🍊 Monday Gazette: March 24, 2025

Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery provides a solemn tribute to hometown heroes and other recipients buried at the nation's second-largest military cemetery. (Flickr/Don Benny)

Monday Gazette: March 24, 2025

Hello Riverside, and Happy Monday!

Tomorrow is National Medal of Honor Day, which honors those who have received the highest military decoration in the United States. Riverside has three of our own who have received the honor: Staff Sergeant Ysmael R. Villegas, Staff Sergeant Salvador J. Lara, and Specialist Jesus S. Duran. We are also fortunate to be the home of Riverside National Cemetery, which houses the Medal of Honor Memorial, honoring our hometown heroes and the other Medal of Honor recipients buried there. Consider stopping by for a visit tomorrow.

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GOVERNMENT

This Week in City Hall: March 24, 2025

City Council will consider significant amendments to previously authorized retail cannabis regulations, including reducing the maximum number of cannabis business permits from 14 to 7.

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, Mar. 25, in afternoon sessions at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and an evening session at 6:15 p.m. (agenda). The agenda includes:

Approving a contract amendment that increases pension contributions for police management positions by an additional 0.5%, saving taxpayers approximately $5,200 in the current fiscal year while helping address the City's long-term pension obligations.
Awarding the $32.8 million construction contract for the renovation and expansion of the Museum of Riverside's historic 1912 building on Mission Inn Ave.
Holding public hearings for two separate tax-exempt bonds funding campus improvements at California Baptist University and a 150-unit affordable housing development, with no financial obligations placed on the City.
Authorizing the use of eminent domain to acquire property needed for the construction of a railroad underpass on Third St.
Waiving attorney-client privilege to publicly discuss a second legal opinion on the City's policy that exempts certain water and electric utility infrastructure projects from competitive bidding requirements, allowing in-house crews to complete system reliability and emergency response projects.
Considering amendments to previously authorized Cannabis Business Permit Guidelines that would reduce the maximum number of cannabis business permits from 14 to 7, limit locations to one per ward, and require minimum distances between cannabis retail locations from one another and public parks.

Housing and Homelessness Committee

The Housing and Homelessness Committee (Councilmembers Cervantes, Mill, and Robillard) meets on Monday, Mar. 24, at 3:30 p.m. (agenda) for a presentation from Claire Jefferson-Gilpa, Executive Director of Family Promise of Riverside, which helps families at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and a project update from the Housing Authority.

Board of Public Utilities

The Board of Public Utilities meets on Monday, Mar. 24, at 6:30 p.m. (agenda) for regular business.

Museum of Riverside Board

The Museum of Riverside Board meets on Wednesday, Mar. 26, at 3:00 p.m. (agenda) for regular business.

Community Police Review Commission

The Community Police Review Commission meets on Wednesday, Mar. 26, at 5:30 p.m. (agenda) to continue reviewing an Officer-Involved Death case and discuss three separate employee matters in closed session.

Human Relations Commission

The Human Relations Commission meets on Thursday, Mar. 27, at 5:30 p.m. (agenda) for a presentation from the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.

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COMMUNITY

Eastside Library Relocates During Construction of $20M New Branch

New facility at Bobby Bonds Park expected to open in 2025 while temporary services shift to Lincoln Community Center.

Lincoln Park Community Center will house the Spc. Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library temporarily starting May 6, while construction begins on a new $20 million library at Bobby Bonds Park.

Riverside's Eastside Library will close April 11 and reopen at Lincoln Community Center on May 6 with limited services. The move is necessary as construction begins on a new $20 million branch at Bobby Bonds Park, expected to open in 2025.

Driving the news: The current lease at 4033-C Chicago Ave. is ending, prompting the temporary relocation and introduction of a mobile library program to serve the Eastside neighborhood.

The temporary location will operate Tuesday through Friday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering Wi-Fi access, laptop usage, and story times.

Why it matters: The transition aims to maintain library services for Eastside residents while the new facility is under construction.

A new electric Mobile Library vehicle will visit parks throughout the Eastside and Ward 2 communities six days a week, providing Wi-Fi access and a small browsing collection.

The big picture: The Mobile Library represents an expansion of the library's outreach capabilities, designed to hold books, technology, and resources for a pop-up library space.

What's next: The new Spc. Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library is expected to open in 2025, with the Mobile Library continuing to serve the community even after the new branch opens.

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