 The City of Waco and Cameron Park Zoo are thrilled to announce the opening of the Gloria and F.M. Young Penguin Shores Exhibit. Join us for the grand welcome and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 8. The $12.8 million state-of-the-art habitat will welcome the largest colony of endangered South African penguins in Texas. Penguin Shores features a pool and rock structure for the penguins, an exhibit area for black-footed cats, canopies, a shaded plaza, and South African-inspired murals painted by local students through Creative Waco's ArtPrenticeship Program.
Apply for Waco Citizen's Fire Academy
 The Waco Fire Department is excited to host its fourth annual Citizen's Fire Academy! McLennan County residents (18 years old and up) are invited to join us to learn about being a firefighter through classroom instructions and hands-on demonstrations. The academy will be held on Thursdays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. from September 5 through October 4. Class space is limited, so sign up today!
Apply for Citizen's Police Academy
 McLennan County residents (18 years old and up) are invited to apply for the fall 2024 session of Citizen's Police Academy. Participants will learn about what it takes to be a police officer through classroom instruction and hands-on demonstrations. The academy is a 12-week course starting on August 22 and will be held on Thursday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. Applications are due Friday, August 16.
 Construction on Bagby Avenue continues to make great progress! So far, 60% of the water and sanitary sewer replacements are complete along with the concrete pavement at the Irving Lee intersection near HEB. Public Works crews prioritized the short stretch from Valley Mills Drive to Irving Lee to minimize the disruption for shoppers at H-E-B and nearby stores.
The Richter Avenue intersection is almost complete, and crews will soon start working on the street reconstruction from Richter Avenue to Columbia Street.
The project will include new utilities, sidewalks, and drainage infrastructure and is expected to be completed in November 2025.
Thank You for Keeping Waco Clean & Green
 Thanks to your recycling efforts, Waco has recycled 1,730.93 tons of material from January to June 2024 alone. That's a significant contribution to keeping our city clean and green. Here's what your recycling power translates to in real-world terms:
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5,190 cubic yards of space saved in our landfills. That's enough space to fill the volume of about one and half Olympic-sized pools.
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17,875 trees saved reduced the need cut down more trees.
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29,482 gallons of oil saved from using recycled material rather than creating new products from scratch with crude oil.
Reminder
Putting non-recyclable items in the recycling bin can ruin the whole cart! Toss loose, unbagged recyclables in your blue City of Waco cart, including #1 and #2 plastics, mixed paper, clean cardboard, aluminum, tin, and cans. Blue recycling carts are collected every other week on your collection day. If you don't have a blue cart, you can request one at waco-texas.com/solidwaste or by calling (254) 299-2609.
 Construction is making steady progress on Fire Station #15! The foundation for the living quarters and bay of the new station have been poured, the steel structure is complete, and crews are currently working on building out the facade. The $5.46 million project is expected to be complete in spring 2025 and will serve a portion of the West Waco Neighborhood.
Get Ready for Back to School with After-School Care
 Registration is now open for after-school care at the Doris Miller, Dewey, and South Waco Community Centers. The after-school programs are held Monday through Friday for kids ages 5 to 13. The program begins August 14, and the monthly rate is $90. Kids will participate in after-school tutoring and indoor/outdoor recreational activities. Transportation and space are limited, so sign up today.
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