Alicia Ramirez (she/her)

Opinion | Jamal Khashoggi: What the Arab world needs most is free expression The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events.

I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.

He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...

a man is making a funny face with the words what were they thinking behind him Alt: A man saying, “What were they thinking,” with an incredulous look on his face.

Was listening to the John Legend version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and I was immediately transported back to elementary school and singing the original version as a duet with my music teacher for our holiday concert (and the rest of the choir as backup singers) 🫠

Housing + Private Equity = A recipe for profit over people.

As urgency grows around housing and affordability, we peel back the curtain on an issue impacting hundreds of Detroit residents: housing as a digital investment asset.
https://bit.ly/4o1ISIg

A laptop on a table with a coffee at a coffee shop.

Office hours happening now until 3:30 p.m. at Back to the Grind in downtown Riverside!

Stop by and say hi!

Grabbing lunch and I have an interview at 1 p.m. for a story I’m working on, but will be at Back to the Grind after that for office hours until 3:30 p.m.

Took a bit, but board member comments are finished. We are adjourning in memory of John Bliss, who died October 26, and Cathedral City Councilmember Mark Carnevale, who died Sunday.

We’ve made it to closed session. There is no expected action.

And it seems we have more than seven speakers.

Eighth speaker brings forward concerns about election integrity.

Ninth speaker comes up in support of those bringing concerns about election integrity to the board.

Final speaker comes up to talk about issues with Spanish language interpretation.

Fourth speaker also brings forth concerns about election integrity here in the county.

Fifth speaker is also speaking about concerns about election integrity.

Sixth speaker has a question about the animal disposal contract.

Seventh speaker brings up issues with flooding in Lake Elsinore.

We’ve got seven public speakers, all in person today.

First speaker is upset about Mead Valley resident trying to stop development from coming into community.

Second speaker has concerns about election integrity here in Riverside County.

Third speaker has concerns about the AD63 special election.

Item 22.1 is an initiation of foundation component GPA in the Thousand Palms Zoning District to change two parcels of land from Rural: Rural Residential to Rural Community: Low Density Residential to allow a 26-lot subdivision.

No public speakers. Two letters of opposition.

Approved unanimously.

Item 21.10 and 21.11 are public hearings on the distribution of excess proceeds from tax sales.

No public comment.

Items approved unanimously as recommended.

Item 21.9 is a public hearing on a street name change from Schuff Circle to Corte Salvia in the Santa Rosa area.

No public comment.

Item approved as recommended.

And another consolidated public hearing for Items 21.1-21.8, which are all fee changes for a number of ordinances enforced by the sheriff’s office, including regulations on public dance halls, fortune telling and bingo games among others.

No public comment.

All approved unanimously as recommended.

Moving onto public hearings:

First up is a consolidated public hearing for Items 14.4, 15.2, 16.1 and 21.1, which are all about fixing the employer contribution under the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act.

No public comments, and all are approved as recommended.

Item 3.57 was pulled by Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez recused himself from the vote because he owns property near the project site.

Item approved as recommended.

And we are done with consent. Should note: Item 3.11 is actually in District 4, and Item 3.52 was continued to December 9.

Item 3.10, pulled by the public, for a 5-year, $1.5M (+$150K contingency) contract for collection and disposal of deceased animals.

Speaker says the county is not doing enough to save animals.

Mary Martin, animal services director, says county is doing all it can.

Contract approved unanimously

Onto item 3.6, pulled by Supervisor Jose Medina, for a 5-year, $750,000 (+$75,000 contingency) contract with Avantpage for Spanish interpretation services.

Medina flagged the item to ask how recent concerns about accuracy are going to be handled going forward.

Board unanimously approves contract.

Next up: Consent calendar approved unanimously aside from items pulled and those needing separate votes.

First up is Item 2.2, a legislative report, pulled by Supervisor Karen Spiegel. An update on legislative wins for the county is given, and the board unanimously votes to receive and file.

Supervisor Karen Spiegel talking about the importance of small businesses for communities.

Starting today with a presentation for Small Business Saturday, which is set for November 29 this year.

According to Director of Economic Development Suzanne Holland, 97% of businesses in Riverside County are small businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

Adriana, a 4-year-old female shepherd mix smiling for the camera

Today’s special guest is Adriana (A1871072), a 4-year-old female shepherd mix who is well mannered, very friendly and has been at the shelter for more than 100 days.

She’s available for adoption at the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter at 6851 Van Buren Blvd. in Jurupa Valley.

An empty dais ahead of a meeting

It’s Tuesday, which means I’m back at the Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Follow along here: riversidecountyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Det...

The downtown Riverside Metrolink station decorated for the holidays

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas 🎄

Larry Summers tells @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”

He will continue teaching.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

offer stands

a cartoon character is playing frisbee in a park with the number 2 on the bottom of the screen ALT: a cartoon character is playing frisbee in a park with the number 2 on the bottom of the screen

TFW you’ve made it a point to cultivate relationships and friendships with non-journalists, but now you have nobody to gossip with about tonight’s revelations

Amazing day to be a political writer without steady income.

unfortunately “Aaron Sorkin’s Scenes from a Marriage” is exactly what we deserve as a nation

CPB agrees to revive a $36 million deal with NPR killed after Trump's pressure The Corporation for Public Broadcasting agreed Monday to fulfill a $35.9 million, multi-year contract with NPR that it had yanked after pressure from the Trump White House.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting agreed Monday to fulfill a $35.9 million, multi-year contract with NPR that it had yanked after pressure from the Trump White House.

Johnson vows to veto any budget that includes a property tax increase or makes cuts to the proposed $2.1 billion for the Chicago Police Department.

CONTEXT: No one has seriously proposed either.

Days until the Dec. 30 deadline for the City Council to pass a budget: 43

Eastvale Moves Forward With Unified Marketing Logo Project The Eastvale City Council last week unanimously voted to create a unified city marketing logo that can be used in collaboration with local community partners.

The Eastvale City Council last week unanimously voted to create a unified city marketing logo that can be used in collaboration with local community partners.
riversiderecord.org/eastvale-mov...