A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket leaves a glowing trail across the evening sky over Hawarden Hills on April 6 after launching 25 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The booster later landed on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean. Launch was at 7:50 p.m. (Rosalyn Anderson) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Thursday Gazette: April 9, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Thursday!The Raincross Gazette's first-ever candidate forums are coming up, and they're your chance to hear directly from the people running for City Council in Wards 2, 4, and 6 ahead of the June election. Good news on registration: after hitting capacity earlier this week, we were able to secure 50 additional spots for both the Ward 2 and Ward 4 forums. Those seats are open now, but they will go fast. Ward 6 still has plenty of room as well.
If Ward 2 or Ward 4 fills up again, don't count yourself out. Sign up for the waitlist and we're hoping to accommodate standing room at the back of both venues as well.
All three forums are free and open to every Riverside resident. Register today before the new spots are gone.
Council Loosens Billboard Rules, Opens Door to Relocations and Digital Signs
A unanimous vote updates decades-old restrictions that had blocked most advertiser-initiated requests.
Billboards at 14th and Market streets in Downtown. The City Council this week approved new rules creating a path for billboard relocations, replacements and modernizations through agreements negotiated with the city. (File photo)
Riverside can now negotiate billboard relocations, replacements and digital upgrades under rules the City Council approved unanimously Tuesday.
Why it matters: The change opens the door to digital billboards in Riverside for the first time — and gives the city new leverage to extract public benefits, like infrastructure upgrades or revenue-sharing, in exchange for any approvals.
Driving the news: The update came after Lamar Advertising submitted an unsolicited relocation request in 2025 that the old rules couldn't accommodate — the previous code only applied to a narrow set of county-annexed parcels and blocked applicant-initiated requests entirely.
What changed: The revised ordinance lets billboard owners or the city initiate Billboard Relocation Agreements, which can cover sign dimensions, analog vs. digital format, single- or double-sided display, and location.
Agreements can require takedown ratios — operators remove existing signs to earn permission for new ones.
City Council retains sole authority to approve or deny any agreement.
Yes, but: New billboards remain banned. The new rules create a path only for relocation, replacement or modernization of existing signs — not net-new advertising structures.
What's next: The Community and Economic Development director can issue Billboard Relocation Permits once an agreement clears Council. No agreements have been approved yet.
Animals must be leashed or restrained on Riverside airport property under an ordinance the City Council approved Tuesday.
Why it matters: If you're traveling through or working at the airport with a pet or service animal, the new rule is now in effect — loose animals can now result in an enforcement action.
Driving the news: The ordinance makes three updates to the airport code: a new animal restraint requirement, clearer permit rules for commercial activity, and updated language around unauthorized access to runways and taxiways.
What they're saying: City staff cited safety risks from loose animals, including "conflicts with other animals, distractions to airport users and unexpected movements" that could disrupt operations.
What's next: The changes take effect as part of the adopted ordinance. Airport tenants and commercial operators should verify their permits and licenses are current under the updated code.
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