2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Wednesday               April 20, 2005

Texas Legislature

The House Land and Resource Management Committee on Thursday will hold a public hearing on House Bill 2621 that would allow the City of Galveston to impose fees to support special events on businesses and others who benefit from those events.  The legislation, sponsored by Representative Craig Eiland at the request of Galveston City Council, was soundly opposed by unanimous vote at Tuesday's meeting of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

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Friendswood City Council

Former Friendswood mayor Harold Whitaker took issue with a report on the recent Friendswood City Council Candidates Forum that was published on The Online News Station and reported in Gulf Coast E-news.  Comments

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Galveston City Council

Galveston City Council has scheduled a special meeting for 8 a.m. on Friday to amend the city's ordinance on "vehicles for hire," "to add a new subsection for the prearranged transportation of people by a limousine, bus, or shuttle, licensed by another governmental entity, traveling only between a point outside of Galveston and the Galveston Cruise Ship Terminals".

Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said the amendment would protect Galveston's taxi operations but would permit out of town transportation to deliver and pick up passengers at the Texas Cruise Ship Terminal at the Port of Galveston.  Listen   Download

"The council and the wharf company wants to make the departures and arrivals of our cruise ship passengers as convenient as possible," Thomas said, adding that the out of town companies must name the city as an additional insured and submit their vehicles to inspections by the City of Galveston.

"They then will be able to go onto port property," Thomas said. "The permit will not allow them to compete with our taxi services here on the island."

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Webster City Council

The Webster City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously, with Floyd Myers abstaining, to approve an ordinance authorizing the City of Webster to purchase land to construct Orchard Street from Texas Avenue to Highway 3 and to extend Live Oak Street south to Blossom Street. 

The city council voted unanimously to approve a County Information Project budget amendment in the amount of $319,290 for Phase 2 of the Nasa Parkway Bypass Project, which includes utility conflict relocation. 

The city council voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Donna Rogers to execute a proposal with Freese and Nichols, Inc. for professional services to design plans and specifications for the Interstate 45 water, sewer and lift station relocation in conflict with the Bypass Project. 

All other agenda items were unanimously approved.  

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Seabrook City Council

The Seabrook City Council on Tuesday voted voted 4-1, with Mike Laible opposed, to approve a monthly lease agreement with the Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department for the use of the city's fire truck. 

The city will lease the truck, which will be parked in El Lago until the new fire station is built, to the fire department for $10 per year. 

The city council appointed Ernest Davis, Jr. and Fred Tawil to the Economic Development Corporation II. 

The city council voted unanimously to approve the second reading of an ordinance allowing signage on the rear of a water-abutting property. 

The city council voted 3-2, with Jack Boteler and Larry Bonnin opposed, to approve an ordinance allowing EDC II employees to participate in retirement benefits. 

The city council voted to postpone consideration of the Repsdorph Road project to be reviewed by the new city council after the May 7 election. 

The city council voted 3-2, to approve a contract for Birdie McBride, the EDC II administrator.

The city council voted 4-1, with Laible opposed, to approve the second reading of an ordinance that clarifies fire protection and electrical standards for marinas and requires that new or extended streets in marinas meet city design standards.

The city council voted 4-1, with Laible opposed to approve the second reading of an ordinance that established criteria for the filing of site plans for new and existing marinas. 

The city council voted 3-2, with Boteler and Bonnin opposed, to approve an open records request to the Port of Houston Authority for financial disclosures of the director, chief executive officers and commissioners. 

The city council vote 3-2, with Boteler and Bonnin opposed, to approve an open records request for judges involved in litigation involving the city to furnish disclosure statements and financial statements concerning campaign contributions. 

All other agenda items were unanimously approved. Council members John Buhman and Rick Sammons were absent. 

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Tiki Island Board of Aldermen

The Village of Tiki Island Board of Aldermen on Tuesday voted unanimously to amend the building code ordinance to require that construction contractors may not work earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise or later than 30 minutes after sunset.

"It's mainly a public safety issue," said Alderman Theo Blue, adding that the noise from construction may also create a disturbance. 

The board of aldermen voted unanimously to accept a five percent loyalty discount from Reliant energy on certain Tiki Island electric bills. 

The board of aldermen voted unanimously to adopt last year's resolution for 2005 homestead exemptions. 

The board of aldermen voted unanimously to approve the Hazard Mitigation Plan resolution. 

All other agenda items were unanimously approved. 

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Clear Lake Shores City Council

The Clear Lake Shores City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt the Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Houston-Galveston Area Council region. 

The city council voted to table action regarding Clear Creek Independent School District's January 2005 request for the City of Clear Lake Shores to cede its extra-territorial jurisdiction over Stewart Elementary School to the City of Kemah. 

The city council voted to table an ordinance providing for Budget Amendment III due to further amendments to the ordinance. 

The city council voted to table action regarding the Road and Drainage Committee's recommendations for a change in scope for Work Package Number 3. 

All other agenda items were unanimously approved. 

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University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston on Tuesday received Magnet Recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center of the American Nurses Association. Only two percent of the 6,000 hospitals in the U.S. have received this recognition.

The announcement came via a conference call by Brenda J. Kelley, chair of the ANCC Commission on Magnet Recognition. Several dozen nurses and administrators jumped with joy when Kelley made her announcement, noting, “I certainly empathize with your excitement.” 

UTMB joins 12 other hospitals in Texas designated as magnet institutions. 

“The hospital, its staff and patients all benefit from magnet status,” said David Marshall, UTMB’s chief nursing officer.

According to the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, “Recognizing quality patient care and nursing excellence, the Magnet Recognition Program provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care they can expect to receive.”

Hospitals applying for magnet status must meet a range of criteria, including the quality of nursing leadership, professional models of care, quality of care and a commitment to quality improvement.  Benefits to patients include improved patient outcomes, shorter lengths of patient stay and lower patient mortality rates.  Magnet hospitals enjoy a competitive advantage over non-magnet institutions in terms of recruiting and retaining nursing and other medical staff.

“Magnet recognition shows that patient care in UTMB Hospitals meets the widely accepted gold standard for excellence in nursing and quality patient care. It takes a team of healthcare providers to create a magnetic environment, so it is important to remember that this recognition is for both nursing excellence and quality patient care,” Marshall said.  “Magnet recognition also means that UTMB is a magnet for the best and the brightest nurses.”

UTMB will receive a crystal obelisk within the next six weeks symbolizing its designation as a magnet hospital.  The hospital will receive additional recognition at the Ninth Annual Magnet Conference in Miami Beach in October and at the Texas Nurses Association Fifth Annual Leadership Conference in Austin in September. 

“I can’t think of any other people I’d rather be associated with,” Marshall told his staff following the announcement.  “This is a team effort. Every nurse at UTMB played a part in this.”

The UTMB Department of Dermatology will offer a free skin cancer screening Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Family HealthCare Center at 3828 Avenue N in Galveston. Screening is first-come, first-serve, and no appointment is necessary.

The UTMB screening is part of a national effort, coordinated by the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Cancer Society, to educate the public about the benefits of early skin cancer detection.

UTMB dermatologists will screen for cancerous and precancerous growths.  Those with suspicious growths will be asked to see their personal physicians for follow-up care.  The clinic will provide sunscreen samples, a list of dermatologists who practice in the Galveston/Houston area and literature on how to spot suspicious skin growths.

For additional information, call the UTMB Department of Dermatology at (409) 772-1911 weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Galveston County Health District

The Galveston County Health District will join more than 500 communities throughout the United States and 35 countries in recognizing National Infant Immunization Week Monday, April 25 through Saturday, April 30.  While the focus of the campaign is on infants aged two years and younger, free immunizations will be provided to children up to 18 years old.

The purpose of this campaign is to educate parents, caregivers, providers, and communities on the importance of timely infant immunizations, particularly in the first 24 months of life, when children need more than 80 percent of their vaccinations to protect them from disease, disabilities, and death.  

“Currently there is no system to accurately assess immunization compliance for entire county populations.  However, a variety of studies done on specifics groups suggest rates in Galveston County meet or exceed state averages," said Dr. Dana Beckham, Health District epidemiologist.

The national goal for immunization compliance is 90 percent of children being adequately immunized.  Every study conducted in the county suggests there has been great improvement in local rates but there is still room for additional gains to meet the national goal.

In order to assist parents with remembering when children need an immunization the District is developing a reminder program.  

“While most children in the county receive immunizations in private clinics, for those that receive immunizations at the district, parents will receive a reminder when a new one is needed,” said June Gonzales, the health district’s immunization nurse manager.  “We also provide outreach and education on the importance of immunizations by distributing information at events such as health fairs and school programs.”

“Immunization protects children, families and communities. Children who are not immunized are not only at risk of contracting disease themselves, but they are also at risk of spreading disease to their family members and others in the community. It is extremely important that children get their vaccinations in the prescribed time frames," said Dr. Mark Guidry, CEO of the health district.

Participating locations include the Texas City Immunization Clinic at 2000 Texas Avenue, the Galveston Immunization Clinic at 4700 Broadway Street, the Dickinson Immunization Clinic at 905 Pine Drive and the La Marque Immunization Clinic at 1207 Oak Street. 

For immunization dates and times, call (409) 938-2211.

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City of Pasadena

The City of Pasadena will host the fourth annual Healthy Kids of Pasadena Free Immunization and Health Awareness Day on Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Jackson Intermediate School, 1020 East Thomas Street.  

The event, a joint effort between the City of Pasadena, Bayshore Medical Center, Harris County Health Department and the Pasadena Independent School District, provides free immunizations to infants and children up to 18 years of age.

“Childhood immunizations are a priority for this administration,” said Pasadena Mayor John Manlove.  “Although great progress has been made in improving childhood immunization rates, some disparities in overall immunizations rates still exist.  We hope to be among the first cities in Texas to significantly raise the number of children being immunized against illness.   It not only prevents the disease for the child, but helps to protect our community as a whole.”

Initiated in 2001 under Manlove’s direction, Healthy Kids of Pasadena has immunized hundreds of Pasadena-area children and provided educational information for parents and caregivers.  

“Childhood diseases are preventable in many cases,” said Lesley Venable, event coordinator and Volunteer Pasadena coordinator.  “Failure to immunize our children is gambling with their health and with their quality of life in years to come. Following shot requirements will ensure that infants and school-age children are protected against possibly fatal illnesses.”

Vaccinations to be provided include measles, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HIB and polio.  Registration begins at 9 a.m.  Immunizations begin at 10 a.m. Attendees are asked to bring shot records.

To volunteer, contact Venable at (713) 475-7259. For additional information, call the Pasadena Action Line at (713) 475-5555. 

The City of Pasadena and the Trust for Public Land will announce tonight at the Pasadena City Council meeting that Pasadena has been selected to participate in a demonstration watershed planning program to protect Armand Bayou.  Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the Texas Coastal Management Program, with additional support from the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and local foundations, this program will be the first of TPL’s Saving Our Coastal Heritage Project for the Galveston Bay community. 

TPL’s Saving Our Coastal Heritage Project is an initiative that will enable Galveston Bay communities to plan and implement strategies to conserve natural areas and protect valuable streams and bays at a local level.  Pasadena was selected to participate in the project because of the involvement of key city departments, demonstrated stakeholder participation in developing a watershed assessment plan and the diversity of needs, threats and resources that are applicable to other watersheds in the region. 

For additional information, visit http://www.tpl.org.

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City of Nassau Bay

The City of Nassau Bay will hold a dedication ceremony for the new monument in front of City Hall on NASA Parkway on Saturday.  The monument is part of the NASA Parkway Scenic Beautification Project and will be dedicated to the International Space Station and participating nations. 

The monument is a 130-foot-long serpentine wall of black granite and displays the national flags of participating nations. 

"This monument is a tribute to the bravery, commitment and dedication of all international aerospace professionals who ensure a human presence in space is achieved and maintained," a press release said. 

The project, funded in part by the Texas Transportation Commission, also included landscape improvements and decorative lighting provided by CenterPoint Energy. 

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Galveston Independent School District

Friday, April 29 is the deadline for parents of current pre-kindergarten through seventh-grade students to re-enroll in the Galveston Independent School District.  If parents do not participate, their children will not be re-enrolled for the 2005-2006 school year.  

Visit http://www.galveston-schools.org/ for additional information.

The Galveston Independent School District will continue its monthly tours with a visit to San Jacinto Elementary School and Ball High School on Friday, April 29.  

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 two campuses.  The tour will end at approximately 10:30 a.m.  

For more information or to make reservations call (409) 766-5144 or e-mail comments@gisd.org.  Reservations should be made by Wednesday, April 27.  

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Lamar University

The Social Work Student Association of Lamar University will host a reception before its annual spring banquet Tuesday, April 26, to honor Lamar alumna Joyce James, who is now assistant commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective services.

James will be guest speaker for the banquet.

The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the banquet at 6:30 p.m. in the University Reception Center on the eighth floor of the Mary and John Gray Library.

James is a Port Arthur native and 1979 sociology graduate of Lamar.  Under her leadership as assistant commissioner, more than 5,000 protective services staff members in 254 counties in Texas provide services to abused and neglected children and their families.  Before accepting her current position in April 2004, James served as director of Child Protective Services for Regions 4 and 5.

James is a licensed master’s social worker-advanced practitioner with advanced training in the provision and administration of children and family services and community development.

She began her career in 1980 and has solid accomplishments in all management and administrative phases for protective services related to children and family, elderly and disabled, and licensing and regulatory functions for child care services, said Vernice Monroe, director of Lamar’s social work program.

“She has developed effective collaboration in building initiatives with agencies and organizations, providing leadership and program development related to various issues, including child welfare practice, policies and laws on a local, state and national level,” Monroe said.

Additional information on the banquet is available from Monroe at (409) 880-8552.

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Houston Airport System

The Houston Airport system reports that Houston's airports generate more than $24 billion in total impact for the local economy, according to a comprehensive 2003 economic impact study.  George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Field generate over $19 billion, $4.5 billion and $328 million in sales respectively.  They also employ over 37,000 people who earn $2.5 billion annually and create 26,000 indirect jobs with $730 million in additional wages.

Those results are based on data compiled by Dr. Steven G. Craig, University of Houston economics professor, and Campbell-Hill Aviation Group of Alexandria, Virgnia, for a comprehensive study to measure the Houston Airport System's economic impact.  They evaluated direct and indirect impacts from Houston's air transportation and the activities that support it.

In 2004, one year after the data collection was complete, the airport system's overall passengers, international passenger traffic and volume of cargo moved reached record levels, marking a definite recovery from the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  The airport system also grew its stable of carriers and its list of domestic and international flights.

"The fact that we are doing more at our airports now than when Dr. Craig's group was compiling their study means that, if anything, the impact numbers they came up with are a little low," said Rick Vacar, HAS director.  "We're coming off one of the best years ever for our airports with new airlines, new destinations and a magnificent new International Arrivals Building."

"One of the most vital drivers for a local economy is its system of airports.  We're meeting regional air transportation needs and will enhance what we offer travelers as Houston grows."

The Houston Airport System is expected to double the number of passengers served by the year 2020, to 80 million passengers per year. To accommodate the expected demand, additional terminal space, runways, parking and roads will be needed.

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Galveston Island Railroad Museum and Terminal

The Galveston Island Railroad Museum and Terminal located in the former Santa Fe Union Station at 123 Rosenberg Avenue near 25th & Strand will host its annual Golden Lantern fundraising gala on Saturday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m.

The gala will be held at the museum, and funds raised will assist the museum in its efforts to preserve the history of railroading and passenger rail service.  

Anchorman Dave Ward of Houston's ABC affiliate television station, Channel 13, will serve as master of ceremonies and railroad author James Porterfield, who wrote the books Dining by Rail and From the Dining Car will be the keynote speaker.  The history of the Santa Fe Railroad in Galveston will be highlighted during the evening's festivities.

For ticket information, contact Ralph Stenzel at the museum at 409-765-5700.  For additional information, call 409-765-5700 or visit www.galvestonrrmuseum.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, April 20 
4:00 Galveston Zoning Board of Adjustment Special Meeting
4:00 Galveston Intermodal Transportation Committee, City Hall Room 100
4:00 Galveston Building Standards Commission, City Hall Room 204
5:00 Texas City City Commission
6:30 League City City Council Joint Meeting with the Planning and Zoning Commission 
7:00 Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees Special Meeting 
 
Thursday, April 21 
11:00 Webster Business Alliance, Webster Civic Center.  Tim Purpura, general manager of the Houston Astros will talk abut the upcoming season
11:00 Galveston Tax Foreclosed Property Resale Committee City Hall, Room 100
3:00 Gulf Coast Water Authority, 3630 FM 1765
6:30 Galveston County Mayors and Councilmembers Association Joint Meeting with Harris County Mayors and Councilmembers Association, Monument Inn
7:30 Santa Fe Independent School District Board of Trustees
8:00 Bus Stop, College of the Mainland Community 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.  

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. 

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.