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CURE Program (Clean-Up Riverside's Environment) is a terrific approach to pick up trash <br />and to promote a clean city. Public Utilities effectively supervises the 311 system where <br />"One call does it all." There are new fire, library, police, and public utility buildings completed <br />or under construction. We are spending an historic high of $40 million to refurbish our parks. <br />Many professional awards were received by City departments; for the example, our <br />Building Division was selected as California's Building Department of the Year. <br /> <br />Outside City Hall, I am especially proud of the City and its residents for their support of <br />relief efforts for the Tsunami and Katrina disasters. With the help of many groups, <br />individuals, and places of worship, the City's tally was each time over one million dollars in <br />direct contribulJons. Special thanks are in order to the Fire Fighters for their boot campaign as <br />well as for the Police Department's donation of equipment to the Gulf. <br /> <br />Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful won almost every possible national award. In 2005, <br />over 14,200 volunteers took part in KRC&B activities and projects. <br /> <br />Downtown's Festival of Lights was ce-featured in PeoDle Magazine with the lighting <br />ceremony at New York's Rockefeller Center. <br /> <br />The community of faith is a centerpiece of social capital in Riverside. Since last January, I <br />have attended places of worship throughout the City. Again and again, I was impressed by <br />their face-to-face networks of trust and support, by their community building, and also by <br />their outreach to others. One important answer to why Riverside was selected in 2004 as <br />one of America's 30 Most Livable Communities is our extraordinary community of faith. <br /> <br />Two other emerging success stories in 2005 are places to eat and to walk. See the two <br />pamphlets that highlight the 25 best places to eat and identify 34 varied walking trails. (Hold <br />up copies.) <br /> <br />SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE <br /> <br />Today I want to change the framework of the State of the City. Rather than talk about <br />success, I want to talk about significance. <br /> <br />There are only a few times in the history of a city where circumstances offer a defining <br />opportunity to invent its future. It is our time, and responsibility, in 2006! <br /> <br />I will focus on how we can take charge of Riverside's future, to move from success to <br />significance. <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br /> <br />