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RUSD Board Faces Criticism Over Viral Video, Clause In New ICE-Related Policy

A week after a video posted online showed a principal confronting two student protesters, more than a dozen community members demanded the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education take action to better protect the free speech rights of students and create stronger immigration enforcement policies. 


“As educators, we are called to support our students and give them wings to make change in their communities,” Daniel Calderon, an RUSD employee, told the board at the February 1...

Local Wrestling Community Pushes Back On CBU Decision To Cut Team

For about a decade, Logan Tan regularly attended wrestling practices at the California Baptist University’s (CBU) wrestling facility through its youth practice club, the West Coast Regional Training Center (RTC).


Tan, now a senior and wrestling captain at Martin Luther King Jr. High School, credited the program’s coaches for his years of athletic, academic and spiritual success. He also planned to start his student-athlete journey at the private university in the fall.


“I want to come here...

Riverside Council Reviews Proposed City Projects For 2026

The city of Riverside is planning to prioritize the construction of three new affordable housing projects, test an artificial intelligence-powered police report writing system and complete the construction of a new Eastside neighborhood library by the end of 2026.


Those are just a few of the dozens of projects outlined by city staff Tuesday for the coming year within the Book of Work, a citywide planning tool. 


“Collectively, this council has delivered a vision to the community and to staf...

Housing At Risk For 40 Residents Of Unpermitted Medical Respite Facility

Sarah Trout never thought she would be living in a recuperative care facility.


The 49-year-old Riverside resident said she was a nurse in the Inland Empire for over 20 years. During the pandemic, she worked overtime, at times at the detriment to her health. 


Despite the long hours, she remained focused on providing  a comfortable life for her two young daughters. That is, until she got hurt. 


“I was at home, and I fell, and I broke my leg,” Trout said. “And then, two weeks later, I fell...

Speed Limits, Humps Coming To First Street, Victoria Avenue

The drive through two historic residential streets in Riverside could soon get a bit bumpier after the city started paving the way for new speed humps on First Street and a small section of Victoria Avenue. 


“We received an initial request through our call center, and that request, usually, would be a request for excessive speeding or cut through traffic or both,” Philip Nitollama, the city’s traffic engineer, said. “We have anticipated four speed humps on First Street and that’s pending fiel...

ACLU, Residents Urge Riverside Council To Reconsider Affordable Housing Project Vote

Tensions were high Tuesday amid continued community pressure on the Riverside City Council to reconsider its decision to reject $20 million in state funds for an affordable housing project on University Avenue.


More than a dozen residents spoke at the February 3 meeting to urge the council to take another look at its January 13 decision that effectively killed a plan to convert 114 hotel rooms at the Quality Inn into studio apartments for both low-income residents and people transitioning out...

Riverside Council Approves Letter Opposing Parole For City Hall Shooter

The Riverside City Council Tuesday unanimously approved the submission of a letter opposing parole for Joseph Neale Jr., currently held at Valley State Prison on a 374-year sentence.


On October 6, 1998, Neale entered a closed-door city hall meeting and shot several city leaders, wounding then-Mayor Ron Loveridge, four council members and two police officers after taking them hostage. He surrendered after being shot by police, and was later found guilty of 12 counts of premeditated attempted m...

Riverside Mayor Highlights Lower Crime Rate, Economic Growth In State Of The City Address

Riverside saw a 35% drop in crime, created 18,000 new jobs and brought in 4.3 billion in construction projects in 2025. 


Those were just a few of the achievements Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson highlighted at her fifth annual State of the City address.


“You heard what leveling up looks like: Safer streets, stronger neighborhoods, healthier lives and more economic opportunities for every generation,” Dawson said at the January 28 event. “In Riverside, we build, we innovate, we rise to...

Riverside Approves Updates to Zoning Code, Adds Stricter Regulations on Warehouses

The Riverside City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to amend its zoning code to comply with a recently-enacted state law that sets stricter requirements for new storage and distribution facilities. 


The council also adopted several additional regulations residents concerned with the negative impacts of the warehousing industry requested. Council members Steven Robillard, Chuck Conder and Sean Mill voted against the code changes. 


“It’s been a long time,” Jen Larratt-Smith, chair of Riverside Neig...

Riverside Officials Pitch City To Industrial Property Owners At Forum

City leaders called Riverside “the best bargain” in the state for prospective industrial and warehouse property owners Thursday morning at a commercial real estate forum co-hosted by the city’s economic development team.


The statement came as part of a larger discussion between City Manager Mike Futrell and Councilmember Steven Robillard about ongoing efforts to attract new businesses to Riverside. According to the pair, six new companies, including Hyundai Rotem, have recently decided to mov...

RUSD Sets Dates For Workshops, Discusses ‘Taking Meetings on the Road’

The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to approve an updated 2026 meeting calendar to include seven additional workshops. Trustee Amanda Vickers was absent.


“The workshops are really a chance for us to do a deep dive on a specific subject matter, which is a little different than our traditional board meeting,” board vice president Jesse Tweed said at the January 15 meeting. “It offers an opportunity to be transparent in our thinking and disc...

Riverside Council Rejects $20M State Grant For Affordable Housing Project

A local nonprofit’s proposal for an affordable housing project on University Avenue was dealt a major blow Tuesday night despite last ditch appeals from supporters urging the Riverside City Council to reconsider. 


Despite supporters’ efforts, the council voted 4-3 to reject a $20.1 million state grant and decided against using $9.5 million in federal and state grant funding to convert the Quality Inn Motel into apartments for low income and homeless residents. 


Council members Philip Falco...

RUSD Board Looks At Alternatives To Proposed STEM Academy Expansion

The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education last month discussed four potential alternatives to expanding its science and technology academy. 


This presentation came after the board, earlier last year, requested that staff prepare backup plans in case the University of California, Riverside (UCR) decided to back out of a deal that would allow the district to build a new high school on university-owned land, the project fell through or if available funding was less than exp...

Riverside City Council OKs Plan For Thompson Brewing Co. To Open Beer Garden In Fairmount Park

Since first opening up a brewery in Riverside 13 years ago, Brian Thompson and his family dreamed of having the business next to a wide-open grassy area and water feature that could host large community gatherings. 


After the Riverside City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the lease of a formerly-occupied military facility located at the front of Fairmount Park to Thompson Brewing Co., that dream is one step closer to becoming reality. Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes was absent.


“I...

Riverside Alive Project Clears Another Hurdle As Council Certifies Environmental Impact Report

Despite opposition from several residents, hotel union representatives and environmental attorneys, Riverside officials Tuesday cleared a path for developers to propose, and eventually begin building, an all-in-one residential, commercial and entertainment project the city hopes will transform the downtown economy. 


By unanimous vote, the Riverside City Council certified the environmental impact report (EIR) for a massive proposed development, Riverside Alive. The report analyzed the effects...

RUSD To Hold Additional Meetings In 2026 To Study Student Achievement Data

After originally proposing to hold three fewer meetings next year, the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education voted 4-2 December 18 to instead add seven workshops to the 2026 meeting calendar.


This change came after Trustee Dale Kinnear pushed for adding the meetings over concerns about not having enough time to dive deep into complex topics around student achievement. 


“It’s not sufficient to say that we can or will add some special study sessions,” Kinnear said at th...

A Century Of Peace: Riverside Residents Celebrate Mt. Rubidoux Landmark

As a child, longtime Riverside resident John VanDenburgh began climbing Mt. Rubidoux and interacting with the small stone tower located near the top. 


“I lived at the base of Mt. Rubidoux when we moved to Riverside, so for me, it really was a respite,” VanDenburgh said. “If I was having a rough day or I just needed some time to reflect, I used to have some spots I would sit, and the Peace Tower was one of those.”


Decades later, VanDenburgh still walks up the city’s historic hill on an almo...

Riverside Launches App-Based Rewards Pilot Program To Support Local Businesses

Riverside shoppers are now able to earn rewards for shopping or dining at 500 different local shops through Open Rewards, a free mobile app.


The Riverside City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the one-year pilot program, run by Bludot Technologies, for a total cost of $55,940. Councilmember Steve Hemenway was absent.


“As we are, more and more, seeing people shop online, it’s becoming harder for the city to be involved in that economic development process,” Councilmember Steven...

Riverside City Council Approves Changes To Ethics Board Procedures 

The Riverside City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve revisions to the city’s code of ethics, which includes a change in how the community-led board responsible for overseeing allegations of ethical misconduct reviews evidence prior to an official hearing. Councilmembers Steve Hemenway and Clarissa Cervantes were absent.


The change was approved as part of the required annual review process. Councilmember Philip Falcone, who chairs the Governmental Processes Committee (GPC), explaine...

Dispatches From Riverside County: Sofie Star

While standing next to her booth December 4 on downtown Riverside’s Main Street, local arts vendor Sofia Tsakanias admitted she recently broke a three-month streak of not making a sale.


“I actually lost money, because I paid for the booth,” Tsakanias said. “I’m so passionate about my art, I want this to be my whole life so bad that I don’t even care that I’m not making a lot.”


The 19-year-old Riverside native is one of dozens of local artisans who regularly participate in Riverside Artswal...

Riverside City Council Designates Shareholder Representatives For 5 Local Water Companies 

The Riverside City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to give city staff positions, including the Riverside Public Utilities’ (RPU) general manager, the power to vote as shareholders on behalf of the city in the Gage Canal Water Company and four other Inland Empire-based water service systems. 


It’s part of a process the council undertakes annually to allow a representative, also called a shareholder proxy, to vote in each company’s annual board elections. The proxy is also able to make board...

Festival Of Lights Kicks Off In Riverside, Honors Late Hotel Owner Weeks After Death

The city of Riverside kicked off the holiday season last night with a switch-on ceremony for the Mission Inn Hotel and Spa’s annual Festival of Lights.


“Oh my God, they were so beautiful,” Olga Leon, a longtime Riverside resident, said minutes after the hotel illuminated downtown Riverside’s night sky for the first time this year. 


Leon was just one of thousands of people who filled Mission Inn Avenue November 22 to celebrate the start of the 33rd annual Festival of Lights. More than 10 mi...

Riverside City Council Approves $16M Animal Services Contract With County

The Riverside City Council this week voted 5-2 to approve an updated three-year, $16.8 million agreement with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) to cover rising operating costs as the agency works to lower its euthanasia rate.This vote came after some council members took issue with the increased cost and the contract’s language requiring the city to pay an hourly rate for meetings with county staff that go over the allotted time. Councilmembers Philip Falcone and Chuck C...

Riverside City Council Votes To Create Inspector General Role

One year after residents overwhelmingly voted in support of its creation, the city of Riverside is one step closer to appointing a local government watchdog.


The Riverside City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday to formally create the Office of the Inspector General, which would serve as a neutral party responsible for investigating fraud, waste and abuse within the city.


“I want to emphasize, this is a starting point,” Councilmember Steven Robillard said at the November 18 meeting. “This is litera...
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