Families can enter the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival for free by recycling at the gate. The Riverside County Department of Waste Resources is offering this special recycling collection day to fairgoers to increase the awareness about the importance of properly recycling hazardous household products.

A summit to help small business owners and entrepreneurs access resources that can help create and expand jobs will convene in two weeks at Riverside County’s administrative center in Riverside.

With several days of rain expected this week, Riverside County today (1/5) activated its emergency operations center through Friday. The precaution, in addition to keeping emergency responders on alert, also reminds residents to be serious about preparing for potential El Nino storms in order to protect their families.

More than 30,000 marijuana plants have been eradicated since July, when Riverside County began enforcing its new ban on marijuana cultivation. Sheriff’s and code enforcement teams have responded to more than 500 marijuana grows, the vast majority in two supervisorial districts in western Riverside County.

The Riverside County Department of Waste Resources has scheduled a free household hazardous waste collection event on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 11 and 12) in Indio at the Date Festival Fairgrounds. The collection is open to all Riverside County residents.

Following the shooting today in San Bernardino, Riverside County sheriff’s officials were placed on high alert and ambulances from Riverside County responded to help care for victims.

Riverside County health officials successfully concluded a week-long, statewide emergency response drill on Friday, Nov. 20.

With the approach of El Nino the County and City of Riverside have provided funding for additional beds with Path of Life Ministries Community Shelter to help those who are living in their cars or on the streets during the winter season.

Riverside County will participate next week in a hazardous-material response drill along with numerous state and federal agencies. The drill provides practice for teams responding after a substance that is a potential bio-hazard is detected in multiple locations.

The Riverside County Department of Waste has scheduled a free household hazardous waste collection event on Saturday (Nov. 14) in Blythe at the county administration center. The event is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. and is open to all Riverside County residents.