December News ReleasesDecember 24, 2007 Celebrate ‘08 at the Rose Park Senior Activity Center ABILENE, Texas – Bring in the New Year a couple days early while dancing at the Rose Park Senior Activity Center, South 7th and Barrow Streets. The center will host its New Year’s Eve Dance, with music provided by the band “Muddy Creek”, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 29. The dance is open to all adults. Tickets cost $5 per person and can be bought in advance or at the door. Snacks will be provided.
For more information, call 734-5301.
December 20, 2007 Abilene Regional Airport announces winners of round-trip airline tickets ABILENE, Texas – Abilene Regional Airport announced today that the winners of two round-trip airline tickets, courtesy of American Airlines/American Eagle, are Mr. and Mrs. Travis Brewer of Beaumont, Texas. Anyone, who purchased at least two boxes of Christmas cards designed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene, was entered into the drawing held earlier this month. The airline donated the tickets valued at $750 each which may be used anywhere within the contiguous 48 states, Canada or Mexico. Abilene Regional Airport partnered with Hardin Simmons University’s Leadership Studies program to help children involved in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene learn about business concepts. Five Hardin Simmons students in the Business Concepts for Leaders class had an assignment to come up with a profitable business venture, with the profits going to the charity of their choice. They chose to sell Christmas cards that children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene designed. All proceeds from the Christmas card sale went to the Boys & Girls Club of Abilene. Airport officials send their congratulations to the winners and encourage others to fly Abilene Regional Airport because your time is valuable. December 17, 2007 Most City offices to close at noon for Christmas Eve and to close for Christmas and New Year’s holidays ABILENE, Texas – In observance of the Christmas and Near Year’s holidays, most City of Abilene offices and community service centers will close at noon on Monday, December 24 and will be closed on Tuesday, December 25 and Tuesday, January 1, with the exception of those providing life safety services such as fire and police protection. The Abilene Animal Shelter will close at noon on December 24 and will be closed on December 25 and January 1. Citizens with an Animal Control emergency may call the Abilene Police Department at 673-8331 and an Animal Services Officer will be available to respond. Any animal that is picked up as a stray during the holidays will be attended to at the shelter. Solid Waste Services division offices will close at noon on Christmas Eve and remain closed on December 25 and on January 1. There will be no residential or commercial pickup on December 25. These services will resume on the customer’s next scheduled collection day. The Environmental Recycling Center (ERC), 2209 Oak Street, will also close at noon on Christmas Eve and be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. CityLink Transit will not run on December 25 and January 1. The Municipal Court will also close at noon on Christmas Eve and be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. All citations due on those days will instead be due on December 26 and January 2 respectively. The Abilene Zoo is closed on December 25 and January 1. City facilities that will also close at noon on December 24 and be closed on December 25 and January 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 Water Services Center, 701 E. Hwy. 80, will be closed on December 25 and January 1. However, citizens may call the Water Service Center’s emergency hotline, 676-6000, for water and sewer emergencies. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. “Recycle Christmas” is back this holiday season ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene’s Solid Waste Services & Recycling Division is making it easier to recycle this holiday season through “Recycle Christmas”. During this annual holiday-themed recycling campaign, citizens are urged to recycle whatever they can from Christmas trees (both live and artificial) to wrapping paper and cardboard boxes. Solid Waste Services Program Mike Wegner noted, “There are a number of ways anyone can pitch in to reduce holiday waste. You might try wrapping gifts in recycled or reused wrapping paper or buying rechargeable batteries to go with your electronic gifts. Also, turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. This can save energy and help your lights last longer.” From December 21 through January 21, citizens can drop off live Christmas trees at three locations:
Before dropping off a tree, citizens should remove all lights, ornaments, bases and as much tinsel as possible. The Christmas trees will be ground into mulch that will be available free to the public, on a first-come, first served basis, starting January 29 at the Environmental Recycling Center (ERC). Artificial trees are also accepted at the ERC. The ERC is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.
December 13, 2007 Annual Budget booklet available for viewing on City website ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene’s Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2007-08 is now posted on the City website at http://www.abilenetx.com/FinanceDept/budget.htm. The booklet consists of the 2007-2008 operating budget and 2007-2011 capital improvements. The material provides citizens with insight into the budget process, financial summaries, a five-year plan for capital improvements among other budget-related matters
December 7, 2007 Abilene Regional Airport hosts recognition event for winners of Boys & Girls Clubs card design contest ABILENE, Texas – Winners of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene Christmas Card Design Contest will receive a tour of Abilene Regional Airport and a ride on the airport fire truck during a recognition event, scheduled for Thursday, December 13 at 4:30 p.m. In addition, anyone who purchases a minimum of two boxes of these Christmas cards by Thursday will have their name entered in a drawing to win two round-trip airline tickets, courtesy of American Airlines/American Eagle. The airline donated the tickets valued at $750 each that may be used anywhere within the contiguous 48 states, Canada or Mexico. The drawing will take place during the recognition event. Abilene Regional Airport partnered with Hardin Simmons University’s Leadership Studies program to help children involved in the local Boys & Girls Clubs learn about business concepts. Five Hardin Simmons students in the Business Concepts for Leaders class had an assignment to come up with a profitable business venture, with the profits going to the charity of their choice. They chose to sell Christmas cards that children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene designed. The students in the Leadership Studies program are David Brewer, Roy Juarez, Katrina King, Amy Kuykendall and Sarah Waldrop. Six children’s designs were selected for the cards and are now on sale for $15 for a package of 12. All proceeds from the Christmas card sale will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene. The cards may be purchased by calling Coleman Patterson at (325) 671-2172. December 6, 2007 Interim City Secretary appointed City Secretary ABILENE, Texas – Mayor Norm Archibald, with City Council approval, appointed Danette Dunlap the City Secretary during Thursday afternoon’s special called meeting. She was among three candidates who interviewed for the position. Dunlap had been the Interim City Secretary since August 21. Dunlap joined the City of Abilene as Assistant City Secretary in June. She is a Texas Registered Municipal Clerk, having received her certification in 1991. Dunlap comes to the City with 24 years experience including 6 years as City Secretary in Tye. The Abilene native graduated from Wylie High School. The position became open in August when Jo Moore retired after nearly 19 years of service with the City of Abilene. Emergency landing at Abilene Regional Airport ABILENE, Texas – An American Airlines Super 80 airplane, enroute from Dallas-Fort Worth to El Paso, made an emergency landing at Abilene Regional Airport around 2:45 this afternoon after the plane reported rapid decompression. Flight 1303, with 66 passengers and 5 crew members on board, landed safely. Passengers and crew are now waiting for another plane to take them to El Paso.
December 5, 2007 Road work update for South 7th Street ABILENE, Texas – Drivers will soon have access to South 7th Street from Willis Street to Barrow Street late Wednesday afternoon when the street reconstruction project for that section is complete. However, beginning Thursday, December 6, South 7th Street will be closed to through traffic from Leggett to Willis Street. The road work is expected to last three weeks. During this phase of the project, traffic will be detoured around the construction area via side streets. Residents and people, needing access to homes and businesses in this area, will be able to do so by driving around the barricades but they are asked to use caution and watch for construction workers and equipment. This work is being done as part of the City’s Street Bond project on South 7th Street from Barrow Street to Pioneer Drive. Motorists who can avoid the area are asked to do so.
|
