The Guidry News
© 2003, Guidry News
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The Guidry News
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© 2003, Guidry News
Service
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Story Links: Kemah City Council University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
Story
Links: University of Texas Medical Branch Hurricane Claudette Assistance Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Galveston Island Pachyderm Club
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Kemah City Council is meeting in a budget workshop tonight. Mayor William King said preparation of the 2004 budget was a challenge. "The staff has prepared a draft budget that maintains the existing level of services with no pay increase," King said. "The draft eliminates three police department and public works department positions that have been vacant most of this year." King said that if forecasts of reduced sales tax and municipal court revenue are correct, the city faces a $270,000 deficit next year. "About half of this can be covered with items that are legitimately chargeable to the KCDC (Kemah Community Development Corporation), which has a surplus," King said. "However, the balance or the shortfall, plus any raises we want to give or any contingency, will have to come from reduced services or increasing the property tax rate." King cited two factors as causes of the budget crunch. "The tightness in the budget is due to sales tax being far less than we expected and eliminating our reliance on traffic ticket revenues," King said. "As you know, one of my objectives was for our police department to base their enforcement on safety and not revenue generation. As a result our traffic ticket revenues have fallen from almost a million dollars annually a few years ago, to less than $400,000 this year." King says the good news is that several new businesses are expected to come on line during the next year. "We expect that this situation will improve dramatically over the next couple of years," King said. "However, we are going to have to tighten our belt this year." Houston City Council approved contracts totaling $900,000 with Identigene, Inc., Orchid Biosciences, Inc. D/B/A Orchid Cellmark Dallas and Reliagene Technologies, Inc. for forensic DNA analysis for testing of biological evidence and related services for the Houston Police Department. The city council voted to amend its ordinance regulating valet parking on downtown streets, requiring a $1,000 permit fee. The city council confirmed Mayor Lee P. Brown's appointments of Laura Reich, Rodney Lewis, Fred Whitty and Ralph Green to the Fire Code Board of Appeals. The city council approved a request by the Houston International Protocol Alliance to establish a sister city relationship with Luanda, Angola. Several items were tagged, or
delayed for one week, at the request of one or more members of
the city council: Approval of a $14,764,328.66 contract with WRS Infrastructure & Environmental, Inc., which was tagged on July 23, was delayed for another week on a motion by Ellis. Approval of a $540,783.19 contract with B&K Services, Inc. for removal of underground storage tanks at Hobby Airport, which had been tagged on July 23, was delayed for another week on a motion by Ellis. Approval of a $421,031.49 contract with Infrastructure Services Inc. for construction and installation of speed humps, which had been tagged on July 23, was delayed for another week on a motion by Galloway. Approval of a $366,469.38 contract with Caan Construction Services, Inc. for construction of a project in the Safe Sidewalk Program, which was tagged on July 23, was delayed for another week on a motion by Ellis. Acceptance of a Government Accounting Standards Board Statement on the city's Drainage Assessment Program was postponed for one week on a motion by Berry. Payment of $30,000 in membership dues for the City of Houston in the Alliance for Interstate 69 Texas was pulled from the agenda. A $818,686 contract with Polytech, Inc. for construction management, engineering construction phase services, and inspection services for the Lake Houston Dam and Erosion Control Structure Repair Package 2 was pulled from the agenda. All other agenda items were approved. University of Texas Medical Branch Four
researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston each recently received $150,000 grants from
the Welch Foundation to support their investigations into
some of biochemistry's most intricate problems. Halpert,
the chairman of UTMB's Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, is investigating the difference between
cytochrome P450 and other enzymes. Cytochrome P450 is a
group of enzymes that is responsible for metabolizing drugs
and other chemicals. "Often
used as seed money to explore new ideas and concepts, these
grants are one of the most fundamental and effective ways
that we can help the chemical research community find
answers to some of the problems that plague humanity,"
Johnson said. "We are happy to be able to support the
academic community in this way." "We're grateful to the Welch Foundation for investing in our scientists and for recognizing the vital impact their investigations will have on health care," Stobo said. United
States Senator John Cornyn introduced the Workforce Health
Improvement Program (WHIP) bill in the Senate on
Wednesday, calling it an important step in encouraging people
to live healthier lifestyles. “A physically fit population results in lower health care costs, reduced government spending, fewer illnesses and improved worker productivity,” Cornyn said. “We have a duty to create as many incentives as possible to get Americans off the couch and up and moving.” Cornyn noted that it is estimated that if all inactive adults engaged in regular exercise, the direct medical costs saved could be as high as $76.6 million. Cornyn
says an inequity in the current tax code allows for businesses
to deduct the cost of on-site exercise facilities, which are
provided for the benefit of employees on a pre-tax basis.
However, if a business provides these health benefits through
an outside fitness center, they and/or their employees are
required to bear the full cost. "The WHIP legislation would correct this inequity in the current tax code to the benefit of many smaller businesses and their employees," Cornyn said. "By promoting physical activity, reducing obesity and preventing disease, it also would be an important step in reversing the devastating health trend that our country is facing." Hurricane Claudette Disaster Assistance State and federal officials met with potential government and private, non-profit applicants for federal disaster assistance from Galveston and Brazoria counties at the Galveston County Courthouse Jury Assembly Room today. Galveston County officials estimate that Hurricane Claudette caused more than $8.3 million in damage to public facilities alone. Damage to public facilities in Brazoria County is estimated at $1.3 million. Private citizens and small businesses affected by Claudette are still urged to report individual assistance needs to (800) 621-3362, if they haven't done so already. The Galveston meeting was hosted by representatives of the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Attendees who qualified as applicants at today's meeting have been invited to a second meeting Friday at 1 p.m. at the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management, 1301 FM 646 in League City. More specific application information will be provided at the Friday meeting. Galveston County was included in the presidential disaster declaration for public assistance on Monday. The county previously had been included in the individual assistance category (private citizens and businesses). For more information, call the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management, (800) 393-0203. The
Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee, a
group of resident volunteers, recently held its second
annual goal-setting retreat and set their committee goals
for the upcoming year. "At present, Friendswood is landlocked," the release notes. "There is no land outside the city limits that Friendswood has the right to annex. Additionally, all land within the city limits is already zoned. Some of that land might be able to be re-zoned to allow for quality commercial development in those areas." Additional goals set for the current year include a continuing emphasis on filling vacant buildings within Friendswood and marketing the city to businesses, brokers and developers. "The
CEDC and the city have already shown accomplishments in
these areas with the recruitment of various businesses to
the community," the release continues. "The
CEDC is tasked to encourage quality businesses to relocate
to the city or to expand existing operations within the
community. These business will provide shopping,
dining and employment opportunities for residents, and
perhaps most importantly, pay property and sales tax that
reduce the tax burden on Friendswood homeowners." "A
recent review of the economics of three business prospects
for the community showed that these businesses were expected
to replace the tax revenues of more than 128 average
homes," Capps said. Communities across the nation will participate in next Tuesday's 20th Annual National Night Out. A news conference to announce plans for Houston area National Night Out Events will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park. At the end of the news conference, a children’s festival complete with food, law enforcement displays and helicopters will be held. Attendees will be provided informative and educational brochures regarding safety and security tips as well as information on self-defense programs. Galveston Independent School District officials have announced that Ball High School Golden Tornado season football tickets will go on sale for current season ticket holders on Monday, August 4 until Friday, August 15 at the GISD Business Office, 3904 Avenue T. Season tickets for the general public will go on sale, on a first-come, first-serve basis, on Monday, August 18 until Wednesday, August 27. Season tickets are $17.50 per seat for five home games. Tickets are $5 at the gate. The business office is open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For additional information, call (409) 766-5134. College of the Mainland Arena Theatre Houston ABC-TV affiliate Channel 13's Marvin Zindler attended a recent performance of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" at the College of the Mainland Arena Theatre. Zindler was the crusading television reporter who closed down the La Grange Chicken Ranch in 1973 and who is immortalized in the musical which is now playing through August 10th at the theater in Texas City. Print
Version Galveston Island Pachyderm Club Ivan Arceneaux of AARP spoke to the Galveston Island Pachyderm Club today. "The greatest gift of the 20th Century was not the computer; it wasn't sliced bread," Arceneaux said. "It was the increase in life expectancy." Arceneaux noted that the life expectancy in 1900 was 47 years. In 2000, it was 77 years for men and 84 years for women. Arceneaux said the expanded life expectancy has created a challenge. "The fastest growing segment are those in age 65 plus." He urged the Pachyderm Club members to join AARP. Print
Version Scheduled
Meetings
Thursday, July 31 Friday, August
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Webio Tips: 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 link 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.
This electronic newsletter
replaced, and expanded on, the mission
of Galveston Fax, established by Jim and Lynda Guidry on
Galveston Island in Dedra Black covers northern Galveston County and southern Harris County. Other reporters include Jinelle Boyd, Jo Ann Gowing, Renee' Webster, Barbara Saunders, Carl Guidry and Chuck Lawrence. Drew Gilbert, who covered the Galveston City Beat, was recently reactivated into the Coast Guard for the Iraq war. We are seeking additional reporters to expand our coverage in Jefferson County. Robert John Mihovil is a special photographic correspondent for Guidry News Service Gulf Coast E-news is interactive with The Guidry News Service Online News Station, providing coverage of special events and public meetings with photos and audio. Terry Arnold and Barbara Ward are marketing representatives for The Online News Station. Marketing representatives are being recruited in Harris and Jefferson counties. Subscriptions to Gulf Coast E-news are $300 per year, or $75 per quarter, plus sales and use tax. A fax-only version of the newsletter is available for $400 per year or $87.50 per quarter, plus tax. Current subscribers to Galveston Fax or Clear Lake Area E-news will automatically receive Gulf Coast E-news.
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