John Menke is the founder of Moval.Living, a local business directory built to help residents discover and support Moreno Valley businesses. He's been a real estate broker and mortgage loan originator serving the Inland Empire since 2014, currently operating Menke Real Estate and Rate Trac Mortgage. An Army veteran and recipient of the Army Commendation Medal, John holds a Master's degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding — a background he puts to work daily, both at the negotiating table and in the community. He's deeply invested in Moreno Valley's civic life, currently serving his second term as Chairman of the Board for the Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce, and volunteering with organizations including American Legion Post 574 and US VETS. He's a co-organizer of Cars, Guitars & Handlebars, a free annual community Veterans Day event at the March ARB Commissary benefitting US VETS. When he's not closing deals or writing about the community he calls home, John builds technology — from AI-powered tools for real estate and small business, to Moval.Living itself — with the same goal driving all of his work: helping Moreno Valley thrive. John is a proud member of Toastmasters. If you'd like John to speak at your event, reach out.
Three independent coffee shops, each for a different mood: matcha and a meetup at the mall, a small roastery pouring on weekend afternoons, and a daytime stop on Sunnymead. This is a researched starting point, not a claim that we have tasted or ranked them.
Three birria-focused stops, each for a different craving: Tijuana-style beef tacos, a choice of beef or goat, and a goat-birria plate. This is a researched starting point, not a claim that we have tasted or ranked them.
Moreno Valley doesn't run its own police or fire department — it contracts with Riverside County. Here's what that means for cost, coverage, and accountability.
Last week I emceed the ribbon cutting of Shop 4 A Cause, the new thrift store operated by the Building Up Lives Foundation on Perris Boulevard. What I saw there wasn't just the opening of another storefront — it was proof that Moreno Valley is a community, not just a city.
If you've ever lived in Moreno Valley, you know the sound — that low rumble overhead, a C-17 banking toward March Air Reserve Base. For those of us who've worn the uniform, it's the heartbeat of this town.
Whether you've lived in Moreno Valley for decades or you're relatively new to the area, one thing becomes clear quickly: MoVal's local food scene has a character all its own.
I'm grateful to businesses like SkyZone for choosing to invest here.
Sitting in traffic on the 60 freeway this week, I was reminded of how much of our daily stress is self-manufactured.
