Residents can apply for disaster relief

FEMA aid is now available for some storm victims. Residents in more than 20 Texas counties may be eligible for individual disaster relief, which includes requests for individual assistance for Dallas County and Kaufman County residents.

Federal disaster assistance is designed to be supplemental, so applicants should manage expectations. If you were impacted by the recent storm, the state encourages Texans to report storm damage using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool at damage.tdem.texas.gov.

Affected residents can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA app for mobile devices or call the agency’s helpline at 800-621-3362.

Two District picnics on June 8

City Councilmembers Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ross (District 3) and Brandon Murden (District 6) will host picnics in June.

• District 3 at 11 a.m. on June 8 at KidsQuest-Debusk Park, 1625 Gross Road
• District 6 at 11 a.m. on June 8 at Rorie-Galloway Day Camp, 3100 Lawson Road

Residents are invited to meet their Councilmember and their neighbors while enjoying some food.

Weather can change rapidly, so please be sure to check the City's social media accounts to find out if the picnics have to be moved indoors or rescheduled.

Not sure which City Council District you live in? Click here to find out: https://bit.ly/CouncilDistrictsMaps.

Donate to two collections this summer

The City of Mesquite is collecting food for kids and solar eclipse glasses this summer.

Residents are invited to donate jars of peanut butter and jelly during the annual Spread the Love collection campaign, which runs through Labor Day (Sept. 2). The City also is calling for donations of alternative butters that are safe for kids with nut allergies, such as sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter. Turn in donations at  both Library locations, City Hall and the Municipal Center. To learn more, visit www.cityofmesquite.com/spreadthelove.

Also, the Eclipse Glasses Roundup launched in May to collect gently used viewing spectacles left over from the total solar eclipse on April 8. They will be donated to Astronomers Without Borders to send to places around the world that have eclipses coming up. Drop off solar glasses in good condition through July 15 at both Library locations, City Hall, the Municipal Center or any of the four Recreation Centers. Visit www.cityofmesquite.com/EclipseGlassesRoundup to learn more.

Teen Turnout, Epic Summer coming up

The City of Mesquite is hosting a series of free events for teens called Teen Turnout. The next gathering will be from 6-8 p.m. on June 8 at Town East Pool.

Teen Turnout is designed for students ages 12-17, and activities include music, games, food and more. Teen Turnout is part of the City’s Real. Texas. Teens. initiative that empowers youth with opportunities for personal growth and community engagement.

Also, during the month of July, the City will host special programming for teens every Tuesday night called Epic Summer Experience, which will be held at Terry Middle School on July 9 and July 23 and at Vanston Middle School on July 16 and July 30.

Visit www.cityofmesquite.com/RealTexasTeens to learn about Teen Turnout and Epic Summer.

Family Fish, Dive-In Movie coming up

The Parks and Recreation Department is offering a pair of events for families in June.

Grab your gear and get ready to catch some fun with the Family Fish on June 15. This free event for all ages will be held from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at City Lake Park, 200 Parkview Street. The first 100 kids will receive a free fishing rod while supplies last.  Visit  www.cityofmesquite.com/FamilyFish to learn more.

(This event was originally scheduled for June 7 but was postponed due to storm-related issues.) Join us for the Dive-In Movie from 7-10 p.m.  on June 28 at City Lake Aquatic Center, 200 Parkview Street. Pre-movie activities include fun pool games for all ages with prizes. The movie, Disney-Pixar's "Elemental," will start at sundown. Admission is limited to the first 500 people. Learn more at www.cityofmesquite.com/DiveInMovie.

Jam-packed June: Music, art & theatre

Every Saturday night through June, join us for the Off the Rails concert series. Bring your chair and coolers to enjoy a variety of music styles from Celtic to Rockabilly. Showtime is at 7 p.m. at Front Street Station, 100 W. Front St. Off the Rails are free, family-friendly events presented by the Mesquite Arts Council, Downtown Mesquite and the City of Mesquite.

Now through June 22, the Mesquite Arts Center is exhibiting "Paradise Still Lost" by Dallas-based visual artist Shawn Saumell. This showcase features murals of more than one hundred unique photographs printed on brushed aluminum.

The Mesquite Community Band is proud to present a new, free concert series called "Summertime Showcase" at the Mesquite Arts Center. This concert series includes "Pop In The Park" on June 10 and "Celebrate America" on June 24. Both concerts will be in the Concert Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Need a good laugh? Come enjoy “Noises Off,” presented by Mesquite Arts Theatre through June 23. This hilarious classic English farce is a play within a play. Visit www.mesquiteartstheatre.org for showtimes and tickets.

To learn more about events at the Mesquite Arts Center, visit www.mesquiteartscenter.org. The Arts Center is located at 1527 N. Galloway Ave.

In-person hours, cash payment changes in Utility Billing

Effective May 6, 2024, office hours for Utility Billing changed to 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Also, change for cash payments is now made in whole dollar amounts only. Additional change due less than $1 will be applied as a credit to your next bill. Cash customers can still pay with exact change. To learn more, please visit www.cityofmesquite.com/UtilityBilling.