Friday Gazette: June 5, 2026

Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday! TONIGHT, Farmhouse Collective is collecting gift cards, toiletries, school supplies, working laptops, and cash donations for victims of the University Riverside Garden Apartments fire — many of whom lost everything and are rebuilding from scratch. All donations go directly to verified victims. The event also features music, karaoke, food, and raffles, with a DJ set from Gabe "Bosch Man" Roth from 4 to 10 p.m. If you can bring something, it will make a real difference.

Advertisement (Become an advertiser)

GOVERNMENT

City Code Snag Delays Downtown Experiment Permit Case Another 90 Days

Commissioners pushed back after city staff notified the nightclub owner less than 24 hours before the hearing that the case needed to stay open another six months.

The Downtown bar's permit revocation case got a 90-day extension Thursday — but this time, the city is the one causing the delay.

Why it matters: Downtown Experiment at 3871 Main St. has been in regulatory limbo since early 2025 after a series of serious incidents. Commissioners essentially told city staff Thursday to move faster and stop creating uncertainty for a cooperative business.

Driving the news: City staff admitted Wednesday — less than 24 hours before the hearing — that a municipal code flaw prevents them from issuing the entertainment permit Downtown Experiment agreed to pursue. A code amendment is needed, which staff said could take up to six months.

• Commissioners rejected that timeline 4-3, mandating a 90-day return instead.

The backstory: Staff originally sought to revoke the club's operating and alcohol permits after incidents including a reported shooting, assaults, and security personnel battering customers. At the March 12 hearing, owner Marco McGuire agreed to work with the city, and dozens of residents showed up in support.

What they're saying: Commission Chair Launa Wilson challenged staff directly: "What is the rationale for keeping this issue hanging over these business owners' heads?" — noting McGuire had met deadlines and acted in good faith throughout.

What's next: The case returns to the Planning Commission in 90 days — roughly early September. No date has been set.

Read and share the complete story...

Advertisement (Become an advertiser)

TRANSPORTATION

Board of Transportation Commission: Traffic Deaths Down 75%, Speed Limit Cuts Coming

Fatal traffic collisions are down 75% compared to last year, city officials said, as Riverside rolls out new speed limits and advances a road redesign near John W. North High School. 

The City has recorded just two fatal traffic collisions through late May, compared to eight during the same period last year — a 75% drop.

Why it matters: Neither fatality involved driver error, and the city is now layering on new speed limit reductions and targeted enforcement that could push the numbers even lower.

Driving the news: Lt. Chad Chinchilla, RPD traffic bureau manager, shared the figures Tuesday at the Board of Transportation Commission meeting.

• "To see that significant of a reduction so far this year is very good and promising," he said.

What's new: About 20% of citywide speed limits will drop 5–10 mph on high-collision corridors under a Council-approved ordinance from May. An additional 36 roadways with no posted limits will get them.

• The city is launching a "Slow Down, Save Lives" awareness campaign alongside new signage, with targeted enforcement on the city's highest-violation corridors.

Also Tuesday: Commissioners unanimously advanced a road safety redesign on Linden Street between Chicago Avenue and Iowa Avenue, near John W. North High School.

• The plan converts the four-lane stretch to two through lanes with a center turn lane, expanded bike lanes, and an improved loading zone. The segment has seen 36 collisions over five years.

What's next: The Linden Street project goes to the Mobility and Infrastructure Committee. Community engagement with Riverside Unified School District is ongoing before design is finalized.

Read and share the complete story...

Advertisement (Become an advertiser)

Adoptable Pet of the Week

Meet Montana!

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.

Noteworthy

Riverside native Carter Bryant is headed to the NBA Finals with the San Antonio Spurs — and the rookie's local ties run deep, with his grandmother on staff at the California School for the Deaf Riverside and Bryant himself fluent in ASL.

A UCR researcher contributed to a Nature study finding that honeybee queens aren't made by diet alone — specialized young worker bees build custom wax nurseries with distinct chemistry and warmer temperatures that are essential to producing healthy queens.

What's Happening in Riverside

Friday, June 5

• Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting at Zacatecas Café
• R'Hours at the R'Garden at R'Garden
• Courthouse, Murals and Heroes Walking Tour at Mission Inn Foundation ($23.18)
• Painting Pets Night, a Comedy Paint and Sip at Carbon Nation Brewing ($28.52)

Saturday, June 6

• Bubble Bash at Riverside Plaza at Riverside Plaza
• Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic at Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center's Spay-Neuter Clinic ($10- $28)
• Mt. Rubidoux Walking Tour at Mt. Rubidoux Trailhead, a short walk from Ryan Bonaminio Park. ($21.20)
• Concerts: Co-Creativity in Music, Sound, and AI: Improvisation, Interaction, Composition at Culver Center of the Arts
• Goeske Bingo at Janet Goeske Center ($20- $100)
• Juneteenth-Voices of Freedom at Riverside Community Players ($10- $12)
• Mind's Eye and Lovers Peak at The Barn at The Barn
• Punchis! Punchis! Banda Rave (18+) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium
• Three Bad Jacks 30th Year Anniversary w/ Special Guests! at The Concert Lounge - Romano's Mission Grove ($20.23)

Sunday, June 7

• FREE ASHTANGA VINYASA YOGA at Riverside
• Gardening for Butterflies at Botanic Gardens
• Learn Origami at UCR Botanic Gardens
• Riverside Historical Society June Meeting at Riverside Medical Clinic - Basement Conference Room
• Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Riverside at Mission Inn Foundation & Visitor Center ($21.20)
• Friends of the Library Annual Meeting: Guest Speaker: Carlos E. Cortés at Ssgt Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanca Library Garden
• Free Summer Sundays at Riverside Art Museum
• Prayers and Public Information Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
• Storytime in the Gardens at UCR Botanic Gardens
• Vinyl & Rides at Riverside Art Museum

Save the Date

• May 31: Oscars, Tonys & Grammys at Calvary Presbyterian Church ($10- $20)
• June 1: REEF's 27th Annual Golf Tournament at Canyon Crest Country Club ($140- $175)
• June 3: Paint. Sip. Spark Kindness at HRBC Insurance ($75)
• June 5: Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting at Zacatecas Café
• June 7: Riverside Historical Society June Meeting at Riverside Medical Clinic - Basement Conference Room

🗓️ See More Events     📝 Submit Your Event

📸 Submit a photo to be featured in our newsletters and social media accounts.

🏆 Nominate a remarkable Riversider as Neighbor of the Week.