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Honoring our veterans

Honor those who have served at our Veterans Day Ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Join us in recognizing the dedication and sacrifice of our veterans — past and present — as we thank them for their service to our nation and our community.

Veterans Day is a time to honor all who have served in the military, including those currently serving, those who have served and those we remember.

The ceremony will feature remarks from emcee and Navy veteran Bobby McDonald, Mayor Ashleigh Aitken and Mayor Pro Tem Natalie Meeks.

In a keynote address, Mayor Aitken is set to highlight veteran employees at the city of Anaheim, including Marines who served in Somalia and Afghanistan and a Marine military police commander who also serves as an Anaheim Police officer.



We'll also enjoy inspiring performances by the Esperanza High School Vocal Ensemble, including a rendition of the "United States Armed Forces Medley."

The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Anaheim Veterans Monument, 241 S. Anaheim Blvd., in downtown Anaheim near the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center.

Parking is available in the Anaheim City Hall structure off Broadway and in structures on Center Street Promenade.

We are grateful to all who have served and hope to see you on Veterans Day.

Peak mosquito season: fend 'em off

They're the unwanted guest in every backyard, park and other outdoor spaces: mosquitoes.

And in Orange County, they're a year-round nuisance, including in the fall and winter.

While rare, these tiny bugs can also carry diseases such as West Nile Virus, Malaria and Zika, among others. This year's first confirmed case of West Nile was found recently in Anaheim.

You can take some simple steps to keep you, your family and community safe:

• Use mosquito repellent when spending time outdoors
• Get rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed

Mosquitoes thrive in warm, humid conditions and need standing water to breed.

After rain or irrigation, even small amounts of standing water can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Remember to dump and drain any containers that collect water at least once a week. This includes pet bowls, bird feeders, potted plant saucers and others.

Regular maintenance helps break the mosquito life cycle.

The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District, which serves Anaheim, has been out in our neighborhoods spraying and looking for mosquito breeding sites.

If you notice mosquito activity or other pest concerns, you can easily report them to the OC Vector Control District here.

Fire ready: Know Your Way

Living in the hills of east Anaheim is great. But with it comes risk from wildfires, earthquakes and hillside runoff.

With peak fire season upon us, we urge everyone in the hills to stay informed and be ready.

In the event of a fire, there may be times when you'll need to leave your home to keep yourself and your family safe.

We'll always be there to help. Anaheim has a comprehensive evacuation strategy should we need to get people out during a wildfire or other emergency.

We also need you to do your part. We ask everyone in the hills to know their neighborhood evacuation zone and primary route out, plus two or three other routes in case roads are closed or conditions change.

In addition to your evacuation route, it's good to know what zone you're in. When evacuations are ordered, we'll refer to these zones, which are named for neighborhoods, parks or other easily identifiable landmarks. You can find the overview map and zone maps here.

In most cases, we'll be looking to evacuate people in a western direction. For many people, that means you'll first travel north to get to the 91 Freeway. There are some cases where you might go east or south for a short period but just to get on the freeway to go west.

If you live in east Anaheim, you should have your own emergency evacuation plan. You need to plan ahead and know what to do if you had to leave at a moment's notice, if you're at work, if the kids are at school, if you have an elderly relative or pets at home.

Know your way — and what you'll do in an emergency.

Find evacuation routes, zones and detailed information at Anaheim.net/KnowYourWay.

Celebrate the season and explore sustainability

Kick off the holidays by trading in your old holiday lights or donating a toy in exchange for two free energy-saving LED holiday light strands.

It’s all taking place at our new Sustainability Education Center on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We are opening our doors for a fun day to learn how Anaheim keeps our lights on and our water running — sustainably.

Anaheim Public Utilities is proud to power every home, business and visitor experience in our city.

Our Sustainability Education Center is a 9,000-square-foot space where science meets everyday life. Here you can see how Anaheim is building a sustainable future for all of us.

Learn how our local wells keep water flowing even when rainfall is low, and why Anaheim's water ranks amongst the best in the world.

You’ll also get to check out our solar flower that captures sunlight to power phones and devices.

There is plenty of fun for everyone, including bikes where you can pedal to light up bulbs or take a virtual test drive of an electric vehicle.

Come connect, learn and celebrate sustainability in Anaheim!

Holiday bonus: Anaheim residents can get two free energy-saving LED holiday light strands by trading in an old strand or donating a new, unwrapped toy for our toy drive.

Some helpful tips:

• Register beforehand
• Make sure donated toys are new and wrapped
• Bring your utility bill or other Anaheim residency verification

RSVP here!