Thank you to all the  volunteers that have come out to help me in my efforts!  This video is actually many events rolled into two minutes of footage.  I couldn’t do it without you!

Saturday morning started out strong with a 40 mile bike ride from our home in Avalon Park to Fort Christmas Park and back.  The new Eastside Cycling Club gives me a reason to put health first on these busy campaign weekends and all this exercise helps me to focus on the challenges ahead.  I find that a little fitness clears the head and makes for a better day.

Team Thompson participated in the 1st Annual Downtown South Fall Festival and Annual Avalon Park Octoberfest event where we interacted with hundreds of local voters and business owners.    We discussed crime, neighborhood watch, forming an HOA and our local economy among so much more.  More than anything, I had a chance to interact with tons of folks and hear what is important to them.  There was a lot of discussion about government spending and an overall fear that government has gotten too big.  Folks seem to have a real desire to see non-politicians and bureaucrats get elected and expressed to me was they want to be able to trust government again.  People want change, literally.

Thompson Supporters at Octoberfest in Avalon Park

As a candidate, I think that it is critical to know what is going on in our community–I’m not referring to the information that one receives only by reading the daily newspaper or talking with the ‘power players’ in town; I’m talking about what the everyday citizen is thinking.

Team Thompson at Downtown South Fall Festival

There is no substitute for talking to people and trying to understand what is important to them.  Thank you to the over 400 people that signed my candidate petition this past Saturday.  Please remember to vote on August 24, 2010.

Check out the photos from our activities this past weekend by clicking here.

We may not be such a small town here anymore but this very short video is great – promising to bring a smile to your face.  In the most simple of ways, this video shows how sometimes we all face decisions about possibly doing what we love vs. what we might be good at–and how sometimes we might all have talents in us that not everybody knows about or has witnessed.  This video shows that whether you are on the football team or in the band that we must all do our part.

You might ask, What does this possibly have to do with her campaign to become our next Orange County Commissioner? Well, part of the reason for posting regularly on my website is for you to get a glimpse into the kind of person I am.

I appreciate that this young man is doing whatever it takes to make his school’s first year successful –whether on the football team or in the band.  As your next Orange County Commissioner, expect me to do the same.

Road E on Innovation Way as of October 9, 2009

Road E Update

I was out getting some exercise this past Friday morning and decided to ride my bike down the Alafaya Trail Extension/Innovation Way to check the progress of Road E, the temporary road being built to connect South Alafaya Trail residents and businesses to the Beachline/528.  Rest assured, that progress is being made!  In fact, there is now a gate to keep curious bystanders from driving down the road.  People are always asking me when I think that the road will be finished?  I tell everybody the same thing — we are told it will be the fall, but I’m betting that we will be driving on the road just before Orange County elects a new Mayor in 2010. Funny how politics plays into the transportation needs of our citizens, isn’t it?

Orange County Manhole Cover at the entrance to Road E

You might be wondering why I would post a photo of this manhole cover (right)?  Well, it shows progress.  This manhole cover is located at the turnoff from Innovation Way onto Road E.  In fact, as I was getting back onto my bike and heading South towards Alafaya Trail, there were several Orange County trucks headed towards the construction site with construction materials, bulldozers, water piping, etc.

Sometimes I’m not sure that the people planning the big projects like Innovation Way are necessarily communicating with the people that stand to gain or lose the most from its success or failure.  I say this because as I have been out knocking on doors most afternoons and folks still seem to think that Innovation Way is still on the drawing board.  As our next Orange County Commissioner for District 4, this is a promise I intend to keep: I promise to keep you in the loop.  I promise to use modern technology to efficently and effectively communicate with you about where I stand on issues and what is going on in your neighborhood.  I promise, that if you want to know what is going on, then you will.

Throughout the past four years, I have personally knocked on over 1,000 doors and talked to thousands of District 4 residents.  People often hear about things that have the potential to affect them after the decisions have been made.  The realization of Innovation Way and the creation of the high tech corridor may be an example of this.  So many people still think that Innovation Way is on the drawing board, but the reality of it is that Innovation Way is moving forward and has been for some time.  Very soon (matter of weeks probably) there will be two brand new interchanges within the Innovation Way corridor.  This photo was taken just this morning and indicate for everybody to see that Innovation Way is on the road to becoming a reality.

Exit 24 on 417 - To Innovation Way

(Orlando, FL) October 7, 2009 – Jennifer Thompson’s campaign to become the next Orange County Commissioner for District 4 received another boost today with the announcement that Mandy Taylor-Salgueiro, president of the Florida Public Relations Association-Orlando Area Chapter, has joined Team Thompson full-time to serve as Campaign Manager.  Taylor-Salgueiro will oversee the day-to-day activities of the campaign including volunteer coordination, community outreach, constituent relations, scheduling, fundraising efforts and more.

With a background specializing in community relations and healthcare related outreach, working for Florida Hospital for the past five years, Taylor-Salgueiro brings a wealth of hands-on knowledge regarding the District 4 community and its needs.  A University of Central Florida alum, Taylor-Salgueiro has lived and worked in the Conway and East Orange County communities for the past decade.  In addition to her career in Healthcare, Taylor-Salgueiro has worked part-time teaching dance at The Dancer’s Pointe in the Conway area since 1999 and has had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of families within this community during that time.  She will continue her roll at The Dancer’s Pointe while working with the campaign. 

“I first had the opportunity to work with Mandy on the 2003 East Orlando Visioning Effort and could not be more excited to have her onboard with the campaign.  She is a real asset and will free my time to focus on earning votes and serving the constituents of Orange County District 4.  Mandy’s knowledge of District 4 and its residents is vast and will bring more momentum to our efforts than ever before,” stated Thompson.

John Dowless of Millennium Consulting will provide strategic guidance to the Thompson Campaign and will work directly with Taylor-Salgueiro and Candidate Thompson. Dowless is a District 4 resident and recently assisted Orange County Commissioner Scott Boyd and State Representative Eric Eisnaugle towards successful elections.  

Thompson and Taylor trained for and finished the 2009 Disney Marathon together. They are currently training for the 2010 Goofy Challenge.

Contact Mandy Taylo-Salgueiro at mandy@jenniferthompson.net or 407-758-2581.  As always, you can contact Jennifer Thompson directly at 321-228-9686.

Thompson flies over District 4.

I had the opportunity to fly over the Innovation Way corridor in a small plane this past week. Let me tell you, it was quite the experience. We started our flight at the Orlando Executive Airport and as we ascended toward the clouds we headed east to the University of Central Florida.

It’s one thing to see it from the ground level, but to see the compactness and careful planning of UCF and the Central Florida Research Park from the air is incredible.  Bright House Networks Stadium never looked so good.

One of the first things I noticed was that while there is so much talk about limiting development west of the Econlockhatchee River and maintaining our urban service boundary, there is so much already built to its east.  In fact, just east of UCF there are tremendous tracks of land that have already been cleared for subdivisions and stand ready for an influx of growth. There are few houses in these subdivisions, but the carefully built infrastructure is very clear from the sky.

We followed the line of the Econ River south towards Avalon Park.  The neighborhoods of Waterford, Eastwood, Stoneybrook and Avalon Park were very clear from the sky. One might not be able to tell when stuck in traffic on Woodbury Road or Alafaya Trail, but our neighborhoods are actually quite compact and very carefully designed.  There is also a lot more green space than I ever remember seeing from the ground level as well.

We continued flying south towards the Beachline to get a clear view of the new extension road to connect the communities of East Orlando to those in SE Orlando.  Folks, the road is officially connecting; and if you have a very large truck with very large tires, then you could probably drive on it.  If not, it is my opinion that the road will open a few weeks before we elect a new Mayor next year. Take a look at the progress here:

While we couldn’t go into the airspace of the Orlando International Airport, we could see Lake Hart, Lake Mary Jane and Lake Whippoorwill in the distance. I could very clearly see the low density homesteads in this area and the wildlife corridors from the air.  We flew over the area identified as Innovation Way East (Magnolia Ranch) and even further east over Deseret Ranch, which goes on forever. I even got a great look at Taylor Creek and at the water treatment center for the City of Cocoa, which is on the ranch property.

Why am I telling you all this? As our flight continued to get a better look at the area identified as Innovation Way it became very clear to me that this area, this concept, is much bigger than just us. To be completed, Innovation Way must take regional collaboration. This corridor has the potential to change the economic landscape for our entire region, and it will take active communication, planning and execution from our local leaders in government and business.

Stretching  from UCF on the north to International Corporate Park (home of the Research Park expansion) on the south and onto the Airport in the west, including the new Medical City, this area is truly a key for tomorrow’s success. The borders of this tremendous economic opportunity include Seminole County, Brevard County, Osceola County and Orange County. With regional collaboration the area we call home stands to be on the cutting edge of the future.

After we landed, it was as clear as the crisp morning sky – Innovation Way is not just about us – it’s about this entire region and now is our only opportunity to get it right.

It’s easy to see why jobs and economic improvement are on the collective minds of voters.  This is a video from the campaign trail where I share three brief stories of families I’ve spoken with this week that are either unemployed, have felt deep cuts in pay or are having to work multiple jobs just to keep up with the bills. 

These are REAL STORIES from families living in Orange County, District 4.  Stories like these amplify the urgency for getting Central Florida’s local economy moving and protecting the environment where our small businesses can flourish.  Remember, small businesses comprise over 50% of jobs in America. 

This video is very informal as it was taken when I was fresh off the campaign trail (it was raining that day) and addressing about 20 women in the living room of a home in the Conway area.    

It isn’t clear in the video but there are two issues I was addressing this day:

1-Running lean at the County and finding room for increased effeciencies when using taxpayer dollars; and

2-The need to improve our local economy so that local businesses can start hiring people.

Summary: The Road “E” Groundbreaking is the next big step in realizing the goal of Innoation Way in our community. Upon completion in 2010, this road extension will connect Alafaya Trail, and its residents, to the Beachline.

Have you ever had one of those days where you know that, no matter how hard you work, there’s just not enough hours to get everything done? A recent, sun-soaked Saturday was one of those days – busy beyond belief. But, that’s alright. I thrive on these days and they help to keep me going. Hard work pays off, after all.

As the morning approached, I got up early to cycle (one of my new favorite activities) with the East Side Cycling Club. My husband David couldn’t join me because he was helping setup a health fair we put together at one of the local churches. He knew I had a busy day ahead and thought it best for me to spend a few hours burning excess energy and getting lost in prioritizing my thoughts (it’s how I’m able to keep everything straight).  So there I was, 6:45 a.m. and ready to ride.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, it’s because I now see first-hand the benefit of living a healthy lifestyle. All this health-centric business is new to me.  I’ve always paid attention to what I eat and tried to exercise; but, lately I have taken it much further. After getting involved in the Disney Marathon last year with Team Burnham I have turned over a new  leaf.

As our country continues to argue the pros and cost of healthcare reform, I have started to wonder what a difference we could make at the local level.  If even a small part of this attention were put towards changing lifestyles and making our communities more health conscious in general, then we could truly impact lives. The preventative approach may be one of the best and most cost effective long term solutions, and by creating a rich environment that encourages healthy activity and interaction, we may be able to better our communities and thus our coveted quality of life in the process.

Thompson with her running partner after completing 2009 Disney Marathon

Generally, and with new communities especially, we leave it up to the developers and construction engineers to install the “extras” that make a community a desirable place  to live.  Sure, Orange County prefers developers that adopt a new urbanism, smart growth approach, but there is always more that can be done.

I’m talking about people-friendly roads and cross walks and pedestrian bridges if they’re needed. I’m talking about parks and wide sidewalks to encourage accessibility – and safety. On my recent Saturday cycling trip, I saw a terrible accident as a female rider rode off the road to avoid a vehicle and, when trying to re-enter, collided with other cyclers. There was no bike lane. There was no curb. No sidewalk, even. Many older roads are built to be vehicle-friendly leaving those of us who want to use them for other transportation purposes, be it on bike or on foot, out of luck.

Kid's Fitness Event started by Thompson in 2008

Obviously, if the roads and neighborhoods present physical danger, they will be used far less for healthy activities. Many of us are risking our lives to be healthy. Talk about ironic. You see, by promoting these spaces we can create a better community and a healthier Central Florida. Out of all the work I had to do Saturday, that is what I learned and this ideal is what I will carry with me. Don’t you just love those busy days?