JULY - City of Waco, Texas

July Neighborhood
Association Meetings
JULY
Monday, July 13
Sanger Heights General Meeting, 7 p.m.
@ Art Forum of Waco (1826 Morrow Ave.)
1
4
7
21
26
28
Thursday, July 16
Landon Branch 20th Anniversary Celebration, 7 p.m.
@ Christ the King Baptist Church on Lakeshore Dr.
North East Riverside General Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
@ E. Waco Devp. Corp. (715 Elm Ave.)
Tuesday, July 21
Carver General Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
@ Carver Academy Library (1601 Flewellen)
Monday, July 27
Brook Oaks General Meeting, 6 p.m.
@ Dewey Center (925 N. 9th St.)
“Gunfighterology”
On Saturday, August 1 at 2:00 p.m.,
the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and
Museum will host “Gunfighterology,” a
fascinating presentation by renowned
Texas State Historian Bill O’Neal.
Entrance to the presentation will be
included with museum admission.
Cameron Park Zoo Events
Cameron Park Zoo hosts July celebrations
that include keeper talks, an up-close look
at animals, and conservation information.
• National Zookeeper Week
July 13-17 Keeper talks each day
at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
• World Snake Day, Thursday, July 16
10:00 a.m. to noon
• Intl. Tiger Day, Wednesday, July 29
10:00 a.m. to noon
City Properties for Sale
View City lots & properties for sale at
www.WacoCitySaleProperties.com
or call 254-750-5651.
Great deals on great
properties.
Boater
Information
Inside
Building Standards Commission Mtg.
4th on the Brazos Concert & Fireworks
City Council Meeting *
City Council Meeting *
Tri-Waco Triathlon
Plan Commission Meeting *
Boaters Beware
Waco Transit Fun Pass
Protect Yourself
Information About
Safe Boat Speeds,
Zebra Mussels
Buy a Summer Fun Pass
for Kids 18 & Under to
Get Around Town Free
Fight West Nile
Virus by Getting
Rid of Mosquitos
* Carried LIVE and replayed weekly on WCCC.TV Cable Channel 10 and available for viewing
on the City website. A more complete calendar is available online at www.waco-texas.com.
Boaters Beware of Zebra Mussels!
Mollusks called zebra mussels have made it into Lake Waco. These mussels
can cause millions of dollars of damage to water intakes and pipes, and the
destruction of entire ecosystems. Efforts to eradicate them are ongoing, but
we need help from all boaters to prevent the spread of these mollusks. The
City of Waco is partnering with Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Army Corps
of Engineers to educate boaters about the importance of cleaning boats.
Workers are putting up signs and handing out flyers to boaters,
and part-time city workers will begin inspecting boats at Lake Waco
to ensure that they aren’t carrying stowaway mussels or their larvae.
To prevent the spread of zebra mussels, state law requires boaters to
clean and drain their boats before transporting
them to another body of water.
* Remove all plants, animals and mud from the boat
using a pressure hose and 140o water if possible.
* Drain all water from wells, ballast and engines.
* Allow time to dry before launching into other waters.
Zebra Mussel
Waco Water Quality Report is Here
The City of Waco’s 2014 Water Quality Report is here. Customers will
see a message on their water bills about how to access the report online.
Copies will be available at City Hall, the Water Office and library branches.
The Water Quality Report is released annually and made available to City water customers. The report lists any contaminants found in the drinking water as well as disinfectant levels throughout the previous
year. The report also contains conservation tips, project and program updates, and other relevant information about the water system.
JULY 2015
ac o w is hes a ll of our Centra l Texas fa m i ly a s a fe, ha
pp y I n
T he C i t y of W
d ep
Fourth on the Brazos: New Location!
The City of Waco and H-E-B invite Central Texans to join the annual
Fourth on the Brazos celebration. Each year, more than 15,000 people
celebrate the Fourth of July with live music, family fun and the H-E-B
Fireworks Extravaganza. This year’s event will be held along the Brazos
River at Touchdown Alley, next to Baylor’s McLane Stadium.
The festivities begin at 7 p.m. with the annual Corndog Classic followed
by one of Austin’s most-loved tribute bands, LC Rocks. LC Rocks
specializes in the hits of the 1970s, and 1980s. The Waco Community
Band will perform a patriotic set at 9 p.m. and the night will conclude
with the HEB Firework show over the Brazos River at 9:15 p.m. Event
parking will be available at McLane Stadium and the Ferrell Center.
Fourth on the Brazos also includes a food court with lots of food vendors,
inflatable games and the Methodist Children’s Home free arts & craft area.
Pack your coolers, blankets and chairs, but please, NO: pets, glass bottles,
grills, or fireworks. For details, visit brazosnightswaco.com or call 750-5627.
Fireworks Safety Tips for Pets
On July 5th, animal shelters are flooded with pets that panicked at the
noise of firecrackers and fled into the night, getting lost, hurt, or worse.
Protect your pets with these tips: 1) Microchip your pets for easy ID
2) Keep a current photo of pets 3) Keep pets indoors on the 4th
4) Give them plenty of exercise early in the day on the 4th
5) Give them a favorite toy or treat during fireworks
6) Play soft music for them to cover the sound of firecrackers
7) Never allow pets near fireworks of any kind, not even sparklers
Tri-Waco
en d
en c
eD
ay
.
The Waco Chamber of Commerce
will present Tri-Waco on Sunday, July
26 at Indian Spring Park.
Tri-Waco, a USA Triathlon sanctioned
Olympic distance event, starts with a
1500-meter open water swim in the
Brazos River followed by a 25-mile
bike ride on country roads north and
west of Waco. Finishing out the race
is a hilly 10-kilometer run along the
Brazos River that leads to one of the
oldest suspension bridges in the United
States.
Along with the Triathlon, the race
also offers a great beginner Sprint: a
400-meter swim in the Brazos River, a
12-mile bike ride along country roads and a 5-kilometer run finishing on
the suspension bridge. Registration
is underway and costs vary based
on type of event.
For more information, visit
Tri-Waco online at:
www.triwaco.org.
W CCC-TV Wins Prestigious Telly Awards
Results are in for the 36th Annual Telly Awards, and the Waco City Cable Channel
is the winner of two Tellys! The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and
cable TV commercials & programs, video & film productions, and work created for
the web. WCCC-TV won the Telly Bronze Award in video production for “The Carillon at St. Alban’s” video, produced
by Mark Randolph. The 13-minute video captures the rich sound and history of the famous carillon bells installed
in St. Alban’s Church in 1946.
WCCC-TV won a second Bronze Telly for its “Art of Lee Herring” documentary, produced by Kyle Muscarello. The
10-minute video features famed Western artist Lee Herring discussing his life and paintings on display at the Texas
Ranger Hall of Fame. The award-winning videos were filmed, produced and edited by the WCCC-TV team of Larry
Holze, Mark Randolph, Troy Shaw and Kyle Muscarello. This year’s win marks WCCC-TV’s 11th year in a row to receive
the distinction, with a total of 16 awards in all. To view these videos on the City’s web channel, visit www.wccc.tv.
Safe River Speed
To keep our waterways safe, the
City of Waco has established new
boating speed ordinances for the
Brazos and Bosque Rivers.
Boaters are not to exceed 25
MPH from the mouth of the
Bosque to the Washington Ave.
bridge, and no more than 5
MPH downtown between the
Washington bridge and low water
dam (boats are not permitted to
be within 200 yards of the dam).
Boaters are also not to exceed
25 MPH between the Lake Waco
dam and Lake Shore bridge, and
speed limits are 5 MPH between
the mouth of the Bosque to
Lake Shore Dr. and to the Martin
Luther King, Jr. bridge.
City of Waco Fireworks Ordinance
The City of Waco Fire Department encourages everyone to have
a safe Independence Day free of fires by enjoying the fireworks
display at the Fourth on the Brazos celebration at Touchdown
Alley, next to Baylor’s McLane Stadium.
To keep citizens and property safe, the City of Waco’s fireworks
ordinance will be enforced. It is a violation of City ordinances to
possess, use, manufacture, sell, give away, transport or discharge
fireworks within the city limits of Waco or within 5,000 feet of the
city limits without a permit from the fire marshal. The ordinance
prohibits the possession of fireworks by a minor.
Fireworks allowed in the city limits without a permit are smoke bombs,
“snakes,” “snap & pops,” sparklers and champagne poppers.
Fireworks sold by retail stores in Waco, like WalMart,
Target, etc., are allowed. Fireworks purchased at
stands outside the city limits (except items
above) are illegal to use or own.
Protect Yourself From West Nile Virus
Summer means we must be aware of the potential for an outbreak of West
Nile Virus like our state has encountered in the past couple of years. There
is no effective treatment for West Nile illnesses, so it is important to prevent
mosquito bites. The Waco – McLennan County Public Health District
recommends the 4 D’s to minimize the risk of mosquito bites:
An important part of mosquito control around your home is making sure
that mosquitoes don’t have a place to lay their eggs, so it is important to
ensure that there are no standing water sources and also change water in
bird baths, fountains, plant trays, etc. weekly, and ensure that there is no
tall grass where mosquitoes can live.
Freon Service Available at the Landfill
Solid Waste Services is now offering freon service at the Waco Landfill.
Residents can get their old, broken and unwanted appliances that contain
freon gas -- including refrigerators, dehumidifiers, freezers, air conditioners
and water coolers – serviced for freon removal and recycled for a fee at the
Waco landfill. The Landfill is located at 11400 Old McGregor Rd., off of
Hwy. 84 and Hannah Hill Rd. The fee for appliances containing refrigerant
is $15 per appliance (even if the line has already been severed)for freon
recovery, logging documentation, serial identification and proper disposal/
recycling of the appliance. Payment must be made at the time of acceptance
of the appliance. The appliance becomes the property of the City of Waco.
The following is a list of common small appliances that can be brought to
the Waco Landfill for Freon removal and recycling:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
W aco Transit Summer Fun Pass
The Summer Fun Pass is now available for kids 18 and under (with a valid school ID)
at Waco Transit, 301 S. 8th St. A one-time $30 fee* provides unlimited rides on city buses all summer long, transfers included! Students can enjoy shopping, movies, local parks and attractions anytime with a Fun Pass. In addition, kids get FREE skate
rentals from Skate Waco & Skate World on Saturdays with a Summer Fun Pass. Get a
group together at the terminal and Waco Transit can shuttle you all to Hawaiian Falls,
and with a Fun Pass, admission to the Falls is only $13.99 Sunday through Thursday. Also, when you buy your Fun Pass, get the FREE RideSystems App, which tracks your bus, letting you
know where it is at all times. For more information, call 750-1900 or visit Waco Transit at www.waco-texas.com.
*Waco Transit ID required at additional $5 charge.
Defend – wearing mosquito repellent with Deet.
Drain – standing or stagnant water.
Dress – to protect your skin with long sleeves and pants (Wear light-colored clothing to repel mosquitoes.)
Dusk/Dawn – avoid outdoor activities during these times.
Refrigerators and freezers designed for home use
Room air conditioners (including window units and PTACs)
Packaged terminal heat pumps
Dehumidifiers
Under-the-counter ice makers
Small vending machines
Drinking water coolers
Hours are Mon. through Fri. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and
Sat. from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Phone: 254-299-2620. Waco citizens with proof of residency can also take old appliances to the Cobbs Recycling Center for freon removal and recycling. The same fee applies. For more
information, please visit online at:
www.waco-texas.com or call
254-299-2612.
IMPORTANT!
The Solid Waste Offices, Cobbs Recycling
Center and the Landfill will be closed Saturday, July 4.
A summer of POWerful children’s activities
continue with free Superhero themed events and
shows at the Waco-McLennan County Library.
Summer Showcase, featuring magicians, plays,
puppet shows, and animal shows, like the
Professor Brainius Science Show, Brett Roberts’
“Heroes Around the World” and Critters Exotic
Pets. Find a printable schedule of all events at
www.wacolibrary.org. The basic schedule is:
•Tues – Bledsoe-Miller
•Wed – West Waco
•Thurs – Central
and at West Waco
•Fri – South Waco
9:30 & 10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m. Family Night
10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
Kids Book Discussion Series: for ages 8
through 10, is held on Monday evenings, July
6 through 27, at Central Library, from 6 to
7:30 p.m. A different book is featured each
week with discussion, games, activities and
snacks. Please call 750-5952 to register for
the series or go online: www.wacolibrary.org.
Space is limited to 16 participants.
Block Party for Toddlers and Pre-K ages will be
held at Central Library on Sunday, July 26, from
1:30 to 3 p.m. Please call 750-5952 for a
reservation or visit www.wacolibrary.org.
LEGOS Lab, for ages 6 to12, is on Saturday, July
18, at the Central Library from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The
library provides supplies and displays creations
for the following month. Space is limited, so
please call 750-5942 for a reservation or
register online at www.wacolibrary.org.
Angel Paws Reading Buddies lets kids read to
trained therapy dogs (a great reading motivator,
self-esteem booster for reluctant or struggling
readers). The sessions are offered on Wed.
mornings at Central Library from10:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. Call 750-5952 for a reservation.
Summer Reading Club “Every Hero Has a
Story” Reading Club continues through August
8. Club members read to earn special Super
Hero themed prizes and coupons from local
merchants. For more information about
this club, call Linda at 750-5942.