Friday Gazette: September 11, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Friday! Today marks 25 years since September 11, 2001, and the city is hosting an open house to honor our first responders and remember those who lost their lives. It runs from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Fire Station 1, 3401 University Ave, with a moment of recognition at 9:11 a.m. and light refreshments served. You can find more details here.
Advertisement (Become an advertiser)
PUBLIC SAFETY
Riverside to Weigh New E-Bike Safety Rules Amid Rising Injuries
The proposed ordinance would target reckless riding, prohibit e-bikes on sidewalks and city trails, and allow parents to be held responsible for violations by minors.
Riverside could ban e-bikes from most sidewalks, all parks and city trails under a broad new safety ordinance headed to City Council.
Why it matters: If you ride, sell or park e-bikes in Riverside, the rules could restrict where you go and require helmets for minors.
Driving the news: Councilmember Sean Mill says the city has logged 200+ complaints of unsafe e-conveyance use since Jan. 1, many involving juveniles in parks.
- The effort predates the Aug. 25 crash near Rosemary Kennedy Elementary that critically injured two 14-year-olds, Mill said.
By the numbers: E-bike-related ER visits in Riverside County jumped from 224 in 2023 to 958 in 2025.
- Visits among kids ages 10-14 more than doubled to 339 last year.
What's new: The ordinance would ban e-bikes from sidewalks, city parks and trails like the Santa Ana River Trail, and require helmets for minors.
- Riders also couldn't use handheld phones unless they're set up hands-free.
Yes, but: Light Parade organizers John and GiGi Arnold back stricter enforcement but say the river trail ban goes too far.
- "There's no cars around," John Arnold said, noting neighbors use the trail to commute.
What's next: City Council takes up the ordinance Sept. 15. If passed, rules take effect 30 days later.
Read and share the complete story...
Advertisement (Become an advertiser)
COMMUNITY
How John Dixon Became Riverside's Plumber
After getting laid off from his union job, Dixon built a business — and a following — on hustle, heart and hometown loyalty.
Amid Riverside's broken pipes and clogged drains is John Riley Dixon, the man behind Riverside's Plumber. Since being laid off from his union job three years ago, Dixon has built a small plumbing business into a recognizable local brand, growing a following of more than 28,000 on Instagram along the way. But his path to becoming Riverside's Plumber was far from straightforward.
Dixon was first introduced to plumbing early on through an unofficial apprenticeship under a master plumber. After four years of learning the trade's necessary skills, he decided to join a union in search of better wages and worker benefits.
During his time with the union, Dixon picked up several side opportunities to earn extra cash. From changing water heaters to fixing leaks, he began to realize the steady trickle of income these side jobs provided, which later served as encouragement to kickstart Riverside's Plumber.
Eventually, Dixon's contract with the union came to an end. More commonly known as being "laid off," the process is not uncommon in a union: when an individual's job reaches its termination point, they get placed on the "out-of-work" list until they are hired again. For Dixon, however, that would be the last time he worked in a union.
Read and share the complete story...
Advertisement (Become an advertiser)
COMMUNITY
Rosh Hashanah
Rabbi Guershon Kwasniewski of Temple Beth El Riverside explains what Jews celebrate on the holiday.
At sunset on September 11, the Jewish calendar marks the beginning of the New Year, 5787. Rosh Hashanah literally means “Head of the Year.”
It is a time when Jews gather in our synagogues to pray, meditate, and reflect on our lives and our actions—to recognize our mistakes and ask forgiveness from our fellow human beings and from God.
We also gather in our homes to celebrate the beginning of a new cycle with our families. We share festive meals and wish one another a good and sweet year. That is why we eat apples dipped in honey and enjoy a round challah, both of which have become beloved symbols of the holiday.
Read and share the complete story...
Noteworthy
International Day of Peace returns to Riverside on September 19, with keynote speaker Asma Safi, one of Riverside's Most Remarkable Teens of 2025, headlining a free community celebration at Arlington Branch Library, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
A UC Riverside doctoral student has named a newly discovered genus of Australian plant-feeding insects Swiftiephylus, honoring Taylor Swift with four species names inspired by the singer and her albums.
What's Happening in Riverside
Friday, September 11
- Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting at Zacatecas Café
- Volunteer Interest Hour at Riverside Meals on Wheels
- FREE YOGA - The Evolution of Ashtanga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR by Neil Simon at Riverside Community Players ($20- $25)
- Led Zeppelin 2 at Riverside Municipal Auditorium
- Sight Unseen Reframed Exhibition at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
Saturday, September 12
- Day of Service at Arlington Park
- Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic at Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center's Spay-Neuter Clinic ($10- $28)
- Goeske Bingo at Janet Goeske Center ($20- $100)
- Orange Terrace Library | DIY Pressed Flower Lanterns at Orange Terrace Library
- Comedy Night at The Cheech Center for Chicano Art & Culture
- ElectricFeels: Indie Rock + Indie Dance Party(18+) at Riverside Municipal Auditorium
- Finish on the 50 5K Run/Walk at Wheelock Stadium on Riverside City College Campus ($48.70)
- FREE Disaster & Flood Preparedness Workshop at Riverside City Emergency Operations Center and Training Grounds
- FREE YOGA - The Art of Vinyasa with Catherine Murray at Community Yoga Center
- FREE YOGA - Yin Yoga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- Paint Your Sign, Astrology Comedy Paint and Sip at BACK TO THE GRIND ($23.18)
- StoryTime with Tn : The Album Experience at The Box Theatre ($25- $45)
Sunday, September 13
- Welcome Back Party! at First Congregational Church of Riverside
- Prayers and Public Information Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
- Sunday Experiment After Dark at Downtown Experiment
Save the Date
- Sep 14: FREE YOGA - Moody Mondays with Cherie Amour at Community Yoga Center
- Sep 14: FREE YOGA - The Evolution of Ashtanga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- Sep 14: Interfaith Prayer Meeting at Riverside Baha'i Center
- Sep 16: FREE Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center
- Sep 16: FREE YOGA - Seated Yoga with Kristin Varner at All Saints Episcopal Church
- Sep 18: Open Mic Night at Riverside Baha'i Center
- Sep 18: Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club Meeting at Zacatecas Café
- Sep 19: FREE YOGA - The Art of Vinyasa with Catherine Murray at Community Yoga Center
- Sep 19: FREE YOGA - Yin Yoga with Kristin Varner at Community Yoga Center
- Sep 19: Magic Underground at Back to the Grind ($30- $45)
- Sep 25: Moon Festival at Heritage House
- Oct 3: Aquamotion Aquathon at Shamel Pool
- Oct 7: Fifty & Better Health Fair at Janet Goeske Center
- Nov 14: Riverside Veterans Parade - Downtown Riverside/Market St.
🗓️ 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.