A Little Bit Spooky: Welcome to the Eatonverse!
Welcome to Reading Room, an invitation to make (more) room for reading in your life this week from Riversider, writer and reader Cati Porter.
Neighbor of the Week: Ian Wright
Neighbor of the Week is a series profiling the hidden heroes of Riverside, doing incredible works of service throughout our different neighborhoods.
Ward 2 and 4 Candidates Weigh Utility Transfers, Fire Funding and Taxes
Both responding candidates would scale back utility transfers but split on revenue, with Ayra backing a warehouse tax and Vandenberg a Measure Z extension at the current rate. Torres and Conder did not respond.
Riverside Approves Special Tax District for 152 Planned Homes
Buyers in three developments would help pay for infrastructure, maintenance and public safety, with some charges increasing annually.
Latest
Wait, What Now?
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
Volunteers Give Casa Blanca Center a Kaiser-Backed Refresh
Nearly 60 volunteers spent a single day restoring benches, outdoor areas and the center's donation closets.
Downtown Staycation
A monthly stroll through Riverside's everyday neighborhoods, one step at a time.
RUSD Trustee Area 1 Candidates Weigh In on Bond Oversight, Repairs and Public Voice
Candidates address a state audit that found bond funds spent appropriately but with insufficient transparency for taxpayers.
Most Read
Culture
At UC Riverside Conference, Latino Storytellers Challenge Hollywood to go Beyond Representation
At the 38th annual Tomás Rivera Conference, panelists cited studies showing Latinx people hold under 6 percent of lead film roles.
Native Plant Sale and Free Garden Workshops Return to Riverside Nov. 7
The California Native Plant Society chapter will offer 140 species suited to Inland Empire yards, plus advice on lawn alternatives and container gardens.
Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE Restart U.S. Tour at Municipal Auditorium
The Sept. 30 show featured Inland Empire shout-outs, sets from two of Sweatshirt’s label signees and an onstage dance-off.
A Possible Path to the Return of the Mission Inn Artifacts Laid Out in Council Comments Session
The Old Riverside Foundation says three removed objects were designated by the city in the 1970s, which would make their removal a question of city code rather than contract law.
Noteworthy
The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California is seeking photos, documents and stories from the region’s historic Black churches founded before 1952 for “The Tie That Binds,” an upcoming pop-up exhibition; call (951) 682-5307 to share.
UC Riverside’s new PATH program lets aspiring elementary school teachers earn a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential in four years, skipping the costly fifth year while staying eligible for undergraduate financial aid amid California’s teacher shortage.
City Hall
Chavez Center Could Become Eastside Community Center After Commission Vote
Parks commissioners voted 5-2 in favor of Eastside Community Center, rejecting staff's pick of University Heights for the renamed facility.
This Week in City Hall: October 19, 2026
Council takes up data centers, a special tax district for 152 new homes and a $1 million police technology grant, and a commission weighs renaming the Cesar Chavez Community Center.
Riverside Committee Sends Data Center Pause, Backup Resolution to City Council
The City Council is expected to consider a 45-day data center moratorium Nov. 10 — or, failing that, a resolution blocking permits under existing zoning.
This Week in City Hall: October 12, 2026
The Land Use Committee discusses whether to regulate or ban data centers, and the Deaf Commission reviews a 2027 work plan calling for a Deaf cultural community center study and ASL interpreters at city emergency broadcasts.
Community
Riverside Neighborhood Partnership Celebrates Community Heroes at Good Neighbor Awards
The nonprofit's 14th annual gala recognized volunteers with four distinct honors, including one named for environmental steward Erin Snyder.
University Heights Students Meet Women Mentors at Day of the Girl Event
State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes and a Riverside County judge were among the speakers at the Boys & Girls Clubs gathering in Fairmount Park.
Braver Angels Technique for Constructive Political Discussions
As ballots arrive, the LAPP framework of Listen, Acknowledge, Pivot and Perspective offers a way to disagree without diminishing one another.
Opinion: When Funding Declines, the Need for Healing Does Not
This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Riverside must invest in survivor services.