Volume 61 | March 26 - March 30, 2018
Thousands Participate in Telephone Town Hall
Thousands of Moreno Valley residents participated in a Telephone Town Hall with Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez on Thursday, March 29.

Telephone Town Halls are a convenient way for residents to be engaged in their City.

Instead of driving to a traditional Town Hall meeting after a long day of work, commuting, and other life responsibilities, Telephone Town Hall participants only need to register for the call - and answer the phone at the start of the Telephone Town Hall.

It's that simple.

Mayor Gutierrez answered dozens of calls from residents about everything from the City's booming hospitality industry to road improvements and plans for a state-of-the-art skate park at Community Park.

Residents who were unable to have their questions answered live during the call had the opportunity to leave a voicemail with their contact information. City staff will research the answer to their questions and respond.

The call was broadcast in English and Spanish.
New Playground at Westbluff Park Features Mobile Games
The City of Moreno Valley is proud to announce the opening of our newest playground at Westbluff Park, featuring a 14 foot tall Mega Tower and Biba technology to allow park visitors to download mobile games designed to work with playground equipment.

Westbluff Park is located at 10750 Pigeon Pass Road in Moreno Valley.

This new playground features the latest in fun and exciting play events including slides, swings, and climbers. The centerpiece is the Mega Tower - a fully enclosed play space towering 14’ in the air.

There is also a separate space for younger kids, designed for their size and capabilities.

The new playground is Biba enabled, connecting the digital age with traditional playground equipment.

To help get screen-savvy kids back outdoors and active, Biba has created a suite of mobile games that are specifically designed to work with the new equipment at Westbluff Park. Research has shown that kids in a Biba-powered playground will play longer, harder and much more often.

Best of all, the Biba games are free to download and use.

Just follow the instructions posted at Westbluff Park to download the app to your smartphone - and start playing!
Swap Zone Provides Another Option to Buy and Sell Items
A Swap Zone set up in the Police Department parking lot provides residents with another option to buy and sell items. With distinct signage and a Citywide Camera recording transactions, Moreno Valley’s Swap Zone provides an alternative to meeting a stranger at a private residence or unfamiliar location.

The area is also available for visitation exchanges of children in families with custodial arrangements.

As the number of online person-to-person sales has grown along with the use of websites like Craigslist and LetGo, local communities have seen an increase in related crime including assaults, robberies, and other thefts.

The City’s Swap Zone aims to reduce these types of crimes by providing a highly visible location in the police department parking lot outfitted with a camera.

The designated area is solely an exchange location, and the City cannot provide assurances against unfavorable interactions between buyers and sellers. The Swap Zone is to be used only for lawful exchanges of items, with the exception of weapons or any other dangerous materials. The Moreno Valley Police Department is not responsible for the value, authenticity, or legitimacy of the transactions.

The Swap Zone is located at the Moreno Valley Police Department, 22850 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos in Moreno Valley. For more information please call 951.486.6700.

Additional social media transaction safety tips:

- Use locations like Moreno Valley's “Swap Zone” to help document these types of transactions.

- Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home.

- Be particularly careful when buying/selling high value items.

- Tell a friend or family member where you're going.

- Take your cell phone with you.

- Consider having a friend accompany you.

- Never purchase anything online using your credit card from a site that does not have SSL (Secure Sockets Layer).

- Ask a lot of questions.

- Avoid meetings at night.

- Trust your instincts.
1,700 Trees Trimmed Across City
Nearly 1,700 trees were trimmed across Moreno Valley as crews finished the annual tree trimming cycle in the City's landscape maintenance districts, part of a continuing effort to Keep Moreno Valley Beautiful.

Crews also removed trees that posed a potential hazard and planted 231 new trees during the six month process.

These services are funded by the property owners within the landscape maintenance districts.

Residents Take Advantage of Free Mulch Giveaway
Residents took full advantage of the City's free mulch event on March 24, carting off approximately 210 cubic yards of mulch to add finishing touches to gardens, control weeds, and retain moisture in the soil.

The mulch event helps Keep Moreno Valley Beautiful by repurposing tree trimmings from City trees to be used by residents, diverting material from landfills and reducing carbon emissions from truck trips to the landfill.

If you missed the free mulch event, there is still mulch available at the City Yard, located at 25180 Santiago Drive, Moreno Valley. Mulch is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last.

For more information please email MoValRecycles@moval.org or call 951.413.3109.
Moreno Valley Animal Shelter Pet of the Week
Each week the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter highlights a pet available for adoption in the hopes of finding them a forever home.

This week's Pet is Penelope.

Penelope (#A483007) is a wonderful three-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. Her playful antics are sure to bring joy to anyone’s heart.


Please visit the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter located at 14041 Elsworth Street to inquire about adopting Penelope or other pets in search of lifelong companions.

Call the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter at 951.413.3790 or visit the City’s website for more information about adopting.
Upon request, this news release will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in this meeting should direct such requests to Guy Pegan, ADA Coordinator, at 951.413.3120 at least 72 hours before the meeting. The 72-hour notification will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.