2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Wednesday               March 3, 2005

Texas City City Commission

The Texas City City Commission on Wednesday approved a resolution petitioning the United States Congress and the Bush Administration "to recognize the outstanding work being done locally and nationally by the Community Development Block Grant program," and strongly opposing any proposal to eliminate the CDBG program.

The city commission approved a request by Ken Higginbotham to rezone property in the 3400 block of First Avenue South from Single Family Residential, Duplex to Site Plan, General Business, to facilitate construction of additional parking for his concrete supply business.

The city commission approved a request by Marathon Ashland to rezone property on 10th Street South and 6th Avenue North, and 11th Street South and 6th Avenue South from Single Family Residential, Duplex to Office Professional, to construct an administrative office building.

The city commission approved a request by Karem Mohammed to rezone property on Highway 146 and Avenue R from Open Space to General Business to construct a convenience store with fule pumps and a retail center.

All other agenda items were approved.

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Pasadena City Council

Pasadena City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to amend the medical benefit plan for city employees to increase the lifetime maximum benefits from $1 million to $2 million.

The city council unanimously voted final approval to an ordinance appropriating $6,500 to reprogram 26 traffic signals for emergency preemption by fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

The city council voted 7-1, with Jack Douglass opposed, to authorize payment of $64,971 for property at 616 Scott Street for the extension of Strawberry Road from Harris to Jackson.

"I will continue to voice my opposition to this road because it is a waste of the taxpayers' money," Douglass said.  "We can use that money in a lot of other places in a whole lot better way." Listen  Download

The city council voted unanimously to appoint Stephen Palmer to the Plumbing Board.

All other agenda items were approved with unanimous votes.

Police officer John Noel informed the city council that the Pasadena Police Association and the Pasadena Patrolmen's Union have merged into a new labor union called the Pasadena Public Safety Association. Listen  Download  

"We are affiliated with the AFL-CIO, the International Union of Police Associations and the Texas Municipal Police Associations," Noel said.  "We are the principal voice and advocate for the law enforcement employees of our city."

Noel and Bobby Keen are co-presidents of the new PPSA.

Mayor John Manlove complimented the officers on combining their associations. Listen  Download 

"Congratulations on your merger, it sounds like a success," Manlove said.

Council Member Bill Welch also complimented the officers for the merger, and expressed concern about a possible moratorium on use of stun guns by police officers.  Listen  Download 

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Taylor Lake Village City Council

Taylor Lake Village Wednesday night voted to schedule a "show cause hearing" for March 16 on alleged substandard and hazardous conditions at a boat dock on Academy Lane.

Only four members of the city council were present at the meeting so all other agenda items were tabled until the March 16 meeting.

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Port Arthur City Council

Port Arthur City Council on Tuesday appointed Brenda Deblanc to the Library Board; and reappointed Fernando Ramirez and Patti Salter to the board.

The city council appointed Rose Moon to Friends of the Port Arthur Public Library.

The city council voted to defer action on the appointment of directors and advisory directors to the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation.

The city council voted to sell property at 401 Procter Street to Frank Andrews for $2,155, with the stipulation that he remove or demolish a house on the property within 60 days.

With the exception of the award of a landscaping contract for the EDC Business Park, that was approved 8-1, with Thomas Henderson opposed, all other agenda items were approved with unanimous votes.  The report on the landscaping contract was reported in Tuesday's Gulf Coast E-news. Story

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Galveston Independent School District

The Galveston Independent School District will continue its monthly tours with a visit to Rosenberg Elementary and Ball High School on Friday, March 18.  The tour begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast with GISD Superintendent Lynn Hale.  Tour participants will then take a school bus to visit the campuses. 

The February tour included 27 participants.  Future tours are scheduled on April 22 (San Jacinto Elementary and Ball High Schools ) and May 20 (Central and Ball High Schools ). 

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Clear Creek Independent School District

Clear Creek Independent School District will host a teacher job fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 2 at the Clear Creek Ninth Grade Center , 2451 East Main Street in League City.

All applicants must either be certified teachers, graduating teachers in May or Summer 2005, or individuals enrolled in an alternative teacher certification program.  Applications must be on file at the Human Resource Department by March 25. Online applications are available at www.CCISD.net. 

Teacher candidates are asked to bring several copies of resumes, a teaching certificate or college letter of anticipated completion.

For more information call the Human Resource Department at (281) 338-5948 OR (281) 338-5873.

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University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch will sponsor the 11th Annual Galveston County Health Fair on Saturday, March 5, in the parking lot of Academy Sports and Outdoors, 45th and Seawall Boulevard in Galveston.  Students from all four schools at UTMB organize the health fair each year "to benefit the entire Galveston County community".

"Children and adults are invited to take advantage of free health screenings and visit more than 40 informational booths," said a news release.

All participants will be eligible to win a door prize.

Entertainment will include Boys & Girls Club Praise Dancers, YMCA dancers and cheerleaders, Ishmael Robles Martial Arts and the UTMB a cappella singing group Syncope. 

"McGruff the Crime Dog, Hooty the Owl, Dr. Dolphin and the Tooth Fairy will be there to entertain the kids, and free immunizations will be available to children 18 years of age and younger," said the release.  "Parents must bring their child’s shot record."

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Lone Star Flight Museum

The Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston will host the Ron Carter Spirit of Flight Airshow April 23 and 24. 

"Known as one of the most intimate aviation events in the U.S., the Spirit of Flight Airshow allows guests to capture the thrill of aviation through one of the premier collections of warbirds and current military hardware," said a news release.  "Get an up close and personal view of the action and feel excitement.  Distinguished WWII veterans will attend, adding a unique historical significance to the show."

The United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team will display the flight characteristics of the most powerful close air support weapon in the world. 

"The A-10 has an excellent combat record and is presently deployed in front-line service," said the news release.  

The A-10 performance will culminate with a USAF Heritage Flight with the LSFM’s P-47 Thunderbolt.  

"The Heritage Flight is a series of close formation passes with USAF air superiority fighters of different generations and has thrilled spectators at airshows across the country," the release added.  

Other scheduled military performers include an F-16 fly-by from the 111^th Fighter Squadron of the Texas Air National Guard and an Army AH-64 Apache demonstration.  Notable aerobatic performers Jan Collmer in an Extra 300, Paul Fiala in a Great Lakes biplane and world champion Debby Rihn-Harvey will perform each day. 

Special guests at the Airshow will be Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay, David Lee “Tex” Hill of the Flying Tigers, Richard Cole, copilot of Jimmy Doolittle’s B-25 on the infamous raid on Japan and noted WASP Florene Watson Miller.  

"All of these heroes will be available for autographs and book signings," said the release.  "These appearances are sponsored by Escapes!, a national vacation ownership company opening a $16 million beachfront resort in Galveston this summer." 

Lone Star Flight Museum aircraft scheduled to perform include the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell, F4U Corsair, P-47 Thunderbolt, F6F Hellcat, Supermarine MkXVI Spitfire, SBD Dauntless, AD-1 Skyraider and T-6 Texan.

For more information, call (409) 740-7722 or toll free at 888-FLIGHT8 and visit on the web at www.lsfm.org.

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Timber Creek Golf Club

Officials with Timber Creek Golf Club at 4554 FM 2351 in Friendswood today announced that construction is nearly 50 percent complete on a new 4,000-square-foot wing that will serve as a business center for customers, as well as a satellite office to a Houston-based business. The expansion is slated for completion by April 1.  

The expansion includes two sections, including a 500 square foot private conference room equipped with wireless Internet connections, LCD projector screen and flip charts.   

“By expanding our course to include a business conference center, we hope to increase our customer base by drawing from neighboring regions and the state as a whole,” said Mike Griswold, general manager of Timber Creek Golf Club.    

The other portion of the expansion includes 3,500 square feet of office space.  Coastal Bend Properties, a Houston-based land development company, will use the space as a local satellite office.        

“Timber Creek Golf Club is one of the gems of Friendswood,” said Karen Capps, economic development coordinator for the city of Friendswood .  “Their expansion will pump more sales tax revenue into the local economy, which helps us continue providing quality services and amenities to Friendswood residents.”   

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Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority

The Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority recently honored two employees for their work during the Month of January. 

Dennis Hatter was named METRO’s Top Operator of the Month and Anthony Boring was named METRO’s Top Tech of the Month. 

Hatter drives the 212 Seton Lake and Fallbrook employee shuttle out of the Fallbrook Bus Operating Facility. His award was based on passenger nominations and other criteria. 

Boring is a journeyman technician at METRO’s Field Service Center.  Top Techs are selected by demonstrating their general knowledge of METRO, specific knowledge of safety procedures and job skills.

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Casting Call - The Bracelet of Bordeaux

Papillon Productions has announced a casting call for its upcoming feature film, The Bracelet of Bordeaux, "a wholesome kids' movie (G or PG) to be directed by veteran screenwriter/filmmaker Casey Kelly". 

Filming will begin in May, and “extras” scenes will primarily be filmed in June and early July.  More than 200 girls and boys will be cast, from Grades 1 through 12, "though there will be a particularly large number of girls cast from ages 6 to 13". 

In addition to casting extras, there will be auditions for principal child roles and numerous featured roles.

Auditions will be held at the Montgomery College Campus in The Woodlands, 3200 College Park Drive.  Audition slots will be made on a "first come, first served" basis by contacting Papillon Productions at bofb@houston.rr.com.

"The film will feature a professional crew and professional adult actors," said producer Frank Eakin.  "Child principals will include professionals and talented non-professionals selected by the director and casting team."

For full details on dates and times, and to view the trailer, see visit www.TheBraceletOfBordeaux.com.

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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 3 
5:30 Houston Airport System Public Information Workshop, Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkwa
7:00 Kemah Community Development Corporation 
7:00 Bay Area Writers League, Barnes and Noble, Bay Area Boulevard at I-45.  Author Cindy Price will speak on "POD People: What you need to know when working with a Print on Demand publisher." 
8:00 Nunsense, The east-end theatre company, etc., Galveston 
8:00 Same Time, Next Year, Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway 3, Dickinson

Friday, March 4 
11:30 Clear Creek Republican Women, Estebans Restaurant in the Fiesta Shack on Main Street in League City.  Precinct 7 Constable Pam Matranga will speak
1:30 Galveston Park Board of Trustees Special Meeting
8:00 Nunsense, The east-end theatre company, etc., Galveston
8:00 Don't Drink The Water, Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road, Nassau Bay 
8:00 Same Time, Next Year, Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway 3, Dickinson

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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.