© 2003, Guidry News
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© 2003, Guidry News
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Story Links: United States Budget Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston Landmark Copmmission The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake Galveston Independent School District Pinewood Derby Championship Races
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President George W. Bush has included $450,000 for Texas in his Fiscal Year 2004 proposal for $84 million in beach studies and projects in the United States. Howard Marlowe, a lobbyist for Galveston and Jefferson counties, as well as the City of Galveston, the Galveston Park Board of Trustees and the City of Jamaica Beach, said the allocation is exactly what Texas requested of the federal government. Marlowe said the funds will support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' study of beach erosion between Sabine Pass and San Luis Pass. "In a couple of years, maybe three at the outmost, we ought to be able to see some sand on that beach," Marlowe said. He said the funding recommendation bodes well for hopes of reconstruction of Highway 87 between Sabine Pass and High Island. "The major reason for Jefferson County undertaking this project is certainly to make sure that Highway 87 gets opened up again as a result of the beach nourishment project," Marlowe said. "I'm hopeful that the final plans for beach restoration, plus the work that is being done with the state department of transportation in their environmental impact statement, where they are looking at different alternatives for that route, that we will be able to get that opened up again." Marlowe said he envisions that the reconstructed highway will be protected by a "very strong dune system from a built up, healthy beach." Although
he is pleased with the president's allocation for Texas,
Marlowe noted that some other coastal areas were not so
fortunate. "Florida with all of its beaches regrettably
got zero dollars in the president's budget." Galveston County Commissioners Court Galveston County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to participate in Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 12 at 100 percent for 30 years. TIRZ 12, called the "Gateway TIRZ," was created to facilitate development of the county's criminal justice center north of Broadway. "The cooperation that the city has with the county has never been this good before," said Galveston Mayor Roger Quiroga, who attended the commissioners court meeting. "We are working so close together, we're going to save the taxpayers a lot of money by combining some services." County Judge Jim Yarbrough agreed. "This is a poster child of what TIRZ's are supposed to be. We look forward to the implementation." The
commissioners court voted unanimously to participate in the
League City TIRZ 4 and appointed Commissioner Eddie Janek as
the county's representative.
The level of participation will be determined at a
later date. The commissioners court voted to support the retention of Kerry Neves as attorney for County Treasurer Kevin Walsh in the disposition of the remaining litigation initiated by former treasurer Gerald Burks. The commissioners court voted 3-2, with Ken Clark and Eddie Janek opposed, to approve a new salary administration policy. "Some of the raises were a little excessive," Clark complained. The commissioners court voted to apply for a grant from the Governor's Criminal Justice Division to fund a truancy reduction program in the Galveston Independent School District, with the 34 percent local match provided by GISD. "On any given day, there are more than 100 students marked as 'truant' at Ball High School," said Grant Coordinator John Simsen. The commissioners court approved a project cooperation agreement with the Texas General Land Office for the nourishment of Pirates Beach East and West and Palm Beach under the CEPRA program. The Coastal Impact Assistance Program will cover the 100 percent local match according to Emergency Services Director Tesa Duffey. The
commissioners court voted to replace representatives from
the Dickinson Independent School District, Galveston
College, and College of the Mainland on the Galveston County
Community Action Council with representatives from the
cities of League City, Hitchcock, and Dickinson.
Norma Mitchell, executive director of the CAC,
informed the commissioners court that the Texas Department
of Housing and Community Affairs no longer permits
representatives from educational institutions to serve on
the board. The commissioners court voted 4-1, with Janek opposed, to approve a budget amendment for a professional services consultant to assist in the development of trade contracts on the jail project. The commissioners court voted 4-1, with Clark opposed, to approve a $3,000 budget amendment for an additional car allowance requested by Precinct 4 Constable Skip Gay for one of his deputies, but voted unanimously to deny a budget amendment request by Gay for eight hand-held radios. The commissioners court denied a request by Precinct 7 Constable Guy Nichols for the purchase of bulletproof vests/body armor. Budget Officer James Wilson was authorized to seek other funding for the radios and body armor. The commissioners court approved a new financial advisor contract with Louis Pauls & Company. All other agenda items were approved. Parks
and Recreation Director Dennis Harris recognized Clear Creek
Environmental Foundation founder Rex Ward for his "outstanding
service in the community". Jamaica Beach City Council discussed the Pathways Project in workshop Monday night. “We have almost completed Phase II of the project,” reported Al Galli, noting that the pathways on Jolly Roger were completed last year. “We have Galveston County to thank for that,” said Galli, “they financed that whole street.” “We have had tremendous help from Galveston County and Commissioner Janek," agreed Mayor Vic Pierson. The city council discussed the appointment of nine members and the re-appointment of four members to the Galveston County United Board of Health. The council discussed issues related to the May election of three members of the city council. The seats held by Bob Poindexter, Rick Kershaw and Pierson will be on the ballot. The city council discussed the annual resolution authorizing the aerial spraying for mosquitoes by the Galveston County Mosquito Control District. “I want to go on record again as being anti-mosquito,” Pierson said. Pierson reported that he will be attending his first executive committee meeting of the Coastal Coordination Council in Austin this week. “I am really looking forward to working with Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson,” Pierson said. Pierson read a letter from Tiki Island Mayor Charlie Everts thanking the city's volunteer fire department for its help in fighting the fire at the Harbor Cove Condominiums. The city council discussed a proposal to appoint two additional members to the Jamaica Beach Park Board, increasing it to seven members. “We really do have an awful lot to do, and we feel like more manpower is just going to make us that much more effective,” said Alderman Anne Wright, who is liaison to the park board. The
city council presented a birthday cake to Wright at the
conclusion of the meeting. The Galveston Landmark Commission voted to extend the date to begin construction on Shlomo Hamo's new building at 2401 Strand to April, with completion within two years. The project had previously been delayed until after the Dickens on the Strand festival and Mardi Gras 2003. The vote was unanimous, but there were some concerns expressed by members of the board. "Why two years," asked Judith Price. "It's brand new and its a big building, too," explained Hamo. "We have to meet the flood elevation." He said the one story building will resemble the Tremont House. "It's a very unique building; it's like historic looking." The board voted to defer action on a request for a certificate of appropriateness for alterations to a building at 2006 - 2008 Avenue M 1/2 until the February 17 meeting. John Carrara of The Goodman Corporation and Galveston Transportation Director Wayne Cook reviewed plans by the Livable Communities Steering Committee to construct a transportation terminal on the parking lot at the northeast corner of the Strand at 25th Street. ZBA Chair Bob Brown cautioned that the design of the facility should not give a false sense of history. "We can't tell you what the building should look like, but we can review your proposals," Brown said. Arthur Campos urged the committee to design the building as "good quality urban architecture." Jane Chapin asked that ingress and egress to the building be designed to avoid causing bus traffic on the Strand. The committee also discussed goals and objectives of the ZBA and several other issues following the action agenda. Print
Version Randy Stone, Deputy Director at the Johnson Space Center met with United States Congressman Nick Lampson and three other members of Congress in Lampson's Clear Lake office on Monday. Representatives Sheila Jackson-Lee, Gene Greene and Chris Belle also attended the meeting. "One of the things that I thought was particularly important was a follow-up on one of the things that the president said," Lampson reporting, noting that the NASA administrator agreed with President George W. Bush that the space shuttle will fly again, as soon as possible. "They
are going to quickly and effectively go through the
investigation to determine as best they can what went wrong
with Colombia and, depending on what is learned, can make
changes or adaptations to the other three shuttles,"
Lampson said. "It is not inconceivable that it will not
be delayed for a very long period. It could be a very
short period of time with the enthusiasm with which NASA is
going about this very difficult process." The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake, has announced that a permanent memorial to the seven astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia will be erected directly across from Johnson Space Center TAACCL founder and director Kay Taylor Burnett said the monument will be a 75-foot fountain in front of the arts center at 2000 NASA Road 1. A long, narrow plaque inscribed with the name of each astronaut will be placed beneath the seven water spouts at the curved white-brick base. “This fountain is being built with memorial
contributions given for my husband, Warren Burnett,
Lawyer,” said Burnett, adding, “He would
enthusiastically approve this tribute to those seven brave
hearts.” In addition, Lockheed Martin will donate $20,000 to the project. Additional contributions made toward the Memorial Fountain may be sent to The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake, 2000 NASA Road 1, Nassau Bay, Texas 77058. For more information about the ground-breaking,
please contact The Arts Alliance Center at (281) 335-7777. Galveston Independent School District Galveston ISD will host its annual elementary physical education show on Monday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ball High Gym, 41st Street between Avenue O and Avenue P. During the show, students from grades K-8, will display the skills learned through their PE classes. GISD PE
classes have a new component this school year with the
addition of the Coordinated Approach To Children's Health
(CATCH) curriculum. CATCH is a coordinated school
health program designed to increase participation in
moderate to vigorous physical activity, teach healthful
eating habits with a "Our goal is to motivate the children to eat healthier and exercise here at school and outside of school," said Holly Hilton, GISD CATCH Coordinator and PE teacher at San Jacinto Elementary School. "Our students have really responded to this increase in activity. Instead of sitting out on the sidelines, they are constantly moving by jumping, skipping or some other type of movement activity." All GISD elementary and middle schools include physical education classes. At the elementary level, PE classes are three times each week and last 45 minutes. The state now mandates that every student must have 135 minutes of physical education each week. Unlike some other school districts, GISD never eliminated PE classes from the curriculum. "Physical education is important to the social, mental and physical development of each child," said Sandra Mader, GISD Physical Education and Athletic Director. "Studies show that children who exercise do better in school. Exercise is not only good for the heart, but also for the brain. It feeds glucose and oxygen to the brain and increases nerve connections which makes it easier for children to learn." For
more information, call the GISD Athletic Office at (409)
795-2410. Pinewood Derby Championship Races The fastest Cub Scout drivers from the Island District will race their 5-ounce wooden vehicles from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, February 8 at the Pompano Room in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens during the 2003 Pinewood Derby Championship Races. The race is sponsored by Moody Gardens and Galveston Noon Optimists. The event is an annual highlight of the Cub Scouts program. The district finals include the top-two racers from each Cub Scout age group from the various island packs. The
Island District is part of the Bay Area Council of the Boy For
information call 409-744-5206. Today's
Meetings
10:00 Galveston County Trunked Radio User Group |
Story Links, on the left side of this page, is composed of "bookmarks" to the stories in the newsletter. Click on the link to go directly to the article. Print individual articles by first clicking on the "Print Version" link, then using your regular print program. On The Online News Station, if you click on an audio cut and the photos stop loading, click on Refresh or Reload and they will resume. Gulf Coast E-news, published by Guidry News Service, provides comprehensive coverage of posted public meetings in Galveston, Harris and Jefferson Counties.
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