2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Tuesday               January 11, 2005

Texas Legislature

The Texas House of Representatives today called itself to order and reelected Tom Craddick as Speaker of the House.  Listen  Download

"The work we do here in this chamber will greatly affect the lives and livelihoods of 22 million Texans," Craddick said.  "Ours is a huge responsibility." 

The House voted unanimously to appoint Melissa Noriega to temporarily replace her husband, Representative Rick Noriega, who is on military duty in Afghanistan.  The action was at the request of Rick Noriega, in a letter read on the floor by Representative Jim Davis. Listen  Download

"In undertaking this responsibility, Melissa is fulfilling a duty the same as every other military spouse in our state and country," Noriega said of his wife.  "She is a working woman and a loving mother.  She hugs and reads to the children, pays the bills, deals with crises large and small every day, and holds the family together like every military spouse throughout the ages who have sent their loved ones to war."

Governor Rick Perry welcomed Melissa Noriega to the Legislature in his address to the House. Listen  Download

"It is an honor to address this great body, to be here on the opening day of an historic legislative session, one that could go down as one of the most historic in modern times," Perry said.  

"Today is a day of celebration," Perry continued.  "It is the beginning of a bipartisan effort to protect the most vulnerable in our society, to provide a future of unlimited opportunity for some four million plus school children in this state; and I for one am very optimistic that we will live up to our calling, which is to leave Texas a better place than how we found it."

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La Marque City Council

La Marque City Council Monday night voted unanimously to hire Robert Ewert as city manager. Listen   Download  Photos

""I am looking forward to the opportunity here in La Marque," Ewert said, telling the city council and the residents in the audience that he hopes to spend many years in La Marque.  "I hope to retire here."

Ewert said that he has been city manager of Denton for almost ten years, and his previous job as city manager was a ten-year assignment.

Council Member Keith Bell said that some members of the African-American Community were concerned that Ewert once worked in Vidor.  However, after a private meeting with Ewert, Bell said that he was confident that he was a good choice for the job.  

Bell later complained that La Marque does not have a street named for Martin Luther King, Jr.  

"That is disturbing to some of our citizens, and it is valid," Bell said.  "It shows them disrespect on certain levels."

Several residents of Omega Bay addressed the city council in opposition to the city's requirement that a Social Security card must be provided for city utility services.  Listen   Download

However, the city council voted to postpone deliberation on the issue until the next meeting on January 24. 

"I'd like to table it and maybe we can see if we can discuss if we will continue to provide service to Omega Bay, and see how we are going to go about doing it so that everybody's happy," said Council Member Hank Wren.

Although the speakers were well behaved, Mayor Pro Tem James Osteen said that he had been insulted by emails from the protestors. Listen   Download

"When you get emails that calls your city council thieves, you have a tendency not to want to respond to them," Osteen said.  "When they call our staff 'morons' you have a tendency that you don't want to communicate with somebody like that."

The city council voted to table discussion of the procedures to appoint members of boards and commissions, as well as action on several pending appointments to those boards and commissions and assignment of city council members as ex-officio representatives on the boards and commissions, until the February 24 meeting.

The city council voted to hold a workshop on establishment of a capital improvements program on February 2.

All other action items were approved.  All votes were unanimous.

Mayor Larry Crow and representatives of the Clean City Commission recognized the winners in the recent Christmas Lighting Contest.

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Jamaica Beach City Council

Jamaica Beach City Council in a brief meeting on Monday voted to award a payment of $67,265.51 to N&S Construction toward construction of the city's new wastewater treatment plant. 

"It is an exact duplicate of the current plant that we have," said City Administrator John Brick.  "When we get through with it we will have doubled our capacity."

Brick said the new facility will handle 360,000 gallons per day.

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Hitchcock City Commission

Hitchcock City Commission on Monday voted 3-0 to deny a request by Juan and Beatriz Guerro for a zoning change from Single Family Residential to General Commercial for property on the west side of FM 2004 at 8903 Elm Street.  Commissioners William Harris and Anthony Matranga were absent.

The Planning and Zoning Board had earlier in the evening asked the applicants to redraw the plans to address concerns of neighbors, but the city commission voted to deny the application after hearing from the neighbors.

The city commission approved a zoning change from Single Family Residential to General Industrial for property located on the north side of Highway 6, east of Gulf Street. Michael and Bette Leimer are the applicants.

The city commission voted to subdivide a 1.434 acre tract of land out of the southwest corner of a 34.23 acre tract on Jay Road.  James and Alisa Moody are the applicants.

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Nassau Bay City Council

Nassau Bay City Council on Monday voted unanimously to appoint Jon Roy to the Nassau Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The city council voted 5-1, with Bette Johnson opposed, to change the February meeting date to the 15th, instead of February 14.

Several items were reviewed on first reading, but an ordinance relating to hazardous materials was referred back to another first reading because of several changes that council members suggested.

The other items will be considered for second and final reading at the next meeting.  Mayor Don Matter was absent.

The city council presented a $2,500 check to the NASA/Clear Creek/Friendswood Go Texas Subcommittee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Fund.

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Shoreacres City Council

Shoreacres City Council on Monday voted unanimously to approve a $17,880 sub-recipient grant agreement with the Texas General Land Office for financial assistance under the Cycle 9 of the Coastal Management Program.

"Most of that is dedicated to building the kayak launch in the wetlands area that the city purchased last year," said Council Member Jayo Washington.  "It's really a neat little thing down here; it's right in the middle of the city."

The city council approved an ordinance designating the Bayshore Sun as the official newspaper for the city.

Also at Monday's meeting, new police officer Carolyn Tanner was administered her oath of office.

Representatives of the Texas Department of Transportation will attend the January 24 meeting to discuss the Shoreacres/SH 146 interchange. 

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Beaumont City Council

Beaumont City Council today voted unanimously to approve a new ordinance regulating the construction of cellular telephone transmission towers. 

"Due to the proliferation of cellular telephone transmission towers and the controversy that these towers have created when locating near residential areas, staff is requesting that an amendment be made to prohibit the construction of such towers within 200 feet of residentially zone properties," said Planning Manager Steve Richardson.

The city council approved a $73,474.28 change order in a contract with Brystar Contracting, Inc. for the Twenty-Third Street Pavement Improvement Project.

The city council reappointed Glenn Bodwin to the Beaumont Planning Commission and appointed Bodwin as chair of the commission.

The city council reappointed Miriam Johnson to the Convention and Tourism Advisory Committee.

All other agenda items were approved.  All votes were unanimous.

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Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves

The Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves has scheduled a special meeting for 11 a.m. on Friday.  

The short agenda calls for discussion and consideration of a "proposal or proposals for Pelican Island Shipyard Property" and to discuss and consider "a declaration of emergency and impairment of port operations with respect to expenditure of funds for emergency dredging contract for berth adjacent to Agriliance Facility".

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Galveston County Health District

Officials with the Galveston County Health District announced today additional flu vaccine is now available for county residents who were unable to access a flu shot earlier in the season.  

“We have recently received additional doses of vaccine and are asking county residents who did not get a shot previously, to try again,” Galveston County Health Authority Dr. Mark Guidry said.  “It is very important that high-risk individuals become protected since influenza has serious consequences and we are not yet out of the flu season.”

Now added to the expanded list of high-risk categories recommended for a flu shot are adults age 50 through 64, out-of-home caregivers, as well as household contacts of persons in high-risk groups.  

In response to this season’s vaccine shortage,  previously recommended high-risk groups whom are still encouraged to receive a flu shot include: (1) children 6 months through 23 months of age; (2) adults 65 and older: (3) anyone with underlying chronic medical conditions; (4) women who will be pregnant during the flu season; (5) residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities; (6) children 6 months through 18 years on chronic aspirin therapy; (7)  medical care workers providing direct patient care: and (8) caregivers and household contacts of children under 6 months old.  

Public health officials are also encouraging people 65 and older, people with lung, heart, liver or kidney problems; and people with diabetes, sickle cell, alcoholism, HIV/AIDS or other chronic medical conditions to get a pneumococcal vaccination.   

The pneumonia vaccine, which can be given year-round, protects against pneumonia and other illnesses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae.  Pneumonia is often a life-threatening complication of influenza.   

The height of the flu season in Texas may typically extend to January or February according to Dr. Dana Beckham , chief epidemiologist for the Health District.  

“Once a person has received a shot it takes about two weeks to offer maximum protection," Beckham said.  "Flu is not a reportable condition in Texas but we have had four laboratory confirmed cases in Galveston County .  While we hope we won’t have an outbreak, it’s still possible."  

Flu vaccinations will be available at Galveston County Health District immunization clinics at the following locations and times:  

Texas City Immunization Clinic (Located in the Texas City Community Family Center ) 2000 Texas Avenue, Texas City, (409) 949-3459.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ; 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Galveston Immunization Clinic (Located in the Island Community Center ) 4700 Broadway, Galveston , (409) 763-7227.

Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ; 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.  

Dickinson Immunization Clinic 905 Pine Drive , Dickinson , (281) 337-4043.

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

For persons with Medicare Part B insurance, the shots will be available at no cost to them.  For others, the flu vaccination will be available at a cost of $16 and the pneumonia vaccination at a cost of $27.  For more information about immunization clinic services, contact June Gonzales , RN at (409) 938-2244. 

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College of the Mainland

The Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance has endorsed the College Of the Mainland Process Technology degree program as meeting "industry criteria in curriculum and training to address upcoming shortages in the process technology workforce".

"The quality of the COM PTEC program has never been in question, but now we have the endorsement to verify that", said Bill Raley, associate vice president for technical education at COM.  "Receiving the endorsement of the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance reaffirms that the best way to improve the quality of the local workforce is the industry-driven partnership."

The program celebrated its 10th anniversary last year.  Raley said the program continues to be celebrated as a model workforce partnership. 

PTEC is the standardized curriculum for a two-year associate of applied science degree that prepares students to work as process operators in process technology industries including chemical, oil and gas production, refining and exploration, pharmaceutical, timber and power generation.

The GCPTA is a regional association made up of PTEC educators, providers and industry representatives that are responsible for developing, improving and maintaining the standardized curriculum at colleges in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.  Only 11 colleges in the three states have received the GCPTA endorsement. 

For additional information about COM's PTEC degree program visit www.com.edu.  

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Lamar University

The sixth annual Spindletop/Lamar University Film Festival is accepting film and video entries for its annual competition. Release

"We've received entries from across the nation," said Contest
Coordinator O'Brien Stanley of Groves.  "In the past, winning films have been screened at the festival, which are seen by their peers and noted filmmakers. We plan on doing all that again in 2005."

With one independent feature film shot in 2004 and another two set for 2005, "it is evident that there is an interest in film in Southeast Texas," Stanley said.

For rules, categories and other details, visit www.spinfest.org or call Stanley at (409) 880-7222.

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San Jacinto College Foundation

The San Jacinto College Foundation is hosting its fifth annual Evening of MONOPOLY^® event, from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 29 at the South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center.

Funds from the event go toward student scholarships, new technology and Innovative Initiative grants, which are submitted by San Jac faculty and staff.

The event features a reverse draw raffle. Tickets are sold at $100 each. The last ticket drawn nets the winner a $10,000 shopping spree at a store of their choice.

Individual tickets to the event are $200 and a table for six players is $1,200.  Dinner, drinks and a 45-minute round of Monopoly are included in the price of a ticket. The overall winner receives a trip to Lake Tahoe, including airfare plus a three-night stay at Caesar’s Palace.

To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor, call the San Jacinto College Foundation at (281) 998-6104.

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La Marque Independent School District

The annual La Marque Independent School District Education Summit will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on February 5.

"At La Marque ISD we realize we are in partnership with our community leaders, residents, businesses and civic organizations to create citizens who can forge a future we can be proud of. We also realize that education doesn’t stop in the classroom," said Superintendent Adrain Johnson.  "Education that is not translated to a person’s daily life is just book learning." Message

The education summit will feature a variety of nonprofit organizations, health and safety activities and workshops designed to "create a spirit of education" inside the home. 

"Our students will perform and parents will be taught ways to encourage children to develop a love of learning," Johnson said.

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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 11
6:00 Galveston Park Board of Trustees Mardi Gras News Conference and Poster Unveiling, Tremont House Hotel 
6:30 Seabrook City Council joint meeting with Seabrook EDC II And Park Board, Ed White Youth Center/Seabrook Methodist Church complex at 1513 Third Street
6:30 Friendswood Independent School District Board of Trustees
7:00 Dickinson City Council
7:00 League City City Council
7:30 Seabrook City Council, Council Chambers
7:30 Texas City Independent School District Board of Trustees

Wednesday, January 12
9:00 Houston City Council
10:00 Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District, 1660 West Bay Area Boulevard, Friendswood 
12:00 Rotary Club of Galveston, Fisherman's Wharf, Harborside at 22nd Street.  The program is the national bio lab.
3:00 Galveston West End Land Use Policy Committee, City Hall Room 204
4:00 Galveston College Ribbon Cutting and Reception for New Learning Resource Center and Health Sciences Center, Main Campus, 4015 Avenue Q.
5:00 Galveston College Board of Regents
6:30 Galveston County Mayors and Councilmembers Association, Moody Gardens Hotel Viewfinders Terrace

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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.