A look back at a past Christmas season at the Mission Inn Festival of Lights, where horse-drawn carriages glide past the illuminated arches and millions of twinkling lights transform Downtown into a holiday wonderland. (Bob Sirotnik) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Monday Gazette: December 22, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Monday!
We hope you had a wonderful weekend. As we head into Christmas week, it looks like we'll be getting some much-needed rain on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day—a wet holiday for our region. It's a good reminder to adjust any outdoor plans and maybe cozy up indoors with loved ones.
As always, we're here to keep you connected to what's happening in our community. If you have story tips or events to share, reach out to us at newsroom@raincrossgazette.com.
William Smith Announces Bid for Ward 6 City Council Seat
Engineer and nonprofit leader enters open-seat race emphasizing technical approach to development and infrastructure decisions.
William Smith has announced her candidacy for Riverside City Council's Ward 6 seat in the upcoming 2026 election. (Courtesy of vote4williamsmithriverside.com)
Medical device engineer William Smith is running for Ward 6 City Council, promising to apply FDA risk assessment methods to city infrastructure decisions.
Why it matters: Ward 6 voters will choose between Smith, Board of Ethics Vice Chair Luis Hernandez, and Arlington Business Partnership Executive Director Oz Puerta to replace three-term Councilmember Jim Perry, who's not seeking re-election.
What's new: Smith wants developers to pay for infrastructure impacts upfront rather than passing costs to taxpayers. "If we add 200 high-density units to a corridor, the failure mode isn't just traffic—it's the strain on our aging water mains," he said.
His background:
8 years in medical device R&D
Former COO/CFO of Orange County Hispanic Youth Chamber of Commerce
Son of a Local 12 union member and Mexican immigrant mother
Top priorities if elected:
Launch a Riverside Fellowship program with 100+ paid student internships in STEM, trades, and finance
Deploy mental health professionals to non-violent calls, freeing police for emergencies
Appoint neighborhood liaisons as an "early warning system" for infrastructure problems
The bottom line: Smith's using his "stroller test"—if parents can't safely push strollers on sidewalks, the city's failing.
What's next: Primary election June 2, 2026. Runoffs in November if needed.
Why it matters: Your high schooler will still need to complete ethnic studies to graduate — a requirement RUSD adopted in 2020, four years before California mandated it statewide.
Driving the news: Dr. Noemi Hernandez Alexander moved the item from a scheduled vote to discussion after community members accused staff of "procedural manipulation."
The backstory: California became the first state requiring ethnic studies for graduation in 2021, but the legislature never funded the mandate. Gov. Newsom's budget excluded the estimated $272-276 million needed statewide.
What happened:
District staff recommended eliminating the requirement due to lack of state funding
Community members packed the meeting to oppose the change
Board trustees questioned why staff hadn't consulted teachers and students first
The board took no action, leaving the requirement intact
Yes, but: RUSD faces scheduling constraints. New state requirements for English language development and financial literacy will squeeze the six-period day. The district requires 220 credits for graduation versus the state's 130-credit minimum.
Between the lines: Only 5 of 23 school districts in Riverside County maintain ethnic studies graduation requirements, according to Trustee Brent Lee.
What's next: The board will gather input from students, teachers and community members before any future discussions.
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