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Anaheim Newsletter
Andy Anaheim's Updates is the city of Anaheim's monthly email newsletter, bringing the latest Anaheim news right to your inbox.
See the news for September below, and scroll to the bottom to subscribe to the newsletter email alert to make sure you don't miss out!
The annual Anaheim Health Fair, featuring free medical, dental and vision services is set for Saturday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 30 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The event also includes a free Citizenship Clinic on Saturday, offering help for those on the path to becoming U.S. citizens.
Now in its 12th year, the health fair provides free health screenings and services for family members of all ages.
More than 150 doctors, healthcare professionals and community members are set to volunteer their time.
Free health services:
- Dental extractions and fillings
- Vision services
- Specialist consultations
- Flu shots
- EKG, physicals
- Hearing tests
- Chiropractor, acupuncture
- Bone density assessment
- Diabetes, cholesterol, hemoglobin testing
- Mammograms, pap smears
Free citizenship clinic:
- N-400 citizenship application help
- Naturalization legal advice
- Citizenship courses
- Citizenship educational materials
- Immigration fee waiver for low-income
The Anaheim Health Fair & Citizenship Clinic is open to anyone in need of health services as well as for those looking for updates to ensure optimal wellness.
The event is presented by founding partners the city of Anaheim, the Anekant Community Center and GBS Linens, Inc., along with recently added partners Lestonnac Free Clinic, OCCORD, Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation & Competition in Healthcare and the office of Rep. Lou Correa.
For general information, call (714) 765-5162. For medical related questions, call Dr. Nitin Shah at (562) 244-9035.
Free parking for the event will be available at the convention center.
For more information and to register, visit Anaheim.net/healthfair.
Anaheim is waving a new flag.
In August, the City Council voted to adopt a new flag to represent Anaheim for decades to come.
The flag features two dark blue fields on top and bottom with a brighter blue stripe in the middle. In the center is an oval of six white stars.
Like any good flag, the colors and symbols have meaning.
The dark blue represents Anaheim’s proud history and heritage as the oldest city in Orange County.
The bright blue stripe represents the Santa Ana River, which runs through the city and is a key part of the name Anaheim, which combines “Ana” and “heim,” the German word for home, to represent “home by the river.”
The color also represents kindness as a key cultural value for Anaheim. In 2017, Anaheim officially adopted “City of Kindness” as its motto.
The six stars on either side of the blue represent Anaheim’s six City Council districts and the people who live in them.
In coming weeks, the flag will start replacing Anaheim’s original flag, adopted in 1967.
Anaheim’s original flag served well for five decades but breaks with design standards set by the Boston-based North American Vexillological Association, the leading authority on flags.
While not unusual in California, Anaheim’s original flag deviates with its use of the city seal and the words “City of Anaheim Founded in 1857.” The wording and the seal are difficult to read from the distances at which most people see a flag.
Anaheim’s original flag will retain a special place as our first flag and live on as a piece of history.
In adopting a new flag, the city’s goal is to see it embraced by the community as a symbol of Anaheim pride.
The new flag is one of 113 community submissions we received in March and April after putting out the call for designs.
We asked for submissions from residents, those who work in Anaheim and others who have a significant connection to the city.
The final design is based on a submission by Annie Choe, a graphic designer who lived in Anaheim in the 2000s and still considers the city to be near and dear.
More at Anaheim.net/flag.
We’ve seen it all in Anaheim. Earthquakes, fires, heavy rain, mudslides.
While few places are better to live, Anaheim, as with all of Southern California, brings risk of natural disasters.
While disasters can be scary, preparing for them doesn’t have to be.
September is National Preparedness Month and a great time to take some easy steps to safeguard you and your loved ones.
Start by looking at your pantry. Could your family live off what’s in there for three days?
You might already have peanut butter, nuts and trail mix, cereal, power bars and canned fish or chicken. All of these could sustain you in an emergency.
Now give some thought to water. And make sure your family has all the medicine you need to get through three days on your own.
Flashlights and batteries are next. If you lose power, they’ll help make life more manageable. Don’t use candles — they bring fire risk.
Then there’s a family emergency plan. It’s not as hard as it sounds. If you can plan a family vacation, you can make an emergency plan.
Start by collecting important contact numbers, such as cell phones, work and school numbers and those of doctors and other important service providers.
If possible, make small cards with the numbers on them so family members can keep them handy.
Sit down with your family members and go over what to do should an earthquake or other major incident happen. Talk about meeting places and how you’ll contact one another.
Texts are best — they’ll often go through when phone lines are jammed. Also have an out-of-town relative be a central point for your family to check in with.
One of the best things you can do to prepare for an emergency is to get to know your neighbors. That way, if help can't get to you right away, you can help each other out and have a support network right in your own community.
You can find out more at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready.gov and at Anaheim.net/prepare.
You’ve heard us talk about developing a plan for the 1.5-mile stretch of Beach Boulevard in west Anaheim for a couple years.
We’re excited to finally share our vision.
After several community meetings, hours of research and countless consultations, we’ve come up with a plan that will bring new development, pedestrian-friendly plazas and shopping centers with attractive landscaping to this area.
Beach Boulevard, also known as State Route 39, was once the main route to the beach from inland cities. Over the years, with the addition of faster and more convenient freeways, the street is not what it once was.
Many of the businesses along Beach Boulevard have unfortunately outlived their usefulness and contributed to blight, crime and quality of life issues.
We know area residents have been frustrated with these issues and we’re hoping to bring some relief and revitalize the street.
The plan we’re proposing won’t happen overnight, but it sets the groundwork for new businesses and developers looking to invest in west Anaheim.
The plan focuses on three key areas:
- New zoning to attract home developers
- Attractive design concepts for new buildings
- Removal of administrative hurdles for new businesses and developers
These concepts aren’t new. We’ve seen them prove successful in the Platinum Triangle and downtown Anaheim.
While it could take 20 years before we see a complete transformation on Beach Boulevard, the city is already taking steps to show residents and developers that we’re serious about revitalizing Beach.
We’re working with a developer to bring a shopping center called Westgate to 30 acres of vacant land at the north east corner of Beach Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue.
The purchase of 3.6 acres along Beach Boulevard just south of Lincoln Avenue is also in the works. What sits there now is a run-down motel, car wash and gas station.
If the sale goes through, we plan to work with a developer to bring a mix of housing and retail to this property and the adjacent city-owned 1.9 acres.
The future of Beach Boulevard is bright.
We invite you to learn more and weigh in on the plan at Anaheim.net/ImproveTheBoulevard.
Anaheim is a proud city with many cultures to celebrate.
From west Anaheim’s Little Arabia along Brookhurst Street to the vibrant Hispanic markets in central Anaheim, our community thrives on its diversity.
From mid-September to mid-October, we’ll be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. And we hope you’ll join us!
More than half of our residents identify as Hispanic, so this is a great chance to celebrate our community.
Our libraries are gearing up with activities for kids and adults that will bring both education and celebration of the culture.
Libraries across the city will be leading Hispanic-themed crafting sessions, including corn husk doll making, throughout the month.
If you enjoy painting, head over to Central Library on Monday, Sept. 17. We’ll explore the book “Maybe Something Beautiful” by Isabel Campoy. The book shows how art can transform a neighborhood and even the smallest artists can accomplish something big.
Following the book reading, we’ll pick up our brushes and paint a mural.
Find more activities at Anaheim.net/librarycalendar.
If you don’t have your library card yet, you’re missing out!
A library card for Anaheim Public Library gives you access to so many benefits, even beyond books.
Some of these include Wi-Fi and printing access, help learning a new language, audiobooks and e-books for your long commute and fun programs at all of our library branches.
But did you know your library card can also get you free food?
In celebration of Library Card Sign-up Month in September, we’ve partnered with Carl’s Jr — a company that also has a special connection to Anaheim — to offer a free coupon booklet worth $55 for anyone who signs up for a new library card.
Plus, during the first week of September everyone who checks out a book or other item from the library will get a free burger certificate.
And even after this month, you can use your card for a 10 percent discount at participating Carl’s Jr. locations. It’s part of our Show Your Card & Save Program.
If you’re in the mood for something else to satisfy your taste buds, you can also show your library card to get 10 percent off at other local restaurants including Healthy Junk, Barbeer, Pizza Press, Punjabi Tandoor, Slater’s 50/50, Lindo Michoacan 2 and Tocumbo Ice Cream.
Find out more about the great benefits you can get from the library at Anaheim.net/librarybenefits.
There’s a new, cheap ride to your weekend getaway.
FlixBus, the hip, millennial-friendly bus company, has arrived at ARTIC, offering low-cost, high-tech bus service to locations across California, Arizona and Nevada.
Take a trip to Las Vegas for as low as $5 one-way, or head to San Francisco for as low as $10. You could also score a 99 cent ticket with the company's periodic flash sales.
The bright green buses boast a clean, upscale ride with Wi-Fi, power outlets, GPS live tracking and extra leg room.
Plus, it’s super easy to book and download your ticket, all through the FlixBus mobile app.
The company got its start in Germany in 2013, seeking to revolutionize bus travel and cater more to younger, first-time travelers. It has already made waves in California since launching service here earlier this year.
Service at ARTIC began in August. FlixBus offers an average of 15 stops at ARTIC every day, giving travelers many options.
Find out more at ARTICinfo.com.
Have you ever pulled into work and realized you left the air conditioner running at home?
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to turn it off remotely just using your cell phone?
A smart thermostat for your home makes your life easier and can help you save energy.
Smart thermostats work by allowing you to better control the temperature in your house, and even monitor things on your phone while you’re away. There are many brands on the market now that they are becoming more popular.
And the cost is affordable thanks to a new rebate from Anaheim Public Utilities. We’ll give you $50 back when you by any Wi-Fi enabled, Energy Star-certified model.
You may also be eligible for an additional $75 rebate from Southern California Gas Company.
This rebate is just one of many Anaheim Public Utilities offers to help residents make their homes more energy efficient.
Find out more at Anaheim.net/homeincentives.