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2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Monday               April 25, 2005

Palisade Palms

In a ceremony to be broadcast Online by Guidry News Service on Friday, ground will be officially broken for Palisade Palms, a $165 million high-rise beachfront condominium development at 601 East Beach Drive, the first on-the-beach project to be developed on Galveston's East End in over 20 years.

The Online Broadcast, anchored by Jim Guidry and Dana Burke, will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.  The actual ceremony will be at 11 a.m.

"Palisade Palms is a club-class, high-rise beachfront condominium project leading the residential resurgence on Galveston Island, one of the hottest second-home markets in the nation," said Richard Anderson, vice president of the Falcon Group. 

The 288-residence development will be comprised of two contemporary curvilinear towers, each 27 stories high. 

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Galveston Chamber of Commerce

The Galveston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors today voted to oppose a revised version of House Bill 2621, which would allow the City of Galveston to impose fees on businesses to support special events and the addition of amenities to the Seawall. 

"There was quite a lengthy and lively discussion, and in the end, the board voted not to support the house bill as it was presented this morning," said Betty Massey, chair-elect of the chamber of commerce. 

Earlier this morning, State Representative Craig Eiland told Guidry News Service that he believed that the legislation as amended would be approved.  Listen  Download

The Galveston City Council and the Park Board of Trustees will hold a joint meeting tonight at 6 p.m. to review the amended house bill. 

Photos and a recording of the meeting will be posted on The Online News Station.

Massey said she expects the chamber board to send written communication regarding the bill to the city council. 

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Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves

The Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves today voted to approve, with minor amendments, a one-year lease agreement with Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation of Port Arthur to operate a ship yard on the Pelican Island property that was occupied by Todd Shipyard and later by Newpark Shipbuilding, then First Wave Marine.

Gulf Copper also has operations in La Porte, Aransas Pass and Corpus Christi.

The wharves board voted to table consideration of the lease and development of Pier 19/20 channel-front property. 

The wharves board also voted to table consideration of a development agreement with Carnival Corporation for improvements to the Front Cruise Terminal Complex, and a request from the Galveston Hotel/Motel Association pending further research. 

The wharves board voted to direct staff to meet with BNSF Railway Company and return a recommendation on a lease agreement with the company. 

A resolution regarding Agrilance, LLC's request for the issuance of a series of bonds for port facilities was withdrawn. 

All other agenda items were approved.

Freddie Meyers of the Frost Bank Trust Department updated the wharves board Finance Committee on the port's retirement fund investment portfolio.  Listen  Download

"As you know, the first quarter of 2005 has been very volatile as far as the markets is concerned," Meyers began.  "Anytime you have an environment of rising inflation, rising interest rates and rising oil prices, the market is going to have some problems."

Meyers said the port's retirement portfolio has had a gain of 8.57 percent, compared to the Standard and Poor's 500 index of 6.67 percent.  For a three-year period, the annualized return for the pension fund as been 6.26 percent and the S&P 500 Index had an annualized return of 2.75 percent; and for the five-year period, the port's fund had an annualized return of 6.22 percent compared to the S&P return of a negative 3.16 percent.

"So you can see that over the last five years this market has been pretty sloppy, and to have a positive return over that time frame is a pretty good deal for you all," Meyers said.  "It shows you how conservatively Shrub manages this portfolio." 

Meyers, reported that Shrub Kempner, who is out of town, told him that he expects Alan Greenspan to raise the Fed Funds Rate to 3.25 percent to 3.5 percent, and then back off.

"He believes that you are going to see positive performance in the latter part of the year," Meyers said.  "Let's hope the next quarter is better." 

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Galveston County Commissioners Court

The Galveston County Commissioners Court today voted unanimously to execute a memorandum of agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to produce new flood maps for Galveston County. 

The commissioners court voted unanimously to assign 100 surplus computers to The Children's Center. 

The commissioners court voted unanimously to approve a contract with Shiner Moseley and Associates to complete wading depth surveys and area photographs.

The commissioners court voted unanimously to execute an interlocal agreement between the cities of Texas City and Galveston to provide for distribution of the 2005 Justice Assistance Grant Funds.

The commissioners court voted unanimously to appoint Paul D. Selman as special commissioner to advertise for proposals for the lease of the majority of the Joe Faggard Building on Bolivar Peninsula.

The commissioners court voted to defer consideration of a bid for granite for the justice center. 

All other agenda items, with the exception of certain requests for waiver of tax penalty and interest fees, were unanimously approved. 

The commissioners court recognized the Auto Crimes Task Force for receiving the 2005 OSPY Award, Voter Registration Coordinator Vicki Socias for her retirement, Hattie C. Robinson in honor of her 95th birthday, David Kimble on his 90th birthday and Shamarion Barber on her retirement from Dickinson Independent School District. Listen Download

The commissioner's court also recommended that the new causeway bridge be known as the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge.

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Jefferson County Commissioners Court

Jefferson County Commissioners Court today voted to receive and file a petition to conduct an election to incorporate Taylor Landing, Texas as a Class C Municipality in the area of the Port Arthur Country Club.

County Judge Carl Griffith said the petition is the first step of the process and an election will not be called until Port Arthur City Council resolves questions about its extra territorial jurisdiction. Listen Download

"I understand the golf course owners have some problems with being in it," Griffith said.  "I talked to the mayor last week and he said that city planners are working on that, taking that out of it."

The commissioners court voted to abandon about 1,150.8 feet of the most westerly part of the 80-foot right-of-way of Country Club Road, in the same area as the proposed incorporation.

The commissioners court voted to replace the sound system for the Criminal District Court at an estimated cost of $13,000.

The commissioners court voted to purchase replacement computer equipment for the Management and Information Services Department at an estimated cost of $11,150.

The commissioners court voted to accept a $90,000 Family Focused Comunity Grant. Sandra Henson from the Agriculture Extension Service said the funds will be used in a diabetes awareness program.

The commissioners court approved a resolution recognizing Martha Newsome of the Engineering Department "for 18 years of dedicated service to Jefferson County and wishing her well in her retirement." Listen Download

All other agenda items were approved.   All votes were unanimous.  Commissioner Mark Domingue was absent.

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City of Nassau Bay

Nassau Bay Mayor Don Matter dedicated a monument honoring the International Space Station on Saturday, April 23, joined by a host of invited dignitaries and Nassau Bay citizens.  In his proclamation, Matter asked “that we join together in dedicating this monument in recognition of the ‘international space stations participants’” and that “all gathered here today reflect on the priceless legacy being created by the men and women of these participating nations whose flags we proudly recognize and honor.”

Congressman Tom DeLay, NASA-JSC’s General Jefferson Howell and Texas Department of Transportation’s Houston District Engineer Gary Trietsch also spoke at the dedication.  Several of Houston’s Consuls General and representatives from the participating nations were on hand, as well as astronauts from Nassau Bay and around the world.  

Howell thanked the City of Nassau Bay for the improvements being made on NASA Parkway, for the tribute to the International Space Station participants, and said that he was especially proud of JSC’s close association with the city.  He also recognized Bill Gerstenmaier, JSC’s manager of the ISS Program, for his leadership, management skill and genius in leading the international effort to keep the station flying and to complete the assembly.  Noting that at that very moment there were five astronauts aboard from Russia, Italy, and the United States, he said he was convinced that the ISS would go down in history as one of the most extraordinary achievements of all time.

Trietsch reminded attendees that partnerships between local governments and TxDOT can produce dramatic results that contribute to economic progress and quality of life. 

“Roadways can be an important and beautiful part of a community and Nassau Bay proves the point that partnerships can work,” Trietsch said.

He also thanked everyone involved in the improvements, including DeLay for federal funding, and noted that it takes a lot of time and perseverance to make big projects come together.

DeLay asked attendees to keep our space professionals in their thoughts and prayers as the space shuttle is returned to flight.  He also noted the importance of continued investment in space exploration for the benefit of the future and the economy, mentioning advances in satellites, cell phones and medical and security advances among the many accomplishments of the space program. 

“NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the Clear Lake area is a strong part of Houston’s national and international identity, and I thank you for your vision and commitment,” DeLay said.

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City of Houston

Houston Mayor Bill White on Friday announced the formation of a task force on Reducing Air Quality Health Risks. 

"The task force consists of public health and medical experts from some of the region's most prestigious research and medical institutions," White said.  

White said that the goal of the panel will be to assess risk from air toxins, chemicals linked to cancer and other serious health defects and report its findings to the mayor.
 
"Our region is blessed with great scientists, and we need their advice on health risks of pollution so we have a road map to reduce those risks," White said, noting that he promised earlier this year, in his State of the City speech, that he would take stronger actions to fight air pollution in Houston. "We're going
to take on this problem and this is exactly the kind of expertise to help us draw up our battle plans."
 
Dr. James T. Willerson, president of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and president-elect of the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, helped form the task force and joined White in Friday's announcement.

The task force will review and summarize the available evidence on the health risks associated with air pollution in the Houston region and will recommend areas of research that will help regional leaders form strategies for reducing pollution within established legal timetables.  The task force will also to provide guidance to the City of Houston regarding strategies for reducing health risks.   

Task force members include Ken Sexton, professor in environmental sciences at the University of Texas School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, Stephen H. Linder, interim director of the Institute for Health Policy, Thomas H. Stock, associate professor in environmental sciences at the University of Texas School of Public Health, George Delclos, director of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, Melissa L. Bondy, professor of epidemiology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Jonathan Ward, Jr., professor and director of the Division of Environmental Toxicology in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Stuart L. Abramson, director of the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Clinic at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston and Matthew P. Frasier, an associate professor of engineering and member of the faculty of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University.

Today, White joined residents of Denver Harbor and the city's environmental team to begin demolition of an east-side environmental hazard.  Demolition began on the Ware electro-plating facility located at 630 Boyles
Street.

Diligent work on the part of citizens, the Houston Police Department, environmental inspectors and the Neighborhood Protection Division led to the site's listing on the Federal Superfund Clean-up list.  Removal of contaminated soil was completed during the last three weeks.

"Its tough work to remove these environmental hazards," said Mayor White. "But Houston's ability to reclaim these properties is important for our long-term growth as a city, and the joint effort to get this accomplished is much appreciated."

The Ware electro-plating firm was cited for violation of state pollution laws in 1999.  City environmental inspectors found dangerous levels of hazardous materials in the soil and in an underground storage tank located on the property.  The soil included dangerous levels of asbestos, cyanide, cadmium and sulfuric acid.

The city's environmental inspectors aggressively pursued charges against the original owner, an action that was halted briefly during bankruptcy proceedings.  The Neighborhood Protection Division also began dangerous buildings removal proceedings.

When owners made it clear they were not financially able to clean up the property, the City Attorney's Office, the State Attorney General's office and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality obtained funding through the federal Superfund program to clean up the location.

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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 their children in the Galveston Independent School District  

Currently, thirty percent of the district’s pre-k through seventh grade parents have not re-enrolled their children for the 2005-2006 school year.  Release

It is absolutely essential that these parents participate in the re-enrollment process so we are able to staff our schools appropriately," said Assistant Superintendent for Administration Lynne Cleveland. "If parents do not enroll their children, we cannot guarantee that there will be space for their child at their home campus."

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University of Texas Medical Branch

The School of Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston awarded 192 bachelor’s degrees and 59 master’s degrees during commencement ceremonies on Friday, April 22.

UTMB President Dr. John D. Stobo and School of Nursing Dean Dr. Pamela Watson presided over the ceremonies, held at Moody Gardens in Galveston.  It was the School of Nursing’s 118th commencement.

For the third consecutive year, the baccalaureate students chose Dr. Helen Jordan, UTMB assistant professor, as the graduation speaker.  Master’s graduates chose Christell Bray, director of the master’s nursing program, to deliver their address.

Jordon told the graduates that “positive energy generates positive energy until it becomes a great force and this (class) has become a great, positive force.”  

“You are not limited to your education and knowledge," Bray told the master's graduates.  "Use your imagination, feelings and dreams and you will figure it out.”

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United States Senate

United States Senators John Cornyn of Texas, chair of the Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship subcommittee, and Jon Kyl of Arizona, chair of the Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security subcommittee, will co-chair a joint hearing on Thursday at 3 p.m.  The hearing will focus on border security between the ports of entry and the use of technology to protect the borders.  It will be the third hearing in a series on strengthening the United States border and homeland security and implementing comprehensive reform of the immigration system.

The key topic the hearing will address is the number of agents available to patrol the borders and the kinds of technologies they use to better enhance their efforts.  The hearing will examine the effectiveness of the current technology in place such as underground sensors, unmanned drones and pole cameras.  Witnesses will include the Chief of Border Patrol and an official from the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Department.

Earlier this month, Cornyn and Kyl announced their intentions to introduce legislation that will dramatically strengthen enforcement, bolster border security and comprehensively reform immigration laws.  They plan to introduce the comprehensive legislation by the end of the summer following a thorough review of immigration laws, which includes this series of hearings.  Cornyn and Kyl represent approximately 85 percent of the nation’s southern border.

Cornyn and Kyl co-chaired a hearing in March that examined the need for better training for border inspectors, the importance of ensuring document security and integrity and finding and closing gaps in the visa system.  The second hearing, held earlier this month, examined the federal government’s inability to locate a substantial number of alien absconders, the lack of necessary detention space, and legal challenges to detention and deportation. Among the goals of the hearings is to determine which challenges can be solved with more resources or additional legal tools, and which require more fundamental and comprehensive reforms to current immigration law and other domestic policies, such as a temporary work and return program.

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Galveston Island Trolley

Galveston Island Transit announced today that there will be no trolley service on Tuesday, April 26. 

The trolley service will resume on April 27. An alternate method of transportation, especially to get to UTMB, would be to use one of the bus routes. 

For more information, contact Island Transit at (409) 797-3900 or see the link to Island Transit at www.cityofgalveston.org.

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On The Webio

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

Another Response To Harold Whitaker's Comments on a report on the Friendswood Candidates Forum has been posted, by P.A. Jones. Message

Guidry News Service columnists Victor Lang and Brenda Beust Smith each have new columns.

In "Splish Splash" Victor remembers Splash Day in Galveston 
Click Here

Events abound that offer great plants for Brenda's Garden!  Click Here

The Neches River Festival and an ACES Car Club event topped the Jefferson County Page this past weekend. Jefferson County Page

In recognition of the anniversary of the visit to Galveston in 1837 by John James Audubon, French illustrator and artist Denis Clavreul visited the island. Photos and Audio

The 2005 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement was presented to Glynn Lunney. Photos and Audio

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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 25 
6:00 Galveston City Council and Park Board of Trustees Special Meeting, Council Chambers
6:00 La Marque City Council 
7:00 Shoreacres City Council 
7:00 Water Control and Improvement District 12, 905 SH 146, Kemah 
7:00 Nassau Bay Economic Development Corporation
7:00 Kemah Historical Society, Kemah Community Center.
7:30 Lobsterfest Golf Tournament Dinner, Brentwood Country Club

Tuesday, April 26
8:30 Port Arthur City Council   
10:00 Harris County Commissioners Court
10:00 Pasadena City Council
12:00 Downtown Fourth Tuesday Forum, Luigi's Ristorante Italiano. Port of Galveston Director Steve Cernak will speak. 
12:00 Rotary Club of Galveston Island, San Luis Resort.  Alicia Strogen, VP of the Galveston Bay Foundation will speak on the spread of invasive species on Galveston Island.
1:30 Beaumont City Council
1:30 Houston City Council
5:30 North Galveston County Chamber of Commerce After Hours Mixer, Landry's Jimmy Walker Room Veranda, Kemah Boardwalk
6:30 League City City Council 
7:00 Dickinson City Council 
7:00 Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees

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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.