Pembroke Pines UPDATE

By Mayor Frank C. Ortis

ear Readers: In a few weeks, families will be making the transition from the lazy days of summer to the new school year. It’s a time when parents often breathe a sigh of relief, and students and teachers anticipate new beginnings and new challenges.

It’s also a time when motorists should slow down and proceed with caution in school zones, stop for buses and be alert for children walking in the street or biking to school. Parents can help by teaching their children safety rules, and supervising young children as they walk or bike to school or as they wait at the school bus stop. And, students should practice the safety rules for waiting at the bus stop, getting on and off the bus, and riding the bus. If walking to school, they should learn and practice the safety rules for pedestrians, cross at cross walks, obey all traffic signs, traffic lights and safety patrol instructions.

Although the summer is starting to wind down, I hope everyone still gets a chance to take some time to relax a bit and enjoy all the amenities the City of Pembroke Pines has to offer during our summer months. I encourage all Pines residents to visit the Recreation & Cultural Arts web page at www.ppines. com, check our calendars, and visit our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more information. You can also sign up to receive a digital newsletter full of information about what is happening in the city twice a month via email – to subscribe, please go to www.ppines.com/Newsflash. You won’t want to miss Splash in the Pines which is on August 14th.

Be sure to also check out the Carl Shechter Southwest Focal Point Community Center’s many monthly Social Service programs, created to enhance the well-being of seniors by providing assistance and facilitating services to them while maintaining an independent lifestyle. There are also many interesting classes such as, chess,

Dfloral arrangement workshops and jewelry-making classes. For more information, please call the Center at 954-450-6888.

Just a quick note to let you know that the City is developing a Community Public Art Plan and needs your input. We’d like to hear from everyone, so please either go to our website page or this link to complete a short survey before August 21st. The intent of the plan is to advance the current public art program to be vibrant, interactive and inclusive, to represent all of the Pembroke Pines community, and to develop a vision and direction for art in the public realm. https://survey. alchemer.com/s3/7310667/PembrokePines-Community-Survey-A-Vision-forPublic-Art

Lastly, please remember that we are still in hurricane season and are quickly approaching our most active time of the year. I hope everyone has their hurricane plans in place and are taking steps to prepare. This also includes pruning trees and landscaping now before a storm is on our doorstep. Be sure to visit our hurricane preparedness information at www.ppines.com/hurricane to help you in your preparations. There are helpful tips, informational videos, resources etc. covering every aspect of making sure we are storm safe.

▸ As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 954-450-1020 or by e-mail at fortis@ppines.com