Riverside's annual planning session revealed big ambitions — and council frustration over homelessness, fire staffing and uneven investment across the city.
A Riverside resident "catches" a rainbow over the city from Lake Hills. (Bobby Gustafson) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Friday Gazette: February 20, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday! The 33rd annual Riverside Dickens Festival takes over White Park tomorrow and Sunday, bringing Victorian costumes, live performances, and plenty of Oliver Twist energy to Downtown. If you're planning to dust off your top hat, corset, or waistcoat for the occasion, we'd love to see it: snap a photo and send it our way at newsroom@raincrossgazette.com.
A monthly stroll through Riverside's everyday neighborhoods, one step at a time.
Waist-high mustard plants in full bloom along the Castleview Arroyo trail. By midsummer, the vibrant green and yellow will give way to dry, brown stalks. (Larry Burns)
Introducing Riverside Walks, a new monthly column by Larry Burns: Not Mount Rubidoux. Not Main Street. No bucket list landmarks.
Exploring ordinary neighborhoods on foot — the urban and suburban streets, parks, alleys, and slices of natural environment many of us pass through on a typical day. The goal is simple: slow down, pay attention, and appreciate the walkability and beauty woven into the dozens of neighborhoods that make up our ever-growing city.
In his debut column, Larry Burns heads to Canyon Crest, where a Cooper's hawk circles overhead, a concrete staircase leads to a permanently locked gate, and Sycamore Creek gurgles just out of sight behind three-story homes — a quiet arroyo hiding in plain view of the after-school pickup line.
City Manager Rolls Out 465 Objectives for 2026; Council Zeroes in on Homelessness, Fire and Equity
Riverside's annual planning session revealed big ambitions — and council frustration over homelessness, fire staffing and uneven investment across the city.
City Manager Mike Futrell addresses the Riverside City Council during a previous meeting. On Feb. 10, Futrell led a nearly four-hour session focused on the city's annual Book of Work, a planning document spanning 16 departments and 465 objectives.
Riverside's city departments laid out 465 objectives for 2026 — and council members spent 90 minutes making clear what they actually want done first.
Why it matters: From homelessness to fire staffing to crumbling street patches, the annual "Book of Work" sets the city's priorities — and Tuesday's debate revealed where political pressure is highest heading into an election year.
Driving the news: City Manager Mike Futrell presented the department-by-department planning document Feb. 10, framing it as a bridge while the city's General Plan update remains two years away.
What council members want prioritized:
Homelessness: Ward 6's Jim Perry wants a special meeting with state legislators on Prop. 36 funding and warned LA Olympics encampment clearances could push more people into Riverside
Housing: Adaptive reuse ordinance, missing middle prototypes, and a faith-based housing toolkit are all targeted for 2026 — but Mayor Lock Dawson wants a clear hierarchy among competing needs
Fire staffing: Ward 4's Chuck Conder says the department needs 84-85 new hires; Ward 5's Sean Mill wants a permanent site locked in for a replacement Fire Station 10 in Casa Blanca
Equity: Ward 2's Clarissa Cervantes pressed for a stalled Spanish-language Business Resources Guide and on-demand sign language interpretation at the permit center
Yes, but: Ward 1's Philip Falcone warned that 465 objectives may be too many. "I think 2026 should be less of the year of ideation and more of the year of execution," he said — and flagged CEDD's section as the most at risk of spreading staff too thin.
What's next: Council votes on formal approval Feb. 24.
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.
From left: CeeCee brings the fun, and the cuddles. This 3-year-old sweetheart has been waiting since October for a family to scoop her up, and she’s more than ready. She’s all smiles, all love, and a total meatball in the best way, whether she’s locked into a game of tug-of-war or proudly carrying around her favorite squeaky toy. And when playtime winds down, she’s first in line for belly rubs and couch snuggles. After 133 days, CeeCee is hoping her next adventure starts with you. Come meet CeeCee and all the adoptable pets at the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center in person. Stop by any day except Tuesdays, from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., or learn more at petsadoption.org. Alumni Update: Kelso was adopted! 🥳
Riverside County is asking residents to weigh in on budget priorities through a survey — open until Feb. 28 — to identify the community's most pressing needs and guide how taxpayer dollars are spent.
UCR bioengineers have developed an oxygen-delivering gel that healed chronic wounds in about 23 days in animal trials, a breakthrough that could reduce amputations among the estimated 4.5 million Americans affected annually.
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