December News Releases

 

December 27, 2010

 

Update: Rose Senior Center resumes normal operation

ABILENE, Texas – Power has been restored at Rose Park Senior Center and it will resume its normal schedule begining Tuesday, December 28. AEP replaced a breaker and wiring which caused the outage.

Rose Senior Center closed due to power outage

ABILENE, Texas – For the safety of patrons, Rose Senior Center is closed today, Monday December 27, until further notice due to power outage. The  outage was discovered by staff early this morning and occurred sometime over the weekend. The cause of the outage has not been determined. The other senior centers remain open although no meals or bus service is provided.

 

 

December 20, 2010 

 

Carver Neighborhood Plan in development as part of Abilene Neighborhood Initiative

ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene in conjunction with community leaders and local churches is moving forward with a revitalization plan for the Carver neighborhood which consists of an area bound by North 18th Street to the north, Treadaway Boulevard on the east, North 6th Street on the south and Pine Street on the west. The Carver Neighborhood Plan will involve a course of action to enhance the physical, economic and social environment through effective implementation.

 

“Carver is a vital, diverse neighborhood in the heart of Abilene,” remarked Councilman Anthony Williams, Place 3. “It’s where families live alongside thriving commercial businesses but there are also some challenges to overcome. We must come together as a community and work together to solve urban neighborhood issues facing the Carver neighborhood.”

 

Carver is considered one of the oldest central neighborhoods in Abilene, having been firmly established in the early 1900s. The total land area for this neighborhood is approximately 200 acres.

 

The Abilene Neighborhood Initiative, led by Councilman Anthony Williams, officially got underway in August 2009. The purpose of ANI is to improve the quality of life in five neighborhoods (Stevenson, Alameda, Carver, Butternut/Chestnut and Holiday Hills) and fulfill key elements of the City of Abilene’s Comprehensive Land Use and Development Plan for infill development and redevelopment. ANI is being implemented through a partnership among the City of Abilene, congregations, Connecting Caring Communities and other stakeholders.

      

December 17, 2010

Second Chance Appliance Rebate Program gets underway Monday

ABILENE, Texas – This coming Monday, Dec. 20, 2010, is when Abilene residents can begin taking advantage of the Second Chance Appliance Rebate through both the City of Abilene and the State of Texas. Plus, there’s now even more money available from the Texas Comptroller’s Office for the mail-in appliance rebate program. In addition, the City has approximately $57,000 available for the rebate program. For complete details about the rebate program guidelines, visit the City website, www.abilenetx.com, under Hot Items.

 

Abilene residents must replace an older, functional appliance with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model to receive a rebate check. The new program will be based on the State of Texas’ new Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. City residents with a valid Abilene residential address qualify for a rebate if they follow all program rules established by the State program as well as the program guidelines of the City of Abilene. More information on the State program can be found at www.texaspowerfulsmart.org/rebate/.

 

Per the State program guidelines, appliances may be purchased beginning on Monday, Dec. 20, 2010. Purchases before this date WON’T be eligible for the rebate. City rebates are subject to available funding and will be provided to citizens on a first come, first served basis until all available funding has been exhausted.

 

This program serves as an opportunity for citizens who may have missed out on the State’s “Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program” this past spring. According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, an additional $8.5 million from unused public sector energy efficiency funds is being added to the initial $10 million. All funds are part of the federal stimulus program.

 

For additional information, contact the City of Abilene Planning & Development Services Department at (325) 676-6237.

 

December 16, 2010

 

New gift shop opens at Abilene Regional Airport  

ABILENE, Texas – Abilene Regional Airport is pleased to announce that Rockin’ RE Tack for the Cowgirl is now located inside the Buffalo Trading Post at Abilene Regional Airport. The gift shop, which opened today, is open seven days a week from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

Rockin’ RE Tack for the Cowgirl will offer a collection of Western heritage gifts from Abilene and the Big Country. Owner Rusty Emmons specializes in his own hand poured western gel candles and jewelry. Other merchandise includes clothing, home décor, art, and Christmas ornaments.

 

For more information about Abilene Regional Airport, go online to www.abilenetx.com/Airport.

 

2011 to bring new admission fees and promotional days to the Abilene Zoo  

ABILENE, Texas – Beginning January 1, 2011, the Abilene Zoo admission fees will be $2.50 per child 3 – 12 years of age, $5.00 per adult 13 – 59 years of age and $4.00 per senior 60 years of age and above. Group rate pricing for parties of 10 or more will be $1.50 for children, $2.50 for seniors and $3.00 for adults. All children three and under along with zoo members are admitted free.  

 

“Like so many other businesses, zoos are expensive to operate. Our guests want the animals and the facilities to be properly cared for and the adjustment to admission fees will help in this regard,” explained Zoo Director Bill Gersonde. “We’re spending over $215,000 a year just in food and medical care for the animals. We want to keep the cost of a zoo visit affordable but we also need to cover the increases in operational costs.”

 

One hundred percent of the admission fees collected go towards zoo operations and improvements. Currently, the zoo admission fees are $2 per child 3-12 years of age, $4 per adult 13 - 59 years of age and $3 for seniors 60 years of age and above. The zoo has not increased admission fees since 2007.

 

Also in 2011, the zoo will add promotional days that will offer discounts and even some free admissions. One of the promotions is Two Buck Tuesdays when zoo admissions will be $2.00 per adult or child every Tuesday during the month of January. Also on tap for 2011 is free admission for mothers on Mother’s Day and for fathers on Father’s Day when accompanied by a paying child.  

 

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 through the months of June, July, and August. The zoo is closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit the zoo’s website at www.abilenezoo.org.

 

2011 Steam-N-Wheels Bike Race & Fun Ride to be held in memory of former City of Abilene employee  

ABILENE, Texas - The City of Abilene’s Recreation Division and the Abilene Bicycling Club will sponsor the 19th Annual Steam-N-Wheels Bike Race & Fun Ride, Saturday, March 26, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The 2011 Race will be dedicated in memory of former City of Abilene Recreation Supervisor Susan Gerred. Gerred who served as the bike race organizer was killed in a bicycling accident in May 2010. She had retired from the City of Abilene earlier in the year.

 

Entry fee is $25.00 through March 18 and $30.00 for late registration after that date. Entries are being accepted from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Community Services Office, 633 Walnut. Entries will also be accepted the day of the event from 8:00 - 9:45 a.m. at the Abilene Zoo Adventure Center entrance in Nelson Park. The first 200 entries receive a free T‑shirt. Helmets are required for all participants.

 

The event will begin and end at Nelson Park. Three distances will be available to choose from: a 48 mile race/tour course along with 32 & 21 mile fun ride courses. The event is open to all ages, and participants may race for awards or ride for fun. Awards will be presented to the first three places in each age division for the 48 mile race.

 

A Children’s Bicycle Rodeo and Tour will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for ages 3 - 12.  Entry fee is $5.00 and will include the rodeo, park trail tour, educational session and ticket to the Abilene Zoo. Pre-registration is highly recommended for the event.

 

Entry forms are available at the City of Abilene’s Community Services office and Recreation Centers, area bicycle shops, fitness centers, DAFB Gym and Fitness Center, www.abilenetx.com, and www.bikereg.com. 

 

For more information, call the Recreation Division at (325) 676-6217 or (325) 734-5301.

 

December 15, 2010

 

Registration underway for Christmas Camp for kids

ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene’s Recreation Division is hosting a Christmas Camp for children, ages 6 to 13, during Christmas break. The seven-day camp will be held on Dec. 23, 27 through 30, and Jan. 3 and 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided. The registration fee is $50 per child.

 

Sign up for the Christmas Camp at Community Services, 633 Walnut Street, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a maximum of 80 children for the program.

 

For more information, call Community Services at (325) 676-6217.

 

A Spring Break Camp is in the works for the new year. Look for information in the upcoming Spring Leisure Guide.

 

December 14, 2010

 

‘Tis the season to recycle your Christmas tree

ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene’s Solid Waste Services Division is once again sponsoring “Recycle Christmas”, its annual holiday-themed recycling campaign. Citizens are urged to recycle whatever they can from Christmas trees (both live and artificial) as well as wrapping paper and cardboard boxes.

 

From Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 through Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, citizens can drop off live Christmas trees at three locations:

 

• Environmental Recycling Center, 2209 Oak Street.

• Buffalo Gap Road & Rebecca Lane neighborhood recycling drop-off site, under the water tower

• Vacant lot north of KRBC/KTAB TV studios on Hartford Road. Entry must be made from Hartford Road.

 

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 Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 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 4:45 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

 

Most City offices closed in observance of Christmas and New Year’s Day

ABILENE, Texas – Most City of Abilene offices and community service centers will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24, 2010 and Friday, Dec. 31, 2010 in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays with the exception of those providing life safety services such as fire and police protection.

 

The Abilene Animal Shelter will be closed on Dec. 24, Christmas day (Dec. 25), Dec. 31 and New Year’s Day (Jan. 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.

 

Solid Waste Services division offices will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. There will be normal residential or commercial pickup on December 24 and Dec. 31. There will be no pay load service on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. The Environmental Recycling Center (ERC), 2209 Oak Street, will be closed on Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 26 for the Christmas holiday as well as Dec. 31, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 for New Year’s.

CityLink Transit’s schedule is as follows:

  

       Dec. 24: CityLink Transit office will be closed; regular transit service will run until 6:15 p.m.

         Dec. 25: CityLink Transit office will be closed; no transit service on Christmas.

         Dec. 31: CityLink Transit office will be closed; regular transit service will run until 6:15 p.m.

         Jan. 1: CityLink Transit office will be closed; no transit service on New Year’s Day

 

Municipal Court will also be closed on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. All citations due on those days will instead be due on Monday, Dec. 27 and Monday, Jan. 3 respectively.

 

All locations of the Abilene Public Library will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25. All library locations will be open on Friday, Dec. 31. The library, however, will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1.

 

The Abilene Zoo is closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

 

City facilities that will also be closed on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 include: City Hall, Health Division, 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 Christmas, Dec. 25. 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.

 

December 11, 2010

 

Abilene Police Department: Robbery Suspects

Last night the Abilene Police Department, with the assistance of Merkel P.D. and the local media, was able to identify and capture the robbery suspects. These cases are an excellent example of what Intelligence Led Policing is about. We were able to identify a problem and focused our resources on this problem until it was solved. We had several robberies over a two night period. The Criminal Investigations Division began to gather surveillance video from the stores that were robbed. The Intel Division culled through all the excellent reports and evidence that was completed by the Patrol Division. We were then able to release to the media still shots from the video surveillance. The Street Crimes Unit then worked diligently getting these subjects identified. Once they were identified we learned that they lived in Merkel. The Merkel P.D. was contacted and located three individuals. These subjects were then interviewed by C.I.D. This is a fine example of following where the intelligence and evidence leads and working together as an entire team (Law Enforcement, Media and the Public) to stop a very serious crime spree. The following subjects were arrested last night and charged with three counts of Aggravated Robbery and one count of Engaging in Organized Crime:

Anthony James Williams (age 19)

Hondo Silva (age 18)

Katelyn Renea Harris (age 18)

 

December 10, 2010

City of Abilene receives high bond rating

ABILENE, Texas – The City of Abilene is pleased to announce today that Standard & Poor’s has assigned its ‘AA+’ long-term rating to the City’s series 2011 general obligation (GO) refunding bonds and series 2011 combination tax and limited surplus revenue certificates of obligation. In addition, Standard & Poor’s affirmed its ‘AA+’ underlying rating on the city’s outstanding debt obligations. Standard and Poor’s stated that the outlook on all ratings is stable.

 

“These strong ratings in the ‘AA+’ category indicate that the City’s financial outlook remains favorable,” said Director of Finance Mindy Patterson. “The City is committed to consistently sound financial management and practices. I am pleased that the latest bond ratings reflect this commitment.”

 

In its assessment of the City’s finances, Standard & Poor’s stated that the rating reflects stable tax base growth, historical maintenance of very strong reserves and low overall net debt level as a percent of market value.

 

The City also recently received ratings of “AA+” from Fitch Ratings for these bonds. 

 

Abilene Police Department: Raids Online

The Abilene Police Department is excited to announce a new crime mapping system located on the police department’s web site.  We have teamed up with RAIDS Online (Regional Analysis & Information Data Sharing) to provide easy to read crime maps and analysis. RAIDS Online displays crime data to the public using Google Maps' well known, intuitive mapping interface.  The user is able to search a city or address and then select what crimes they would like to see and the date range of these crimes.  A map will come up with pin points of these crimes.  The pin points will give a small amount of information about each crime. 

Raids Online is also able to provide the user with analytics pertaining to crime in Abilene.  The user can click on the Analytic tab and this will pull up several charts.  These charts show the selected crime in different ways.  The user can see the crime by day of week and even by the hour of the day.  This is beneficial to the public and the police department as it can tell us the days and times of the highest amount of crime.  There is also a feature under Analytic Layers that shows crime in the form of a density map, where the colors are hotter when there is more crime in that area.  This also will help identify areas that have a high crime rate.

There are two other important features that Raids Online offers.  The first is “Citizens on Patrol”.  This portion of the site is a volunteer sign up.  If you sign up for Citizens on Patrol you will receive emergency alerts from the Abilene Police Department when a major event occurs in the city.  The second, also a volunteer sign up, is Crime Alerts.  This allows the user to sign up with their e-mail address and then enter their home, work or any address they wish into the system.  They will then choose a desired radius around that address and will receive e-mail alerts when a crime occurs in that radius.  This allows the user to have a better idea of what crime is occurring around their home, work or other locations. 

This is a free service available to anyone with internet connection.  The Abilene Police Department sends information daily to Raids Online.  However, due to the delay in getting these crimes entered into the computer system the information listed in Raids Online will be a maximum of two days behind the reported date.  The Abilene Police Department encourages its citizens and media to use this free service as a tool to see what crime trends and patterns may be forming in your neighborhood, as we will be looking also!

 

 

December 8, 2010

 

City of Abilene remembers former director of finance

ABILENE, Texas – City of Abilene officials are sending their condolences to family and friends of a nearly 30-year City employee and former director of finance who passed away this week. David Wright retired as the director of finance in May 2008 after serving 28 years with the City of Abilene.

 

“David was a dedicated public servant who held the City to a high financial standard,” remarked City Manager Larry Gilley. “Much of the City’s fiscal stability can be attributed to the sound financial management that David developed in the Finance Department. David will be remembered as an astute financial professional as well as a good friend and colleague.”

 

Wright was the director of finance for more than 25 years. He was a past president of Government Finance Officers Association of Texas (GFOAT) and served four years on the Board of Directors of Texas Municipal League (TML). In an e-mail to its membership today, the GFOAT executive director stated, “Many members of GFOAT worked with David on association business and remember his enthusiasm and commitment to public service. His colleagues considered him a good mentor, leader and friend.”

 

Wright had also been recognized as an Outstanding Management Accountant by the Abilene Chapter National Association of Accountants. The Abilene Rotary Club recognized him with the Service Above Self award. He was also awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the City's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).   

 

Elderly hyena euthanized at Abilene Zoo

ABILENE, Texas – The Abilene Zoo sadly announced today that Guido, a 21-year-old spotted hyena, was euthanized yesterday, Dec. 7, 2010, after tests determined he was in kidney failure. Guido was born at the Abilene Zoo in March 1989 and was on exhibit until the arrival of the white Bengal tiger in June 2009. He enjoyed his retirement years in an off-exhibit area where staff was able to spend time him.

 

Zoo Director Bill Gersonde said, “Guido had stopped eating and was not acting like himself so we performed a physical exam. That’s when tests revealed his kidneys were shutting down. The humane thing to do was to euthanize him.”

 

Hyenas live an average of 12 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity. The zoo has no plans at this time to replace the hyena.              

 

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 through the months of June, July, and August. The zoo is closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit the zoo’s website at www.abilenezoo.org.

 

Emergency Medical Services Citizens Advisory Committee to recommend Level 5 EMS system for Abilene Fire Department

ABILENE, Texas – The 15-member Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Citizens Advisory Committee will soon recommend to the City Council that the Abilene Fire Department (AFD) become a Level 5 EMS system. A Level 5 EMS system means the fire department would provide emergency transports. Due to the holidays, the City Council is expected to consider the EMS Citizens Advisory Committee’s recommendation during a public meeting sometime in January.

 

The EMS Citizens Advisory Committee has been assisting the Abilene Fire Chief Ken Dozier and City of Abilene staff in determining the feasibility and timetable for the Abilene Fire Department to become a Level 5 and/or Level 6 Emergency Medical Service provider. Once the AFD provides Paramedic level EMS, an option exists for the fire department to provide emergency transports (Level 5) and non-emergency transfers (Level 6) via ambulances. The AFD is currently advancing to the final step as a First Responder Organization in providing Paramedic level EMS.

 

In its recommendation, the EMS Citizens Advisory Committee stated, “The committee is convinced this would be in the best interest of the citizens of Abilene and would result in the highest level of pre-hospital emergency care available.”

 

The 15 committee appointees are: James McCoy (Chair), Susie Cassle, Chris Vaughn, Lisa Flores, Mashall Lowry, Mark Powell, Janice Bedford, Dev Ohre, Cindy Haley, Ed Emerson, Stacey McGee, Debbie Lillick, Robert Kern, Carol Chastain, and Dr. Cole Mitchell.

 

The City Council established the EMS Citizens Advisory Committee on Aug. 26, 2010.

 

December 6, 2010

 

The Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness hosts Martial Arts Day

ABILENE, Texas – Enhance your fitness and personal safety by taking part in Martial Arts Day on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. The Abilene Martial Art Center, 2401 S. 7th Street, will offer several free classes in the afternoon for participants age four through adult. This month’s Favorite Fitness Activity of the Month is brought to you by the Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness.

 

“Martial Arts Day is a great opportunity for the public to try a workout that can help them become more physically fit while also teaching them some valuable personal safety tips,” explained Joy Hedges who is a Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness board member.

 

Here’s the schedule for the three classes that are offered at no charge on Saturday, Dec. 11:

 

• 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.               Ages 4 to 8

• 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.               Ages 9 to 14

• 4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.               Ages 15 and up

 

Participants should wear comfortable exercise clothing. For more information about Martial Arts Day, contact Joy Hedges at (325) 676-6246.                                  

 

Citizens serving on the Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness are: Dr. Dennis O’Connell (Chair), Bill Horn (Vice-Chair), Kris Dawson, Cheryl Edgar, Joy Hedges, Mary Herron, Dr. Dan Munton, Dr. Pug Parris (Former Chair), Ron Richert and Deonna Shake.

 

For other fitness activities in Abilene, go online to www.MyFitnessAbilene.com.

 

December 3, 2010

 

      Pine Street rehabilitation work to begin next week  

ABILENE, Texas – Weather permitting, construction is scheduled to get underway the week of Dec. 6, 2010 for the Pine Street Rehabilitation Project. The $1,710,609 project will focus on Pine Street from N. 6th Street to Ambler Avenue. The project is scheduled

for completion in fall 2011. 

 

The first phase will launch sometime next week with the City of Abilene’s contractor beginning the reconstruction of the N. 13th and Pine Streets intersection. During this time, Pine Street will be reduced from four lanes to one lane in each direction. N. 13th Street will be closed to through traffic for up to two months.

 

The entire project will include the construction of landscaped medians, construction of new curb and gutter, replacement of pavement and construction of additional sidewalks. Northbound and southbound traffic will remain open on Pine Street throughout the project. However, traffic may be closed on streets crossing east and west along Pine Street at times.

 

The City of Abilene’s Public Works Department is appreciative of the public’s patience during this major rehabilitation project for Pine Street. Motorists are asked to exercise caution when driving by the road work zone and watch for construction, personnel and equipment. 

 

December 2, 2010

 

Abilene Police Department: Suspects arrested for multiple crimes in northeast Abilene

On Nov. 2, 2010 the Abilene Police Department received a call from a citizen in reference to suspicious subjects in a local apartment complex. The subjects were seen checking car doors and entering vehicles in the parking lot. Officers of the Abilene Police Department responded and identified the above subjects. 33-year-old Vincent Anderson was found to be in possession of stolen property from several vehicles. He was arrested at this time.  20-year-old Brian Flannagan was contacted a few blocks from Anderson and was not found to be in possession of stolen property on this night. He was released, pending further investigation.During this investigation, Flannagan has been linked to multiple car burglaries, a burglary of a building and several theft cases. Flannagan was arrested on 11/16/10 for outstanding warrants. He has since been charged with several of these burglaries and there are more cases being investigated. Both subjects are currently incarcerated at the Taylor County Jail. 

 

If anyone has information pertaining to crimes these subjects or any others have committed, please contact the Abilene Police Department at (325) 673-8331.