Riverside

Riverside is the most populous city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California. It is the birthplace of the California citrus industry and home to the Mission Inn, the nation's largest Mission Revival Style building. The University of California, Riverside, is in the northeastern part of the city. Other attractions in Riverside include the Fox Performing Arts Center, Museum of Riverside, the California Citrus State Historic Park, Castle Park, and the Parent Washington Navel Orange Tree, the last of California's two original navel orange trees. Riverside is the 61st-most-populous city in the United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 314,998. Along with San Bernardino, Riverside is a principal city in nation's 13th-largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA); the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (pop. 4,599,839) ranks in population just below San Francisco (4,749,000) and above Detroit (4,392,000). In the late 18th century and the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by Cahuilla and the Serrano people. In March 1870, John W. North, a staunch temperance-minded abolitionist from New York State, had formerly founded Northfield, Minnesota. There were four saloons in Riverside when it was founded. The license fees were raised until the saloons moved out of Riverside. As a result, the first golf course and polo field in southern California were built in Riverside.

History

The first orange trees were planted in 1871, with the citrus industry Riverside is famous for beginning three years later. By 1882, there were more than half a million citrus trees in California, almost half of which were in Riverside. The development of refrigerated railroad cars and innovative irrigation systems established Riverside as the richest city in the United States (in terms of income per capita) by 1895. Postcards of lush orange groves, swimming pools and magnificent homes have attracted vacationers and entrepreneurs throughout the years. Many relocated to the warm, dry climate for reasons of health and to escape Eastern winters. There were four saloons in Riverside when it was founded. The city grew to become the Mission Inn, favored by presidents, royalty and movie stars. The hotel was modeled after the missions built along the California coast by Franciscan friars in the 18th and 19th centuries. Inside was housed a special chair made for the sizable President William Howard Taft. The last tree still stands to this day inside a protective fence abutting what is now a major intersection. It was planted by Eliza Tibbets in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt (this tree died in 1922) One of them died after it was trampled by a cow during the first year it was planted. After the trampling, the two remaining trees were transplanted to property belonging to Sam McCoy to receive better care. The trees thrived in the southern California climate and the navel orange industry grew rapidly.

Geography

Riverside is the 61st-largest city in the United States. It is the 12th largest city in California. The elevation of downtown Riverside is 860 feet (260 m). Hills within the city limits include Mount Rubidoux, a city landmark and tourist attraction. Riverside is surrounded by small and large mountains, some of which get a dusting of winter snow. The city is about a 47-mile (76 km) drive to the Pacific Ocean and is close to Orange County and Los Angeles County. March ARB, founded in 1918, is the oldest operating Air Force base west of the Mississippi River. In January 2010, singer Sheryl Crow opened the newly remodeled Fox Theater in a nearly sold-out show. The proposed many annexations were the barrio of Casa Blanca during the early 20th century. Most notable is the Lake Hills/Victoria Grove area, which would extend the city's borders to Lake Mathews, which is just south of Riverside. It was originally a settlement called La Placita that predated the city, being founded in 1843. It grew out of a colonia inhabited by Mexican immigrant workers in the orange groves, other orchards and produce fields. It includes a lovely stocked pond that is home to many species of birds. There is also the well-known landmark/foothill Mount RubIDoux, which was designed by the firm founded by Frederick Law Olmsted, which had designed New York's Central Park. The "World's Largest Paper Cup" (actually made of concrete), is over three stories (68.10 ft; 20.76 m) tall.

Demographics

The 2010 U.S. census reported that Riverside had a population of 303,871. The racial makeup of the city was 171,669 (56.5%) White, 21,421 (7.0%) African American, 3,467 (1.1%) Native American, 22,566 (7.4%) Asian, 68,111 (22.4) from other races, and 15,418 (5.1) from two or more races. 41.8% of Riverside's population is Mexican. Non-Hispanic Whites were 34.0% of the population in 2010, down from 82.1% in 1970. The median household income in 2010 was $56,403, with 17.5% of residents living below the federal poverty line. There were 98,444 housing units at an average density of 1,208.7 per square mile (466.7/km²), of which 51,185 (55.7%) were owner-occupied, and 40,747 (44.3%) were occupied by renters. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate is 7. 4%. The city's population was 255,166 as of the census of 2000, with 82,005 households, and 58,141 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,261.5 /km² (3,267.2/mi2).

Economy

Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County and the most populous city in the Inland Empire. Its economy consists largely of light-industry and generates a range of products including aircraft components, automotive parts, gas cylinders, electronic equipment, food products, and medical devices. Citrus production and packing houses still exist within the city, but the industry is in decline. American electronics company Bourns, Inc. is among the companies based in Riverside. The city's close proximity to Hollywood, combined with its many unique architectural features, has made it a frequent filming choice by film studios. The HBO show Enlightened (2011-2013), which starred Laura Dern, was also set in Riverside, and a local gay bar named V.I.P. was the setting for the second episode of Season Five of the Bravo TV reality show Tabatha Takes Over.Episodes of the 2013 television celebrity diving program Splash are taped at Riverside Community College's aquatics complex, and the Main Street Pedestrian Mall in downtown is the site of several unique shops. According to the City's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Bourn's, Inc., Riverside Plaza and the Galleria at Tyler mall. The City's largest employer is Riverside City Hall, followed by Riverside City College, Riverside City Jail, and Riverside Police Department, which have more than 1,000 officers on duty at any one time. The largest employer in Riverside is Riverside County, which has more than 2,000 employees.

Arts and culture

The March Field Airfest, also known as Thunder Over the Empire, is a biennial air show held at March Air Reserve Base. The Riverside International Film Festival (RIFF) takes place in April and features films from around the world. In October, the California Riverside Ballet sponsors the Ghost Walk, which in 2013 celebrated its 22nd year. The event is a walk around some of the city's oldest and most historic buildings, with volunteers leading tours and telling ghost stories. The Long Night of Arts & Innovation is held in October to showcase the area's talent in the visual and performing arts, science and technology from its universities, community college, school districts, and innovative companies and arts organizations. It is also designed to encourage school children to seek careers in the arts and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) by connecting them to professors, artists, professionals and performers from these institutions. The Festival of Lights centers around The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, located downtown. Decoration of the Inn begins in October and a lighting ceremony that includes speakers, fireworks, and live musicians takes place the day after Thanksgiving Day. Also during the week of Thanksgiving, the Festival of Trees is held at the Riverside Convention Center. Held since 1990, the event seeks to raise money for the Riverside County Regional Medical Center children's units including the Neonatal Intensive care Unit, the Child Abuse and Neglect Unit, and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Attracting 25,000 people per year, the event has raised over $5 million since its inception.

Government

Riverside is governed by a mayor and city council. The number of city employees increased by 23.6% to 2,686 FTE, outpacing the 12.5% increase in the number of residents. The city's crime rate has shown a drop over the past several years. Gang activity has been reported to center in the Casa Blanca, Arlanza and Eastside neighborhoods. In 2015, the Riverside Police Department was the only department whose police did not kill anyone that year. In the California State Legislature, the City of Riverside is in the 31st Senate District, represented by Democrats Richard Roth and Sabrina Cervantes. Nearly all of the city is in California's 41st congressional district, represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Democrats Mark Takano and Ken Calvert. In California's State Assembly, it is split between the 60th Assembly District and the 61st Assembly District,represented by Democrat Jose Medina. In the United States Senate, California is represented by Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla. In 2013, the city's government accounts were reported to have $244 million in revenues and $365 million in expenditures, with the deficiency made up by the issuance of long-term debt and transfers from the city-owned utilities (including electric and water). The report also indicates that over the prior nine years, the city's population rose by 21%. The city developed Project Bridge, an anti-gang program under the city of Riverside's Park and Recreation Department.

Education

Riverside is served by two school districts: Riverside Unified and Alvord Unified. The city won a $3 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2010. The Completion Counts initiative was created as a joint partnership by the city of Riverside, Riverside City College, Alvord Unified School District, Riverside County Office of Education, UC Riverside, and the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce to double college graduation rates by 2020. Two notable institutions of learning, for specified student bodies, are also located in Riverside: California School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Preschool to 12th grade and Sherman Indian High School of the Bureau of Indian Education, is for Native American tribal members from 9th to12th grade; it has been open since 1878. Riverside is home to several private secondary schools, including Bethel Christian School, Eastside Christian Academy, and La Sierra Academy (Seventh-day Adventist) The city is also home to Riverside Virtual School and Riverside Christian High School, both of which are part of the University of California, Riverside. The City of Riverside is located on the California Bay Area coast, near San Diego and Los Angeles. It is located in the San Diego Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. It also includes the counties of Imperial and Imperial Counties, along with parts of San Bernardino, Imperial and Kern Counties. It has a population of 2.3 million, making it one of the largest cities in California.

Transportation

Riverside is served by three major freeways: I-215, State Route 60, and State Route 91. The city contains three Metrolink commuter rail stations: Riverside-Downtown, Riverside-La Sierra, and Riverside-Hunter Park/UCR. Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which runs from Los Angeles to Chicago, also serves the city. The nearest airport for commercial airline service is Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California. The Riverside Municipal Airport is an airport within Riverside city limits, but it does not have commercial airlineService. It is primarily used for private aviation and is also the location for the annual Riverside Air Show. Local bus service is provided by the Riverside Transit Agency. Intercity bus services are provided by Omnitrans Greyhound Lines, Amtrak California, and a handful of small operators serving the cross-border market into Mexico. There are no airports in the city, but Riverside is home to the Riverside International Airport, which is the location of the Riverside Airport Air Show, which takes place every year in late September. There is no airport in the county, but there is a private airport in Ontario that is used by private aviation companies and is used for air shows and other events. The City of Riverside is located in the Inland Empire and the San Diego County areas of Riverside and San Diego. It has a population of 2.1 million. The population of Riverside County is 2.2 million. It also has a small percentage of residents who live in Riverside County, where it is located.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Riverside, Riverside County, California = 1. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 50. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Riverside = 5.7 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 314,998 individuals with a median age of 30.6 age the population grows by 15.85% in Riverside, Riverside County, California population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,877.85 residents per square mile of area (1,497.28/km²). There are average 3.09 people per household in the 92,976 households with an average household income of $55,196 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 15.20% of the available work force and has dropped -6.49% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 11.82%. The number of physicians in Riverside per 100,000 population = 109.8.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Riverside = 11.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 34. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 277. 92 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 40.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 18, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Riverside, Riverside County, California which are owned by the occupant = 54.44%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 33 years with median home cost = $164,040 and home appreciation of -23.28%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $9.19 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,718 per student. There are 23.6 students for each teacher in the school, 4768 students for each Librarian and 980 students for each Counselor. 7.47% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 11.44% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 8.08% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).