Wednesday Gazette: August 5, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Wednesday! While summer break is already wrapping up here, plenty of other states are still soaking up their last few weeks of it — and your vacation photos are proof. We'll keep sharing them through August, then shift back to Riverside-focused snapshots come September. Thanks to everyone who's sent one in so far. Haven't yet? Now's your chance — send yours in.
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ARTSWALK
August ArtsWalk Has Painting Prodigies, A Call for Artists, Robots and A Hot Summer Night
The first class of Kadir Nelson's academy shows Downtown, an RSVP-only opening leads the night, and school starts Monday.
Riverside's ArtsWalk returns Thursday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. School starts back Aug. 10, so this is the last First Thursday of summer break for a lot of Riverside families. This month's Artswalk has a lot to offer. Come early, stay hydrated, and remember our museums and galleries are air conditioned.
Read and share the complete ArtsWalk Guide...
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SPONSORED STORY
Riverside's Drowning Rate Runs Higher Than the State's; Here's What Every Pool Owner Should Know
A hotter county, more pools and a largely preventable toll — what the numbers show, and what owners are required to do
Riverside County's drowning death rate is nearly seven times California's, and a Riverside attorney says most deaths are preventable.
Why it matters: If you own, manage or swim in a pool here, county data show children under 5 face the highest drowning risk in the region.
By the numbers: Riverside County's age-adjusted drowning death rate was about 7.5 per 100,000 residents from 2018 to 2022, compared with California's roughly 1.1 per 100,000 rate over a similar span.
- From 2020 to 2024, 430 county children under 18 were treated for drowning injuries — 84% of them under 5 — and 24 died.
What they're saying: Casey Johnson, a partner at personal injury firm Aitken Aitken Cohn, says most pool deaths don't have to happen.
- "Many of the tragedies we see are preventable," Johnson said.
The backstory: California's Swimming Pool Safety Act sets minimum safety standards for residential pools, including 60-inch barriers and self-latching gates.
- Pools built or remodeled since 2018 must add at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention features, like alarms or safety covers.
What's next: Free water-safety resources are available before pools open for summer.
- First 5 Riverside County offers survival-swim lessons for kids as young as 6 months at 20+ locations; the city's aquatics program runs free swim Wednesdays this summer.
The bottom line: Johnson recommends walking around your pool before swim season starts — checking gates, drain covers and depth markers for wear.
Read and share the complete story...
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Noteworthy
Bar Ni Modo announced on social media Monday that it will close its doors August 16, thanking Farmhouse and the Arcade community for their support.
UC Riverside historian Steven Hackel received a $350,000 NEH grant to expand the Early California Population Project, adding 20,000 immigrant records to its database of early Californians.
Mark your calendars: Riverside's remaining 2026 Clean Up events run August 15, September 19, and October 17, offering residents free bulky item and e-waste disposal from 8 a.m. to noon with proof of residency.
What's Happening in Riverside
Today
- Riverside East Rotary Club at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
- Stretch & Dance Class at Janet Goeske Senior Center
- FREE YOGA - Seated Yoga with Kristin Varner at All Saints Episcopal Church
- How Will California Educate Its Future Workforce? at Riverside Convention Center
- The Wonders of Waste with Riverside Public Works at Cactus Cantina
Tomorrow
- FREE ADMISSION - First Thursday of every month during Riverside ArtsWalk at Riverside Art Museum
Save the Date
- August 7: FREE YOGA - The Evolution of Ashtanga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- August 7: Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting at Zacatecas Café
- August 8: Casino Night with CARE at Riverside Airport Cafe ($50)
- August 8: FREE YOGA - The Art of Vinyasa with Catherine Murray at Community Yoga Center
- August 8: FREE YOGA - Yin Yoga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- August 10: FREE YOGA - Moody Mondays with Cherie Amour at Community Yoga Center
- August 10: Interfaith Prayer Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
- August 12: FREE YOGA - Seated Yoga with Kristin Varner at All Saints Episcopal Church
- September 9: Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center
- October 7: Fifty & Better Health Fair at Janet Goeske Center
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