Archive for March, 2010
O.T.S
Hollyhock Branch Library will alter the days of the week and hours of the day it is open, beginning March 1.Hollyhock Branch, 15844 N. Hollyhock St., Surprise, will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays only, 1 to 6 p.m.Library hours of operation were changed to coincide with recent city of Surprise budget reductions.The hours of Surprise’s other library, Northwest Regional Library, remain unchanged.
Hollyhock is one of 15 libraries operated by the Maricopa County Library District.
The original playground equipment at Gaines Park, 15837 N. Nash Street, will be removed for safety reasons, following an inspection by the Surprise Community & Recreation Services (CRS) Department.
In collaboration with the city’s Risk Management Division, CRS has recommended the playground unit be closed and dismantled. Due to budgetary restraints and the elimination of the Parks Asset Replacement Program there are no funds available to renovate or replace the playground unit.
Patrons of the park will be able to utilize the newer playground located directly south of the ball field and east of the restroom facility.
For more information please contact Community & Recreation Services at 623.222.2000.
Eager egg hunters, from toddlers to 8-year-olds, are invited to join the search for more than 50,000 candy and toy-filled plastic eggs as part of Surprise’s Spring EGG-Stravaganza Celebration, April 3, at Surprise Recreation Campus – Kansas City Practice fields, 15850 N. Bullard Avenue. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. and the first hunt begins at 10 a.m., with the 2 years and under age group. New hunts will follow approximately every 20 minutes by age group with an open hunt at the end for those who missed their age group. Children participating in the hunt should bring baskets or bags to hold treats and eggs.
This event, sponsored by the Surprise Community and Recreation Services Department and presented by Sands Chevrolet, includes Mr. or Mrs. Bunny, clowns, face painters, magicians, and an interactive kid zone with slides and obstacle courses.
For more information call 623.222.2000, or visit www.surpriseaz.co
Ladies, grab your best girlfriends for Ladies Night Out at the Surprise Recreation Campus, Thursday, March 30. Sponsored by New Age Wine, join us in the Home Run Party Deck for wine tasting, dinner by Carrabba’s Italian Grill and a baseball game under the stars. Game starts @ 6:05 pm.
Tickets are on sale now at the Surprise Recreation Campus Box Office, 15960 N. Bullard Avenue or through Ticketmaster.com
For more information on upcoming events and promotions and the 2010 Spring Training schedule call 623.222.2222 or visit www.surprisespringtraining.com.
Councilman Mike Woodard
This was taken from Councilman Mike Woodard’s city web page.
“Mike believes communication between the citizens and council is of paramount importance and will be a top personal endeavor for him”.
Because I strongly agree with Councilman Woodard that communication between the citizens of Surprise and council is of paramount importance, I hope that he can develop a city web site that can accomplish this with a two-way discussion on important issues.
With most of us using the Internet, this would be a method to have our citizen’s get involved, doing away with addressing the council through the Call to the Public, where we are not given the answers to our concerns.
Surprise chief disputes claims of former officers
Surprise chief disputes claims of former officers
Traffic Alert
TRAFFIC SIGNAL OUT AT REEMS AND GRAND DUE TO AN ACCIDENT. POLICE
DIRECTING TRAFFIC. EXPECT DELAYS.
EST: FIVE HOURS
Chamber of Commerce
Bob:
I appreciate your concern regarding positions taken by the US Chamber. That said, we are not affiliated with the national organization in any way. We neither pay nor receive funds from the US Chamber. We function entirely independent of their advocacy activities.
As Randy mentioned, our focus is entirely on our local business community – giving them the tools, networking opportunities, educational opportunities and marketing services necessary to grow their businesses. We’re pleased that the city is also interested in helping our business community as evidenced by their investment in the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce.
I would love to answer any other questions you may have regarding our chamber activities either in person or over the phone at your convenience.
Thank you,
David Moss
President/CEO
Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce
Surprise AZ (March 16, 2010) The City of Surprise Finance Department will host a free transaction privilege tax (sales tax) workshop specifically for rental property owners in Surprise, on April 7.
This workshop will guide property owners and managers through the completion of the transaction privilege tax reporting form, and covers specific taxability issues within the Residential Property Rentals Classification including recent Model City Tax Code modifications.
Deductions and exemptions will be thoroughly defined and discussed. Sample problems and factoring worksheets are provided for a better understanding of the City of Surprise tax reporting and business licensing process.
Date: April 7, 2010
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Where: Northwest Regional Library,
16089 N. Bullard Avenue
Surprise, AZ 85374
Space is limited. Please call Martha Salgado at 623.222.1841 to register.
Surprise AZ (March 15, 2010) Health care professionals, epidemiologists and scientists well-versed in Valley Fever will serve on a Valley Fever “Meet the Expert” panel event at Surprise City Hall, Friday, March 26.
The two-hour (5 p.m. – 7 p.m.) event is open to the public. The panelists will give brief presentations on Valley Fever and then open up the discussion for public questions.
The following is the proposed order of the speakers:Epidemiology: Peter Kelly, M.D., Arizona Department of Health Services
Clinical Disease Overview: Janis Blair, M.D., Mayo Clinic
Vaccine and Drug Update: John Galgiani, M.D., Valley Fever Center for Excellence
Veterinary Update: Michael Matz, D.V.M.
Patient Testimony: Richard Alton, City of Surprise Vice Mayor
The medical name for Valley Fever is coccidioidomycosis, which often is shortened to cocci (pronounced KOK-SEE), meaning a fungal infection (mycosis) caused by the fungus Coccidioides.
Valley Fever is prevalent in the hot, desert regions of southern Arizona, especially in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. The Valley Fever Center for Excellence reports that an estimated two-thirds of U.S. Valley Fever cases are in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties.
In most cases, the symptoms of Valley Fever are like a mild flu. Most people who contract the disease do not see a doctor. Symptoms include fatigue, cough, fever, profuse sweating at night, loss of appetite, chest pain, and generalized muscle and joint aches particularly of the ankles and knees.
The Meet the Panel presentation is part of the Coccidioidomycosis Study Group’s international annual meeting planned for March 27 at Surprise City Hall. The conference on Saturday is not open to the public. The conference organizers include the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Mayo Clinic Arizona.
“Valley Fever is a real concern in Arizona as it affects tens of thousands of residents every year.” said David Engelthaler, Director of Programs and Operations for TGen North and the former Arizona State Epidemiologist. “We are fortunate to have some of the world’s top researchers available here this month to directly discuss this disease with local citizens.”
Valley Fever Alliance representatives will also be in attendance. The alliance raises funds and awareness in support of the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center For Excellence in their search for a cure.
The Q&A event will be rebroadcast on Surprise 11 and online at www.surpriseaz.com/surprise11.
Finding what you’re looking for at www.surpriseaz.com just got a whole lot easier, with the addition of a Google-supported search engine.
“Our site has thousands of pages of information, from youth sports schedules to financial data, and we constantly look for ways to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for,” says Marketing and Communications Director Ken Lynch. “With Google Search, you don’t need to know how to find certain pages on our site. Just type in what you are looking for and Google will search our entire site to produce instant results.”
Making the site more usable is a never ending process.
“It is all about connection, and our web site is the number one way people connect to the city,” adds Lynch. “We constantly add new features and new information. Finding the best ways to navigate the site is a challenge we look at regularly. Google site search is a great solution.”
In the coming weeks, a prominent “Contact/Connect” button will be added to link visitors with a variety of ways to contact City Hall or connect to city news updates.
“Twitter has been popular, as has our opt-in e-mail feature called “Notify Me,” where you can select which city news you want sent directly to your inbox,” Lynch says.
) The Surprise City Council has declared March as “Census Month” in Surprise, as Census 2010 forms are due to arrive in residents’ mailboxes the week of March 15.
As stated in the official Proclamation, “the Mayor and Council fully endorse and support the United States Census Bureau’s desire to conduct a complete and accurate count of all U.S. residents as of April 1, 2010 and urge residents to join with us in supporting the Census 2010 by returning the Census questionnaires promptly and accurately.”
City Council appointed a citizen-led Census 2010 Complete Count Committee in January and tasked them with promoting the Census to all residents. The group, supported by city staff, has created an aggressive outreach plan to encourage 100% resident participation in the Census.
Each Surprise resident counted by the Census is worth $1,300 in federal funding for transportation, hospitals, schools and other important services. An accurate population count also helps determine congressional representation figures in Washington D.C.
Full time, part time and non-American citizens are all required to fill out the 10-question, confidential survey by April 1.
Learn more at www.surpriseaz.com/Census2010.
Construction plans for the Grand Avenue Widening Project, from 99th Avenue to Loop 303, include reconstructing the interchange at Grand and Surprise Pavilions.
The existing traffic signal will be removed to improve safety for those trying to exit the Surprise Pavilions commercial development.
After the work is complete, Surprise Pavilions parking lot traffic will be allowed a right-out only to proceed to Mountain View Boulevard, where at the intersection with Grand motorists can turn left for westbound Grand, or right to head east towards Bell Road.
The reconstruction of this intersection is scheduled to begin Tuesday, March 16, and is anticipated to last at least three weeks. Access to Grand Avenue from Surprise Pavilions and access to Surprise Pavilions from Grand will be closed during the reconstruction.
All businesses in the area have been notified. Access to Surprise Pavilions will be maintained from Parkview Place, then east through the interconnected parking lot.
The Kansas City Royals have announced that the club will meet the San Francisco Giants in a 6:05 p.m. Arizona time start at Surprise Recreation Campus - Stadium on Wednesday, March 24. The contest is a makeup from the originally scheduled March 7 game which was postponed due to rain.
Original tickets for the March 7 game will be honored for the March 24 makeup game. If ticketholders are not able to attend on March 24, the Surprise Recreation Campus Box Office will exchange the original tickets for a future Kansas City Royals spring game this season. Those dates are:
Tuesday, March 16 @ 1:05 pm MIL vs. KC
Wednesday, March 17 @ 1:05 pm SD vs. KC
Sunday, March 21 @ 1:05 pm COL v. KC
Monday, March 22 @ 1:05 pm CWS vs. KC
Tuesday, March 23 @ 1:05 pm CHI vs. KC
Thursday, March 25 @ 1:05 pm SEA vs. KC
Saturday, March 27 @ 1:05 pm OAK vs. KC
Tuesday, March 30 @ 6:05 pm CLE vs. KC
Thursday, April 1 @ 12:05pm ARI vs. KC
For more information, please contact Surprise Recreation Campus Box Offic
Councilman Mike Woodward
Went back a few years on comments that were made by Mike Woodard on newszap before becoming (a councilman), they were informational, he expressed his opinions and thoughts on the issues of the City of Surprise.
Mike Woodward used newszap to his advantage, now that he has been elected a Councilman in Surprise, Az, newszap is a no-no. How people change.
Mike Woodward decided when he ran for office and since being elected our Councilman not to say anything in the news media except for propaganda purposes.
Councilman Mike, having used it before, tell us through newszap.com, what is happening in Surprise, good and bad.
Surprise officers ask for public meeting
Dysart budget override passed by just 647 votes
Dysart budget override passed by just 647 votes
Officers break up suspected gang fight
Concerns build over Glendale development
1,600 got $2.5 mil in pay raises from Mesa
Surprise officials say slight won’t affect census Briefs: Spring Break Day at Surprise Stadium
Fire Department plans changed as growth slowed Dysart shares results of employee surveys
Ariz. House delays vote affecting Glendale casino
Mayor Lyn Truitt
City of Surprise Flyer, 3/9/10 Mayor Blasts Move to Cut State Shared Revenues.
Because we are shown what appears to be a letter supposedly, sent to someone signed by Mayor Lyn Truitt, it is my opinion that they should show the letter in its entirety, including the recipients of the same.
Lyn Truitt
Mayor Truitt has four council members, five counting himself, wonder why he canceled the meeting.
The Surprise City Council meeting for Thursday, March 11, has been cancelled, due to the scheduled absence of Vice Mayor Richard Alton and District 1 Council Member Sharon Wolcott who will be in Washington D.C. promoting the city’s federal agenda. The next regular council meeting is March 25, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza. due to the scheduled absence of Vice Mayor Richard Alton and District 1 Council Member Sharon Wolcott who will be in Washington D.C. promoting the city’s federal agenda. The next regular council meeting is March 25, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza.
due to the scheduled absence of Vice Mayor Richard Alton and District 1 Council Member Sharon Wolcott who will be in Washington D.C. promoting the city’s federal agenda. The next regular council meeting is March 25, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza.
Did you know that minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes? That’s why Surprise, as a member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program, encourage residents to participate during “Fix a Leak Week,” March 15- 21.
“Leaks can account for 11,000 gallons of water wasted in the home every year, or enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” says Surprise Environmental Manager Christine Nuñez. “Here in the desert southwest, we cannot afford to waste this precious resource.”
Not to mention the cost savings to your wallet. Fixing easily corrected leaks can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills. So, if your water bill seems too high, chances are you have a leak somewhere inside or outside of your home. Routine inspections can save you money.
WaterSense provides the following water-saving tips:
- Check faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace.
- Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replace the rubber flapper to save up to 200 gallons of water per day.
- Leaky garden hose? Replace the nylon/ rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
- Landscape irrigation systems should be checked each spring before use. Turn on the irrigation system in the early morning and let it run for an hour. If there is any water on the street or sidewalk in front of your home, check for the leak’s source and have it repaired.
If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, EPA reminds them to look for the WaterSense label, as these products have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
For more information visit: www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak or the Water Services web page of Public Works at www.surpriseaz.com.
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