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2003 Archives

Friday              January 16, 2004

Galveston Park Board of Trustees

The Galveston Park Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to initiate a paid parking plan for the Seawall Urban Park.
Photos and Audio

The program, which would "sunset" in five years unless it is renewed by the park board, would include $2 per hour Schlumberger pay and display devices on the south side of the Seawall, with a maximum charge of $8 per day; some $1 per hour meters in business areas on the north side, with a two hour limit; several areas designated for free parking, and a provision for annual passes that are free if obtained this month.

The proposal approved by the park board today includes a $25 fine for violators, but provides an amnesty program that reduces the fine to $12 if paid on the first day.  AMPCO System Parking will administer the program.

There was discussion of re-defining the urban park to exclude the neighborhoods immediately north of the Seawall, but park board members were cautioned that parking revenues could not be used for increased police protection in the neighborhoods if they are not in the urban park.

Miguel Aleman, who voted against the issue at the previous park board meeting because he wanted to submit it to the voters for approval, said he changed his mind when it became apparent that there will not be an election.

"I am going to vote for it reluctantly," Aleman said.  "We need the money; we need the money; and we need the money."

The plan now must be reviewed by the Galveston Planning Commission, approved by Galveston City Council, and approved by the Texas General Land Office.  Park Board President and CEO Gil Langley said he can have the plan in place within 30 days after all of the governmental entities give their approval.

The park board met in executive session to discuss its rule that requires park board approval before any major expansion of facilities at Moody Gardens.  After the closed door session, Park Board Chair Gerry Del Prete said the board agreed to maintain its position that any major expansions must be accompanied by a payment in lieu of taxes.  Listen

The park board is placing 66,000 cubic yards of beach sand in two prominent locations on the seawall through a $600,000 federally funded beach renourishment project. 
Photos and News Release

“This is part of our ongoing efforts to renourish beaches in front of the seawall for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors,” said Gil Langley, park board president and chief executive officer. “At this time, we are placing sand in two heavily used tourist areas, near the Hotel Galvez and the city’s new convention center, which is slated to open in May.” 

Langley said that the work will be completed in mid-February in time for two popular tourism events – Mardi Gras and Spring Break. 

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Galveston Independent School District

United States District Court Judge Samuel B. Kent today granted a summary judgment in favor of the Galveston Independent School District in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by former GISD employee Sonia Boone.

Boone, who served most recently as director of Bilingual/ESL Education, is African American.  She claimed discrepancies in her salary were motivated by racial discrimination. 

"The court observes that this case appears to be an egregious
example of abuse of the legal system," the court read.  "GISD is a remarkably important local education entity mired, like many school districts throughout the state, in genuine economic crisis.  To require it and its already overburdened taxpayers to subsidize factually insupportable litigation, especially by its own self-serving management personnel, is manifestly unjustifiable.  Furthermore, this Court is one of the busiest in the country and cannot waste its precious judicial resources resolving baseless claims." 

In addition, Kent has invited the district to submit an itemized list of its expenses to by paid by the plaintiff. 

"Judge Kent has vindicated our claim that there was no merit to this lawsuit," said GISD Superintendent Lynn Hale.  "These frivolous lawsuits tie up staff time and taxpayers' money and hinders our ability to do what is most important, which is educating our children.  We are encouraged by the closure of this lawsuit and hope that GISD can begin to heal the wounds caused by several baseless lawsuits."

Similar lawsuits brought by other African American administrators Dr. Patricia Williams and Terri Watkins, were also granted summary judgment in favor of GISD last year.  The cases were appealed by the plaintiffs to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, where GISD again prevailed.  

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Galveston Island Transit

Mayor Roger “Bo” Quiroga will discuss the addition of three new Opus 35 buses which finalize the update of Island Transit’s fleet in a news conference at 2 p.m. on January 21.  Older buses had reached their “useful service life,” and the entire revenue fleet is now updated as part of a larger plan for the City of Galveston. 

Wayne Cook, Director of Island Transit, reports that the three new buses have better fuel efficiency and are smaller than the ones that are currently running.    This will reduce the city’s preventive maintenance costs for public transportation since the costs to the city are higher to run older, outdated vehicles.

“The ride is much smoother, the buses are friendlier to the environment, there will be no more smoky emissions, and the air conditioning on these buses can even handle a hot summer day on the island," Cook said.

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League City 4B Corporation

The League City 4B Corporation will host a public input workshop in the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center on February 3, 2004, at 7:00 p.m to gather the public’s input and information for the competitive pool that is proposed to be located on a site within the Big League Dreams Sports Park.  

Representatives from Purkiss Rose-RSI, design consultants, as well as representatives of the City’s Parks staff will be present. 

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Galveston Politics

Allen R. LeCornu has announced that he is officially in the running for Galveston City Council District Three.  Announcement  

Galveston Island Pachyderm Club

Acting Galveston Fire Chief Michael Verela and Fire Fighters of America Local 571 Vice President David Baker spoke to the Galveston Island Pachyderm Club on Thursday 

"We are putting four people at each station now, at least," Verela said, in a review of fire department improvements.  Listen  

"We have purchased new equipment for the trucks and updated some of the old equipment that was on there that needed to be changed out," Verela added.  

Baker said the union has been supportive of the changes initiated by Verela, but continues to call for more fighters and equipment. Listen

"We feel like more people need to be hired," Baker said, noting that overtime is currently being used to pay for the additional staffing to achieve the goal of four firefighters on a truck.  

Next week, Acting Police Chief Kenny Mack and Galveston Municipal Police Association President John Bertolino will speak to the Pachyderm Club.

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Galveston County Alternative Teacher Program

The Galveston County Alternative Teacher Certification Program, a collaborative effort of College of the Mainland, Galveston College and partnering Galveston County independent school districts, has moved to Lake Road Elementary School in La Marque.  Fifty-nine future teachers enrolled this month. They join the other 79 students already enrolled in 15 different certification areas from early childhood through high school. 

An information meeting open to the public and prospective teachers will be held at Lake Road Elementary School on January 22 at 6 p.m. in the Cafetorium.

"Galveston County has an ongoing need for qualified teachers at all grade levels and certification areas," said a news release announcing the new location.  "A bachelor’s degree or higher is required to apply to the program."

Certification areas include early childhood through fourth grade generalist, ESL and bilingual education; fourth through eighth grade mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies; eighth through twelfth grade math and science; and special education from early childhood through twelfth grade.

For more information, visit www.pact4teachers.com or call (409) 938-7006.

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College of the Mainland

College of the Mainland offers a complete program approved by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse to prepare students to take the TCADA Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor exam. The class runs January 23 through February 14 and meets Friday evenings and all day Saturdays.

For more information call (409) 938-1211 extension 586.

College of the Mainland's Senior Adult Program will sponsor a Senior Expo 2004 on St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, March 17 from 8:30 a.m. to Noon at the COM Gymnasium.  

There will be arts and crafts on display and for sale, along with free health screenings (Cholesterol, Blood Glucose, Blood Pressure, Vision and Stroke Screening) and senior adult class demonstrations.

Booth sponsorships are available for $15.  Call Eva Neinas at the COMPASS office at (409) 938-1211 extension 432 or 226 or (888) 258-8859, extension 432 or 226.  

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Lamar University

Enrollment continues to reflect growth at Lamar University, officials said as they report a first day of class figure of 9,398 students registered for 104,529 semester credit hours.

"These figures are wonderful news and indicate that it is very likely Lamar will set an all time record enrollment for a spring semester,” said Kevin Smith, associate vice president for academic affairs.

Headcount for the first class day in the spring 2003 semester was 8,815 and credit hours were 97,267.  Compared to last year, LU is up 6.6 percent in headcount and 7.5 percent in credit hours. The university’s spring enrollment is up 18.8 percent over two springs ago in 2002 and 25.6 percent over three springs ago in 2001.

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Galveston Chamber of Commerce

The Galveston Chamber of Commerce is hosting a meeting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, January 21, 2004, in the Island Community Center Community Room, 4700 Broadway, to hear several presentations regarding Broadway projects and developments. 

Topics to be discussed are the Broadway Beautification Project, Broadway Development, the Criminal Justice Center, the new Causeway Bridge, and the Broadway Overlay Zone.  Guest speakers will include Mayor Roger Quiroga, Jeff Sjostrom, Judge Jim Yarbrough, Wendy O’Donohoe, and Rudy Ammer. 

"Galveston is bursting with economic activity and Broadway is an integral part of this future growth," said Cindy Schulz, president of the chamber.  "We think it is very important for our Broadway business members to learn first hand what is going on in their business district and the new direction the Galveston Chamber of Commerce is taking to address business issues and concerns."

For additional information, call (409) 763-5326, extension 158.

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West Galveston Island Property Owners Assn.

Ian Hause, Land Development Manager, for Centex Destination
Properties  will be the guest speaker at this week's meeting of the West Galveston Island Propety Owners Association.  He will discuss the proposed $500 million development of an "environmentally sensitive" master planned resort community
of residential units on an 1,100-acre tract at San Luis Pass on the West End of Galveston Island.  

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Galveston Country Club.

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Lawyers Association of Cuba

Attorney Tony Buzbee, of The Buzbee Law Firm in Friendswood and Galveston, has been invited to attend a maritime conference hosted by the Lawyers Association of Cuba.  Buzbee will speak on coastal security issues related to the sinking of the Tanker PRESTIGE and other similar incidents. 

The Lawyers Association of Cuba is Cuba’s equivalent of the American Bar Association in the United States, and is made up of more than five hundred Cuban lawyers who live and practice in Cuba.  Buzbee, who has handled several high profile cases, is lead counsel for the Autonomous Province of the Basque Country in Spain, and several other autonomous entities, in a case filed against the American Bureau of Shipping in Houston, Texas. 

The PRESTIGE sunk in November 2002 off the coast of Spain, spilling over one quarter of its 22.5 million barrels of oil aboard. The Basque government has expended more than $75 million cleaning up its coast; the case seeks more than $300 million in damages.   

“I’m surprised at the invitation, because I have never been to Cuba and know little about that country," Buzbee said.  "Although it has not received much coverage here in the United States, the sinking of the PRESTIGE is of major international concern. It has already spilled twice as much oil as did the EXXON VALDEZ. Countries around the world recognize that accidents like the PRESTIGE can devastate a country’s economy and environment. The world community is desperately searching for a solution to the ongoing problem of oil tanker quality and security.”

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Houston Traffic

New extensions to the Eastex Freeway High Occupancy Vehicle Lane will open Monday, January 19, to provide direct access into/from Downtown via Jackson (inbound) and Chenevert (outbound). 

The new ramps at Townsen Park and Ride and on the U.S. 59 northbound and southbound frontage roads south of Kingwood Drive also will offer direct access to the Eastex Freeway HOV Lane. 

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Scheduled Meetings
Meetings will be held in the regular meeting place of the city council or other governmental body, unless otherwise specified.

Today, January 16
7:00 Mainland United Task Force Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet, Wayne Johnson Community Center, 4102 FM 519, La Marque.
6:30 League City Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Celebration Dinner, South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center
8:00 Agatha Christie's "Black Coffee," Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road in Nassau Bay, across from the Johnson Space Center.

Saturday, January 17
8:30 Beaumont Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade, Beginning at Victoria and Bolivar streets
9:00 West Galveston Island Property Owners Association, Galveston Country Club.  Ian Hause, Land Development Manager, for Centex Destination Properties  will be the guest speaker.
4:00 Reading of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Speech in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday, January 17, Galveston County Historical Museum
8:00 Agatha Christie's "Black Coffee," Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road in Nassau Bay, across from the Johnson Space Center.  

Sunday, January 18
2:30 Agatha Christie's "Black Coffee," Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road in Nassau Bay, across from the Johnson Space Center.

Monday, January 19
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday
7:30 Beaumont NAACP Youth Council MLK Breakfast, Douglass Memorial CME Church, 1370 Ewing
10:00 Galveston MLK Day Parade, Starts at Seawall Boulevard and MLK and ends at ILA Hall on MLK and Market
12:00 St. Vincent's House Prayer Vigil, 1817 Postoffice, Galveston
5:30 University Area Association Roundtable, William Temple Episcopal Center, 427 Market Street, Galveston.  Topics are the new entertainment venue at Stewart Beach and Park Board events. 
5:45 Friendswood City Council Work Session
Cancelled 6:00 Jamaica Beach City Council
6:15 Friendswood City Council Executive Session
7:00 Friendswood City Council Regular Meeting
7:00 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, The Grand 1894 Opera House
7:30 El Lago City Council
7:30 "What Happened to The Dream?" A presentation by Reverend William Randall of the Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church of Hitchcock, Teaching Auditorium at College of the Mainland

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Gulf Coast E-news, published by Guidry News Service, provides comprehensive coverage of posted public meetings in Galveston, Harris and Jefferson Counties as well as regional news impacting the Upper Texas Gulf Coast.

Chuck Lawrence is Galveston City Correspondent.  Carl Guidry covers events in Jefferson County.

Robert John Mihovil is a special photographic correspondent for Guidry News Service

Ivan Arceneaux is a special correspondent. 

Drew Gilbert, who covered the Galveston City Beat, was recently reactivated into the Coast Guard for the Iraq war.