The Riverside Record

Fifty-nine people in the city of Riverside were cited for illegal firework use during the Fourth of July weekend after being spotted by a police drone, according to a preliminary count by the Riverside Police Department (RPD). Councilmember Sean Mill said an additional 24 were cited through “boots on the ground” efforts, which also led to the seizure of 51 pounds of fireworks. In total, he said, the city cited 83 people July 3-4.

An attorney for the owner of a motel on Magnolia Avenue said he would continue fighting a court order to assign a third-party agent to take control of the property, which the city called “substandard and hazardous.” “From a practical standpoint, the citizens are losing on this,” Frank Weiser, the motel owner’s attorney, said. “We’re wasting a lot of time and money in court when it could be resolved.

The Perris City Council held a special meeting Tuesday to certify the results of the city’s June 2 special election for Measure B and establish the 1% general use sales tax as approved by voters. Stay up to date with the latest from The Record. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter today! According to the final certified results posted by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, more than 60% of voters supported Measure B, a 1% local sales tax increase estimated to bring in $18 million annually.

The Riverside City Council held a special meeting Tuesday to swear in Luis Hernandez as the new Ward 6 council member, a role he will fill for the next four years. “I’m happy that the first Latino city council member here in Ward 6 is a [working-class] resident, someone who’s lived in the area for a long period of time [and] who knows the culture,” Hernandez said.

The Riverside County Supervisors last month unanimously voted to adopt the $10.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-27. The budget, which went into effect July 1, is the county’s second deficit budget in a row. Stay up to date with the latest from The Record.

Supervisors last month raised significant concerns regarding the proposed Golden Pacific Powerlink Project, a San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) transmission line project preliminarily set to go through Southwest Riverside County. “The Southwest…has much to protect environmentally, much that supports one of the more significant industries in the region, and that is tourism,” Supervisor Chuck Washington said at the June 23 meeting.

Top Takeaways • Thanks to robust revenues, Gov. Gavin Newsom secured funding for his signature programs in his eighth and final budget. • The budget includes a $2.4 billion increase in special education funding and a $5 billion block grant for districts struggling with declining enrollment. • Legislators agreed with Newsom to withhold $3.9 billion in Prop. 98 funding, angering critics who threaten to sue. This story was originally published by EdSource. Sign up for their daily newsletter.

Every week, The Riverside Record publishes a list of public meetings — county, city and school district governance — happening along with links to the agendas and ways you can attend or watch the meetings. Use the links below to navigate to different sections. Each section is organized alphabetically. Prefer to see this in a calendar format? Now you can! Click here.

Saturday marks the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, and Riverside County officials are urging residents to celebrate safely by attending public fireworks displays and using caution around open water.

Every week, The Riverside Record publishes a list of public meetings — county, city and school district governance — happening along with links to the agendas and ways you can attend or watch the meetings. Use the links below to navigate to different sections. Each section is organized alphabetically. Prefer to see this in a calendar format? Now you can! Click here.