Broward County Celebrates Earth Month in April
Broward County’s Waste and Recycling Services Division, in cooperation with partner cities throughout the county, will celebrate Earth Month in April with a number of environmental exhibits, events and celebrations.

For a complete list of Earth Month activities visit www.broward.org/waste or call the Broward County Waste and Recycling Services Hotline, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Some of the activities planned for Earth Month include:

April 16 (Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Earth Day Everglades Celebration; North Regional/BCC Library in Coconut Creek; Broward County Libraries; Contact: Stephen Grubb @ 954-201-2601. Description: A variety of presenters will discuss the unique and fragile beauty of the Everglades, the history of this ecosystem and restoration efforts currently underway.

April 23 (Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., an electronics recycling event at Best Buy, 12301 West Sunrise Blvd., in Plantation. Residents can recycle their unwanted electronics including computers, monitors, keyboards, computer mouse(s), terminals, printers, modems, telephones, cellular phones, TVs, and copiers. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on this event, contact D.J. McPherson, Broward County Waste and Recycling Services, at 954-765-4202 Ext. 287.

April 19 (Tuesday) through April 23 (Saturday): Children will have a chance to climb aboard Scholastic’s Traveling Magic School Bus and experience some of their favorite field trips as featured on TLC’s The Magic School Bus animated TV series. Scheduled stops: Tuesday, April 19, 3:30 – 7:30 p.m., City of Hollywood, Stirling Road Library, 3151 Stirling Road, 954-985-2689; Wednesday, April 20, 2 – 5:30 p.m., Tamarac Branch Library, 8701 W. Commercial Blvd., 954-720-2282; Thursday, April 21, 3:30 – 7:30 p.m., North Regional/BCC Library, 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, 954-201-2626; Friday, April 22, 1:30 – 5:30 p.m., Jim & Jan Moran Boys & Girls Club, 27 South Dixie Highway, Deerfield Beach, 954-725-5551; Saturday, April 23, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Pan-African BookFest, Delevoe Park/African- American Research Library & Cultural Center, 2520 N.W. 6th Street/Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954- 357-7348.

Residents Encouraged To Recycle Old Phone Books
It’s that time of year again—time for Broward County residents to recycle old telephone books. Broward County’s Waste and Recycling Services Division is encouraging residents to recycle their old yellow-and white-page telephone books from now until May 31. Residents should place old phone books in recycling bins along with newspapers on their regularly scheduled recycling collection day. Check with your municipality for additional drop-off collection sites. Businesses should contact the city in which they are located for more information about business recycling collection. For additional information, call the Broward County Waste and Recycling Hotline at 954-765-4999.

Library to Host Annual Children’s Reading Festival
Classic fairy tales will come alive at the Broward County Library’s annual Children’s Reading Festival on April 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 17 noon to 5 p.m. at the Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. This year’s festival theme is “Once upon a fairy tale. . .” in celebration of the 200th birthday of author Hans Christian Andersen. The free family event features fairy-tale characters, storytellers, plays, children’s authors, music, magic, crafts and other activities. For more information, visit www.broward.org/library .

Low Cost Rabies Vaccinations Available with License Tags
Broward County’s Animal Care and Regulation Division has scheduled a series of $15 rabies vaccination and license tag clinics for the spring and summer. To qualify, pet owners must be Broward residents, meet certain income guidelines and provide proof of residency. Dogs must be on leashes and cats in carriers. The clinics are held on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Cash only.

• April 30, Margate Catharine Young Library, 5810 Park Dr., Margate
• May 21, Joseph C. Carter Park, 1450 W. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
• June 11, North Broward Park, 4400 N.E. 18 Ave., Pompano Beach

Small Claims Court Clinic to Assist Residents
Broward County’s Consumer Affairs Division, in partnership with the Broward County Clerk of the Courts and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, will hold the next free Small Claims Court Clinic on Wednesday, April 20, 6:30 p.m., Pompano Beach Highlands Park, 1650 N.E. 50th Court, Pompano Beach (North of Sample Rd., between Dixie Hwy. and U.S. 1).

The clinic is designed to provide information on how to file a small claims court action, and how to prepare for court. Although the clinic will not address individual legal problems, it will provide information on proper filing, fees, subpoenas, and more. A question-and-answer session will be held after the presentation.

Public Workshops Scheduled On Dixie Highway Greenways
Broward County’s Transportation Planning Division has scheduled two public workshops on Monday, April 18, to solicit public input on the Broward County Greenways Project for the Dixie Highway Corridor. The first workshop will be held at the South Florida Regional Planning Council, 3440 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, from 10 a.m. to noon. The second workshop will be held at Fred Lippman Center, 2030 Polk Street, Hollywood, 6 – 8 p.m.

The Dixie Highway corridor runs from Eller Drive, north of the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, to the south county line in Hallandale Beach. The Broward County Greenways program is a comprehensive planning effort to link neighborhoods, parks, schools and recreational facilities with 182 miles of safe and clean paths, bicycle lanes, nature trails and waterways, stretching from the Everglades to the Atlantic Ocean. It is estimated the project will take approximately 10 years to complete.

For additional information on the public meeting, contact Dickey Consulting Services, 954-467-6822, or e-mail: sdiaz@dickeyinc.com.

Emerald Awards Honor Environmental Businesses
The Broward County Commission named the City of Deerfield Beach’s Public Works Department as the “Environmental Business of the Year” on April 12 during Emerald Awards ceremonies at the Governmental Center. The city was cited for its recycling efforts, its policy of purchasing products made with recycled materials and its public education outreach to encourage residents to compost yard materials. Deerfield Beach was also commended for establishing a waste drop-off center, the only municipality in Broward County providing that service.

The Emerald Awards program is a voluntary effort by Broward County’s Environmental Protection Department to recognize businesses who have demonstrated their concern for the environment. Other winners included:

• Pollution Prevention: Hazardous Waste Reduction: Imperial Point Medical Center (large business); Preferred Automotive, Inc. (small business)
• Recycling: Publix Distribution Center (large business)
• Innovative Procedures/Process Improvement: Coral Springs Medical Center (large business)
• Green Products/Practices or Programs: Wild Oats Community Market (large business)

“When I began my term as mayor, I proclaimed this year as ‘Year of the Environment,’” said Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs. “These businesses are truly leaders and should be honored for their environmental stewardship. Their efforts demonstrate that environmentally friendly business practices can also be a strong component of a successful business.”

The Emerald Awards program also includes a new component to reward homeowners, governments and other groups that have incorporated “NatureScape Broward” techniques into their landscaping. NatureScape yards are designed to: conserve water by using native plants in place of lawn; provide food, water and shelter for wildlife; use integrated pest control practices; reduce storm-water contaminated by pesticides and fertilizers; and recycle yard waste into mulch and compost.

The six NatureScape Emerald Award winners are:
• Homeowners: Barbara Bartz and Rick McKenzie; Linda and Jerry Avery
• Municipality/Government: Coconut Creek City Hall; African-American Research Library and Cultural Center
• Special Achievement: Wilton Manors NatureScape Broward Team Leaders; and Lauderdale by the Sea Garden Club

VisionBROWARD Schedules Leadership Conference April 21, 22
Residents are invited to attend the 2005 VisionBROWARD Leadership Conference this month, where community leaders will discuss their plans to create a long-term vision for the County. Topics include education, transportation, housing and economic development. Speakers include Curtis Johnson, president of the Citistates Group, who will lead Broward’s first-ever fireside chat and Steve Gunderson, senior consultant and managing director of the Greystone Group.

The opening reception will be April 21 at the Weston Hills Country Club. Workshop sessions will be held on April 22 at the Office Depot Center in Sunrise. The entry fee ranges from $30 to $75, depending on how many days participants attend. For additional information or to register, visit: www.browardalliance.org/rsvp.