Big brush fires scorch parts of Moreno Valley, Palm Springs
1 of 2 defendants found guilty of murdering crime witness
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Riverside council approves student housing, more parking near Main Library; downtown area to receive affordable housing for seniors By Staff
The planned Mulberry Gardens Senior Apartments will be on a 1.26-acre site at 2520 Mulberry St. | Rendering courtesy of city of Riverside
side is the project developer. The firm is connected with Newport Beach-based Pelican Communities LLC and Riverside-based Overland Development, officials said. Pelican Communities has built projects throughout California, including the Merrill Avenue Brownstones apartment complex near the Riverside Plaza. Despite exemption from state affordable housing requirements, the developers voluntarily have designated 10% of the units as affordable. Pelican Communities is buying the property for $200 in exchange for providing 60 parking spaces in the parking facility for library use, which is an estimated $2.4 million value, while the value of the land is an estimated $1.83 million, according to the city. While construction takes place, library patrons can validate three hours of free parking at nearby existing parking garages.
“Students from all over Riverside will be able to benefit from this project,” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hemenway said in a statement. “The transformation of this property from the former bus station to this higher use is remarkable.” Overland Development’s major projects in Riverside and the Los Angeles area include the Imperial Hardware Lofts, 9+Main Residential, the Hilton Hampton Inn on Market Street and the Hilton Home 2 Suites, which is under construction. The development project will create about 200 construction jobs, and the completed project will generate $567,661 in annual revenue, according to the city. Senior housing units A four-story, 59-unit affordable housing complex for seniors is ready for construction in downtown Riverside, the city announced See Housing Page 27
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Day 1 of Palm Springs ShortFest premieres with 38 short films By City News Service
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392-unit mixed-use development for student housing and commercial space along with a new garage that will increase library parking by about 25% gained Riverside City Council approval last week. The site for the new construction is a former bus station turned temporary parking lot since the Riverside Main Library opened three years ago. “This project will complement our main library beautifully, injecting vitality into our downtown,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “The entire community benefits from new housing for students, plus retail and office, all within walking distance of parks and restaurants.” The City Council voted unanimously June 11 to sell 1.7 acres to Pelican Communities LLC in order to move the $78 million project forward. The site is between the library and University Avenue west of Market Street, and housing at the complex will be available to students who attend any college or university. The development project also includes 12,000 square feet of retail space, 16,700 square feet for offices, a library plaza cafe and a 335-space parking structure. Library patrons will be able to park free of charge for the first three hours, and parking spaces will be available to the public when the library is closed. Overland Pelican River-
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June 12. The city and developer Eden Housing Inc. recently broke ground for the new Mulberry Gardens Senior Apartments at 2520 Mulberry St. on a 1.26-acre site that previously had one-story office buildings that were vacated, according to the city’s announcement. The new senior living complex will have a community room, management offices, a mail and parcel room, laundry facilities and a building maintenance shop. “I am committed to taking care of our seniors which is why developments like this are vital,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “With partners like Eden Housing, we’re tackling our housing crisis one corner, one unit, one household at a time.” The senior housing complex, all of which are for low-income tenants, will
he Palm Springs ShortFest started Tuesday with screenings of 38 short films. Broken down into themed batches of five to seven shorts each, the 30th annual edition of the weeklong short film festival premiered at 11 a.m. with the "On the Job" set of entries, including "Deep in my Heart is a Song," "Linda," "Officer Stanley," "Pavane," "Shadow," and Yaya. The full lineup includes 310 live-action, animated and documentary shorts representing 63 countries and territories. That figure includes 49 world premieres, 15 international premieres, 28 North American premieres, nine United States Premieres and 106 California premieres. Films later in the week include "ALOK" directed by Alex Hedison and executive produced by Jodie Foster; "Fish out of Water" directed by Francesca Scorsese; "ILY, BYE" starring Meg Stalter, Kanoa Goo and Rainn Wilson; "Loser" starring Angourie Rice; "Mog's Christmas" with voices by Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy; and "The One Note Man" starring Ian McKellen. Other festival entries include the world premiere of "Unsettled," directed by Bella Thorne; the world premiere of "Speed Queen 51" starring Rory Culkin; and the internaSee ShortFest Page 14
Woman who shot spouse at Coachella house convicted of 1st-degree murder By City News Service
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39-year-old woman who fatally shot her husband during a dispute at their Coachella home was convicted Friday of first-degree murder. An Indio jury deliberated less than a day before finding Cindy Gicela Parra Hernandez guilty of the 2022 slaying of Francisco Lopez. Along with murder, jurors convicted Hernandez of assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury and spousal abuse. The verdicts were returned to Riverside County Court Superior Court Judge James Hawkins Friday. The prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments Thursday, and Hawkins sent jurors behind closed See Murder Page 27