Friday Gazette: August 21, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday! It's National Senior Citizens Day. Today's a good day to slow down and check in on the older folks in your life, whether that's a grandparent, a longtime neighbor, or the person a few doors down who always waves from the porch. A phone call or a short visit goes a long way. If you know a senior who's been quietly holding a piece of this community together for years, this is also a great moment to nominate them for Neighbor of the Week.
Happy weekend to you!
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CITY HALL
A Citywide Data Center Ban Could be Coming to Riverside
The city joins a growing list of Inland Empire municipalities weighing limits on data center development.
A councilmember's push to ban data centers citywide gained urgency after officials pulled a veterans' training-linked project from council's agenda.
Why it matters: A data center in Riverside could strain the city's single connection to the statewide power grid and its water supply — a debate that could shape how AI infrastructure develops here for years.
Driving the news: Councilmember Philip Falcone's proposed data center ban heads to the Land Use Committee Sept. 14, after city staff pulled a paired veterans-training and data center project from the Aug. 11 council agenda.
- Only the training phase — with no new construction or utility infrastructure — returns to committee, according to iVETS chair Alan Stanly.
The backstory: Falcone says Riverside's limited land and power supply make data centers a poor fit for the city.
- "Data centers do not belong in Riverside," he said, citing water and electricity demand and noise concerns.
Yes, but: Committee Chair Steven Robillard says the training phase isn't a traditional data center — it uses existing office space and electrical infrastructure.
- Riverside's citywide electric capacity is set to double by 2029, Robillard said, and he favors addressing specific impacts over outright bans.
What's next: The Land Use Committee takes up the ban Sept. 14. If it advances, the full council could vote in the coming months.
- Coachella, Desert Hot Springs and Indio already have temporary bans, and Perris is expected to consider one next month.
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COMMUNITY
Arlington by Dawn
A monthly stroll through Riverside's everyday neighborhoods, one step at a time.
I am barely out of my car at Arlington Library when something gray rushes toward me. I am startled. Then I see white paws, a dark tail held high, and the confident expression of a small cat who has apparently been expecting me.
She is thin but not skinny, well groomed, wearing a collar. Clearly loved, likely beloved. She circles my legs and cuts insistently across my path. Is she a library volunteer?
No. The library is closed, and her customer service consists mostly of making it impossible for me to leave. She is a temptation to abandon this walk plan of mine. I could sit on the curb for an hour petting this cat instead.
Maybe that is the column. I meet a cat. We enjoy hanging out together. The end.
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SPONSORED STORY
Local Specialists, Expert Care for Riverside County's Children
Riverside Medical Clinic offers local access to pediatric cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and neurology, along with sports medicine care for young athletes.
When a child needs specialized medical care, Riverside County families often travel to Orange or Los Angeles County to find it. That can mean hours on the road and time away from work and school.
But a growing range of children's specialty care is available closer to home — at Riverside Medical Clinic (RMC).
Among the physicians providing that care are Payal Patel, MD, a pediatric cardiologist, and Kareem Shahin, DO, a sports medicine physician who works with many young athletes. Although they address very different health care needs, both work to give children specialized care while helping families remain close to home.
From an early age, Payal Patel, MD, knew she wanted to follow in her grandfather's footsteps.
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Adoptable Pet of the Week
Meet Noir!
Meet this week’s featured furry friend from the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center. Dedicated to eliminating pet homelessness, the center provides compassionate care and facilitates adoptions for animals in need of loving homes. Find your new companion and help support their mission of humane care and responsible pet ownership.
What's Happening in Riverside
Friday, August 21
- Bee Gees Fever - Tribute To Bee Gees at Fox Performing Arts Center
- Cumbiatron - The Cumbia Rave (21+) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium
Saturday, August 22
- Latin Legacy Tour: MC Magic, Baby Bash & Lil' Rob at Riverside Municipal Auditorium
Sunday, Aug 23
- Prayers and Public Information Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
- PIZZA and ICE CREAM SOCIAL 2026 at TEMPLE BETH EL RIVERSIDE
- Sunday Experiment After Dark at Downtown Experiment
Save the Date
- Aug 22: FREE YOGA - The Art of Vinyasa with Catherine Murray at Community Yoga Center
- Aug 22: FREE YOGA - Yin Yoga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- Aug 23: FREE YOGA - The Evolution of Ashtanga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- Aug 24: FREE YOGA - Moody Mondays with Cherie Amour at Community Yoga Center
- Aug 26: FREE YOGA - Seated Yoga with Kristin Varner at All Saints Episcopal Church
- Aug 28: Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting at Zacatecas Café
- Sep 3: Orange Street Mural Unveiling at Main Museum Pedestrian Walkway (Orange Street)
- Sep 9: FREE Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center
- Sep 18: Open Mic Night at Riverside Baha'i Center
- Oct 3: Aquamotion Aquathon at Shamel Pool
- Oct 7: Fifty & Better Health Fair at Janet Goeske Center
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🏆 Nominate a remarkable Riversider as Neighbor of the Week.