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Friday, May 23, 2008
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City offices to close for Memorial Day
City offices will be closed Monday, May 26, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. All essential city services will continue to operate. Residential garbage and recycling collection will not be affected.
Media contact: Community Relations & Tourism Director James Kunke, 972.219.3726
Lewisville Police Department honored for its support of military reservists
The Lewisville Police Department has been nominated for the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in recognition of the department’s strong support of employees serving in the National Guard or Reserve. The Freedom Award is the nation’s highest recognition given to American employers of National Guard or Reserve members for their exceptional support above the requirements of federal law.
Nominations for the award are made by employees serving in the Guard or Reserve. The city has established several policies to ensure job security, income maintenance and family assistance for its employees who serve in the Guard or Reserve. More than a dozen Lewisville workers have been called to active duty since the start of 2002.
A notification letter from the Department of Defense stated that the nomination “demonstrates your employees’ appreciation for the exceptional leadership, support and personal devotion you provide to the National Guard and Reserve. We are forever grateful for your understanding and recognition of our patriotic volunteers.”
The 2008 recipients will be announced mid summer and honored in Washington D.C. at the 13th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony on Sept. 18.
Media note: More information on the award program is available at www.esgr.mil
Media contact: Police Chief Russ Kerbow, 972.219.3667
City receives national honor for budget presentation
City of Lewisville has received a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada in recognition of the city’s outstanding budget policies, planning, operations and communications.
According to the GFOA, the award is a significant achievement that “reflects the commitment of the government body and staff to meeting the highest principles of government budgeting.” For the 2006 fiscal year, only about 1,100 government entities nationwide received the award.
Media contact: Finance Director Lauren Crowley, 972.219.3774
Sun Valley Aquatic Center opens summer season on Saturday
Sun Valley Aquatic Center will open for the summer season on Saturday, May 24, with a Splash Day celebration from 1 to 6 p.m. Entrance to the park is free that day. Sun Valley will operate on weekends only (1-6 p.m. Saturday, 2-6 p.m. Sunday, noon-6 p.m. Memorial Day) until the Lewisville ISD school year ends. The full summer season will start Thursday, June 5, at both Sun Valley Aquatic Center and Old Town Aquatic Park. For schedule and ticket information, please visit www.cityoflewisville.com.
Media contact: Aquatics Supervisor Hilary Boen, 972.219.3749
Regional Transportation Commission to hold public meeting in Lewisville
The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will hold a public meeting Monday, June 9, at Lewisville City Hall, 151 W. Church Street, starting at 6:30 p.m. Topics to be addressed will include Quarterly Transportation Improvement Program modifications, Mobility 2030 amendments, Air Quality Conformity, Draft Congestion Management Process Ordinance and implementation plan, and status of the proposed Metropolitan Planning Area expansion. For information, call 817.608.2335.
Media contact: Communications Specialist Jahnae Stout, North Central Texas COG, 817.608.2335
Lewisville Public Library to kick off Summer Reading Club on June 7
The Lewisville Public Library will kick off this year’s Summer Reading Club, “Texas Reading Club Jubilee,” on Saturday, June 7, with a registration celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. Activities in the Youth Services area of the library, 1197 W. Main Street, will include balloon animals, magicians, clowns, crafts, musical entertainment and a Scholastic Book Fair. The Summer Reading Club is open to children through sixth grade, and offers some great prizes to children who spend part of their summer reading. For information, call 972.219.3570 or log on to http://library.cityoflewisville.com.
Media contact: Youth Services Librarian Pat Peters, 972.219.3570
LLELA offering guided tour of bison range this weekend
Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) is offering a guided tour of the wildlife preserve’s bison range on Sunday, May 25, starting at 2 p.m. Cost is $2 per person in addition to the LLELA gate fee of $3 per person.
Park officials reported six expectant mothers among the bison heard at the end of April, so seeing new-born calves during the tour is a strong possibility.
Participants will meet herd owner Robert Vaughan at the gatehouse, then drive out for an opportunity to see the bison up close and learn more about bison natural history and husbandry. All ages are welcome, but reservations are required by calling 972.219.7980. The bison are normally off view in a secure area of LLELA, so this is a chance to visit a part of the preserve most people don’t get to see.
The Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area is 2,000-acre wilderness of prairies, forests and wetlands managed as a wildlife preserve by a group of agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the University of North Texas, the City of Lewisville, Lewisville ISD and Texas A & M University. Its mission is to preserve and restore native ecosystems and to provide and promote environmental education and scientific research.
LLELA is open to the public every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for fishing, hiking, camping, bird watching, kayaking/canoeing, picnicking and other outdoor activities. For information, visit www.ias.unt.edu/llela or call 972.219.3930.
Media contact: LLELA Publicist Lisa Cole, 972.219.3930
Visual Art League schedules sculpture workshop
Sculptor Lily Hanson will present a free workshop for members and visitors of the Visual Art League of Lewisville at Tuesday, June 3, starting at 7 p.m. at the VAL Gallery, 701 S. Stemmons Freeway.
Hanson received a master’s degree in sculpture from SMU in 2000 and is the recent recipient of the Dozier Travel Grant from the Dallas Museum of Art. Her work has been exhibited at The Conduit Gallery and at And/Or Gallery in Dallas and at the Lawndale Center for the Arts in Houston. She currently teaches sculpture at SMU and will be featured in the inaugural exhibition at Central Track in Dallas this spring.
The Visual Art League of Lewisville meets the first Tuesday of each month for a presentation by a guest speaker. Visitors are always welcome and there is no charge.
The gallery is located in the Lewisville West Shopping Center, on the west side of Interstate 35E between Main Street and Fox Avenue. Gallery hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Visual Arts League (VAL) is one of six local groups receiving funding from the Greater Lewisville Arts Council through the City of Lewisville grant program designed to foster cultural and fine arts in the community.
For more information, call 972.420.9393 or visit www.visualartleague.org.
Media contact: VAL Publicity Chairwoman R’Lene Winters, 972.874.3919
