Category: Inland Empire

The California Department of Water Resources is implementing a long term, increasingly stringent set of urban water conservation measures. These impact both indoor and outdoor water use. The programs require retail water providers like Riverside Public Utilities and Western Municipal Water District to meet specific indoor and outdoor water use targets by specified dates. For the most part, the programs do not specify exactly how to meet the targets. This allows some flexibility to water providers that may have greater opportunity for additional conservation in one area of use than in others. Lumped together, the program is known as the Urban Water Use Objective, or UWUO. The primary components of UWUO are the aggregate of indoor water use, the aggregate of outdoor residential water use, the aggregate of Commercial, Industrial and Institutional outdoor water through dedicated irrigation meters, and the aggregate of water loss. For these purposes: Institutional use includes governmental agencies, and HOA controlled landscaping. Water loss includes leaks, “slow” meters that do not record all the water that passes through them, and water taken through unauthorized connections to a provider’s distribution system. Water

Welcome to our weekly digest on public meetings and agenda items worthy of your attention in the next week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about. Commission on Aging The Commission on Aging meets on Monday, Mar. 17, at 9:00 a.m. (agenda) for regular business. Park and Recreation Commission The Park and Recreation Commission meets on Monday, Mar. 17, at 6:30 p.m. (agenda) to elect new leadership and review ongoing Parks Department projects. Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee The Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee (Councilmembers Perry, Conder, and Mill) meets on Wednesday, Mar. 19, at 1:00 p.m. (agenda) to review the 2024 plans of six different citizen commissions. Cultural Heritage Board The Cultural Heritage Board meets on Wednesday, Mar. 19, at 3:30 p.m. (agenda) for regular business. Economic Development Committee The Economic Development Committee (Councilmembers Robillard, Cervantes, and Hemenway) meets on Thursday, Mar. 20, at 3:00 p.m. (agenda) for regular business. Commission on Disabilities The Commission on Disabilities meets on Thursday, Mar. 20, at 5:30 p.m. (agenda) for a presentation from the Police Department on its

There is a house on Lemon Street in Riverside with a Riverside City Landmark (#23), a California State Historical Landmark (#1060), and a National Historic Landmark. The house was the home of the Harada family. Sumi Harada, a remarkable woman, was the family member who resided in the home the longest and an amazing woman to feature during Women’s History Month. Jukichi and Ken Harada and their young son, Masa Atsu, settled in Riverside in 1905, to find work and raise their family. Within a few years, the Haradas managed several rooming houses and operated the Washington Restaurant. By 1912 Jukichi and Ken had five children, four of whom were born in Riverside. After their son, Tadao died of diphtheria at the age of five, the family sought a less crowded residence. In December 1915, Jukichi purchased a house on Lemon Street between Third and Fourth Street but placed the names of three of his children, Mine, Sumi, and Yoshizo, on the deed. These children, all born in the United States and thus American citizens, were nine, five, and three years old at the time.

Debbie moved from Inglewood to Corona in 1968 and later settled in Riverside to attend Riverside City College and California State University, San Bernardino. She spent 38 years as an educator with Riverside Unified School District and, after retiring, returned to help update the district’s third-grade curriculum on Riverside history. Through this project, she collaborated with the Riverside Historical Society and local historians Steve Lech and Glenn Wenzel, whose support was invaluable. Her work on the curriculum deepened her connection to local history, leading her to join the Riverside Historical Society’s board as its representative on the Riverside County Historical Commission. She is also an active member of several historical organizations. Most recently, she was part of the committee that secured the Booker T. Washington/Frank Miller tablet on Mt. Rubidoux, helping to preserve and share Riverside’s rich history. What does Riverside mean to you? Riverside has been part of my family’s history since my great-great-grandfather, Johann Dietze, arrived in 1878. He taught music at the Glenwood Cottage (now the Mission Inn) and was involved with the city’s early pioneers. Learning this sparked my curiosity about

The rollout of Riverside’s driverless electric shuttles stayed stuck in Park. Ohmio had invited 150 VIPs to its Airport Drive facility on Wednesday morning for the unveiling of its three shuttles, followed by free rides in the autonomous vehicles. But those rides were scuttled, not due to technology failure but to a more prosaic element of roadworthiness. Their license plates hadn’t arrived. Oh, me. Oh. (Just saying Ohmio’s name aloud, sorry.) Every other permit had been approved, Dean Zabrieszach, president and CEO of Ohmio, told the assemblage, all seated in rows of chairs set up in the cavernous facility. But under the circumstances, he said, “We couldn’t take the vehicles out on the road without registration plates.” Everyone’s badge had a red dot with a number indicating their place in line for rides, but that was moot, Zabrieszach said apologetically. He added: “If you’re in Riverside in the future, you can arrange with us for a ride.” To illustrate my own autonomy, I almost got up and left. As a public transit enthusiast, I was there out of curiosity about the shuttles. One had been parked

The “Roll & Rally Sports Blast” brought wheelchair sports to The Claremont Club on Saturday, March 15. Casa Colina’s Outdoor Adventures and Wheelchair Sports program along with Triumph Foundation and The Perfect Step, held the inclusive wheelchair sports event at The Claremont Club in Claremont. Todd Tomazic celebrates as he scores in an individuals with and without physical disabilities game of wheelchair rugby during Roll & Rally Sports Blast at The Claremont Club in Claremont on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Denisha Davis of Lancaster learns to play wheelchair tennis during the Roll & Rally Sports Blast at The Claremont Club in Claremont on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) After playing wheelchair rugby, tennis and Over-the-Line baseball Walter Escailla snaps photos of fellow adaptive athletics during the Roll & Rally Sports Blast at The Claremont Club in Claremont on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Chris Meyer hits a ball while playing Over-the-Line baseball during the Roll & Rally Sports Blast at The Claremont Club in Claremont on Saturday, March 15

Battling robot competitions have evolved quite a bit since the days of the nostalgic “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots” action toy from the 1960s. This weekend the California VEX Robotics State Championships, the largest VEX robotics event ever held in the state and second largest in the US. takes place March 14-16 at Damien High School in La Verne. The event showcases over 1,000 of California’s brightest young engineers competing in hundreds of intense robotics matches, according to a news release. Robotics students watch as they wait to compete in the California VEX Robotics State Championships at Damien High School in La Verne on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) A robotics team practices with their robot before the California VEX Robotics State Championships at Damien High School in La Verne on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Sagacious Sea Stars 23347S team members from left Remy Katz, 15, Ella Roh, 15, and Ellie Chung, 17, all of Irvine compete in the California VEX Robotics State Championships at Damien High School in La Verne on Friday, March

The John Wayne Grit Series Pioneertown Half Marathon and 10K, a fundraiser for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, is coming to Pioneertown, near Joshua Tree National Park, on March 22. The run-walk event starts in Pioneertown, at the Wild West movie set town on Mane Street, which was a backdrop for Western movies in the 1940s. Participants will traverse the Pioneertown Mountain Preserve single-track trails, going through the Sawtooth Mountains, rocky canyons and dusty trails. “The John Wayne Grit Series isn’t just about conquering trails, it’s about giving people the opportunity to fight back against cancer,” Ethan Wayne, director of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, said in a news release. “Through events like the John Wayne Grit Series, we’re honoring my father’s legacy by raising funds for pioneering cancer programs that prevent, detect and heal cancer.” There are two ways to register for the event. Participants may either pay for registration or commit to fundraise for free registration. All registered participants receive a John Wayne Grit Series shirt and finisher mug, and all can raise funds to earn rewards and prizes donated by Nathan, YETI, Hooey

Greetings, dream weavers! Last week , we plunged into the depths of our subconscious, exploring the limitless creative potential of dreams. Did you capture the fleeting images of your dreamscapes in a journal, translate them into a surreal painting, or perhaps reimagine the “American Dream” through a creative lens? Even if all you did was follow the clouds across the sky for several minutes, I hope this dream sequence left you creatively refreshed. This week marks our return to the material world with a focus on something tangible for your mandible: a piece of hard candy. Yes, those little, brightly colored, often individually wrapped treats are a staple in every grandmother’s purse. These candies aren’t just for sucking on during a long car ride or keeping hunger at bay between meals. They’re also a surprisingly versatile tool for creative exploration. Their textures, flavors, and even the sounds they make can spark a range of artistic and sensory experiences. Speaking of sensory experiences, I recently pranked myself at my favorite downtown Riverside coffee shop, Back to the Grind. They have this decorative wide-mouthed bowl on the

Battling robot competitions have evolved quite a bit since the days of the nostalgic “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots” action toy from the 1960s. This weekend the California VEX Robotics State Championships, the largest VEX robotics event ever held in the state and second largest in the US. takes place March 14-16 at Damien High School in La Verne. The event showcases over 1,000 of California’s brightest young engineers competing in hundreds of intense robotics matches, according to a news release. Robotics students watch as they wait to compete in the California VEX Robotics State Championships at Damien High School in La Verne on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) A robotics team practices with their robot before the California VEX Robotics State Championships at Damien High School in La Verne on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Sagacious Sea Stars 23347S team members from left Remy Katz, 15, Ella Roh, 15, and Ellie Chung, 17, all of Irvine compete in the California VEX Robotics State Championships at Damien High School in La Verne on Friday, March

Pomona is tackling its biggest traffic and safety issues with a new transportation system that uses AI technology. Designed to improve safety and traffic flow, artificial intelligence technology will gather traffic data along Mission Boulevard and Towne Avenue in Pomona. “The goal of the project is to create a smarter, safer, and more efficient urban transportation system,” according to a March 3 city report. The areas were chosen due to the relative high volume of vehicles, speeding, high truck traffic, and regular emergency vehicle use, said City Engineer Arnold Dichosa. Pomona City Council unanimously approved the $10.6 million project in early March, to launch the “Pomona Emerging Transportation Technologies Project.” Visible video cameras will be installed along Mission Boulevard and Towne Avenue to track traffic, detect congestion, and monitor where accidents happen most frequently. Other major roads like Holt, Garey, and Temple could be next, Dichosa said. Vehicles head west on West Mission Boulevard from South Towne Avenue on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Pomona. The city approved a project earlier this month to improve safety and traffic flow in the area. (Photo by Will

The Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band will present “Music From Far Away Places,” a concert of music from around the world, 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, at Gardiner W. Spring Auditorium on the campus of Chaffey High School, 1245 N. Euclid Ave., Ontario. Before the concert, the Woodwind Celebration Ensemble will perform beginning at 7 p.m. in the lobby where coffee and cookies will be available. Admission is free. Countries represented in the concert include Ireland, France, Argentina, Spain, Cuba, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Korea, Japan and the United States. Guest artists are Sylvia Lee Mann, director of the Southland Symphony Orchestra and the La Verne Symphony Orchestra, and harpist Ellie Choate. Soloists from the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band will be dancer Kathy Soderlund and clarinetist Neil Vargas. Sylvia Lee Mann, who is a composer, conductor, violist and educator, is a faculty member at Chaffey College and the University of La Verne and is the pastor and minister of music at Bethel Congregational Church in Ontario. In addition to directing the Southland Symphony Orchestra and the La Verne Symphony Orchestra, Mann directs the Temecula Valley Junior

Restaurants and other food vendors ordered to close and allowed to reopen by San Bernardino County health inspectors from March 6 to March 13. Burger King, 5451 Philadelphia St., Chino Closed: March 6 Reason: Sewage overflow Reopened: March 6 Sharetea, 7873 Monticello Ave., Suite 1017, Rancho Cucamonga Closed: March 6 Reason: Insufficient hot water Related Articles Local News | The Original Pantry Cafe in Los Angeles closes after 101 years of service Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Feb. 20-27 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Feb. 12-20 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Feb. 5-13 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Jan. 30-Feb. 6 This list is published weekly with closures since the previous week’s list. Status updates are published the following week. Source: San Bernardino County Department of Public Health — Ian Wheeler

Lancer Hoops Star Commits to One More Season No matter what March looks like for the Lancers, next season is off to a good start with second-time, first-team All-WAC guard Dominique Daniels Jr. signing on to stay in Riverside. Daniels averaged 19.85 points per game, leading the WAC. We can, hopefully, watch him play deep into March Madness. If not, make sure to see him next season. His high-paced style electrifies the arena, and he may be an “I saw him when…” type of player in the future. NCAA Basketball Tournaments It’s NCAA tournament time, and things are moving fast. As of the deadline for this story, all four Riverside teams are still in their conference tournaments. Follow the links below for current progress, and check back here for scores as they come in. WAC Basketball Brackets Big West Basketball Championships Games of the Week Friday, March 14: Poly vs. Woodcrest Christian – Volleyball- 6 p.m. at Woodcrest Tuesday, March 18: Arlington vs. Poly -Volleyball – 5:15 at Poly Tuesday, March 18: CBU vs. SDSU – Baseball – 6 p.m. at CBU

Riverside Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Festive Weekend Events Riverside has a solid lineup of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations spanning the entire weekend. From March 15-17, 2025, venues across the city will be decked out in green, offering everything from traditional corned beef dinners and live Celtic music to spirited pub crawls and family-friendly entertainment. Whether you’re looking to enjoy dueling pianos, karaoke, bagpipe performances, or simply throwing back a pint of green beer with the other leprechauns, Riverside’s local establishments have created diverse festive options. The celebrations cover the whole city, from La Sierra to Canyon Crest. Riverside’s finest, including the Riverside City Firefighters Association Pipe and Drum Band, are hosting special events, and musical acts like Cillian’s Bridge and Craic in the Stone will bring authentic Irish sounds to Hangar 24. With raffles, giveaways, special menus, and themed entertainment, Riverside residents and visitors can experience the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day throughout an extended weekend of community celebration. St. Patrick’s Day Events in Riverside Here are just a few local St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Take a look at our calendar for more. Patrick Maloney’s Karaoke Open Mic