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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReporter May 08© City of Georgetown, 2008 VOL. 6 • NO. 5 A Publication of the City of Georgetown May 2008 on May 31 and June 1. Artists will exhibit paintings, sculpture, glass, jewelry, photography, wood, metalworks, fiber, and clay pieces in the show. Art in the Park also offers art activities for children and adults, live cul- tural performances, wonderful food and a demonstration stage for culinary and visual artists. Saturday night, the festival comes alive in music with a per- formance by the Temple Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Fairlie, conductor, of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture and Incidental Music. After the con- cert enjoy a brilliant fireworks show by the banks of the San Gabriel River. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 31 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 1. For more complete information, visit www.gtownfestival.com. The music of Felix Mendelssohn will be featured in this spring’s Festival of the Arts in Georgetown, the fourth annual classical music festival sponsored by the Georgetown Symphony Society. Noted musicians and scholars will be showcasing the work and life of Mendelssohn in lectures and concerts June 5 – 8 in venues throughout the city. The pro- gram includes performances by the Shanghai and Miro Quartets, Chorus Austin, and the San Gabriel Chorale con- ducted by Kenny Sheppard. Details and ticket information at www.gtownfestival.com. Art in the Park May 31 – June 1 Art in the Park is a two-day out- door celebration of fine visual arts and contemporary crafts in a juried art event. More than 175 fine artists from across the nation and close to home are coming to Georgetown to sell their works in San Gabriel Park Georgetown Festival of the Arts Mendelssohn Symposium June 5 – 8 Georgetown residents are now required to register alarm sys- tems with the City of Georgetown Police Department. The requirement is for new and existing residen- tial alarms or commercial build- ing alarms in the City Limits. The alarm registration require- ment is the result of an ordi- nance passed by the City Council last year. Applications should be submitted by June 1, 2008. An additional penalty fee will be assessed for applications made after June 1. Alarm registration was enacted to reduce the number of false alarm calls in the City. Each year, the police department responds to hundreds of false alarm calls that take officers away from real emergencies and cost the taxpay- ers in wasted time. Alarm regis- tration is required in many other cities such as Austin, Denton, Flower Mound, Mansfield, Plano, and Temple. Property owners with alarm sys- tems are required to apply for a permit at the Georgetown Police Department at 809 Martin Luther King, Jr. Street. The annual alarm registration fee is $25 for residential and $75 for commercial. Alarm companies also will be required to register with the City. Multiple false alarms at the same address will be assessed an additional fee. Applications are available at georgetown.org, or can be picked up at City Hall, Municipal Court, Georgetown Municipal Complex, Sun City police sub- station, Police Department, and the four fire stations. Send pay- ments and applications to: Georgetown Police Department Attn: Alarm Unit 809 Martin Luther King, Jr. St. Georgetown, TX 78626 Please make checks payable to: City of Georgetown. For addi- tional information, or ques- tions, contact the Georgetown Police Department Alarm Unit at (512) 930-3505. Alarm System Registration Required by June 1 Memorial Day Monday, May 26 City offices closed Normal trash pickup Election on May 10 Mayor and District 6 (District 2 is unopposed) Early voting April 28 – May 6 Details: georgetown.org, (512) 930-3652 Daryl Howard - Featured Artist website: www.DarylHoward.com Discover the latest news about the city at www.georgetown.org Heavy rains last spring and sum- mer led to flooded rivers and streams. Local fire departments responded to a number of swift water rescues in the Georgetown area. In a tragic incident on March 13, local resident Fred List lost his life when he was swept from the Oak Tree Drive low-water crossing by the rapid- ly rising floodwaters of Berry Creek. In the past year, the City of Georgetown has taken a number of steps to reduce the chance of another flood-related fatality in the future. Funding was approved and engi- neering is underway for a new bridge on Oak Tree Drive and a new bridge over the San Gabriel River in San Gabriel Park. Both will be above the 100-year flood plain. In addition to those bridges, the Georgetown Fire Department has expanded swift water rescue training for the City’s firefight- ers. In September, 61 firefighters completed swift water rescue training. Of that number, two are certified as instructors and 49 are certified as technicians. These 51 firefighters are skilled in a variety of equipment, tech- niques, and scenarios in swift moving water. Another 10 fire- fighters are certified to provide support to rescuers in the water. New swift water rescue equip- ment for the fire department includes a second inflatable res- cue boat and additional life vests, safety ropes, helmets, and headlamps for each fire truck. A new compressed-air propelled gun can throw a safety rope 250 feet, enabling a rescuer to estab- lish a tag line with persons stranded in rushing water, or with other firefighters across a flood-swollen stream. The air gun also can be used to shoot a canister containing a life vest that inflates automatically when it lands in the water. All these measures, from increased firefighter training and equipment to the construction of new bridges, aim to reduce the risks posed by flooding. These efforts serve as a second line of defense behind one basic action than all residents can employ: if you approach a flood- ed roadway, Turn Around, Don’t Drown. Joe McDermott and Devo the Clown will kick off the Summer Reading Program on Sunday, June 1 at the Georgetown Public Library. The theme this year, Texas Reading Club Jubilee: 1958-2008!, honors the fiftieth year of children’s summer reading programs in Texas. The goal is to keep kids coming to the library and read- ing over the summer. Young readers who fill out Texas Reading Club logs are eligible for grand prize drawings at the end of the summer. Special performances and activi- ties at the library during June and July include: Tuesday morning craft time for children ages 7 – 12 Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., enter- tainment for children ages 2 – 5 Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., pro- grams for older children includ- ing Mad Science, Jungle Jim, Mr. Puppet, and Michael Hicks, and more Grand finale on Saturday, August 2: prizes for reading will be awarded and Jungle Jill and the Jaybird Band will perform. Summer at the Georgetown Public Library New bridges, rescue training and equipment The City’s swimming pools will be open May 24, 25, and 26. Regular summer pool hours begin on Saturday, May 31. Info at parks.georgetown.org. Reducing Risks From Flooding The Georgetown City Reporter is a publication of the City of Georgetown Public InformationOffice located in City Hall, 113 E. Eighth Street, Georgetown, Texas, 78626. For questions or comments, contact KeithHutchinson, Public Information Officer for the City of Georgetown at (512) 930-3690, or by email at pio@georgetowntx.org. Summer Reading Program Joe McDermott All events are free and open to the public. For details on the Summer Reading Program, contact Rosa Garcia at (512) 930-3623. For the Teen Program, contact Bethni King at (512) 931-7716. The Georgetown Public Library is located at 402 W. Eighth Street. For the complete summer schedule, see the library website at library.georgetown.org. E-news from the City For the latest news from the City and the scoop on entertain- ment, festivals, and events, sign up for a new weekly e-newsletter at http://lists.georgetown.org. Teen Program For teens age 13 – 18, Game On! TTR.08 will focus on all things playing and gaming in June and July. (TTR stands for Texas Teens Read.) The first week of June includes the kick- off event and a two-part writing workshop with Suzanne Harper, author of The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney and The Juliet Club. Teen activities include climbing on a rock wall, making and launching rockets, hosting a murder mystery game, playing giant board games, and playing in a DDR tournament and a Guitar Hero tournament. The late-July finale is a swim party at the Tennis Center Pool. New bridges, rescue training and equipment Reducing Risks From Flooding Georgetown Firefighter Gary Traxler tests a new compressed-air gun that can throw a safety line 250 feet.