Board votes down proposed cannabis outlet in Coronita
Defense rests in trial of man accused in Tour de Palm Springs death
Pg 18
Pg 31
Thursday, May 11-May 17, 2023
Local. Relevant. Trusted.
VOL. 7,
NO. 120
Report: Number of homeless in Riverside County rises 12% By City News Service
R
iverside County's homeless population increased 12% last year, with the number of unsheltered people accounting for the higher total — prompting a member of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to say the county needs to "work harder" to find solutions. "The next step is thinking outside the box ... digging deep and wide in finding resources," Supervisor Karen Spiegel said. "These numbers tell a story. We have to work as a full county, not just in our districts, with this element. We have to work harder on that."
The County Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions presented its findings from the 2023 Point-In-Time homeless survey, conducted at the end of January, and the results estimated the countywide homeless population to be 3,725, compared to 3,316 recorded during the 2022 count. The number of chronically homeless people who are unsheltered was 2,441, while the sheltered total was 1,284, according to the PIT report. The latter figure dropped 4% year over year, while the unsheltered number shot up 23%.
According to HWS Director Heidi Marshall, there was a 21% increase in the number of people surveyed who were experiencing first-time homelessness. Other worrisome signs were a 12% increase in the number of homeless people with children, and a 31% increase in the number of homeless military veterans, Marshall said. "Increases in homelessness can be attributed to multiple economic and social factors, such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, increasing rental costs and low vacancy rates, community and family
Supervisors voice opposition to state's planned closure of Blythe prison
Supervisor Karen Spiegel speaks with a homeless man during the 2023 Point-In-Time census. | Photo courtesy of Riverside County
breakdown and physical and mental health challenges," according to the PIT report. "Of the unsheltered individuals surveyed, 27%
T
See Blythe prison Page 32
followed at 12%." The lack of affordable living space remains See Homeless Page 31
Riverside Youth Council, city officials honor 2023's Most Remarkable Teens By Staff
By City News Service he planned closure of Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe would be "devastating" to the community and should be tabled in preference to a full closure of the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, according to a resolution approved Tuesday by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. "I wouldn't normally be trying to keep prisons open, but this is the economic lifeblood of the city of Blythe," said Supervisor Manuel Perez, whose 4th District encompasses the Palo Verde Valley. "There's a lot of support to keep it open. The city is losing population on a yearly basis. There's a lack of economic development in the area. There are just so many reasons why this prison should still be open." The board unanimously directed that its opposition to the planned March 2025 closure be conveyed to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the governor's office. The CDCR announced in December that Chuckawalla and the leased CoreCivic prison in California City were slated for shutdown. The CRC in Norco, meanwhile, was listed as one of a half-dozen correctional facilities where piecemeal or partial deactivations are planned. The CDCR said the changes were associated with the state budget process "with an eye toward fiscal responsibility." Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin and Sheriff Chad Bianco last month voiced opposition to any closures statewide given the crime epidemic and the overcrowded conditions in counties' jail facilities, where they said offenders are routinely turned loose
reported family disruption as the primary factor for their homelessness, lack of income fell second at 19%, and unemployment
T
he Riverside Youth Council on Tuesday recognized this year's 25 Most Remarkable Teens during a ceremony at City Hall. The program and annual event spotlights Riverside's young residents in grades 8-12 "for their excellence in academics, athletics, arts and culture, community involvement, leadership, courage to overcome, acts of valor, or any other remarkable accomplishments," Riverside officials said in a statement announcing the 2023 honorees. "The applications are carefully reviewed, deliberated, and then selected by the Youth Council."
From left, Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson; Frida Campos, a senior at Arlington High School and one of 2023's 25 Most Remarkable Teens; and Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. | Photo courtesy of the city of Riverside
The Youth Council was established in 2004 by the mayor and city council and currently receives mentorship from Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson and the Riverside
Police Department, according to the city. The Most Remarkable See Remarkable Teens Page 18