It may be summer, summer, summertime in Whittier, but things aren't slowing down at City Hall any time soon!

Thank you to those who joined us for the City's annual Public Safety Expo and Kiddie-K Fun Run last month. It was a great opportunity for community members and families to meet and greet members of the Whittier Police Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other emergency personnel who serve Whittier. Kids of all ages enjoyed everything from face painting, a rock climbing wall, and S.W.A.T. demonstrations, to a helicopter flyover and the Kiddie-K Fun Run. Thank you to the Parks, Recreation & Community Services team, as well as the many local organizations that helped make the event a success.

There's plenty more to enjoy this summer at the City of Whittier, including a variety of recreation classes, aquatics lessons, and outdoor activities. Visit www.whittierrec.com to view a list of offerings and have some fun in the sun! You'll also find information below on upcoming Family Movie Nights, Concerts in the Park, and our annual 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. As always, please remember to follow @WhittierCityGov on social media to stay connected 24/7.

As a reminder, Whittier City Hall and City facilities will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, in observance of the holiday and trash service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Wishing you and your family a happy Independence Day and I look forward to seeing you for the July 4th Flag Raising at Palm Park!

The City of Whittier, in partnership with the Whittier Chamber of Commerce, recently hosted the 2023 State of the City Address for an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 250 local residents and business owners at the DoubleTree Hotel Whittier. City Manager Brian Saeki provided an overview of City accomplishments, as well as updates on current and proposed projects, exciting community programming, and the City Council's priorities for fiscal year 2023-2024. Missed the event? Watch the full presentation on the City's website here.

As a reminder, the Whittier City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and participation is encouraged either in person or via Zoom. For inquiries regarding City Council meetings or to review meeting agendas, please contact the City Clerk department at (562) 567-9850 or email clerk@cityofwhittier.org. 

The Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services staff, in partnership with the Whittier Public Library, will host their collaborative Rec & Read pop-up on Saturday, June 17 with special guests from Science Circus. Visit J.G. Whittier Park (7227 Whittier Ave.) between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to check out books from the mobile library, participate in various play activities, and make some cool crafts. Contact PRCS at (562) 567-9450 to learn more.

As part of the City's current branding initiative, we would love to hear from you on what makes Whittier such a unique and special place in which to live, work, shop, and play. City staff and consultants from RSM Design will host a public outreach workshop this month to gather residents’ feedback on our community's existing brand identity and core values, meaning what makes Whittier... Whittier! Please join us on Tuesday, June 20 at the Whittier Community Center (7630 Washington Ave.) for a casual, interactive discussion and refreshments between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to help us share Whittier's story. The session will look to identify insights, stories, distinctive cultural references, traditions, historic landmarks, and defining characteristics of the community that will help the City establish a vision and strategy for future branding efforts, including logos and graphics, mapping and navigation, wayfinding, placemaking, and enhanced gateway and monument signage citywide. Please RSVP to publicinfo@cityofwhittier.org with questions or for more information. We thank you in advance for your time and participation!

The Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services department is requesting residents' feedback regarding thoughts, ideas, solutions, and more on how to improve our City parks and recreational programming to meet the needs of residents and their families. This future Parks Master Plan will focus on strategy and planning, inventory, prioritization, funding needs, and more to ensure that Whittier's play spaces are modern, inclusive, and engaging for all community members. To learn more about the Parks Master Plan process and to take the survey, please click here or speak to a PRCS staff member for assistance at (562) 567-9400.

This month at the Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.), film enthusiasts are invited to REEL Club on Monday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. for a special screening of "The Donut King," the story of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who built a multi-million-dollar empire baking America's favorite pastry. To learn more about the event and other REEL Club perks, call (562) 567-9900.

Calling all our local groms and grommets: save the date for a Community Skate Sesh happening Wednesday, June 21 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Uptown Whittier Skate Park (7630 Washington Ave.). Don't miss special vendors, cool demos, food, and a chance to show off your best alley-oops, kickflips, and tail slides. Call (562) 567-9450 to learn more.

The City of Whittier, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, is seeking your input regarding topics of interest and community needs relative to mental health and substance use. To better serve families in our community, please take a moment to offer feedback by scanning the QR code or click here to take our quick, 5-question survey. In addition to free trainings and informational workshops, residents can visit www.cityofwhittier.org/whittierwellbeing to access:

If you or someone you know needs help with substance abuse, please call the Substance Abuse Services Hotline at (844) 804-7500 to be connected with a treatment program and download the RecoverLA mobile-friendly app for personalized assistance. For anyone looking for mental health support, please call the LA County Mental Health Hotline available 24/7 at (800) 854-7771.

The City of Whittier's Parks, Recreation & Community Services team will host their popular Concerts in the Park series on Mondays at Central Park (6532 Friends Ave.) and Thursdays at Parnell Park (15390 Lambert Rd.) beginning June 22 at 7:00 p.m. Remember to bring a picnic dinner from your favorite Whittier restaurant or visit one of our participating food truck vendors. Grab your dancing shoes and join us!

The Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services staff will host Movies in the Park once a month on select Saturdays through October. Don't miss "Finding Nemo" at Palm Park (5703 Palm Ave.) on July 22 with the fun kicking off at 6:00 p.m. Kids can enjoy free crafting, games, and play activities and $1 concessions will be available for purchase. Don't miss a great night out with the family at a different local park each month and remember to bring a picnic dinner from your favorite Whittier restaurant, your lawn chairs, and a blanket. All screenings begin at dusk. For more information call (562) 567-9450.

The Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services staff has officially announced the season opening of our City splash pads and fountains that are sure to help you and your little ones beat the heat this summer! Enjoy the waterworks for free between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at various park locations including Lee & Erika Owens Park, Palm Park, Parnell Park, and Michigan Park now through September 4. Contact PRCS with questions at (562) 567-9400.

The Whittier Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.) will offer its free summer "Lunch Buddies" program for youth ages 18 and under from June 12 through July 20. The grab-and-go meals are sponsored by the Whittier Union High School District through the USDA Summer Food Service Program and supported by the California State Library and California Library Association. Lunches will be provided on a first come, first served basis and children must be present. Registration is not required. Contact the Library to learn more at (562) 567-9900.

The Whittier Public Library will offer its annual Summer Reading Club program beginning Monday, June 19 through Saturday, July 29 for kids, teens, and adults. This year's theme is "Laugh It Up at the Whittier Public Library" and will encourage residents of all ages to read books of their choosing, complete activities, write reviews, and track their reading in person or online. Participants will be eligible to collect badges for the number of books read by age group and entered into drawings for prizes. The Summer Reading Club is sponsored by the Friends of the Whittier Public Library, the Assistance League of Whittier, and the Whittier Public Library Foundation. To learn more and register call (562) 567-9900 or (562) 567-9950, and click here to download the Beanstack App to start tracking your pages today.

Are you a local teen interested in helping plan new programs, develop teen-oriented services, and advise on special activities you'd like to see at the Whittier Public Library, all while earning volunteer service hours? If so, consider participating in the Library's Teen Advisory Board (T.A.B.) on Wednesday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.). The T.A.B. is open to all high school students in the City of Whittier. Click here to apply and attend your first meeting or call the Central Library at (562) 567-9900 for more information.

Beginning on June 22, residents are invited to drop by City Hall or one of our three Community Center facilities (Whittier, Palm Park, or Parnell Park) to pick up a free American flag and show your patriotic spirit. Additionally, those who would like to host a neighborhood block party may inquire and apply for a Block Party permit from the Public Works customer service counter at City Hall (13230 Penn St.). Applications must be submitted to Public Works staff no later than Tuesday, June 20 for consideration. For questions regarding the permit, please call Public Works at (562) 567-9500 or visit City Hall for your complimentary flag available at the front desk.

The City of Whittier invites local families to its annual Flag Raising & Freedom Walk at Palm Park (5703 Palm Ave.) on Tuesday, July 4 to celebrate our nation's birthday. The event will start at 9:00 a.m. with a formal flag raising ceremony, special performances, patriotic crafts, and tasty treats, followed by a Freedom Walk along the Greenway Trail beginning at 10:00 a.m. Please contact City staff at (562) 567-9495 with questions.

The City of Whittier invites you to celebrate the 4th of July with family, friends, and fireworks! Don't miss the annual 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on Tuesday, July 4 at York Field (9110 Santa Fe Springs Rd.) featuring youth activities, inflatable attractions, food trucks, and live music from Candela. Wristbands are $5 each; residents age 17 and military veterans can attend for free. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9:00 p.m. All other use of fireworks within the City of Whittier remains illegal and homeowners, property owners, tenants, or other responsible persons that Whittier Police officers observe lighting fireworks at any public or private location may be fined $5,000. We appreciate you celebrating safely and responsibly: please be a good neighbor!

Summer is here and so are the mosquitoes! As part of National Mosquito Control Awareness Week from June 18 through June 24, the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District and the City of Whittier are encouraging residents to take action to protect against mosquito breeding grounds and limit the number of potential sources in and around your home. Tipping and tossing stagnant water collected in vases, planters, and other areas where standing water can occur helps discourage the laying of eggs and transmission of mosquito-oriented diseases like West Nile Virus in our community. Resources are available, including a home checklist for residents and information on Neighborhood Mosquito Watch programs, via the Vector Control website at www.glamosquito.org.

The new school year will be here before we know it and the City's Parks, Recreation & Community Services team is gearing up for the 2023-24 WYN Club. The City's popular after school program operates at six local elementary schools including Laurel, Hoover, Evergreen, Ocean View, Leffingwell, and Murphy Ranch and is open to students in 1st through 5th grade. Register for $75 per student via www.whittierrec.com beginning at 9:00 a.m. on July 17 or contact PRCS at (562) 567-9450 with questions.