Redlands firefighters spent two hours putting out the blaze on Fern Ave on Saturday, Aug 17. (Photo: Courtesy)
Mother's quick action saves family from explosive house fire
A two-story Victorian caught fire on Fern Avenue over the weekend, displacing a Redlands family
REDLANDS, Calif. – A Redlands family narrowly escaped tragedy when a fire erupted in their neighbor's yard, quickly spreading to their historic home and triggering a gas explosion.
Trisha Cupples, a teacher at Redlands Unified School District, credits quick thinking for getting herself and her daughter to safety before the outdoor fire ignited the main gas line at their 1900s Victorian home on Fern Avenue.
The blaze rapidly engulfed the rear of the house, destroying the kitchen and living room. Firefighters managed to put out the fire in about two hours. Fortunately, no one was injured.
The family lost nearly all their possessions and now faces the challenging process of rebuilding their lives and home.
Read more about their harrowing experience and how the community is coming together to support them here.
💵 $500M bond for Redlands Unified on November ballot: The Redlands Unified School District is asking voters to approve a $500 million bond measure this November to fund essential repairs and upgrades to aging school facilities. Redlands voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether to approve the bond increasing property taxes to pay for critical health and safety improvements. Read more about the key projects and what it could mean for taxpayers here.
🚔 Lockdown lifted after no weapon found: A false alarm at Moore Middle School in Redlands prompted a campus-wide lockdown Thursday afternoon after reports of a student possessing a weapon. Read more here.
💻 Arrest follows theft at REV High School: A 21-year-old man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly burglarizing Redlands East Valley High School and stealing over $3,000 worth of electronics. Read more here.
🍭 Food dye ban for schools: California lawmakers are advancing legislation that would prohibit public schools from serving foods containing six synthetic dyes linked to behavioral and developmental issues in children.Read what this could mean for local school lunches here.
🏚 Virtual insurance town hall: California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe will host a virtual town hall on Sept. 4 to discuss the state's efforts to tackle the homeowner insurance crisis. More information and how to attend here.
Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival closes 2024 season with firework finale. (Photo: Dave Card)
Sitting under the stars, listening to music bring films to life, and appreciating the fireworks finale of another Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival finale isn’t something Redlanders take for granted.
Friday night, the Redlands Bowl wrapped up its 101st season as Ransom Wilson directed the Redlands Symphony with scores from a variety of movies, both contemporary and vintage. Wilson has performed with orchestras worldwide and has been the director of the Redlands Symphony since 2016.
🌳 Volunteer opportunity at Gateway Ranch: Local nonprofit Redlands Conservancy is looking for help trimming oak trees at Gateway Ranch. About 25 trees are in need of a trim to help maintain the 'Forest of the Canyons.' More information here.
Former University of Redlands football coach Ken Miller coached in four Grey Cups in Canada. (Photo courtesy of Riderville.com )
Beloved coach Ken Miller dead at 82
Ken Miller could have been content as an educator and as a beloved football coach at the University of Redlands and at Yucaipa High.
But Miller, who died at 82 on Wednesday following a brief battle with cancer, was ambitious and an adventurer. His wanderlust took him to the apex of the Canadian Football League.
Miller coached in four CFL Grey Cups, the Canadian equivalent of the Super Bowl. He won one as an assistant with the Toronto Argonauts and another as an assistant with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also narrowly lost two of the big games as the head coach of the Roughriders in 2009 and 2010.
Read more about the former Yucaipa High and University of Redlands coach remembered for his adventurous spirit and mentorship here.
🏈 Citrus Valley High edges REV in thrilling flag football comeback: Citrus Valley High's flag football team staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Redlands East Valley 20-19 in a Citrus Belt League game. The Blackhawks overcame a 13-point deficit in the final minutes to improve to 2-0 in league play. Read more here.
📌 Aug 24 - National Aviation Day: The Redlands Airport Association is celebrating National Aviation Day with a fly-in and historic aircraft display on Saturday, August 24th, from 7:30 am- 11 am.
📌 Aug. 28 - Smiley Live! Squeakin’ Wheels: Six musicians who fuse musical influences from a wide range of times and places. Their shows are like an aural tour through the American musical landscape of the past century.
📌 Sept. 3 - Redlands City Council resumes: After a summer recess, the Redlands City Council will meet on Sept. 3
📌 Sept. 8 - Made in love in Redlands Fall Market: A day of shopping small, big smiles, and even bigger deals at 325 Alabama St., Redlands.
Explore these events and more at the calendar linked below.
FINALLY
Accelerate Neighborhoods Climate Action (ANCA), a local climate action group, announces a series of fall events to address the climate crisis at the neighborhood level.
The Redlands-based nonprofit is dedicated to educating and empowering neighbors to work together toward local climate resilience and adaptation.
ANCA is bringing back its speaker series about climate-resilient living: Pathways to a Sustainable Redlands. The series kicks off with Living Closer, Moving Smarter: A Blueprint for a More Sustainable Future on Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Redlands Community Center.
The group is also planning a second Repair Cafe on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Redlands Community Center.
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.
Stephanie Hastings Miranda
