> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.raincrossgazette.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # πŸ—žοΈ Riverside News- May 14, 2026 - URL: https://www.raincrossgazette.com/riverside-news-may-14-2026/ - Published: 2026-05-14T12:00:49.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-09T02:13:55.000Z - Description: Illegal water billing ruling; Levantine bakery opens on Market Street; RPU solar and battery plan, electric paratransit buses added... - Author: Gazette Staff - Tags: Newsletter ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2026/05/IMG_3569.jpeg) A beautiful day unfolds at Sunnyside Drive and De Anza Avenue, where palm trees reach toward a cloud-filled sky. (Jonathan Steele) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? [Share it with us](https://goldstandardca.notion.site/13eef165d2ee80fa91c3de069cc9ec29?ref=raincrossgazette.com) and help celebrate the beauty of our community! **Thursday Gazette: May 14, 2026** **Hello Riverside, and Happy Thursday!** Looking for a reason to get out of the house this weekend? On Saturday, the Old Riverside Foundation opens five private homes β€” built between 1924 and 1955 β€” for its 33rd annual Vintage Home Tour. This year's theme, "Age is a Work of Art," ties the tour to America's 250th birthday, using three decades of local architecture to tell a piece of the national story. [Tickets are $30 in advance](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/vintage-home-tour-age-is-a-work-of-art-/18708216/2026-05-16T10) or $35 day-of at the Peter J. Weber House (1510 University Ave.). The self-guided tour runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A free Restoration Faire & Vintage Mercantile runs alongside it, no ticket needed. We have a [full look at this year's homes](#) if you want to know what you're walking into. See you tomorrow! --- Advertisement ([Become an advertiser](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/advertise/)) [![Advertisement](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone_static/169513/image/0?seed=20260514)](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/169513/click/0?seed=20260514&ref=raincrossgazette.com) --- #### [LEGAL](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/legal/) ## Riverside Billed Water Ratepayers Illegally for Years, Judge Rules Phase two of Simpson v. City of Riverside puts at least $46 million in potential refunds on the table, with a final judgment expected within weeks. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2026/05/RG-Feat-Image-Template-17-1.jpg)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/riverside-billed-water-ratepayers-illegally-for-years-judge-rules/) A Superior Court judge ruled Riverside must refund water ratepayers overcharged through an unconstitutional general fund transfer β€” with a common fund of at least $46 million at stake. **Why it matters:** If you've paid a Riverside water bill in the past four years, you may be owed a refund. The city cannot limit relief to future bill credits, the judge ruled, meaning former customers are covered too. **Catch up quick:** Since at least 1968, Riverside has transferred 11.5% of water revenue into its general fund. A phase one ruling in August 2023 found that practice violates Proposition 218, which bars cities from charging ratepayers more than the actual cost of water service. **Driving the news:** On April 20, Superior Court Judge Harold Hopp ruled plaintiffs are entitled to a refund remedy and discussed a common fund of at least $46 million, though a four-year look-back period may limit the total. A final judgment is expected within weeks. - Hopp also granted attorneys' fees from the common fund β€” a signal the court views refunds as likely. **The big picture:** This is the second time Riverside has lost this fight. In 2020, a judge ruled an identical transfer from the electric utility violated state law; the city settled for $24 million. A 2021 ballot measure meant to protect the transfer was later thrown out by the same judge now presiding over the water case. **What's next:** The city told the Gazette on April 27 it plans to appeal. A final judgment is expected in the coming weeks. [Read and share the complete story...](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/riverside-billed-water-ratepayers-illegally-for-years-judge-rules/) --- Advertisement ([Become an advertiser](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/advertise/)) [![Advertisement](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone_static/169515/image/0?seed=20260514)](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/169515/click/0?seed=20260514&ref=raincrossgazette.com) --- #### [BUSINESS](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/business/) ## After Delays, Hayet Albi Found Their Spot on Market Street The Levantine bakery and cooperative sibling to Slow Bloom Coffee Roasters has found a home in the former Beignet Spot on Market Street. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2026/05/RG-Feat-Image-Template-19.jpg)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/after-delays-hayet-albi-found-their-spot-on-market-street/) The entrance to 4019 Market St. Downtown, the building where Levantine bakery Hayet Albi and Slow Bloom Coffee Roasters plan to open. (File photo/Raincross Gazette) After more than a year of collapsed deals and unresponsive landlords, Hayet Albi has secured a home at 4019 Market St., sharing space with Slow Bloom Coffee Roasters. **Why it matters:** Downtown is getting one of the Inland Empire's few food and beverage worker cooperatives β€” plus a rare evening dining option on the Market Street corridor, with a full dinner menu and natural wine program. **Catch up quick:** Hayet Albi and Slow Bloom had planned to open together near 10th and Market. That deal collapsed after the landlord died; a second negotiation dragged on for nearly a year before falling through. The former Beignet Spot space came together faster, with an enthusiastic landlord and a nearly identical layout to what they'd originally envisioned. **Driving the news:** Founder Nizar Aridi, a Lebanese-American baker who had been operating out of a rented commercial kitchen in Upland, said finding landlords willing to lease to a cooperative proved harder than expected. - "Their listing agents were like, yeah, we showed this building all the time, but the management doesn't respond to us," Aridi said of out-of-state investment firms that own other downtown properties. **What to expect:** Morning service runs 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with brunch. Evenings β€” preliminarily 5 to 10 p.m. β€” add a full dinner menu and natural wine. Levantine ingredients like mastic, labneh, and za'atar arrive inside familiar Western pastry shapes as an entry point. [Read and share the complete story...](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/after-delays-hayet-albi-found-their-spot-on-market-street/) --- Advertisement ([Become an advertiser](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/advertise/)) [ ![Advertisement](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone_static/169514/image/0?seed=20260514) ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/169514/click/0?seed=20260514&ref=raincrossgazette.com) --- #### [GOVERNMENT](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/governemnt/) ## RPU Board Advances $34M Plan for Solar, Battery and Efficiency Programs The Board of Public Utilities backed a working group's six-project spending plan, though some members questioned whether city-facility investments would deliver enough direct benefit to customers. [![blue solar panel](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1558449028-b53a39d100fc?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHNvbGFyJTIwfGVufDB8fHx8MTc3ODcxMTkwOXww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/rpu-board-advances-34m-plan-for-solar-battery-and-efficiency-programs/) ([Chelsea](https://unsplash.com/@chelseadeeyo?ref=raincrossgazette.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit)) Riverside Public Utilities' Board of Public Utilities forwarded a $34 million package of energy-efficiency and resiliency projects to City Council, funded from reserve charges ratepayers have already paid. **Why it matters:** Riverside utility customers have been paying into a public benefits charge reserve for years β€” this plan determines how that money gets spent, with programs targeting home battery storage, low-income assistance, and community emergency centers. **Driving the news:** A community working group that met four times between July 2025 and January 2026 recommended six projects. The board approved the report with one no vote Monday. **By the numbers:** Proposed spending breakdown: - $12M β€” solar, battery storage, and efficiency upgrades at community and emergency centers - $9M β€” residential battery storage or solar-plus-storage neighborhood pilot - $5M β€” residential energy storage rebates - $5M β€” resiliency upgrades at the utility and city emergency operations centers - $2M β€” low-income and mobile-home customer program expansions - $1M β€” university research grants **Yes, but:** One board member flagged that nearly half the money goes to city facilities rather than directly to customers. - "We need to make real clear what the benefit is to customers broadly," Board Member Tom Evans said. **What's next:** City Council must still approve the plan. Individual programs return for separate approval before any spending begins. The final amount available may be lower than $34 million depending on year-end program performance. [Read and share the complete story...](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/rpu-board-advances-34m-plan-for-solar-battery-and-efficiency-programs/) --- #### [GOVERNMENT](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/tag/government/) ## City Adds First Electric Buses to Paratransit Fleet The Micro Bird G5 purchases replace two aging vehicles and qualify for state and utility rebates that offset the cost. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b3/b2/b3b29e3b-298e-485f-86ca-3034c21e3784/content/images/2026/05/RG-Feat-Image-Template-16-1.jpg)](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/city-adds-first-electric-buses-to-paratransit-fleet/) A Riverside Connect bus in service. The City Council approved the purchase of two electric buses for the paratransit fleet. (Riverside Connect) The City Council approved a $753,124 purchase of two electric buses for Riverside Connect, adding the paratransit program's first zero-emission vehicles. **Why it matters:** If you or someone you know relies on Riverside Connect for medical appointments or daily trips, the new buses replace two aging vehicles in the 34-bus fleet β€” with newer, cleaner rides that support long-term service reliability. **By the numbers:** Riverside Connect logged an average of 350 rides a day in fiscal year 2024–25, covering more than 437,000 miles. **Driving the news:** The two Micro Bird G5 buses were purchased from A-Z Bus Sales Inc. of Colton. The net cost drops below the sticker price through two incentives: - A $15,037-per-vehicle point-of-sale discount through the Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) - A rebate from Riverside Public Utilities covering the remaining qualified purchase price **The big picture:** California's Innovative Clean Transit rule requires small transit agencies to begin phasing in zero-emission bus purchases this year, with all-zero-emission purchases required by 2029\. Tuesday's vote puts Riverside ahead of that curve. **What's next:** The purchase qualifies for support from the city's Electric Public Transit Program, which set aside $1 million for zero-emission bus rebates in fiscal 2025–26. [Read and share the complete story...](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/city-adds-first-electric-buses-to-paratransit-fleet/) --- ## Noteworthy [UCR astronomers produced the most detailed map of the cosmic web](https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2026/05/11/astronomers-produce-most-detailed-map-cosmic-web?ref=raincrossgazette.com) ever made using James Webb Space Telescope data, tracing a network of 164,000 galaxies back to when the universe was one billion years old. [Martin Luther King High School junior Carleigh Rios](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/mlk-high-school-junior-wins-playwriting-award-for-mermaid-themed-one-act/) will see her original one-act play performed by professional actors at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on June 7 after winning a $500 scholarship in the Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival. πŸ“£ ****See something? Say something.** Your tips and ideas are what fuel The Raincross Gazette. If you know of something newsworthy happening in our city, please [share it with us](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/contact/). --- ## What's Happening in Riverside ### Today - [Airport Commission](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/airport-commission/18584286/2026-05-14T15) at Riverside City Hall - [History on the Rocks! Presented by The Mission Inn Foundation](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/history-on-the-rocks-presented-by-the-mission-inn-foundation/18314294/2026-05-14T17) at Mission Inn Foundation ($71.21) - [Mobility and Infrastructure Committee](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/mobility-and-infrastructure-committee/18584285/2026-05-14T13) at Riverside City Hall - [Neighbors of the Wood Streets](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/neighbors-of-the-wood-streets/16552244/2026-05-14T18) at Eden Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall - [Promise Program Wellness Workshops](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/promise-program-wellness-workshops/18303069/2026-05-14T15) at Riverside City College - [**Riverside Community Services Foundation**](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/riverside-community-services-foundation/18745418/2026-05-14T17) at Private residence ($175- $20,000) ### Tomorrow - [**Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting**](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/riverside-sunrise-rotary-club-meeting/18634391/2026-05-15T07) at Zacatecas CafΓ© - [R'Hours at the R'Garden](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/rhours-at-the-rgarden/18094958/2026-05-15T08) at R'Garden - [Orange Terrace Library | Chess Club](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/orange-terrace-library-chess-club/18728475/2026-05-15T14) at Orange Terrace Library - [Senior Tech Help](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/senior-tech-help/17755285/2026-05-15T11) at Lincoln Park ## Save the Date - May 16: [Vintage Home Tour β€œAge is a Work of Art”](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/vintage-home-tour-age-is-a-work-of-art/18708216/2026-05-16T10) at Peter J Weber House ($30) - May 17: [Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/oldfashioned-ice-cream-social/18378314/2026-05-17T12) at Riverside's Heritage House - May 31: [Oscars, Tonys & Grammys](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/oscars-tonys-grammys/18797026/2026-05-31T16) at Calvary Presbyterian Church ($10- $20) - June 1: [REEF's 27th Annual Golf Tournament](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/reefs-27th-annual-golf-tournament/18542190/2026-06-01T07) at Canyon Crest Country Club ($140- $175) - June 3: [Paint. Sip. Spark Kindness](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/#/details/paint-sip-spark-kindness/18886391/2026-06-03T18) at HRBC Insurance ($75) πŸ—“οΈ [See More Events](https://www.raincrossgazette.com/calendar/)πŸ“ [Submit Your Event](https://hub.cityspark.com/Event/Submission/Raincross?ref=raincrossgazette.com) πŸ“Έ [Submit a photo](http://raincrossgazette.com/submitphoto?ref=raincrossgazette.com) to be featured in our newsletters and social media accounts. πŸ† [Nominate a remarkable Riversider](https://rgnotw.paperform.co/?ref=raincrossgazette.com) as Neighbor of the Week.