Tuesday Gazette: September 23, 2025
Hello Riverside, and Happy Tuesday! Today is Great American Pot Pie Day. While it might feel a little warm outside to turn on the oven, it’s still a perfect excuse to make this classic comfort food. A stop at the Magnolia Avenue Farmers Market for fresh veggies can turn your pot pie into a seasonal delight. Even in summer temps, it’s hard to beat that golden crust and hearty filling.
See you tomorrow!
HOUSING
Riverside May Have Escaped New Housing Regulations - for Now
City planners believe transit development mandates don’t apply locally, but uncertainty remains as state pressure for infill housing intensifies.
Senate Bill 79, which overrides local zoning near transit stations, may not apply to the City due to county-level thresholds in the legislation.
Driving the news: City planners believe the law's requirements for counties to have at least 15 passenger rail stations and individual stations serving 48 trains daily aren't met locally.
- This could exempt the City from mandates allowing buildings up to seven stories within a half-mile of Metrolink stations.
Why it matters: The City faces one of California's most challenging housing situations, with rising home prices pushing families to distant communities.
- Geographic constraints make infill development essential but contentious, especially in historic neighborhoods crucial to tourism and community identity.
The big picture: California's housing shortage has prompted increasingly aggressive state intervention in local planning decisions.
- Other recent reforms, like AB 130 and SB 131, still affect the City by streamlining environmental review for infill housing projects.
What's next: City planning staff caution their interpretation remains preliminary and subject to further legal analysis.
- The City is preparing for future development pressure regardless, considering a pilot program to transfer housing density to areas better equipped for growth.
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COMMUNITY
Small Escapes: Riverside's Micro Luxury Spots
From historic hotel lounges to palm-lined drives, the city offers accessible alternatives to expensive wellness retreats.
Self-care has become cultural shorthand for the ways we try to find breathing room in busy lives. While the concept often gets attached to expensive getaways and luxury treatments, genuine respite can happen in much smaller moments.
Riverside offers micro luxuries and tiny pilgrimages that provide real restoration without requiring weekend plans or significant expense. The city's combination of historic spaces, natural areas, and neighborhood institutions creates opportunities for brief interludes that shift perspective and offer genuine calm.
These aren't elaborate wellness experiences but rather ordinary places approached with intention. A library mezzanine becomes a quiet refuge. A familiar taco shop transforms into a grounding ritual. A palm-lined drive shifts from routine commute to contemplative journey.
The key lies in recognizing that meaningful respite often happens through small, repeated acts of attention. Riverside provides settings for these brief escapes, accessible to anyone willing to slow down long enough to notice them.
Read and share the complete guide..
GOVERNMENT
Riverside Introduces New AI Assistant to Website
Rivy helps navigate the City’s expansive online services.
The City of Riverside has introduced an AI chatbot named Rivy to its website, aiming to provide residents with quick access to city information and services. While Rivy excels in certain areas, it falls short in others, highlighting both the potential and limitations of AI in local government.
Driving the news: Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson touts Rivy as a 24/7 resource for residents to access city information and services without phone calls or in-person visits.
- Rivy's performance was tested with a diverse range of questions about Riverside.
Why it matters: AI chatbots like Rivy are becoming increasingly common in local government, promising to streamline access to information and services for residents.
The big picture: Rivy demonstrates strong knowledge in specific city-related areas, such as Riverside's history and public art locations.
- However, it struggles with broader queries about current events or urgent situations.
What's next: Mayor Dawson emphasizes the need for careful planning and community trust to ensure AI tools like Rivy bring tangible benefits to residents.
- For now, Rivy serves as a starting point for simple queries but cannot replace human assistance for complex issues.
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Noteworthy
The City invites residents to shape the city's growth through 2050 at an October 9th workshop at La Sierra University, where community input will guide land use, climate resilience, and development priorities for the General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan.
UCR computer scientists unveiled 14 network vulnerabilities and exposed 2 million misconfigured firewalls through federally funded research that includes automated detection tools and AI privacy breakthroughs presented at top cybersecurity conferences.
California's new notarization requirement for trespass forms brings free police workshop September 24 where property owners can update their authorization documents to help law enforcement prevent loitering, vandalism, and encampments on vacant or commercial properties. For more information contact the Ward 5 office at (951) 826-5328 or emailWard5@RiversideCA.Gov.
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What's Happening in Riverside
Today
- Family Storytime at Riverside Public Library | Marcy Branch
- Women's Volleyball vs. UC Davis at Johnson Family Practice Center
- Inland Empire Chorus Rehearsal at Temple Beth El Synagogue
- Tuesday Karaoke at The Hideaway
Tomorrow
- Riverside East Rotary Club at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
- Stretch & Dance Class at Janet Goeske Senior Center
- Bordwell Park Advisory Committee at Stratton Community Center
- Community Police Review Commission at Riverside City Hall
- Museum of Riverside Board at Riverside City Hall
- Labor of Love: Our Power is Our People at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
- Free Reading Assistance Program at My Learning Studio
- Riverside Mission Belles at Victoria Presbyterian Church
- Beginning Square Dance Lessons w/Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center ($5- $7)
- Riverside Open Mic Music Series at Back to the Grind
Save The Date
- September 24: Beginning Square Dance Lessons with Line Dancing at Cowtown Square Dance Center ($5- $7)
- September 25: Full Circle Players Fall Repertory Productions at The Box Riverside ($22- $25)
- September 26: Concert Under the Stars at Private Residence ($200)
- September 28: Free Christian Art Exhibit: Icons in Transformation at Immanuel Lutheran Church
- October 1: Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Meliia's Lemonade Stand at Corner of Jane and Victoria (6705 Victoria Ave.)
- October 4: Tombstone Cinema: Hocus Pocus 2 at Evergreen Memorial Historic Cemetery ($15)
- October 5: Local History Book Fair and Silent Auction at Riverside City Hall
- October 6: Moon Festival at Heritage House
- October 15: Fifty & Better Health Fair at Janet Goeske Center
- October 18: Pink on Parade Breast Cancer Awareness Walk at Ryan Bonaminio Park ($22.20 - $32.80)
- October 18: The Riverside Citrus Classic Bike Ride at Riverside Plaza ($15- $80)
- October 25: Aquamotion Aquathon at Shamel Park Pool
- October 25: Friends of the Mission Inn Present: Nosferatu - a Silent Movie at The Mission Inn ($30- $35)
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