🍊 Friday Gazette: July 18, 2025
One year after Hawarden, six artists join city residency and UCR soccer opens with Big Ten games.
Public Safety
39 articles
One Year After Hawarden: What Riverside Learned—and What’s Next
One year after Riverside’s largest fire, part one of this two-part series looks at what happened—and how the city is working to prevent it from happening again.
Drone Crackdown on Illegal Fireworks Yields 65 Citations, $97,500 in Fines
New aerial surveillance program shows mixed results across neighborhoods as complaints increase.
Border Patrol Operation at Madison Home Depot Sparks Cervantes Policy Demands
Video shows uniformed federal agents detaining individuals at Home Depot; Cervantes announces community workshops, policy proposals.
Fire Crews Quickly Contain Mandalay Wilderness Fire, Evacuation Orders Lifted
The fire began in the wilderness area between Arlington Avenue and the river bottom in the Northwest corner of the city.
Riverside Police Deploy Drones for Fireworks Enforcement with $1,500 Fines
The Riverside Police Department is using commercial drones to catch illegal fireworks users this Fourth of July, issuing $1,500 citations to property owners without officers physically present at violation sites.
Budget Commission Endorses $62 Million Police HQ Plan; Awaits Council Approval
Commission unanimously backs architectural design and budget increase for Orange Street facility renovation.
Police Alert Downtown Businesses to Weekend Demonstrations
City Hall, Main Library among facilities closing early Friday in response.
Community Police Review Commission Files RIPA Report Amid Concerns Over Racial Disparities
The latest traffic stop data reveals persistent disparities, with Black drivers stopped at more than double their population share. Commissioners called for further review, but formal discussion is still pending.
Fire Maps: Riverside Identifies 'Very High' Hazard Zones
New California wildfire risk assessment places thousands of homes in danger areas as fire chief urges residents to understand defensible space requirements.
New “Daylighting” Law: What Drivers Need to Know
A new California law bans parking near crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety. Here's how it is now affecting Riverside drivers in 2025.
Regional Elected Officials Urge Riverside to Bury Power Lines Amid Wildfire Concerns
Letter urges Riverside to reconsider approved transmission line project due to wildfire risks, without addressing additional costs.
Crime Rates Drop Significantly in Riverside, Police Report Shows
Police department's 2024 RIPA data reveals double-digit percentage drops in robbery, burglary, and vehicle theft; Chief Gonzalez credits staffing increases and community engagement.