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SHOP CHULA VISTA NOW FOR ALL YOUR HOLIDAY NEEDS!
With great deals, a variety of shops and services, and convenient locations, Chula Vista businesses are ready for the holiday shopping season! And with the Shop Chula Vista NOW program, there are more reasons to shop at local businesses.
The City of Chula Vista, in cooperation with local businesses, is promoting shopping in Chula Vista with the "Shop Chula Vista NOW" campaign. More than 150 Chula Vista stores, shops, restaurants, hotels, beauty salons, auto repair, and other businesses are offering special "Shop Chula Vista NOW" discounts. Just show your Shop Chula Vista NOW card and receive your discount. Sign up to be notified by email when new businesses join and to hear about opportunities to win prizes.
CLICK HERE to find a participating business or print a "Shop Chula Vista NOW" incentive card. If your business would like to participate - there's also information on how to sign up on the website.
Shopping locally supports Chula Vista parks, schools, public safety, recreation, city services and more. |
PD ACTIVITES: DOGS, BIKES & SENIORS
There is much more to our Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) than issuing traffic tickets, arresting criminals and keeping you safe. Officers also participate in extensive training and competitions.
 Recently, our canine officers participated in the Riverside K-9 Trials and did very well. More than 50 patrol dog teams and 60 narcotic detection teams competed with one of our teams (dog and officer) receiving First Place overall in the Novice Division! Other CVPD awards were for Agility, Narcotics Detection in buildings, and fourth place overall in the Open Division. Congratulations to all canine officers and their fury partners!
Another event featured the 12th Annual Terry Bennett Memorial Police Motorcycle Training and Competition, which not only showcases the motor officers' skills, but also raises funds for Special Olympics. CVPD hosted the 2013 event which included the best riders from agencies in California and other states. Again, CVPD came away with high honors sweeping the Honda Division, first in the Team Competition, and three individual motor officers placed in the top five overall spots for the competition. Congratulations! For the first time ever, CVPD extended the invitation for this event to our neighbors of the south, the Tijuana Police  Department. Six participants came from Tijuana and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and hospitality of CVPD.
In fact, they reciprocated and invited CVPD officers to spend a special day in Tijuana with cross training and a tour of the city. The cross border efforts are a great step in communication with our neighbors and open opportunities
for future efforts.
If you are interested in helping the Chula Vista Police Department and your community, consider participating in the Senior Volunteer Patrol (SVP) program. After training, volunteers perform a variety of tasks including traffic and crowd control at accident and crime scenes, welfare check of elderly Chula Vista residents as part of the You Are Not Alone program, vacation home checks and enforcing handicap parking violations. Training for SVP includes on-the-job training, a ride-along with a uniformed patrol officer, participation in a one-week academy, and attendance at monthly meetings. Senior volunteers are provided with uniforms and a badge upon successful completion of the academy.
Volunteers must be at least 50 years old, have a valid California driver's license, and pass a thorough background check. No prior law enforcement experience is necessary. Minimum commitment is six hours per week for one year of service, however, most SVP volunteers serve many years. Interested parties are asked to contact the Chula Vista Senior Volunteer Patrol office at (619) 476-2417. The pay is poor, but the rewards are priceless! |
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WE'RE IN TOP TEN SAFEST CITIES!
In more good news, the City of Chula Vista has been named as the 10th safest city in America according to rankings based on FBI data released November 24 by Law Street Media, a new web site covering law and policy. Full rankings are available at CLICK HERE.
Based on FBI violent-crime data compiled for calendar 2012, Irvine, California was ranked to be the safest American city. The FBI's Uniform Crime Report statistics for 2012 cover every city with a population over 100,000 - 286 cities in all.
Flint, Michigan was ranked as America's most dangerous city and Detroit as America's most dangerous big city. Four major crime categories were used to create a standard measure of violent crimes per 100,000 people including murders, aggravated assaults, robberies and forcible rapes.
The top ten safest cities with populations over 200,000 are in order: Irvine, CA; Gilbert, AZ; Plano, TX, Fremont, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Henderson, NV; Virginia Beach, VA; Irving, TX; Garland, TX; and Chula Vista, CA. |
PREVENT DOG BITES
With many people giving pets as a Christmas present, it's important to teach children how to behave around those pets. According to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 50 percent of all children in the United States will be bitten by a dog before their 12th birthday. Did you know that 800,000 bites a year are severe enough to require medical treatment, while 1 million to 2 million go unreported? The Chula Vista Animal Care Facility want to share tips on how you can help prevent this from happening.
The vast majority of dog bites are from a dog known to the child - his or her own pet, a neighbor's or friend's. Please discuss with him or her the appropriate way to behave around dogs. The following activity will help you and your child understand the difference between safe and potentially dangerous interactions with dogs.
The following is a list of pledges that you can recite with your child:
1. I will not stare into a dog's eyes.
2. I will not tease dogs behind fences.
3. I will not go near dogs chained up in yards.
4. I will not touch a dog I see loose (off-leash) outside.
5. If I see a loose dog, I will tell an adult immediately.
6. I will not run and scream if a loose dog comes near me.
7. I will stand very still (like a tree), and will be very quiet if a dog comes near me.
8. I will not touch or play with a dog while he or she is eating.
9. I will not touch a dog when he or she is sleeping.
10. I will only pet a dog if I have received permission from the dog's owner.
11. Then I will ask permission of the dog by letting him sniff my closed hand. |
DID YOU KNOW...
... keep your energy costs low this holiday season by following these tips: turn down the thermostat; buy gifts with rechargeable batteries, install a "smart power strip" that turns off appliances when not in use; use LED holiday lights; use timers to turn lights on and off; use your microwave and toaster oven for smaller holiday dishes instead of the oven; and wash dishes in a dishwasher, which requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand. Need conserving over the holidays? Schedule a free Home Energy & Water Check-Up by contacting Conservation at (619) 409-3893 or EMAIL.
 ... Energy efficient LED lighting will again light up Chula Vista's Civic Center complex over the holidays at no cost to the City. The display featuring more than 250 light strands on buildings and palm trees, is part of an effort to encourage residents and businesses to make the switch to the newer and safer energy saving technology. LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting strands can reduce energy costs by up to 90 percent. Also, LEDs last more than 10 times longer than conventional lights, produce a brighter light, and have cooler operating temperatures---making them safe to touch and less likely to cause a fire. Chula Vista's holiday lights and installation are fully funded through the City's Local Government Partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric and the California Public Utilities Commission. The Partnership has allowed the City to upgrade its facilities with more energy-efficient lighting, heating, and air conditioning and provide no-cost energy services to the community. (Photo courtesy of Bill Valle.)
...the City's attorney office is conducting a public workshop on California's open meeting laws (Brown Act), and state and local ethics requirements. The training is designed for elected officials and members of boards and commissions, but anyone is welcome to attend. It will be held on December 5, at 4 p.m. in the Police Department Community Room located at 315 Fourth Avenue.
 ...help the kids beat the winter blues by registering for Recreation's many classes, camps and programs! A mini-session is scheduled December 2-22 and other ten week sessions begin the week of January 13. Camps are scheduled during the Chula Vista public schools winter break including basketball and volleyball camp. For more information, CLICK HERE.
...Aquatics is offering a lifeguard training and water safety instructor class during the winter school break. Call (619) 409-1988 for lifeguard training information or (619) 409-1986 for the water safety instructor class. Also, both the Parkway and Loma Verde Aquatic centers will be closed for annual maintenance. Parkway will be closed December 1 through January 12 and Loma Verde will be closed January 13-31. During the pool closures, all programs and rentals will transfer to the alternate pool.
...if you forgot to pay that overdue library fee, now's the time to erase that fine and help a needy family at the same time! The Chula Vista Public Library is conducting a Food for Fines campaign December 1-24. Bring non-perishable food items to any library branch and fines will be waived at the rate of $1 per item up to $10 in fines. Those who don't have a fine but still want to help, can also make donations. Suggested items are canned vegetables, canned meats and dried pasta.
...during the holidays, as well as the rest of the year, remember to always obey the rule of "don't drink and drive." DUI deaths remain the largest sector - at nearly 30 percent - of traffic fatalities. Recent trends show increases in two new categories - distracted driving and drug-impaired driving. Chula Vista Police Department has been awarded a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on our roadways through special enforcement and public awareness efforts, as well as a grant for an anti-DUI program. Crashes involving alcohol have been shown to drop by up to 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough. Look for activities such as seat belt and child restraint enforcement, traffic light and sign enforcement, as well as DUI and distracted driving patrols during the next year.
 ...the holiday season is time to also remember and help those less fortunate. To that end, the Chula Vista International Friendship Commission is requesting used hand tools to send to the devastated areas of the Philippines. Simply bring your tool to the donation bin located in the main lobby of City Hall, 276 Fourth Avenue, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to noon. Some tools needed include: hammer, hand saw, pliers, small shovel, garden tools, pruning saw, wrenches, screwdrivers, metal rulers, measuring tapes, flashlights, work gloves, and nails. No other donations are requested at this location. Tool donations will be accepted until January 25, 2014. For more information, call (619) 691-5044.
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Let It Snow!
 Bring the family and your cameras to watch the nightly musical snowfall from December 1-24 at Village Walk at Eastlake, 878 Eastlake Parkway. Snow will fall at 6 and 7 p.m. and children will be given free "magic" glasses to watch the snow fall in rainbow colors accompanied by music and choreographed lights. Community group caroling will also be performed.
On December 14, Village Walk will host a free family celebration from noon to 3 p.m. featuring photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, train rides, and holiday crafts for kids 12 and younger. The event will also have snowfalls at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.
Pharmaceutical Forum
Unwanted pharmaceuticals not only affect human health, but also public safety and the environment. Recent studies show an increase in the amounts of pharmaceutical components in surface, ground and drinking waters. Everyone is invited to attend a public forum on December 5, from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. to help identify solutions to this wide-reaching problem. The event will be held in the City's Council Chambers, 276 Fourth Avenue. Free parking is available on Davidson Street or F Street in the parking garage located behind Marie Callender's (one block east of the Chambers). Featured speakers include Ban Yahya, Professor of Environmental Technology at Southwestern College, Heidi Sanborn, CA Product Stewardship Council, and Sherrie Rubin with the H.O.P.E. (Heroin Opiates Prescription pill Education) Foundation sharing a story about her own son. For more information on this important topic, please call (619) 585-5766.
Adopt a Tiny Elf
You've heard of the "12 Days of Christmas." Well, now the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility is having a "12 Days Adoption Event!" The special adopt a tiny elf is featuring adoptions of Chihuahuas between December 6-21. During the "12 Days Adoption Event," all Chihuahua adopters will receive two free tickets to Sea World San Diego and a tote full of goodies. The regular adoption fee is $75, but you can adopt your tiny elf for only $25. The Chula Vista Animal Care Facility is located at 130 Beyer Way. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with adoptions processed until 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with adoptions processed until 3 p.m. For more information, please call (619) 691-5123.
"Switch" Documentary at Library
Energy use and conservation are in the news - but do you really understand it all? What's "Fracking"? Can solar or wind generated energy replace oil? How long will fossil fuels last? Is nuclear energy dependable? More importantly - why worry about energy conservation at all?
To get the "big picture", check out a screening of the award winning documentary Switch at 2 p.m., on December 7 at the Chula Vista Public Library, 365 F Street. The program is free and open to all ages. The documentary received eight film awards and the Chula Vista showing is the only known one currently scheduled in California.
 Holiday in the Village
Holiday in the Village returns for its second year on December 7. This new community tradition features entertainment, free children's activities and retail, dining and service specials from the unique shops that make up the quaint business district of Third Avenue Village. From 12 to 5 p.m., visitors are encouraged to stroll the newly renovated Third Avenue to enjoy event features, discover what's new in the Village and take advantage of specials from several participating businesses. Acoustic entertainers and local artists help set the scene, lining the sidewalks of Third Avenue from E to G Street. Artisanal gift items also will be available for purchase at Memorial Park.
Santa at Eastlake Village Marketplace
Come see Santa arrive on the holiday express train! Free train rides, face painting and balloon sculptures will add to the fun on December 7. Bring your camera and snap a photo of your child with Santa (he arrives at 1 p.m.). Free holiday craft for children 12 and younger and music entertainment will be provided by local schools. The event runs from 1-4 p.m. at the Eastlake Village Marketplace (Lowe's, Target).
Christmas Circle
It's that time of year..... when the circle of Whitney and Mankato Streets in Chula Vista transforms to a magical place of beautiful holiday decorations and music. Walk or drive through the circle located between First and Second Avenue, south of H Street. Open 5-10 p.m. nightly from
December 7 through 26.
Free CPR/AED Training
Chula Vista Recreation Department, in partnership with The San Diego Project Heart Beat, is offering a free CPR/AED Training. This is not a certification course, and participants do not receive a CPR card. It is free to the general public and all ages are welcome. The course will be held on December 14 and two sessions are offered: Session 1: 12 p.m., Session 2: 1 p.m .(each session is 30-45 minutes.) The classes will be held at Veterans Park Recreation Center, 785 E. Palomar Street. Call (619) 691-5260 for more information.
City Offices Holiday Hours
All City offices and facilities will be closed on December 25 and January 1. However, the City libraries and recreation centers will be open for your enjoyment prior and after the listed holidays. Some have limited hours so please contact the library or center before you visit. Also, trash pick up will be delayed one day each holiday week, so those having normal pick up on Wednesday, will have Thursday pick up and so forth for the week.
WISHING YOU HAPPY HOLIDAYS
AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!
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Contacts
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SERVICES
Environment
CLEAN Business Program:
409-1975
Energy & Water Conservation:
409-3893
Storm Water Hotline: 397-6000
Environmental Services,
Household Hazardous Waste, Recycling and Solid Waste:
691-5122
Community
Graffiti Hotline: 691-5198
Graffiti IN PROGRESS: 911
Park Reservations Online
Library
Civic Branch: 691-5069
South Branch: 585-5755
Otay Ranch Branch: 397-5740
Library Online
Recreation
Administration: 409-5979
Recreation Online
CV Woman's Club: 409-1980
Heritage Center: 421-7032
Loma Verde Center: 409-1939
Loma Verde Pool: 409-1987
Montevalle Center: 691-5269
Norman Park Center: 409-1930
Otay Center: 409-1999
Parkway Center: 409-1980
Parkway Pool: 409-1985
Parkway Gym: 409-1990
Salt Creek Center: 585-5739
Veterans Center: 691-5260
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DEVELOPMENT
Land Development: 691-5024
Building: 691-5272
Planning: 691-5101
Code Enforcement: 691-5280
Redevelopment & Housing:
691-5047
Development Services Online
Economic Development:
409-5870
Small Businesses: 691-5248
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PUBLIC SAFETY
Emergency: 911
Fire
Main Line: 691-5055
Prevention Division: 691-5029
Prevention Online
Police
Report Crime/Dispatch:
691-5151
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GOVERNMENT
Mayor & Council: 691-5044
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ADMINISTRATION
City Attorney: 691-5037
City Clerk: 691-5041
City Manager: 691-5031
Communications
Media Relations &
Special Events: 691-5296
Finance
Main Line: 691-5250
Purchasing: 691-5141
Business Licenses Online
Human Resources
Main Line: 691-5096
Job Hotline: 691-5095
Volunteering: 691-5000
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