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City of Wichita District II Newsletter |
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A Message from Council Member
Pete Meitzner...
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Miami catcher, Zack Collins, with Johnny Bench
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I hope you had safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday weekend.
What a fantastic River Festival we had this year with thousands of attendees, great entertainment and beautiful weather. Our City offers many choices of things to do and I encourage you all to get out and enjoy our City.
Last week I was honored to welcome the athletes and coaches at the Johnny Bench Awards Banquet sponsored by the Greater Wichita Sports Commission under the leadership of Bob Hansen. At the same time, at Century II, there was a sold-out performance of
Beauty and the Beast by Music Theater of Wichita under the leadership of Wayne Bryan. And later that evening, I attended a fantastic fireworks display and concert at Bradley Fair which was co-sponsored by B98-FM and iHeart Media.
All three of these events were occurring on the same night and all three were sold out or had a maximum capacity of fans. I want to thank these three venues as well as all of the venues of entertainment in our City that add a wonderful dimension to the quality of life in Wichita. Again, please take time to enjoy the things our City has to offer. There is so much to see and do in Wichita. This newsletter only scratches the surface.
Have a great weekend!
Pete Meitzner
Wichita City Council
District II Council Member
Ph: 316.268.4331
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Urban Wildlife Management
The Wichita Police Department's Animal Control Section does not routinely deal with wildlife complaints unless the animal is sick or injured, creating a nuisance on City of Wichita property, or poses a direct threat to the health and safety of the public. The latest incident where a small dog was taken by a coyote highlights the need for people to be educated on how to deal with and live with the wildlife that also calls Wichita home. This includes wolves, foxes, skunks, possums, armadillos, and raccoons, just
to name a few.
Wichita Animal Services has worked in partnership with Kansas Wildlife and Parks for years in dealing with those occasional wildlife issues that will happen as the city grows and expands into areas that were unincorporated at one time. As the wildlife or their natural food sources are displaced, we expect to see more sightings and interactions in the future. It's important that people know how to deal with the wildlife and most importantly how to reduce the chances of wildlife coming around their homes and living areas.
The incidents of interaction with coyotes and other forms of wildlife is a nationwide problem. Most wild animals tend to stay away from humans. However, with humans moving into the unincorporated areas, animals like our coyote population are becoming increasingly aware of humans and the natural fear is starting to calm. This means we can expect animals who at one time would never approach inhabited areas to become braver in searching for food. Many people living in areas that have been established for years may see an increase in wildlife due to construction in other areas forcing the wildlife out and dispersing
it into the region. Here are a few tips, the experts have given us to reduce the chances of negative interaction with Kansas Wildlife:
- Don't leave dog and/or cat food outside for pets. This will attract many forms of wildlife which are scavengers by nature. That in turn could attract larger animals such as foxes and coyotes who will either feed on the pet food or the animals that have been attracted to it.
- Secure waste cans with lids. Just like the point above, we want to remove easy food sources which attracts many forms of wildlife.
- Monitor pets when they are outside. If you live in an area near wildlife such as parks, nature trails, and wooded areas, it's always a good idea to keep an eye on your pets. Not only could they be mistaken for a food source, they could stumble onto an animal that is sick or injured and expose your family pet to whatever has made the wild animal ill. In Kansas, this could often include the rabies virus.
- Walk dogs on leashes. In Wichita this is the law but it's also a good idea so that you keep your pet with you at all times. Wild animals will tend to stay away from humans, therefore your pet is much safer next to you! It will also prevent your pet from chasing an animal into an area where they could get hurt.
- Carry a walking stick. A stick can be used to fend off any animal wild or domestic who may choose to get to close to you or your pet.
- When jogging, walking, or hiking, stay on trails and don't allow pets to venture off on their own. Most animals will steer clear of the established trails. However, if you get off the trail and venture into their habitat, you could be asking for trouble. Especially if there are young animals present. Just like us, animals will protect their young from anything or anyone they perceive as a threat or intruder.
The most recent incident that was reported involved a coyote. This has raised questions about the risk of a coyote attacking or biting a human. Most coyote to human injuries or bites occur when a person tries to rescue a pet from attack. At that point, the wild animal sees the human as a competing predator looking for food. Another instance is when a human wonders in too close to a den where there are young pups being protected by a nursing mother. Finally, bites occur when humans attempt to feed them in the wild. The wild animals know how to find their own food. By feeding them, you run the risk of being bitten.
By keeping these simple pointers in mind, you can confidently go about your daily activity and not really worry about wild animals. As always, stay alert and avoid contact as much as possible. They are often times pretty, but wild animals are not pets and their behavior can be unpredictable.
Simply stay alert.
Lt. Joseph A. Schroeder #1408
Wichita Police Department
Admin Services Bureau
Animal Control Section
Ph. 316-350-3371
[email protected]
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NINJA TURTLE POWER!
Cowabunga! Save the streets from Shredder and the other villains. Learn stealth maneuvers, take a ninja skills test and more. Ages 6-13. Register by July 14.
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Click here to stay up to date on East Kellogg construction.
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Wichita District II Facebook Page
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Deadline to register is August 2
Neighborhood Night out, formerly celebrated as National Night Out and Celebrate Safe Communities, is an annual event that propmotes safety and combats crime by encouraging neighbors to get to know each other through neighborhood parties, picnics, cookouts and other social gatherings over one designated evening.
By registering, it makes it possible for Police, Fire and other City staff to stop by your event!
To encourage participation, the City will waive park fees for groups who want to hold their gathering in a neighborhood park. While supplies last, the City will also provide barricades at no charge to groups that want to block off a portion of the street for their event.
To request barricades or reserve a park, call 350-3400.
Questions? Call 268-4165
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The Call for Makers, Artists, Performers, and Crafters is open now through Friday, July 8.
Any groups or individuals interested in presenting their project, activity, or performance in this event should complete the simple application by Friday, July 8.
Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.
What is a Maker Faire?
Maker Faire is a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the
Maker movement.
It's a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning.
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Wichita's Eisenhower Airport Launches E-Magazine
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Wichita Art Museum
Birthday Bash
Saturday, Jul 16
at 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
We're throwing open the doors as WAM celebrates its 81st birthday. Come to the museum for an old-fashioned ice cream social in the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall. The Wichita Wagonmasters will be scooping up gallons of the cold stuff, courtesy of Highland Dairy with delcious toppings from the Nifty Nut House. Stroll through the galleries, and stop by the Art Studio to join in a cool community art project.
Admission is free--and so is the ice cream!
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Tuesdays on the Terrace at Botanica
Relax and unwind at Tuesdays On The Terrace, your favorite after-work party! Each Tuesday night from June to September, the Garden mixes things up with live music, happy hour and horticulture.
Enjoy cocktails, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages from The Bar's Open from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and view the summer garden until 8 p.m.
Clear your schedule, pack a picnic, call your friends and relax in the Gardens with Tuesdays on the Terrace. Food provided by Friends of Botanica and every 3rd Tuesday by Molino's.
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Life Happens Here!
From year-round to seasonal events, Downtown
is the preferred location for Wichita to celebrate throughout the year. A variety of events cater to the diverse interests of Wichita residents and many visitors from Kansas and throughout the regional area.
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JOBS are here in Wichita!
The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce is proud to offer a job board with local, Wichita area, jobs only! A free service for job seekers, it will save you the time of searching through dozens of jobs outside of the area. Create a
free account here and you will be automatically signed up for all Wichita area updates and can customize the search further if you wish.
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Check out the latest job fairs and
training courses. Click here.
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Bulky Waste Problems??
Here's the answer...
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Report An Issue
Use the smartphone app to report an issue
Wichita Report is a great tool for enabling Wichita residents to improve their neighborhood by reporting issues such as potholes, broken street lights, damaged signs, illegal dumping and more.
The reports are automatically fed into the City's work order system so that they can be tracked and assigned to service teams. Users can follow the status of their requests from their smartphone.
If you have an Apple or Android smartphone, you can download
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Energy at Your Fingertips
When severe weather knocks your power out, the MyWestar app is the fastest way to report an outage and see an outage map with real-time information about when your power will be restored even if your computer, phone and Wi-Fi are down. With the power of the MyWestar app you can manage your account anywhere
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- Sign up for text alerts on current and future outages
- Show outages by neighborhood, zip code, or county, and more
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Don't be Left in the Dark!
Help deter crime and keep our communities safe by reporting street light outages. If you notice outages within your neighborhood, fill out this simple form on Westar Energy's website. |
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Find out
about summer
Park & Recreation classes
by
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Stay up-to-date on City events, announcements and headlines by reading our daily News Releases
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| Comotara Branch Library
Inside Dillons Market, 2244 N. Rock
Rockwell Branch Library 5939 E. 9th Eastview Park Just South of Coleman Middle School Boston Park 6655 E. Zimmerly St. Cottonwood Park Located just East of Boston Park W.B. Harrison Park Located East of S. Webb, just South of E. Bayley St. |
District II Advisory Board and Neighborhood Associations
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The District II Advisory Board meets the second Monday of the month at Fire Station #20 at 2255 S. Greenwich Rd. Wichita, KS 67207. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. For the 2015 meeting schedule, click
here
The District II Breakfast occurs the first Saturday of even months. The Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. at The Regent Senior Living Residence at 2050 N. Webb Rd. (In the theater on the second floor)
To find DAB II agendas and minutes click
here
To see a listing of the meeting schedule for District II's neighborhood associations, click
here
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Become part of the solution and tell us what's on your mind. Visit Activate Wichita today!
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Click here to find up-to-date
information regarding street
maintenance in your area.
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City Manager's Office
455 N. Main, 13 Floor
Wichita, KS 67202
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