March 31, 2009
“Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off” takes place Saturday, April 4
ABILENE, Texas – The 90-day Great Abilene Cleanup gets into high gear with the “Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off” on Saturday, April 4th. Hundreds of volunteers will hit the streets, picking up litter in public areas such as streets, highways and empty fields. This beautification activity will start with registration at the Kmart parking lot from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Domino’s Pizza will provide lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for volunteers. Families or groups can pre-register by calling 734-3301.
Keep Abilene Beautiful and the City of Abilene Solid Waste Services Division are sponsoring the Great Abilene Cleanup during March, April and May. It’s part of a continuing effort to improve Abilene’s appearance and quality of life. The 2-month long cleanup coincides with the Keep America Beautiful organization’s Great American Cleanup when citizens across America are encouraged to clean and beautify their communities.
March 24, 2009
Abilene Zoo working with Association of Zoos and Aquariums on accreditation
ABILENE, Texas – The Abilene Zoo is proactively working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to address the tabling of its accreditation by AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission. The zoo remains accredited by the nonprofit organization but will be re-inspected in 12 months.
AZA accreditation means an organization has met high standards for animal welfare and management, veterinary care, behavioral enrichment, nutrition and staff training. According to AZA, its accreditation exceeds currently established local, state and federal guidelines. The accreditation, which is evaluated every five years, can be granted, tabled or denied.
Although disappointed with the Commission’s decision, Zoo Director Bill Baker noted, “By tabling the accreditation, the Commission demonstrated that it believes the Abilene Zoo is capable of continuing to meet its standards, and I remain optimistic that the AZA will ultimately grant us the full five-year accreditation. You can rest assured that our zoo staff is already making progress on areas cited by the AZA that require fine tuning. We still have a great zoo where there’s something wonderful for visitors of all ages to experience.”
In January 2009, an AZA inspection team performed an on-site inspection at the Abilene Zoo. The team of trained zoo and aquarium professionals evaluated all areas of the zoo’s operations including animal care, veterinary programs, educational programs, conservation efforts, financial stability and visitor services. Based on their findings, the team provided a detailed written report for the Accreditation Commission. A formal commission hearing was held this past weekend in which the decision was made to table the Abilene Zoo’s accreditation. The zoo is now taking steps to address the AZA’s concerns which include a diversified approach to maintenance that will allow staff to devote more time to animal exhibitry, environmental enrichment and research. In addition, improvements are underway to develop expanded veterinary and quarantine facilities on site.
The Abilene Zoo is located in Nelson Park, off Highway 36, at 2070 Zoo Lane. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays Memorial Day through Labor Day. The zoo is closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
March 19, 2009
South 11th and Willis intersection temporary closure
ABILENE, Texas – The intersection at South 11th and Willis will remain closed until further notice. The City contractor encountered a shallow gas line in the intersection which will make the original repair take longer than expected. The gas company will have to move the line and once that is complete, the scheduled reconstruction will resume.
March 16, 2009
South 11th and Willis intersection temporary closure
ABILENE, Texas – The City contractor will close the intersection at South 11th and Willis beginning Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 a.m. The closure will allow re-construction of the intersection. Drivers will need to make advanced preparations to bypass this area and avoid any unnecessary delays. The intersection is scheduled to re-open for traffic on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m.
March 6, 2009
CityLink to take part in Roadeo
ABILENE, Texas – Come on out on Sunday, March 8 to the Taylor County Expo Center as CityLink takes part in the annual Roadeo. The Roadeo is an annual event based around a skills/obstacle course that all CityLink operators (20 van and 15 bus operators) participate in. The winners of the Bus and Paratransit divisions will compete in the State Roadeo in Dallas on April 18. Sunday’s event should run from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
March 5, 2009
City seeks input for CDBG & HOME Grant projects
ABILENE, Texas –The City of Abilene Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) will hold a public hearing during the ONS Advisory Council meeting on March 16, 2009, at 4 p.m. in the Basement Conference Room at City Hall, 555 Walnut Street, to discuss various topics related to housing and community development. The ONS is currently developing the FY2009/2010 Action Plan for the City of Abilene Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Grant (HOME) programs.
Input from the meeting will be used by the ONS to formulate recommendations to the City Council regarding the overall CDBG and HOME Budget for the FY2009/2010 Action Plan.
Persons with disabilities who would like special assistance or need special accommodations to participate in this meeting should contact (325) 437-4576 at least 48 hours prior to this meeting. Telecommunication device for the deaf is 676-6360.
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