MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2014 - AUGUST 10, 2014
riversideindependent.com
Mandatory water conservation in Riverside now in effect by Vickie Vértiz
Both the state and local cities are applying new rules to water usage, in homes and companies, which means no sprinkler runoff like the kind you see coming from large apartment complexes, no hosing of paved surfaces, and no car washing with hoses that don’t have a shutoff nozzle. The three-year, record drought has worsened while water use in southern Califor-
“Mexico and California have a long and rich history of environmental cooperation, and recognize each other as strategic partners in coping with climate change challenges and protecting and preserving our natural resources. The agreement signed today will take Please see page 4
Please see page 4
nia actually increased. But on Tuesday, July 22, 2014, the Riverside City Council announced the following restrictions on water usage for all water customers in the Riverside Public Utility (RPU) system effective immediately: •All outdoor watering is reduced to no more than four (4) times per week. Please see page 2
Governor Brown signs agreement with Mexico to reduce dangerous greenhouse gases On the first full day of California’s Trade and Investment Mission to Mexico, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Mexican environment officials signed an agreement to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. “California can’t do it alone and with this new partnership with Mexico we can make
real progress on reducing dangerous greenhouse gases,” said Governor Brown. July 28th’s agreement was signed by Governor Brown, Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Rodolfo Lacy and Mexican National Forestry Commission Director General Jorge Rescala Pérez.
Father of Columbine High School shooting victim to bring “Rachel’s Challenge” to Riverside The father of a Columbine High School shooting victim will bring “Rachel’s Challenge,” a program that inspires individuals to replace violence, bullying and negativity with respect, kindness and compassion, to Riverside in a special presentation Wednesday, August 13, at the Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center. The free program for educators, child welfare officials, law enforcement and community members will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at 3958 12th Street, Riverside. Parking is also free. Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed in the Columbine High School tragedy on April 20, 1999. Immediately after the tragedy, her father, Darrell, began to speak and used writings and drawings from Rachel’s diaries to illustrate the need for a kinder, more compassionate nation. Today, Darrell and more than thirty presenters honor Rachel’s life by reaching the nation with Rachel’s simple but profound message aimed at starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion that positively affects the climate in schools and communities. Darrell Scott has shared
A very dry Eaton Canyon illustrates how dry it is in most parts of California -Photo by Terry Miller
Watering plants and lawns in a time of drought endangers our entire water supply. Outdoor irrigation accounts for about 70 percent of water use in the home, according to the Press Enterprise. Even though Riverside gets its water from local groundwater, with no snow or rain to fill those underground aquifers, the drought has seriously diminished the water source.
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