| Great American Cleanup-King-Oliver Area |
 The Great King-Oliver Neighborhood Clean Up April 10, held in conjunction with the annual Great American Cleanup, brought the helping hands of more than 200 volunteers to assist with cleaning and beautification projects.
Laboring 1,230 service hours, volunteers completed seventeen projects, including the collection and removal of 2.5 tons of trash and debris, painting five homes, constructing wheelchair ramps and rails, tree trimming, power washing, and esperanza planting. Devereux Garden volunteers, promoting Grow Victoria Gold, gave both residents and volunteers the opportunity to purchase drought-resistant yellow esperanza plants.
City staff began working hand-in-hand with residents in October 2009, when the King-Oliver area was designated as the 2009-2010 Target Neighborhood. The program, a concentrated City and community development effort, offers designated federal funds to qualifying individuals for improvement projects and assistance with neighborhood beautification. The City partners with Keep Victoria Beautiful, a local office of the national Keep America Beautiful Program, which organizes volunteers to assist in the annual neighborhood cleanup campaign.
"Volunteers make large projects possible--often projects the homeowner is unable to do otherwise," says Morgan Kallus. "It's all about neighbors helping neighbors." This year, as an added incentive, Disney offered volunteers nationally a free ticket to one of their theme parks through the Give a Day. Get a Disney Day. program. Photos: Banner, volunteers painting 1003 N. East Street. Above, boy with roller is from Corpus Christi, his entire family volunteers regularly. |
| Victoria Police Officers Spread Easter Cheer |
Victoria Police Officers, volunteering their own time and resources, spent the day before Easter delivering baskets to children confined to local hospitals during the holiday.
Officer Eric Poulton, at left, and four other Victoria Police officers, donned bunny ears to deliver Easter baskets filled with toys, eggs and other goodies to kids at Detar Hospital and Citizens Medical Center.
"No one likes to be stuck in the Hospital, especially if you're a youngster and it's Easter time," said Poulton. "Our goal is to give the kids hope and bring a smile to their face." |
| Reverse 9-1-1 Register Your Cell Phone |
 Global Connect is a reverse 9-1-1 system that enables local emergency officials to relay, by telephone, critical safety information and instructions in the event of an impending hurricane, chemical accident, natural disaster or evacuation.
Calls are automatically placed to all listed telephone numbers in the area affected. However, today many households are eliminating landline phones or choosing an unlisted number for privacy. Many will never receive emergency notification.
Emergency Management officials encourage residents to register unlisted and cell phone numbers now. In the event of an emergency, the number you register will be called. If you do not have computer access for registration, please call 2-1-1 for assistance. Register here. |
| Downtowm Rhythms & Musical Zoo |
 Hundreds of music lovers attended the free family concert, Downtown Rhythms, at DeLeon Plaza on Thursday, April 22. The ever-popular Musical Petting Zoo gave children an opportunity to play almost every type of musical instrument. Under the leadership of Maestro Darryl One, the Victoria Symphony performed a selection from pops, jazz, and movie favorites under the One O'Connor Plaza atrium. The Victoria College Jazz ensemble performed as did the VISD Elementary String Orchestra and other musical groups. |
| Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After |
 Up close and personal, that's how these youngsters welcomed the unveiling of , Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After, the new bronze sculptures by Marianne Caroselli, installed near the main entrance to the Victoria Public Library April 7.
Dayna Williams, director of the public library and Mayor Will Armstrong briefly spoke and offered congratulations and thanks to Friends of the Pubic Library for their generous support. The sculptures and limestone bench were given in memory of Arline Graves. |
| Earth Day Expo - Green Success! |
 Earth Day Expo, a hands-on activity and learning event for local elementary school children, took place April 21 at the Victoria Convention Center.
More than 1,000 students from Victoria and the surrounding region learned about air quality, recycling, water conservation and other environmental topics.
The event hosted by Victoria's Environmental Services Department and sponsored by the Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District drew more than 40 exhibitors including City staff from Fire, Parks and Recreation and Public Works Departments. Photo: Harry Wagner, Professor of Geology/Environmental Science at the Victoria College, answers questions from students about the rock and hydrological cycles. |
| 2010 US Census-10 questions, 10 minutes |
 Open the door to a census taker and open doors for your community. Do I have to talk to the census taker? Yes.
Your participation in the 2010 Census is vital and required by law, (Section 221, of Title 13 of the U.S. Code). However, rather than rely on criminal charges, the Census Bureau is very successful in getting participation by explaining the importance of the questions we ask and how the information benefits our communities.
Important Census Dates:
December 2010By law, the Census Bureau delivers population information to the President for apportionment. The local Census office has a Questionaire Assistance Center at 2002 Commerce Street, Suite A, 489-3200. |
| Library-April Programs | |
NEW HOURS!
9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday
Closed Sunday
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS
There will be no story time for toddlers in May; preparations are being made for the Summer Reading Program.
Lunes Hora / Monday Hour - May 3, 4:30-5:15 p.m.
Take-Home Mother's Day Craft - May 3-8 Visit the library to pick up a kit for making Mother's Day cards at the information desk.
Tween/Parent Book Club - May 18, 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. Tweens and parents will discuss adventure books and create adventure board games.
TEENS
Note: There will be no teen programs in May; preparations are being made for the Summer Reading Program.
TAG Meeting - May 13, 6 - 7:30 p.m. The Teen Advisory Group assists in helping VPL serve teens better.
ADULTS
Brown Bag Book Group - May 5, 12 p.m. Bronte Room
The Brown Bag Book Group meets every first Wednesday of the month. Light refreshments and relaxed atmosphere provided. This month we will be discussing Black Swan Green by David Mitchell.
Lunchtime Learning - May 11, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Bronte Room Lunchtime Learning is a monthly genealogy educational program focusing on research. This month will focus on Marriage/Divorce Records Research. Soup or salad will be served. Registration Requested.
The Victoria Public Library offers monthly programs for children, tweens, teens and adults. In addition, genealogy research and various computer classes are available by registration. Please access the VPL web site for more information and a complete schedule.
Victoria Public Library, 302 N. Main, Victoria, Tx 77901
Call 485-3302 for more information. |
| What's the Condition of Your Street? |
 Each year since 1994, the Engineering Dept. has taken inventory of the condition of more than 1,000,000 feet of streets within the city limits.
Since 1997, when the combined total of poor and very poor rated streets exceeded more than 39 percent of the total inventory, the 2009 inventory of poor and very poor has fallen below a combined total of less than 16 percent. Streets are rated in terms of surface type, length, width and condition.
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Free access to internet database of local reported criminal activity.
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| Local Elections May 8 |
 | EARLY VOTING UNTIL MAY 4
Mayor, City Council and Water Board
Joint Elections
Saturday, May 8
Victoria County Elections Adminstrator
111 N. Glass Street
Victoria, TX 77901
361-576-0124
website: Elections |
| National Peace Officers Memorial May 11 |  | |
The Victoria County Sheriff's Department will host the 2010 Peace Officers Memorial, a service honoring fallen officers killed in the line of duty, during National Police Week May 9-15.
Sgt. Timothy Olsovsky, who died while conducting drills on Oct. 7, 2009, will be among those remembered.
Please join us to honor, remember and support those who lost their lives while protecting ours.
When:
11 a.m. May 11
101 North Glass Street
Victoria, TX 77901-6495
575-0651 |
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Parks & Recreation Upcoming Events | |
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Market Days May 15 Market Days, hosted by the Parks and Recreation Dept., takes place from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. the third Saturday of the month, March-May and Oct.-Dec.
Looking for a Cool
Summer Job?
Victoria Parks and Recreation is recruiting Lifeguards. You must be 16 years of age or older. Click here May 29 for Memorial Weekend.
Free Kayak Clinic!
June 12
Registration Required
Summer Softball and Kickball League Registration
Continues through May 14
VICTORIA COMMUNITY CENTER ONLINE RESERVATION REQUESTS NOW AVAILABLE!!!
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| 9-1-1 DON'T ABUSE IT | |
WHEN TO CALL 9-1-1? |
Dial 9-1-1 only for an emergency. An emergency is any serious medical problem (chest pain, seizure, bleeding), any type of fire (business, car, building), or any life-threatening situation (fights, person with weapons, etc.). Most jurisdictions also urge citizens to use 9-1-1 to report crimes in progress, whether or not a life is threatened.
The City of Victoria 9-1-1 call center, located in the Golden Crescent of Coastal Texas, serves a population of about 80,000 city and county residents. Our service area also extends into bordering counties.
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| Victoria Recycles! |  | |
The Victoria Recycles Community Advisory Panel
A forum created to promote dialogue between the community and the Environmental Services Department. Its purpose is to discuss, plan and implement recycling activities and programs. Environmental staff discuss monthly recycling updates and panel members provide suggestions, feedback and new ideas.
If you are interested in recycling in the Victoria area, want to learn more, volunteer and participate in recycling activities and programs, join us! Membership is open to all members of the Victoria area including individuals and businesses.
Next Month's topic:
What Can We Do?
Attend our meeting
May 27, 5:15 p.m.-7 p.m.
700 Main Center, Suite 204
Call for more information:
485-3230 |
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TREE LIMBS & BULKY ITEM PICKUP | |
Spring Cleaning?
Solid waste customers must call the City for tree limb, brush and bulky item pickup. Solid waste crews will no longer pickup these items without the homeowner/customer's
authorization.
Brush is collected four times a year; bulky items are collected two times a year, at no additional charge for the first six-cubic yards. Any collection that exceeds six-cubic yards will have a $1.50/minute fee and if out of cycle a $20 service fee + $1.50/minute fee. Six-cubic yards = 10' long x 4' wide x 4' high. Click here to read or print the latest brochure. |
InTouch Victoria is published by the City of Victoria Public Information Office. If you have comments or suggestions please contact us at 361-485-3110 or pio@victoriatx.org.
City of Victoria
Public Information
700 Main Center, Suite 105
Victoria, TX 77901 | |
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