I recently woke to find that I had ice on my windshield. Before leaving for work, I had to scrape off the ice and clear my view to be able to see properly. With the first day of spring occurring on March 20th, I believe that it is a great time to clear our views and see all of the beauty that is around us at this time of year.

I have traveled many places in my line of work, including South America, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. I have enjoyed visiting all of them, but none have looked as beautiful to me as our own city of Orem. I love the many trees, the clean roads, the beautiful way the citizens keep their homes and yards. I love walking down the sidewalks and visiting with neighbors. I love riding my bike down the Murdock Canal Trail.

I especially enjoy being able to watch baseball games at the City Center baseball fields. I loved watching my daughter play soccer and my three sons play Lacrosse. I enjoyed attending the "Last Laugh" event of the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival at the SCERA Shell last year. I have loved watching my neighbor perform in plays at the SCERA over the years, and I have enjoyed many performances at the Hale Center Theater.

I believe that we have a quality of life here in our wonderful city that is hard to beat. I would hope that we might all clear our views and enjoy springtime when it comes. I hope that we can all feel and show gratitude for the many wonderful things we enjoy and the great people we know by living in Orem.

Every time I fly back to Utah, I feel so thankful to call Orem home. I love the good feeling that exists in our wonderful city and for the citizens who live and work here. Thank you to all who make Orem "Family City, USA" and a great place to enjoy friends and neighbors.

2014 Miss Orem Pageant

Miss Orem and Miss Orem's Outstanding Teen are proud to announce the 75th Anniversary Scholarship Pageant! For 75 years, Orem has held this wonderful service- and scholarship-based pageant for residents and we are excited to bring you this year's contestants! 

 

The pageant will be held on March 22nd at Mountain View High School. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event starts at 7:00 p.m. You can also meet past Miss Orems starting at 6:00 p.m.

 

Join us to find out who will be Miss Orem 2014 and Miss Orem's Outstanding Teen 2014! Come say farewell to the 2013 Miss Orem royalty: Miss Orem, Sydney Flanigan, and Miss Orem's Outstanding Teen, Brenna Jeffs. 

 

Tickets are $10 pre-sale or $15 at the door and can be purchased online at www.missorem.org. For questions regarding the pageant or tickets, please contact Kimberly Harris at (801) 608-6776 or email [email protected]. If you have previously served as Miss Orem, you are invited to participate in this year's pageant. Contact Kimberly Harris for more information.

 

CARE Grant Applications

Each year, the Cultural Arts and Recreation Enrichment (CARE) Program provides grants to eligible non-profit and government organizations to enrich cultural arts and recreation in Orem. To qualify, organizations must submit grant applications by 5:30 p.m. on March 20th. Applications and instructions can be downloaded on orem.org at the bottom of our CARE webpage. 

 

Green Waste Disposal

With spring almost upon us, March is the perfect time to order a green waste can. Green waste cans allow you to dispose of grass clippings, leaves, tree branches/limbs, and other plant material at a lower cost than regular garbage pickup.

 

Many Orem residents pay an extra $9.50/month for a second garbage can. If you are using this can to dispose of green waste, you can order a green waste can for just $5.50/month instead. Green waste cans have yellow lids so Waste Management knows to treat the waste differently.

 

Green waste cans are also more environmentally friendly. Green waste materials are converted to renewable energy or compost, reducing the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills.

 

The City offers curbside green waste collection from March 1st to November 30th each year. Pickup is weekly on the same day as regular garbage collection. If you have questions or want to sign up, call our utility billing staff at (801) 229-7275. To have a can repaired or replaced, call Waste Management at (801) 852-0060.

 

Home Energy Assistance Program

The Home Energy Assistance Target (HEAT) Program is a federally funded program that provides one-time utility assistance to low-income families and individuals. This program can provide a benefit of up to $400 for those who qualify, depending on household income. 

 

Mountainland Association of Governments, who runs the program, is accepting new applicants through April 30, 2014. To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:

• At least one member of your household must be a U.S. Citizen or qualified alien;
• You must be responsible to pay your utility bills either directly (the bill is in your name) or indirectly (you pay utilities as part of your rent); and
• You must meet income guidelines.