”
Blake said the Baseline project could become a cornerstone for similar development in San Bernardino.
“I think it’s going to be duplicated over and over because this is the start of something special, especially on Baseline and in the San Bernardino community,” Blake said.
Carrillo closed by framing the groundbreaking as both a physical and generational milestone.
“Today, we’re not just breaking ground; we’re breaking cycles,” Carrillo said. “I believe generations who come after us may never know every person standing here right now, but they’ll live better lives because we stood here.”
Business (cont.)
- Colton restaurant long associated with Fiesta Village and generations of local families.
Gary Grossich, a Colton planning commissioner and former owner of Nickelodeon Pizza, said July 2 that it is critical for the public to know Nickelodeon Pizza is not closing. Grossich said the restaurant will continue operating under current owners Mike and Amanda Prieto.
Mike Prieto, who took over Nickelodeon Pizza with his wife on July 1, 2025, said customers have been asking whether the pizza restaurant would close along with Fiesta Village.
“People were just concerned about Nickelodeon,” Prieto said. “They were wondering what was going to happen. But Nickelodeon is alive and well, and we’re doing healthy business. We don’t have any plans on closing.”
Prieto said the restaurant remains open six days a week and continues to make its pizzas the same way customers remember, including its legendary thin crust and longtime staples such as the chorizo avocado pizza.
“We haven’t changed anything since we took over,” Prieto said. “Gary stepped away, and I stepped right into his position. We still do the same thing.”
Prieto, a Colton native whose family has roots in the city going back more than a century, said preserving Nickelodeon Pizza’s legacy has been central to the transition.
He said the restaurant’s recipes, menu and prices have remained the same, while the business is also expanding access through DoorDash, Grubhub and new online or-
dering through nickelodeonpizza.com.
“I’m the owner, but in reality, I’m really the caretaker of what Gary has built over the years,” Prieto said. “For me and my wife, it’s still surreal that we own Nickelodeon.”
He said the most challenging part of ownership has also been the most rewarding: keeping the restaurant consistent for longtime customers.
“The best part is when people come in and say it tastes the same,” Prieto said. “That’s the best part about it.”
Prieto said he was shocked to learn Fiesta Village would close, remembering visits to the park for water slides, batting cages, miniature golf and family outings.
“It’s been around for a long time,” Prieto said. “We grew up coming here, too.”
While he wishes Fiesta Village could remain open, Prieto said its closure is a reminder that community institutions depend on local support.
“It takes the community to keep these places open,” Prieto said. “The only way we stay open is if you patronize us.”
Fiesta Village’s final days will be July 10 and July 11.
In their statement, the owners invited families to visit one last time “to laugh, play and create one final memory together.”
“Thank you for allowing us to be part of your lives and your family traditions,” the statement said. “We will always cherish the role Fiesta Village has played in bringing people together.”
$3.88M Kern Street Facility Expands to 40 Behavioral Health Beds in Muscoy
By Manny Sandoval
Anew $3.88 million adult residential facility in Muscoy is expanding San Bernardino County’s behavioral health housing system with 30 additional beds for adults experiencing serious mental illness, housing instability or reintegration challenges.
San Bernardino County, Helping Hearts California, Inland Empire Health Plan and Molina Healthcare celebrated the grand opening of the Kern Street Adult Residential Facility in late June, marking the completion of a project county officials say will serve approximately 200 people each year.
The licensed residential care facility provides housing, 24-hour supervised care and wraparound services for adults ages 18 and older who need a structured living environment while working toward independence and long-term stability.
The project expands an existing 10-bed social rehabilitation facility into a 40-bed campus in Muscoy, an unincorporated community northwest of San Bernardino. The 33,158-square-foot site includes four buildings, three newly constructed manufactured homes, a remodeled residence and a shared community space.
San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said the facility is designed to serve adults who have been formerly incarcerated, are at risk of homelessness or need behavioral health support before their situation worsens.
“This facility will serve the forensic population, those who have been formerly incarcerated and may be at risk of homelessness, by getting them the help they need,” Baca said. “It will provide compassion and care to help individuals stabilize.”
The county invested $2.5 million in Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding and leveraged an additional $1,691,430 in Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program funding provided by IEHP and Molina Healthcare.
Baca said the county served as the lead agency because the facility is in an unincorporated area, with support from the Office of Homeless Services, Community Development and Housing, and Behavioral Health. “It’s about a $3.88 million investment,” Baca said. “But it’s not just about the money. It’s about the number of people this will help over time, reshaping lives and helping people get back to their families.”
Residents at Kern Street will receive structured daily programming, life-skills development, vocational training, behavioral health treatment, community reintegration support and coordinated medical care.
Helping Hearts California President Christopher Larry said the facility reflects the organization’s mission to help people transition from institutions, hospitals or other difficult circumstances into more stable community-based settings.
“Helping Hearts was created to bridge the gap for individuals stepping down from institutions and hospitals, and to help them better integrate into the community,” Larry said. “We help them stabilize, access community services and work toward living a productive life.”
Larry said the expansion took about two and a half to three years to develop and was built around a need he believes is often misunderstood by the public.
“One of the biggest misconceptions is that people experiencing homelessness don’t want to work or don’t want anything for themselves,” Larry said. “That’s not the case. Sometimes they just need support to get back on their feet, reintegrate into the
community and reconnect with their families.”
Board of Supervisors Chairperson and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe said the facility strengthens the county’s broader behavioral health system by increasing access to residential care. “This facility represents an important investment in our county’s behavioral health system,” Rowe said. “By expanding residential care capacity, we are providing residents with greater access to the housing, care and support they need to thrive and maintain longterm stability.”
The project was made possible through years of coordination among Helping Hearts California, the county Board of Supervisors, IEHP, Molina Healthcare and several county departments, including Behavioral Health, Public Health, Aging and Adult Services–Public Guardian, the Sheriff’s Department, and Community Development and Housing.
Josh LaBarge, a Helping Hearts California board member, said the opening reflects what the organization was built to do.
Op-Ed Public Safety
Fourth of July Shooting in San Bernardino Leaves One Dead, Three Injured
By San Bernardino PD
One man was killed and three other people were injured in a Fourth of July shooting on East Highland Avenue, according to the San Bernardino Police Department.
Police said dispatchers received a report of a shooting at about 11:38 p.m. Saturday, July 4, in the 1400 block of East Highland Avenue. When patrol officers arrived, they found two male victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Officers later determined the shooting occurred in the 1300 block of East Highland Avenue, where they found two additional victims, one male and one female, with multiple gunshot wounds.
Paramedics transported all four victims to a local hospital. One of the male victims died from his injuries, police said.
Homicide detectives responded to the scene and launched an investigation into
the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Police did not release the victim’s name or any suspect information in the initial news release.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Detective N. Alvarez at 909-998-3494 or alvarez_ni@sbcity.org. Tips may also be directed to Sgt. E. Campos at 909-998-3491 or campos_er@sbcity.org.
Moreno Valley Man Arrested in Downtown Riverside Graffiti Spree Causing $1,000 in Damage
By Riverside PD
On June 8, 2026, the Riverside Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Team (POP Team) was notified of a vandalism that had occurred approximately one week earlier. During the incidents, an unidentified male subject was observed in the area of Mission Inn Avenue and University Avenue vandalizing spray painting graffiti on several properties.
POP Officers initiated an investigation and identified the suspect responsible for the vandalism through surveillance footage and reports submitted through the City’s 3-1-1 service. The investigation revealed that the suspect had vandalized multiple properties throughout the downtown area over the course of several weeks.
On June 18, 2026, POP Officers obtained sufficient evidence and served a search warrant at a residence in the 11800 block of Rudbeckia Circle in the City of Moreno Valley. During the search, officers located and seized spray paint, graffiti para-
phernalia, and several “piece books,” sketchbooks commonly used by taggers to practice graffiti designs.
As a result of the investigation, 40-year-old Jeffrey Alberto Figueroa of Moreno Valley was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for felony vandalism. He has since been released on a Notice to Appear citation.
The investigation determined Mr. Figueroa had spray-painted graffiti on windows, walls, and street signs at several properties throughout downtown Riverside, causing more than $1,000.00 in damage.
Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation or the arrest of Mr. Figueroa is encouraged to contact Officer Stokes at (951) 353-7959 or by email at FStokes@riversideca.gov.
Anonymous tips can be submitted through the Riverside Police Department’s Atlas 1 mobile app using the secure “Send a Message” feature. The app is available for download on both Apple and Android devices.
Riverside Wins Receivership Over
Riverside Inn & Suites Cited for Crime, Drugs
Why Well-Child Visits Matter Before the Start of School
By Rhonda L. Randall, D.O., Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare, Employer & Individual
As families prepare for the upcoming school year, many are focused on school supplies, schedules and getting back into routines. But one of the most important back-to-school steps happens before the first day of class: scheduling a well-child visit.
Because many pediatric and family practice schedules often fill quickly throughout the summer, now is an ideal time for parents to make appointments. These preventive visits help ensure children and adolescents are ready for the year ahead, not only academically, but physically, emotionally and developmentally.
What is a well-child visit?
Well-child visits are annual preventive appointments with a pediatrician or family medicine provider. Sometimes referred to as physicals, these visits help track a child’s overall health and development, including:
· Growth and developmental milestones
· Immunizations and preventive screenings
· Vision and hearing checks
· Emotional and behavioral health
are a normal part of growing up, they can also signal when additional support may be needed.
The good news is that early conversations with a pediatrician can make a difference.
A well-child visit is a natural time to check in and help children understand that it’s okay to talk about how they’re feeling. These conversations may also help normalize emotional health as an essential part of routine care.
To help support these conversations and preventive care visits, families are encouraged to review their health plan benefits and available resources as many plans include behavioral health support and programs like Child & Family Behavioral Coaching, which may help families navigate everyday emotional and behavioral challenges.
The importance of dental & vision care
Don’t forget to take advantage of vision and dental benefits to help make sure kiddos are ready to learn.
Vision benefits may include annual eye exams that can detect changes in eyesight that may affect learning in the classroom.
By Riverside PD
The City of Riverside has won court approval to appoint a receiver to take control of a La Sierra motel that officials say has been the site of years of criminal activity, nuisance complaints and unresolved code violations.
The Riverside Inn & Suites, located at 10705 Magnolia Ave. near Polk Street, has been the focus of a long-running city enforcement effort tied to what court filings describe as ongoing “narcotic, criminal, and nuisance activity” that poses a danger to motel occupants, nearby residents and the broader public.
Deputy City Attorney Jacob Castrejon argued in court filings that a receiver was necessary to manage and rehabilitate the property, writing that without court intervention, “the extremely unsafe criminal and substandard conditions will continue.”
“The appointment of a receiver is necessary to prevent harm to the public both in the surrounding community and the city at large,” Castrejon wrote.
City officials said the motel has been associated with repeated criminal offenses over several years, including drug possession, sales and use, assaults, prostitution, overdoses, weapons violations, attempted murder, rape and sexual assault, child endangerment, and assault and battery, including an assault on a police officer.
Councilmember Jim Perry, who has advocated for enforcement at the motel and four others along the Magnolia corridor, said the receivership marks a major step toward addressing long-standing concerns on the city’s West End.
“This property is well-known to law enforcement
on the West End of our city,” Perry said. “I am gratified to see two years of work result in the granting of a receivership that will begin turning this property around.”
According to the city’s court filings, numerous people found loitering at the property were on probation, on post-release community supervision, had outstanding felony warrants or had known histories involving narcotics.
One person who admitted buying fentanyl from one of the motel rooms described the property as “the drug capital of the world” and told officials that someone at the motel was known to sell fentanyl to local homeless people, according to the city’s filings.
The city also documented ongoing building and safety violations at the property, including a lack of structural maintenance, substandard conditions, unpermitted construction, mold growth, cockroach infestation, and plumbing, fire and electrical violations. Code enforcement officers reported that during the past 18 months, few, if any, repairs were being made.
Under the receivership, the receiver will take control of the property, manage its operations and pay expenses, including taxes, insurance, utilities, general maintenance and debt secured by an interest in the property. The receiver also will hire licensed contractors to address structural and safety problems.
City officials said the action is intended to stabilize the property, address unsafe conditions and reduce the impact of criminal and nuisance activity on the surrounding La Sierra community.
Beyond these clinical measures, well-child visits also give parents a chance to complete school or sports forms and raise any concerns before the school year begins. More importantly, they create dedicated time for families and providers to discuss a child’s overall wellbeing, connecting physical health with emotional wellness and any developmental concerns that may affect success in school and at home.
Mental health is part of overall health
The broader view of a checkup may be especially important when it comes to mental health. A child’s emotional wellbeing may be closely linked to their physical health.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the US has a diagnosable mental, emotional or behavioral disorder. Mental health needs can look different depending on age and stage of development.
Young children may experience separation anxiety or behavioral outbursts. School-age children may struggle with focus, stress or social challenges.
Teens may show changes in mood, sleep or engagement. While many of these changes
More than 600,000 children and teens in the U.S. suffer from some form of vision loss. School-based screenings are valuable but may not detect more complex issues. Annual comprehensive eye exams are recommended throughout the school years.
Dental benefits may include routine cleanings and exams that help catch concerns before they become more serious.
Tooth decay, or cavities, is one of the most common chronic diseases among children and may contribute to missed days at school. Help monitor teeth and gum health with dental exams twice a year. Ensure your children are brushing for 2 minutes twice a day and flossing daily.
Don’t forget a healthy diet
Proper nutrition is essential when it comes to supporting your child’s physical and emotional health, plus their growth and development. That includes meals with a variety of vegetables, whole fruits, grains, dairy and proteins. It’s best to avoid foods high in added sugars, saturated fats and sodium.
Scheduling a well-child visit is a simple but important step that gives families the opportunity to address concerns support a child’s overall wellbeing throughout the year.
CBU Tres Pasos Program Helps Inland Empire Students See Themselves in STEM
By Manny Sandoval
Fifty-six high school and incoming college students recently completed three weeks of hands-on STEM coursework at California Baptist University, presenting their projects to family members during Familia Day, the culminating event of CBU’s Tres Pasos Summer Bridge Program.
Hosted by CBU’s Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, Tres Pasos, Spanish for “Three Steps,” is a National Science Foundation-funded initiative designed to help Hispanic students and other underserved Inland Empire students explore pathways into science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The summer bridge program brought students into CBU’s engineering labs for college-level coursework, research-based learning and exposure to STEM fields that many had not previously considered. Familia Day gave parents, relatives and guests a chance to see the students’ work, meet faculty and staff, and better understand what a future in engineering or STEM could look like.
ECHEVARRIA ECHEVARRIA
MAYOR OF FOR COLTON
ipate at no cost.
Interest has grown quickly. The program welcomed 36 students in its first year, according to Barbosa-Bulrice. This year, more than 110 students applied, and the program expanded before 56 students ultimately participated in Familia Day activities, according to organizers.
Professor of Chemical Engineering Dr. Mario Ojanader, known to students as “Dr. O,” said CBU developed Tres Pasos after reflecting on what it means to be a Hispanic-serving institution.
“We realized that our institution was enrolling Hispanic students and graduating Hispanic students, but serving is a broader concept,” Ojanader said.
That reflection led CBU to propose a research-based bridge program to the National Science Foundation, aimed at giving students a clearer sense of vocation, opportunity and belonging in STEM.
lege path. In high school, he participated in Project Lead the Way and the ACE program, which introduced him to architecture, construction and engineering projects.
“I would definitely say it had a positive impact, not only on my future career, but on what I understood engineering to be,” Lecaro said.
As a student worker, Lecaro helped faculty and supported students as they moved through the summer bridge program. He said many incoming students wanted to know what life is like at CBU, what the professors are like and how the engineering community operates.
Lecaro said CBU’s engineering building helps students build relationships with classmates, professors and upperclassmen. The building includes a 3D printing lab, tools, welding space and a garage for the Society of Automotive Engineers club, where students work on cars and aerodynamics projects.
Wendy Barbosa-Bulrice, program coordinator for CBU’s College of Engineering, said Familia Day is more than a project showcase. It is an extension of the program’s family-centered model.
“Our program model is, ‘We are family,’ ‘Somos familia,’” Barbosa-Bulrice said. “It is a big part of our program that our students feel like they have family here at CBU.”
Barbosa-Bulrice said many participants are first-generation students whose families are also learning how to navigate college admissions, financial aid and campus life. For parents, she said, the day brought a sense of gratitude and connection.
“A lot of our students are firstgeneration students, and you have parents who are learning to navigate America,” Barbosa-Bulrice said. “They may not know what it looks like to navigate a college system.”
The free three-week program included access to labs, computers, materials, faculty and student mentors. Barbosa-Bulrice said the program could otherwise cost thousands of dollars, but grant funding allows students to partic-
“The students had the chance to discover the science behind phenomena they are exposed to in a lab,” Ojanader said. “Most of them have that click moment where they realize, ‘Oh, I could do this.’”
Ojanader said students are introduced to STEM through research and practical problem-solving, including work tied to drug delivery for cancer treatment, fluid behavior and engineering applications in fields such as biomedical, mechanical, civil and chemical engineering.
Some students who enter the program continue into CBU and join what the university calls a familia cohort, where they receive academic, research and peer support. Last year, six students traveled to Boston to present research at an American Institute of Chemical Engineers annual meeting. This November, Ojanader said, the program may take 12 students to Minnesota to present their work.
Student Ruben Lecaro, a mechanical engineering major entering his second year at CBU with a minor in electrical and computer science, participated in Tres Pasos last year and returned this year as a student worker.
Lecaro, a Ruben S. Ayala High School graduate from Chino Hills, said early exposure to engineering helped shape his col-
For students considering STEM, Lecaro said the key is persistence.
“The main thing that differentiates a student who not only is in STEM, but excels at STEM, is the willingness to realize they probably won’t get it on the first try,” Lecaro said. “If they fail at first, they use that as an opportunity to learn why they failed and continue getting better.”
Barbosa-Bulrice said the program’s goal is to help students see themselves in fields where representation matters.
“Oftentimes, people have an image of what an engineer looks like or what somebody in STEM looks like,” Barbosa-Bulrice said. “Our students can sometimes feel like it may not look like them, and we want to prove that’s not true.”
CBU is also looking to expand the program’s reach. Organizers hope to add a third cohort next year and are preparing to launch Pasito STEM, a smaller version of the model for sixth graders through a partnership with Casablanca Elementary School.
“The biggest thing I want people to know is that they belong here,” Barbosa-Bulrice said. “This can be for you. There really is a pathway for you, and we want to help you.”
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Dr. Mario Ojanader, left, joins scholarship recipient Nicolas Ramirez and Dr. Michael Sill after Ramirez was recognized during the Tres Pasos Summer Bridge Program’s Familia Day celebration at California Baptist University.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
CBU Tres Pasos Summer Bridge Program students listen as Dr. Michael Sill, left, Wendy Barbosa-Bulrice and Dr. Mario Ojanader prepare to announce scholarship recipients during Familia Day.
Redlands Theatre Festival Bursts Into Summer With Outdoor Comedy and British Farce
By Manny Sandoval
Chaos, mistaken identities and nonstop physical comedy are taking over Prospect Park as the Redlands Theatre Festival launches its 2026 summer season with “One Man, Two Guvnors,” a fast-paced British farce that opened June 26.
The festival’s season runs through Aug. 1 and features five outdoor productions: “One Man, Two Guvnors,” “Men on Boats,” “Native Gardens,” “Blithe Spirit” and “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Tickets and full season information are available at rtfseason.com.
Before opening night, Inland Empire Community News attended the final dress rehearsal for “One Man, Two Guvnors,” where actors were preparing to bring the audience into a whirlwind of confusion, slapstick, music, quick timing and one servant desperately trying to keep two employers from discovering each other.
C.J. Armstrong plays Francis Henshall, the title character caught between the show’s two “guvnors.” “He’s the one man to the two guvnors,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong said the comedy centers on Francis working for two people at once while each believes he is working only for them.
“My character gets confused very easily,” Armstrong said. “He thinks he’s talking to one person when he’s actually talking to another, so chaos ensues. There is a lot of confusion happening on stage.” The production also draws from commedia dell’arte, a theatrical style known for exaggerated characters, physical comedy and direct audience engagement.
“There’s a lot of audience interaction with my character and a lot of talking directly to the crowd,” Armstrong said.
For Armstrong, who began doing theater at 7 and has performed in the High Desert, New York, San Bernardino, Redlands and Los Angeles, the role marks a major personal milestone. He described Francis as his first lead role carrying a show from beginning to end.
“The most challenging thing for me has been that this is my first lead role in a show where I’m carrying the show,” Armstrong said. “It’s a lot of moving and a lot of running around. By the end of the first act, you definitely see the work on me because I’m a sweaty mess.”
After weeks of rehearsal, Armstrong said opening the show to a live audience is the missing ingredient.
“I’m looking forward to having an audience and knowing where the laughs are,” Armstrong said. “We’ve been running this for about two months, and the people who have seen it already know where the jokes are. We need people with fresh eyes and fresh ears to hear it for the first time.”
His goal for audiences is simple: laughter that lingers.
“I hope they go home tired from laughing,” Armstrong said. “I hope we get some criers, some side splitters — people who are drunk with laughter. I hope they take away how much joy the show brings them.”
Molly Billman plays Rachel and Roscoe Crabbe, a dual role that requires her to portray a woman and a woman disguised as her twin brother.
“It gets a little versatile,” Billman said. “I get to play both genders, which is really cool.”
Billman described Rachel as a “good girl” in love with Stanley, a man who has killed her twin brother, Roscoe. To help Stanley escape, Rachel disguises herself as Roscoe, a mobster-like figure, to collect money from people who owed her brother debts.
“She goes undercover as her twin brother to rack up some money from his old debtors so she and her boyfriend can get out of town,” Billman said.
The role, she said, gives her the chance to stretch across multiple styles within one production.
“You get full versatility in one play,” Billman said. “In one show alone, I get to do Rachel, I get to do Roscoe, and there are a lot of great musical numbers incorporated as well. I get to be a doowop singer, so I get to touch a bunch of different things and expand my actor toolkit.”
Billman called the production “a classic British farce,” comparing it to “Twelfth Night” and “Noises Off.” She said the show is less of a whodunit than a “who’s where,” with confusion, accents and constant movement driving the comedy.
“It’s a lively, nonstop comedy,” Billman said. “It has a lot of great accents, and there is so much going on.”
The outdoor setting adds another layer to the festival experience. Billman said rehearsals in Prospect Park often catch the attention of people walking by, especially during fight calls or physical comedy scenes.
“The random passersby always see the craziest stuff,” Billman said. “They might see me with a knife pointing it at someone, or someone getting slapped across the face in the middle of a public park.”
Sometimes, those passersby stop, watch and ask where they can learn more.
“That’s the greatest thing about RTF,” Billman said. “Because it’s in a public park, people just walk by. A lot of people ask where to go or what the website is, and that word of mouth is what keeps places like this alive.”
Both actors said community theater remains important because it gives local audiences affordable access to live performance while offering actors a place to work, grow and belong.
“Theater is a form of expression of the times, and it’s a more immediate expression,” Armstrong said. “There are real people there. It just takes a little kid coming to see a live show and saying, ‘I want to do that,’ just like what happened to me.”
Billman, who is in her first season with the Redlands Theatre Festival, said the company quickly began to feel like a family.
“With RTF, coming back each summer feels like returning to family,” Billman said. “It is a staple in Redlands, and community theater is crucial to the community.”
RTF performances continue multiple nights per week through Aug. 1 at Prospect Park. Tickets are available at rtfseason.com.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
The ensemble of “One Man, Two Guvnors” fills the Prospect Park stage with mistaken identities, physical comedy and 1960s-inspired energy during dress rehearsal.
Free Summer Sundays Heat Up Riverside Art Museum and The Cheech with Salsa, Zines
By Manny Sandoval
Free summer arts programming brought more than 600 people to the Riverside Art Museum and The Cheech Museum on June 28, filling the downtown museums with salsa dancing, handmade zines and accessible cultural experiences for visitors of all ages.
The events were part of Free Summer Sundays, which offer free admission every Sunday throughout the summer at both RAM and The Cheech. The Sunday lineup included a free zine workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. at RAM and a free salsa dancing program from noon to 4 p.m. at The Cheech.
At The Cheech, the afternoon opened with a Rueda de Casino workshop from noon to 1 p.m. The salsa round dance is rooted in the Cuban style known as casino and can be choreographed or improvised depending on the setting. From 1 to 4 p.m., the museum shifted into open salsa dancing with a live DJ.
Patricia Diaz, public programming associate at The Cheech, said the program featured salsa workshops with Cynthia Duran and a social dance session with DJ Flores.
“It was upbeat, and everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun,” Diaz said.
Diaz said one of the most powerful parts of the afternoon was watching visitors join in even if they had not originally planned to dance.
“I found it really interesting that a lot of people who didn’t even sign up for the class walked in and joined,”
Diaz said. “Programs like this are really important because there are not a lot of opportunities to learn how to dance salsa for free, or even just join in for free. This makes it a lot more accessible.”
Diaz said the event reflected the museum’s broader commitment to community-based programming and celebrating Chicano culture.
For Riverside resident Nadia Ruiz, the salsa event was both a community gathering and a personal reminder of how meaningful dance has been in her own life. Ruiz said she follows the Riverside Salsa Collective and came out after learning the group would be dancing at The Cheech in her hometown.
“My husband and I met at RCC salsa dancing,” Ruiz said. “We’ve been together for about 13 years now. We have a daughter, and salsa is what brought us together.”
Ruiz said the event welcomed dancers across skill levels while bringing people together through music, culture and movement.
“This is what’s bringing culture here to Riverside,” Ruiz said. “It’s bringing outsiders and tourists, and for those of us who live here, it’s incredible to have this in our own backyard. It’s important for the community, for the youth, for the future and for everyone to come together — not just Latinos, but everyone.”
At the Riverside Art Museum, visiting instructor Brookes Reeder of Oceanside led participants through zine-making, guiding them as they created handmade magazines or booklets using collage materials and their own ideas.
“A zine is basically a magazine or book that you make yourself,” Reader said. “They can be about anything,
any subject, any size. There are really no rules, which is one of the things I like about it.”
Reeder, who has been creating zines for more than 20 years, said most of his work is photography-based and made entirely by hand. He said he began making zines after a friend suggested he turn his photography into something people could hold, share and revisit.
“I think the arts are very important, especially for young kids, because creativity is a really important part of life,” Reeder said. “There aren’t any rules. You don’t have to color inside the lines. And that’s what zines are for me — they can be anything.”
The workshop provided free magazines, printed materials and supplies for collage-based zines, though participants were also encouraged to bring their own materials.
“This workshop is free,” Reeder said. “All the supplies are here to make a zine.”
The next free zine workshop is scheduled for July 19. The Cheech will also host a free outdoor celebration for Cheech Marin’s 80th birthday from noon to 5 p.m. July 12. The celebration is free and open to the public, though visitors who want to enter The Cheech or RAM during the party should register for a Free Summer Sunday ticket.
Beyond Free Summer Sundays, the museums also participate in Museums for All. Visitors who present an EBT, SNAP or WIC card with photo identification can receive $1 admission for up to four people per card, with admission covering both The Cheech and RAM.
Learn more here: riversideartmuseum.org.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Families and dancers of all ages take part in open salsa dancing at The Cheech Museum during a Free Summer Sundays event that drew more than 600 visitors.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Participants create handmade zines during a free summer workshop at the Riverside Art Museum, using collage materials to explore art, storytelling and self-expression.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
A participant cuts materials for a handmade zine during the Riverside Art Museum’s free summer workshop focused on creativity, self-expression and accessible arts programming.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Attendees dance salsa at The Cheech Museum during Free Summer Sundays, part of a June 28 lineup of free cultural programming at The Cheech and the Riverside Art Museum.
