The return of the Murrieta Santa Stops holiday program last Christmas brought praise for its success from a number of volunteers and residents which convinced the Murrieta City Council to again make it an annual “Connected with Community” event this year during their Tuesday, June 5, meeting.The council fell short of calling it a Murrieta Community Services Department signature event, yet it unanimously approved the Santa Stops program as a special public/private city event with a planned budget of approximately $70,000 that may be reduced with private donations.During the city’s Santa Stops holiday program, Santa Claus, school choirs and more than 170 costumed volunteers spend several days before the Christmas holiday riding on decorated trolleys throughout Murrieta neighbor
