2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Monday               January 3, 2005

Galveston County Commissioners Court

The Galveston County Commissioners Court today voted to recognize the appointment of Auditor's First Assistant Freeman Mendell to serve on the advisory boards to the School of Accounting and the School of Management Information Systems for the University of Houston/Clear Lake.     

The commissioners court approved low bids for trucks for four county departments.  A 3/4-ton crew cab pickup for Facility Maintenance was awarded to Alvin Dodge.  A 1/2-ton truck for the Road District was awarded to Alvin Dodge.  A 1/2-ton 4x4 pickup for Nuisance Abatement was awarded to Philpott Motors.  A 4x2 super cab truck for Road and Bridge was awarded to A. C. Collins Ford.

The commissioners court voted to abandon an alley in Algoa at the request of adjacent property owners who will purchase the property.

All other items were approved.  The brief agenda included only eight items which were approved unanimously in one motion.  The meeting lasted just under four minutes.

Commissioner Patrick Doyle attended his first meeting of the commissioners court and, joking about the short meeting, told Guidry News Service, "I've already assisted the county in streamlining county government." Listen   Download

Doyle added, "I look forward to working with each of these gentlemen here, and all the department heads and all those that work in county government."    

Newly-elected Tax Assessor/Collector Cheryl Johnson introduced her new chief deputies to the commissioners court.  They are Chief Deputy of Property Tax and Administration Ken Laird and Chief Deputy of Operations Vance Ready.

Listen to the meeting    Download to MP3 Player 

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Jefferson County Commissioners Court

Jefferson County Commissioners Court today received and filed the petition submitted by groups calling for a rollback election, and took steps to return funds from a $5 million contingency account to the various departments that had made cuts in anticipation of a successful rollback drive.

The petition was more than 1,000 signatures short of the 13,617 required to force the election, so the account set aside, about 10 percent of the recently approved county budget, was dissolved.

The commissioners court named ten members to a new Arena Committee for Ford Park.  On a motion by Commissioner Mark Domingue, each member of the commissioners court was allocated two members.

"The purpose of the committee is to basically work with the arena to bring public information and assistance with the management staff out there and also with the Wildcatters," said County Judge Carl Griffith.  "The end result is to bring more participation out at the arena."

Domingue named Dr. Jack Johnson and Stephen Oubre to the committee; Eddie Arnold named Jennifer Doornsboss and W.L. Pate; Waymon Hallmark named Rodney Howard and Rick Day; Everette Alfred named Kenneth Briggs and Mike Simpson and Griffith named Sandra Womack and Carol Gallier.

The Wildcatters hockey team and its booster club will have ex-officio membership on the committee.  Members of the commissioners court said that the committee list may be expanded in the future.

It was the first meeting for Arnold, who was elected in November.

"I am very excited, exuberant and ready to get to work for the county and the taxpayers here in Jefferson County,"  Arnold said in an interview with Jim Guidry.  Listen  Download

"The first goal that I have is to help restore financial health to the county," Arnold said, adding that he wants to avoid tax increases, to improve employee morale and to try to make Ford Park more profitable, "where we are not subsidizing it out of our regular operating budget every year." 

Photos and additional audio excerpts will be posted on The Online News Station.

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Galveston Livable Communities Initiative

The Galveston Livable Communities Steering Committee discussed the downtown transportation terminal to be built on the northwest corner of The Strand at 25th Street.

"The funding is really the big issue for the terminal with H-GAC and then waiting for the federal transportation committee to meet and approve those funds for '05," said Bill Ross, chair of the committee.  "Hopefully, with the help of the congressman and the senator, we will get some of those funds this year."  
Listen  Download

Ross said funding for Phase 2 of the downtown infrastructure improvement project is also awaiting approval by Congress.  

Photos and a recording of the meeting will be posted on The Online News Station.

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University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is accepting applications through January 11 for a program that helps unemployed or underemployed residents of subsidized housing to embark on careers in health care or to advance in their current health care job. 

The program, called “Creating Pathways to Success”, eliminates obstacles to career advancement, such as locating reliable transportation and qualified child care, and offers such resources as education, school supplies and stipends to assist in each participant’s success.

Operated through UTMB’s Office of Community Outreach, the program also provides individual assessment, mentoring, personal coaching and career counseling to improve the residents’ self-sufficiency and help establish a better-trained health care work force.

"'Creating Pathways to Success' dedicates about $2,000 for each of its 35 participants' classes, day care and transportation," said a news release.  "It delivers an exceptional return on investment, with a 91 percent retention rate and an average salary increase of nearly $11,000 per year."

UTMB partners with Edgewater Retirement Community, Gulf Health Care Center, the Transitional Learning Center and Shriners Burns Hospital to ensure that the program participants have employment opportunities when they complete their course work.

Those interested in participating in “Creating Pathways to Success” should call Katie Winslade, workforce development director in the Office of Community Outreach, at (409) 772-8265. Applications can be picked up at the Galveston Housing Authority Resident Services Office at 4700 Broadway. 

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Houston Aviation System

The Transportation Security Administration awarded Ancore Corporation, a division of OSI Systems, Inc., $4 million in funding for an air cargo inspection pilot program at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Houston Congressman John Culberson and Sugar Land's Tom DeLay, U.S. House Majority Leader, secured an additional $4 million in federal funding for the program to scan air cargo for dangerous agents that can be used for terrorist attacks.

"Our nation's airports process more than 12 million tons of cargo a year," Culberson said. "If the testing is successful, this cargo inspection unit could be purchased by an airport or an airline to help ensure the safety of the traveling public."

DeLay and Culberson say they intend to enhance the security of the Houston Airport System and improve air cargo transport.  Initially, Continental Airlines will be the only cargo carrier in the pilot program and if the implementation is successful in Houston, the TSA may consider installing similar equipment in airports across the country. 

During the screening process, Ancore's patented Pulse Fast Neutron Analysis technology detects chemical threats by identifying the signature of the element's composition. OSI Systems is working to adapt this technology to detect threats such as military-grade explosives, low level explosives, drugs and hazardous material that can be shipped in cargo containers. 

"OSI Systems has committed to invest the additional funding and capital equipment necessary for us to participate in this air cargo pilot program," said Deepak Chopra, CEO of OSI Systems.  "This is a very exciting project for OSI Systems and our Security Group as it enables our PFNA technology to be showcased for the air cargo industry. We would like to thank House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Representative John Culberson and Houston Airport System Director Rick Vacar for their hard work and support of this project."

Bush Intercontinental is the first airport in the country to have this new equipment. The only other site to implement this new cargo inspection technology is the U.S.-Mexico border checkpoint in El Paso, which uses a similar system to inspect truck cargo.

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On The Webio

Several items of interest to Southeast Texas are posted on The Online News Station.

Several newly elected and reelected Galveston County officials were administered oaths of office in a ceremony at the Galveston County Courthouse on New Year's Day.  Photos and Audio (including a downloadable MP3 recording)

Rajan Koshy, chair of the Galveston-Trivandrum Sister City Society, is urging Galveston residents to contribute tsunami relief funds to Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund through the Galveston Chamber of Commerce at 519 25th Street. Listen   Download

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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 3
4:00 Galveston Landmark Commission
5:00 Galveston Housing Authority, Island Community Center
6:00 Galveston Redevelopment and Community Enterprise Corporation, Island Community Center
4:00 Friendswood City Council Workshop 
7:00 Friendswood City Council
7:30 El Lago City Council 

Tuesday, January 4
8:30 Port Arthur City Council 
12:00 Galveston Ad Hoc Hotel Tax Allocations Assessment Committee, Park Board Board Room, 2504 Church Street
12:00 Rotary Club of Galveston Island, San Luis Resort and Conference Center.  Shrub Kempner of Kempner Capital Management will speak on the State of the Economy.
1:30 Beaumont City Council
1:30 Houston City Council
4:00 Galveston Planning Commission
6:30 Bayou Vista Board of Aldermen
7:00 Clear Lake Shores City Council
7:00 Seabrook City Council
7:00 Webster City Council
7:00 Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting, Joe Faggard Community Center
7:30 Pasadena City Council

Wednesday, January 5
9:00 Houston City Council
12:00 Galveston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 14, Room 204 City Hall
3:30 Rick Perry News Conference, Marina View Building, 2600 South Shore Harbour Boulevard, League City
4:00 Galveston Arts and Historic Preservation Advisory Board, Room 204, City Hall
4:00 Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment
5:00 Texas City City Commission
7:30 Taylor Lake Village City Council  

Thursday, January 6
8:30 North Galveston County Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for The Great Frame Up, 2945 Gulf Freeway South Suite A, League City
11:00 Webster Business Alliance Luncheon, Webster Civic Center.  Former Astro Pitcher J. R. Richard will speak about "Overcoming Adversity". 
6:00 Galveston Independent School District Board of Trustees Workshop 

Friday, January 7
No Meetings Scheduled

Saturday, January 8
8:00 Showtime at the Apollo, The Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice

Sunday, January 9
3:00 Steve Hahn, Chapman Stick and Trumpet Artist, Galveston Island Arts Academy, 2627 Avenue O
4:00 The Strand Theatre Auditions for "Daddy's Dyin -- Who's Got the Will?", The Strand Theatre, 2317 Ship's Mechanic Row

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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.

Jim and Lynda Guidry are publishers of Gulf Coast E-news and The Online News Station.

Jim Young is senior editor of Gulf Coast E-news.

Chuck Lawrence is Galveston City Correspondent.  Carl Guidry covers events in Jefferson County.  Anita Donatto covers the education beat in Galveston.  

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

We are seeking to hire reporters & marketing agents to expand our coverage in Jefferson & Harris Counties. 

Guidry News Service offices at 1818 Church Street, Suite 4, Galveston, TX. 77550 / P.O. Box 2130, Galveston, TX 77553
(409) 763-NEWS (6397), or email us at News@guidrynews.com

Subscriptions to Gulf Coast E-news are $300 per year, or $75 per quarter, plus sales and use tax. 

This electronic  newsletter replaced, and expanded on, the mission of the Galveston Fax, established by Jim and Lynda Guidry on Galveston Island in  July 1996; and Clear Lake Area E-news, begun on January 2, 2002.