City Council will consider a 45-day moratorium on new tobacco retail permits following widespread illegal drug sales at smoke shops and award a $19.7 million contract to renovate the nearly century-old Cesar Chavez Community Center.
This week’s agendas include a Council vote on a 45-day smoke shop moratorium and a $19.7M Chavez Center renovation, plus earthquake prep tips and a water update.
From securing furniture to retrofitting homes and weighing insurance, here’s how Riversiders can prepare for the next big quake—plus an update on California’s latest water bill.
Volunteers planting the Main Street California Native Plant Garden in Downtown Riverside on Friday Nov. 8, 2024. (Rebecca O'Connor)
Monday Gazette: November 18, 2024
Hello Riverside, and Happy Monday!
I've been pouring over the results of our recent reader survey and wasn't surprised that our calendar is frequently cited as a primary reason for reading RG.
As we're heading into the holiday season, we won't have enough space to list all the events happening each weekend in this newsletter. The events listed below are only a sample of what you'll find on the online community calendar on our website. So, if you're looking for even more options of things to do, be sure to visit the calendar online, where you can search the complete list of events and even filter the results to find just the kind of events you're looking for, like sports, family-friendly activities, or theatrical performances.
As a reminder, adding your own events to our calendar is completely free. Simply visit raincrossgazette.com/calendar and click "add event" to get started.
City Council set to consider a 23-unit affordable housing project in La Sierra, a 24-station electric vehicle charging hub at the Riverside Airport, and the $2.4 million purchase of electric trucks for its fleet.
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 closed and open sessions on Tuesday, November 19, in afternoon sessions at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. and an evening session at 6:15 p.m. The agenda includes:
The annual review of an assessment for the downtown business improvement area, a 100% match of the business tax that downtown business owners pay to fund security, events, and beautification projects led by the Riverside Downtown Partnership.
Water Board Updates and State Infrastructure Projects
Re-elections on Western Water’s board, leadership changes, and updates on California’s Delta Conveyance and Sites Reservoir projects.
Western Municipal Water District Update
Two Western Water Board of Directors seats were on the ballot this month. Although the election has not yet been certified, it is clear that Director Laura Roughton, representing Division 4, which includes the Cities of Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, and Norco, and Director Fauzia Rizvi, representing Division 5, which includes Corona, Home Gardens, El Cerrito and a part of Temescal Canyon has been re-elected to four-year terms. Congratulations to both Directors, and thank you to the candidates who showed an interest in serving on Western Water’s board.
Western Water will elect officers at the first meeting in January. I have completed two consecutive terms as President, which is all that is permitted by Western’s regulations, so expect we will be electing a new President, Vice President, and Treasurer to serve for 2025. It has been an honor to help lead Western Water these past two years, and I am confident our new officers will serve Western and our constituents well.
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This week’s agendas include a Council vote on a 45-day smoke shop moratorium and a $19.7M Chavez Center renovation, plus earthquake prep tips and a water update.
91 Freeway-Adams Street interchange project advances with 2028 construction on the horizon, and Riverside TV delivers network-quality sports coverage to the community.
This week’s sports lineup is packed with action. Plus, the Mission Inn Museum launches its Halloween season with a dinner-and-cemetery tour honoring fallen officers.