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Dear Friends and Second District Residents,
The hands on the clock of time are always turning. It can sometimes feel as though the hours, days and years are slipping away from us. While we cannot stop time from marching on, we can strive to live each precious moment to its fullest. We are given 86,400 seconds, 1440 minutes, 24 hours each day to enjoy the world around us, appreciate all that we have, and to spend shaping our dreams and turning them into accomplishments.
November marks the commemoration of Veterans Day, a celebration to honor American veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died for their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge and appreciate their contributions to our national security and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty.
This month is also the season of Thanksgiving and gratitude, enjoying holiday meals with friends, family and loved ones. A time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. A time for holiday parades and giant balloons, football games, community activities and helping others. We appreciate all that we have, but we also need to be thankful that we don’t already have everything we want.
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you’ve made a difference.
It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
~Author Unknown
The Riverside County Second District Supervisor’s office Staff are available Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to assist you. You can reach my office by calling (951) 955-1020 or by emailing District2@rivco.org and staff will assist you promptly.
I encourage you to stay connected by joining District 2 on Facebook @SupervisorKarenSpiegel or Twitter @SupKarenSpiegel and Instagram @SupervisorKarenSpiegel
I hope you enjoy this e-newsletter. Please reach out to my office if we may be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Board Chair Karen Spiegel
Second District Supervisor
Riverside County Redistricting FAQs
What is Redistricting?
Redistricting is the process of redrawing districts for each government body that uses district elections, including the U.S. House of Representatives, State Legislatures, County Boards of Supervisors, City Councils, School Boards, and Special Districts (e.g., water or sewer districts).
Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census, districts are redrawn to ensure that each local, state and federal lawmaker represents about the same number of people.
Redistricting in Riverside County:
In Riverside, the Board of Supervisors is responsible for deciding supervisorial districts. Redistricting is done using U.S. Census data, which was released mid-August 2021. For the County of Riverside, the redistricting process must be completed by December 15, 2021.
What criteria will our Board of Supervisors use when drawing district lines?
To the extent practicable, district lines will be adopted using the following criteria:
- Equal population
- Federal and state law, including the Voting Rights Act
- Geographic continuity
- Preserve communities of interest
- Respect geographic integrity
- Boundaries shall be easily identified by residents
- Geographic compactness
To read more, click here.
What do the existing supervisorial districts look like?
District 1: Kevin Jeffries (View current district map here.)
District 2: Karen Spiegel (View current district map here.)
District 3: Chuck Washington (View current district map here.)
District 4: V. Manuel Perez (View current district map here.)
District 5: Jeff Hewitt (View current district map here.)
Why does redistricting matter to me?
The 2020 Census data for Riverside County shows population shifts creating an unequal representation within the county’s current 2011 supervisorial districts. Redistricting involves the adjustment of boundaries that may be necessary to maintain a substantially equal population between districts.
Redistricting determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing a board member.
You have an opportunity to share with the Board of Supervisors how you think district boundaries should be drawn to best represent your community.
Community members can submit feedback online, including suggested district lines, to help inform Riverside County in creating the new districts.
Visit the online feedback tool here.
Where can I see maps of the proposed new district boundaries?
Click here to see draft redistricting maps with citizen voting age population (CVAP) data.
When is the next redistricting public hearing?
The upcoming public hearings will be held during the regularly scheduled board meetings on:
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Tuesday, Nov. 9, and
- Tuesday, Nov. 16
Where: County Administrative Center, Board Chambers 4080 Lemon Street, 1st Floor Riverside, CA 92501
Time: 9:30 a.m. (subject to board agenda)
To watch the public hearing live, visit www.RivCoTV.org.
RTA UPDATES
RTA Announces New CEO
Riverside County native Kristin Warsinski takes leadership of the Agency
Kristin Warsinski will be Riverside Transit Agency’s (RTA) new chief executive officer, filling a position currently held by Larry Rubio who has held the title since 2001.
The RTA Board of Directors unanimously approved Warsinski as the Agency’s new leader during their meeting on October 28.
Warsinski officially assumes her new role on December 31.
Warsinski will take leadership of an organization that looks to rebound from the pandemic by building ridership, continuing to make good use of taxpayer dollars, focusing on equitable service and fostering healthy bonds with the community. Several ambitious projects are already in the works, including the creation of a transit hub in Riverside, the launch of microtransit service in San Jacinto and Hemet, and the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet.
“I am truly honored and humbled to lead the best transit agency in the nation,” Warsinski said. “RTA has a proud history of serving the community and providing world-class transportation for the people of Riverside County. I look forward to building on that momentum and partnering with our talented employees and community partners to provide an exceptional service that our customers can be proud of in the weeks, months and years ahead.”
A Riverside County native, Warsinski has more than a decade of service in the public transit industry. As RTA’s director of planning, she oversaw the development of RTA’s routes and schedules, short-range transit plans, and grant applications from federal, state and local sources. Warsinski also spearheaded RTA’s Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan, an ambitious blueprint for converting RTA’s entire fleet to hydrogen-powered buses. She also led the Agency through the Transportation Development Act and Federal Transportation Administration triennial audits, both of which resulted in perfect reviews, ensuring the Agency’s ongoing competitiveness in acquiring future grant money.
Since her arrival to RTA more than six years ago, Warsinski has also served as grants manager and planning and programming specialist. Prior to RTA, she held various administrative positions with the City of Beaumont. She has a master’s degree in public administration from California Baptist University and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from UC Irvine.
Public service runs in her family. In fact, Warsinski is the second-generation daughter of a career city government executive — something that she credits for helping familiarize her with the innerworkings of the public sector, the fine art of business management and the importance of having empathy for constituents. “I am excited to keep the Agency’s mission alive, its core values in the forefront and its employees challenged, focused and inspired,” she said. “I will work tirelessly to maximize our success as we enter a future ripe with possibility.”
Linda Krupa, Hemet City Councilmember and Chair of the RTA Board of Directors, said Warsinski will bring a fresh perspective and a unique level of expertise to the Agency.
“Kristin Warsinski brings the necessary leadership experience and skills to guide and implement RTA’s service goals for years to come,” Krupa said. “This is an exciting time for public transportation as we all work to recover from the pandemic and look to rebuild, inspire and give our customers more reasons to ride the bus.”
FARMERS MARKETS IN THE AREA
As the summer season heats up, so does the popularity of Farmers Markets. We are pleased to share the following information on Farmers Markets located throughout the Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley and Riverside areas. Enjoy!
 Looking for some Friday night fun? Come and hang out at the Eastvale Farmers Market, every Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the New Day Christian Church: 7155 Hamner Ave., Eastvale CA 92880.
Fresh produce, farm fresh eggs, freshly baked bread, microgreens, farm fresh honey and MUCH MORE!! For more information or on how to become a vendor, please email: eastvalefarmersmarket@gmail.com
COMMUNITY EVENTS
 On Thursday, November 11th 2021 starting at 10am at George A. Ingalls Veterans Memorial Plaza, the City of Norco and the George A. Ingalls Veterans Memorial Executive Committee invite you to attend the upcoming Veterans Day Ceremony featuring Keynote Speaker Senator Melissa Melendez. During the ceremony, the City of Norco will honor all who have served and will enshrine USMC Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui and USN SK3 Donald Dee Allinder on the “Lest We Forget” Wall, which honors Norconians who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation. For more information, contact the Community Services Department at (951) 270-5632 or events@ci.norco.ca.us.
 
HIGHGROVE MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL (MAC) BOARD MEMBER POSITIONS - APPLY NOW!
Are you interested in what’s going on in the community of Highgrove? If you live within the unincorporated community of Highgrove, be sure to apply for two (2) Alternate Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) positions . Get to know your Sheriff Deputies, Code Enforcements Officers, School Board Members, Animal Control Specialists and more! Interested parties may apply online at www.rivcodistrict2.org under Boards-Committees & Commissions.
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