The Guidry News
© 1996, Guidry News
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The Guidry News
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© 1996, Guidry News
Service
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Harris County Commissioners Court The Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted 4-1, with El Franco Lee opposed, to approve a resolution supporting any and all legislative efforts in the 79th Texas Legislature to cap the growth of residential property tax appraisals at five percent per year. PhotosLee said he very much agrees with citizens who don’t want to tax themselves out of existence on ad valorem taxes, but that the many demands of a citizenry that has grown from 1.5 million to 3.5 million require a dependable revenue source. Listen Download"Having to respond to the hospital district and having to respond to the general fund and flood issues, it would not be for me in good conscience to say, ‘Yes, we can increase your flood control protection and we can also decrease your taxes,’" Lee said. The commissioners court voted 5-0 to reject the bids received and to revise and re-advertise a slip-lining project at 20512 Atascocita Shores Drive in Precinct 4. The commissioners court also unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Houston for implementation of an online real-time surveillance program for collection and dissemination of data from local area hospitals for public health surveillance purposes. At the request of Steve Radack, the commissioners court agreed to hold for study a request for approval of changes to lists of authorized regular deputy constables and reserve officers. All other items were unanimously approved, including 17 deferred mortgage down payment assistance loans for low-income homebuyers in Precincts 1, 3 and 4 in the total amount of $350,800. Real Estate agent David Nargang told the commissioners court that the recent reduction in down payment assistance amounts from $14,500 to $9,500 will dramatically increase the purchase costs for many first-time buyers who have already contracted their purchases, and that it also will mean that some can no longer afford to buy homes. Listen Download"Many of the potential home-buyers who applied for this program went in with the hope of buying a home at an affordable price," Nargang said. "They have spent time, money, personal hopes and dreams on this program. All of them put money down with builders to start the process of building their homes." Harris County Community and Economic Development Director David B. Turkel told the commissioners court the problem is the lack of such assistance from the City of Houston. "With the City of Houston's down payment assistance programs having been suspended (by HUD) about 90 days ago, we’ve had a 400 per cent increase in applications," Turkel said. "Our budget for down payment assistance is static and has to last us until the end of HUD’s fiscal year, which is the end of August. Accordingly, the only way we can stretch those funds is to reduce the assistance." "We’ve talked to the City of Houston and offered on a temporary basis to administer their home grant program until their suspension is lifted. We have not heard back from them," Turkel said. With the help of Channel 2 Television Weatherdog Radar, County Judge Robert Eckels proclaimed April 12 as Tag Day in recognition of Public Health and Environmental Services/Animal Control Division online dog and cat licensing service. Other approved resolutions documented April 10-16 as National Crime Victims’ Week, April 14 as Children’s Legal Services of Houston Youth Services Day and April 12 as Sue Brietzke, Ebb Owen, Loren D. Peerson, Glenn Bray and Robert Gault Day on the occasion of their retirements from the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. Beaumont City Council voted unanimously today to approve a $17,925,000 bond refunding issue. Listen Download Photos "Proceeds will be used to refund a portion of the 2000 Waterwork and Sewer System Revenue Refunding Bonds and to pay the cost of issuance," said City Manager Kyle Hayes. "We are in a very, very attractive interest rate environment," said Frank Ildebrando, managing director of RBC Dain Rauscher. "The savings over a period of 15 years that the bonds are outstanding is $863,994." The city council voted unanimous approval of the five year Consolidated Plan for Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds. Council members Becky Ames and Bobbie Patterson said they were disappointed in the allocations for the Lamar University Outreach Program and Girls Haven, but did not want to take anything away from other programs. They asked City Manager Kyle Hayes to seek funds in other accounts for the two programs. Patterson urged residents to write to their elected representatives to support the Community Development Block Grant program. "Tell them not to cut any more CDBG funds, and not to move it from the U.S. Department of HUD," Patterson said." And that's not just to all of us here, that's everybody within listening ears of this council forum." The La Marque City Council on Monday voted unanimously to appoint Norman Koneman to the Planning Commission for a term which will expire on December 31, 2006. The city council voted unanimously to approve an engineering contract with SCL Engineering for major thoroughfare reconstruction and drainage improvements. The city council voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing publication of notice of intent to issue certificates of obligation for the reconstruction and improvements. The city council voted unanimously to adopt the Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Houston-Galveston Area Council region. The city council voted unanimously to table a petition for the removal of the Prairie Knoll Estates subdivision sign. All other agenda items were unanimously approved. The Nassau Bay City Council on Monday tabled for future consideration a recommendation by the Planning Commission for the sale of a 25-foot section of city-owned land to Ed and Roseline Curran. The city council voted 6-0-1, with Ron Swofford abstaining, to accept a resolution exempting from 2005 Ad Valorem taxes a one percent portion of the market value of a residence homestead for property owners over 65. The minimum exemption will be $5,000 and the maximum exemption will be $15,000. All other votes were unanimous. The city council voted to award a $32,398 bid to Hahn Equipment for the Upper Bay Road storm pump. The city council voted to cancel the May 7 election. John Haugen, Ron Swofford and Mark Denman are running unopposed for Positions 1, 3 and 5, respectively. The city council voted to appoint Carolyn Webbon as the Associate Judge of the Municipal Court. The Shoreacres City Council on Monday voted unanimously to reappoint Stan Krauhs and Cindy Srader and to appoint Dolly Arons to the Planning and Zoning Commission for two year terms. The city council also unanimously appointed Planning and Zoning Commissioners Dianne Victor, Stan Krauhs, Cindy Srader, Robert Plant and Carol Stephens to a one year term on the Board of Adjustment. The city council voted 4-0-1, with Jayo Washington abstaining, to adopt a resolution opposing House Bill 1882 or any legislation increasing the maximum transport weight of trucks on roads. The city council voted unanimously to authorize the mayor, pending an advance review, to award a bid to Deck Tech in the amount of $23,953 for construction of a kayak launch, kiosk, observation deck and two bridges for the Coastal Park Project. All other agenda items were approved. The Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves will meet in a joint session with Galveston City Council at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Port of Galveston officials will update the city council on issues relating to the lease agreement between the wharves board and BP Energy Company. Stop Terminal On Pelican Island, the STOP organization, is seeking to block the proposed liquefied natural gas plant that BP plans to build on Pelican Island, will be permitted ten minutes for a presentation. Then BP Energy will be permitted ten minutes for a presentation. Members of the public will be permitted three minutes for comments. The agenda notes that the public comment period will end "no later than 11:30". The agenda also includes discussion of a town meeting regarding an LNG terminal on Pelican Island. Dickinson Independent School District The Dickinson Independent School District Board of Trustees on Monday voted to cancel the election of School Board Trustee Single Member District Number 2. Rosella Scott is unopposed for that position. Susan Wilcox will oppose incumbent Ken Bowen in the election for District Number 1. The board of trustees approved the canvass of the April 2 bond election and adopted Decision Points and Planning Criteria for implementation of bond issue projects. The board of trustees approved the purchase of 124 acres on Highway 3, south of Hughes Road, for approximately $400,000 for construction of new schools. All other items were approved. All votes were unanimous. Galveston Independent School District The The tour begins at the GISD Administration Building, 3904 Avenue T, with a continental breakfast with GISD Superintendent Lynn Hale. Tour participants will then take a school bus to visit the two campuses. The last tour of the school year will feature Central Middle School and Ball High School on Friday, May 20. The deadline for reservations is April 27. Call (409) 766-5144 or email comments@gisd.org for information or to make reservations. Harris
County Judge Robert Eckels announced on Monday that the
Department of Health and Human Services awarded Federally
Qualified Health Center status to five applications from the
Harris County region. They will be funded in December of
this year using fiscal year 2006 funds. These
awards represent $3,222,550 in additional funding per year in
the Harris County region for primary care services through
FQHC funding. The 340B drug program and Professional
Liability coverage that comes with the awards is an additional
investment in expanding primary health care services. Health
centers focus on providing preventive and primary care
services without respect to a patient's ability to pay.
Nationally, 40% of patients treated at FQHCs have no coverage
at all while others have inadequate coverage. Charges
for services are scaled according to income. Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce The Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards banquet today at 6:30 p.m. at the Stingaree Restaurant. Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough will act as master of ceremonies and Victor Emanuel will be the featured speaker. Awards will be presented to Citizen of the Year Joe Kaglik, Honorary Citizen of the Year Mary Lee Huffman, Business of the Year Eileen's Florist, owned by Eileen Hawkins, Educator of the Year Renee Brawner and Volunteer Fire Department-EMS Provider of the Year Phelan Land. Coastal Connection, the electronic newsletter published by Washington Lobbyist Howard Marlowe, president of Marlowe & Company, reports that Senator Christopher Bond of Missouri last week introduced the Senate version of the Water Resources Development Act, which provides funding for Army Corps of Engineers projects. "Congress intended for WRDA to be reauthorized every two years, but the last WRDA was signed into law in 2000," noted Michael Kaiser, author of the article. "The bill contains language that reaffirms federal interest in shoreline protection projects, including beach restoration and periodic renourishment," Kaiser said. "In addition, the bill provides comprehensive regional sediment management authority for the Corps." The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is considering WRDA this week. The Greater Houston Partnership will host SBC Communications Chairman and CEO Edward Whitacre at its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, April 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the InterContinental Houston Hotel, 2222 West Loop South. The topic of the meeting is "Driving Change: The Next Logical Step in Evolution of Communications." Whitacre is expected to discuss the changing dynamics of the growing communications industry, communications rules and regulations and the SBC-AT&T merger. The meeting is open to the general public. Tickets may be purchased at the door. To RSVP, please contact April Young at ayoung@houston.org or 713-844-3641. As part of the Bush administration's aggressive effort to reduce the amount of weapons-grade nuclear material worldwide, Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman announced on Monday that the Department of Energy has begun to convert research reactors from using highly-enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium fuel at the University of Florida and Texas A&M University. This effort, by DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration and the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology, are the latest steps under the Global Threat Reduction Initiative's Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors program. NNSA is minimizing the use of HEU in civilian nuclear programs by converting research reactors and radioisotope production processes to the use of LEU fuel and targets. HEU is weapons-grade nuclear material that can be used to make a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb. "The Department of Energy is committed to reducing the threat posed by the availability of weapons-grade nuclear material here at home and around the world," Bodman said. "These research reactors are secure and used for peaceful purposes, but by converting them to use low-enriched uranium, we are taking a significant step forward to ensure that weapons-usable nuclear material does not fall into the wrong hands." The Global Threat Reduction Initiative, announced in May 2004, aims to identify, secure, remove, and/or facilitate the disposition of high-risk, vulnerable nuclear and other radiological materials and equipment that pose a threat to the international community. DOE has targeted 25 research reactors in the United States for conversion. Of those, 11 have already been converted to the use of LEU fuel. The United States has converted more reactors than any other single country, and this latest initiative represents an important acceleration in DOE's effort to convert the remaining reactors. The planned completion date for the conversions of the University of Florida and Texas A&M University reactors is in late 2006. DOE's goal is to complete all remaining conversions by 2014. Lamar University and Southeast Texas Chapter of the Scientific Research Society, Sigma Xi, will host a lecture by Heather McKillop, author and William G. Haag Professor of Archaeology at Louisiana State University, tonight at 7:30 in the auditorium of the Dishman Art Museum on the Lamar University campus. McKillop, who will speak about her archaeological work on Maya sites in Belize, is the first researcher to discover unique, wooden ruins from Maya civilization. The discovery earned her grants from the National Geographic Society and the Foundation for the Advancement of Mezoamerican Studies Incorporated. “The discovery is on the same level as the discovery of the Maya sites, such as Tikal in Guatemala or Chichen Itza in Mexico,” said McKillop. “This marks a turning point in Maya studies, since never before have ancient Maya wooden buildings been discovered.” McKillop had discovered many under water sites, submerged by rising seas, during her 25 years of research. Ancient wooden structures had never before been found until McKillop located Maya structures preserved in “peat bog” at the bottom of a lagoon. McKillop became a Sigma Xi national lecturer in 2003 and received the William G. Haag Professor of Archaeology endowed professorship in 2002. Award-winning poet David Mason will present a reading of his poetry at 7 p.m. Monday, April 18, in the Science Auditorium at Lamar University. Mason’s latest book is “Arrivals.” He is co-author of “Western Wind,” a popular poetry textbook, and co-editor of “Twentieth-Century American Poetry.” Mason teaches at Colorado College. “David Mason’s poetry brings us a heartening addition to a vein that might be called American pastoral, with Frost among his eminent antecedents," wrote poet W. S. Merwin. "The language and authenticity of poem after poem provide the pleasure of discovery.” The reading is sponsored by the Lamar University Department of English and Modern Languages, Pulse Magazine and the estate of the late Eleanor Weinbaum. For information call R. S. "Sam" Gwynn, professor of English, at (409) 880-8575. Both events are open to the public without charge. William Temple Episcopal Center The Zen Island Fellowship will host a Zen Meditation Retreat, led by Zen Master Dae Gak, of Furnace Mountain, Kentucky, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, April 22 and ending after lunch on Sunday, April 24 at the William Temple Episcopal Center at Market and 5th Streets. Held in silence, the retreat will incorporate sitting and walking meditation, chanting, Dharma talks, teacher/student interviews, and work practice. Cost of $90 includes vegetarian meals. On-site housing is not available, but reasonably-priced motels are within walking distance. Zen Master Dae Gak has studied Zen for over thirty years, in both the Korean and Japanese tradition. In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Furnace Mountain, which he founded, he is presently the guiding teacher for Zen Centers throughout the United States and Europe. He is a clinical psychologist and author of "Going Beyond Buddha." Dae Gak is the Dharma heir of Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn. For information visit www.galvestonzen.org or www.furnacemountain.org. Several items of interest to the Texas Gulf Coast Region are posted on The Online News Station. Barbara Murdock has posted a message in support of the Galveston Citizens Police Academy on the Forum Page. Message Scheduled
Meetings Today, April 12 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 and Dana Patricia Burke are editors 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. |
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