A crescent moon peers through the clouds as the sun sets over Hawarden Hills. (Rosalyn Anderson) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!
Monday Gazette: March 30, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Monday! A quick update on the Raincross Gazette's first-ever candidate forums: Ward 2 is nearly full, Ward 4 is filling up, and Ward 6 still has plenty of room. All three forums are free and open to every Riverside resident.
Register today and come ready to hear directly from the candidates who want to represent your neighborhood.
Ethics, events and accountability: a look at what Riverside's city committees are deciding this week.
Welcome to our weekly digest of public meetings and agenda items worth your attention for this coming week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about.
Governmental Processes Committee
The Governmental Processes Committee meets on Wednesday, April 1 at 9 a.m. (agenda) to consider tightening the city’s Code of Ethics to cover digital communications and misconduct, and creating a new citywide policy for funding and approving special events, programs and projects.
Board of Ethics
The Board of Ethics meets on Thursday, April 2, at 6 p.m. (agenda) to hold a workshop on bans against using official positions for personal gain, review a complaint against Budget Engagement Commissioner Miles Ward and discuss hiring outside legal counsel instead of relying on the city attorney for specific matters.
Riverside Looks to Its Own History to Mark America's 250th
A summer of concerts, drone shows, murals and illuminated landmarks will mark the semiquincentennial from May through December.
A mural painted by artist Juan Navarro on a building in Downtown Riverside depicts a bald eagle over an American flag shield, with banners reading "America 250" and "e pluribus unum" and the years "1776-2026" in red below. (Courtesy of Juan Navarro)
Riverside is launching a months-long celebration of America's 250th birthday — with a local twist, leaning into the city's own history as the anchor.
Why it matters: From drone shows to a new rose garden, most of these events are free and happening in your neighborhood. The first kicks off May 1.
Driving the news: Councilmember Philip Falcone drew on the 1976 Bicentennial playbook — when President Ford shifted focus to local history amid national division — to shape this year's approach.
Riverside was an official American Bicentennial city in 1976; Falcone sees the same framework applying now.
By the numbers:250 flags added to city streetlight poles, 250 trees planted, and 250 flags placed at Evergreen Cemetery — where city founders John Wesley North and Frank Augustus Miller are buried.
What's happening:
May 1–Aug. 3: "Riverside: An All-American City" exhibit opens at the Mission Inn Foundation Gallery
June 17: First-ever drone show at La Sierra Park (a summer concert venue debut)
July 1: Second drone show and concert at Fairmont Park
July 4: Fireworks Spectacular at La Sierra Park, 6–10 p.m., fireworks at 9 p.m.
December: Fairmont Park rose garden rededicated as the "America 250 Rose Garden"
What's next: Falcone presents full event details at the April 14 City Council meeting. Civic landmarks — including City Hall, the Municipal Auditorium, and the Cheech — will glow red, white and blue from May 1 through Labor Day.
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