MESSAGE FROM THE CITY MANAGER
We are entering one of my favorite seasons and the City team has been busy working to make it a special time of year for our community. There is so much going on right now in Murrieta and this edition of More Murrieta will cover a wide variety of events, special meetings, and programs that you don't want to miss, including the following:
- Murrieta Rotary's Field of Honor
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19th Annual Veterans Day Parade
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City Council 5th District vacancy updates
- 2021 redistricting updates
- An introduction to Murrieta Fire and Rescue's newest equipment
- Updates from Murrieta PD
- New Murrieta businesses
- Free shredding event
- And much more!
And while this season is filled with much excitement, joy, and gratitude, it can also be hectic and stressful. Slow down on the road, hold the door as you enter the busy stores, and share a friendly smile with a stranger as you pass. Small gestures like this often make a bigger difference than we think, especially during this time of year.
Let's remember that we are Connected by Community, and share some support and grace with our neighbors during the holidays and always.
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Kim Summers, City Manager |
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MURRIETA ROTARY FIELD OF HONOR
Field of Honor Returns to Town Square Park for 13th year
The City is proud to support the Rotary Club of Murrieta as they present their 13th Annual Murrieta Field of Honor. This display began in 2009 as a tribute to honor heroes who served or are serving in the United States armed forces, law enforcement, fire, and other first responder posts, plus personal heroes. This year’s Field of Honor will feature over 2,000 full-sized American flags flying in Murrieta’s Town Square Park from November 6 to November 14.
The display will feature flags dedicated to personal heroes and sections for Medal of Honor recipients, local heroes, historical flags, state flags, and one flag dedicated to those who perished on September 11, 2001. On November 11, at the conclusion of the City’s Veterans Day Parade (more on that event in the next article), the Rotary Club of Murrieta, in partnership with the City of Murrieta, will present the special display.
We look forward to welcoming the community between November 6 and November 14 to Town Square Park to honor our nation’s heroes. For information about the event and dedicating a flag, please visit the Murrieta Rotary's website.
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MURRIETA VETERANS DAY PARADE COMES BACK TO DOWNTOWN ON NOVEMBER 11
19th Annual Veterans Day Parade to be Led by Grand Marshal Tim Lickness
Please join the City of Murrieta on November 11 for our 19th Annual Veterans Day Parade. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Washington Avenue with the singing of the National Anthem and a flyover and will conclude at Town Square Park with the Field of Honor presented by the Murrieta Rotary. Grand Marshal and veteran Tim Lickness will lead the parade.
We hope you join us as the community lines the streets with patriotism to honor our very own hometown heroes and the men and women who have fought for this nation’s freedom.
If your group, business, or organization would like to participate in the parade, sign up at www.tinyurl.com/veteranparade. For general information about the Veterans Day Parade or participating, please contact the City’s Community Event Coordinator, Laura Frasso, at (951) 461-6110 or LFrasso@MurrietaCA.gov. |
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PUBLIC INVITED TO ATTEND SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL VACANCY MEETING
City Council Applicant Interviews to Take Place on November 8
With the announcement of an upcoming vacancy on Murrieta's City Council, the City of Murrieta accepted applications from those interested in serving as a council member representing Murrieta's fifth district. On Monday, November 8, 2021 at 2 p.m., the community is invited to attend a Special City Council Meeting to learn more about the six applicants.
Visit the City’s website for more information about the vacancy and view the applications received. |
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CITY CLERK’S OFFICE UPDATES
2021 Redistricting Process in Full Swing
Every 10 years when the Census collects its data, cities are required to reevaluate their districts to make sure that the population is evenly dispersed. The 2020 census data was released in September and the City of Murrieta is now working to create an updated City Council district map that balances the number of residents between them.
So far, the City has held one community workshop and two public hearings to discuss proposed map updates. Community Members can submit their own proposed map of City Council districts for the 2021 redistricting process on our website. These maps will be taken into consideration when City Council adopts the ordinance updating the district boundaries.
Check out the City’s comprehensive redistricting webpage at MurrietaCA.gov/Redistricting to access the live map drawing tool and find out about future public meetings. |
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MURRIETA FIRE & RESCUE SAFETY UPDATES
New Equipment, Award Ceremony Recap, and Other MFR News
Murrieta Fire & Rescue (MFR) officially took delivery of a new 1,800 gallon tactical water tender vehicle. This vehicle, funded by Murrieta’s local sales tax Measure T, will help with fire response to more rural areas of Murrieta and ensure that there is proper water pressure when fighting fires without nearby fire hydrants.
Last month, MFR conducted a long-overdue awards ceremony to recognize important milestones in the department over the past two years. Murrieta Fire & Rescue pinned 18 of its newest employees and promoted team members and honored three special award recipients. The City of Murrieta congratulates all those who celebrated these achievements.
As we enter into the holidays, MFR reminds the community that while this is a time of gathering and celebration, it is also a time of increased fires within homes. Be safe when preparing holiday meals and keep candles away from festive décor. Let's make this a happy and safe holiday season.
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MURRIETA POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATES
Murrieta PD Welcomes First Cadets and Celebrates K9 Retirements
The Murrieta Police Department recently welcomed their first-ever Police Cadets, Vincent Abbate and Ethan Stalnecker. These two young men are “home grown,” having spent the last four years volunteering in Murrieta PD's Explorer program. Murrieta PD works hard to develop a youth talent pipeline and Cadets Abbate and Stalnecker are great examples of that pipeline as they follow in the footsteps of former Explorers (now Police Officers), Kaylee Williams and Colin Acda. Murrieta PD feels confident that they will be great candidates to send to the academy when they turn 21.
Vincent Abbate and Ethan Stalnecker are not the only members joining the Murrieta PD team. K9 Handler Aaron Harwick will be selecting his new dog on November 4 and starting the K9 training academy November 8. These K9s keep the officers and the community safe as the vast majority of calls accompanied by K9s are resolved peacefully. We’d also like to take a moment to thank K9s Mick and Buck who recently retired after several years of service to Murrieta.
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NEWS FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Murrieta Welcomes a New Mexican Restaurant and VA Clinic
Exciting news, Murrieta! Lola’s Birria Taco Bar is now open. Lola’s originally opened in the early 70s with the hope of serving authentic, fresh Mexican dishes in a colorful and artistic environment. Their newest venture, Lola’s Birria, is now open here in Murrieta. Birria is a “sweet, sour, and slightly spicy” Mexican beef stew that is slow-cooked to perfection. Head over to Murrieta Town Center (40469 Murrieta Hot Springs Road) to enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine with your friends and family.
Murrieta was also the perfect location for the VA's newest outpatient clinic. The City is excited to welcome the new VA Murrieta Outpatient Clinic. The new clinic is now open in the Murrieta Spectrum (Madison Avenue and Los Alamos Road). The following services will be available to veterans at the 25,732 square foot Veteran Affairs health care facility: primary care, women's health care, mental health, audiology, social work, group care, pharmacy, nutrition/dietician, radiology, full-service laboratory, in addition to referrals for specialty care.
They are planning a grand opening this month and the Murrieta team will be there to support their full launch.
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FREE COMMUNITY SHREDDING EVENT
Come Down to Murrieta City Hall on November 6 and Shred Your Items for Free!
Murrieta residents are invited to City Hall Saturday, November 6, for our free shredding event! Show up anytime between 8 a.m. and noon for convenient, safe, and free disposal of your paperwork or other sensitive documents.
Bringing your personal documents to Murrieta’s shredding event allows you to “shred it and forget it.” Shredding personal and sensitive documents decreases the chances of identity theft, allowing you to discard old documents securely. Examples of documents residents might want to bring to the event include old tax returns, bank documents, expired policies, unnecessary receipts and bills, and more.
The shredding event will be located in the Murrieta City Hall front parking lot at 1 Town Square, Murrieta, CA 92562. Please bring proof of Murrieta residency to participate.
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YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER
Library Offers Free Museum Passes and Programs, Mourns the Passing of a Great Library Advocate and Donor
The Murrieta Public Library is excited to offer free Western Science Museum passes for checkout! Each pass is good for up to four people and can be checked out for seven days.
Our Seed Library is now in full swing! Patrons can take home seeds to plant in their garden. Seeds, soil, and other garden items were provided through a generous donation from Lowe’s of Murrieta.
The Children’s Services Department will host a STEAM event on November 16 at 4 p.m. On November 18 at 3 p.m., the Adult Services Department will offer a Necklace Making program. Each participant will be able to make or take home five necklaces.
Finally, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of the Murrieta Library’s greatest champions. Carol Carson was a founding member of the Friends of the Murrieta Library and lobbied for the formation of the Library in 1999. She was also part of the Murrieta Citizens for Cityhood, promoting the incorporation of Murrieta as a city. Carol will be tremendously missed for her great generosity, kindness, and diligence.
To stay current with what’s happening at the Murrieta Public Library and have a chance to win a prize every month, sign up for the Library’s monthly newsletter. Please visit bit.ly/murlib to sign up. As always, the staff is available to answer questions via phone Monday through Saturday during regular hours by calling (951) 304-BOOK.
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25% OF CITY'S RESIDENTIAL STREETS SCHEDULED TO GET FRESH SLURRY SEAL
Find Out if Your Neighborhood will be a Part of This Year's Slurry Seal
The 2021 slurry seal program has begun! Fresh slurry seal material will be applied to 10 million square feet of primarily residential streets in the coming months. This accounts for approximately 25% of the City’s residential streets.
The contractor is required to place flyers one week prior to the start of work in a neighborhood and notify the property owners of upcoming street closures 72 hours prior to the slurry placement. If you have any questions, please contact Project Manager Brian Crawford at (951) 461-6047.
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CITY OPENS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT APPLICATIONS
Nonprofits Serving Murrieta Residents Encouraged to Apply
The City of Murrieta is now accepting applications for the 2022/23 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) cycle and we encourage all local nonprofits serving the Murrieta community to apply. This federally-funded program awards grants to local governments to disperse among the community. The money from these grants fund eligible projects and programs that improve neighborhoods, enhance economic development, and support community development. Nonprofits serving the Murrieta community are encouraged to apply for a portion of Murrieta's allotted $590,000 in CDBG funds. To learn more about the CDBG program, review examples of eligible and ineligible activities, details about the application process, and to apply, please visit the City’s website. The deadline to apply is November 8. Email LLacasella@MurrietaCA.gov with any questions. |
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PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATES
Sponsor a Family This Holiday and Learn About Alternative Recreation Program Activities
Make this holiday season incredible for a less fortunate family by sponsoring and decorating a tree.
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Step 1: PURCHASE – Pay $25 at the Murrieta Senior Center or at www.tinyurl.com/festival-of-trees-purchase by November 29. Pick a theme then start purchasing decorations and lights.
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Step 2: DECORATE – Grab friends and family and head to Town Square Park to decorate the tree any time after 9 a.m. on December 4. Have the tree ready for viewing and judging by 5 p.m.
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Step 3: DONATE – Staff will work with local non-profits groups in finding homes for the trees and they will be donated, lights and decorations included, in your name to a family in need this year.
The public can view the decorated trees on December 4 and December 5. Trees will be judged and winners will be announced. Award categories include Best Theme, Most Unique, Best Use of Lights, and Best Holiday Spirit. Additional holiday events and activities will follow in the December MORE Murrieta. Please refer to the City of Murrieta - Special Events page or contact staff at (951) 304-PARK (7275) for questions.
The City’s Alternative Recreation Program (“ARP”) offers activities for special needs and differently-abled adults 18 years and older at least once each month. Program activities include dances, potlucks, movies, field trips, and pool parties. Most activities take place at the Community Center on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is a nominal fee of $2 per participant, but guardians or caregivers are free except for field trip admissions where prices are to be determined. The theme for November’s event is A Feast for Friends and will take place on Friday, November 12. Please refer to the City’s website Alternative Recreation Program or contact staff at (951) 304-PARK with any questions.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Turn Back Your Clocks on November 7
We are sharing a friendly reminder that Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 7. At 2 a.m., clocks are turned backward one hour, making it 1 a.m. local standard time instead. We hope you enjoy the extra light in the morning.
The twice-yearly act of changing our clocks serves as a great reminder to also change the batteries in our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Doing so ensures your devices should work properly in case of an emergency.
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Through June 30, 2022, we will be honoring 30 years of cityhood with weekly #throwbackthursday posts and a growing collection of photos and stories at www.MurrietaCA.gov/30th.
Check in often for a trip down memory lane.
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