District IV Newsletter - Holiday events, travel, road construction updates, and more!

District IV Newsletter

from the

Office of Community Services

January 8, 2016

A MESSAGE FROM

JEFF BLUBAUGH

Happy New Year everyone! Let's get down to business and talk about what we want to accomplish this year. We are geared up for the south Meridian Street construction, and the I-235 and Kellogg Interchange project. Those are both long overdue and though there will be months of inconvenience for thousands of motorists, we are all happy to see these come to the top of our to-do-list.

In addition we are working with the Office of Urban Development for a Community Improvement District at Kellogg and West Street (which KDOT will have the entrance ramps to Kellogg shut down for about six months), and Foley Industries, Inc. will be under construction for a new manufacturing, distribution and warehouse facility as well as renovation of existing facilities located at 1550 S West Street. If possible, you might want to avoid traveling West Street once you see these two projects underway. I guess this is where "no pain, no gain" is certainly applicable.

We will keep you posted of other new projects that we have heard about, but not authorized to talk about yet. Once they are passed by Planning and the District Advisory Board, we will begin sharing in our newsletter. We are excited that District IV and the City of Wichita are able to move forward due to dedicated developers and a responsible, yet responsive, City Manager. And ultimately nothing happens without our residents and consumers. Go team!!

CM Blubaugh with Passageway Founder and Partners

GOOD NEWS!

On January 5, 2016, Councilman Blubaugh had the pleasure of visiting Passageway Living Center as they received a proclamation from the Governor for assisting Homeless Veterans. Thanks for all you are doing for those who have served our country! Read on for more information about Passageways!

Passageways was formed in the hearts of Jennifer and Susan, the Founders, in 2014 with a vision to impact the population of homeless Veterans living on the streets in the greater Wichita area. Passageways is a private, faith-based non-profit organization providing solution-based ministry services to the homeless and near homeless Veteran population with the mission to, assist every Veteran that walks through our doors to achieve their individual goals and provide essential tools and resources for housing stability, independence and self-sustainability.

Partnering with one of the nations largest homeless providers out of Oklahoma City (City Rescue Mission), Passageways will tailor programs after this proven leader in homeless populations. City Rescue Mission provides housing and social services to more than 600 homeless or near homeless people in Oklahoma City. They have been in operation since 1960 and are now CARF accredited. We are working with City Rescue Mission as they provide training and administrative support to Passageways.

Passageways collects items for our veterans while they stay at Passageways, as well as in helping them start their own home. We often ask for clothing, toiletries, gently used furniture, and non-perishable food items. To see what items we are currently in need of... visit our Wish List SignUpGenius page.

DISTRICT IV EVENTS

District IV Advisory Board and Neighborhood Associations

The District IV Advisory Board meets the first Monday of the month at the Lional Alford Library, 3447 S. Meridian, Wichita KS 67217. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. For a listing of the 2016 meeting schedule, click here.

To find DAB IV agendas and minutes click here

To see a listing of the meeting schedule for District IV's neighborhood associations, click here

District IV and the City of Wichita are looking for board members! To see what's available, click here

WICHITA DISTRICT IV FACEBOOK

Do you ever wonder what District IV is currently up to? Click here to join the action, leave a request, or simply "like" our posts.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Wichita To Participate in National Citizen Survey

Mayor Longwell said that next week 1,400 randomly selected households will receive questionnaires that ask residents to rate a variety of local government services, such as snow removal, utility billing, parks, and fire services. Additionally, residents are asked more general questions regarding the quality of life in Wichita as well as community priorities. Results are compared to prior Wichita surveys as well as peer communities in the region. The 2016 questionnaire marks the fifth time the City has participated in the national survey.

Administered by National Research Center, Inc., the National Citizen Survey was designed based on the experience of hundreds of local governments. It is the only citizen survey tool endorsed by the International City/County Management Association and the National League of Cities. Scientific sampling and weighting of the responses in each city ensure accurate and reliable results. Since its 2001 inception, the survey has been administered to 350 cities and counties. Wichita participated in the survey in 2006, 2010, 2012, and 2014. Residents may provide feedback regarding budget development by emailing [email protected].

Take a virtual ride across Wichita as you explore new literary genres in this year's Winter Reading program. It's the Tour de Wichita!

There are more than a dozen different genres you can explore, each inspired by some of Wichita's most well-known or interesting sites. For example, you could read a sports book for Lawrence Dumont Stadium, a historical fiction for the Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum or a western for Cowtown. We hope you will have just as much fun reading the books as we did in finding locations for each genre!

The Tour begins January 4 and ends March 18. Click here to find out more, or you can pick up your "Tour de Wichita" map at any one of our eight Wichita Public Library locations.

Exploration Place and TFA partner for the 4th consecutive year to present Smallgrass, a family-friendly film festival for the young and young at heart, on

Saturday, January 16th, 2016
.

Smallgrass offers a unique and affordable entertainment option for families with children of all ages, over the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend, while fostering an appreciation of the communal cinema experience for the next generation.

Official Selections:
Films will be screened at 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Boeing Dome Theater and Planetarium, the largest theater of its kind in Kansas. (See below for film descriptions.)

SHORTS FOR KIDS: An Animated Shorts Program curated by Tallgrass Film Festival. (10 a.m.; Suitable for all ages, 38 min.)

ZARAFA, a critically acclaimed animated feature film. (11 a.m.; (Recommended for ages 8+, 78 min.)

SPACE SCHOOL: The premiere of the new dome theater show. (1 p.m, 4:30 p.m.; Suitable for all ages, 25 min.)

THE ROCKETEER: 25th anniversary screening. (2 p.m.; Rated PG, 108 min.)

Admission also includes educational activities and access to Exploration Place exhibit areas. (Doors open at 9:30 a.m.) Plus, enjoy treats from local food trucks including Sunflower Espresso from 10 a.m. - 2p.m. Sponsored by 105.3 The Buzz.

Tick ets can be purchased by calling Exploration Place (316-660-0620) or at the door.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

John E. Hall

MEET WICHITA'S NEW HOUSING DIRECTOR - JOHN E. HALL

City Manager Robert Layton recently announced John E. Hall as the new Director of Housing and Community Services, a department that provides housing and related social services to residents who are eligible for assistance under federal guidelines.

Hall has 15 years of experience in housing and community services with governmental organizations where he has effectively used resources to produce 1,400 units of housing, develop commercial real estate, and revitalize low-to-moderate income census tracts. He currently serves as deputy director of the Office of Asset Management and Portfolio Oversight for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C., providing program administration for federally insured and assisted projects.

As head of the City's Housing department, Hall will oversee 81 employees and a nearly $24 million budget. The Housing department supports community goals related to affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, self-sufficiency initiatives, and other social services. It uses federal funds to provide direct services and to contract with community service providers. Specifically, the department assists eligible residents with rental assistance vouchers, exterior rehabilitation grants and loans, and free paint assistance among other services. It also provides clean and safe housing to the chronically homeless. Hall succeeds Mary Kay Vaughn who retired in October pf 2015. Since then, Mark Manning, the City's Budget Director, has been serving as interim .

NEIGHBORHOOD

CLEAN UPS

It's time to submit applications for the 2016 Neighborhood Clean-up program. If you have never applied before, all of the information is included in the application packet. Click here to access. The application is also available on the City's website www.wichita.gov under the "documents" section on each City Council Member page.

Questions? Call 268-4197 or e-mail Rebecca Fields at [email protected]

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

Citizen Police Academy taking applications for the Spring class

Applications are being accepted for the academy that will run from February 22 to May 16, 2016.

The Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is a 13-week program designed to provide a working knowledge and background of the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, and to foster a closer relationship between the agencies and the community. It provides an avenue for community involvement and provides firsthand experience of policing.

The Academy provides an opportunity for citizens to learn more about local law enforcement, ask questions, and gain a more thorough understanding of the inner workings of the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office. The Academy is also a means for participants and police personnel to share information and ideas about the police profession. The Academy provides for improved community/police relationships, enhanced cooperation, and reduced stereotyping.

Some of the topics and activities Academy attendees will participate in include:

Patrol operations including riding assignments with a Wichita Police Officer or Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy.
Overview of Investigations.
Presentations by the Gang Unit.
Wichita/Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Firearms Training Facility tour.
Exploited and Missing Child Unit, Homicide and Robbery Investigations.
Tours of the Wichita Police Department Crime Lab, Records Bureau, Sheriff's Crime Lab and the 911 Emergency Communications Center.
Tour of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility including an opportunity to sample jail food.
Overview of Community Affairs and Community Policing.
Air Section helicopter "fly-in" and presentation.
Traffic radar demonstration.
SWAT Team demonstration.
Bomb Squad demonstration.

Persons interested in attending a Citizen Police Academy must live, work, or attend school within Sedgwick County. Persons must be at least 20 years of age, have no prior felony convictions and no outstanding warrants. Applicants must provide two personal references.

The Citizen Police Academy is held at the Wichita - Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Training Center, 2235 W. 37th St. N. There is no cost to attend the Citizen Police Academy. Click here

Hot Fares

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DISTRICT IV STREET CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Meridian (Phase 1), Pawnee to Orient: UPDATE!

KS Paving was the low bidder for this project at $7.7 million
We expect construction to start in mid January, and be completed in approximately 18 months (summer, 2017 completion)
Traffic will be one lane in each direction on Meridian for the majority of the project
The project includes reconstruction of Meridian, to 5 lanes, drainage improvement, and new sidewalks
Questions should be directed to our Project Engineer, Greg Baalman, at 268-4048 or [email protected]
A Public Information Meeting for Meridian Avenue will be held on January 13, 2016, at the Salvation Army Community Center, 1910 S. Everett, at 5:30 PM. A letter announcing this meeting is being distributed as early as Thursday, January 7, 2016 by door hanger to properties in the immediate area of the project construction.

The project is slated to begin in mid-January with a projected completion date in summer 2017.

Everett and Dora Paving:

KS Paving was the low bidder on October 30
Construction is expected to begin after Thanksgiving and be completed in April
Everett, south of Dora and Dora, west of Everett, are currently unpaved
The project will construct concrete pavement and drainage improvements for both streets

TO SEE THE LATEST NEWS FROM KDOT ON WICHITA PROGRAMS, CLICK ON WICHWAY

8205 W KELLOGG DRIVE

We recently called on Ms. Jacque Phipps, Manager of Marketing and Sales for Indian Motorcycle of Wichita as well as Dream Machines of Kansas. Both companies sit side-by-side on the south side of Kellogg between Tyler Road and Ridge Road. Besides the wonderful showroom full of new American made Indian Motorcycles, they sell clothing and accessories. Their showroom was spotless and everyone was super nice and welcoming. The Dream Machines of Kansas services all makes and models of motorcycles and sell used/reconditioned Harley Davidsons. We welcome this exciting new edition to District IV and wish them them a prosperous new year! For more information, call 316-773-5000.

HELPFUL INFORMATION

City's Response to Recent Earthquakes

City of Wichita officials say they have activated an Earthquake Response Plan following two earthquakes that occurred within minutes late night, January 6th.

"Each earthquake was of significant magnitude," said Alan King, the Director of Public Works & Utilities.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 4.7 magnitude earthquake, followed immediately by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake and a number of aftershocks that occurred late Wednesday.

Beginning early Thursday morning, City staff began visually inspecting the City's most critical infrastructure: water treatment plants, water and wastewater distribution and collection pipes, streets, bridges, facilities and the Wichita/Valley Center Floodway.

Preliminary results report that three water line breaks occurred around the time of the earthquake, which is a number higher than usual, King said. As the water lines are repaired, staff will investigate what caused the water lines to break and determine if it was related to the earthquakes or other factors.

Some damage has been reported at City facilities though the damage is not currently affecting operations. No damage has been observed thus far at City Hall, Century II, or the Wichita Public Library.

ONLINE CAUTION !

Online Identity Theft - Online shopping and banking offer the 3 Cs: Cost, Convenience and Choice. We suggest you provide the 4th C, by using CAUTION online.

While HTTP is the language of the Internet, (HTTP S ) is the secure version of this language. The ' S ' at the end of HTTPS stands for 'Secure'. With HTTPS all communications between your web browser and the website are SSL encrypted, protecting any information you may send to the website from the prying eyes of hackers.

Best practice is to only do online banking and shopping with web sites which provide HTTPS security.

Learn , within your browser , to watch for the S in HTTP S . Most modern browsers even display a small padlock icon in the search window, indicating a secure site with a locked padlock and an unsecure site when the padlock is unlocked.

OUTSIDE STORAGE AND/OR DUMPING OF MATERIALS

CAN CONTAMINATE OUR WATER SUPPLY!

The dumping of oil, grease, antifreeze, and many other fluids are forbidden in the City of Wichita. For a complete list of do's and don'ts, click here!

JOB & VOLUNTEER

OPPORTUNITIES

TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST JOB FAIRS AND TRAINING COURSES, CLICK HERE.

DISTRICT IV REPORTS

JANUARY UPDATE ON ALEY PARK (1308 S SENECA)

The shelter facility in Aley Park will be removed this week due to extensive damage stemming from a fire in December, Park & Recreation Department officials announced January 6th. Officials said the facility would cost more money to renovate than to replace after meeting with multiple contractors and architects. City officials are discussing replacing the shelter, said Troy Houtman, Director Park & Recreation. The building, which has been closed the previous two years, has been declared unsafe and a hazard for the neighborhood. The cost of removing the damaged structure is $15,000, Houtman said.

Patrol West Bureau Commander Captain Dan East

MESSAGE AND SAFETY TIPS FROM WPD PATROL WEST

In November and December of 2015 Patrol West has had 137 vehicles stolen. Of those thefts 19 vehicles were left running unattended with the keys inside while it was warming up. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to enter a warming vehicle and drive away. Auto theft drives insurance premiums up, and many times stolen vehicles are used to commit other crimes.

Never leave your car running unattended, even to dash into a business, store, etc.
Never leave any keys in the car or ignition, inside a locked garage, or in hide-a-key boxes.
Always roll up your windows and lock the car, even if it is parked in front of your home.
Always park in high-traffic, well-lighted areas, when possible;
Install a mechanical device that locks the steering wheel, column, or brakes. These devices will deter some criminals.
Investigate the purchase of a vehicle theft tracking/security system, especially if you own one of the frequently stolen model vehicles.
If you must leave your key with a valet, attendant, or mechanic leave only the ignition key. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable firm.
Copy your license plate and vehicle information (VIN) numbers on a card and keep them with you. If your vehicle is stolen, the police will need this information to take a report.
Many vehicles today come with some type of security system from the factory. Normally there are upgraded systems available if you ask. The best choices are systems that shut off the fuel supply so that a car can't be started or driven.
If your vehicle is stolen, report it to the police immediately. (911)

ALFORD BRANCH LIBRARY

3447 S MERIDIAN

Computers

9 general use public computers
2 Early Literacy stations

Drive Up Window

Return items without leaving your car
Pick up your hold requests

Meeting Room

Up to 130 people
Reserve the meeting room

Study Rooms

Two study rooms with seating for up to four people
First come, first served

Mobile Printing

Print your documents from home, on the go, or at the Library
Pick up within 24 hours during Library business hours
Send or forward an email with attachments or upload via website

Wi-Fi

Click here for the calendar of events and hours!

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Angeles Ortega of the US Census Bureau will be the keynote speaker

WICHITA INDEPENDENT NEIGHBORHOODS, INC.

2016 ANNUAL DINNER MEETING

JANUARY 11, 2016 - 6:00 PM

GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

5002 E DOUGLAS AVE.

For more information and tickets, contact WIN here.

Home Improvement program has funding available for income qualified homeowners

The Housing and Community Services Department's Home Improvement Program now has funding available for interest-free, forgivable deferred payment loans of up to $5,000 for income-qualified (60% of median) owner-occupant homeowners. Loans are provided for emergency needs, such as furnaces, water heaters, sewer lines, water lines, electrical system repairs and plumbing repairs. Loans are also provided for minor home repair needs for senior citizens, age 62 and older. Property taxes must be current. Call 462-3713 for more information or to apply.

Wichita Receives 3-STAR rating from STAR Communities

Wichita is the first city in Kansas and 41st in the nation to receive a 3-STAR Community Rating for sustainability leadership from STAR Communities, a national organization that evaluates the livability and sustainability of communities. STAR uses a robust sustainability rating system to track progress across seven sustainability objectives: built environment; climate and energy; economy and jobs; education, arts and community; equity and empowerment; health and safety; and natural systems. STAR's framework includes seven community goals, 44 objectives and 500+ outcome and action measures.

STAY FIT TIPS

- Becky Fields

To thine own self be true. Sounds like a great idea yet we all know that it's not as easy or straightforward as it sounds. Why is that? Why is it challenging to be true to ourselves? Why doesn't authenticity come naturally to us? After all, the words 'natural' and 'authentic' are practically synonyms. To thine own self be true is a quest for the real. Rather than settling for a narrow picture of reality - we want to know the whole of it. We want to live the whole of it.

The real self, or true inner self, isn't something we need to create. We were born with it. We will die with it. We will also live with it over the full span of our allotted time on this earth. In a world full of change and uncertainty it's one of the few things we can truly rely on.

I know...this is a really deep subject. The bottom line is not to make a New Year's resolution that will never be fulfilled because we were not "true" to ourselves.

As for me, well I love to eat. And not just snacks. I mean REALLY DINE! Hey, I'm just saying that I know myself well. So for my New Years "resolution", I am going to exercise more. But, being true to myself, going to a gym 3 or 4 times a week is something that will never happen. So I have decided to buy myself a small piece of exercise equipment that I can use while catching the news or watching my favorite program on TV. It's simple, affordable, and comes in my favorite color.

I might not ever look like a model again, but I can bet money that I will feel better, think better, and sleep better. So what is there to lose except a few inches from around my middle?

Whatever your resolution might be, just be true to thine ownself and you can't go wrong.

Support local merchants, and save money on the second Saturday of every month. Simply make a one-time purchase of a re-usable 2nd Saturday shopping bag or keycard and tag for $5 and receive discounts at any of the participating merchants located in the Douglas Design District, Delano, Downtown and Old Town.

WE WISH YOU A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 2016!

Stay up-to-date on City events, announcements and headlines by reading our daily News Releases

Online Reporting for

Animal Control Problems

Wichita Animal Control has launched an online form to report non-emergency animal control problems as part of an ongoing effort to improve services. The form can be accessed here.