Community Director Note: 2005-2009 Term

Carmela Herendez

My plans for the term as Community Director:

Secure family values, uphold rights for children and elders

• Mandatory Family Day: At least once during their rotation, families must get out of the house and visit community lots, go on vacations, etc. Will work with the community to offer special family pricing to events and museums.

Ensure a family friendly and healthy community for current & future generations.

• Apple Awards-given every other simyear
  Spirit of Community Awards: Given to residents that portray the spirit of Apple Valley. Must be nominated. There will be a ceremony for the winner and a prize.
  
  Beautiful Apple Awards:Given to homes/businesses that are aesthetically pleasing in their landscaping
  
  Green Apple Awards: Designation given to businesses that promote a greener world with their environmental practices.
• Create a Pet Policy: All large animals must have a collar. Animals found without a collar will be fined $100 per simday without a collar. After five simdays without a collar, animal will be removed from the home.

• Increase Housing OptionsIncrease housing options for single adults, retirees and small families to relieve spacing issues in family homes. We need more price points among apartment complexes however we must also avoid the pitfalls that come along with some of the lower price points. We do not want to allow such filth into our community that can slink in.

Ensure adequate culture, local food produce, restaurants and bars, & social meeting places.

• Increase Culture and Social OptionsAdd an upscale bar and lounge, renovate the existing jazz lounge, and invite more artists to perform at our venues.

Ensure a quality education system for residents

• Monitor the Educational Director

New Poll

There's a new poll in the sidebar. Answer as many times as you want. I'm curious as to what other simmers are looking for.

Also, if you have custom requests for lots, then feel free to post your ideas in the comments below. I'm always looking for a new challenge and since my hood is so tiny and can only hold so many lots, then what better way is it to build for a fellow simmer's hood instead.

Apple Valley Academy

The newly renovated Apple Valley Academy is complete and ready for it's close-up. The school sits on the largest allowed piece of property (3x3) in the county and has a third level that is currently storage, but can be expanded if the need arises.

The first level features the principal's office, art classroom, music classroom, auditorium, library and cafeteria. Outside there is plenty of space on the playground, basketball court and school garden to relax and enjoy the crisp days of fall.

Antonio Herendez volunteers once a week to teach students the basics of art appreciation,

while Nicole Humphrey works part-time teaching music, or torturing her ears, depending on the student.

The cafeteria is stocked with healthy eating options such as mac and cheese, vending machines and the addictive coffee.

The library has a bank of computers as well as an ever growing book collection for student research.

Benjamin Endeavor leads an outdoor physical education class part-time whenever the weather is nice, otherwise the class is moved indoors,

much to the dispair of the secondary students who hoped to see Benjamin without his shirt once more. Students also enjoy the outdoor garden and fish pond.

The second level contains the dance room (and indoor physical education room), technical arts room, secondary classroom (6-12); lower primary classroom (K-2) and upper primary classroom (3-5).

Ilila Peterson manages to keep her students seated and focused as they compare their reading materials. Her classroom contains most of her travel momentos,

classroom fish tank (that the secondary students love) and bright, cheerful paintings.

Jasmine Frankson perfers a more laid back teaching style for her students as she allows them to explore the delights of thier surroundings. The students are surrounded with a classroom wombat, plant station, activity table, large table for reading and writing and plenty of floor space for fun and games.

Jesse Kent is just glad that he doesn't have to deal with taunts of "booger face" though he now has to try to teach his students the strange world of algebra. When students are not glued to their seats wishing for lunchtime, they can be found exploring the bookcase full of magazines and university information in the back.

Susie MacAstral doesn't have that problem with her dance class

her students are usually very dedicated,

nor do the students complain when it's their turn in the techincal arts room. Harriet and Henry work hard on their respective crafts while ignoring each other as siblings often do.
---
Download the 3x3 lot!

Threatening Me, 2006

Resar, fall, 2006

Tobi is 34; Cameron Smith is 29, Aaron and Simora are 7; Matt is 3, Craig Smith is 1 and Christopher is 2 simlonic months

It had almost been a year since Ping's death, but time hadn't healed all the wounds in the household. Simora and Aaron were slowly becoming a little less withdrawn thanks to their simweekly counseling sessions with Pastor Humphrey.

Simora was making friends at school,

and Aaron was interested in his homework again...

most times...

when he wasn't distracted by his brothers.

Both siblings had taken to wanting to see and talk to their mother constantly. Sometimes they would talk about Ping and Li would patiently explain that ghosts wouldn't do your homework for you.

Other times Li would stop by the townhouse when the children were especially craving her touch.

They would stay outside in the chilly weather, playing game after game of red hands

or tickling each other

and sharing jokes.

Now that Matt was older, he was allowed to come outside as well to join the fun,

leaving a screaming Craig and crying Christopher inside to be tended by either Tobi or Cameron.

Maybe it was seeing Li interact with the children again that made Tobi want to reconnect with her. It was innocent enough, he convinced himself that he only wanted to talk to her...about the children of course. Unfortunately, their conversations never stayed on the topic of children very long. Most days it went to the woohoo they shared or the fun dates they had.

If Tobi thought that his late night telephone conversations were easily overlooked, he was wrong. Cameron was making note of everything and time had made her wiser and less tolerant.

Time also had an effect on the pipes of the townhouse as the family woke up one morning to the kitchen completely flooded. Thankfully the insurance money was enough to completely remodel the downstairs. There was a space for the children to do their homework

while the adults could supervise and work on dinner at the same time.

Time also had an effect on Cameron's body as she listened to Tobi ramble on about how he wanted to visit his family in Bottom Beach.

"I think I might be pregnant," she blurted.

Tobi stopped mid sentence. "O-okay."

"I'm tired of playing around with you, Tobi." she rambled on, letting the words slide from her lips with ease. This wasn't how she had practiced making this speech, but then again, she didn't envision herself in this situation.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, either we're married by the end of the simyear, or I'm leaving. We've been together for two simyears, we have two sons together and we might be having a third child. I've come in and become a mother to your children, become a part of this family, but I don't want to play at being married. I want to be married."

Tobi couldn't say anything. It wasn't that he didn't want to marry Cameron, he didn't fear that at all, but then again, he didn't want to marry her either. Marriage hadn't crossed his mind in the last two simyears, except once, very briefly. He had wanted to remarry Li at one point, but never marriage with Cameron.

"Baby, why change all of this? We're great together, just like we are. We're a family, a true family and a piece of paper won't change that."

Cameron sighed. "No more excuses, Tobi. I want to be Mrs. Sweeny by the end of the simyear or you will find yourself without me. Maybe then you won't sneak to bed after those late night calls with Li." She spat out before leaving the table.

"Why are you threatening me!" Tobi yelled after her.

"I'm not threatening you," she remarked. "I know that I want marriage and either we get married, or I need to start looking for a sim who is willing to get married."
---
ROS: House flooded

Tobi has started rolling wants for Li again, this time they're platonic, while Cameron has rolled away the want to get married to Tobi, but rolled the generic "get married" want.

Very Good, 2006

Resar, fall, 2006

Fiona glanced around the room and called the meeting to order. "Let's open with the financial issue affecting our affiliate, Simmington Hills."

"They are one of our closest affiliates," Brandon started. "We have numerous personal and political ties with them, I think that we should help them somehow."

"Not a charity gift though, maybe we could do something that's more long-term. Maybe purchase some of their bonds and invest in their hood."

"Perhaps we could send S'Ahmisa there to have some conversations with their hood council about possible avenues to offer our help. We don't want to offend and we also have a limited budget available for helping other hoods."

"Are you sure we'll be able to do this? This financial issue is different from their hurricane. That was a natural disaster, this time they're having financial issues due to their own choices. Do we really citizens to think that we're bailing them out?"

"Hmmm, maybe you're right. Perhaps we should table this issue for a while to see what plans Simmington Hills already has."

"Excellent idea. Let's move on. Brandon, you have some concerns regarding the military base?"

"Yes, there have been a few issues with the base. I think the structure isn't the strongest, thus we've been encountering architectural issues mostly in the singles barracks. We might have to look at rebuilding the base or else separating the military housing from the actual base. Either way we would have to use some of our funding for the project."

"Alright, continue your research and let the council know when you have reached a final proposal. I suggest you ask neighboring hoods how they manage their military operations as well. Julio, any updates on the medical centre?"

"Things are going very well. The renovations have allowed us to serve the community more effectively. We are looking at opening a maternity ward to allow for more births at the medical centre as opposed to home deliveries. A number of residents have been requesting this option for simyears now."

"Very good. Jadhira, an update on archives and technology please."

"The import cull has started and residents have noted a remarkable difference in traffic. Currently traffic is at nine minutes. We know from research that the best time we could hope for from traffic is five minutes. So the fact that we're very close to this ideal time and we're not even done with culling imports is amazing."

"When do you expect the first round of culling to be completed?"

"By the end of this simyear. We're also on target with our backups and family tree updates."

Great news. Johan, please give us an update on the school."

"Everything is going well, the new school has plenty of room for future growth and students are benefiting from the extra space."

"Great work everyone, any other announcements? In that case, this meeting is dismissed."

Bringing Home Baby Resar 2006

Resar, fall, 2006

"Ugh, this is all your fault, you know." Emma hissed as another contraction rocked through her body.

"I do believe that if you hadn't tossed your birth control out the window in an attempt to get married then we wouldn't be experiencing this." He shot back.

"How dare you speak like that? I'm in pain with your child."

"It's our child and like I said, this is your doing, not mine."

Emma stomped off, before another contraction overtook her body causing her to cry out in pain.

Bill worriedly glanced at his watched and back to his new wife as she doubled over in pain.

"Come on, it's time to go to the clinic, the contractions are closer now."

---

After the standard two simday stay, Emma and baby Jacob returned to the small apartment.

"Welcome home, little guy." Bill cooed at his soon.

He took him from Emma's arms and stared into eyes that mirrored his own.

"He's precious," Emma whispered as Bill prepared him for bed.

"Yes, he is." Bill agreed. Perhaps this was one of the few things the couple could agree on.

"Don't tuck the blanket too tight," Emma urged.

"I know how to tuck in a baby," he hissed back.

"You sure about that? Last time I checked, this was your first kid."

"He's also your first kid, you know just as little as I do."

---
Welcome Jacob Carr!