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February 29, 2008 - City News |
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Mayor's
Message |
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Dear Friend,
Last year when we
approved the construction of three Community
Venues, the new Events Center, the new
performing arts center and a renovated Citrus
Bowl, we wanted to make sure that we did more
than just build the buildings. These three
projects represent both an opportunity to
revitalize our Downtown and to generate new jobs
and business opportunities.
In order to
ensure the local workforce is trained and ready
for the opportunity, the City of Orlando, in
partnership with Workforce Central Florida,
developed The Blueprint Hiring Program. On
Saturday, March 1, a community meeting and barbeque
will be held from
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dr. J.B. Callahan
Neighborhood Center. I encourage you to join us
to learn about these job opportunities.
Our goal is to
use these projects to make a significant
and long-term, positive economic impact on the
local Central Florida community.
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.
Neighborhood Watch Community Meetings
Join your neighbors
and City officials for a Neighborhood Watch community meeting on
Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the John H. Jackson
Community Center, 1002 Carter Street.
Neighborhood Watch
remains the most successful crime prevention program worldwide. Its
success is demonstrated by our community’s commitment to become actively
involved through practicing crime prevention techniques and
reporting crime or suspicious activity. Visit
CityofOrlando.net for more information.
Citizen Police Academy
The Orlando Police Department will be
starting its 47th Citizen Police Academy on Tuesday, March 25, from 6:30
p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Orlando Police Department Auditorium. This
12-week program meets once a week. The twelfth week is a formal
graduation with the Chief of Police. The Citizen Police Academy
introduces participants to the wide variety of
functions performed in police work, including police patrol of
neighborhoods and tactics used in high risk incidents. For more
information, contact the Community Involvement Section at 407-246-2461.
City’s ISO 1 Rating Takes Effect
The City of Orlando’s Insurance Services Office (ISO)
rating of 1 becomes official as of March 1. ISO is the nationwide
standard for rating and ranking fire departments.
Orlando’s rating is the highest possible and only 55 communities in the
country have similarly ranked fire departments. "This top ISO rating
allows Orlando residents to live, work and go to sleep every night
knowing that their fire protection is the best in the country," said
Mayor Dyer.
"Attaining this rating demonstrates the City’s continuing commitment to
providing the highest quality services to our growing community," said
Fire Chief Jim Reynolds.
In July 2006, Mayor Dyer launched a three-year, multi-million dollar
Public Safety Initiative. This effort placed more fire and rescue units
on our roads, additional fire stations throughout the City and included
the training, equipment and personnel that laid the foundation for the
City of Orlando to attain the first ISO rating of 1.
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City Council
Elections
City Council
elections concluded on February 26. The
following new and returning elected officials
will begin their new term on May 1. Information
about the oath of office ceremony will be
available in future issues of City News.
Mayor: Buddy Dyer
District 2 City Commissioner: Tony Ortiz
District 4 City Commissioner: Patty Sheehan
District 6 City Commissioner: Samuel B. Ings
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St. Johns River Clean
Up
 Join
the City of Orlando and other Central Florida
communities on March 15 to help clean the lakes
and streets that ultimately drain to the St.
Johns River. The City of Orlando will be holding
lake shore clean-ups at Lake Ivanhoe and Lake
Underhill and a road clean up near Lake
Underhill. The March 15 event runs from 9 a.m.
to 11 a.m. Volunteers can register by calling
407-246-2125 extension 17 or e-mailing
Katie.Kulbaba@cityoforlando.net. The events will
be held at the following locations:
Lake Ivanhoe
Gaston Edwards Park
1236 N. Orange Avenue
Lake Underhill & Adopt-A Highway Cleanup
4355 Lake Underhill, West of Conway Road
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Mayor in the
Community |
On Thursday,
February 28, Mayor Buddy Dyer visited Cub Scout
Pack 903’s Blue and Gold Banquet at Rosemont
Elementary School.
Also on Thursday, Mayor Dyer awarded the grand
prize at the Orange County Public School Science
Fair at Howard Middle School.
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Did You Know? |
PKZ Mentorz Program
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and District 5
Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum invite you to make a
difference in the life of a Parramore youth by
volunteering to become a mentor. By offering
support, advice, reinforcement and constructive
examples, mentors help children grow into
successful adults. Be part of the solution.
If you are dependable, a positive role model,
able to volunteer for an hour a week, interested
in giving back to your community, passionate
about making a difference and want to pass it
on, then you can help a child succeed.
Role Description
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Meet with Parramore Kidz Zone’s mentor
coordinator to talk about your interests
and needs and be matched with a child
who’s just right for you. |
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Spend 30-40 minutes, once a week, with a
child between the ages of 5 and 18 years
of age, at a nearby school or City
Recreation center. |
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Help youth set goals, and encourage them
to achieve academic and personal
success. |
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Receive tips and advice from the mentor
coordinator, whenever you need them, to
enhance your mentoring experience. |
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Have fun while helping a promising child
achieve their full potential and develop
the academic and life skills needed to
be successful this year and every year. |
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Be part of our community’s solution.
Research shows that mentoring improves
school performance and reduces the risk
for juvenile crime and other negative
behaviors. |
If you are interested, register at
www.cityoforlando.net/pkz or contact Susan
Alatorre at 407-292-6500 or
mentoring@cityteenz.org.
Burnham Presents
Research Briefings
 The
Burnham Institute will present a community forum
on the future of cell replacement therapies for
diabetes on March 6 at 6 p.m. This research
briefing will explore the cutting edge
technology being used in the fight against
diabetes from a leading researcher, Dr. Pamela
Itkin-Ansari. This is a free event open to the
public at the Renaissance Senior Center, 3800
South Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando.
Firefighters Chili Cookoff
 Enjoy
the Orlando Fire Department’s Third Annual Chili
Cookoff and ISO 1 Rating celebration on
Saturday, March 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sample
chili from Orlando firefighters, see fire
department demonstrations and enjoy carnival
games, clowns, local vendors, a bounce house,
hula hoop contest, a used book sale and music by
Tom the DJ Guy. Hamburgers, hotdogs and
beverages will be available for purchase. The
Chili Cookoff takes place at City Hall Plaza,
400 South Orange Avenue.
Mayor’s City Academy
Don’t miss the chance to become
more informed, engaged and involved in your
City! The Mayor’s City Academy is a program that
offers citizens a unique look inside Orlando
City government. Participants will interact with
City employees and take part in real life
situations, giving them a greater appreciation
of the hard working employees. They will tour
Orlando City Hall and the Amway Arena, interact
with the police and fire departments, learn
about downtown development and public works,
participate in activities with the families,
parks and recreation department and learn more
about housing and transportation initiatives.
Classes meet every Thursday from 5:30 – 8 p.m.
during the 10-week program. Participants must be
at least 18 years old. For more information or
for an application, call 407-246-2169 or visit
www.cityoforlando.net/cityacademy.
Spring application deadline is March 27, 2008.
Classes will begin on April 10, 2008.
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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 closures 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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