2005 Archives

2004 Archives

2003 Archives

Friday               September 9, 2005  

HGTV's Restore America Campaign

Home and Garden Television presented a $25,000 check to Galveston Historical Foundation in a ceremony at Ashton Villa this morning.  Listen  Download

GHF Executive Director Marsh Davis said the funds will be used to assist with several projects on the 141-year-old Galveston landmark, including restoration of Ashton Villa’s windows and shutters.

"This is a bittersweet moment for all of us who care about preserving and protecting our national heritage," said Bobbie Greene McCarthy, director of Save America's Treasures program at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, referring to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. "We are really here to celebrate a wonderful partnership that is helping to shine a bright light on and give new life to our country's historic sites, including this gilded-age beauty."

McCarthy said that Ashton Villa is the last of 12 Save America's Treasures sites to be highlighted in the second year of HGTV's Restore America Campaign.

"All of us from HGTV, the Trust and Save America's Treasures are delighted with what Galveston Historical Foundation, Ashton Villa and its staff and extended family have accomplished here," McCarthy said.

Several descendents of tycoon James Moreau Brown, who built the historic mansion in 1859, attended the event.  Many others who had been invited were unable to come because of Hurricane Katrina. 

The program highlighting Ashton Villa will air throughout the month of September on HGTV, which can be viewed in Galveston on Time Warner Cable Channel 47.

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Santa Fe City Council

Santa Fe City Council on Thursday voted unanimous approval of the final reading of an ordinance that prohibits smoking in all public places, except drinking establishments where the sale of food accounts for less than half of the business.

The city council approved the FY06 Budget and a tax rate of $0.2824 per $100 evaluation.  The rate is a seven and one-half percent increase over the effective tax rate.

The city council voted to purchase a new voice recording system for the police department, to replace the system that was struck by lightening in August.  The system was insured, so the city must pay only $2,500 of the total price of the system which will cost approximately $24,000.

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

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Galveston City Council

Galveston City Council on Thursday voted 6-1-0, with Jackie Cole opposed and Cornelia Harris-Banks abstaining, to deny a specific use permit for a package store at 2402 Seawall Boulevard.  The Galveston Planning Commission and the Planning and Community Development staff recommended denial of the permit.

"The economic development element of the 2001 Comprehensive Plan encourages the city to redevelop and revitalize the Seawall Corridor," said Planning Director Wendy O'Donohoe.  "The economic development element also states that the city should 'grow traditional strengths in tourism with an enhanced image, a redeveloped Seawall, a greater array of activities and amenities to compete for quality family tourism'."

The staff report noted that the existing bike/surrey rental/convenience store, tattoo parlor and nearby pizza restaurant are utilizing all of the existing off-street parking spaces.

"You can't drink on the Seawall," added City Attorney Susie Green.

"What we are telling business people that you can't come in here, you can't buy property, without the risk that some city council, some government agency will arbitrarily tell you that you can't have what's in the cards for you to perhaps be able to do when you bought in here," said Mark Stevens, attorney for Dung Nguyen, the applicant and property owner. "That is the death knell of free enterprise and it will be the death knell of Galveston."

The city council voted unanimously to defer action on a specific use permit for a "resort" at 9402 Seawall Boulevard, in a Recreation with Seawall Development Zone Overlay zoning district.  Council members were concerned that the proposed development includes a recreational vehicle park.  The applicant and property owner, Jungle Surf Partners, was asked to provide additional evidence that the RV park would not have a negative impact on the area.

All other agenda items were approved with unanimous votes.

The city council appointed David Barker and Ken Coldwell to the Galveston Landmark Commission.

The city council also met in workshop with the Park Board of Trustees to discuss Mardi Gras.  Listen  Download

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Kemah City Council

Kemah City Council on Thursday unanimously approved the $1,071,888.66 Kemah Community Development Budget for FY06.

The city council tabled action on a proposed ordinance relating to junked vehicles.  Mayor Greg Collins said the ordinance will be revised to include boats, but it needs additional work.

"We want to be professional and friendly about it," Collins said.  "We don't want to just be coming in and jacking with people."

The city council discussed a petition for the annexation of a small group of homes in the south Kemah area, but took no action.

The city council deferred action on submission of nominees to the Galveston Central Appraisal District until after a meeting with other elected officials at the Galveston County Mayors and Councilmembers Association meeting next Wednesday at Gulf Greyhound Park.

The city council also discussed Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

"We are pretty proud of the way folks in Kemah and the entire region responded to the people in need in Louisiana," Collins said, adding that Big League Dreams in League City will be open for the children of the evacuees this weekend.

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Pasadena City Council

Pasadena City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a variance from the city's building regulations to reduce the number of off-street parking spaces for the proposed addition to Pasadena Memorial High School on Crenshaw Street.

The city council approved a $2.19 million contract with Pro M&E, doing business as Stonewall Constructors, for the Fire Station Number 2 Project.

The city council approved a grant application to the Texas Department of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive vehicular program to be administered by the Pasadena Police Department.  The state will pay $93,750 of the cost and the city will pay $62,500.

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

Mayor John Manlove thanked the residents of Pasadena, city employees, churches and the Salvation Army for all that they have done to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“In a time of crisis for our Louisiana neighbors, the people of our city stood up and offered shelter, food, clothes, water, and real caring to those affected by the destruction of Hurricane Katrina,” Manlove said.

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Texas General Land Office

Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, on Thursday announced that $7.3 million is now available to continue the fight against erosion on the Texas Gulf Coast.  Release  

Patterson said that the money will be used to fund a wide array of projects, including beach and marsh restoration, shoreline protection and vital studies. 

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Texas A&M University at Galveston

The USNS Sirius, the 524-foot training ship of the Texas Maritime Academy at Texas A&M University at Galveston, will leave Saturday for New Orleans to assist in disaster relief work. Photo by Robert Mihovil

The ship is scheduled to leave the Galveston campus at 7 a.m. and will be used as a supply ship and possibly to house city officials.

“The ship will be used for what it was designed for – to carry dry stores, refrigerated stores and possibly to house some New Orleans police and firemen,” said James McCloy, superintendent of the Texas Maritime Academy.  “All of this is subject to change, of course, but these are the plans FEMA has given us.”

Captain Sam Stephenson, master of the ship, said about 50 officers and crew will be on the ship when it arrives in New Orleans.

The ship is owned by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration and before coming to the Texas A&M at Galveston campus was used extensively as a supply ship for troops in the Persian Gulf.  MARAD has deployed five merchant vessels, including the USNS Sirius to aide in the restoration of the infrastructure of the areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

The Sirius, originally built by England as a Royal Navy ship, served as a replenishment ship and carried supplies and equipment for U.S. Navy ships around the world. The ship has a top speed of 18 knots and displaces about 16,800 tons.

Texas A&M University at Galveston is a branch campus of Texas A&M University and hosts one of six state maritime academies in the U.S. and is the only such academy on the Gulf Coast.  

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United States Congress

United States Congressman Ron Paul visited shelters for Hurricane Katrina refugees in Galveston today.  Paul stopped in at Moody Methodist Church and the Red Cross Center at 2803 53rd Street, as well as the Jesse Tree Relief Center at 2620 Market Street in Galveston.

On Thursday, Paul voted against the $51.8 billion disaster relief appropriation bill.

"Many have come to the floor today to discuss how we must help the victims of this terrible disaster and its aftermath," Paul said in a speech on the House floor. "But why do they think that the best way to do so is simply to write a huge check to the very government agency that failed so spectacularly?" Text

Paul said the bill did not make sense.

"We have all seen the numerous articles detailing the seemingly inexcusable mistakes FEMA made - before and after the hurricane," Paul said.  "Yet, in typical fashion, Congress seems to think that the best way to fix the mess is to throw money at the very government agency that failed."

Paul's recently announced Democratic Party opponent, Shane Sklar, took issue with Paul's vote.

"No single vote could better show how Ron Paul's time has come and gone," Sklar said.  "Like so many times before during his eight terms in Congress, Ron Paul only wanted to make a meaningless philosophical point, while the rest of the country wants to come to the aid of the victims of Katrina."

Sklar noted that of the 435 members of the U.S. House, Paul was one of only eleven to oppose the legislation, which provides funds for housing for the victims and reimbursement to the effected states.

"Are Ron Paul's peculiar beliefs more important to him than the people of his own district?" Sklar asked. "Are Ron Paul's values the same as ours?"

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Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Lamar University and the Lamar Institute of Technology hosted the Third Annual Parental Partners Awards Membership Luncheon on Thursday.  Listen  Download

The goal of the luncheon was to recognize "extraordinary parents" of school age children in the Beaumont Independent School District who, despite their uphill struggles, "go the extra mile" to ensure their children attend school, exhibit model citizenship, and contribute to the well-being of the school.

Pike Powers, former partner-in-charge of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.s' Austin office and chairman of the Texas Technology, was the guest speaker.

Powers, a former state legislator, challenged the audience to support regional and national initiatives in innovative technology development and the public-private partnerships needed to commercialize them.

"You have to have a long term strategic plan," Powers said.  "You really have got to stick with it through thick and then, good times and bad, and there will be some bad times along the way."

He emphasized the importance of Lamar University and LIT in the economic future of the Southeast Texas region.

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American Red Cross

The Galveston County unit of the American Red Cross issued a news release reviewing its efforts to assist Hurricane Katrina evacuees.  The Red Cross has been operating two shelters in Galveston County since the evacuees began arriving. 

The shelters are currently located in Galveston at Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church, 2803 53^rd Street, and in Texas City at First Baptist Church, 1400 9^th Avenue North.  

Medical services, currently provided in shelters to meet immediate needs, are being redirected beginning today, to community medical facilities  such as 4C’s Clinics and Medical Care Services at the University of Texas Medical Branch.  This change is taking place in collaboration with Red Cross community partners UTMB and the Galveston County Health District.  

"Many evacuees have been seeking assistance in getting medical prescriptions filled," said the news release.  "Prescriptions will continue to be provided through a program in collaboration with local retail stores and the Texas State Board of Pharmacy."

Guidelines have been established that evacuees must meet to obtain the service.  Information on this program along with additional community resources is available online at www.gchd.org/bt/katDSHSmeds.htm.   

Nurses will still be available in the shelters to provide triage and first aid services.  The shelters will also remain accessible for evacuees that may be seeking social services other than medical care.   

Medical services will be available at 4C’s Clinics in Texas City and Galveston.  For more information and a phone based NurseLine those seeking medical care can call (409) 938-2355 and if calling from north Galveston County (281) 309-0255.  NurseLine is available Monday through Friday, 8 amto 5 pm.  The Texas City 4C’s Clinic is located at 2000 Texas Avenue, and the Galveston 4C’s Clinic is at 4700 Broadway in Galveston’s Island Community Center.  

The University of Texas Medical Branch has established a Katrina information center with a single number, (409) 747-1206, to answer all Katrina evacuee related questions, especially queries on medical concerns and information on community resources.  The line will be answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can help direct those in need to the appropriate resource.  A website, www.utmb.edu\katrina, has been established to share resource information online.  Another line, (409) 747-CARE or (409) 747-2273 also connects evacuees to medical care.  

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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.

Saturday, September 10 
8:30 - 5:00 Citizens State of the Bay Conference, University of Houston-Clear Lake
10:00 Moody Gardens Adaptive Sports Festival, Palm Beach
 
Monday, September 12 
9:00 Galveston County Commissioners Court, Holbrook Building
9:00 Galveston Livable Communities Steering Committee, City Hall Room 204
9:00 League City Lions Club Golf Tournament
11:00 Jefferson County Commissioners Court Public Hearing
1:30 Jefferson County Commissioners Court
4:30 Friendswood City Council Worksession
6:00 La Marque City Council
6:00 Hitchcock City Commission
7:00 Friendswood City Council
7:00 Nassau Bay City Council
7:00 Shoreacres City Council
7:00 High Island Independent School District Board of Trustees
7:00 Galveston County Water Control and Improvement District 12

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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.

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. 

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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.