Two neighborhood organizations will host candidate forums for the three City Council races, beginning Wednesday with the Ward 4 forum at Orange Terrace Community Center.
A dreamy sunrise paints the sky over Downtown at University Avenue and Market Street. (Maribel Camacho) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Tuesday Gazette: January 13, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Tuesday! This edition brings two great opportunities to get informed, be involved, and let your voice be heard. The Ward Forum series kicks off tomorrow at Orange Terrace Community Center, and the Creative Economy Town Hall follows on Thursday. Both are chances to connect with your neighbors and share what matters to you about Riverside's future.
Neighborhood Groups Schedule Three Candidate Forums Starting Wednesday
Two neighborhood organizations will host candidate forums for the three City Council races, beginning Wednesday with the Ward 4 forum at Orange Terrace Community Center.
A Mission Grove Neighborhood Alliance sign at Alessandro Boulevard and Mission Grove Parkway. The organization is co-hosting three candidate forums in January and February for City Council races in Wards 2, 4 and 6. Editor's note: A physical address has been removed from the neighborhood association sign in the photo to avoid confusion about forum locations. See the schedule in the article for correct venue information.
Twelve candidates will face voter questions at three forums before the June 2 City Council primary.
Why it matters: If you live in Wards 2, 4 or 6, you can question candidates on development, traffic and whether Council has silenced public input.
What's happening: Mission Grove Neighborhood Alliance and Residents for Responsible Representation are hosting forums where candidates answer prepared questions plus resident submissions.
Twelve of thirteen candidates confirmed — five from Ward 2, four from Ward 4, three from Ward 6.
The big questions: Organizers gave candidates two advance topics to prepare substantive answers.
How they'll balance warehouse growth and housing mandates with neighborhood character and traffic
Whether Council has violated its own Community Engagement Policy by restricting public participation
What's next:
Ward 4: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m., Orange Terrace Community Center
Ward 6: Wednesday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m., La Sierra Senior Center
Ward 2: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m., North High School
The bottom line: All forums are free. Bring questions on comment cards. If no candidate wins a majority June 2, runoffs happen in November.
Arts Council Seeks Input on Creative Economy Plan at Town Hall
Free event at The Cheech on Jan. 15 will gather local perspectives to shape statewide arts and culture policies.
The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art will host a Creative Economy Town Hall on Jan. 15, where local artists and cultural organizations can provide input on California's first strategic plan for the creative economy. (Ken Crawford)
California's creative sector lost jobs while the nation gained them — now state officials want Riverside artists to help fix it.
Why it matters: If you work in arts, design, entertainment or creative fields, this is your chance to directly influence state policy and funding that could support local creative businesses and careers.
Driving the news: The California Arts Council hosts a town hall Jan. 15 at The Cheech to gather input for the state's first creative economy strategic plan.
Your stories will inform recommendations submitted to the Governor's Office in early 2026.
The big picture: California's $288 billion creative sector leads the nation in output but lost 2.6% of jobs between 2022-2023 while the U.S. gained 0.3%.
What they're addressing: Creative businesses priced out of California, gentrification threatening local cultural identity, and limited career pathways in creative fields.
What's next: Town hall runs 1-3 p.m. at The Cheech, 3581 Mission Inn Ave. Registration required at secure.everyaction.com. Can't make it? Virtual session Jan. 21, noon-2 p.m.
Rental assistance during the pandemic significantly improved mental health for recipients, according to UCR research analyzing California's $5.2 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program—with recipients reporting reduced psychological distress equivalent to moving from "fair" to "good" mental health and showing lower rates of depression and anxiety compared to non-recipients.
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