August News ReleasesAugust 28, 2008 Traffic engineering study to examine selected intersections in Abilene ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene will hire an engineering firm to conduct a traffic engineering study of several signalized intersections. The intersections will be selected, based on their accident history, frequency of red light violations and other related criteria. On Wednesday, August 27, 2008, the Red Light Camera Citizens Advisory Committee requested that City staff move forward with this more detailed study of four to six intersections. The committee said that their mission is to reduce red light running in Abilene and this in-depth study is expected to provide recommendations on changes that could be made to improve safety on our roadways. The traffic engineering study will evaluate many factors related to intersection safety including signal visibility, pavement conditions, lane markings, crosswalk markings, signal timing, red light running violation rates, and enforcement and operational issues. The study results are expected sometime in early 2009. During Wednesday’s citizens committee meeting, Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. presented the results of a traffic analysis study, conducted on July 9, 2008 in Abilene. The study looked at the frequency of red light running at 16 approaches at nine different intersections. The one-day study found that the intersection with the most violations on this particular day was Buffalo Gap & Danville/Industrial with 38. The study results showed there were a total of 121 red light running violations at the selected intersections. The City Council will ultimately decide whether or not the installation of red light cameras would be an appropriate measure to take in the effort to reduce the occurrence of red light running. However, no decision is expected until the traffic engineering study is complete and the Red Light Camera Citizens Advisory Committee has reviewed the results. More information about how red light cameras work can be found online through the Texas Department of Transportation website at: http://www.txdot.gov/frequently_asked_questions/red_light_camera.htm.
August 27, 2008 Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District offers suggestions on avoiding rabies exposure ABILENE, Texas – Health officials warn that September and October often have the highest number of laboratory-confirmed rabies cases. The Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District offers precautions you can take to help lower your risk of being exposed to the rabies virus.
Pet owners are also advised to have their animals vaccinated against rabies and keep those vaccinations up to date. Rabies is a viral illness that affects the central nervous system. Rabies can be fatal, however a series of post exposure shots, if given in time, can prevent rabies from developing. Traffic signal work scheduled tomorrow for Southwest Drive/Catclaw Drive intersection ABILENE, Texas – Drivers may experience delays tomorrow, Thursday, August 28, 2008 as the City’s contractor begins working on traffic signals at the intersection of Southwest Drive and Catclaw Drive. During this time, 4-way stop signs will be used while the traffic signals are shut down. The work is expected to begin at 8 a.m. and conclude around 5 p.m. tomorrow. City officials appreciate the public’s patience while this project is underway. The contractor began widening a section of Southwest Drive near Winters Freeway on April 7, 2008. Construction is expected to be completed by late October. Abilene Roundup, an e-newsletter for residents, coming soon ABILENE, Texas – Citizens may now sign up to receive the new monthly citizen e-newsletter, Abilene Roundup, via e-mail. The electronic newsletter for Abilene residents will debut the first week of September. The publication will feature information about upcoming City-sponsored events, programs and services available to citizens. To sign up for the e-newsletter, go online to the City of Abilene’s website at www.abilenetx.com. Under resources, click “Sign up for E-mail Lists”. Then follow the instructions to sign up for the Abilene Roundup. The citizen e-newsletter will typically be distributed the first week of each month. The public will also be able to read current and past Abilene Roundup issues on the City’s website Another mailing list that recently became available to citizens through their e-mail is the Notice of Meetings for City Council and City Boards. By signing up for this list, subscribers will quickly find out through their e-mail when the City Council and various City boards are meeting. The notices of meetings are posted for 72 hours prior to the meeting.
August 22, 2008 T.V. program takes viewers inside the Water Utility Department ABILENE, Texas – If you ever wondered how water gets to your tap, you will want to tune in to the television program “Your City At Work” on TV Channel 7, your city government/education channel. This episode focuses on the Water Utility Department. The half-hour T.V. show will debut Sunday, August 24 at 7:30 p.m. Host Rodney Taylor, who is also the Assistant Director of Water Utilities, will take you on a journey to water treatment plants, the Environmental Lab and the Water Utility Office. He’ll show you how the water distribution system works, what goes into repairing a water line and the process involved in ensuring water quality. Viewers can also test their water knowledge with trivia questions that are featured throughout the program. If you miss the show’s debut, you can view the Water Utility Department episode on Mondays at 5:30 p.m., Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. for the next three weeks. Future episodes of “Your City At Work” will include the Abilene Police Department, Keep Abilene Beautiful and the Environmental Recycling Center. TV Channel 7 is available on Suddenlink Cable Ch. 7 or on broadcast Ch. 7 KXN-TV. All invited to take part in “Abilene on the Move” day ABILENE, Texas – The Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness is inviting everyone in the community to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle by participating in “Abilene on the Move” day. September 10, 2008 is a day for families, individuals, businesses and schools to step out and join their fellow Abilenians in an activity that gets people moving. Make September STEPtember by:
Schools and businesses are encouraged to organize an activity. Some fun examples:
These are just a few ways residents can participate in “Abilene on the Move” day. Businesses and schools can tailor this Abilene-wide event to suit their organization. For more information about “Abilene on the Move” day, contact Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness members Karen Stover at 677-1444, ext. 2052 or Deonna Shake at 674-2016.
August 21, 2008 Most City offices closed for Labor Day ABILENE, Texas – Most City of Abilene offices and community service centers will be closed on Monday, September 1 in observance of the Labor Day holiday with the exception of those providing life safety services such as fire and police protection. The Abilene Animal Shelter will be closed September 1. Citizens with an animal related emergency should contact the Abilene Police Department at 673-8331 and an Animal Services Officer will be dispatched to handle the call. The shelter will be open Saturday, August 30, for its normal business hours. After Labor Day, the shelter will resume its normal operations on Tuesday, September 2. Solid Waste Services division offices will not be open September 1 but all residential and commercial container collection will run on the regular schedules. There will be no bulk and brush collection on September 1. The Environmental Recycling Center will also be closed for the holiday. CityLink Transit will not run on September 1. The Municipal Court will also be closed on September 1. All citations due September 1 will be due on September 2 with no penalty. Other City closings for September 1 include: City Hall, the Housing Administration office, Health Division, both Abilene Public Library locations, Abilene Civic Center, the Development Corporation of Abilene, the Airport Administration Office and City Recreation and Senior Citizen centers. The Abilene Zoo will be open regular hours. The Water Services Center, 701 E. Hwy. 80, will be open on September 1, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., to take delinquent payments for customers whose water has been turned off and for new customers needing water service. For water emergencies, sewer problems and reports of water conservation ordinance violations, citizens may call the Water Services Center’s emergency hotline, 676-6000, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
August 20, 2008 Public pool season comes to an end this Sunday ABILENE, Texas – Sunday, August 24, 2008 is the last day for the public to enjoy the city pools. Both Rose Park Pool, 2642 S. 9th Street, and Stevenson Park Pool, 541 EN 7th Street, will then close for the summer season. The season got underway on May 31, 2008. If you would like to take advantage of this last weekend for the pools, here are the hours of operation and admission prices:
Rose Park Pool 1p.m. - 6p.m. Tuesday through Sunday $2.00/person Stevenson Park Pool 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday Admission: $.50 for ages 6 – 15 $1.00 for ages 16 and over Children 5 and under are free with a paying parent or legal guardian
Man’s best friend invited to the 5th annual Doggie Splash Day ABILENE, Texas – Dogs rule the pool at the canine friendly Doggie Splash Day which is in its 5th year. The annual swim fest for dogs will take place Saturday, August 30, 2008 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Rose Park Swimming Pool, 2642 S. 9th Street. There is a fee of $2 per dog. All breeds are welcome to take a dip in the pool. They can also compete in the large dog and small dog paddle races and the 15-yard object retrieval contest. Pooches with style can show off their fashion sense in the swimsuit contest. If you think you and your pet resemble each other, be sure to sign up for the “look most like your owner” contest. The contests are sponsored by the City of Abilene’s Recreation Division. Doggie Splash Day is sponsored by the Recreation Division, Animal Services and Rescue the Animals. For more information about Doggie Splash Day, call 734-5301.
August 19, 2008 Emergency Operations Center continues to monitor weather conditions ABILENE, Texas –The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) lowered its readiness level this afternoon although personnel will continue to watch the weather situation closely. EOC staff was officially placed on standby yesterday. There was concern that with the ground saturated from this weekend’s storms, additional rainfall had the potential to run off and cause flooding. Although the area received precipitation today, EOC officials believe the immediate threat of flooding within city limits has passed but will keep a close watch on the situation.
August 18, 2008 Emergency Operations Center on standby ABILENE, Texas – The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is on standby due to the large amount of rainfall over the weekend and more rainfall forecasted for the next two days. There is concern that with the ground saturated from this weekend’s storms, additional rainfall has the potential to run off and cause flooding. EOC personnel will remain on call and is prepared to commence operations at a moment’s notice until the threat has passed. The EOC will provide updates on the situation, when needed. T.A.A.F. City League Flag Football returning ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene’s Recreation Division will offer the T.A.A.F. City League Flag Football again this fall. League information is available for pick-up from August 18 – September 8 at the Community Services Office at 633 Walnut. The entry fee is $350 per team. The entry deadline is 5:00 p.m., Monday, September 8. For more information, call 676-6431.
August 12, 2008 A green opportunity for companies as Keep Abilene Beautiful launches reusable bag campaign ABILENE, Texas – Keep Abilene Beautiful (KAB) is seeking groups, organizations and companies to bring more green to Abilene by partnering with KAB in its reusable bag campaign. Businesses can support KAB’s focus areas of litter prevention, beautification and waste reduction by purchasing advertising space on the reusable bags. Proceeds from the reusable bags will fund a large beautification project in Abilene. KAB anticipates distribution of the bags, 5,000 in total, by early next year. For more information about how your organization can partner with KAB and its reusable bag campaign, call 734-3301. Teens invited to attend annual conference ABILENE, Texas – “Don’t talk about it. Be about it.” is the theme of this year’s Teen Conference, organized by the Carver Youth Council. The 2008 conference, which is geared for middle school and high school students, is scheduled for Saturday, September 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 North 6th Street. Cost is $5/person and lunch is included. Organizers say the conference is for youth by youth. Participants will learn about team work, giving back to the community and issues faced by teenagers. Early registration is now underway at G.V. Daniels Recreation Center, 541 N. 8th Street. On the day of the conference, registration is from 8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. For more information about the 2008 Teen Conference, call 676-6443.
August 11, 2008 Pet adoption sale at Abilene Animal Shelter this month ABILENE, Texas – If you’re looking to add a furry companion to your household, the Abilene Animal Shelter is offering a special incentive to adopt a new pet. For the remainder of August, the shelter is offering a $20 discount for all dogs and cats that are adopted from its facility. Prospective pet owners are invited to come to the Animal Shelter, 925 S. 25th Street, to see which animals are available for adoption. Through August 31, unsterilized dogs will cost $60 and unsterilized cats will cost $50. Dogs and cats that are sterilized will cost $15 each. In addition, anyone who adopts an animal will be given a $20 voucher to take to the veterinarian of their choice to have spaying/neutering and rabies vaccination procedures completed. The shelter is open: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
A special thank you goes to Rescue the Animals, SPCA which is helping make this August sale possible. The non-profit animal rescue organization is providing the $20 spay/neuter rebate on every animal adopted from the shelter. In the past, Rescue the Animals, SPCA has teamed up with the City of Abilene’s Animal Services to provide similar discounts in December. The Taylor Jones Humane Society (TJHS) is also showing its support for the pet adoption sale at the shelter. A TJHS spokeswoman said the August sale encourages the adoption of homeless animals and promotes spaying and neutering one’s pets. For more information about animal adoptions, contact the Abilene Animal Shelter at 698-0085.
August 6, 2008 Road work on South 7th Street to begin Monday, August 11 ABILENE, Texas – Street reconstruction on South 7th Street will begin on Monday, August 11, 2008 from Barrow Street to Treadaway and is expected to last approximately three months. The contractor, hired by the City of Abilene, plans to perform the work in three phases in the following order: 1) Barrow Street to Sayles Blvd.; 2) Sayles Blvd. to Butternut Street; and 3) Butternut Street to Treadaway. Due to the narrow street widths, through traffic in each phase will be detoured onto adjacent streets to expedite the work. Access will be maintained to all businesses and residences as best as possible during construction. Motorists should allow extra time to reach their destination due to the street construction work. Additionally, motorists are asked to exercise patience and caution when entering the construction work zone and watch for construction personnel and equipment. Road work on South 27th Street to begin Monday, August 11 ABILENE, Texas – Street reconstruction on South 27th Street will begin on Monday, August 11, 2008 from Catclaw Creek Bridge to Barrow Street and is expected to last approximately three months. The contractor, hired by the City of Abilene, plans to perform the work half the street width at a time. This will allow a minimum of one lane of traffic to be maintained in each direction during construction. Access will be maintained to all businesses and residences as best as possible during construction. Motorists should allow extra time to reach their destination due to the street construction work. Additionally, motorists are asked to exercise patience and caution when entering the construction work zone and watch for construction personnel and equipment.
August 1 , 2008 Water customers can now pay their water bills online ABILENE, Texas – The Water Utilities Department is now offering online bill pay for water customers as an added convenience. This web-based service is available on the City of Abilene website, www.abilenetx.com, under E-Government, by clicking “Pay Your Water Bill Online”. Water customers who would like to pay their bills online are required to set up an online account. The following credit cards are accepted for online bill pay: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Through this new service, water customers can also look up information about their account including water consumption history. They do not have to pay their bills online to utilize this feature. In addition to online, water customers can also pay their bills over the phone, via the mail and in person at the Water Utility Office, 534 Cypress Street. For additional information, contact Customer Service at 676-6405. National Stop on Red Week begins Sunday, August 3 ABILENE, Texas – During a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Norm Archibald proclaimed August 3 through August 9, 2008 as National Stop on Red Week. Mayor Archibald is asking all citizens to reduce crashes, injuries and the tragic loss of life by stopping for red lights. From 2002 – 2007, Abilene Police Department statistics showed there were approximately 24,841 traffic accidents within city limits. About 10.5% or 2,606 of them were caused by drivers running red lights. City staff continues to research ways to reduce red light running in Abilene. These methods include public education, traffic engineering, police enforcement and lastly, the installation of red light cameras. |
