Hi, I'm Virginia. And I'm Nicole. Welcome to Surprise. Lately, our Surprise Police Department works hard to identify and meet the needs of our growing community. So, when they started being asked where people could safely meet to do exchanges, the department decided to create a new space for our community. Amanda Steel shows us more. The concept is simple. Some blue paint, [music] two parking spots, three cameras, but it's how all these items come together here in the safe exchange zone that is bringing invaluable peace [music] of mind to our community. It all started with a request. They were asking about [music] where can I safely exchange my child with my other co-parent. Uh and so that was something we were giving suggestions for public places. And then like [music] we said, we started talking internally finding out we were getting asked by our community if this was something [music] we could provide. The department decided the answer was yes. And they created a lowcost solution to provide a safe space for the community to conduct exchanges, [music] persontoperson exchanges. If you're doing something on Facebook Marketplace, you're wanting to exchange a [music] collectible, uh sell some children's clothing, things like that. If you don't know that person that you're selling, [music] be aware. Again, it's not completely secure, but it's about the safest place you can do to for a child exchange or like we said, another person exchange. When you're having that custody exchange, [music] uh if there's one parent who uh the relationship has dissolved, you're not feeling quite so safe. This is a safe place monitored 24 [music] hours a day by video surveillance. It's very open. It's very public. The safe exchange zone is just outside the police department, making it a great option for any legal exchange. Whether it be a [music] child exchange or a a transaction from online, uh, and you're feeling uncomfortable, you're feeling unsafe situation [music] dissolves, call 911 and you probably have the most expedited police response you possibly could have. The safe exchange zone is available to our community 24 hours a day, 365 [music] days a year. And while it is just outside our police department, those cameras are not actively monitored unless there is [music] an emergency. If you have any questions about that new zone, you can call the Surprise Police Department at 6232224000.

The new exchange zone is already seeing a lot of use at our Civic Center Police Station. And because of that, the police department has arranged to add an exchange zone to their new substation in the northwest part of the city when it opens in fall of next year. Surprise Arts has announced their 2026 2027 season and it's bringing live music, comedy, dance, and theater right here to Surprise. Professional touring artists will showcase their talents beginning in September and continuing through May at the Vista Center for the Arts. The season opens with Sons of Sarendip on September 26th, a Billboard charting classical crossover quartet known for reimagining contemporary music through vocals, harp, piano, and cello. This season also includes several all ages and familyfriendly performances with earlier start times that make attending more convenient for families. Tickets are on sale now at surprisearts.com. If you plan on attending multiple shows, you'll want to consider a Surprise Arts membership. Membership benefits include early access to tickets, discounts on select performances, and invitations to special behindthecenes experiences with artists throughout the season. Sign up for a membership at surprisearts.com/support- us. Monsoon is officially underway in Arizona and Surprise residents are encouraged to be prepared before severe weather strikes. The season runs through September 30th and can bring lightning, high winds, dust storms, and flash flooding. Be sure you have an emergency kit at home with flashlights, batteries, bottled water, non-p perishable food items, and first aid supplies. When heavy rain is in the forecast, the city stocks sand and bags at several spots around town to help with flooding. These are free to residents. You just need your own shovel to fill those. Locations are available at surpriseaz.gov/mons. Also, a reminder to use extra caution on the roads during storms. Never drive through flooded streets. Always turn around and find another route. And if you see storm related issues like down trees in the road or on the sidewalk, please report them by calling the Surprise Police non-emergency number at 6232224000.

America is about to have a big birthday, and we know that that will bring a lot of sparkle along with it. So, as the Fourth of July celebrations approach, we want to remind you about the laws on consumer fireworks. From June 24th through July 6th, permitted consumer fireworks may be used on private property with the owner's permission, but they're prohibited on public property, including streets, sidewalks, and parks. Fireworks use is not allowed between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. except on July 4th when use is permitted until 1:00 a.m. HOA communities may have additional restrictions. When buying your fireworks, it's important to know that aerial fireworks are not allowed in Arizona except as part of a permitted public fireworks display. That means if it launches into the air and explodes, it's illegal. To learn more about fireworks regulations and safety information, visit surpriseaz.gov/ fireworks use. Before we go, a reminder that you can leave the fireworks to the pros and attend our city's Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4th. Festivities begin at 6 pm with music and food trucks at Surprise Community Park and Mark Coronado Park. Then at 8:45 p.m., the fireworks show begins and it will be our biggest display yet. For details on all the fun, visit surpriseaz.gov/independence.

Well, that's our show for today, but we will see you twice [music] a month with stories about what's been happening in Surprise lately. Watch for new episodes on social [music] media, the Surprise TV cable channel, and online at surpriseaz.gov/suprisetv. On behalf of the city of Surprise, [music] thanks for catching up with us.