2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Tuesday               March 1, 2005

Beaumont City Council

Beaumont City Council today unanimously approved the 2005 HUD Consolidated Grant Program Budget.  Listen  Download

The $2,976,495 budget, as presented by City Manager Kyle Hayes, includes $2,016,696 in Community Development Block Grant funds and $809,799 in HOME funds.

Hayes explained that the budget closely tracks the 2004 budget, except that it is lower in places because of reduced allocations.  He said that he increased funding for clearance and demolition of unsafe buildings by $15,000, which led council members Nancy Beaulieu and Bobbie Patterson to suggest that the money would be better spent on housing rehabilitation.

Hayes explained that the city can demolish 15 houses for $15,000 but only repair one home for that amount.

Council Member Audwin Samuel, who said that most of the money would be spent in his ward, argued in support of clearance and demolition and the budget was approved unanimously.

The city council reappointed June Brailsford to the Convention and Tourism Advisory Committee.

The city council reappointed Barbara White to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

The city council appointed Gloria Harrison to the Library Commission.

The city council appointed Lee Smith to the Keep Beaumont Beautiful Commission.

The city council appointed Shederick Evans to the Community Development Advisory Committee.

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

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Port Arthur City Council

Port Arthur City Council today voted unanimously to approve a contract with the Beaumont Community Housing Development Organization to facilitate the construction of ten new homes for low to moderate income persons and families on the west side.  The contract provides $357,750 for land acquisition, site clearance and site development subsidy, and $200,000 for down payment and closing costs assistance.  Listen  Download

Mayor Oscar Ortiz asked BCHDO President Antoinette Hardy for assurance that the 1,200 square foot to 1,400 square foot houses would be of "standard quality."

Hardy said the homes would all have two-car garages and two full baths.

"We need to give them the best of whatever we can give them," Ortiz said.

Council Member Felix Barker suggested that potential homebuyers be screened for criminal backgrounds, calling attention to reports of convicted former sexual abusers who live in residential neighborhoods.

The city council voted 8-1, with Tom Henderson opposed, to award a three-year contract to Sandra Enterprise, Inc. of Port Arthur for landscape maintenance at the Spur 93 EDC Business Park.   Listen  Download

The contract awarded to Sandra Enterprise was bid at $100,000, with $40,000 specified as the first-year cost.  Henderson preferred a second bid from Amelia Lawn Care, with a lower first year cost.

Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce President Verna Rutherford appeared before the city council with an offer to host a educational seminar on economic development, "to help the community to become more aware of policies and guidelines, and structural options for the economic development corporation."  

In an interview with Guidry News Service, Rutherford said she sees an opportunity for change in the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation.  Listen  Download

"We certainly do," Rutherford said.  "We want it to be a more seamless process, for the businesses that are already here that seek support funding, and as we recruit more businesses to come to the area."

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La Marque City Council

The La Marque City Council  on Monday appointed Herman Harper and Leetrecia Peace to the Zoning Committee.

The city council approved a workshop with the Fire Department to discuss capital additions and repairs. The workshop will be held after the city council meeting on Monday, March 14.

The city council approved Resolution 1005, supporting the Texas Association of Community Colleges.

The council tabled action on a proposed amendment to the city's agreement with the La Marque Fire Fighters Association.

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

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Hitchcock City Commission

Hitchcock City Commission on Monday presented a plaque to Larry Lopez for 15 years of service to the city. They also presented a plaque in honor of William A. Harris who recently stepped down as commissioner. He was not present.

The city commission discussed an ordinance approving an agreement with Flamingo Isles Municipal Utility District of Galveston County regarding the development, financing and maintenance of improvements within the district and authorizing the mayor to execute said agreement, including approval of boundaries and operations of the district.  There was no action taken.

The city commission conducted an annual review of the city's Racial Profiling Policy and approved it with no change.

The city commission discussed the Gulf Coast Water Authority Expansion Feasibility Study for the Mainland Project 2011. The city's portion of the $600,000 study would be approximately $64,000. The Mainland Project 2011 is in anticipation of growing water needs of municipalities in Galveston County. No action was taken.

All other agenda items were approved.  All votes were unanimous.  Commissioner Sharon Enge was absent.  

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Shoreacres City Council

The Shoreacres Civic Association on Monday presented plans to Shoreacres City Council for a City Hall garden, including design and construction of a gazebo and addition of sidewalks and landscaping.  The city council asked for more information on the plans for the gazebo and gave a green light to the landscaping plans.

The city council approved April 2 and April 30 as dates for the Clean-Up Green-Up program.  Residents may bring limbs and brush from their property to be chipped into mulch. They may then take the mulch home.

Mayor Nancy Edmondson reported the city's bid for funding for an erosion project has been boosted by an updated funding ranking from the Texas General Land Office.

The city council voted to appoint Brenda Koppen as municipal court clerk and Robin Eldridge and David Stall as deputy municipal court clerks. 

Betsy Erbsky, volunteer animal control officer from the City of Taylor Lake Village, gave a presentation to the council on the costs and requirements of the volunteer animal control department of Taylor Lake Village.

All other agenda items were approved with unanimous votes.

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Port Arthur Citizens for Economic Growth

Citizens for Economic Growth, organizers of a petition drive to call an election to allow the sale of mixed beverages in the Stonegate subdivision, one of the few "dry" areas that still exist in Port Arthur, have called off their campaign. 

Verna Rutherford, president of the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, said the group will not be able to obtain the required number of signatures by the deadline on Friday.   Listen  Download

Rutherford said the citizens who were approached were in favor of the issue, recognizing that mixed drink sales are necessary to attract new businesses such as restaurants and hotels into the area.

The group will consider other options, such as asking the legislature to reduce the percentage of signatures required for such an election, and will review the voter registration rolls.  

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Port of Houston Authority

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University of Texas Medical Branch

University of Texas Medical Branch alumnus has established a Will Dean Bivens Singleton Professorship in Pediatric Nursing, dedicated in memory of Dr. Edward Singleton's mother.

“I thought it would be nice to honor her in some way,” said Singleton, who graduated from the university’s School of Medicine in 1946.

Singleton said he appreciates tributes given to his father, Dr. Albert O. Singleton, such as a plaque in front of the Keiller Building dedicated in memory of the longtime professor and chairman of UTMB's Surgery Department. He added recognition had never been publicly bestowed on his mother, another important figure in his life.

Colleagues and trainees of Singleton's father founded the Singleton Surgical Society in 1953, six years after his death. Singleton Surgical Awards are presented annually to outstanding residents, faculty and first-year interns in the field.

Singleton's mother graduated from the UTMB School of Nursing in 1912.

“I’m truly grateful to Dr. Singleton for generously endowing a professorship in his mother’s name at the School of Nursing,” said Dr. Pamela G. Watson, the Rebecca Sealy Distinguished Centennial Chair.  “I’m equally gratified to know that this endowment links the school’s present to the early years of its rich past.”

UTMB’s School of Nursing, established in 1890, was the first nursing school in Texas and among the first to be affiliated with a university when it became part of the Medical Department in 1896. Since its founding, the School of Nursing has graduated more than 7,000 students.

Singleton is chief emeritus of radiology at Texas Children’s Hospital and professor emeritus of radiology at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also a clinical professor of diagnostic radiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, an adjunct professor of diagnostic radiology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and a radiology consultant for Lackland Air Force Base and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He was chief of radiology at Texas Children’s Hospital and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital for more than four decades.

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Houston Airport System 

The Houston Airport System and Sprint have announced the availability of Sprint PCS Wi-Fi Access^SM at William P. Hobby Airport.

Hobby travelers can use the new high-speed wireless service, at speeds up to 100 times faster than standard dialup, throughout the airport, including gate areas, restaurants, ticketing and baggage claim.

"With the growing availability of Sprint connectivity options, business travel does not need to involve communications downtime," explained Wes Dittmer, Sprint General Manager of WLAN Services.  "Wait time before or between flights is no longer wasted time in terms of lost productivity or missed opportunity.  Our customers have the choice of using Sprint PCS VisionSM data services to be connected while mobile via the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network or Sprint PCS Wi-Fi Access when they are in key public venues for any length of time and need higher data speeds."

"Wi-Fi service will make things better for people who come here, and just makes our facility more attractive," said Meg Lonero, manager of Hobby Airport, which serves more than eight million passengers annually.

Customers will need a Wi-Fi card or mobile device embedded with Wi-Fi technology in order to take advantage of the service. Users are greeted by the Houston Hobby portal page that provides a host of free information, including real-time flight information.

Sprint PCS Wi-Fi Access has two available billing options: Pay-As-You-Go access is $9.95 per connection per location for 24 hours of unlimited access; and a new Month-to-Month plan which offers unlimited access for $49.95 per month. For complete information including a list of Wi-Fi ZONES^TM compatible with Sprint service, visit www.sprint.com/wifi. 

The Houston Airport System will host a public information workshop concerning various alternatives for future growth at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday, March 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway in Humble.  

HAS personnel will present six airfield configuration alternatives and three terminal alternatives depicting a broad range of options developed by the master plan consultant team.  Various informational exhibits will be displayed.  HAS personnel and consultants will be available to answer questions and listen to public input.  

"Bush Intercontinental Airport has to adjust to growing aviation industry demands to remain competitive in the global marketplace," said Richard Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System.  "However, the need for added runway capacity or new terminal areas must be balanced with the desires of our neighbors.  I encourage all interested parties to attend and be a part of the process."

A news release from HAS notes that George Bush Intercontinental Airport is responsible for over 118,000 jobs, $19.4 billion in sales and $5.6 billion in personal income.

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Galveston Veteran's Administration Clinic

The Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. celebrating the opening of its new Community Based Outpatient Clinic at the Galveston Community Based VA Outpatient Clinic, 6115 Avenue L at the corner of 61st Street.

The Galveston CBOC will officially open on Monday, March 7 and will provide primary care and mental health services for veterans in the area. It is expected to see about 4,000 patients the first year of operation. 

The MEDVAMC is contacting veterans currently enrolled at the medical center in Houston and living in the Galveston area, to determine if they wish to receive primary health care services at the new Galveston CBOC.  Veterans may choose to stay with their current MEDVAMC health care provider or have the VA transfer their primary health care to the new Galveston CBOC.  Veterans requiring specialized care will continue to receive this type of medical attention at the medical center in Houston.

In addition, another new CBOC, to be located at 9300 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway in the Mainland Mall Shopping Center in Texas City, is scheduled to open on Monday, April 4, 2005.

Veterans who wish to enroll in either the Galveston CBOC or the Texas City CBOC may call toll free 1-800-310-5001.

For more information, contact Bobbi D. Gruner, Public Affairs Officer, (713) 794-7349.

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Galveston Independent School District

Galveston Independent School District Elementary students are participating in a program to sell certificates to several local restaurants to raise funds for their school campuses and the GISD Education Foundation.  The students will sell $10 cards for buy-one-get-one-free deals from Thursday, March 17 to Wednesday, March 30. 

Five dollars from each card sold during the two-week period will be split between the foundation and the campus of the student selling the card. 

A portion of the funds received will be used by the foundation to underwrite "innovative teacher grants" and operational expenses.  The remaining funds will be used at the discretion of the school's principal.

The campaign is coordinated by Major Saver, a Missouri-based company founded by educators to raise funds for enhanced educational programs not funded by taxes.  

For more information contact Julie Schmid at (409) 766-5157 or email foundation@gisd.org.  

GISD will host a sale of used furniture on Friday, March 4 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, March 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the campus of L.A. Morgan Elementary School, 1410 37th Street.

Furniture will be sold on a cash only, first-come, first-sold basis. All furniture purchased must be picked up by the the close of the sale on Saturday.

The following items are available: student desks for 75 cents each; student chairs, 25 cents each; teacher desks, five dollars each; teacher chairs, one dollar each and filing cabinets, five dollars each.

GISD has reallocated existing financial resources in order to replace furniture at L.A. Morgan, Rosenberg and San Jacinto Schools.

For information on the furniture sale, call (409) 763-1333.

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Grand 1894 Opera House

Montana Repertory Theatre will present Steel Magnolias on Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. at the Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Post Office Street in Galveston.

The production is a Heartland Arts Fund Program with the National Endowment for the Arts.  The Montana Repertory Theatre has presented many American classics to hundreds of communities in the United States since it was established as a professional touring company in 1967.

"Years ago, I stage-managed the national tour of Steel Magnolias, and saw first-hand the power of this remarkable play," said Greg Johnson, MRT artistic director. “Every night there was laughter that shook the walls and poignant silences that stilled my heart." 

Ticket prices range from $77 to $18.50, with special discounts for group and senior citizen tickets.  All major credit cards are accepted.

For information call (409) 765-1894, (800) 821-1894, or visit www.thegrand.com.

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Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority is providing METRORail and METRO Rodeo Express shuttle service to and from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from now through March 20.

Rodeo Express shuttles offer direct service to Reliant Park from eight locations: Aramco Services Co. Parking Lot, 9009 West Loop 610 South; Delmar Stadium, 2020 Mangum (near U.S. 290 and West Loop 610 North); Monroe Park & Ride, 8833½  Gulf Freeway (I-45 at Easthaven Boulevard); North Shepherd Park & Ride, 7821 N. Shepherd (at Veterans-Memorial Drive and I-45 North); Reed Road Lot, 2600 Reed Road (west of Texas 288); Smith Lands Parking Lot, 2103 S. Braeswood (near Old Spanish Trail and Greenbriar); West Loop Park & Ride, 4675 S. Braeswood at West Loop 610; and Westwood Park & Ride, 9990 Southwest Freeway (south of Bissonnet).

METRO Rodeo Express shuttles also will be available at the Maxey Road Park & Ride, 515 Maxey Road at Woodforest on Fridays and Saturdays only during the same hours of operation.

Patrons of the Maxey Road site will be transported to the Fannin South Park & Ride lot where they will board METRORail to Reliant Park. Rodeo-bound patrons using the Maxey Road site will not be required to purchase separate METRORail tickets; the round-trip Rodeo Express tickets purchased at Maxey Road will be accepted as proof of purchase on METRORail.

Round-trip fare for the Rodeo Express shuttles is $3 for adults and children 13 and older and free for children 12 and younger.

Shuttle service for the main events of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo March 1 through 20 will be available Mondays through Fridays from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. from the Reed Road Lot and 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. from all other lots, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. from the Reed Road Lot and from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. from all other lots.

The last inbound buses to Reliant Park will depart shuttle sites at 9 p.m.

Event-goers also can ride METRORail to the Reliant Park Station from any of the 15 other Rail Stations, including the Fannin South Park & Ride, 1604 West Bellfort, between Fannin and Knight streets.

METRORail hours of operation are 4:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. Thursday, 4:30 a.m. to 2:15 a.m. Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 2:15 a.m. Saturday, and 5:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. Sunday. The cost to ride METRORail is one dollar each way, or two dollars for an all-day pass.

The special event parking fee at the Fannin South Park & Ride lot is $6 per vehicle after 3 p.m. weekdays and all day Saturdays and Sundays. For customers’ convenience, Fannin South parking attendants also will be selling METRORail tickets at the lot entrance.

All Rodeo attendees and their belongings are subject to search before entering events at Reliant Park.

For more information on METRO services to Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo events, call METROLine at 713-635-4000 or visit our Web site at www.ridemetro.org.

METRO’s Property Services Division will conduct two separate online auctions in March using the E-Surplus Auction website www.esurplusauction.com. 

Through March 9, surplus inventory items from METRO’s  former headquarters, 1201 Louisiana, will be available on the site.  Beginning March 22, surplus inventory and vehicles, including buses, support vehicles, computer equipment, office furnishings and other miscellaneous equipment will be featured.

Registration for both auctions is free and buyers may place their bids on e-Surplus Auctions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  For METRO’s surplus auction list visit http://esurplusauction.com/IANAuction/tx/ridemetro.

Bid prices may start as low as $750 for support vehicles; $500 for buses; $100 for lots of CPUs and lots of monitors; $75 for printers; $40 for CPU/monitor combos; and $10 for office furnishings; and $1 for miscellaneous items.

For additional information call (713) 615-6176.

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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, March 1
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 Texas Association of School Boards Candidate Workshop, Harris County Department of Education, 6300 Irving, Houston
7:30 Pasadena City Council

Wednesday, March 2
9:00 Houston City Council
4:00 Galveston West End Land Use Policy Committee, City Hall Room 204
4:00 Galveston Arts and Historic Preservation Advisory Board, City Council Chambers
4:30 Texas City City Commission Workshop
5:00 Texas City City Commission 
6:00 Galveston Independent School District Board of Trustees Special Meeting, Lovenberg Administration Building Library
7:30 Taylor Lake Village City Council

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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.  

Patty Mayeux is editor of Gulf Coast E-news.

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.