Message from the Mayor

Hard to believe that January is already gone. It has been an exciting and busy month. The Watauga Water Department is now offering "E" Billing. Take advantage of it and register today. It only takes a few minutes to register and eliminates the need for mailing.

During the month of January, we had our Police Meet and Greet, a workshop for our new Youth Advisory Council was held and your City Council adopted the Watauga Library Long Range Plan. On January 28, 2020 the second Public Meeting on the Watauga Comprehensive Plan Update was held. The Planning & Zoning Commission will conduct a Public Hearing during its regular Commission Meeting scheduled for February 19, 2020 and the Council will consider adoption at the April 13, 2020 Council Meeting.

On the economic side, the Watauga EDC staff attended the Red River States International Conference of Shopping Centers, a 2-day event where staff had the opportunity to market Watauga to businesses looking for a home. It was a very productive event. Watauga had 4 businesses hit anniversary milestones during the month of January. Rufe Snow Clinic and Ace Cash Express celebrated being a Watauga Business for 30 years and Hightower Salons reached the 20-year Milestone. Congratulations to the Watauga Businesses celebrating the milestones.

A new election cycle began this month, with the State Law Election requiring the City to accept applications beginning on January 15, 2020 and will continue accepting them until 5 PM on February 14, 2020. All the required election information can be found on the City's website. Citizens can expect to begin seeing campaign signs soon.

On February 7, 2020, the Recreation Center will host the Watauga Western Sweetheart Dance (previously known as the Daddy/Daughter Dance) from 7 to 9 PM. The City Library will also host a myriad of events as usual. These are 2 great departments staffed by great people, so take advantage of all the valuable programs offered.

Lastly, we will host our 2^nd Annual "State of the City Address" on March 18, 2020 at the Hector F. Garcia Community Center.

SHOP WATAUGA!

FEBRUARY 10, 2020

CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP

5:30 P.M.

REGULAR MEETING
6:30 P.M.

CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
7105 WHITLEY ROAD

Primary Election/May General Election Voter Registration

Select the following link for election information and important dates!

Fire Department News

The Watauga Fire Department will soon be announcing promotions of staff to Driver/Engineer positions effective February 29, 2020, pending the approval of the new pay plan by City Council. Look for the official announcement in the next newsletter!

Save the Date!

Watauga is having a Western Sweetheart Dance February 7, 2020! Join us for a night of fun at the Hector F. Garcia Community Center! Wear your best western wear, enjoy refreshments, and dance the night away! Registration begins January 6, 2020. Registration is required; space is limited. For more information call 817-514-5828.

Start off your Saturday morning with a 1-mile walk/run around Capp Smith Park and enjoy donuts along the way!!

There will be a "Refueling" station at the 1.5 mile mark and a "Gathering of Donuts" at the finish line!

Adult Registration $10.00
Child Registration $5.00

All registrations include a Donut Dash Shirt and of course... DONUTS! Spots are limited! Last Day to register (and get a shirt) is February 29, 2020.

www.quickscores.com/watauga

Paws in the Park is back! Join us for this pet-themed event at Capp Smith Park from 6:00 - 10:00 PM.

Come see the live entertainment, food, inflatables, and a movie in the park! Pets are welcome to attend! (Must be leashed.)

- Enjoy a dynamic, high-energy performance by ESCAPE, a musical tribute to the arena rock super group Journey.

- Participate in the Pet Pageant for chances to win prizes!
(Categories TBA.)

- End the night with a screening of The Secret Life of Pets 2!

Vendors will be onsite with food and merchandise!

For more information and updates, please visit our website, Facebook event, or call 817-514-5828.

Watauga Parks & Recreation is proud to announce Capp Smith Park will be the host location for the Spring 2020 Healthy Kids Running Series!

Registration and event details can be found here

Watauga Pickleball would like to welcome Jarrod and Kasandra to the Hector F Garcia Community Center on March 11, as they will be offering a 1-day pickleball clinic.
Spots are limited so sign up here

The Importance of College and Career Preparation

Benjamin Franklin once said, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." When considering that quote in relation to college and career preparation does this mean that without the proper arrangements we are setting ourselves up to fail?

The world that we live in is forever evolving. In order to help our young adults and non-traditional learners to grow at the same speed as society we must put forth the provisions that can make them stand on a universal stage of augmentation.

There are many options for higher education. According to the non-profit organization the College Board, there are more than 3,800 colleges in the U.S. We need to help students narrow down their choices. The question students need to ask is not "Which are the best colleges?" but rather, "Which are the best colleges for me?"

The Watauga Public Library will be partnering with Tarrant County College to host a College and Career Readiness Series for teens and adults. The series will cover many topics from; how to apply for scholarships, knowing what to do after you have been accepted into college, and basic resume and interview skills.

This series will assist our young adults and non-traditional students of Watauga to help prepare for a bigger stage.

https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/college
http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/apps/financialaid/tofa.cfm?Kind=GS
https://www.noodle.com/articles/l/k-thru-12-college-preparation

Physical Books Still Outsell E-books

The numbers are in from the Association of American Publishers (AAP)! The predicted decline of physical books is wrong. It might be a surprise to some folks, but old school print on paper still wins. Print book sales from AAP for January to October 2019 were $12.57 billion, an increase of 3.6% over the same period last year. E-book revenues continued to decline, dropping 8.9% to $80.0 million (compared to October 2018). Audio downloads continue to be a bright spot for the industry, increasing 15.1% to 49.6 million compared to the same month in 2018. A recent Pew research study finds that the use of audiobooks is on the rise.

The Pew Center research shows that Americans read an average (mean) of 12 books per year, while the typical (median) American has read four books in the past 12 months. Each of these figures is largely unchanged since 2011, when the Center first began conducting the surveys of Americans' book reading habits.

https://newsroom.publishers.org
https://www.pewresearch.org
https://www.cnbc.com

Making Art Can Be Good for Your Health

Experts say expressing yourself creatively can come with a number of health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety.

Girija Kaimal, a professor at Drexel University and a leading researcher in art therapy, has found that making art activates a reward pathway in the brain, which is "perceived as a pleasurable experience."

"Anything that engages your creative mind - the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate - is good for you," says Kaimal. She stressed the importance of not getting hung up on perfection and instead just creating something - whether it's painting, writing, or even sewing.

If you're looking to engage with your inner artist this year, check out the free art classes for adults, children, and teens at the Watauga Public Library. For further information, select the following links:

https://www.health.harvard.edu
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
https://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com

DVD 616.831 IRE I remember better when I paint: treating Alzheimer's through the creative arts - "Narrated by Olivia de Havilland, this documentary shows how initiatives that bring people with Alzheimer's to art and creative workshops are producing remarkably positive results." - cover. This DVD is at the Watauga Public Library.

Meows and Howls

Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (T.C.A.P.) is joining us to provide low cost vaccinations and other various pet services, prices start at $5.00.

WHEN:
Saturday, February 8, 2020

TIME:
10 a.m. - Noon

WHERE:
Watauga Animal Services
5203 Watauga Road

Micro-chipping

Watauga Animal Services offers pet micro-chipping and chip registration at a discounted price of $20.00 for residents and non-residents. No appointment is necessary, just stop by the Shelter during business hours with your pet and their CURRENT Rabies Certificate. For more information, visit the shelter website.

Milestone Business Anniversaries

30 Years

Rufe Snow Clinic Dr. Reda Bestawrous, 6651 Watauga Road #104

20 Years

Ace Cash Express, 6245 Rufe Snow
H & R Block, 8436 Denton Hwy #209
Hightower Salons, 6651 Hightower Drive #100
Lone Star Concrete Systems, 5925 Watauga Road