🗞️ Riverside News- June 17, 2026
Wednesday Gazette: June 17, 2026 Hello Riverside, and Happy Wednesday! We want to be straight with you: we've
A Bona Fide Major League Star
John "Jack" Tortes Meyers was Riverside's own — a Cahuilla catcher who rose to become a bona fide major league star and never forgot where he came from.
Council Hires New City Attorney, Waives Public Notice Rule to Do so
The council filled a vacancy open since April 2025, but critics say it sacrificed transparency to do so.
'Passing the Torch': Riverside Celebrates Juneteenth
Local events honor the holiday's history while challenging a new generation to carry the movement forward.
From Family Farm to Nonprofit: The Ungers Are Growing Opportunity in Riverside
Nestled in the Historic Citrus Preserve, Gable Farms offers adults with cognitive disabilities a chance to work, learn and grow.
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Latest
This Week in City Hall: June 15, 2026
In late additions to Tuesday's agenda, the Council will consider "public employee discipline" of the City Manager, whose wife has filed a claim against the city, and appoint a new City Attorney.
Opinion: Improved Weather Forecasting May Allow More Storm Water Capture While Protecting Flood Control Operations
From Prado Dam to Seven Oaks, improved weather forecasting is opening a new era of water capture in Southern California
From the Kitchen Garden: June, The Summer Transition Edition
Tips on what to plant, when to pick, and what to watch out for in your home garden.
Neighbor of the Week: Jill Johnson-Young
Neighbor of the Week is a series profiling the hidden heroes of Riverside, doing incredible works of service throughout our different neighborhoods.
Hold My Spot
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
Susan Freeman Files Claim Against City Alleging Defamation, Retaliation
Freeman, wife of City Manager Mike Futrell, alleges the city defamed her without investigation or due process and attempted to silence her protected speech and civic engagement.
RCC Names Eric Bishop as Permanent President After Year as Interim
The board approved the hire June 9 following a nationwide search that included faculty, students, and classified staff.
Where Every Cup Tells a Story: Notebook Cafe Opens in Downtown
Brothers John and Michael Leyba open a Downtown cafe rooted in guest service, a diverse menu, and a simple idea: everyone deserves a place to reset.
Government
This Week in City Hall: June 15, 2026
In late additions to Tuesday's agenda, the Council will consider "public employee discipline" of the City Manager, whose wife has filed a claim against the city, and appoint a new City Attorney.
Susan Freeman Files Claim Against City Alleging Defamation, Retaliation
Freeman, wife of City Manager Mike Futrell, alleges the city defamed her without investigation or due process and attempted to silence her protected speech and civic engagement.
'It's Toxic': Mayor Calls for Independent Review of City Department After Alleged Vendor Harassment
An internal investigation found two code enforcement supervisors spent years allegedly harassing immigrant street vendors, including entering homes without warrants and seizing property.
Electric, Water Fees May Rise 5.7% Under Inflation-Based Proposal
The Board of Public Utilities voted unanimously to forward the increase to the City Council, which holds a public hearing June 23.
Events
Riverside Pro Soccer Hosts World Cup Watch Party Series
Three free events at Route 30 Brewing and The Barn at UCR double as community outreach for the city's future USL club.
Stonewall Lives: Riverside's Inland Empire Pride Returns for Its Fourth Annual Festival
The free, all-day event at White Park on May 30 features more than 120 vendors, live entertainment and a former board member taking the stage for the first time.
Vintage Home Tour Frames America 250 Through Five Houses
Five private homes built between 1924 and 1955 open for one Saturday — three decades of American life, told through the houses Riversiders lived in.
More Than Flowers
Blue Zones Riverside and the county's health community are coming together this Mother's Day to remind us that supporting moms is a year-round practice.
History
Riverside's Oldest Church Building Still Stands on Magnolia Avenue
Founded in 1879, the church that became Magnolia Presbyterian holds the distinction of housing Riverside's oldest existing church building.
"Buffalo Heart": A Short Biography of Jonathan Tibbet
Known to tribal communities as "Chief Buffalo Heart," Jonathan Tibbet spent his life advocating for Native sovereignty at a time when the government called it insubordination.
When Magnolia Avenue Was Riverside's Showcase of Homes
The horticulturists and entrepreneurs who settled the boulevard in Riverside's citrus heyday left behind a neighborhood and a legacy.
Palms, Presidents and Pepper Trees
The story behind Magnolia Avenue's grand design, its presidential cross streets and the settlers who made it Southern California's most celebrated boulevard.
Art & Entertainment
June ArtsWalk Is Packed. Wear Comfortable Shoes.
Having to make hard decisions can be a good thing. The quality of events at this month's ArtsWalk is exceptional.
The God Who Learned to Feel: 'Hadestown' Comes to The Fox
'Hadestown' actor Nickolaus Colón on why the ancient myth of Hades still moves modern audiences — and why two nights at The Fox are worth clearing your calendar for.
Opera Returns to the Inland Empire
After five years of dormancy, Riverside Lyric Opera marked its revival with a sold-out gala concert at UCR's University Theatre - complete with a surprise proposal.
Kadir Nelson Finds Joy, History and Inclusion Through Basketball
The award-winning author and illustrator explores basketball's history and its power to bring people together in his new book "Basket Ball: The Story of the All-American Game"
