PALESTINE, Texas (May 23, 2018) – The City of Palestine has announced the Memorial Day holiday schedule for city facilities.

The following city offices and facilities will close Monday, May 28 and will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, May 29:
• City Hall, which includes Customer Service, Municipal Court, Finance, Development Services, Public Works, Utilities, City Manager’s Office, Police Administration, Fire Administration, City Secretary, Human Resources, Streets, Emergency Management Office and Warehouse Services.
• Palestine Economic Development and Main Street Offices
• Palestine Community Services Offices
• Palestine Visitor’s Center and Civic Center
• Palestine Public Library will close Saturday, May 26 and Monday, May 28. All library materials (books, CDs, and DVDs) can be returned 24/7 in the book drop located on the curb outside of the Mall’s main entrance.
• The Palestine Mall concourse and shops will be closed May 26 through May 28.

The following is scheduled from Public Works:
• City garbage/recycling services will run as scheduled
• The compost site on Spring Street will be closed on May 26 through May 28.
• To report after-hours and holiday water/sewer/road issues that require immediate attention, please contact City Hall at 903-729-2254, and press “0” for immediate assistance.

Residents are asked to dial 911 for emergency issues.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 22, 2018) – “Libraries Rock” is the theme of Palestine Public Library’s 2018 Summer Reading Club. Discover ways that music influences our lives and brings people together. Patrons are invited to try something new: listen to a book, music, read a new book, meet new people, and much more!

Youth Summer Reading Club will be for children of ages 0-12. They will be provided a weekly week of activities and a reading record. Prizes will be provided for completing the weekly activities. Logs will be submitted to win prizes in a random drawing.

Participants ages 13-18 or grades 7-12 may participate in the Teen Summer Reading program. Reading logs and a packet of activities they can complete on their own time will provided at the time of registration. Participants may submit their completed handouts and reading logs in a random drawing to win prizes.

Participants 18 years of age or older may register to participate in the Adult Summer Reading Club. A packet of activities and handouts, reading logs, and book review will be provided at the time of registration. These may be submitted for a chance to win prizes or just for fun.

Registration begins on Monday, May 21, 2018. For more information, call the library at (903) 729-4121or visit our website at www.palestine.lib.tx.us. All programs are free of charge.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 21, 2018) – The Palestine Police Department will be increasing their efforts in encouraging safe driving through a round added enforcement. This enforcement will focus specifically the offenses of driving while intoxicated (DWI), seatbelt, child seat, and speeding. The enforcement period will be between May 22 to June 4.

According to Palestine Police Chief Andy Harvey, “This is enforcement that directly is tied to keeping all of our citizens safe.”

The Palestine Police Department was awarded a STEP enforcement grant from the Texas Department of Transportation. The grant refunds the police department for the use of their officers and equipment for the additional enforcement. For additional information, please contact the Palestine Police Department at 903-729-2254, on Facebook @PalestineTXPD, or Twitter @PalestinePD.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 21, 2018) – The City of Palestine starts its annual summer tradition on May 21 with free passes to the Palestine Municipal Pool and Aquatic Center.

From 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at City Hall, 504 N. Queen St., residents with an active water account can obtain free pool passes for the summer. The Palestine Municipal Pool opens for its summer season on May 26.

Residents must complete an application form and present a valid form of ID when picking up the passes. Passes will only be issued to the person whose name is on the water account, but users can be added later. Replacement passes are $30 for the first pass and $60 for additional passes.

The Palestine YMCA is the managing partner for the Palestine Municipal Pool and Aquatic Center and offers additional swim times to members of the YMCA. Public swim time is first-come, first-to-swim, with peak times managed by the lifeguards.

For more information, contact the City of Palestine’s Community Services Department at 903-731-8435, the YMCA at 903-729-3139, or online at cityofpalestinetx.com.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 18, 2018) – The Palestine Public Library is changing its hours open to the public beginning Monday, June 4. On Tuesdays, the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturdays, the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

New Hours:
Monday - 12 pm - 8 pm
Tuesday - 10 am - 6 pm
Wednesday - 10 am - 6 pm
Thursday - 12 pm - 8 pm 
Friday - 10 am - 6 pm
Saturday - 10 am - 2 pm
Sunday - Closed

PALESTINE, Texas (May 15, 2018) – The Palestine Public Library will be using an automated phone call system beginning in June to call and remind patrons the day before items are due.

The patron will get a message that states that items are due the next day. The Library hopes this automated reminder will help patrons by reminding them that materials are due so that they can be returned in a timely manner to avoid late fees.

For more information, please call the library at 903-729-4121.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 15, 2018) – The runoff election for City Council District 5 between Dana Goolsby and Doug Smith will be held on Saturday, June 16. Early Voting for the runoff begins on Monday, June 4, and will last until Tuesday, June 12.

Early voting will be at City Hall, 504 N. Queen St., inside the City Council chambers, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Tuesday, June 5, and Tuesday, June 12, City Hall will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

City Hall will not be open on the weekends for early voting. Only registered voters in District 5 can participate in the runoff election.

Voters are required to bring one form of photo ID to early voting, and on Election Day. Acceptable forms of photo ID include:
• Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas license to carry a handgun issued by DPS
• United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
• United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States passport

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 4 years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. Election certificates are available at all DPS offices during regular business hours.

Here is a list of the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo ID and cannot obtain one due to a reasonable impediment:
• Valid voter registration certificate
• Certified birth certificate (must be an original)
• Copy of or original current utility bill
• Copy of or original bank statement
• Copy of or original government check
• Copy of or original paycheck
• Copy of or original government document with your name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph)

After presenting a supporting form of ID, the voter must execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration. More information is available online at votetexas.gov.
On June 16, voters can vote at the following locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

• District 5 – Palestine ISD Administrative Offices, 1007 E. Park Avenue

Applications for ballot by mail shall be mailed to: Teresa Herrera, City Secretary, 504 N. Queen Street, Palestine, Texas, 75801. Applications for ballot by mail must be received by mail no later than the close of business on June 5.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 11, 2018) – The City of Palestine will spray for mosquitoes on Monday, May 14.

Between the hours of 9 p.m. on Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, sprayers will be dispatched to Area 2. Area 2 encompasses the streets of Kolstad Street to the north south to Loop 256 and the Willow Creek Business Park, and from Royall and Elm streets west to Oak and Variah Streets.

The City of Palestine contracts its mosquito spraying to Vector Disease Control International. Residents can make mosquito complaints to the City of Palestine Community Services Department, Environmental Services Division, at 903-731-8435.

PALESTINE, Texas (June 10, 2018) – The Palestine Public Library will be using an automated phone call system beginning in June to call and remind patrons the day before items are due.

The patron will get a message that states that items are due the next day. The Library hopes this automated reminder will help patrons by reminding them that materials are due so that they can be returned in a timely manner to avoid late fees.

For more information, please call the library at 903-729-4121.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 10, 2018) – On Friday, May 25th, the City of Palestine’s Main Street program will host the second annual “Imagine the Possibilities Tour” showcasing downtown buildings and businesses and highlighting the potential for unique development opportunities.

The Redlands Hotel lobby located at 400 N. Queen St. will be the kick-off location at 12:00 Noon. City staff and downtown stakeholders will talk about the importance of Palestine’s historic Main Street District and the opportunities that are available including grant funding for façade improvements and interior renovations. Sandwiches and refreshments will be provided and guided building tours will continue until 4 p.m.

Palestine is one of about 20 cities across Texas that will once again invite potential investors, downtown developers, entrepreneurs, as well as community-minded individuals looking to be part of downtown's transformation, to imagine the possibilities in May 2018. This is nearly double the number of cities that participated last year in the now annual Preservation Month event.

The concentrated statewide effort creates synergy and excitement for Texas' historic downtowns and provides the perfect matchmaking platform. Selected properties will be open and accessible to the public, and tour attendees can obtain additional information on downtown development and business resources at the central gathering point.

Last year five of the downtown Palestine properties that were showcased either leased or sold after the initiative.

For more information about this event, please contact the Palestine Economic Development Corporation at 903-729-4100 or email glaudadio@palestine-tx.org.

PALESTINE, Texas (May 8, 2018) – The Boil Water Notice for Court Drive from Chancellor Drive to Bassett Road, Chancellor Drive and Craig Drive has been rescinded. The following is the legal language.

Boil Water Rescind Notice

On May 4, 2018, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required our public water system,City of Palestine Utilities Department, PWS ID 0010001 to issue a Boil Water Notice (BWN) to inform our customers that due to the presence of contaminants or an interruption in service, water from our system must be boiled prior to consumption.

Our system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore adequate pressure, disinfectant levels, and/or bacteriological quality and has provided TCEQ with testing results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling as of May 8, 2018.

If you have questions, contact Felipe Garcia at 903-731-8483.

If a customer wishes to reach TCEQ, they may call 512-239-4691.

From Earlier:

PALESTINE, Texas (May 4, 2018) – The City of Palestine is issuing a boil water notice for residents on Court Drive from Chancellor Drive to Bassett Road, Chancellor Drive and Craig Drive. The following is the legal notice.

Public Notice to Boil Water

Due to a Fire Hydrant Replacement for residents in the area of Court Drive from Chancellor Drive to Bassett Road, Chancellor Drive and Craig Drive, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required our water system City of Palestine, PWS 0010001 to notify customers of the need to boil their water prior to consumption.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to use. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the water system officials will notify you that the water is safe for consumption. Instructions to discontinue boiling will be issued in the same manner as this notice.

If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Felipe Garcia at (903) 731-8483.

Here are the results for the 2018 General Election (Unofficial):

District 3