Reviewing amendments to the city's Sunshine Ordinance and an appeal to overturn the Planning Commission's denial of a 49-home development on a 9.91-acre Victoria Avenue orange grove site.
New California wildfire risk assessment places thousands of homes in danger areas as fire chief urges residents to understand defensible space requirements.
Anthony Solorzano, a regular contributor to The Raincross Gazette, with his wife Evelyn. (Anthony Solorzano)
Monday Gazette: April 21, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Monday!
We’re thrilled to introduce Anthony Solorzano as our newest regular contributor here at The Raincross Gazette.
Anthony was born and raised in Pomona and recently moved to Riverside with his wife Evelyn and their dog Kenny. After a decade in education, he followed his passion for writing—his work has been featured in LA Taco, the LA Times, and the Southern California News Group, and we’re excited to now include him as a regular voice here at the Gazette.
Anthony’s coverage already spans everything from our first theater review to some of the most important issues facing our city. When he’s not reporting, he enjoys watching films and playing board games with his wife.
To help you get to know him a little better, we asked Anthony to answer a few of our favorite Neighbor of the Weekquestions:
What is your idea of a perfect weekend day in Riverside? My favorite weekend day idea is a walk to Hunt Park with our Cribbage board, a charcuterie board, and a light breeze keeping us fresh.
Do you call it the Galleria or Tyler Mall? I call it the Tyler Mall, but if I am coming off as a transplant, you're not wrong.
If you could put one message on a billboard on the 91, what would it be? “You should have used public transportation.”
Fire Maps: Riverside Identifies 'Very High' Hazard Zones
New California wildfire risk assessment places thousands of homes in danger areas as fire chief urges residents to understand defensible space requirements.
Southern Riverside identified as "very high fire hazard severity zone" in new California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection map. The city has made the map accessible online, allowing residents to check their home's proximity to fire-prone areas.
Driving the news: Riverside Fire Chief Steve McKinster hopes the map will educate residents about wildfire risks and mitigation strategies.
The map categorizes 3,626 square miles of California property as "high" to "very high" fire hazard severity zones, including parts of Riverside.
Why it matters: Wildfires in Southern California have become increasingly destructive, with high-risk areas growing by 168% since 2011.
Recent fires in Los Angeles and Riverside's Hawarden Hills have heightened concerns about wildfire preparedness.
The response: Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson has prioritized fire protection, increasing staffing and resources to combat potential threats.
The city council approved a fire tech upgrade despite public concerns about the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project's potential fire risks.
What's next: Riverside Fire Department urges residents to visit their website for information on fire hazard severity zones and home protection strategies.
The city's efforts align with a statewide mandate requiring cities to provide fire zone maps and guidance to residents.
Reviewing amendments to the city's Sunshine Ordinance and an appeal to overturn the Planning Commission's denial of a 49-home development on a 9.91-acre Victoria Avenue orange grove site.
Welcome to our weekly digest on public meetings and agenda items worthy of your attention in the next week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about.
City Council
City Council will meet in special, closed, and open sessions on Tuesday, Apr. 22, at 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. (agenda). The agendas include:
Considering candidates for appointment to the role of Interim City Attorney, currently filled by Jack Liu.
Accepting $6.21 million in Highway Safety Improvement Program grants that will fund three citywide traffic safety projects to reduce collisions and protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers through modern signal controllers, enhanced crosswalks, and buffered bike lanes.
Reviewing amendments to the city's Sunshine Ordinance that would maintain 12-day notice requirements for major decision-making bodies while reducing notification time to 72 hours for advisory committees.
Opinion: Utility Rate Setting: How Your Bills Are Determined and Your Voice Matters
California's dual system puts residents at the table for both investor-owned and municipal utilities as Proposition 218 ensures transparency and public participation.
We all pay for a range of utilities in our homes and businesses, but how are the rates the utilities charge us set—and by whom?
First, there are two types of utilities: investor-owned utilities like Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, and AT&T, and not-for-profit “governmental agency” utilities like Riverside Public Utilities and Western Municipal Water District.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) sets rates for investor-owned utilities. The CPUC has a detailed ratemaking process where a utility must show what its ongoing costs are and list the capital projects they intend to develop with money from the current rate case. The CPUC holds a number of hearings and workshops on each rate case and invites public participation by letter, email, and testimony at hearings.
See something? Say something. Your tips and ideas are what fuel The Raincross Gazette. If you know of something newsworthy happening in our city, please share it with us.
