Watering changes in effect The City Council adopted a water conservation ordinance and implemented Stage 4 - Water Emergency, which took effect April 17. Stage 4 allows watering 1 day a week March and April and November and December, 2 days a week in May and October, and three days a week June-September. No watering will be allowed in January and February. All total, the changes will bring an estimated 25% annual reduction in landscape irrigation, which is responsible for about 60% of total water usage in the City. During months where one watering day a week is allowed, odd numbered addresses will water on Saturdays, even on Sunday. During months where two days a week are allowed, odd numbered addresses will water on Tuesday and Saturday, even on Wednesday and Sunday. During the summer months when three days a week are allowed, odd numbered addresses will water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and even on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Want to learn more? Click here for information on the regulations now in effect. Good water conservation habits can be easier to start if you combine them with habits you already have. If you have good indoor habits on conserving water - shorter showers, shutting the water off in between teeth brushes, etc. - take those habits outdoors. Need help in your low-water use landscape makeover? Go to www.visalia.watersavingplants.com for a gallery of ideas courtesy of California Water Service Company.

Earth Day Focus on Water Conservation Visalia's 2014 Earth Day celebration has been scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd from 8 am to 1 pm. at St. Johns Riverwalk (Ben Maddox & St. Johns River).  This year's event will focus on water conservation and will include an exhibitor/vendors event,  multiple water efficiency demonstrations,  birding and native plant educational walks,  live music and a recycled art fashion show.  For those interested in participating in the bird watching tour, please plan to be at St. Johns Riverwalk by 7:45 a.m. There will be lots of information on what's new in water conservation and water efficient landscaping practices, so come on out and enjoy Visalia's 2014 Earth Day event along St. Johns River. For more information, go to www.gogreenvisalia.com.

Public Opinion Survey Saturday The City of Visalia’s Citizens Advisory Committee will conduct an annual Public Opinion Survey Saturday, April 26 at four locations throughout the City. The survey, which has been conducted in various forms for over 40 years, will be conducted by committee members, Visalia Police Department VIPs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at four different grocery stores throughout the city. The stores, each representing a residential quadrant of the City, are: Food 4 Less, at 2025 N. Dinuba Blvd., and Save-Mart Supermarkets at 1591 E. Noble Ave., 5203 W. Walnut Ave., and 5201 W. Goshen Ave. The survey features 20 questions and takes about 5 minutes to complete. Any Visalia resident is welcome to take the survey, which provides the City Council with important feedback on how the City and its services are meeting the needs of its residents. Services in the survey include Public Safety, road maintenance, refuse collection, parks and recreation, and senior activities. New this year is how residents would like to be informed about City activities. The Citizens Advisory Committee is an advisory group for the City of Visalia, and the results of the annual Public Opinion Survey are compiled, reviewed and presented to the City Council. For more information on the Citizens Advisory Committee and the Public Opinion Survey, go to the City of Visalia’s website at www.ci.visalia.ca.us.

Homeless Summit Moved to May 15 The City will host Visalia Homeless Summit 2014 from 10 am to noon Thursday, May 15, at the Visalia Convention Center. The previous summit planned for April 23 was moved due to scheduling conflicts with attendees. The summit, the third one put on by the City, will bring together community leaders, service providers and members of the faith-based community to share ideas and strategies groups have developed since the first two summits were held. Topics of discussion will include: Updates from service providers and faith-based subcommittees on strategies developed, timelines and next steps; ongoing collaboration and leveraging local resources to maximize impact; the status of the development of a homeless court in Tulare County, and; the results of the Points in Time Survey by the Tulare/Kings Continuum of Care. The City, in collaboration with faith-based, service provider and business community partners, launched an awareness campaign entitled: “Change That Counts – Help Those Who Help the Homeless” which is designed to educate the public on how to deal with aggressive panhandlers. The campaign will use a variety of different mediums – a website, social media outlets, flyers, bus billboards, and presentations – to encourage individuals to give their money to service providers to provide real help to the truly homeless.  For more information on how you can help those who help the homeless with your money, go to www.helpvisaliahomeless.com. An online list of service providers gives avenues of options for your donation. In addition, "Steps to Success" stories highlight the differences service providers and faith-based organizations are making in the lives of members of the homeless community. If your faith-based or service club organization or business is interested in assisting with this effort, please contact Community Relations Manager Nancy Loliva at [email protected] or call (559) 713-4535.