Trustees Candy Olson and Jeanette Wilson voted no, calling the $35,000 trip not “fair,” while supporters and public speakers said the experience could inspire students’ college plans.
Redlands students outperform state average but struggle to regain pre-pandemic ground
New national test scores show slow academic recovery since COVID-19 pandemic, with persistent learning gaps in math and reading. While Redlands Unified students exceed state benchmarks, proficiency rates remain below 2019 levels.
REDLANDS, Calif. — Nearly five years after COVID-19 disrupted schools across the country, the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) has released new data known as the Nation’s Report Card. The results: hopeful yet concerning.
Why it matters: The Nation’s Report Card shows that while some students regained lost academic ground, most fourth- and eighth-graders continue to perform below pre-pandemic levels in both math and reading. This trend is consistent with state-reported test scores in Redlands, where students continue to perform below 2019 levels.
Search your school's scores and read more about how RUSD is tackling learning loss and helping students regain academic ground here.
Co-owner Tansu Philip stands behind counter at Viva La Boba in Redlands. (Photo: Community Forward Redlands)
Viva La Boba opens second location in historic Redlands building
The popular boba shop expands to Redlands, bringing its community-focused mission and unique drinks to a building with a 127-year history.
Redlands-owned Viva La Boba has opened its second location in a historic building once home to one of the city’s earliest pioneers, photographer Elias F. Everitt, who arrived in 1897.
Co-owners Tansu Philip and David Friedman said they were enthusiastic about acquiring the historic building and pleasantly surprised when they learned that throughout the building’s 127-year history, half of that time it had been a café.
“It was so special knowing it has been a café because now I feel like we are just a part of that chain of life,” said Philip.
“We always wanted to open in Redlands,” she added. Philip grew up in Loma Linda, Friedman in Yucaipa, and both graduated from Redlands High School.
📍Land-use training: Redlands City Council receives training on land use decision-making. The Redlands City Council and Planning Commission recently participated in a joint training session to review their respective roles and responsibilities in land use project reviews and decision-making. Read more here.
🚨 Weekly police report: Suspect allegedly brandished a firearm, made threats in Home Depot parking lot; police also report rape investigation, DUI and burglary arrests. Read more here.
📚 28th Annual Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival: Up to 200 attendees are expected at the 28th annual Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival, hosted at the University of Redlands on March 7-8, 2025. The festival is named after the late professor Charlotte S. Huck, author of Children’s Literature in Elementary School, a book and its new editions still used by educators and librarians nationwide. Read more about the event here.
🚰 Tour of Redlands agricultural history, water stewardship: Bear Valley Mutual Water Co. tour highlights Redlands' rich agricultural legacy and sustainable water practices to secure farming in the region. Read more here.
Runners take off at the start of last year's A Run Through Redlands. (Photo: John Murphy)
A Run Through Redlands set for Sunday
Get well hydrated and lace your shoes tight, the 42nd A Run Through Redlands is Sunday.
The races wind through picturesque, tree-lined streets and past historic homes with pleasing views of the San Bernardino mountains.
The 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) race begins at 7 p.m. in front of the post office at 201 Brookside Ave. The half-marathon (13.1 miles) starts at 7:20 a.m. and the 5-kilometer race (3.1 miles) embarks at 7:45 a.m.
Online registration closes at midnight on Friday. Late registration and pick-up is in front of the Smiley Library on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday at 6 a.m. until the start of the last race.
The 5k race is $40, the 10k is $50, and the half-marathon is $90.
There is also a kinder dash. The dash costs $10 and is on the grass area by the Lincoln Shrine at 9:30 a.m. All runners receive a medal.
The Redlands East Valley High girls soccer team lost its first five games. It finished only third in its league. And it didn’t have a stadium deemed suitable by the section to host a section playoff game.
Yet, there were the Wildcats at Redlands High on Saturday night, hosting La Mirada in the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 semifinals. That REV lost to La Mirada 1-1 (5-4) on penalty kicks is arguably no source of shame for the Wildcats, but rather a badge of honor the team was there at all.
Redlands 56th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show at the Redlands Art Association. (Photo: Community Forward Redlands)
See small-scale masterpieces at Redlands 56th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show
The 56th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show has taken over the Redlands Art Association.
The exhibition attracts artists from near and far because it accepts mediums often overlooked in juried shows. Another reason is that the gallery invites members and non-members to enter the prestigious show. This year, 13% of the accepted art pieces were by non-members.
Acceptance into a juried show is a reward in itself - a sentiment gallery manager Sandy Davies likes to repeat.
See this year’s winners and a peek of what to expect when visiting this miniature showcase here.
🎷 The Dubtet brings ska and reggae groove to Smiley LIVE!: To honor Black History Month the unmistakable beats of ska, reggae, soul, two-tone, and jazz filled the Contemporary Club stage as The Dubtet delivered an electrifying performance Feb. 26 for A.K. Smiley Public Library’s Smiley LIVE! Americana Roots concert series, sponsored by the Shiela Field Cultural Enrichment Fund. Read more here.
Redlands bookstore to host launch of ‘Alpaca Poe and Cricket’ by local author
The Frugal Frigate Bookstore will host the launch of Alpaca Poe and Cricket, the latest children's book by local author and educator Susan Cortz, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 15.
The book, the second in The Adventures of Alpaca Poe series, is designed for children ages 5 to 8 and promotes critical thinking skills through rhyme, engaging characters and relatable social situations. A special guest, Cricket, the Great Pyrenees who inspired the story, will be present to meet attendees.
A former local TV news producer, Stephanie launched CFR in 2023. Originally from Michigan, she’s made Redlands home with her husband and three kids. When she’s not reporting, she’s problem-solving at the climbing gym or trying new local restaurants.
Kathryne is a journalist and creative writer who has contributed to CFR since 2023. When she isn't reporting, she can be found curled up with a thick fantasy book.
Siw is the ultimate cheerleader of what happens in Redlands. She is a dual citizen (Danish and American) who likes to write about what is new as much as about the things we take for granted.
A third-generation San Francisco native. His first job was in Watsonville, where he wrote stories on a typewriter and people smoked in the office. He's covered Redlands, San Bernardino and Riverside.