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Our staff is feeling recharged after spring break and used that energy to bring to you some of the communities latest news. Look below to read stories about Big City Mayor's attempt to address homelessness in the state, a protest in front of Riverside's district attorney's office, coverage of the chancellor's town hall where he addressed campus reopening with the public and our photo editor's trip to Joshua Tree National Park.
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You will also find what our editorial board has to say about Derek Chauvin's conviction and the fall of the blue wall.
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If approved, $20 billion will be allocated over the next five years to build over 100,000 homes for unhoused Californians
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NEWS: A coalition of mayors of California’s 13 largest cities are asking the state’s leadership to commit $20 billion over the next five years to address homelessness.
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If approved in the state budget, it would be the largest monetary commitment to tackling homelessness in the country’s history.
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The group, Big City Mayors, urged action during a news conference April 29.
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The district announced last month that classes will return to in-person education in the fall after experiencing a 13% decline in enrollment due to the pandemic
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NEWS: The Riverside Community College District’s enrollment struggles, along with progress in handling the pandemic, played a key role in the decision to reopen campuses in the fall.
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Community College enrollment has declined across the state throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and RCCD is no exception.
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Wolde-Ab Isaac, RCCD chancellor, said during the first of four reopening town halls April 21 that the district’s enrollment has been steadily declining since the start of the pandemic last spring.
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Community members gathered in front of DA's office to protest for the transfer of Darik Schaaf
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NEWS: A ferocious crowd banged on the doors of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Building, demanding solace for who demonstrators say is a disabled inmate.
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Protestors arrived in downtown Riverside on April 22 to call for the transfer of Darik Schaaf , a 28-year-old Black man, into a mental health diversion program. Schaaf was arrested by Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies in March of 2019 in Rancho Mirage.
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In an email, John Hall, the DA Office’s public information officer, said Schaaf is being charged in a domestic violence case with six felonies, including torture and kidnapping.
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Joshua Tree National Park is covered in Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree) which are a member of the Agave Family
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LIFE: Located about 50 miles east of Palm Springs lies a protected area of desert that is home to stunning rock formations, unique wildlife and several different types of desert plants.
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Named after its iconic trees, Joshua Tree National Park became the 54th national park October 31, 1994. Since then, it has been a hub for rock climbers and nature enthusiasts.
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This area is made up of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, creating two distinct ecosystems. The terrain in the park is constantly changing due to wind and rain storms.
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The need to end legal immunity within police departments is at its peak since Chauvin's conviction
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VIEWS: In a rare instance of accountability, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder after he kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds.
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But there are countless cases of police violence across America that have remained stuck in some stage of litigation — there, the blue wall of silence remains standing.
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