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November 30,
2007 - City News |
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Mayor's
Message |
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Dear Friend,
It’s rare that I write two letters for City
News in one week, but when I appointed
Orlando Police Chief Val Demings on Tuesday, it
was too momentous of an occasion to wait until
today. I am confident in Chief Demings’ ability
to lead the Orlando Police Department and to
ensure the safety of our community.
City News has given me the ability to
publicize the City’s various initiatives and
programs in a timely manner. Recognized by the
Orlando Sentinel as “ahead of the game,”
City News has become a valuable tool to
keep you informed.
In this week’s edition, our Public Safety Update
continues with crime prevention tips for the
holidays. We also explain our new bio-fuel
initiative for City vehicles as well as a
recycling grant that will assist with a new
commercial downtown recycling program. We have a
last call for volunteers for Project Homeless
Connect taking place December 7, and we are
highlighting the workshops for the Educational
Partnership Grants. Upcoming events, including
Holiday Lights Orlando, are also listed.
This issue of City News also includes a
video feature highlighting Orlando. I recently
showed this at the National League of Cities
Conference in New Orleans to promote the 2008
conference, which takes place here in Orlando. I
hope you find it entertaining.
Speaking of excitement, good luck to the Knights
as they take on Tulsa in the Conference USA
Championship game this Saturday.
Sincerely,
Buddy Dyer
Mayor
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This section of
City News provides public safety updates on new and ongoing City
initiatives and opportunities for citizens to become engaged in their
neighborhoods.
Holiday Safety Tips
When you drive:
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If you
must shop at night, park in a well-lighted, well-traveled area.
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Keep
all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your
car. |
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Set
your alarm or use an anti-theft device.
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Park
as close as you can to your destination and take notice of where
you parked.
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Never
leave your car unoccupied with the motor running or with
children inside.
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Do not
leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This
creates a temptation for thieves. If you must leave something in
the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight.
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Be
sure to locate your keys prior to leaving the building.
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When
approaching and leaving your vehicle, be aware of your
surroundings.
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Keep a
secure hold on your purse, handbag and parcels. Do not put them
down or on top of the car in order to open the door.
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Do not
approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the
area.
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Ask
mall or store security for an escort before leaving your
shopping location. |
At your home:
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Be
extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave
the house, even for a few minutes. |
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When
leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family
member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail.
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Indoor
and outdoor lights should be on an automatic timer. |
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Leave
a radio or television on so the house looks and sounds occupied.
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Large
displays of holiday gifts should not be visible through the
windows and doors of your home. |
For more crime prevention tips, visit the
Orlando Police Department
online.
Graffiti Hotline: 407-254-GRAF
Residents can call in and report graffiti
to 407-254-GRAF (4723). This information clearinghouse is run by Keep
Orlando Beautiful to streamline the process for graffiti removal. This
group will work in tandem with City departments and the OPD Gang
Enforcement team to aggressively locate and remove graffiti. Residents
can also report graffiti
online.
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City Testing New BioFuel on City Vehicle
The City of
Orlando will begin testing a new biofuel on one
of its vehicles to demostrate the fuel’s
potential. The trial will be carried out over
the next several months and will include a
comprehensive series of performance and tailpipe
emissions tests. The fuel, created by H2Diesel,
is created from domestically produced vegetable
oils and animal fats. H2Diesel believes its
proprietary biofuel will provide an
environmentally superior and lower cost
alternative to other more traditional biofuels.
“We are very glad
to have H2Diesel as a partner in our ‘Green
Works Orlando’ program,” said Orlando Mayor
Buddy Dyer. “We believe H2Diesel’s 100 percent
renewable biofuel can assist the City in our
effort to move our entire fleet of vehicles to
renewable fuels by 2012.”
Recycling Grant
The Florida
Department of Environmental Protection awarded
Orlando a $44,000 matching grant for a Downtown
recycling program. The City will develop a
single-stream commercial recycling program in
Downtown, where paper, bottles and other
recyclable items are collected in one bin
instead of having to be separated. The grant is
a part of the State’s effort to promote
recycling and conserve natural resources, and it
allows the City to expand its recycling program
while saving money. The model created by the
Solid Waste Division will help other cities
develop similar commercial recycling programs.
Find out more
information online about
Green Works Orlando.
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National League of Cities 2008 Conference
At this Monday’s
City Council meeting, Mayor Buddy Dyer announced
that the City of Orlando will co-host the 2008
National League of Cities conference. Mayor
Dyer, Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum, Commissioner
Samuel B. Ings and Commissioner Patty Sheehan
recently returned from this year’s conference in
New Orleans, where more than 4,000 local
officials met to discuss local issues. The City
will be hosting the 2008 conference in
partnership with the Orlando/Orange County
Convention and Visitors Bureau. To give
attendees at this year’s conference a sneak peak
of Orlando, the Mayor presented a special video,
now available online.
Super Kids Grant
The City Council
accepted a grant of $5,000 from Oracle, USA for
the Orlando Police Department’s Super Kids
program. In its sixth year at OPD, Super Kids is
an elementary school program teaching about peer
pressure, anger management, conflict resolution
and drug resistance. The funding will be used
for computers in the Super Kids unit.
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Mayor in the
Community |
On Wednesday, November 28, Mayor Dyer hosted the
Senior Public Safety Series meetings at Calvary
Towers with District 3 Commissioner Robert
Stuart and at the Lorna Doone Apartments with
District 5 Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum. The
Mayor and City officials provided an update on
the City’s safety efforts, including the Safe
Orlando Task Force, the Illegal Gun Bounty
Program and the Orlando Police Departments
creation of tactical squads to aggressively
target street level crime.
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On Thursday, November 29, Mayor Dyer
attended the Permitting Services Open House. The event
gave residents, contractors and business owners a chance
to meet with Permitting employees, learn about how to
file for permits and other licenses and find out how to
use their automated phone and online services. |
On Friday evening, November 30, Mayor Dyer will
attend the Conference USA reception at City
Hall. The University of Central Florida is
playing Tulsa in the Conference USA Championship
game on Saturday, December 1 at Bright House
Network Stadium.
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Did You Know? |
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Project Homeless Connect
On Friday, December 7, the City
of Orlando will again be hosting Project
Homeless Connect at the Downtown Recreation
Center. A one-day, one-stop event, Project
Homeless Connect offers services to people in
need, connecting them with benefits, medical
care, employment opportunities, substance abuse
and mental health counseling, social services,
food, emergency shelter and transitional housing
information. We are currently seeking volunteers
to support this effort. If you are interested,
go to
cityoforlando.net
Free Performance
of She Loves Me
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Be the City of Orlando’s
special guest at a matinee performance of She Loves
Me on Saturday, December 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Mad
Cow Theater, located at 105 South Magnolia Avenue in
Downtown Orlando. Advanced reservations for this special
matinee performance can be made by calling the Mad Cow
Box Office at 407-297-8788. Tickets are limited, so call
early. Once you have made reservations, your tickets may
be picked up the day of the matinee between 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. Set in a perfume shop in Budapest, She Loves Me
tells the story of two feuding shopkeepers who are
carrying on an amorous but secret correspondence with
each other. She Loves Me is perfect for families
including young people ages eight and over. |
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Edgewater Walkabout
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Orlando City Commissioner Robert Stuart,
the Edgewater Drive Vision Task Force and City of
Orlando staff invite you to attend the Edgewater Drive
Walkabout on Saturday, December 1, 2007.
The walkabout's purpose is
for the public, with assistance from the Task Force and
members of City Planning staff, to analyze assets and
opportunities along the Edgewater Drive corridor to
create a vision that manages future growth. The Task
Force is specifically seeking input from the public so
that they can understand how citizens want the street to
look and feel. |
Over an eight-month period,
the Task Force will hold several meetings to
examine planning issues and gain public input
throughout the process. Building on prior plans
conceived for the neighborhood, the Task Force
will identify steps to implement changes for an
improved Edgewater Drive.
The walkabout will start at the College Park
United Methodist Church at 644 W. Princeton
Street. Ten teams will walk different sections
along the Edgewater Drive Corridor between Maury
Road and Lakeview Street.
Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grants
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer invites you to learn
how to apply for matching grants from $1,000 to
$10,000 from the City of Orlando for academic
enrichment or educational enhancement activities
for children and youth during non-school hours.
All
workshops cover the same information and will
review guidelines, instructions, and the
application process. A minimum of one individual
from the school, nonprofit organization,
civic/professional organization, or community
organization and two individuals who reside
within the boundaries of the neighborhood
organization must attend an application workshop
to apply for this grant.
Applications are available online at:
www.cityoforlando.net/grants. Call
407-246-3787 to reserve your seat at one or more
of the following workshops:
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Saturday, Dec. 1, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30
a.m. Callahan Neighborhood Center, 101 North
Parramore Avenue |
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Wednesday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Orlando City Hall, 400 South Orange Avenue |
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Thursday, Dec. 13, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Orange County Public Schools, 445 West Amelia Street |
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Tuesday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Dover Shores Community Center, 1400 Gaston Foster Road |
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Tuesday, Jan. 15, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
J.R. Smith Neighborhood Center, 1723 Bruton Boulevard |
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Upcoming
Events |
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Road Closure |
• For information on
road closures please visit:
our site.
• For up-to-date
information on I-4 lane and ramp closure please
visit:
trans4mation.org
• For the latest
East-West Expressway updates please visit:
http://www.oocea.com/constructionupdate/roadupdates.shtml |
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City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407.246.2221
Fax: 407.246.2842
Email:
buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net |
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Florida has a very broad public records law.
As a result, any written communication created or received by City of
Orlando officials and employees will be made available to the public and
media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt. Under Florida law, email
addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address
released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic
mail to this office. Instead, contact our office by phone or in writing.
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