By OSCAR RIOS, Watsonville Mayor
Fourth of July Success
We had an amazing turnout for our annual Spirit of Watsonville Parade and the Airport Open House — Fire in the Sky events. It was wonderful to see all the community gathering together for these great events. Thank you to all the volunteers, staff and sponsors that made these events possible. Mark your calendars for next year.
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Summer Lunch Program
The City of Watsonville Parks and Community Services Department is participating in the Summer Lunch Program again this year. The program is federally funded and administered by La Manzana Community Resources. The purpose of the program is to provide free nutritious lunches to youth under the age of 18 during the summer months. For information about the Parks and Community Services summer lunch sites, call 768-3240.
• Ramsay Park Family Center: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
• Marinovich Park: Tuesday and Wednesday, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Callaghan Park: Monday-Friday, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Neighborhood Services: Monday-Friday, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
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How Do I Address Traffic Issues on My Street?
The City’s Neighborhood Traffic Plan approved in 2001 and updated this June 2017 was developed in an effort to address concerns expressed by residents regarding speeding and other traffic issues in their neighborhoods. The goal of this plan is to provide residents the opportunity to become actively involved in the improvement of their neighborhoods and to work with the city to improve traffic safety and our quality of life. To learn more about the plan visit our website at www.watsonvilleutilities.org or call Customer Service at 768-3133.
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Curbside Collection of Yard Waste is free
Do you have a yard waste cart? Do you need one? If you don’t have a yard waste cart and you have the need for one, call Customer Service at 768-3133. This service is free to all city residents. The cart size is 95 gallons and is picked up on curbside every other week. Call Customer Service at 768-3133 for more information.
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Movies in the Park
Callaghan Park is celebrating Parks and Recreation Month with free movies every Friday in July at Callaghan Park. There will be popcorn and refreshments. All movies begin half an hour after sunset.
• July 14 — “Storks”
• July 21 — “Secret Life of Pets”
• July 28 — “Finding Dory”
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Summer Pet Safety
Make sure your pets have unlimited access to fresh water, and access to shade when outside. Keep your pet free of parasites that are more common during warm weather, such as fleas, ticks and heartworm.
• Learn to recognize signs of heat stress: anxiousness; excessive panting; restlessness; excessive drooling; unsteadiness; abnormal gum and tongue color
• Never leave a pet in the car, even in the shade or with windows cracked. Cars can overheat quickly, even when the weather isn’t severe.
• Take walks, hikes or runs during the cooler hours of the day. Avoid hot surfaces, such as asphalt, that can burn your pet’s paws.
• Make sure the plants in your garden and yard are safe for pets. Store lawn fertilizer and insecticides out of reach of your pets.
• For a full list of tips visit our website at www.cityofwatsonville.org.
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Keeping Up With Watsonville
Music In the Plaza: Join us for a free concert series the second and fourth Thursday of the month up until Sept. 14 from 6-8 p.m. in the Plaza in downtown Watsonville.
• July 13 – Tribute to Santana featuring the Chicano All Stars and a guest band
• July 27 – 80’s and More featuring Beat Street and Victory Lane.
Graffiti and Shopping Carts: Report abandoned shopping carts, graffiti and illegal dumping in city streets by emailing cu*************@ci***************.org or by calling customer service at 768-3133. Do your share to keep Watsonville safe and clean.
Watsonville Summer Activities and Programs: The Parks and Community Services Department offers a variety of fun activities for youth. For information and to register visit their office at 231 Union St., call 768-3240 or visit www.watsonvillerec.com.
Thank you to city employees: We are so fortunate to have outstanding, hardworking, dedicated city employees, and every day we see the results of their commitment to delivering excellent services to our residents. Thank you for all you do!
I love to hear from our community, so please feel free to email me directly at: os********@ci***************.org.
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Oscar Rios is the mayor of Watsonville. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of the Pajaronian.
