An internal investigation found two code enforcement supervisors spent years allegedly harassing immigrant street vendors, including entering homes without warrants and seizing property.
"Teach a boy to fish" — Miguel and his son Josiah make a day of it at Lake Evans in Fairmont Park, where a sizable catch made the trip worthwhile. (TJ Johnson) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Wednesday Gazette: June 11, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Thursday! Well, summer is here — or close enough. Technically, the season doesn't officially begin until June 21, but tell that to the thermometer. It sure feels like it.
We're curious: what are you looking forward to this Riverside summer? A favorite local spot you return to every year, something new you want to try, a neighborhood tradition? Hit reply and tell us. We'd love to hear what the season means to you.
'It's Toxic': Mayor Calls for Audit of City Department After Alleged Vendor Harassment
An internal investigation found two code enforcement supervisors spent years allegedly harassing immigrant street vendors, including entering homes without warrants and seizing property.
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson addresses the City Council Tuesday, calling for a third-party audit of the city's Community and Economic Development Department following an internal report alleging years of harassment of street vendors.
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson has called for a top-to-bottom audit of the city's Community and Economic Development Department following an investigation alleging years of criminal misconduct by code enforcement supervisors against street vendors.
Why it matters: A city-commissioned investigation describes years of alleged harassment — warrantless home entries, property seizures, physical altercations — targeting vendors who were disproportionately Latino or Asian, may have been undocumented, and were often reluctant to report mistreatment.
Driving the news: The Los Angeles Times reported last week on a city-commissioned investigation naming two former code enforcement supervisors, Mark Ilagan and Mark Hernandez, who allegedly spent years harassing immigrant vendors. The report accuses them of possible theft, robbery, kidnapping, unlawful entry and impersonating a peace officer. Both men no longer work for the city.
What the mayor said: Lock Dawson called the department "toxic" at Tuesday's City Council meeting and demanded a third-party audit.
"Two directors terminated in five years...recurring anonymous complaints...documented malfeasance," she said, adding the dysfunction spans more than a decade.
What's being asked: Public Counsel attorney Cassidy Bennett urged the city to suspend street vendor code enforcement, return seized property, refund fines and fees, and issue a public apology.
What's next: Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, who co-championed Riverside's 2022 street vendor ordinance, asked the Economic Development Committee to review vendor fines, fees and the ordinance itself in the coming weeks.
Ward 6 Councilmember Jim Perry Resigns, Citing Family Opportunity
Perry’s resignation leaves the Ward 6 council seat vacant until the election winner is sworn in.
Ward 6 City Councilmember Jim Perry stands along Magnolia Avenue across from the Kaiser expansion site in this May file photo. Perry, who has announced his resignation, had identified improving the Magnolia corridor as a priority. (Brenda Flowers)
Ward 6 Councilmember Jim Perry is resigning within weeks to pursue a time-sensitive family opportunity — departing before his successor is determined.
Why it matters: Ward 6 has no election winner yet, meaning the seat could sit vacant for weeks or months while ballot counting continues and results get certified.
Driving the news: Perry announced his departure Tuesday at a City Council meeting, saying a family opportunity required an immediate decision. He's served Ward 6 since 2013 and had already decided not to seek a fourth term.
The backstory: Three candidates ran in the June Ward 6 race. With no one topping 50%, a runoff is expected. As of June 9, Oz Puerta leads with 28.47%, Luis Hernandez trails with 22.76%, and Norma Berrellez sits at 22.58%.
The County Registrar counts ballots through July 2; results certify by July 10.
Yes, but: Neither trailing candidate is stepping aside. Puerta says he intends "to see this race through to victory." Berrellez says she's not conceding and is "committed to fight until they officially count every vote."
What's next: The council must address the vacancy and reassign Perry's regional posts — including the March Joint Powers Authority — once he sets a final departure date with the City Clerk.
After years of uncertainty, a legal agreement ensures the Jurupa Oak - California's oldest tree - will have room to survive for millennia more.
Jurupa Oak is a Palmer’s oak known to be the world’s oldest living oak. (Aaron Echols)
Two previous articles of Naturally Riverside featured the Jurupa Oak, California's oldest tree. At least 13,000 years old, the Jurupa Oak (sometimes known as the "Hurunga Oak") coexisted with saber-toothed cats and mastodons. It ranks among the top oldest living organisms in the world. Over the past few years, the Jurupa Oak's fate has been uncertain. A legal agreement has now made its fate secure.
How did we get here? The July 2024 article described the oak and the scientific data demonstrating its advance age. Also, it explained the oak's adaptation for long-term growth, namely, withstanding fires by resprouting into a clonal shrub of hundreds of stems in a hillside blanket nearly 80 feet long. At that time, the Jurupa Valley Planning Commission had just considered the Jurupa Valley Rio Vista Specific Plan, a plan to allow more than 900 acres of residential and industrial development in the vicinity of the oak. The Jurupa Oak was the acknowledged elephant in the room. So the Commission delayed voting, asking for more detailed studies to determine how the tree gets its water, how conservation organizations would manage and protect the tree, and what size buffer area would reduce potential problems.
Electric, Water Fees May Rise 5.7% Under Inflation-Based Proposal
The Board of Public Utilities voted unanimously to forward the increase to the City Council, which holds a public hearing June 23.
(File photo/Raincross Gazette)
Riverside's utility bills could increase this summer after the Board of Public Utilities unanimously backed a 5.7% rate hike and sent it to City Council for approval.
Why it matters: If Council approves, higher electric and water fees take effect July 1 — meaning your utility bill goes up before the end of the month.
Driving the news: The board voted June 8 to advance the inflation-based increase, calculated using regional CPI data from January 2024 through November 2025.
The proposal is a standalone action after Council rejected a separate plan last month that would have tied annual increases to CPI automatically.
By the numbers: The increase would generate roughly $603,000 in new annual revenue — about $476,000 for the electric fund and $121,000 for the water fund.
The backstory: No fee increase was brought forward for the 2025–26 budget year. Staff warned that skipping adjustments risks a steeper jump later.
Yes, but: The proposal also includes rounding changes tied to the federal government's decision to discontinue penny production. Most fees would round to the nearest dollar; smaller charges to the nearest nickel or dime. Board members pressed staff on the methodology, and officials said each fee was documented individually.
What's next: City Council holds a public hearing June 23.
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