🍊 Wednesday Gazette: September 24, 2025

Wednesday Gazette: September 24, 2025

Hello Riverside, and Happy Wednesday! Does your hump day need a little something fun and new? Tonight is Board Game & Bingo Night at the Farm House Collective. Gather friends, family, or go solo and check out their Instagram for details.

See you tomorrow!

COMMUNITY

Chamber Honors Young Entrepreneur’s Lemonade Stand

Ukrainian refugee earns community recognition for business acumen.

The Riverside Chamber of Commerce will celebrate a young entrepreneur's lemonade stand with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 1. Meliia, a 9-year-old Ukrainian refugee, has operated her business along the Victoria bike path for months, impressing the community with her dedication and resilience.

Driving the news: Meliia arrived in the U.S. less than three years ago speaking no English and has since become an award-winning student and budding entrepreneur.

• Her lemonade stand, made from a storage bin and blanket, aims to fund a trip to Disneyland.

Why it matters: The recognition highlights Riverside's community spirit and the enduring appeal of the American dream.

• Chamber President Nick Adcock calls Meliia's story "a powerful reminder that with a little creativity and a lot of heart, anything is possible."

The backstory: Meliia and her family fled Ukraine six months after the war began, initially living in a Motel 6 while her parents worked cleaning jobs.

• She discovered that American children can run their own businesses, a concept impossible in Ukraine.

What's next: The 4 to 5:30 p.m. ceremony caps Meliia's remarkable journey and offers neighbors a chance to support a symbol of determination and ingenuity.

• Former city councilman Mike Gardner has organized a GoFundMe campaign to send Meliia's family to Disneyland.

Read and share the complete story...

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HOUSING

Housing Committee Discusses Mobile Home Rent Control Despite Council's Recent 2.8% Cap Approval

Committee debates further amendments less than a week after City Council set annual increase limit for 2026.

The Housing and Homeless Committee discussed additional amendments to the city's Mobile Home Parks Rent Stabilization Ordinance, just days after the City Council approved a 2.8% annual rent increase cap starting in 2026.

Driving the meeting: The committee explored proposals for transparency requirements and restrictions on family transfer rent increases, despite the council's recent action.

• The discussion occurred six days after the City Council's decision, which exceeded resident requests by setting a lower cap than the 3% sought.

Why it matters: The ordinance affects approximately 497 mobile home spaces in Riverside's rent stabilization program, including 169 permanent supportive housing units.

• Residents expressed gratitude for the new cap but cited ongoing concerns about utility billing transparency and charges for adding family members to leases.

The other side: Park owner representatives argued that continued amendments create instability and harm park operations.

• Julie Poley of the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association called the amendments "endless threats" that make park operations unstable.

What's next: The committee took no votes on the proposed amendments, but Councilmember Jim Perry suggested informal discussions between residents and park owners about pass-through charges and transparency issues.

• The new 2.8% cap is set to take effect in 2026, replacing the current 2-4% increase range.

Read and share the complete story...

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Noteworthy

Blue Zones Project Riverside offers $5 off Mission Inn Run registration with code "Blue Zones" for the October 19 run through Downtown's historic district.

La Sierra University jumps to No. 3 for social mobility among 113 western universities and climbs to No. 41 overall in the 2026 U.S. News rankings, with President Arthur crediting intentional student mentoring.

The U.S. Postal Service invites the public to vote for their favorite stamp to be reissued, with the winning design to be announced at the Boston 2026 World Expo in May.

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What's Happening in Riverside

Today

• Riverside East Rotary Club at Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern
• Stretch & Dance Class at Janet Goeske Senior Center
• 40th Annual Beautification Awards at Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
• 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

Tomorrow

• Johnny Appleseed Film and Activity at Marcy Library
• Architectural Walking Tour of Downtown Riverside at Mission Inn Foundation & Visitor Center ($21.20)
• Downtown Riverside Haunted Tours Presented by The Mission Inn Foundation at Tour Starts In front of Eliza Tibbets Statue ($39.19)
• Women's Soccer vs. Cal State Fullerton at UCR Soccer Stadium
• Trevor Hall at Fox Performing Arts Center
• Full Circle Players Fall Repertory Productions at The Box Riverside ($22- $25)

Save the Date

• 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
• 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
• October15: 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)
• October25: Aquamotion Aquathon at Shamel Park Pool
• October25: Friends of the Mission Inn Present: Nosferatu - a Silent Movie at The Mission Inn ($30- $35)

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