Andy's Updates is the city of Anaheim's monthly email newsletter, bringing the latest Anaheim news right to your inbox.
See the news for December below, and scroll to the bottom to subscribe to the newsletter email alert to make sure you don't miss out!
The future of baseball in Anaheim is a lot clearer.
After spending much of 2019 working on and talking about a new proposal for Angels Baseball, we can now share where we’re at, and why it’s promising for Anaheim.
In a special meeting on Dec. 20, our City Council will consider the first part of a proposed agreement for baseball, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and land around the stadium.
Here’s what the proposal looks like:
- The Angels would commit to play in Anaheim for the next 30 years, through at least 2050, with three additional five-year options.
- Anaheim would sell 153 acres of city-owned land, including Angel Stadium of Anaheim, to a partnership including Angels owner Arte Moreno, in a sale valued at $325 million.
- Land around the stadium could see development in the next 30 years, potentially including a renovated or new stadium, homes, a hotel and entertainment uses.
- As part of the sale, the city could look for development to include affordable housing, parks and open spaces and a workforce agreement with construction jobs for Anaheim residents.
The agreement would resolve long-term questions about the future of baseball in Anaheim and also free the city from being in the stadium business.
There would be no city spending on stadium improvements or a new stadium. The Angels would take over responsibility for that.
A sale of the stadium and land would bring money for neighborhoods and community priorities, while development would bring recurring yearly revenue from property, sales and potential hotel taxes.
As part of any development around the stadium, we’ll be asking for significant affordable housing and park space.
That would allow for a still-to-be-determined community benefit adjustment on the final price of the land acquired.
The adjustment would be a trade off — Anaheim could spend millions to build affordable housing and additional park space, or we could seek to have it as part of a master site plan for the stadium land.
The goal is to see a significant amount of money from the land sale along with affordable housing and park space for our community.
The city will work with the Angels on that in the next few months, with our City Council making any final decision with public input.
You can learn more and follow along at Anaheim.net/BigA.
It’s that time of year, and all around Anaheim people are getting into the holiday spirit with special community celebrations.
On Friday, Dec. 6, west Anaheim’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting is set for Twila Reid Park from 5 to 8 p.m.
The free event features a tree lighting, performances by local school groups, pictures with Santa, Polar Express train rides, crafts for kids, a bonfire and food for sale.
You can find out more by calling (714) 609-8070.
Then on Saturday, Dec. 7, head to downtown Anaheim for the 25th annual Nutcracker Tree Lighting and Holiday Village on Center Street Promenade.
Along with the lighting of the 50-foot tree, the event includes performances by the Shoreline Trombones, Anaheim Ballet and the Anaheim Union High School Combined Choirs.
There will also be a food fair, unique gift shopping, a snow play area, train rides, crafts and photos with Santa.
It all starts at 10 a.m. and culminates with the tree lighting at 6 p.m. You can find out more at Downtownanaheim.com.
On Saturday, Dec. 14 head to Farmers Park, just outside the Packing House, for the annual Anaheim Night Market: Holiday Edition from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be unique holiday shopping and a free showing of “Elf.”
On Dec.15, bring the kids for free “Selfies with Santa” at the Packing House from 4 to 7 p.m. More at Anaheimpackingdistrict.com.
Later this month, Anna Drive will hold its annual Christmas posada, a Mexican tradition honoring Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. There will be lively music, dancing, elaborate costumes and decorations for a great community celebration.
At Anaheim’s libraries, you can find plenty of free holiday fun including story times, holiday crafts and visits from Santa.
Check out the calendar at Anaheim.net for more information.
The holiday spirit is in full swing in Anaheim.
Driving through neighborhoods, you see that spirit on display with holiday lights, inflatable santas and snowmen decorating people’s front yards.
If you’ve seen an impressive display on a home, apartment community or business, the Anaheim-based nonprofit Anaheim Beautiful wants to hear about it.
Each year Anaheim Beautiful holds a holiday lights contest seeking nominations for best holiday decorations.
They’ll choose a winner from each of our six council districts, plus one winner in each of the following categories:
- Miss Anaheim Beautiful’s choice
- Best display using LED lights
- Best vintage display
- Best multi-residential display
- Best business/commercial display
- The WOW factor display
If you’d like to nominate your home or your neighbor’s, email contact@anaheimbeautiful.org with your contact info and the address of the home or business you’re nominating.
Head over to AnaheimBeautiful.org for more information.
A judging panel will be made up of members from Miss Anaheim Beautiful, the Anaheim Beautiful board and the community.
The deadline to submit nominations is Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. Winners will be announced before Christmas and then recognized at a city council meeting in early 2019.
Since 2016, Anaheim Public Utilities has partnered with Anaheim Beautiful to sponsor the best LED light display. To promote the use of LED lights, Anaheim Public Utilities is offering a light exchange program through Dec. 14.
When you turn in a string of incandescent lights, you get a free string of LED lights. Visit one of our two exchange program locations to participate.
Anaheim Central Library, 500 W. Broadway, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday
Canyon Hills Library, 400 Scout Trail, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
They’ll also offer the light exchange at this year’s Nutcracker Tree Lighting and Holiday Village in downtown Anaheim on Dec. 7.
For more information, call (714) 765-4250 or visit Anaheim.net/utilities.
This winter, things are getting wild at Anaheim Public Library.
We’re partnering with the Anaheim Ducks for our winter reading challenge.
Sign up at your local library to start your challenge. The more you read, the more prizes and perks you’ll get. The challenge goes through Jan. 11.
To get started, download the READsquared app to track your reading progress, earn badges, play games and more.
Students who complete the reading log will be entered in a raffle for some awesome prizes.
And don’t miss our kickoff celebration on Dec. 7 at Central Library at 11 a.m. Meet Wild Wing and the Ducks Street Team for fun activities and photo ops.
You can also upgrade your library card and get an Anaheim Ducks Wild Wing special edition library card. The special cards are available for a donation while supplies last.
Proceeds from these sales will go toward Friends of the Anaheim Library and will be used to fund new books, other materials and special programs at our library branches.
More at Anaheim.net/WinterReading.
Every holiday season they roll into Anaheim — the model trains of the Muzeo Express.
An annual tradition, the holiday model train show at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in downtown Anaheim is a beloved favorite this time of year.
The exhibit runs from now through Jan. 26.
Admission is $10, $8 for seniors, students and military and $7 for kids.
The model trains tell Southern California’s railroad history, including a bit of Anaheim history.
The exhibit includes a collection from Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn — a museum in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park dedicated to the exploration of Walt Disney’s love of trains.
Carolwood Pacific Railroad was a miniature train, which kids could ride, created by Disney in the backyard of his west Los Angeles home in the 1940s.
The railroad, with its bridges, arches and tunnels, was the inspiration for the Disneyland Railroad here in Anaheim, and, in many ways, for Disneyland Park itself.
You can find out more at Muzeo.org.
Census 2020, the nation’s every-10-years count of our population, is right around the corner.
What does it mean for Anaheim? A lot.
Each year, Anaheim sees more than $100 million in federal funding that helps us provide affordable housing, improve neighborhoods, upgrade roads and keep our community safe.
Federal funding also supports hospitals, other healthcare and schools in Anaheim.
Much of the federal funding Anaheim sees is based on our population count from the Census.
So help us make Anaheim count!
It’ll be easier than ever this time around. Starting in early 2020, you’ll be able to fill out your Census form online, by phone, mail or at Anaheim’s libraries and community centers.
Between now and Census Day on April 1, 2020, every home in Anaheim will receive an invitation to take part in the Census.
We’re doing our part.
Anaheim has a Complete Count Committee made up of representatives from schools, community, cultural and faith groups, residents and representatives of elected officials.
Together, they’ll help us spread the word (in multiple languages) about the Census and why you should take part to better Anaheim.
The goal of the Census is to better understand the nation's — and Anaheim's — population.
You'll see questions about how many people live in your household, whether you rent or own your home, gender, age, race and ethnicity information and other questions.
We know some may have concerns about filling out the Census. But no one is Anaheim should worry about filling out the Census.
The 2020 Census does not include a question about citizenship. And answers cannot be used for any law enforcement purpose or to determine eligibility for government benefits.
The U.S. Census Bureau, which collects the data, is bound by law to protect the privacy of your answers. It is illegal to release any identifiable information about you, your home or your business, even to law enforcement agencies or courts.
Known as Title 13 of the U.S. Code, the law is one of the strongest confidentiality guarantees in our federal government with punishment of up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
There's a lot of stake for Anaheim. Whether you've lived here for decades or our new to our city, we need you to be counted.
Need a job? The Census Bureau is hiring! Find more at 2020Census.gov/jobs.
Learn more at Anaheim.net/Census.
The holidays are one of the happiest times of the year, but there are always those that are out to ruin the celebration.
The holiday season usually brings an increase in scam calls to Anaheim residents. These callers often pretend to work for Anaheim Public Utilities, asking for urgent payment or threatening to turn off your power.
If something sounds off, don’t buy it. We’ll never call you demanding immediate payment and we don’t accept prepaid cards or solicit payment in person.
You can always call us at (714) 765-4311 to verify any phone call you think might be fraudulent.
We’re here to help make sure your holidays are safe and merry.
Find out more at Anaheim.net/utilities.