2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Friday               March 18, 2005

State of Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry has recommended that State Highway 87 from  High Island to Sea Rim State Park be reopened to provide an evacuation route when a major hurricane threatens.  Perry also calls for the expedition of work to widen FM 365 from US 69 to Spur 63 in Jefferson County, and for elimination of "two critical choke points" on State Highway 146 between FM 1764 and FM 646 in southeast Galveston County.

The recommendations are among 18 contained in the governor’s “Texas Hurricane Preparedness” report, which was released on Wednesday.  Report 

A recommendation that dominated most media reports on Thursday was to give local officials in coastal communities "clear authority to order evacuations in the case of catastrophic hurricanes".   

Perry said that he requested the report from Steve McCraw, director of homeland security, following a series of devastating hurricanes that struck Florida last year.

“This report highlights the great strides Texas has already made in its ability to respond to disasters,” Perry said.  “And it also underscores improvements we can make to minimize the potential loss of life in the event a catastrophic hurricane hits the Texas coast.  One of the most important steps we can take to save lives is to make sure local officials have clear legal authority to order evacuations.”

The report’s recommendations fall in five key areas: planning; command, control and communications; public awareness; exercise and evaluation; and evacuation route infrastructure.

The report recommends that local officials in coastal communities most likely to be affected by hurricanes adopt a regional approach in planning for and responding to hurricanes.

The report highlights the need for additional public awareness campaigns prior to hurricane season. 

The report also notes the need for local officials to develop plans to ensure the evacuation of special needs populations – such as individuals with disabilities, the homeless and the elderly.  

“The greatest challenge we would face in an urban area in the path of a hurricane is removing to safety Texans with special needs,” Perry said.  “This requires careful coordination between the state, local communities and providers of care. The challenge is magnified when you consider the constant fluctuation among populations that are difficult to track, such as the homeless.”

The report lists eight hurricane evacuation route improvements that should be undertaken. In each instance, funding sources for the improvements are identified.

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Port of Galveston

The Port of Galveston reported today that The World, "the only private residential community at sea with a continuous worldwide itinerary," will pay a port-of-call visit to Galveston in January 2006.   

“The Port of Galveston is honored to have been chosen by ResidenSea Ltd. as a port-of-call for this unique cruise concept,” said Port Director Steven M. Cernak.  “In less than four years after the delivery of the ship, ResidenSea selected Galveston to be included in the 2006 itinerary for The World.  Galveston is one of only four ports in the continental U.S. to be part of next year’s schedule. We feel this speaks well of our growth over the past four and a half years and of our recognition in the cruise industry.”  

The World will arrive at the Port of Galveston on Monday, January 16, 2006 for a three-day visit as part of its U.S. itinerary which also includes visits at Key West and New Orleans. Later in February, San Diego is added to the U.S. itineraries.  

According to information provided by ResidenSea, The World visits varied locales across the globe, with a focus on extended stays of an average 2.5 days in port in the most interesting destinations for in-depth exploration.  

The ship is 644.2 feet in length and 97.8 feet in width.  Twelve decks include such amenities as a hair and beauty salon, gift boutiques, and a gourmet market and delicatessen.  

"Four major restaurants are available in addition to a diverse selection of lounges and bars or residents and guests may cook for themselves in apartment kitchens," sad a news release.  "Cultural facilities include a library, exhibitions of fine art and private collections and local crafts."

Health and fitness facilities include swimming pools, tennis court, golf facilities, jogging track and retractable marina for water sports.  Health spa and fitness center amenities are on board.

"The concept of The World was the invention of Knut U. Kloster Jr., whose family has been a pioneering force and major contributor to the development of the modern cruise industry. In 1997, Kloster gathered together a team of experienced professionals in shipping, design, hospitality, finance, sales and marketing to plan for his dream," said the release. 

The 2006 port visits begin in San Juan, Puerto Rico in January 2006 and continue through three U.S. ports before visits to several ports in Mexico and Central America and continuing to Hawaii.  Then the ship proceeds to Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and China through mid-year.  Visits to the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia and South America will complete the cruise.

For information about The World and ResidenSea, visit www.residensea.com.   For information about the Port of Galveston www.portofgalveston.com. 

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Pasadena City Council

Pasadena City Council on Tuesday voted final approval of a $299,695 contract with Huff & Mitchell, Inc. for the Washington Street, Preston to Beltway 8 Asphalt Overlay Project. Listen  Download

"I talked to my residents out there, and they are very happy they are going to get Washington Street paved,"  said Council Member Don Harrison.  "It is going to enhance the community out there, and they are going to get more than just asphalt."

The city council approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Deer Park, to provide sewer service to about six homes in the 1800 and 1900 blocks of Louisiana Street.

"This is an agreement with our good friends over in Deer Park," noted Mayor John Manlove.

Harrison said that the action is overdue.

"There is one lady that was born in this home in 1946 and she lives in the home now and it is only fair to do this for all of the citizens of Pasadena," said Harrison.  Listen  Download

The city council voted to change the name of the portion of NASA Road 1 in the city of Pasadena to East NASA Parkway, to follow the campaign of several other cities to rename the traffic artery.

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

The city council was visited by Steve Coycault, the Texas Silver Haired Legislator for Harris County, who reported on the current session of the Texas Legislature.  Listen  Download

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City of Houston

The City of Houston today announced that an agreement has been reached with the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System on a package of governance changes "expected to bring increased accountability to the system".  The agreement still must be approved by the city council.

"It was imperative for us to make these changes and restore confidence in the system," said Mark Ellis, chair of the City Council Pension Review Committee which led negotiations on the agreement.  "The changes will ensure that the system works now and in the future."

Among the changes is a requirement that five members of the 11-member board be independently appointed, non-beneficiaries of the pension system.  One of those five will be appointed by the mayor, one by the city controller, two by the city council and one appointed by the elected trustees of the pension board.  Those appointees will also be required to have financial, accounting, investment or actuarial expertise.

"This is a big step forward to increase transparency and safeguard the interests of both the taxpayers and our hard-working city employees," said Mayor Bill White who congratulated Ellis and his committee.  "Chairman Ellis and the members of his committee have done a great job in negotiating these important changes."

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Galveston Historical Foundation

Galveston’s historic square-rigger, the restored 1877 Barque Elissa, will begin an annual series of spring Sea Trials, seven day sails and an overnight voyage, on March 20 from the Texas Seaport Museum at Pier 21.

This year’s first outing will include guests from the first annual Gulf Coast Regional Meeting of the American Sail Training Association, a national organization representing hundreds of programs devoted to bringing the sea experience under sail to new generations of Americans.  

"Since the ship's restoration was completed by the Galveston Historical Foundation in 1982, the Elissa has been perhaps the most successful program in the country to do just that," said a news release.  "For the Texas Seaport Museum, sail training, by preserving the skills and lore which make it live and function, is vital to the process of preserving Elissa as a magnificent 19^th century artifact."

Elissa is maintained by a crew of volunteers who come from all over the state to devote more than 22,000 hours of service to the ship each year.  Those volunteers who completed the rigorous sail-training program which began last summer will be serving as crew during the spring Sea Trials.

For more information, contact the Texas Seaport Museum online at www.tsm-elissa.org.  

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Offshore Energy Center

The Offshore Energy Center Guest Speaker Series will feature a presentation by Dr. Bernd Wursig, a Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University at Galveston entitled "Marine Mammals and Acoustic Concerns" on Saturday, April 2, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Ocean Star Drilling Rig and Museum in Galveston.

The speaker’s program is free with a regular paid admission to the museum.  The Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum is located on Pier 19 at 20th Street at Harborside Drive.

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Historic Downtown Strand Partnership

John Breeding, executive director of Uptown Houston, will be the featured speaker at next week's Historic Downtown Strand Partnership Fourth Tuesday Forum at noon on March 22 at Luigi's Ristorante Italiano.

Breeding will speak on "How The Galleria Became The Economic Powerhouse It Is Now".

Reservations are required.  Call (409) 763-7080.

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La Marque Independent School District

A community parade and pep rally is scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 26 to honor the historic performance of the La Marque High School basketball team after competition in regional finals earlier this month.  There also will be a pep rally in the new gymnasium.

A banquet to honor the team will be at 6:30 p.m. March 31 at the Wayne Johnson Community Center, 4102 FM 519 in Carbide Park.   The La Marque High School Basketball Booster Club is hosting the events.  Call Margaret Simon, booster club president, at (409) 938-4261 for more information.

Three La Marque High School students, Rebecca Rollins, Ebony Caddell and Donald Lacy, were among 75 students in the Houston/Galveston area who attended Rotary International's Camp Enterprise, a workshop designed to educate students on business theories and practice in Beaumont on March 4. 

"This opportunity allows students to interact with the community, business and educational leaders from the Southest Texas region," said a news release.  "It is supervised by Rotarians and teaches basic business skills and, through the use of very specific activities, provides students with hands-on experiences that will help them understand business models."

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Texas Lutheran University

The Texas Lutheran University’s annual Texas Gulf Coast spring choir tour will present a “Sing My Soul” concert in Galveston on Saturday evening, April 9, at 7.30 p.m., at First Lutheran Church at 2415 Winnie. 

"This award-winning 60-member choir will also be performing in community outreach activities in Houston including The Hospice at Texas Medical Center and the Texas Children’s Hospital," said Dr. Douglas Boyer, TLU choir director and assistant professor of music.   “This annual tour allows our choir to have the marvelous opportunity to be ambassadors for our university – i.e. to bring a sense of joy through music.” 

This concert is free and open to the public.  For more information call (409) 762-8477.

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Grand Kids Festival

The Grand Kids Festival hosted by The Grand 1894 Opera House will celebrate its tenth anniversary on Postoffice Street between 20th and 23rd streets on Saturday April 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"Created a decade ago as an extension to The Grand's children's programming and designed to raise an appreciation and awareness of the importance of fine arts for children, the festival is supported in part by The Jamail Foundation, Time Warner Cable, KUHF 88.7 FM Radio, the Houston Chonicle, Pepsi and Texas Commission on the Arts," said Kathy Van Dewalli.  "Featuring three outdoor performance stages, and showcasing over 50 unique booths offering hands-on activities for children and children-oriented arts and crafts, The Grand Kids Festival has become a favorite springtime activity for families throughout the Houston/Galveston and Gulf Coast area.  Food booths will offer fun - but good food - with only non-alcoholic beverages sold."

Last year over 5,000 attended this delightful daylong family event.

A highlight of the festival each year is the production staged by Missoula Children's Theatre from Missoula, Montana.  This year's featured production is The Jungle Book. 

Each year MCT holds auditions the Monday prior to the festival and casts 50 to 60 area youth in the production.  

"The cast rehearses all week and then presents this wonderful musical adaptation of a classic tale on stage at The Grand during the festival," Van Dewalli said. 

Special performance times are Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. On Friday, April 1, an evening performance will be held at 7 p.m .

Saturday festival admission is $3 for adults; $2 for children; free for children 4 years and younger.  Tickets for the special performance Friday evening performance of The Jungle Book are $5, which includes complimentary admission to the festival on Saturday. Half-price advance festival tickets (family four-pack for $5) are available at The Grand's box office. 

For more information call The Grand's box office at (409) 765-1894 or (800) 821-1894. All proceeds from this festival benefit children's programs at The Grand 1894 Opera House.

Full-price tickets may be purchased at the gate or online at www.thegrand.com.  

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Galveston FeatherFest

Ornithologist Mark W. Lockwood will be the keynote speaker at the Third Annual Galveston FeatherFest Banquet to be held Saturday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. at Fisherman’s Wharf at Pier 22.  FeatherFest is a project of the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council.

Lockwood’s keynote address is titled “The Ever Changing Birds of Texas” in reference to his current publication, co-authored with Brush Freeman, Texas Ornithological Society Handbook of Texas Birds. 

Tickets for the banquet are $50 per person.  Deadline for reservations is March 25.   Make checks payable to FeatherFest ’05 and mail to GINTC, P.O. Box 1468, Galveston, Texas 77553. 

For reservations or information call (409) 392-0841 or visit www.galvestonfeatherfest.com.

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On The Webio

Several items of interest to the Texas Gulf Coast are posted on The Online News Station.

The League of Women Voters of the Galveston Area has asked Guidry News Service to correct a notice in the league's publication VOTER.  A "Go-See Trip" to visit the proposed LNG Terminal Pelican Island site will occur on Monday, April 18, not in March.  Message

Ashton Villa, Galveston Historical Foundation’s most popular house museum and wedding venue, opened a new exhibit today, highlighting weddings that took place when the home was an opulent center of Galveston society.  Photo and Details

Main Street Youth Theater in Houston's Rice Village will feature Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from the books by Lewis Carroll.  Photo and Release

Daniel E. Hall, MD, MDiv, and Farr Curlin, MD, will be the speakers for the March 30 Spirituality in Healthcare Dialogue 5:30 p.m.- 7 p.m. at Levin Hall on the University of Texas Medical Branch campus in Galveston.  Photos 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, March 18 
8:00 Daddy's Dying, Who's Got the Will, Strand Theatre, Galveston
8:00 Don't Drink The Water, Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road, Nassau Bay  
8:00 Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure, Bay Area Harbour Playhouse located at 3803 Highway 3 in Dickinson

Saturday, March 19
9:00 West Galveston Island Property Owners Association, Galveston Country Club
7:00 Galveston County Lincoln Day Dinner Featuring Colonel Oliver North, Galveston Island Convention Center at the San Luis Resort
8:00 Miss Saigon, The Grand 1894 Opera House, Galveston
8:00 Daddy's Dying, Who's Got the Will, Strand Theatre, Galveston
8:00 Don't Drink The Water, Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road, Nassau Bay  
8:00 Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure, Bay Area Harbour Playhouse located at 3803 Highway 3 in Dickinson
8:00 Morning Star, Main Street Theater in Rice Village, 2540 Times Boulevard in Houston

Sunday, March 20
2:30 Daddy's Dying, Who's Got the Will, Strand Theatre, Galveston
2:30 Don't Drink The Water, Clear Creek Country Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Road, Nassau Bay 
2:30 Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure, Bay Area Harbour Playhouse located at 3803 Highway 3 in Dickinson
3:00 Miss Saigon, The Grand 1894 Opera House, Galveston
3:00 Morning Star, Main Street Theater in Rice Village, 2540 Times Boulevard in Houston

Monday, March 21
9:00 Galveston County Commissioners Court, Holbrook Building
10:30 Jefferson County Commissioners Court Workshop on Ford Park Budget
12:00 Galveston Parks and Recreation Board, City Hall Room 100
1:30 Jefferson County Commissioners Court
4:00 Galveston Landmark Commission
5:00 Friendswood City Council Workshop
5:30 University Area Association Roundtable, William Temple Center, 427 Market, Galveston.  Historic Downtown Strand Partnership President Ted Deyo will speak on "The Future of Downtown"
6:00 Jamaica Beach City Council
6:30 Hitchcock City Commission
7:00 Friendswood City Council
7:30 El Lago 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.