December Neighborhood
Association Meetings
Thursday, December 18
North East Riverside Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
@ Eastern Waco Development Corp.
(715 Elm Ave.)
Monday, December 22
Brook Oaks General Meeting, 6 p.m.
@ Dewey Center
(925 N. 9th St.)
2
3
15
16
19
24
25
City Council Meeting * Feast of Sharing
Building Standards Commission Meeting
Plan Commission Meeting *
City Council Meeting *
Fire Engine Santa at South Waco Center
Christmas Eve -- City Holiday
Christmas Day -- City Holiday
Library Activities
A Special Present
Holiday Pick-ups
Holiday Stories,
Crafts & Fun for
Little Ones
Give the Gift of Love,
Life: Gifts for Grannies
& Carter Blood Care
Trash Collection
Calendar for the
Holiday Season
Secret Santa Letter
Make sure Santa Claus receives your
child’s holiday wish list this year.
Children can email or call Santa through
December 15 and receive a special letter
in the mail. Santa can be reached at
[email protected] or 750-5848.
Free Pictures With Santa
Waco Transit will be offering FREE
pictures with Santa in December (date to
be announced) at the bus terminal (8th
& Mary St.). Bring your family or your
kids out to see Santa! Please call
750-1900 for information.
Sports Collectibles Show
Looking for that perfect gift? The Texas
Sports Hall of Fame will host its annual
Sports Collectibles Show on Saturday,
Dec. 13 and Sunday, Dec. 14 from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sports memorabilia
and various collectibles from Texas’
top dealers will be available thanks
to Sports Collectibles of Houston.
Celebrity guests from the past
have included football legends
Don Trull and Bob Lilly. Find
the perfect gift for the sports
fan in your life and grab
an autograph while
you’re there!
Special Guest at the Ranger Museum
On Saturday, December 20 at 2 p.m., the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum
welcomes Dr. Derham Groves of the University of Melbourne, who will discuss his
research into Hopalong Cassidy’s tour of Australia for his upcoming book, When
Hoppy Met Skippy: Hopalong Cassidy in Australia. Dr. Groves is an architect
and pop culture historian, and the author of several books, including Out of the
Ordinary, Anna May Wong’s Lucky Shoes, and There’s No Place Like Holmes.
The program will take place at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum and is
included in the regular admission fee. For more information, visit texasranger.org.
Want a Career in Law Enforcement?
Waco Police Department is currentlyaccepting applications for the position of
Police Recruit for an academy to begin in July 2015. Deadline for applications
is Friday, February 27, 2015. Beginning salary $43,404/yr. during the academy to
$47,433/yr. after the academy. For more information, call 750-7510 or e-mail:
[email protected], or visit online at: www.wacopolice.com.
Safe Ride Home
Waco Transit is offering the
“Safe Ride Home” program again this year for New Year’s Eve! Call
750-1917 to book your FREE ride to and from your New Year’s Eve event.
Baylor Downtown Game Day
December 6 is Baylor Downtown Game Day and Lonestar Tailgate at the
Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Come enjoy all the festivities in downtown Waco
celebrating Baylor’s last home game of the season! Downtown Game Day will
feature a free shuttle to McLane Stadium with downtown parking available.
Lonestar Tailgate features live music, food trucks and a premium VIP package
which includes parking and a shuttle to the game. For more information,
visit online at: www.facebook.com/gamedaydowntown.
DECEMBER 2014
ac o would li ke to wi sh you a Merr y Ch ri st mas a nd a
T he C i t y of W
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ay s
e as
owntown Waco Wonderland
on
.
chedule:
D
From Saturday, December 6 through Saturday, December 13, join us in
Heritage Square for eight days of food, fun and holiday cheer during the
second annual Waco Wonderland festival. The event has something
for the whole family, with lights, music, arts and crafts, a parade, an
ice skating rink, a ferris wheel, food vendors, fireworks and Santa Claus!
S
Saturday, Dec.6
Tree Lighting and Fireworks
Organized by the City of Waco, Public Improvement District 1, the Waco
Downtown Development Corporation and numerous community
organizations, Waco Wonderland is a true community event to
showcase downtown Waco. From Heritage Square, extending up
Austin Avenue to 8th St., Waco Wonderland will feature live
music, vendor booths, bounce houses, arts and crafts activities, and
special sales events at a variety of downtown shops and restaurants.
Sunday, Dec. 7
Military Appreciation
The fun begins on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. when the skating rink
opens. Buy a $5 ticket and enjoy 45 minutes on the synthetic ice.
Tickets can be purchased starting Nov. 7 at the Waco Hippodrome
or online at wacohippodrometheatre.com, or at the rink’s ticket
booth during event hours. Tickets for the ferris wheel ($3)
can be purchased on site, as well as tickets for carriage rides.
Wednesday, Dec. 10
Movie Night with Bad
Sweaters & Good Spirits
At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, Heritage Square and City
Hall will be illuminated with thousands of lights, along with
the giant downtown Christmas tree, on display throughout
the holiday season. At 8 p.m., the City’s Parks & Recreation
Department will host a fireworks show. [continued on page 3]
Monday, Dec. 8
Cowboy Christmas
Tuesday, Dec. 9
School Appreciation
Thursday, Dec. 11
Dickens on the Square
Friday, Dec. 12
Glow Night on the Ice
Saturday, Dec. 13
Holiday Parade
Feast of Sharing
HEB will host the annual Feast of Sharing from 4 to 8 pm. on Thursday, Dec. 11
at the Extraco Events Center. The event is free to the public and will include
music, children’s activities, entertainment, turkey dinner and a special visit from
Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Feast of Sharing is the culmination of a year-round
commitment H-E-B makes to fighting hunger. For information, call 750-5627.
Library Activities
Preschool Activities Christmas
storytimes featuring holiday stories, songs,
crafts and treats are featured for the first
3 weeks of December.
Storytimes (for ages 3 to 6) are at
10:30 a.m. at these locations:
Tuesdays – East Waco Library
Wednesdays – West Waco Library
Thursdays – Central Library
Fridays – South Waco Library
Toddler Time (for ages 2 & under)
Wednesdays – 10 and 10:45 a.m.
at Central Library
Block Party Preschoolers and toddlers
are invited to build, play, and create at
the monthly Block Party at the Central
Library, 1717 Austin Ave., on Sunday,
December 28 at 1:30. Registration is
online at www.wacolibrary.org.
Legos Lab (for ages 6 to 12) is a monthly
lab held at Central Library
on 2nd Saturdays from 1:30
to 3 p.m. The next lab is
December 13. Kids create
masterpieces which will be
on display in the children’s
department for the rest of
the month. Please call
750-5942 to reserve a
space for your child(ren).
Family Night at the Library
Welcome the holiday season with the Waco-McLennan County Library’s
Christmas Family Night Storytime at the Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave.,
on Monday, December 8 at 7 p.m. Activities include Christmas stories,
holiday crafts, and a puppet show “Santa’s Reindeer.”
Holiday Camps at the Centers
South Waco, Bledsoe-Miller, and Dewey Community Centers are offering
holiday camps for kids ages 5 to 13 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during
the holiday break. Children will take part in recreational activities, field
trips and crafts. The Winter Camp is offered December 22 to January 2
and registration is $70 per child.
The centers will be closed on December 24, 25 and January 1 for city
holidays. The camps will provide snacks, but campers must bring a lunch.
For more information or to register, call the community centers at: South
Waco, 750-8650; Bledsoe-Miller, 750-8684; and Dewey, 750-8677.
Kwanzaa for Kids Kwanzaa, an African-American
celebration of family and heritage, will be held at the East Waco Library,
901 Elm, on Tuesday, December 16 at 10:30 a.m. Stories, an explanation
of the origin of the celebration, and a Kwanzaa meal will be featured.
K
rafty Kids Class Make Christmas decorations at
the library’s monthly Crafty Kids Class, held on Saturday, December 6, at
1:30. Aimed for ages 6 – 12, create a variety of holiday ornaments during
this session. Winter crafts will be featured at the Saturday, January 17 class.
Registration for both free activities is online at www.wacolibrary.org.
Sounds of the Season at City Hall
Enjoy the beautiful sound of young voices singing Christmas carols and hymns during the Sounds of the Season music program at City
Hall. Outstanding choirs, orchestras and bands from more than a dozen local schools will perform Christmas favorites in front of the
tree in City Hall Monday through Friday, from December 1 through 19. The groups will be featured in high definition on the Waco City Cable Channel throughout the month of December. Come enjoy the performances in person,
or visit the channel online at www.wccc.tv.
Solid Waste Holiday Schedule 2014-2015
Christmas Eve (Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014) -- Solid Waste Offices and Cobbs
Recycling Center will be closed. Landfill will be closed to the public but will accept
franchise haulers until 4:30 p.m. THURSDAY’S TRASH WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.
Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014) -- Solid Waste Offices, Cobbs Recycling
and the Landfill will all be closed. Thursday’s pick-up is Wednesday, Dec. 24.
New Year’s Eve (Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014) -- Solid Waste Offices, Cobbs Recycling
and Landfill will be open. THURSDAY’S TRASH WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY.
New Year’s Day (Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015) -- Solid Waste Offices, Cobbs Recycling
Center and the Landfill will all be closed. Thursday’s pick-up is Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Waco Wonderland (cont. from page 1)
Please Report
Illegal Dumping
Santa will be on site and available for pictures during operational hours
throughout the week, and a downtown holiday parade will take place at 10
a.m. on Saturday, Dec.13. To register to participate in the parade, hosted by
Mighty Wind Worship Center, email [email protected].
Let’s Keep Waco Clean and Green! Waco Solid
Waste Services works in partnership with the
McLennan County Sheriff’s Department through
the funding of officers to enforce illegal dumping
laws throughout Waco and McLennan County.
Restaurants along Austin Avenue will be open all week during event hours,
and mobile vendors will also be on site to provide great food and drinks. An
ATM will be located on site. Free parking is available in the lot between City
Hall and Franklin Ave. Parking is also available in the lots adjacent to River
Square Center. For more information, please visit www.wacowonderland.com.
If you witness someone dumping, write down
the following information: license plate number,
make of vehicle, time of day, location, and date.
Please add any additional information that may
be helpful in identifying who was responsible.
Civic Theater’s “Rockin’ Christmas”
“Twas the Night Before Christmas” is the wild holiday adventures of a mouse,
an elf, and a spunky little girl who just won’t take no for an answer. “A Rockin’
Christmas” is great fun for the whole family. Filled with holiday hits like
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock, Santa Claus is Comin’
to Town, and Winter Wonderland. Bring the family for a performance from
December 5 through 7 and 11through14 (7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Fridays and
Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. on Sundays). Visit wacocivictheatre.org for details.
Big Texas Christmas Present
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, Friends for Life, Big 95 KBGO
and Mi Familia Car Club have teamed up for the 5th annual “Big Texas Christmas Present” to benefit Gifts for Grannies, which provides
gifts and items to the elderly and people with disabilities.
Donations will be accepted at the Museum on Saturday,
December 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. Anyone making
a donation to Gifts for Grannies will receive
FREE admission to the Ranger Museum (one
admission per item). Visit online at
friendsforlife.org for great
City Note:
gift ideas.
City of Waco offices
will be closed Wednesday and
Thursday, December 24 & 25, but
will reopen for business on Friday, December 26.
Please help us keep our communities clean.
Call (254) 299-2611 to report illegal dumping.
This Month on WCCC-TV:
The Waco City Cable Channel is serving up
some special features this month. Watch
them on Time Warner channel 10 (digital
10.210), Grande channel 10 (HD ch. 810),
or live on our cable channel at www.wccc.tv
(program schedule available on the site).
DECEMBER 7
WACO REMEMBERS
PEARL HARBOR: Frank Curre’s Story
DECEMBER 14
WACO, GATEWAY TO TEXAS HISTORY
Soldiers of Production: The WWII
Bluebonnet Ordinance Plant
DECEMBER 21
WACO, GATEWAY TO TEXAS HISTORY
The Uncle Elihu Show Reunited
DECEMBER 28
KNOW YOUR CITY
The M.C.C. Emergency Services
Education Center