Mall Development Latest, Public Market First Look, RUSD Counselors Celebrated, Plus Soccer Playoffs
Village Partners Inc. defaults on $17M loan as market conditions slow
Annual “Royal Tea at the Castle” offers guests an elegant four-course tea, live music, and historic charm
Mall Development Latest, Public Market First Look, RUSD Counselors Celebrated, Plus Soccer Playoffs
Village Partners Inc. defaults on $17M loan as market conditions slow
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Redlands Mall property is set to go to public auction on Thursday, Feb. 20, however, the developer says it’s working with its lender to resolve the loan default and avoid a sale.
Why it matters: The State Street Village redevelopment was approved in May 2022 as a mixed-use project featuring 700 housing units in downtown Redlands. The developer - given five years to begin construction - was expected to break ground in the fall 2023. However, financial and economic challenges have delayed the project and now are expected to cause changes to the development plans.
What happened: Public records show that VPV State Street Village LLC received a foreclosure notice on Sept. 9, 2024, after falling behind on a $17 million loan. A Notice of Trustee’s Sale was later issued, scheduling an auction for Jan. 23, 2025. The sale was then delayed to Feb. 13 and postponed again to Feb. 20 at the beneficiary's request.
Kaitlin Morris, director of development for Village Partners Inc., said by phone on Feb. 11 that the auction is canceled. Despite the Notice of Trustee Sale received Dec. 26, 2024, Morris says that Village Partners remains in control of the property and is working with its lender to renegotiate terms.
Stephanie Hastings Miranda
🧵JOANN Fabric in Redlands to close: JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores is set to close approximately 500 locations nationwide as part of its ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, with at least 60 closures affecting stores in California, including locations in Redlands and Riverside. Read more here.
Community Forward Redlands
🏘️ Access to homeownership: The Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) and Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, Inc. (NPHS) have launched a new program to make homeownership more accessible for low and moderate-income families in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Read more here.
Kathryne Mccann
🇺🇸 Know Your Rights: A coalition of local and state officials is set to host a "Know Your Rights" webinar on Feb. 18, focusing on providing crucial information and resources to the immigrant community in San Bernardino County. Read more here.
Kathryne Mccann
From academics to personal growth, Redlands Unified counselors provide vital student support.
REDLANDS, Calif. – Redlands Unified School District (RUSD) celebrated National School Counseling Week from Feb. 3-7, highlighting the critical role of school counselors in student success.
Why it matters: With a team of 59 school counselors and eight academic case carriers, RUSD’s counseling program provides essential guidance in academics, social-emotional development, and career planning.
Redlands Coordinated Supports and Services (RCSS) oversees these efforts, offering consultation and direct services to address students’ behavioral and mental health needs. The department specializes in trauma-informed care, restorative practices, and social-emotional learning, ensuring students receive individualized support to help them thrive.
Summer Garcia, an elementary counselor at Bryn Mawr, explained the broad scope of school counselors’ responsibilities.
"We serve the entire school and support students and families on every level. Our roles as counselors range from greeting students in the morning to helping families with basic needs like food, clothing, and housing," Garcia said in an email.
Stephanie Hastings Miranda
Redlands community pushes back against proposed flag, speech restrictions
More than 1,000 postcards urging the Redlands Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education to reject a proposed policy restricting flags and political speech in schools were delivered Monday by the community group Together for Redlands.
The postcards, some designed by RUSD students, were circulated among church groups, school clubs, and local families in Redlands, Highland, Loma Linda, and Mentone, the group said in a media release Feb. 10.
The effort is part of growing opposition to a policy introduced last month by board member Candy Olson, the newly elected Trustee Area 5 representative.
Stephanie Hastings Miranda
🎨 Call for artists: The Redlands Art Association is inviting Southern California artists to submit their work for the 56th Annual Multi-Media Mini Show, a juried exhibition showcasing small-scale original artwork in various mediums. Read more about the event and how to enter your art work here.
Contributor
The first playoff game for the Citrus Valley High girls soccer team ended in familiar fashion, with the Blackhawks hugging and dancing and pounding each other on the backs following a 2-1 victory against North of Riverside.
But six minutes into the CIF-Southern Section Division 5 opening game, things looked bleak. North’s Idabel Montiel scored to stun the Blackhawks. Suddenly Citrus Valley with its six consecutive Citrus Belt League titles – the Kansas City Chiefs of area soccer – looked like it was going to get Philadelphia Eagled out of Hodges Stadium by North.
Read more from sports writer John Murphy here.
John Murphy
🤼 Coronation for the Barrios family: The Citrus Belt League wrestling championships were Friday at Redlands East Valley High and it was a coronation for the Barrios family. Citrus Valley High’s Ryan Barrios and his twin siblings Hailey and Christian Barrios all finished first in their weight classes to advance to the CIF-Southern Section individual meet this weekend. The individuals are at Mira Costa High for the boys and Adelanto High for the girls. Read more here.
John Murphy
📌 Feb. 14 - March 2 - Redlands Footlighters: Twelfth Night or What You Will by William Shakespeare. Tickets available here.
📌 Wed. Feb. 19, 6:30 - 8:00 pm - ANCA Workshop: Thinking of going electric? A free community event will explore the benefits of home electrification, including its impact on emissions reduction, health and safety, as well as available rebates and incentives. Read more here.
Contributor
📌 Wed. Feb. 19, 6pm - Literary legacy of Octavia E. Butler: Award-winning science fiction author Nalo Hopkinson will explore the literary legacy of Octavia E. Butler and the role of Black women authors in shaping the future during a free public lecture at the University of Redlands on Feb. 19. Read more here.
Contributor
📌 Thurs. Feb. 20 - Symphony recital series: The Redlands Symphony is set to debut its Redlands Recital Series on Feb. 20, offering an intimate concert experience featuring its musicians performing personally selected works. The three-part series begins at 7:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Redlands, with a performance by Redlands Symphony Concertmaster Sam Fischer and Acting Associate Concertmaster Sakura Tsai. Read more here.
Contributor
📌 Sat. March 1, 10 am - AAUW Brunch: Zoe Miller-Vedam, a doctoral candidate in sociology at UC Irvine, will discuss the impact of birthright citizenship and immigrant perinatal health rights. Free to public. A brunch at 9 a.m. precedes the talk, and those wishing to attend must reserve a spot by calling (909) 362-4955 or emailing AAUWrsvp@AAUWRedlands.org. Read more here.
Community Forward Redlands
📌 Sat. May 10, 12:30 - 3:00 pm - Mother's Day Brunch: Kimberly Crest to Host Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea. Annual “Royal Tea at the Castle” offers guests an elegant four-course tea, live music, and historic charm. Tickets now available.
Contributor
The highly anticipated Redlands Public Market has started welcoming guests for small, ticketed events, offering a preview of what’s to come. Diners got a first taste during a soft-opening event this week.
RPM will feature a diverse culinary lineup with more than 20 vendors serving barbecue, pizza, tacos, hot chicken, Taiwanese cuisine, açaí bowls, Southeast Asian brunch, sushi, and more. The venue will also include an arcade for added entertainment. Once fully open, the market will boast four bars and an outdoor plaza with a stage for live music.
RPM has sold out soft opening events this weekend before it opens February 21. A grand opening is planned for April.
Next week, the Redlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting its February Mixer at RPM on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 5:30 p.m.
Attendees will enjoy an exclusive sneak peek of the venue while mingling over wine, hors d'oeuvres, and networking. Register through the link below to be part of this event:
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