OCTOBER 2017
Greetings,  
 
Like all who reside in Orange County, I am proud to call this community our Home for Life. As Mayor of Orange County, I continue to draw my inspiration from the citizens who generously give so much of their time, talent and resources to make our home the best place in the world to live, work and raise a family. This is especially evident in the Pine Hills neighborhood.  
 
Pine Hills is a vibrant community -  one of the oldest, largest and most diverse in Orange County. Over the years, the citizens of Pine Hills have collaborated with each other and Orange County to identify and implement an innovative approach to revitalizing neighborhoods in Pine Hills. This collaboration resulted in the Pine Hills Neighborhood Improvement District (NID).    
 
Upon the recommendation of the Pine Hills Business Redevelopment Task Force, the Pine Hills NID was created by Orange County Board of County Commissioners in December 2011 to spark positive change in the area. Since its inception, and with the leadership of its advisory council, the Pine Hills NID has made strides toward a brighter future by guiding infrastructure improvements, funding safety initiatives, cultivating a business-friendly environment and encouraging property improvements and beautification. The Pine Hills NID works with Orange County staff to fulfill the district's mission and goals. Through its Pine Hills Neighborhood Improvement Plan, businesses, local residents, families and Orange County staff are working together to build a brighter future.    

In partnership with Orange County, this year the Pine Hills NID began its yearlong campaign to improve the Pine Hills business corridor. "Spruce Up Pine Hills Week" was held in January, and provided a variety of short- and long-term initiatives to beautify Pine Hills, primarily by eradicating litter and graffiti. The Pine Hills NID and Orange County are also boosting the capacity of Pine Hills businesses by providing educational and networking opportunities throughout the year, and by connecting business owners to each other and local entrepreneurship experts.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office has also implemented a four-pronged approach to public safety in Pine Hills that includes prevention, prosecution, enforcement and intervention. Orange County plans to work with the Sheriff's Office to help evaluate public safety strategies, including additional street lighting, security cameras and removing abandoned and condemned homes. 

This year, Orange County conducted the Pine Hills Road Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Study, which extended from State Road 50 to Bonnie Brae Circle. The study evaluated barriers and challenges to safety and identified opportunities for implementing improvements along Pine Hills Road for people walking, bicycling, driving or taking the bus.  
 
Funded by federal enhancement dollars and administrated by the Florida Department of Transportation, the 2.5-mile Pine Hills Trail was recently completed ahead of schedule. The Trail will be approximately eight miles long when phases 2 and 3 are completed. With more than 60,000 residents, the trail will be a valued recreational asset to this high-density residential area. For details on the Pine Hills Trail, visit Orange County's newsroom
 
On behalf of Orange County, I wish to thank all of our citizen champions who have worked to make Pine Hills a shining example of community collaboration and revitalization. Together, we are making Orange County the best place to live, work and raise a family.  
 
Sincerely,
Teresa Jacobs
Orange County Mayor
In This Issue
JPMorgan Chase Commits $5 Million to Increase Access to Affordable Housing in Central Florida JPMorgan 

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs joined community leaders to celebrate JPMorgan Chase's announcement that it has awarded a total of $5 million to the Florida Community Loan Fund and the New Jersey Community Capital to increase affordable housing in Central Florida. The announcement of this three-year investment took place at the First Presbyterian Church in Orlando on October 5. Learn more> 
Orange County Regional History Center Recognized for Pulse Efforts with Two Awards HistoryCenter 

The Orange County Regional History Center was awarded the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) 2017 Award of Merit and the 2017 History in Progress Award for its work on the One Orlando Collection Initiative and its efforts in documenting the Pulse Nightclub tragedy.
   
In the days following the Pulse tragedy last year, Orange County Government and the  Orange County Regional History Center  worked on an immediate short-term response to the tragedy, which was later formally named the  One Orlando Collection Initiative . To date, more than 5,000 items are included in the Collection. Orange County encourages Central Floridians and virtual visitors from across the nation and the world to view these touching tributes at our Keep the Pulse website,  www.OneOrlandoCollection.com .
 
The Orange County Regional History Center is the only organization in Florida to be nominated for both prestigious awards. Learn more>
 
Plante credits Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs' trailblazing efforts in spearheading the use of this new time-saving and streamlining initiative. In 2012, Mayor Jacobs sought to enhance development permitting by establishing a central permitting destination. The launch of " One-Stop Permitting " at Orange County provided permit applicants one central location to submit applications, ask questions and receive results on a limited number of development applications. Learn more >
Orange County Celebrates
Pride Week 
PrideWeek
 
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs joined the community for the 2017 Orlando Come Out with Pride Festival and Parade, which celebrates the LGBTQ community. Mayor Jacobs thanked local LGBTQ champions, advocates and leaders throughout Central Florida for their continued work on the region's culture of collaboration, unity and inclusivity. Come Out with Pride, Inc. is a nonprofit organization made up of an all-volunteer board and production team inspired to make an impact in the LGBTQ community. Learn more> 
Inaugural Town Hall Forum for onePULSE Foundation Brings Community TogetheronePulse

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs joined the community for the onePULSE Foundation's first Town Hall Forum on October 9 at the Orlando Repertory Theater. The series of Town Hall Forums will educate and inform local residents, business and community leaders on the memorial and museum process for the tragic attack on our LGBTQ, Latinx and Hispanic communities, which occurred when a gunman killed 49 innocent people and injured 68 others on June 12, 2016 at Pulse Nightclub. Each forum will feature a different panel and focus on the Foundation's progress in the discovery, research, design and construction phases of building a national memorial to honor and remember all those affected by the Pulse tragedy.

The first Town Hall Forum focused on how to build a national memorial and museum, and was moderated by Boston Globe journalist and Newmark Ethics Chair of Journalism for the Poynter Institute, Indira Lakshmanan.    

Information gathered at the forums and an online community survey will be used to help determine a possible direction for onePulse memorial. To take the survey or to find more information on the onePulse Foundation, visit onePULSEFoundation.org.
Learn more> 
Join Mayor Teresa Jacobs' Holiday Heroes Toy Drive and Adopt a Fire Station Initiatives HolidayHeroes
 
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs invites Orange County employees and the extended community to help make the holiday season brighter for children who may otherwise go without by joining the 2017 Holiday Heroes Toy Drive.  
 
Now in its seventh year, Mayor Jacobs' Holiday Toy Drive begins on November 14 and collection ends on December 14. Since the Toy Drive's inception, more than 24,200 toys have been distributed to local children through the Holiday Heroes Toy Drive. Orange County employees and the community collected more than 7,000 toys for area children in 2016. This year, we hope to collect even more.
 
Toy donations are provided to local families and children experiencing hardships through Orange County's Neighborhood Centers for Families, the Orange County Public Schools' Homeless Program, Wraparound Orange and United Against Poverty. For more information on drop-off locations, please visit www.ocfl.net/HolidayHeroes.
 
Additionally, Mayor Jacobs invites neighborhood groups, businesses and non-profits to show their appreciation for Orange County Fire Rescue professionals by adopting a local fire station this holiday season. Through the Adopt a Fire Station program , groups can show their appreciation by helping provide holiday meals at their local Fire Station.  
 
To register and participate, contact Tiana Davis of the Orange County Neighborhood and Revitalization Division at 407-836-5531 or Tiana.Davis@ocfl.net. Registration for the Adopt a Fire Station program is now open, and will be available through December 15, 2017, with adoption dates starting November 1, 2017 through January 1, 2018.  
News Worth Noting newsnoting

Orange County has adopted a fiscal year 2017 - 2018 budget of $4.1 billion . Orange County's budget serves as the primary tool in allocating financial resources for programs and services. Each year, the authorized financial and operational plans of Orange County Government are published in the form of an Adopted Budget Book which can be found on Orange County's website . For the 28th year in a row, the budget is balanced and does not raise the countywide tax rate.
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Mayor Jacobs joined the Central Florida community at Iglesia de Dios de Kissimmee for a community discussion on Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico. For information on how to help, visit   www.ocfl.net/maria
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Resources on emergencies, social and government services are available to help Orange County residents. For more information on who to call, please visit www.ocfl.net/call.
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The Orange County Farm Bureau recently held its annual Membership Dinner on October 3, 2017 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. The event recognized the vital contributions of local farmers and regional ranchers. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, along with many other community leaders and elected officials, attended in support of the local agricultural community and their invaluable efforts.