2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Wednesday               February 9, 2005

Port Arthur City Council

Port Arthur City Council Tuesday night voted 5-4 to eliminate the position of Port Arthur Economic Development Executive Director Ike Mills.  

Mayor Oscar Ortiz, Felix Barker, Craig Hannah, Ronnie Thompson and Thomas Henderson voted in favor of the motion to eliminate the position.  Henderson said that his vote was reluctant.  

Michael Shane Sinegal, Deloris Prince, Martin Flood, and Mayor Pro-Tem John Beard, Jr. voted against the motion, in support of Mills.

City Manager Steve Fitzgibbons and/or someone he designates will now manage the PAEDC.

"It's an important assignment and we are going to do the very best we can to try to do as good a job with the EDC as possible," Fitzgibbons said in an interview with Guidry News Service.  Listen  Download

Fitzgibbons said that he will work with the EDC board of directors, but will answer directly to the city council.

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Dickinson City Council

Dickinson City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to decline a Galveston County Health District proposal to repeal tattoo parlor regulations.  The proposal, if it had been approved, would have turned over regulation of local tattoo parlors from Galveston County to the State of Texas. 

“Our experience has been in the past that state regulation of regulated industries has resulted in less inspection than with local regulation,” said Fire Marshal Keith Kiplinger in his recommendation to deny the proposal.  Listen

The city council voted to approve the reappointment of nine Planning and Zoning Commission members for two-year terms ending in 2006. The members include Greg Rapp, James Floyd, Julie Masters, Greg Smith, James Burns, Manuel Ruiz, Mary Lou Jackson and two alternates: Jack Neal and James Deats.

The city council voted 5-1, with Mayor Pro Tem Mark Townsend opposed, to approve the reappointment of seven members of the Board of Adjustments for two-year terms ending in 2006. The members include Jasper Liggio, Charley Batey, Tim Philpot, Carl Uland, Lauren White and two alternates: Shamarion Barber and Herb Kavanaugh.

Dickinson Police Chief Ron Morales presented his department's racial profiling report for 2004 to the city council. Listen

“We are on target with racial profiling issues,” Morales said.

The city council held extensive discussion regarding maintenance of private roads on private right of way and private roads on public right of way. Townsend has received several requests from Dickinson residents for assistance in the maintenance and repair of private roads.  Listen

“What we are seeking here initially, for your consideration, is only to address the issue of unpaved roads,” said City Administrator Ivan Langford.

Langford suggested that the city offer “a minimal level of service” to repair private roads once per year and that property owners be asked to supply materials for repair.

The city council directed Langford to provide a list of private unpaved roads in Dickinson and the total mileage of the roads. Langford will prepare a policy for the council’s review to resolve the issue.

The city council voted unanimously to approve the second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 15 of the City’s Code of Ordinances as it relates to political signs. The new ordinance, if approved on final reading, will provide a penalty up to $2,000 for political sign violations.

The city council voted unanimously to table the first reading of an ordinance to regulate the disposal of waste and the disposal of fats, oil and grease.

All other agenda items were approved.  Mayor Veta Winick was absent.

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Houston City Council

Houston City Council today voted 15-0 to strengthen the background checks required for tow truck drivers to qualify for licenses to perform non-consent police or city-ordered tows from Houston freeways.  Although the ordinance gained unanimous approval with no discussion, some council members still had questions. Listen   Download

Council Member Addie Wiseman and others questioned planning department staff about the details of the plans and assured Brown that the city of Houston did not initiate the annexation plans; and that there would be more public hearings by the MUDs before any annexation occurs. Video  Download

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Morgan's Point City Council

Morgan's Point City Council Tuesday night, in a brief meeting, voted to call an election on May 7.

The city council positions currently held by Milo Strickland, Brian Smith and Paul McBeth will be on the ballot.

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Galveston Independent School District

The Galveston Independent School District has announced plans to host monthly tours of the district's various schools beginning on Friday, February 25.

Participants will meet the school principals for tours of their campuses and will hear an update on the district by GISD Superintendent Lynn Hale.  

Future tours are scheduled on March 18, April 22 and May 20.  For more information or make reservations for a tour, call (409) 766-5144 or email comments@gisd.org.   

The Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund has approved a $15,000 grant to establish the Galveston Independent School District Kids’ Closet.  The grant will allow the district to purchase school uniforms for needy students.  

The closet will include tops, pants, socks, shoes and belts of various sizes and school colors.  The district also plans to stock basic essentials such as underclothes and socks.  Uniforms will be requested through the campus social worker. 

“We are absolutely thrilled about the support of the Kempner Fund for this project,” said Superintendent Hale.  “This fills a huge need for our students.”       

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Houston-Galveston Area Council

The Houston-Galveston Area Council will host a public meeting on the Transportation Conformity Determination, the Draft 2025 Regional Transportation Plan and the Draft 2006-2008 Transportation Improvement Program on Wednesday, March 30 in Conference Room A at the Houston-Galveston Area Council offices at 3555 Timmons Lane in Houston.

"The 2025 RTP provides a framework for identifying transportation priorities and major transportation challenges, such as regional mobility, air quality and safety.," said a news release.  "The conformity analysis was conducted by H-GAC to ensure that projects within the 2025 RTP meet our region's air quality goals. The TIP is a comprehensive listing of transportation projects approved for funding and implementation within a three-year period."

Copies of the Transportation Conformity Determination, the Draft 2025 RTP and the Draft 2006-2008 TIP are available at www.h-gac.com/transportation, or by contacting Shelley Whitworth at shelley.whitworth@h-gac.com or (713) 499-6695. 

Written comments may be submitted to Alan Clark, MPO director, Houston-Galveston Area Council, P.O. Box 22777, Houston, Texas 77227-2777, emailed to alan.clark@h-gac.com or faxed to (713) 993-4508.

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University of Texas Medical Branch

A University of Texas Medical Branch researcher working with colleagues at the University of Oklahoma at Norman and the University of California at Berkeley has documented controlled descent in wingless insects, in an article published today in the medical journal Nature.

Insect ecologist Stephen P. Yanoviak of UTMB said that he encountered gliding ants in a rainforest near Iquitos, Peru, last year while he was climbing about 100 feet up in the forest canopy, collecting mosquitoes for a project related to infectious disease. 

“I brushed the ants off the branch and watched in amazement as they glided back to the trunk in a J-shaped cascade,” Yanoviak said.  “Since then, understanding gliding behavior in ants has occupied most of my free time.” 

Yanoviak discussed his discovery with colleagues Michael E. Kaspari, an ant ecologist at the University of Oklahoma at Norman, and Robert Dudley, a University of California at Berkeley biologist who specializes in flying and gliding animals.

Together they reported the findings, mainly regarding worker ants of the species Cephalotes atratus, in an article entitled “Directed aerial descent in canopy ants,” that was published today in Nature.

“It is the first documented example of directed aerial descent in a living wingless insect, and the first record of intentional backwards aerial gliding in any animal,” Yanoviak said.  "It was also completely unexpected."

The Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at UTMB is looking for volunteers 60 and older to participate in a variety of studies aimed at preventing disability in older Americans. 

'Volunteers not only contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge, they also receive information about their own health, free extensive lab work-up, free screenings for heart disease and some types of cancer, monetary reimbursement for time and travel, study-related meals and a free newsletter and health information," said Sue Minello, R.N., M.S.N., recruitment coordinator.  “It doesn’t matter where people live.  They come from all over Texas and even other states.” 

Research focuses on muscle function, fitness, and health and well-being of older persons. 

For more information, contact Sue Minello at (409) 772-8350 or toll-free at (800) 298-7015, email sue.minello@utmb.edu, or visit the website at http://aging.utmb.edu.

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Black History Month

The Mind of a Prize Fighter - The Life of Jack Johnson, an original play written by local playwright and actor Matthew Stanford and performed by Aesop’s Fables Theatre Troupe, has been scheduled as a Black History Month presentation at Levin Hall at the University of Texas Medical Branch on February 25, 26 and 27.  Photos

"This play, unlike other sagas about the life of the famous island born boxer, is written from the perspective of a BOI and performed by Galveston residents on Galveston Island , Texas," said Marsha Wilson Rappaport.  "This production is part of an ongoing arts project at St. Vincent’s House and is co-sponsored by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the UTMB Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, Melvin Williams, director."     

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Harris County Flood Control District

The Harris County Flood Control District recently finished the site preparations needed to begin construction on the Freshwater Tidal Marsh project, which will focus on widening Brays Bayou at Mason Park. 

"This undertaking is part of Project Brays, an extensive flood damage reduction project designed to benefit thousands of residents and businesses along Brays Bayou," said Mike Talbott, director of the HCFCD.

The 3.5-acre Freshwater Tidal Marsh project is located at Mason Park, two miles north of the IH-610 and IH-45 interchange in southeast Houston. 

"It will serve as a beneficial resource for Magnolia Park, Harrisburg, Idylwood and other southeast Houston communities by creating a wetland that will catch stormwater runoff and improve water quality by removing pollutants entering Brays Bayou," Talbott said.  

The project includes a gently-sloped freshwater marsh that will create a habitat for native plants and wildlife, which Talbott said will also serve as an educational tool for the community.

"The Freshwater Tidal Marsh is an excellent example of how collaboration and partnerships bring about enhanced projects that benefit the surrounding community," Talbott said .  "For instance, we are focusing on the flood damage reduction part of the project, while our partners are contributing the land, an intensive tree planting program and expertise on the development of the wetland by monitoring the water quality and plant life."

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Moody Gardens

Several baby animals have been born recently at Moody Gardens in Galveston.  The new births include several penguins, dozens of new baby Waggler-Viper Snakes, baby Gaboon-Viper snakes, a school of baby Bamboo Sharks, and a baby Sugar Glider, which has been spotted hanging out in his mother's pouch. Article

"It's a great testament to what we do around here to see the health and vitality of so many of our species, and that we continue to see such breeding success" said Greg Whittaker, animal husbandry manager at Moody Gardens.

Moody Gardens officials say the latest penguin hatch is significant because it is being reared completely by its parents, unlike other hand-fed chicks, which were hatched previously.    

"We are extremely pleased with the success of our breeding program, and look forward to the prospect of several more healthy chicks in the coming year" said Diane Olsen, assistant curator of penguins at Moody Gardens.

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On The Webio

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

Michelle B LaCombe has raised questions about the candidacy of Jerry Shults for mayor of League City, in a message on the Forum Page. Message

Onzelo Markum III, campaign manager of the Shults for Mayor Campaign, responded to the questions.  Response

Burn doctors at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston urge parents to step up burn prevention this week to mark National Burn Awareness Week.  That article is on the Community Page.  Photo and Details

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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, February 9
Ash Wednesday
4:00 Galveston Windstorm Action Committee Annual Meeting, Henry Freudenburg Insurance Agency, 6202 Stewart Road
4:00 Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment, City Hall, 823 Rosenberg
4:30 Galveston Ethics Commission, City Hall Room 100
5:00 Galveston College Board of Regents
5:00 West End Land Use Policy Committee, City Hall, Room 204, 823 Rosenberg  

Thursday, February 10
12:00 Galveston City Council Workshop
12:00 Houston Downtown Management District, 909 Fannin Suite 1650.
5:30 Galveston City Council
6:00 Kemah City Council Workshop
7:00 Kemah City Council Regular Session
7:00 Santa Fe City Council
7:00 La Marque Independent School District Board of Trustees
8:00 “Along for the Ride,” Lamar Studio Theatre  

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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 Houston City Correspondent.  Dana Patricia Burke is the Bay Area Houston Correspondent. Chuck Lawrence is Galveston City Correspondent.  Carl Guidry covers events in Jefferson County.  Anita Donatto covers the education beat in Galveston.  

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