August 2022
Andy's Updates shares news about the Anaheim community. Thanks for tuning in!

This month's issue includes:

  • COVID-19 case update
  • Summer concerts in west Anaheim
  • Motel signs move to neon museum
  • Latest from Anaheim Public Utilities

Find more about the city of Anaheim at Anaheim.net.
COVID-19: cases still high, some moderation
Anaheim and Orange County continue to see a high number of new weekly COVID-19 cases but with noticeable moderation in recent numbers.

Our city saw 1,037 new weekly cases for the seven days through Tuesday, down from 1,759 a week earlier.
 
That was part of 7,498 new cases across Orange County, which also were down from a week earlier when OC saw 8,123 new cases.

Omicron subvariant BA.5 now makes up more than half of all new local infections, with the BA.2 and BA.4 omicron variants making up the rest.

Hospitalizations remain manageable, thanks to vaccines and new antiviral treatments. This time around, infections are largely impacting those with pre-existing conditions with fewer people hospitalized on ventilators as seen in the early days of the pandemic.

We encourage everyone to do what is best for them whether that's wearing a mask if they choose, getting a booster to avoid serious illness or making commonsense choices to stay healthy.


For testing locations, visit Anaheim.net/testing.

For vaccine locations, visit Anaheim.net/vaccines.
Maxwell Park to host outdoor concerts
Maxwell Park in west Anaheim comes alive with Concerts to the Max this month.

Bring your chair or blanket and enjoy the warm summer evenings. Concerts are Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.

The shows mark the return of concerts to Maxwell Park after more then a decade. The concerts are part of our renewed commitment to Maxwell Park and west Anaheim. So come out and enjoy!

  • Aug. 4: Undercover, pop, rock and other hits cover band
  • Aug. 11: Knyght Ryder, 1980s and ’90s cover band

Neon motel signs find new home
Anaheim has preserved four mid-century neon signs with a donation to the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale.

The signs once advertised motels and a liquor store dating back to the heyday of neon signs in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

Neon signs were a big part of Anaheim’s postwar development, led in part by the opening of Disneyland in 1955 and what’s known as Googie architecture inspired by the Space Age and other mid-century design trends.

Today, you can still see an Anaheim icon of neon and Googie architecture at Linbrook Bowling Center on Brookhurst Street and Lincoln Avenue in west Anaheim.

The city of Anaheim donated the preserved signs to the Museum of Neon Art to save part of our architectural history.

In many cases, the motels, restaurants and other businesses that pioneered neon signs in our city outlived their usefulness, and, in the case of Beach Boulevard and other areas, became nuisances for nearby residents and businesses. 

The donated signs:

  • Silver Moon Motel: saved from the 2002 demolition of the Beach Boulevard motel, which had outlived its usefulness as lodging and today is set for redevelopment as housing, including affordable housing, with some retail.
  • Sandman Motel: saved from a motel once at Lincoln Avenue near East Street, demolished in 2018 and replaced by El Verano affordable apartments for seniors.
  • Americana Motel: saved from the former Beach Boulevard motel that was demolished in 2021 and is set for redevelopment as housing, including affordable housing, with some retail.
  • 5 Points Liquor Market: saved from the former liquor store and market along Lincoln Avenue near the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway that went out of business several years ago.

The signs are now in the Museum of Neon Art’s Pomona warehouse. The museum plans to start hosting tours of the warehouse in 2023.

Also at the warehouse is the La Palma Chicken Pie Shop sign, which was a staple for decades along Euclid Street south of La Palma Avenue.

The Museum of Neon Art’s gallery is in Glendale and hosts other signs and historic photos from Anaheim and across Southern California. You can learn more here.
Water smart landscape winners
California's worsening drought continues making headlines as we get deeper into another warm summer.

One way we're helping residents do their part to conserve is by limiting residential outdoor watering to no more than three days each week. If you need a refresher on your watering days, visit Anaheim.net/BeWaterSmart.

We are also encouraging residents to consider drought tolerant and California friendly plants in their landscaping.

Earlier this year, Anaheim Public Utilities held its annual WaterSmart Landscape contest recognizing residents and businesses with California friendly landscapes.

This year's winners include an east Anaheim home, pictured above, as well as the Anaheim Hills Festival shopping center.

Previous winners have been selected across Anaheim. You can see photos and get inspiration from past winners at Anaheim.net/BeWaterSmart under the WaterSmart Landscape Award link.

If you're thinking about changing your landscaping from traditional grass to drought friendly plants, there's never been a better time.

Anaheim Public Utilities customers are eligible for a rebate of $2 per square foot of grass removed, up to 5,000 square feet. Click here for more details.

For other water rebates, visit Anaheim.net/SaveWater.

You can find more ways to save water in and around your home at Anaheim.net/BeWaterSmart. 
More at Anaheim.net