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Friday Gazette: January 10, 2025
This is my first chance to connect with you all since we returned from our holiday break. I had a wonderful time, and I hope you did as well. I am excited about what the Gazette has grown into and especially excited about what’s ahead in the coming year.
Justin has a clear vision for Riverside’s media future, an ambitious one, to be sure. While some might think it sounds like an exaggeration, those who know him well will understand he means it.
My role in this ambitious effort focuses on community content, and I’d like to share my goal for 2025: to be a strong advocate for the people of Riverside. I want to use this platform to uplift and celebrate our local businesses, artists, and the many ways Riversiders shine.
To do this well, I need your help... Let me know if there’s a student excelling in or out of the classroom, if a small shop down the street is offering something special that big box stores can’t, or if someone in the community has achieved something worth celebrating. Whether it’s publishing a book, breaking a record, if your dog wins a ribbon, or if your auntie turns 125, I want to hear about it.
City Council Postpones Cannabis Permit Process for Further Review
Concerns over dispensary concentration prompt 90-day delay.
3666 Van Buren Blvd and the property next to it, 3652 Van Buren Blvd, are two of the preferred locations for the 14 top-ranked Cannabis Business Permit Applicants.
City Council voted Tuesday night to postpone the cannabis retail permit process for 90 days, citing concerns over the concentration of proposed dispensaries in certain areas and the need to further study health and safety impacts.
The decision came after a lengthy debate about the distribution of cannabis businesses across the city's seven wards, with particular focus on Ward 5, which was slated to have five of the 14 proposed dispensary locations.
Councilmember Sean Mill, who represents Ward 5, expressed strong opposition to the concentration in his area.
City of Riverside Offers Tips for Wildfire Preparation and Prevention
As fires burn across Southern California, here are a few tips for keeping your home and family as safe as possible.
Smoke rises from the Hawarden Hills fire on July 21, 2024. (Justin Pardee)
We love Riverside for its rolling hills, open spaces, and sunny weather. However, with those things come the fires. We have or know someone who has suffered a loss or been evacuated due to a wildfire.
The Santa Ana winds are blowing this week; even the national news is focused on Southern California and the fires affecting many of our surrounding cities.
We can’t stop wildfires from happening, but we can prepare ourselves and our homes to help prevent and lessen the damage to our own homes.
Winter sports enter conference play in both high school and college competitions.
Poly’s Maddox Magaña on the run. (Joey Magaña)
Arlington @ Poly Boy’s Soccer
On Tuesday, January 14, Poly will host Arlington for their first competitive match in almost a decade. A recent CIF realignment has the Bears and Lions competing in the Ivy League, reigniting a classic Riverside rivalry. The fact that both Poly (9-2-2) and Arlington (8-2-2) are playing very well makes this reunion of rivals especially exciting.
Poly soccer alum and current coach Rusty Bailey is looking forward to the match and is excited about the challenging season. “It’s great to have local city rivalries! Players know each other and play harder because of it. Riverside soccer has never been better as a whole. [The Ivy League] is the second toughest league in Southern California.”
Live From the Frontline: Tells the Story of the Eastside from the Working Family’s Perspective
The Civil Rights Institute encourages Eastside residents to bring photos and artifacts to help expand the historical archive of thier neighborhood.
Some of the Eastside’s industrial past still stands. (Ken Crawford)
What makes someone essentially a "Riversider" is not easy to pinpoint. We know the stories of the Millers and Tibbets and the buildings of Henry Jekel and G. Stanley Wilson, but Riverside's story does not end at the 91 freeway. We are a sprawling city of neighborhoods with distinct identities. Some are emerging as the city expands, but many of our neighborhoods are centenarian products of the ebbs and flows of 20th-century economics.
From college students who came and never left to retired military personnel and descendants of the citrus boom, Riversiders are here for the same reasons that Riverside is here. Strategically located and gifted with great weather, Riverside is a great place to build a business and a family.
Meet this week’s featured furry friend from the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center. Dedicated to eliminating pet homelessness, the center provides compassionate care and facilitates adoptions for animals in need of loving homes. Find your new companion and help support their mission of humane care and responsible pet ownership.
Lottie is a lovable, goofy girl who's ready to steal your heart. She's sweet, playful, and easygoing. Lottie enjoys going for walks and does well on the leash. She also loves to play with other pups, especially those close to her size. Lottie is 15 months old, 46 lbs, and has been waiting since October 1st to meet her new family. If you're looking for a dog who will fill your life with love, laughter, and cuddles, let Lottie be your perfect match! Visit petsadoption.org for more information on Lottie and all adoptable pets.
🐾 Update: Obi (pictured) and Gadget were adopted and found their forever homes!
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