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Dear Friends and Second District Residents,
The month of February 2022 boasts popular holidays like Groundhog Day (2nd), Valentine's Day (14th), President’s Day (21st) and Galentine's Day (which takes place on February 13th a time to celebrate loving your friends). It also has key events like the Super Bowl (13th) and the start of the Lunar New Year with celebrations such as the popular Lantern Festival.
February may be the shortest month of the year, but there are so many important days and celebrations crammed into the 28 days (or 29 if it's a leap year, which 2022 is not). It is also Black History Month which makes it the perfect time to celebrate Black culture and heritage.
Then there are the lesser-known holidays celebrating fun things like frozen yogurt (6th), pizza (9th), almonds (16th), peanut butter (24th) or pancakes (25th) — plus occasions dedicated to important causes like National Girls and Women in Sports Day (2nd), Singles Awareness Day (15th), Random Acts of Kindness (17th), National Love Your Pet Day (20th) and National California Day (22nd).
In addition to being Black History Month, February is also American Heart Month, National Weddings Month, Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Week (7-14) and more. It may be a shortened month but there is a lot packed into these 28 sometimes 29 days.
I do hope that you follow us on Facebook and Instagram as we have lots of updates and information.
COMMITTEE TO COMBAT FENTANYL ABUSE
As I shared last July, while on a family campout a friend came up to me and shared the sad story of a family which has been devastated by the loss of their son due to a fentanyl involved overdose. That brief conversation began my quest to bring awareness to this growing fentanyl epidemic and enhance the commitment of resources being dedicated to combatting fentanyl poisoning and educating the public about its dangers.
Since then, the Board of Supervisors approved a Fentanyl Awareness Campaign which I sponsored and have established a multidisciplinary committee comprised of experts working directly in the fight against the opioid epidemic. This committee will advise the Board as we implement policy for the response to and mitigation and prevention of fentanyl-involved deaths. Multidisciplinary team members include experts from county departments, such as: Behavioral Health, Child Protective Services, Department of Public Social Services, District Attorney, Emergency Management, Executive Office, Public Health, Probation, Riverside University Health System, and the Sheriff Department. Through the establishment of this countywide campaign, we are taking a crucial step forward in the fight against this epidemic.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine and about 50 times more potent than heroin. Since 2016, there has been more than an 800 percent increase in fentanyl-related deaths in Riverside County. It only takes about two milligrams of fentanyl to have potentially lethal consequences for most people. To put that amount in perspective, it takes 5,000 milligrams to make a teaspoon.
The evolving epidemic is now being fueled largely by illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Its incredible lethality has become especially dangerous as more and more illicit manufacturers are lacing other street drugs with fentanyl causing many people to unknowingly consume deadly doses.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office was the first in Southern California to file a murder charge against a person suspected of selling or providing fentanyl-laced drugs resulting in someone’s death. Second-degree murder charges against several suspects are pending.
In addition to developing an educational campaign, the committee will review current practice regarding the use of Naloxone — a medicine that can be used to treat fentanyl overdose — and assess state and federal funding that can be used to combat opioid addiction in Riverside County.
55 Hour Closure of Westbound 91 Reopened Well Ahead of Schedule
Construction crews for the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC)’s 15/91 Express Lanes Connector Project reopened all westbound 91 lanes nearly 24 hours ahead of the projected Monday morning opening.
Crews worked from 9 p.m. on Friday, January 28th building the support structure for the future connector which will provide a seamless link between the 15 Express Lanes (opened in April 2021) and the 91 Express Lanes (opened in March 2017). The weekend full closure of the westbound lanes allowed crews to work safely and efficiently. Between 200 and 300 crew members were in the field to complete the work which involved using cranes to place large steel beams and shorter cross beams to form the support structure to build the connector.
This work was originally planned for the weekend of January 21st but was canceled due to forecasted high winds. Work was rescheduled for the weekend of January 28th after the construction team reviewed weather forecasts and determined it was safe to proceed. While the project remains under construction until 2023, three additional weekend closures will be scheduled for additional support structure work. Please watch for future notifications.
The $270 million investment is a partnership of RCTC and Caltrans, construction began in April 2021. Once completed, the connector is intended to reduce traffic congestion, enhance safety due to less weaving among lanes, and improve travel time reliability between the two toll facilities.
For project details and to register for construction updates, visit rctc.org/15-91connector or text CONNECTOR to (844) 771-0995.
Homeless Solutions Collaboration
During my first year in office, I established the Second District Homeless Solutions Collaborative to address, respond to, and prevent issues contributing to and resulting from homelessness.
The collaboration has included active participation from our cities in the Second District (Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Norco, and Riverside), County, State, and Federal agencies, as well as numerous community and non-profit partners. With our shared jurisdictional touches along the Santa Ana River bottom, each of us experience unique challenges when it comes to combatting and resolving homelessness. The collaboration works together to offer temporary housing, supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness, trash removal, and environmental protection for the river watershed. We also are addressing public safety, mitigating fire, and other dangerous hazards that are in and around the encampments.
We have made significant strides forward and continue to work towards our joint goals of reducing homelessness and restoring the natural beauty of the river bottom.
Inter-Departmental Systems Improvements for Protection of Vulnerable Children and Adults
At the regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors Meeting on December 7, 2021, which took place following airing of an ABC News special featuring the story of the 13 Turpin children from Perris, who were held captive and subjected to torture at the hands of their parents, an Ad Hoc committee was formed to address concerns brought forward. I was shocked and horrified when I learned about allegations of failures in the protective system put in place to care for these children. I led my colleagues in taking immediate action to investigate these specific allegations and evaluate the ways in which we protect and provide for all those entrusted into our care.
The Inter-Departmental Systems Improvements for Protection of Vulnerable Children and Adults Ad Hoc has met and received an update from Larson LLP – led by former Federal Judge Stephen Larson and hired to conduct an independent and comprehensive investigation into the case of the 13 Turpin children – as well as an update from the County’s Multidisciplinary Team.
The Board of Supervisors is dedicated to completing this thorough and independent investigation and implementing recommended improvements. Once the results of the independent investigation have been received, my colleagues and I are prepared to take immediate and decisive action based on the findings.
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,
Karen Spiegel
Second District Supervisor
The Riverside County Superior Court is now accepting applications from qualified citizens interested in being nominated to serve as civil grand jurors for the time period July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. A daily stipend, plus mileage is paid.
Duties include, but are not limited to, investigating the operations of county government, researching matters of civic concern, and inquiring into public offenses.
For more information about the Grand Jury and to access the application, please visit:
https://www.riverside.courts.ca.gov/Divisions/GrandJury/grand-jury.php
RTA UPDATES
A GUIDE TO JANUARY 9, 2022 SERVICE CHANGES: CLICK HERE
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
VETERAN SERVICES
 For more information: CLICK HERE
COMMUNITY EVENTS
There is an urgent need for blood throughout Riverside County. Our local hospitals and blood banks are in critical need of donations. LifeStream Blood Bank has ZERO units of Group O blood on hand, and several patients in the community need blood now. Without blood on our shelves, these patients' lives are at risk.
Make an appointment to donate blood today: call 800-879-4484, visit https://www.lstream.org/, or download the LifeStream app TODAY.
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
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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