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Greetings!
The City of Temecula wishes you a very Happy New Year and a joyous 2025. In my final message of 2024, I will touch on three important topics of interest:
1. Each year, City Council appointments become effective on January 1. (Look for 2025 Mayor / Mayor Pro Tem titles in the photos above, starting in January.)
On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, during the final Temecula City Council meeting of the year, 2024 Mayor Pro Tem Brenden Kalfus was appointed unanimously by the City Council to serve as Mayor of Temecula for 2025 and Council Member Jessica Alexander was appointed unanimously to serve as Temecula’s 2025 Mayor Pro Tem. Council Member Zak Schwank and 2024 Mayor James “Stew” Stewart were appointed respectively to serve as 2025 President and Vice President for the Temecula Community Services District. We also welcome back Council Member Matt Rahn who won his election and was sworn in along with his re-elected council member colleagues, James “Stew” Stewart and Jessica Alexander. Congratulations to all! For more information click here.
2. E-Bike Safety.
The City began and will conclude 2024 focused on educating parents and students about e-bike / e-motorcycle safety. The City's messaging, education and enforcement will continue in 2025, and beyond, as the rise in e-bike popularity continues to increase. Of particular concern to the City and community are young riders who do not have experience navigating through traffic and are more inclined to engage in risky biking behaviors such as ignoring stop signs/traffic signals, riding at excessive speeds in pedestrian areas, crisscrossing roads in front of oncoming traffic, riding double/triple on single bikes, and performing stunts/wheelies on roadways oblivious to the dangers they are posing to themselves and others. We urge drivers to be cognizant of young cyclists. We remind parents they are held liable for their child’s actions on an e-bike. The City whole-heartedly supports this efficient mode of transportation and fun outdoor recreational opportunity so long as everyone is following the law for their own protection as well as those who travel along the same roads and trails. All cyclists (e-bike riders included) are subject to the same rules of the road as motorists. Those who do not follow the laws are subject to ticketing and fines as defined by the California Vehicle Code or local Municipal Code. Did you know electric bicycles with a motor higher than 750 watts are technically motorcycles according to the law and require Class M licenses and helmets? E-Motorcycles are often impounded. This is not punitive; it is literally to save a child’s life. Please ensure your child is wearing legally required protection gear including a helmet, and that they follow the rules of the road per Department of Motor Vehicles. To help educate our community, and most importantly avoid a tragedy, parents are asked to accompany their children to an educational e-bike workshop hosted by the City's Sheriffs Department. Please see information below and link (scroll to the end of "all classes"), and sign up!
3. We’ve added a New Year’s Eve Drone Show tonight, along with a few other festive activities!
Tonight, the City is thrilled to uphold Temecula’s tradition of a family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration! We invite you to join us for a magical evening from 6pm to 10pm, featuring a lineup of live music and entertainment activities suitable for all ages. The highlight of the evening is Temecula’s iconic Grape Drop at 9pm! And, to elevate this special occasion even further, we’re excited to unveil a spectacular Drone Show that will take place approximately 10-20 minutes before the 9pm Grape Drop. We encourage you to arrive early to soak in all the New Year's Eve excitement including our outdoor ice-skating rink in Old Town. While ice-skating will continue until 12:30am, and include a simple “Temecula On Ice” countdown at midnight, please note there will not be a Grape Drop at midnight this year. The 9pm Grape Drop brings in four times as many spectators as the midnight celebration, so we are focusing resources on creating an unforgettable experience at the family-friendly 9pm Grape Drop. Similar to last year, the illuminated grapes (measuring approximately 15 feet by 8 feet) will be suspended approximately 80 feet above Temecula’s landmark Town Square water fountain basket, located between the charming ice-skating rink and the magnificently decorated Old Town Temecula Christmas tree. Bring your family and neighbors, and enjoy all the excitement in front of City Hall in Old Town Temecula. We hope to see you there!
For more information, click here.
Happy New Year!
-Aaron Adams, City Manager
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