City of Burleson E-Newsletter

City of Burleson, Texas

October 22, 2010

Greetings!

Welcome to the City of Burleson, Texas, E-Newsletter! You are one of more than 1,045 subscribers who want to stay informed about what's happening in city government in Burleson! If you've missed an issue of the E-Newsletter, click on the E-Newsletter button on the new City website. If you have questions or suggestions about City programs, services and events, call the public information office at 817-426-9622.

Miniature pumpkins, bounce houses, trunk or treat and a haunted house . . . Oct. 30 is the Burleson Old Town Boo Bash!

Free miniature pumpkins, donated by City Market, will be available for the first 1,000 trick-or-treaters at the Burleson Old Town Boo Bash on Saturday, Oct. 30. Children up to 12 years old can decorate their pumpkin then take it home. For those not in the first 1,000 to get to the pumpkin patch, plastic pumpkins will be available for decorating. Booths and bounce houses, an obstacle course and even a petting zoo will be stretched down Ellison Street, from Main to Bransom. The fun is packed into two hours, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. For those who want to stay a little later, the Burleson High School Criminal Justice Club and Burleson Police Explorers are combining their energies to host a fundraiser for their groups. The yellow house on the corner of Bransom and Ellison will be turned into a haunted house. Admission is $3 per person. The haunted house hours are 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Click here

Learn about a military veteran's story when Operation Remember kiosk is unveiled Nov. 6

Finding a brick at Veterans Memorial Park and learning that military veteran's story will be easier after Nov. 6. The City will unveil a computer kiosk at the fourth annual Military Veteran Tribute at 298 E. Renfro St. That event is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6. Visitors type the name, branch of service, name of war/conflict (or country) of the veteran on the kiosk's computer screen. In return they receive the information about that veteran that the City's Operation Remember project has compiled. A profile page for each veteran will provide a video clip, picture, brief biography and picture and location of the veteran's brick. Click here for more.

Your picture could be calendar-worthy

The City and Keep Burleson Beautiful invite you to enter your favorite photos of Burleson in a photography competition. Contestants may enter their photographs in one of seven categories - people, pets, places, nature, recreation, historic, and culture/lifestyle - that represent the best of living in Burleson. Winning images will be published in a 2012 Keep Burleson Beautiful calendar and may be used in City publications. For a complete list of contest rules, contact Environmental Programs Specialist Bianca Chafin at 817-426-9842 or go to the Keep Burleson Beautiful page on the City website.

No residential trash or curbside recycling will be collected on Thanksgiving day

There will be no trash pickup or collection of curbside recycling on Thursday, Nov. 25, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. City facilities will be closed Nov. 25-26. Stock up on your favorite books and videos before Thanksgiving because the library will be closed Thursday-Saturday as well as Sunday, Nov. 28.You can tee off at Hidden Creek Golf Course on Thanksgiving and throughout the weekend. The course will close at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving, but will be open for regular hours - 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - the rest of the holiday weekend. Winter hours start with the time change on Nov. 7. Click here for the news release.

The power of books, set against a World War II Germany, is topic of Monday's book group
"The Book Thief" is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul. The Markus Zusak book, set in Germany during World War II, is the subject of the Monday, Oct. 25, Book Discussion Group at the Burleson Public Library. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. at 248 S.W. Johnson Ave. Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich, learns to read with the help of her accordion-playing foster father. Liesel shares
stolen books with her neighbors, during bombing raids, and with a Jewish man who hides in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. Click here for more.

Texas Department of Transportation seeks input Oct. 28 on widening Renfro

Plans to widen East Renfro Street to six lanes are the focus of a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) meeting on Oct. 28, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at Stribling Elementary School. The proposed project would widen the existing three-lane undivided road to six lanes of divided roadway between I-35W and South Hurst Road (near Centennial High School) and to four lanes of divided roadway between South Hurst Road and CR 602. For more about the proposal, go to the news release on the City website. For more about Texas Department of Transporation projects, go to the TxDOT website.

Hidden Creek Grill is open all week, and you don't have to play golf to eat there

Have you checked out the Hidden Creek Grill? The grill at Hidden Creek Golf Course (555 E. Hidden Creek Pkwy.) is open seven days a week, 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (as of Oct. 25, it will be 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.). There are biscuits, sandwiches and burritos on the breakfast menu and sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, and hamburger and grilled chicken baskets on the lunch menu. You don't have to golf to enjoy the grill! Click here for more.

NTTA hosts Chisholm Trail Parkway town hall meeting Oct. 27 in Cleburne

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will host a town hall meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 27, to discuss Chisholm Trail Banner for Southwest Parkway and Chisholm Trail Parkway Parkway. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at the Cleburne Conference Center, 1501 W. Henderson St. Chisholm Trail Parkway would extend from Altamesa Boulevard in southwest Fort Worth to U.S. 67 in Cleburne. The anticipated opening date is 2013. The NTTA town hall meeting will include a presentation about the construction plans, corridor features, and all-electronic tolling. For more, go to the Southwest Parkway/Chisholm Trail Parkway page on the NTTA website or call 817-916-5105.

Alarm system permit questions go to PMAM
Any questions concerning alarm system permits, alarm information or alarm bills from the City of Burleson can be answered by contacting PMAM Corporation, 1-877-754-1862. You can also go to the Alarm System Permit page on the City website. The website includes an alarm fact sheet and FAQs, the alarm ordinance, alarm permit application, false alarm prevention brochure, and False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA) video.

Take your pick of free fitness classes!

Cardio, Pilates, strength and conditioning, Insanity, P90X, Biggest Loser . . . these classes, and more, are all there for you at the BRiCk! Even if you are not a BRiCk member, you can participate in the free classes by purchasing a daily pass. The fee-based classes taught by instructors include Senior Water Aerobics, Lunch Crunch Water Aerobics (free to members but $35 for nonmembers), Zumba, Aqua Boot Camp, Early Bird Water Aerobics, Arthritis Water Aerobics and Family Water Aerobics (free for members/$15 for non-members). The fee for fitness classes is per month, not just one class. See the staff at the front desk to register. For class times, go to the Fitness page on the City website.

New residents, get what you need at the click of a button on the City's website!

If you are a new resident, the City has the information you want! Go to the New Resident Resources page on the City website, www.burlesontx.com. You'll find links to churches, city council, City facilities, a City services guide, City communications, the Connect-CTY emergency phone notification system, school districts and campuses in the area, hospitals, parks and recreation, the Senior Activity Center, the City's solid waste and recycling page, utility information, and youth and adult athletics.

Use these links for information on Photo of voting booth elections

The City of Burleson is not hosting an election this fall. For information about Tarrant County's Nov. 2 election, early voting hours and voting locations, click here. For information about Johnson County's Nov. 2 election, early voting hours and voting locations, click here.

The September Burleson Progress Report is here!

The September 2010 Burleson Progress Report is in your hands! Everyone who has a utility account with the City receives the 16-page quarterly newsletter. This issue has the dates for Boo Bash, the Military Veteran Tribute and Christmas in Burleson. Check out the pictures from the Fourth of July celebration, Operation Remember, Citizens Police Academy, Junior Fire Academy, the grand opening of the BRiCk, Storytime at the library, and even a calendar of events.

Check out the Fall Community Guide from parks and recreation!

Check out the Fall 2010 Burleson Community Guide, compiled by the City's parks and recreation department. The 16-page guide includes information about events, youth camps and classes, kid and adult fitness classes, parties and events, special interest classes, wellness classes, massage therapy, adult athletics, field rentals, and aquatics.

Thank you for your interest in what the City of Burleson has to offer you! You can post the City of Burleson E-Newsletter on your Facebook profile, Twitter, or a number of other social networking sites by clicking on "Share," above "Forward E-mail" at the bottom of this newsletter. Please forward this by clicking on the "Forward e-mail" or "Share" it with your friends, neighbors, family and co-workers.

Enjoy your weekend!

Sally Ellertson
City of Burleson

Public Information Officer

sellertson@burlesontx.com

Are you trying to find the date and time for an upcoming City meeting? Go to the City's new website and click on "Public Notices" in the center column of the homepage. Notices are posted 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting.

The City has a Facebook page! After 16 months, the City of Burleson, Texas, Facebook page has more than 3,095 fans! Comment on the wall posts and photo albums and start your own discussion thread. Click on the Facebook icon on the City website.

The Knee Deep Band will bring country, big band and a little bit of rock and roll to the Halloween Dance at the Senior Activity Center on Friday, Oct. 29. Senior citizens will be dancing the night away between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at 216 S.W. Johnson Ave. Seniors need to attend decked out in their favorite Halloween attire for the costume contest. The most original homemade costume wins a prize. Admission is $5 per person, which covers snacks and beverages. For more information, call the center at 817-295-6611.

Do you have a question about City services or programs or a suggestion about what you would like to see happen? Click here for the directory for City staff and city council. Click here for the addresses of all City facilities and parks.

Expand your child's artistic talents starting Nov. 4 with the Young Rembrandts Christmas Art Drawing class. The five-week class is 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Nov. 4-Dec. 2 (no class on Nov. 25). The instruction is geared toward children 6-12. The cost is $48 for BRiCk members or $60 for non-members. Children will use pencils, markers, color pencils, and Sharpies to create works of art. Call the BRiCk at 817-426-9104 for more information.

Bridge the gap at the Burleson Senior Activity Center with the Easybridge way of learning how to play the game! Lessons by Ann Kennemer will start on Nov. 3, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. The first three lessons are free. No experience is necessary. The bridge classes are geared toward those 50 and older. For more information, call the center at 817-295-6611.

Are you looking for some Halloween tales for children, teens and adults? Take a look at the Staff Picks from the public library. One of the picks is the infamous "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" featuring Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman.

On a lighter note is the beloved "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" featuring Linus, who is awaiting a visit from the Great Pumpkin. Check them out at the Burleson Public Library!

Daylight saving time means Burleson Memorial Park will get spruced up. All items not permanently attached to the memorial will be removed after the clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7. Items will be removed from gravesites Nov. 7-14. This includes fresh or artificial flowers and other items that are hanging, sitting or lying on the gravesite. This cleanup occurs twice, always as daylight saving time begins (March) and ends (November). For a copy of the flower rules and regulations, contact Lucas Blessing Funeral Home, 518 S.W. Johnson Ave.,

or call 817-295-9000.

Is it time to renew your driver's license? Have you moved and need to change your address? Go online to the Texas Department of Public Safety or call the Cleburne office at 817-641-2204 or the Fort Worth office at 817-294-1075. The City does not handle driver's licenses.