Take a trip around the world and learn what you can do to save it!

 Get ready to take a trip around the world for FREE at Kaleidoscope 2008, an interactive multicultural festival that showcases the cultural diversity in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County.  Kaleidoscope 2008 will “Go Green,” a new event theme that is teaching students about the hottest topic impacting the world and their future – how to protect the environment.  The “Go Green” theme will bring awareness and education of efforts both at home and abroad to become more eco-friendly. 

CALENDAR LISTING:
Kaleidoscope 2008– Go Green!
Featuring the Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra
Sunday, January 27, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Centennial Square and the East Library Grounds in Downtown West Palm Beach
FREE!
Produced by the City of West Palm Beach in partnership with the School District of Palm Beach County
For more information:  561-822-1515 or www.wpb.org/kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope 2008 is a family-friendly celebration of many cultures produced by the City of West Palm Beach in partnership with the School District of Palm Beach County.   Students in Palm Beach County schools work for months with local cultural organizations to learn about a specific country and then create an authentic representation of that country in the form of a “village” which the public is invited to tour at the event.  Kaleidoscope has been judged the “Best Educational Event” and “Best Community Outreach Event” by the International Festivals & Events Association.  This year’s event will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Centennial Square and on the East Library Grounds in Downtown West Palm Beach.  Features include continuous live authentic cultural entertainment on two stages, 18 different villages from around the world, interactive activities for children, ethnic food and refreshments, and an international bazaar.  Participating sponsors include National City, Palm Beach County, The Palm Beach Post, La Palma, 97.9 fm WRMF, Comcast, the West Palm Beach Marriott, SouthWest Airlines, the Children’s Services Council, Coca-Cola, and Columbia Restaurant. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (561) 822-1515 or visit www.wpb.org/kaleidoscope

(December 21, 2007 – West Palm Beach, FL)  Clematis by Night will celebrate New Times in the New Year as West Palm’s Hot Spot to Chill begins 2008 with new event hours.  Starting in January 2008, this highly-popular, award-winning, weekly fountain-side concert series will take place on Thursdays from 6:00 to 9:30 pm in Centennial Square, Downtown West Palm Beach.  The new hours will give event patrons more time to get to the start of the event and more time to stay and social with their friends in a pleasant, outdoor environment.

Clematis by Night draws thousands of people from all walks of life every Thursday to the downtown area.  “Our new hours will give everyone a little extra time to get out of work or to get out of the house and make it to this fantastic community event,” said Mary Pinak, Community Events Manager for the City of West Palm Beach.  “We think this will be good for our concert goers and good for the downtown business community as well,” Pinak continued.

Clematis by Night is a FREE weekly concert series that features the area’s best rock, R&B, reggae, Latin, blues, soul and swing music.  Clematis by Night is the place to be every Thursday for great live music, a taste of mouth-watering foods, sidewalk shopping of the trendiest items around, and fun in the fountain.  Clematis by Night is produced by the City of West Palm Beach and brought to you by Wachovia, Clear Channel Radio, The Palm Beach Post, La Palma, Schumacher Automotive, WPTV NewsChannel 5, Coca-Cola, Coors Light, Heineken, Samuel Adams, the West Palm Beach Marriott, and many others.  For more information about this event or for an entertainment schedule, please call the City of West Palm Beach Community Events Division at 561-822-1515 or visit the website at www.clematisbynight.net.

(12/20/07) All City of West Palm Beach offices, including City Hall, will be closed on Tuesday, December 25, 2007, and on Tuesday, January 1, 2008. The Mayor/Commission Work Session scheduled for Monday, December 24, 2007 has been cancelled. The City Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, December 31, 2007 has been cancelled.

Residential garbage for Tuesday, December 25, will be collected Wednesday, December 26. The rest of the week’s residential garbage pickup schedule will be unchanged.

Yard waste for Tuesday will be collected Wednesday, December 26, 2007. Wednesday’s route will be collected Thursday, December 27, 2007. Thursday’s route will be collected Friday, December 28, 2007. Friday’s route will be collected Saturday, December 29, 2007.

Commercial routes for Tuesday will be collected Wednesday, December 26, 2007. Wednesday’s route will be collected Thursday, December 27, 2007. Thursday’s route will be collected Friday, December 28, 2007. Friday’s route will be collected Saturday, December 29, 2007 and Saturday’s route will be regular schedule.

There will be no recycling pick up on Tuesday, December 25, 2007. Recycling will be picked up on the following Tuesday, January 1, 2008.

The schedule format will be the same for the week of New Year’s.

The West Palm Beach Police Department and Police Chief Delsa Bush are taking time to honor those who went above and beyond the call of duty in 2007:

Officer of the Year: Robert McGinley. A member of the Community Response Team, Officer McGinley not only nabbed nine burglars in less than three months, but also led several quality of life initiatives, such as targeting abandoned buildings and vehicles.

Investigator of the Year: David Lefont. As a member of the Criminal Investigations Division, Detective Lefont is the lead investigator of the Dunbar Village sexual battery case. His dedication led to four arrests, despite attempts by the suspects to conceal their identity and damage crime scene evidence.

Civilian of the Year: Kim Matthews. A member of the Communications Division, Matthews helped lead the department’s quest for national accreditation, developing more than 30 policies and ensuring compliance with more than 200 standards.

Volunteer of the Year: Charlie Shiffman. Shiffman is a volunteer with the Criminal Investigations Division. Shiffman has been active in a crime solution program that has resulted in countless investigative leads and solutions to otherwise unsolved crimes.

New yard watering rules are in place for all West Palm Beach.

The South Florida Water Management District passed the restrictions because of the growing need for conservation and the record-breaking low level of Lake Okeechobee, our backup water supply.

Here are the new rules:

• If you have an odd-numbered address, you can water your lawn on Mondays only, from either 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. OR from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• If you have an even-numbered address, you can water your lawn on Thursdays only, from either 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. OR from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• You can water in either the morning or the evening, but NOT both. Also, please don’t water your lawn throughout the entire four-hour window. Ten to fifteen minutes of watering is generally enough to keep your lawn healthy.

You can find more detail on the restrictions and also get some great conservation tips by visiting http://www.wpb.org/restrictions.

Holiday Crime Prevention Tips

As the holiday season approaches, the rush and good will that surrounds this time can increase the opportunities for criminal activity. The West Palm Beach Police Department suggests these simple tips to assist you in having a safe and happy holiday season.

When Shopping:

Be ALERT and AWARE of your surroundings. Pay attention to who is around you and what activities are happening. Don’t leave the safety of a building oryour vehicle until you have ensured all is secure & safe. Trust your instincts; if you feel uncomfortable with a place or person(s), get away.

Park in a well-lit area.

Remember to lock your vehicle!! Keep vehicle doors & windows locked while you are in it and especially when you are not!

Use anti-theft steering wheel clubs or locks as well. A thief is looking for easy targets & anything you can do to deter them from choosing your car, the better.

Minimize the number of valuables left in your vehicle and keep valuables, electronics (including cell phones and DVDs), gifts and other “theft attractors” out of sight.

Protect your purse or wallet and clean out any unnecessary items before leaving home.

Don’t carry large amounts of cash or extra credit cards.

Carry only thosecards that you will need to use that day.

Keep a master list of all cards so if your wallet is stolen, they can be reported promptly to the appropriate banking facility.

Never leave your purse, wallet or cell phone unattended in a public place.

Don’t overburden yourself with packages while shopping.

Shop with a buddy – there is safety in numbers.

Role-play with children about what should happen in the event you are separated.

Have your keys out and ready when you return to your vehicle.

Do not leave your car unattended with the motor running or with the keys in the ignition – even for the short time for paying for your gas, purchasing a soda or putting gas in your car.

Only make online purchases from trusted, secure websites. Look for
https” in the web address to verify security.

At Home:

Make sure all doors & windows have secondary locks (window pins, deadbolts, dowels, etc.) and use them!

Ensure that dark areas and entrances have outdoor lights that are turned on after dark or that are activated by sensors.

Place gifts where they can’t be seen from the outside.

Avoid opening the door to strangers. Legitimate delivery people will be able to show identification.

Investigate charities before donating by calling the charity’s main office.

Be sure to mail cards with money, checks or gift certificates from the Post Office or a blue US Postal Service collection box.

If traveling, use timers for lights and radios while you’re away. Ask a trusted friend, neighbor or Block Watch member to watch your home, and/or sign up for the West Palm Beach Police Departments’ “House Watch” program. (822-1634)

Call and have the delivery of your mail and newspapers stopped.

When Driving:

Recognize that the holidays can cause stress – keep emotions under control while driving. Give other drivers plenty of space and always leave yourself a route to avoid an accident.

If you attend parties where alcohol is served, remember to use a designated driver.

Avoid distractions like talking on a cell phone.

Take frequent breaks to avoid fatigue, especially when driving long distances. If you get tired, stop and rest until you’re able to drive with full attention.

Buckle up! That means everyone!

Be patient! Give yourself extra time for travel, especially in rain. Even in dry conditions, traffic during the holidays is heavier than normal, and it will takelonger than you expect to get around.

After The Holidays:

Pay close attention to you bills and report any unauthorized charges.

Photograph, engrave and record the serial numbers of new items and add them to your household inventory.

Hopefully by following these tips your Holidays will be safe, happy, and crime free!!

From all of us at the West Palm Beach Police Department’s Community Response Division, we want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

The City of West Palm Beach’s Employee Choral Group delighted a group of colleagues, family members and children at their 21st annual holiday presentation.

Director Carolyn Wilkins led the group through loads of holiday favorites, from “Let there be Peace on Earth” to “Silent Night.”  The singers give their time each and every year, entertaining audiences at local nursing homes, City Hall, and other locations.

As the “opening act” for the choral group, a gathering of “Pixies” performed their own holiday magic.  The group of kids from South Olive, Howard Park and Vedado Park sang their own set of holiday classics.

Look for replays of the Choral Group’s work on West Palm TV (Comcast Channel 18).  Congrats to everyone who helped make the day a success and brightened the holidays for others!

The City of West Palm Beach Department of Parks and Recreation invites girls and boys between the ages of 5 (as of 9/1/07) and 14 to sign up to play basketball. The league runs from January 22 through March 8, 2008. Both new and experienced players are welcome. Registration fee is $50 resident/$65 non-resident per player which includes a basic uniform and trophy at end of season. The league is coed by division which is broken into two year age increments. Practices are held twice a week and games are on either Friday or Saturday.

Registration deadline is December 20 and can be taken at any City of West Palm Beach Community Center. The league is also looking for adult volunteer coaches. Volunteer applications can be picked up at the Administrative Offices of the Department of Parks and Recreation located at 1100 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. All coaches will have a background check preformed.

For additional program information contact (561)804-4909 or email kkollar@wpb.org.

The homegrown rock/pop band “Big Bang Radio” is coming to Clematis by Night this Thursday, December 6th!  Big Bang Radio is quickly paving their road to stardom having recently opened for the All American Rejects, The Strokes and Mat Kearney. Big Bang Radio consists of five guys representing South Florida with booming hard funk and power rock. Clematis by Night is sure to get a big bang for its buck this evening with this rockin’ local band.  Join us Thursday, December 6, 2007 from 5:30 to 9:00 at Centennial Square on Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach for this FREE concert!

For the third consecutive year, the City of West Palm Beach has been honored as one of the top ten digital cities in the nation by the Center for Digital Government and Education.  The City ranked seventh in the country for cities with a population between 75,000 and 124,999.  The award recognizes the City for using technology to create a seamless environment between local government and constituents.

“From broadcasting the State of the City address live on-line to building a City-wide wireless internet system, West Palm Beach continues to be at the forefront of using technology to make our City a better place,” said Mayor Lois J. Frankel.

“This year’s winners have really raised the bar for cities,” said Cathilea Robinett, executive director for the Center for Digital Government. “Digital technology connects citizens with their government on a level never before achieved.”  Criteria examined for the study included the ability to pay utility bills, park fees and traffic citations online; the online availability of meeting minutes from city governing bodies; and the adoption or pursuit of wireless infrastructure in public spaces.

City of West Palm Beach efforts to use technology to improve service delivery to residents include: “E-Gov Plus,” a one-stop-shop for construction, code and property information; the live streaming of the City government access station, West Palm TV, on wpb.org; and, the launching of CityConnect, an electronic newsletter to keep residents informed of City programs, events and issues via email.