One of our most beloved employees is the grand marshal for our July 4 parade, part of the day-long celebration in Plantation.

Miki Ostendorf, the long-time children’s librarian at the Helen B. Hoffman Library,

says she watches every parade the city puts on. But Friday she’ll be leading the charge.

The parade starts at 9 a.m. at Broward Blvd. and 46^th Ave. and travels west along Broward Boulevard, turning north at 69^th Avenue and ending at City Hall.

“Patriotic Pool Day” follows with free admission to the Central Park Pool from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The evening concert and fireworks starts with kid’s zone and food trucks at 6 p.m. and the band Brass Evolution at 7 p.m. at Plantation Central Park. (There’s not enough space for shells to clear at Pine Island Park, so we can’t conduct July 4 celebration there.) Bring a lawn chair, bring your food but leave your pets and personal fireworks at home, please.

Commentary: As we near the time when fireworks are more prevalent, remember that sounds from fireworks explosions are traumatic for many pets and can reactivate post-traumatic stress for veterans and victims of gun violence. This fireworks season, be mindful of the needs of others. And maybe be that good neighbor who takes a pass on personal fireworks this year.

Meanwhile, Plantation Walk offers an Independence Day option from 4-11 p.m., with music emanating from two stages and street performers. American Elton (Elton John tribute act) headlines.

 And you can have a different fireworks experience. Visitors can traverse to the top of the nearby parking garage for a better vantage point and see the city of Plantation’s fireworks, with the  same accompanying music piped in, courtesy of the city.

Our Utilities Department sent the following memo to the Department of Environmental Protection:

“The City of Plantation will be discontinuing the addition of fluoride to its drinking water system, effective July 1, 2025. This decision is made in compliance with recent legislation, Senate Bill 700, also known as Florida Farm Bill, enacted by the State of Florida, which prohibits the addition of certain additives to public drinking water systems, including fluoride.

“The City of Plantation has conducted analyses comparing specific water quality parameters of our pretreated water to the finished water. The results of these analyses concluded no significant changes to the City’s drinking water quality. We will continue to monitor the water quality closely to ensure compliance with all state and federal drinking water standards.”

We are inviting the public to a ribbon-cutting and an official launch of Freebee, an on-demand free ride service. The event is at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, at Pine Island Park.

Many cities have added a free EV ride service for short trips, accessible via a phone app. We are launching ours for use only in the Midtown District, defined as the area between University Drive and Pine Island Road, and south of Cleary Boulevard.

Plantation sandbag distribution is coming!

The City of Plantation Public Works Department will be distributing sandbags to protect homes from potential flooding during storm season.

The endeavor runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays from July 1 through July 31 (closed on July 4).

The limit is eight sandbags per household. Go to the Public Works Office, 750 NW 91st Ave., More information at plantation.org/sandbags.

Council President Louis Reinstein led an initiative to declare Plantation as a Purple Heart City.

The "Purple Heart City" program designates communities that publicly acknowledge and honor Purple Heart recipients, those wounded or killed in combat. It involves a proclamation from the local government, recognizing National Purple Heart Day, and often includes commemorative signs or monuments. The program aims to show support for veterans and keep the memory of their sacrifices alive.

Commander Edward Sileo representing the Military Order of Purple Heart Chapter 717 accepted the proclamation.

We’ve teamed up with KOFE (Knowledge of Financial Education) to offer free access to helpful tools and resources to help you better understand your financial health. 

Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Visit plantation.kofetime.com to log in or create your free KOFE account.
Step 2: Complete the Financial Assessment Quiz to find out how financially fit you are.

That’s it! Once you complete the quiz, you’ll automatically be entered into the raffle.

The deadline to participate is July 18, so don’t miss your chance to take control of your finances and possibly win a prize while you’re at it!

July 1: Model Train Exhibit Model Train Exhibit returns to the Historical Museum and will be on display until September 27.

July 4: Independence Day celebration starts with the 9 a.m. parade, continues with a pool party at 10 a.m. and wraps up with the main event that includes the kid’s zone at 6 p.m., concert at 7 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.

July 11: Daddy/Daughter Dance themed A Night in Hollywood for dads and daughters (ages 6-12) at 7 p.m. at Volunteer Park. Enjoy an evening of music, pizza and games. Get dance tickets online or at any community center. For more information call 954-452-2510.

Mayor Nick Sortal's newsletter is dedicated to managing Plantation's matters, placing a special emphasis on our community and its residents.

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