Coming Events

We’re approaching the holidays, and there is no shortage of fun events for people of all ages.

Friday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m. Headwaters Park ice skating rink opens with an Ice Skating Extravaganza presented by the Fort Wayne Ice Skating Club. Are you afraid of ice skating because you never had the chance to learn how to do it? (Important safety tip: if you see me coming toward you look out because I never learned how to stop without running into something or someone.) Headwaters Park offers lessons for the young and old beginning on November 29. Don't forget, kids under 14 skate for free on Fridays, so bring the whole family down to Headwaters Park and enjoy this holiday season on the ice!

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 6:15 p.m., HOLIDAY FEST kicks off with one of Fort Wayne’s most enduring holiday traditions, the HolidayFest Lighting Ceremony beginning with Santa and his reindeer at Main & Calhoun. But that’s just the beginning. In addition to the lighting of Santa at the National City Bank on Main Street, you’ll also see the lighting of the Wells Fargo Holiday Tree at the Wells Fargo building on the corner of Wayne and Calhoun streets, and the lighting of the Indiana Michigan Power Christmas Wreath at One Summit Square. This is a FREE event and if you’re new to Fort Wayne it’s absolutely a don’t miss for the young and the young at heart.

Busy the night before Thanksgiving? Not to worry, the Embassy Theatre, Botanical Conservatory, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, History Center, Headwaters Park, Grand Wayne Center and Science Central are participating in HolidayFest 2008 with a range of fun-filled holiday activities throughout the season. Check out details at http://www.downtownholidayfest.com/index.php. The only hard part will be figuring out how to get to everything that you want to see.

Make a day of it by attending several events, or better yet, stretch it into the early evening so you can stop to see Santa and his reindeer and gnosh on a couple of hotdogs at the Coney Island on Main Street. And then add a little magic to the holiday season with a visit to the 14th Annual Fantasy of Lights (which also opens Nov. 26). Take your time as you enjoy a 1½-mile drive through Franke Park on Sherman Boulevard. Listen to your favorite holiday music in the warmth of your car while gazing upon over 75 larger than life, brilliantly lighted holiday displays. This is the perfect holiday event for all ages! Proceeds ($5 per car) from Fantasy of Lights benefit programs and therapies for children and adults with disabilities.

2nd District Meeting coming up.

From Karen Goldner:

Just a reminder that next Wednesday, NOVEMBER 19, 7 p.m., we'll have the final 2nd District Community Meeting for 2008. The location is Psi Ote Barn (upper level) in North Side Park. Enter off of Parnell and go just past the tennis courts.

Our program should be especially interesting for people throughout the district: representatives of Parkview Hospital will be speaking about their plans for both the Randallia hospital and the new regional facility at the North Campus.

As always, there will be opportunity for discussion about whatever other local issues are on your mind.

Hope you can make it.

Karen

So very taxing...

It is tax time again. The fall installment for Allen County property taxes is due on November 17, 2008. Please return the Fall Treasurer’s Copy B with your payment to:

Allen County Treasurer
PO Box 2540
Fort Wayne IN 46801-2540

Other payment options:

Pay at local banks. You must have your tax statement when paying at a bank. The local banks that are accepting payments are:

Chase, Farmers and Merchants, Fifth Third, Flagstar, Grabill, Huntington , Lake City, Markle, National City, Star Financial, The State Bank, Tower and Wells Fargo.

Drop Box is available at any Star Financial night depository.

Check the Treasurer’s web site, www.co.allen.in.us/treasurer, for information about paying by credit card or single electronic payment.

Have a great day,
Sue Orth
Treasurer Elect Allen County

Let your voice be heard.

Confused about where to vote?

This election day, November 4, all Kirkwood Park residents vote at the Abundant Life Tabernacle, 3301 East Coliseum Boulevard.

Directions from Kirkwood Park:
East on Coliseum Blvd. to Hobson Rd. Turn left on Hobson and then turn right into old Charkey’s entrance. Follow road to Abundant Life Tabernacle parking lot.

The polls will be open from 6:00 am- 6:00 pm. Voter turnout is expected to be very high, so be sure to arrive early. Or, avoid election day crowds by voting early. Early voting is available at the City-County Building in downtown Fort Wayne. The hours are Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; Saturday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm; and Monday, 8:00 am - 12:00 noon. Photo ID required.

We'll second that...

The final 2nd District Community Meeting for 2008 will be WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 7 p.m. at PSI OTE BARN (upper level) in NORTH SIDE PARK. Enter off of Parnell and Psi Ote Barn is just past the tennis courts.

We will have speakers from Parkview Health talking about the future of the two Parkview Hospitals that frame the 2nd District: Parkview Randallia and Parkview North.

Please join us for this special meeting, and let your friends and neighbors know. (Everyone is welcome, not just people from the 2nd District.)

Meet the candidates

The Northside Neighborhood Association is having a meeting for anyone to come meet the candidates. All local candidates have been invited & national candidates will have representatives at Northside H.S., this Wed, the 15, at 6:30 p.m. The press is to be there. Please use Pleasant Ave. entrance. Call Joe Foy at 484-6116 for more information.

October Notes from Karen Goldner

1. CPR TRAINING: So many lives have been saved because someone was lucky enough to be nearby a CPR-trained person when they had a heart attack. We all think it will never happen to us, but sometimes we are wrong. The City of Fort Wayne, the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana and many other community organizations and businesses have teamed up for a special offer to those participating in Don’t Miss a Beat, the communitywide hands-only (no breaths) CPR training offered throughout the day on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25 at the Regional Public Safety Academy, 7602 Patriot Crossing (in Southtown Centre). Registration is available online (http://3rcpr.org/), at any Fort Wayne fire station, or at any Scott's or Kroger's store. There will be a blood drive at the same time and the Fort Wayne Police Department will be demonstrating some of their equipment. (Please note that the CPR training is for people ages 16 and over.)

2. LEAF PICK-UP STARTS OCTOBER 27: This year the City is doing two rounds of loose leaf pick-up rather than three which will save us about $200,000 and also let the Street Department get their trucks prepared for snow removal earlier. (This was a suggestion by a number of people in some of the budget meetings over the past year including Audrey Stevenson from Northside Neighborhood Association. See? Sometimes we listen.) Attached is a map with the schedule.

HINTS FOR LEAF DISPOSAL:

A: Don't rake, mulch. If you have a mulching lawnmower and not a huge number of trees, you'll save time and landfill space plus turf experts from Purdue and Michigan State have found this to be an effective practice for providing extra nutrients to your soil.

B: Save the mess and bag 'em. If you place your leaves into biodegradeable bags and call 311 (or 427-8311 if your phone system doesn't allow a 3-digit call) starting October 27, the City will come out within 2 business days to remove them. This is especially handy if the leaves in your yard are like mine and wait until the weekend after the first pick-up week to fall. No more blowing around your street for 3 weeks!

C: Same procedure as before. If you want your leaves removed by the loose leaf pick-up, please have them raked to the park strip by Sunday night of your pick-up week. If you don't have a grass strip between the sidewalk and the street, rake them as close to the sidewalk as you can on your lawn. Please do not put leaves out with your normal garbage collection. Burning leaves is illegal and is also very unhealthy for people in your neighborhood with asthma or other breathing disorders.

3. Remember the WALK FOR ANIMALS, on Sunday, October 12, 12:30 p.m. at Franke Park. This is a fundraiser for humane education and community outreach. Bring your dog! You can register at http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/images/stories/animal_control/Events/AnimalWalk_08brochure.pdf/.

4. Other environmental events:

Tire Amnesty Day
Saturday, October 4th from 9a-12pm.
Location: Citilink, 801 Leesburg Road
For more information, visit: http://www.acwastewatcher.org/

Free CFL Giveaway every Friday during October
In celebration of October being Energy Awareness Month, the City of Fort Wayne is giving away energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs every Friday from 11am to 1pm.
Oct. 3rd at City/County Building Lobby
Oct. 10th at Pontiac Library
Oct. 17th at Little Turtle Library
Oct. 24th at Dupont Library
Oct. 31st at Aboite Library
For more information, visit: http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/energy

The Good Life Show (Green Expo)
October 24-26th
The Good Life Home Show has over 200 exhibits featuring green and eco-friendly products. Discover how sustainable resources and little lifestyle changes can save you money, increase your comfort, help conserve natural resources and make your life more green. This event is free to attend (besides parking).
For more information, visit: http://www.goodlifehomeshow.com

The Great Tree Canopy Comeback - Tree Planting
Saturday, November 1st starting at 10am
McCulloch, Moody, Rockhill, Study, and Swinney Parks in Fort Wayne
Havenhurst Park in New Haven, and Fox Island in Allen County
For more information, visit: http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/energy