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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublicity Vol. 68 (Jan. 24, 2002 - Dec. 20, 2002) The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagle.com fail Home I Classifieds I Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 24, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station weighs meeting on Club Meetings College Town proposed TIF Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider calling Site Sections a public hearing to establish a tax reinvestment zone to fund the A &M News city's portion of a proposed hotel and conference center. Agriculture Announcements College Station wants to set up a reinvestment zone on 192 acres Business & Technology of land on the city's east side. A joint hotel and conference center, Classifieds built by the city and Bryan businessman Don Adam's TAC Realty, Columnists is planned to sit on 55 acres within area. A performing arts center Community is also being considered for the property. The Eagle Entertainment The 20 -year tax increment finance zone would be used to pay for Faith & Values the city's $18 million conference center. Kim Foutz, the city's Food economic development director, said the land is valued at more Health & Fitness than $3 million, but its value will rise considerably once the project Kids Korner begins. Lifestyles Newspapers in Foutz said the public hearing would be scheduled for March 14, if Education the Bryan school district and Brazos County agree to waive the Obituaries 60 -day public notice period. Opinions Politics If the waiver is not approved, the hearing would be moved to Region /State March 28. Schools Sports Both the school district and county collect taxes off the property Subscriptions Weather on which the complex will sit. Foutz said the school district will not be asked to forfeit any taxes, but the county would be asked to contribute a portion of its tax money. Foutz said a letter will be sent to both parties Friday. She said the law requires College Station to go through the same process for the district and county, even though the contributions will be different. In February, College Station will make a presentation to the Bryan school board and the county commissioners. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012402collegestationtif.htm 01/24/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 The agreement between TAC Realty and the city could be voided if the county does not agree to participate. to The infrastructure and Copperfield Drive expansion being funded pp P 9 by the city will not be included in the TIF. 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement (111, i http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012402collegestationtif.htm 01/24/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 the&ig Iecom (or , 41 Home Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Region / State January 31, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Water tower taking shape Club Meetings College Town New 3- million - gallon tank to be completed by Dec. 21 Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries Motorists cruising Town Talk along Texas Avenue Site Sections may have noticed the ' 4 A &M News column of cement and I Agriculture metal rising toward the , � . ' Announcements sk y be hind the H -E -B ` ' „,,,:,1,9,41, Business & Technology rocs store y - -' t ` l Classifieds grocery construction site. #' • ” " 9 '„ ' Columnists „ . •; fi -t Community If they haven't, they 4 The Eagle soon will.' Entertainment Eagle photo /Dave McDermand C Faith & Values „ Construction continues Wednesday on the Its about to become new water tower in College Station. It is Food real noticeable," said located about 100 feet from the current tower, Health & Fitness Dale Schepers, and is behind the under - construction H -E -B Kids Korner College Station's grocery store. It will hold three million gallons Lifestyles water and wastewater of water. Newspapers in Education division manager. Obituaries Opinions The city is constructing a new three - million - gallon, above - ground Politics water storage tank to replace its million - gallon tank at the corner Region /State of Texas Avenue and Holleman. The new structure will stand Schools about 100 feet behind the existing one. Sports Subscriptions Once completed, it will be the largest water tower in the city. The Weather storage tank at Earl Rudder Freeway South and Greens Prairie Road has a two- million - gallon capacity. Schepers said the elevated storage tanks allow for the water pressure to remain the same throughout College Station's water system. He added that residents will not notice a change once the three - million - gallon unit is in place. Schepers said the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission has requirements for the amount of elevated storage capacity a water system needs, and College Station had reached http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /013102watertowermove.htm 01/31/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 t heagIe.com ov e , �„ „ it inventory on sale Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com j BrazosSports.com I Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Region / State June 13, 2002 Births Brazos Club Meetings Seminar covers public information College Town Datebook By LAURA HIPP Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries Texans on both sides of government access issues Town Talk convened Wednesday to learn more about releasing and Site Sections gathering information for the public. A &M News Agriculture Announcements More than 40 people in government, hospital Business & Technology administration and media from across Southeast Texas Classifieds attended an open government seminar in College Station. Columnists Lawyers with the Attorney General's Office and in private Community practice outlined the Texas Public Information and Open The Eagle Entertainment Meetings acts. Faith & Values Food The College Station stop was the first of three for the Health & Fitness program, which was sponsored by the Attorney General's Kids Korner Office, the Texas Association of Regional Councils and Lifestyles Newspapers in the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Similar Education symposiums will be in Tyler on Aug. 9 and El Paso on Obituaries Oct. 25. Opinions Politics Region /State Sally Van Gee, the foundation's director of education, Schools said the seminars take place every two years to provide Sports an update on legislative changes and a general briefing Subscriptions on open government laws. Weather "We're just trying to educate everyone," Van Gee said. Sessions focused on the basics: Documents collected and maintained by a governmental body are public information and must be released within 10 days of a request. If a governmental body does not want to release the information, it can seek a decision from the state Attorney General's Office. http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /061302opengovermentseminar.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Speakers also discussed the proper ways for government agencies to conduct public meetings and when it is appropriate for government bodies to enter closed executive sessions. Recently, open government advocates closely watched a move by President Bush to place his Texas gubernatorial papers in his father's George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station. The library is managed by the National Archives and Records Administration, which follows federal public information guidelines that vary from state rules. Critics believed Bush's move was a way to circumvent the intent of the state open records law. Texas Attorney General John Cornyn ruled that the documents are still subject to Texas open records law, even though they are in a federal building. • Although that matter was resolved, the post -Sept. 11 climate makes it likely that legislation restricting public information will be forthcoming when the Legislature convenes in January, said Michael Garbarino, an assistant attorney general. "It would not surprise me at all if the Legislature takes a look at security- sensitive information," Garbarino said. For inquiries regarding open records and meetings, contact the Attorney General's hot line at 1-877 - OPENTEX. • Laura Hipp's e -mail address is Ihipp @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /061302opengovermentseminar.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 1 inventory �j�viti g All ne w & used In pwidnt,�& nvento y o n sale Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com j BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Region / State June 12, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station communicator named Club Meetings College Town region head Datebook Government Links Links Eagle Staff Report Obituaries Kelley Cole, College Station's communications and Town Talk marketing manager, has been named regional director of Site Sections A &M News the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers. Agriculture Announcements Cole will head Region Five, which includes Austin, Business & Technology Georgetown, Waco and College Station. She also will Classifieds Columnists serve on the organization's executive board. Community The Eagle The TAMIO, an affiliate of the Texas Municipal League Entertainment was developed in 1974 to assist public information Faith & Values officers who work for municipal governments. More than Food 100 cities of all sizes are members of the TAMIO. Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement thiv http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /061202regionheadnamed.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 1 All new &used t heeagle com m into' onatiri i nventory on sale Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Region / State June 12, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station breaks ground on Club Meetings College Town court building Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries The city of College Station broke ground Tuesday on a Talk Towns to Sections new Municipal Court Building that will house the city's A &M News court, its fire department administration and the Brazos Agriculture Valley Solid Waste Management Agency. Announcements Business & Technology The $2.8 million building will be located on Krenek Tap Classifieds Road to the east of the city's Utility Customer Service Columnists Community Center building. It is scheduled for completion in May The Eagle 2003. Entertainment Faith & Values All three agencies will be on the first floor of the building, Food which will be 17,000 square feet. A 15,000- square -foot Health & Fitness Kids Korner second floor also will be built, but it will remain a shell Lifestyles until the city needs to move other employees or Newspapers in departments into the building. Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement 4 http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /061202groundbreaking.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 theagIe.com otrz;g oe All new &used swag o z inventory on sale Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State June 14, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station to be part of rail plan Club Meetings College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries The College Station City Council on Thursday said it Town Talk wants to make sure the Brazos Valley is included on a Site Sections route for the high -speed rail system proposed for Texas. A &M News Agriculture Announcements The council unanimously voted to join a partnership to Business & Technology hire Dallas -based consultants Dean International to help Classifieds make the area a part of the proposed corridor. Columnists Community College Station's participation is based on Bryan, Texas The Eagle ‘16,. Entertainment A &M University and Brazos County also entering the Faith & Values agreement and equally splitting the $150,000 contract Food and all travel expenses. Health & Fitness Kids Korner City Manager Tom Brymer estimated the cost would Lifestyles in as Newspapers come to about $45,000 for each entity. College Station's Ne Education portion would be covered by interest earned on street Obituaries bond funds. Opinions Politics Region /State The Bryan City Council and Brazos County Schools Commissioners Court are expected to consider joining the Sports coalition at their respective June 25 meetings. Texas Subscriptions A &M would most likely have to enter into an agreement Weather with College Station to become a part of the group, Brymer said. Current plans for the Trans Texas Corridor, a high -speed rail and roadway system supported by Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Department of Transportation, do not include a line through Bryan and College Station. Most routes run through rural portions of the state. http: / /www.theeagle. com / region / localregional /061402railplan.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 College Station officials said it is important the area be connected to the state rail system, especially because the Bryan - College Station area was not included in the interstate highway system in the 1950s. Local representatives would propose a "Brazos Express Corridor" plan that would link Houston, Dallas -Fort Worth and San Antonio, with stops in Conroe, Bryan and College Station, Waco, Temple, Killeen and Austin. That path would connect 75 percent of the state's population. Stan Lynch of Dean International said it is not too late for Bryan and College Station to become part of the plan. "This area, to make it happen, needs to act," he said. "There are no guarantees of absolute success. But if you do, there is a coalition that we have begun to form with College Station, Bryan, Brazos County and A &M taking the lead." The contract with Dean International would run through Sept. 30, allowing the entities enough time to see if it is worth continuing. "If it is not something that is going to bear fruit, then we have done our best, but there is no need to continue," Brymer said. Becoming part of the system, which could take more than 20 years to become a reality, could mean growth and a significant economic benefit for the area, officials said. "I think we have to pursue this at this point," Councilwoman Winnie Garner said. "I think it is a disservice to our citizens if we don't." In other action Thursday, the council: • Approved a funding agreement with TxDOT for the design of a Barron Road interchange. The city, to speed up the process, will spend $675,000 for the design. The http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /061402railplan.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 state will pay all construction costs once funding is available. • Reappointed City Attorney Harvey Cargill Jr. and City Secretary Hooks. • Removed White Creek Road from the city's thoroughfare plan. • Moved the "hear visitors" portion of the meeting from 5:45 to 7 p.m. The move was discussed at the council's recent retreat. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagIe.com. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /061402railplan.htm 06/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 a point where it had to expand. More than a year ago, the city began studying sites to build the tl iro new water tower, limiting its search to six locations. Once the grocery store chain entered the picture, the decision became obvious. H -E -B was hoping to build the store at the same intersection where College Station's million - gallon tank stands. So the two parties worked out a deal. College Station sold the property on which the tank sits to H -E -B, then purchased land behind the store site, Schepers said. "Obviously, the site that was existing was a viable spot," he said. The new tank is scheduled to be completed and filled by Dec. 21. Once it is operational, the old storage unit will be capped and torn down. College Station's water is pumped from the ground in rural Brazos County and sent to the city's Sandy Point Pump Station. It is then transported about 12 miles to the Dowling Road Pump Station, where it is treated with fluoride and chlorinated. III From there, the water pressure is elevated and it is sent to the towers on Texas Avenue and Greens Prairie Road and to College Station faucets. Since the September terrorist attacks, Schepers said, the city has worked to make sure all facets of the water production process are safe. He said all doors and water access points are equipped with immediate - response alarms that signal the police department. The system was in place before the attacks, but it has been more strictly monitored since, he said. • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell ©theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle. com/ region/ localregional /013102watertowermove.htm 01/31/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 3 of 3 HANK TAYLOR Bryan A safety hazard College Station has a lucrative business going on Texas Avenue between Harvey Mitchell Parkway and Deacon Drive. Our daughter was ticketed for not stopping for a school bus she didn't see as she was turning right onto Texas Avenue. She returned a few days later to see where the bus stopped only to watch the same officer issuing another ticket. The ticket was $410, and she could not take the driver safety course for this type of ticket. Hoping to get the amount reduced because this was her first ticket in four years of driving, she went to court only to be verbally abused by a sarcastic judge. Last year, 233 tickets were issued at this spot. At more than $400 per ticket, the city has a lucrative business going, largely at students' expense. However, the situation is dangerous for both school children and motorists. The posted speed limit is 50 mph near the school bus stops. There is only a small warning sign quite far from the two places where the bus stops. Why students are treated so shabbily is baffling. College Station exists because of Texas A &M and its students. DIANA MARETH Corpus Christi c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ january02 /0131021etterstoeditor.htm 01/31/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 • theag1ecom tudent Specials' ubscribe to The Eagle online Home I Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 30, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station mayor upbeat about Club Meetings College Town landfill deal Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney said Tuesday she's Site Sections optimistic a deal can be struck within a matter of weeks between A &M News Brazos and Grimes Counties for construction of a new landfill. Agriculture Announcements Mcllhaney said she talked with Grimes County Judge Ira "Bud" Business & Technology Haynie about a week and a half ago to discuss concerns that the Classifieds Grimes County Commissioners Court had about the proposed Columnists landfill. Community The Eagle She said she could not go into detail about what was holding up v eir Entertainment the deal because of a $10 million lawsuit filed by Harold Trant Faith & Values against Grimes County. But said the issues were similar to the Food ones outlined by Grimes commissioners last October. Health & Fitness Kids Korner Trant, the owner of much of the land where the Brazos Valley Lifestyles Solid Waste Management Agency plans to build the landfill, Newspapers in claims that Grimes County has interfered with his right to sell the Education land, which is within College Station's extraterritorial jurisdiction. Obituaries Opinions Haynie said he could not divulge whether there had been talks Politics between him and Mcllhaney because of attorney - client privilege, Region /State Schools but he said he believes a deal will be struck Sports Subscriptions Despite the optimism, Haynie said there have not been any Weather breakthroughs in the negotiations between Grimes County and the BVSWMA. "Nothing new has developed and there is nothing new to present," Haynie said. BVSWMA has applied with the state to build a 609 -acre landfill in Carlos because the current landfill off Rock Prairie Road is nearing capacity. There have been reports that the landfill could ... eventually be expanded to 1,200 acres. Last October, Grimes commissioners presented a list of their http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /013002mayorupbeatlandfill.htm 01/30/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 concerns, including the proposed landfill's proximity to the Navasota River, the cost for Grimes County residents to use the 4 1r facility and the view from Texas 30 and any other roads that pass the site. They also wanted Grimes County to be granted a nonvoting member on the landfill's board of directors, as well as assurances that BVSWMA would not seek an industrial waste permit for the site. Commissioners also said they hoped Trant would drop the suit if a deal is struck between the two parties. Trant said Tuesday that he did not see an end in sight to the litigation, but he predicted his land eventually will be home to BVSWMA's landfill. "The landfill is going there, no doubt," he said. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement ID http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /013002mayorupbeatlandfill.htm 01/30/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 A good reason? C ov It was encouraging to read that the College Station City Council is raising the speed limit on Munson Avenue. Council members base their decision on information that 85 percent of motorists on that street already exceed the current speed limit. To all College Station police officers: If you catch me doing 55 mph down Texas Avenue, please remember that I am not breaking the law, I am simply participating in a city - approved method of getting the speed limit changed. I expect a commendation, not a citation. • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ january02 /0129021etterstoeditor.htm 01/29/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 Special treatment IL I was happy to read that the speed limit was being raised on Munson Avenue but unhappy to read that it was only being raised to 25 mph. I thought that the battle with the elitist rich people on Munson Avenue over the speed limit had been resolved when the blocking of the street and the removal of the speed bumps had occurred. Who do these people who want a low speed limit think they are? Why do they think that they deserve special treatment? Munson Avenue is already one of the very few streets in town with sidewalks and has been basically rebuilt twice in the past 10 years when very few other streets have received any attention. I know of no other streets in town with a 20 mph speed limit, no matter how narrow. I guess if you are rich, you get attention from the city council. I know that if there was a referendum on the matter that the street would have at least a 30 mph speed limit. After all, only a few people live on Munson Avenue, but most people in town use the street. NORMAN WHITE College Station Lower speed limit Here's an idea: How about lowering the speed limit on Munson Avenue — it's too fast for that neighborhood already — and ticketing people for speeding. Seems to me if drivers had been obeying the speed limit, there never would have been a Munson Avenue controversy to begin with. I grew up in that neighborhood and my parents still live there. Raising the speed limit is ludicrous. PRISCILLA FILES Bryan http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ january02 /0129021etterstoeditor.htm 01/29/2002 Ea_ Northgate Parking, Fall 2001 Statement of Income and Expense ,4, - BuAd d et Actual ;I,,bcgb e t & -Dec. 2001 $288,500.00 $ 28,870.0 ,cLa Jtevenue 111,100.00 51,742.00 Other 115,062.00 130,033.00 Expense Profit/(loss) $284,538.00 ( $49,421.00) . In addition to covering the $49, 421 loss, College Station taxpayers will have to fork up $645,356 for debt service. Paid for by Dick Birdwell, 3 Forest Drive, College Station II The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 t cell tudent Specials! ubscribe to The Eagle online. • Home !Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com ! Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 27, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Road work to close Glenhaven Drive Club Meetings College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report Government Links Links Glenhaven Drive will be closed at its intersection with University Drive on Monday and will remain closed for about two weeks for Obituaries construction work. Crews will be reconstructing the street to tie in Town Talk to the recently widened University Drive project. Site Sections A &M News Detour signs will be provided to route traffic destined for Agriculture Glenhaven Drive or the Scott & White Clinic south along the Earl Announcements Rudder Freeway west frontage road to Brazoswood Street. The Business & Technology Classifieds driveways to Scott & White on Glenhaven will continue to be open Columnists and can be accessed by following the detour signs. Community The Eagle Drivers leaving Scott & White should consider the proposed Entertainment detour to F.M. 60 or University Drive. The street closure will only Faith & Values affect Glenhaven Drive, and will not affect access to restaurants Food on the north side of University Drive. Health & Fitness Kids Korner All work operations are weather - dependent and may affect the Lifestyles two -week projection. The work is part of a $6 million Newspapers in reconstruction project that should be completed next summer. Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012702glenhavenroadwork.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 4 thegIe. theeagleicom S tt Specials! • ubscribe to The Eagle online- Home I Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact Site Map Region / State Janaury 27, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Weddington says abortion fight not over Club Meetings College Town Speech draw protests at fund - raiser Datebook Government Links By LAURA HIPP Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries As a young lawyer, Town Talk Sarah Weddington Site Sections unwittingly made A &M News history when she Agriculture argued the Roe vs. Announcements,, Wade case before the Business & Technology U.S. Supreme Court in Classifieds 1973. Columnists Community In a landmark The Eagle Entertainment decision, the justices Faith & Values ruled a woman's right Eagle photo /Butch Ireland to privacy protected Sarah Weddington, the attorney for Roe in the Food case of Roe vs. Wade, spoke at the Bryan - Health & Fitness her ability to have an College Station Planned Parenthood 2nd Kids Korner abortion. After that Annual Pro - Choice Luncheon. Lifestyles Weddington thought Newspapers in the issue was over. Education Obituaries She never expected she would still be defending abortion rights Opinions decades later. Politics Region /State "We thought the issue had been decided and the decision had Schools been written in granite," Weddington said at a Planned Sports Parenthood fund - raiser Saturday. "And now it feels as if it has Subscriptions been written in sandstone." Weather Weddington represented Norma McCorvey, who was Roe in the case, which was decided 29 years ago last Tuesday. McCorvey has since changed her mind and opposes legalized abortion. Weddington cautioned the more than 270 abortion - rights supporters at the Hilton College Station Hotel that the fight to preserve women's reproductive rights is far from over. Weddington visited the Bryan - College Station area as the abortion debate has re- ignited locally between Planned http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012702weddingtonprotests.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 4 Parenthood and the anti - abortion Brazos Valley Coalition for Life. Planned Parenthood, which offers various health care programs for families, is the only clinic that performs abortions in the Brazos Valley. Slightly more than 30 protesters stood outside the Hilton on University Drive and Tarrow Street, holding signs asking passing motorists to pray and condemning abortion. One demonstrator, Sonia Drabek, said the demonstrators wanted to "let people in the community know that there are people fighting to protect the lives of the unborn." Several anti - abortion supporters last week called and wrote Barron Hobbs, general manager of the Hilton, asking him to cancel the event. Hobbs stuck with his decision to rent a ballroom to Planned Parenthood. The religious -based Coalition for Life recently pressured Bryan school trustees to ban Planned Parenthood from participation in the district's annual Wellness Fair. Superintendent Herman Smith instead chose to cancel the fair, which featured dozens of health care providers. Weddington referred to the protesters several times during her speech and suggested the audience use them as inspiration to , increase their financial support of the clinic. She said those present should volunteer to escort patients past the crowd of protesters outside the clinic's entrance each day. "I think what the community should do �' is say, 'We are a i , community of diverse I slit 1 ,'W\ - ''', '4 ,*/ , . faith, - she said in an ,„ ara,c,_ interview before hertcrtx� speech. "People have a the right to their own opinion, but we are not going to agree with a group that wants to ` " force its religious Et,lule photo Butch ire rd belief on those who A group of protesters stands outside the Hilton disagree." College Station Hotel on Saturday afternoon while the Planned Parenthood fund - raiser Several College takes place inside. Station police officers were stationed around the hotel for security. Planned Parenthood and the Hilton also had guards inside the building. Weddington said such measures have been '.., used at her speaking engagements, but the Bryan - College Station area is known for passionate anti - abortion activists. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012702weddingtonprotests.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 4 "Bryan - College Station has gotten a reputation around the country for a group of protesters who are more apt to misrepresent the r truth, more apt to try to pressure the Hilton not to allow me to be here," she said. "Those are unusual tactics around the country, and it's not a reputation I think Bryan - College Station really would treasure." She said society must be wary of religious extremists who say they are acting "on the will of God" by threatening or attacking abortion clinic workers. The abortion debate has not turned violent in Bryan and College Station. Weddington said she agreed with public television personality Bill Moyers when he said recently that anti - abortion activists who act in the name of God are similar to the terrorists who crashed planes into the World Trade Center in the name of God. "Some of the people outside are trying to use intimidating tactics saying they are serving God," she said. "I am skeptical of people who decide they have the only communication with God and that he has told them directly what his plans are." Weddington, who is fighting breast cancer, praised the women's health care efforts of Planned Parenthood. She said the nationwide clinics discover more cases of breast cancer than any other health care organization. "When I think about all that Planned Parenthood does, it's very important for us to keep focused on that broader range of services that are provided," she said. But one of her top concerns is the future of the abortion- rights movement. Three Supreme Court justices — Sandra Day O'Connor, John Paul Stevens and William Rehnquist — are rumored to be nearing retirement, Weddington said. If they did, President Bush, who opposes abortion, could appoint new justices who would favor limiting women's rights, she said. "We've been through a lot together on all kinds of issues," she said. "One thing I worry about is the fading of memories." During Roe vs. Wade, Weddington used affidavits from emergency room doctors citing numerous cases of women who used coat hangers to perform abortions, which resulted in infections and serious injury. L. "You do not see women in the emergency room in the way you did before Roe vs. Wade," she said. "I think one of the things that http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region / localregional /012702weddingtonprotests.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 4 of 4 motivates so many of us is that we never want to go back to those days again where so many women were being treated in the emergency room." She said those "horror stories" are slowly being forgotten. The younger generations must continue to fight for women's rights, she said. • Laura Hipp's e-mail address is Ihipp @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • L http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012702weddingtonprotests.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theTigIecom Student Specials! • ubscribe to The Eagle online„ Home ! Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe I Contact ( Site Map Region / State Janaury 25, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station raises speed limit on 4 Club Meetings College Town streets Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council on Thursday voted to raise the Site Sections speed limit on Munson Avenue and three other city streets. A &M News Agriculture Vehicles will now be able to travel 25 mph on Munson from Announcements Lincoln Avenue to Dominik Drive and on Ashburn Avenue from Business & Technology Lincoln Avenue to Gilchrist Avenue. The previous speed limit on Classifieds both streets was 20 mph. Columnists Community The speed limit on North Forest Parkway between the Earl The Eagle Rudder Freeway South frontage road and Appomattox Drive was Entertainment raised to 45 mph from 35 mph. A similar increase was enacted for OF Faith & Values Luther Street West from Harvey Mitchell Parkway South to Marion Food Pugh Drive. Health & Fitness Kids Korner A speed limit change on Munson Avenue was the subject of a Lifestyles 1999 referendum in which College Station voters approved a Newspapers in resolution that re- opened the road and set the speed limit based Education on the city's policy for residential streets. City staff recommended Obituaries that limit be 30 mph. Opinions Politics Councilmen Dennis Maloney and Anne Hazen argued that raising Region /State the speed limit to 30 mph would create a safety hazard for Schools Munson residents. Sports Subscriptions Weather A study by the city showed that 85 percent of the vehicles on Munson travel at least 30 mph already. The Council voted 5 -2 to change the speed limit to 25, with Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney and Councilman James Massey in opposition because they felt the change went against voters' wishes. In other action Thursday, the council: • Called a public hearing for March 14 to establish a tax reinvestment zone to fund the city's portion of a proposed hotel and conference center. The city will make presentations in http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012502csspeedlimits.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 February to Brazos County and the Bryan school district, both of which receive property taxes from the 192 acres in the TIF. • • Repealed and terminated Reinvestment Zone Seven, which was established to help pay for a hotel and conference center in the Wolf Pen Creek area. The TIF has essentially been dead for years and has not collected money, but had to be officially removed to establish the new TIF. • Directed staff to give notice that the city intends to issue certificate of obligation bonds of up to $15.2 million. The money would be put toward the municipal court building and repairs to Fire Station No. 1. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell@theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • (10.■ http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /012502csspeedlimits.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagle. theeagleacom Student Specials! • ubscribe to The Eagle online- Home I Classifieds ' Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe ( Contact Site Map Region / State Janaury 25, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook City to seek out cheaper power Club Meetings College Town College Station gives TXU 12 -month notice Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries College Station will opt out of its contract with TXU Generation Town Talk Company LP, the city's wholesale power supplier, in an attempt to Site Sections find a better price for electricity. A &M News Agriculture The City Council on Thursday authorized staff to give TXU a 12- Announcements month notice for the termination of their current contract. TXU has Business & Technology been College Station's wholesale power supplier since 1996 and Classifieds extended the contract through December 2004 last January. Columnists Community The notice is required for the city to get out of its contract. The Eagle Entertainment Councilman Ron Silvia said the city has been happy with TXU's Faith & Values Food service, but with the state moving to a deregulated retail power Health & Fitness market there is a chance College Station could get a better deal on wholesale electricity and the savings on to customers. Kids Korner y pass g Lifestyles Newspapers in "We plan to try and get the best rates we can for our citizens," Education Silvia said. Obituaries Opinions The councilman did not rule out a return to TXU if it's the best Politics financial move for the city. Region /State Schools College Station is the largest municipality in the state that buys its Sports power from an outside source. Subscriptions Weather City manager Tom Brymer said College Station still has no plans to opt into the deregulated retail power market. He said the city will wait and see how deregulation fares before making a decision, because once a municipality enters the deregulated market it cannot go back. • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell(a�theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 012502cityseekscheaperpower.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 Ot theeaglacom • Home ! Classifieds I Aggiesports.com I BrazosSports.com I Subscribe Contact Site Map Region / State Janaury 24, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Punned Parenthood meeting protested Club Meetings College Town Datebook By LAURA HIPP Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links A Planned Parenthood fund - raiser will take place as scheduled Obituaries Saturday despite protests from a local anti - abortion group. Town Talk Site Sections Supporters of the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life have called and A &M News written the Hilton College Station Hotel and Conference Center Agriculture asking it to cancel the fund - raiser, which features Sarah Announcements Weddington as speaker. Weddington was the attorney in the Business & Technology landmark Roe vs. Wade case that legalized abortion. Classifieds Columnists The Coalition for Life has a long- standing feud with Planned Community Parenthood, which has offered abortion services in Bryan since The Eagle 1999. Entertainment �►- Faith & Values David Bereit, executive director of the Coalition for Life, said he Food was not asking for a boycott of the hotel but telling members to Health & Fitness Kids Korner remember the fact that this event is being held there when they Lifestyles make those decisions." Newspapers in Education If somebody asked me should I or should I not stay at the Hilton, Obituaries I'd say let your conscience be your guide," Bereit said. Opinions Politics But Bereit said if the Coalition for Life rented a meeting room and Region /State the Hilton received complaints, it wouldn't be deterred from Schools meeting at the hotel. Sports Subscriptions "If we did choose to have an event at the Hilton, I think they would Weather have every right to express their concerns," he said. "They have the right to rent out to whoever they want. That is their decision as a business decision." Barron Hobbs, the Hilton's general manager, would not discuss the number of calls he has received but said he stands by his decision to rent a ballroom to Planned Parenthood. The decision to rent a meeting room to Planned Parenthood is similar to allowing a church or the Coalition for Life use the hotel, he said. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 012402plannedmeetingprotest.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 "It's a social issue that these folks have to deal with," Hobbs said. "It's a business deal that I have to deal with. I think that Planned t hif Parenthood does a lot of good. I don't agree with everything they do." Bereft said his organization is encouraging its supporters to gather around the perimeter of the hotel and pray during Weddington's speech. Hobbs said he has instructed police that protesters will not be allowed on the Hilton's property. College Station police Sgt. Rodney Sigler said two off -duty police officers were hired by the Hilton for that day. If any problems arise, they would ask for assistance from on -duty officers, Sigler said. Planned Parenthood also will have security from its Houston office at the Hilton, said Debbie McCall, director of community service for the clinic. McCall said she resents the position in which the Coalition for Life has placed the Hilton. "The Hilton has done nothing wrong," McCall said. "They rented a • room to us. I'm very disappointed in [the Coalition for Life]." • Laura Hipp's e-mail address is IhippAa.theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 012402plannedmeetingprotest.htm 01/28/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 Opinions > Letters to the Editor Letters encouraged January 9, 2002 A half -baked idea Oh for crying out loud! Banning barbecue pits on upper floor balconies. Is there no end to the amount of freedoms we are willing to give up in order to feel safe? Are there any private ownership rights that cannot be taken away by a determined few because they are deemed unsafe, unpopular or politically incorrect? Where is the public outcry against upper floor barbecue pits? If there was enough public sentiment, I am sure that the apartment owners would have passed a rule regarding their own property by banning upper floor barbecue pits. After all, it is their right since the property belongs to them. Who gave the city the right to trample private ownership rights? Instead we have a few gutless apartment owners who, instead of making their own rules for their own property, pawn it off on the city, which is only too happy to take away more of our private property rights in the name of safety. C May I illustrate the absurd by being absurd? Perhaps we should ban all pornography on upper floor apartments only. We all know that pornography can do more damage to the soul than barbecue pits can do to the body. STEPHEN BECK Bryan http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ january02 /0109021etterstoeditor.htm 01/24/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 ED ELMORE s 2— College Station A metered response While I realize that some might not like the meters that College Station has placed in the Northgate business area, I believe that Don Bryant is a little late in his complaints. His statement, "I realize that the improvements were not free and that the citizens of College Station voted for the parking meters ..." speaks volumes to end his own complaint. If the people of College Station voted to pay for improvements through parking meters then that is what they have chosen. That ends the discussion. Now, if the citizens of College Station want to come back to a popular vote and remove the meters and pay for the improvement another way, say higher taxes, so be it. I would think that it might "sell better" to let those who use an area the most, pay for the improvements through the parking meters. BRIAN MILLER Bryan c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions /letterstoeditor /j anuary02 /0122021etterstoeditor.htm 01/24/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 Central Market Ja,n l,f i 2OO I have lived in Bryan for 22 years and I am really happy to read that H -E -B is negotiating for a store to be located in Manor East Mall. I would like H -E -B to consider making that store a Central Market. One of the reasons my wife and I like to go to Austin is to visit a Central Market. An H -E -B Central Market is a fun experience. I've experienced the Seattle Market, the Los Angeles Farmers Market, the Baltimore Market, the Cleveland Westside Market, and I have a faint memory of the old central market in my native Columbus, Ohio. I think H -E -B has done a marvelous job capturing that experience in its Central Markets in Austin. I think Aggieland is sophisticated enough to patronize and enjoy its own H -E -B Central Market. A Central Market complex is a perfect complement to the renaissance occurring throughout Bryan. ROBERT SCHWART Bryan • t http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions /letterstoeditor /j anuary02 /0116021etterstoeditor.htm 01/24/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 Meters must go JCtnuax 20 b2- g When will the city of College Station elect officials of the 21st century? This letter is in regards to the parking meters of the Northgate area. I realize that the improvements were not free and that the citizens of College Station voted for the parking meters, but are there not alternatives? Has not the Northgate area been a thriving business district for years, producing jobs and sales taxes? Where did these taxes go? I realize that we cannot blame the current officials for Northgate's neglect in the past, but parking meters are an outdated source of revenues. They are permanent, tacky fixtures in a thriving business /church neighborhood. They belong in the mid 1900s. Take note, Bryan officials. I hope that you do not follow in the footsteps of College Station and foul up the sidewalks of Downtown Bryan. Stand together downtown merchants. L c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions /letterstoeditor /j anuary02 /0116021etterstoeditor.htm 01/24/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 LIF 4 .1 :-I, J 7 -1 e- the�aglecom r y viit4 Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 23, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook EMS traffic system considered by Club Meetings College Town College Station Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider Site Sections spending more than $84,000 to expand a system that will allow A &M News emergency vehicles to override traffic lights at two dozen Agriculture intersections. Announcements Business & Technology The system, which permits fire trucks and ambulances to keep Classifieds traffic signals green as they pass though, was installed at 12 Columnists intersections last summer. Community The Eagle A sensor on the traffic signal picks up a strobe within the Entertainment ambulance or fire truck's emergency lights, causing the signal to Faith & Values remain green. College Station Fire Department spokesman Bart Food Humphreys said the only drawback is that traffic flow can often be Health & Fitness disrupted as the lights are readjusted. Kids Korner Lifestyles Humphreys said response times have decreased by 9 percent Newspapers in along the routes that are equipped with the Opticom Fire Preempt Education System. Obituaries Opinions In a case of cardiac arrest, EMS crews have only about six Politics minutes to respond before irreversible brain damage can occur, Region /State Humphreys said. It takes between 30 and 45 seconds for a call to Schools Sports get through dispatch and, ideally, a minute or less to get Subscriptions emergency crews on the road. Weather "That's already almost two minutes of the six - minute window," Humphreys said. "That leaves a four - minute drive time. If we can reduce that by half a minute, that can make a real difference." The intersections that would have the system added are Texas Avenue at Harvey Mitchell Parkway, Southwest Parkway and Brentwood Drive; University Drive at Agronomy Road, College Main Street, Tauber Road, Nagle Street and Spence Street; Harvey Mitchell Parkway at Longmire Drive, Rio Grande Road, Welsh Avenue, Southwood Drive and Wellborn Road; Harvey Road at Dartmouth Drive, Munson Avenue and George Bush http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012302emstrafficsystem.htm 01/23/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Drive; Rock Prairie Road at Longmire Drive and the Texas 6 west frontage road; Dartmouth Drive at Holleman Drive and Southwest Parkway; and Wellborn Road at Southwest Parkway, Holleman Drive and George Bush Drive. The system is already installed at the intersections of Texas Avenue and University Drive, Walton Drive, the Lonestar Pavilion shopping center, George Bush Drive, Harvey Road and Holleman; University Drive and Polo Road and South College Avenue; and George Bush Drive at Harvey Mitchell parkway, Anderson Street, Timber Street and Dexter Drive. Humphreys said the city is planning to install the system at every major intersection. He said all new stop lights will automatically have the system installed. The city of Bryan has no plans to install a similar system. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /012302emstrafficsystem.htm 01/23/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 theeagl c o Home I Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 18, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Senator pushes Hutchison joins Club Meetings lawmakers in returning College Town bioterrorism effort Datebook Hutchison wants A &M to get Enron donations Government Links Links millions for research, emergency programs Obituaries Town Talk By KELLI LEVEY Site Sections Eagle Staff Writer A &M News U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Agriculture Announcements Thursday she is pushing to funnel Business & Technology millions of dollars to Texas A &M Classifieds University for bioterrorism research - F Columnists and emergency response programs. Community The Eagle As part of that effort, the Texas Entertainment Republican said, $16.5 million will be Faith & Values given this year to the National Food Emergency Response and Rescue Health & Fitness Training Center at A &M. Kids Korner Lifestyles "We've been working to get them in Newspapers in the forefront for a long time, but now it's a matter of homeland defense," Obituaries she said, adding that many funding Eagle photo/Butch Ireland Opinions proposals center on areas never U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison speaks at the Politics considered before the Sept. 11 Bryan- College Station Region /State terrorist attacks. Chamber of Commerce Inner Schools Circle luncheon Thursday Sports The money will come directly from the afternoon. Subscriptions Department of Defense, she said, because "training emergency Weather personnel for rescue operations and trying to find people who are injured is going to be part of our homeland defense." Hutchison, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the defense and military construction subcommittees, was instrumental in securing $4 million in congressional funding for the counterterrorism training program that started at the A &M System's Texas Engineering Extension Service in October 1999. "It was just a perfect match to put Texas A &M at the top [of this http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011802hutchisonbioterror.htm 01/23/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 • year's priority list] because they're already unique and excellent in that arena," Hutchison said. U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R -The Woodlands, who was in College Station for Wednesday's Texas Task Force 1 training exercise for the Winter Olympics, said he also favors additional funding for the training. Another focus of homeland defense projects is securing agricultural products, Hutchison said to about 200 people at the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce's Inner Circle luncheon. "Whoever thought that would be a major effort of homeland security, but it is," she said. Hutchison said she wants to provide congressional funding for bioterrorism research programs at A &M, Purdue University and Iowa State University. She said a bioterrorism bill to keep agricultural products safe was in conference in the House and Senate as she spoke Thursday. "If everything goes as I want it to go, we are going to make [those] three universities in America the premier bioterrorism centers of research," she said. Another Texas project Hutchison boasted about is the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, which she said is trying to "break the code of the Desert Storm disease." "I have been one of those that has really been railing at the Department of Defense and at the Veterans Affairs Department because one in seven of our veterans who went to Desert Storm came back with symptoms that they did not have when they left," she said. For seven to 10 years, the Defense Department has said the symptoms are psychosomatic, she said. Researchers at the medical school are near identifying the cause as a chemical that is lacking in certain people's brains and their exposure to certain chemical warfare that was known to be used in Kuwait and Iraq by the Iraqis in Desert Storm After years of trying, she said, the medical school finally is going to get access to a larger number of people who were exposed to the chemicals. "We are going to get the bigger group to test and see if there is that causal connection," she said. Hutchison said the goal is to test people to see if they have a lack http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011802hutchisonbioterror.htm 01/23/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 of the substance in their brains. "If they are particularly vulnerable, then they wouldn't be called to serve, or we would find an antidote that would add the substance to the brain," she said. "We know in the future this is the kind of warfare we're going to have. ... Those are the kinds of things we are doing in Texas universities that are great that I am going to continue to enhance." • Kelli Levey's e-mail address isklevey @theeag/e.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011802hutchisonbioterror.htm 01/23/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theagIe. i , , Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State Janaury 18, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook CPR training pays off big for family Club Meetings College Town Citizen fire academy leaves woman prepared for crisis Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Marlene Albers has helped saved countless children's Town Talk lives over the years. Site Sections A &M News As program director of the Texas Agricultural Agriculture Extension Service's Rural Passenger Safety ,` Announcements Education division, she has shown hundreds & Technology � undreds of Classifieds parents how to properly install car seats. Albers Columnists Community But last June, she got to save a life first -hand. The Eagle Entertainment Albers and her husband were visiting their son in Maryland and Faith & Values took their grandchildren, Zak and Abby, to his office. After leaving Food the office, Abby told them Zak was choking. Health & Fitness Kids Korner "His mouth was open and his eyes were big and nothing was Lifestyles coming out and I couldn't hear him breathing," Albers said Newspapers in Thursday. "The first thing I wanted to do was panic. And then I Education realized that I knew how to administer the Heimlich Maneuver." Obituaries Opinions Albers believes one of the secretaries had a candy dish on her Politics desk that no one but Zak noticed. Region /State Schools "That little white Lifesaver popped out and he started breathing Sports and crying. Then he threw up. I was more traumatized than he Subscriptions could have been." Weather Just a few weeks earlier, Albers had become certified to perform CPR as part of her participation in the College Station Fire Department Citizens Fire Academy. Billy Bradshaw, EMS coordinator for the city, said children can be permanently damaged if they cannot - breath for six minutes. Albers is sure an ambulance Zak (1 ,, could not have arrived in that time. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /0118021ifesavercpr.htm 01/22/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Albers figured she'd never be called on to use the skills taught in the class. But she was thankful she had learned the Heimlich, because she could not imagine what the alternative may have been. "[The class] seemed like a good opportunity to learn more about the community and the fire department. And perhaps do some networking," she said. College Station's 14 -week program begins another session at the end of January. Classes are Monday evenings at the Fire Department Administration Building on Texas Avenue. Applications can be obtained at the administration building or by calling Cindy Giedraitis, the department's public education officer, at 764 -3712. The city of Bryan also holds a 10 -week citizens fire academy. Applications can be picked up at the Bryan Municipal Building and Fire Station No. 1. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and live or work in the Brazos Valley to be eligible for both academies. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeaglecom © 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /0118021ifesavercpr.htm 01/22/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 cEzt theeagiarcom 4 Home ( Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State Janaury 16, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station stops looking into Club Meetings College Town kidnapping Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries College Station police on Tuesday halted an investigation into the Town Talk kidnapping of a young girl after they verified that no child had Site Sections been reported missing. A &M News Agriculture Authorities searched fruitlessly for three hours Monday after Announcements receiving a call that a young girl had been forced into a car on Business & Technology Sunflower Trail at about 4:45 p.m. More than 30 police officers, Classifieds firefighters and FBI agents canvassed the College Station Columnists neighborhood searching for the 7- to 8- year -old blond girl Community described by the caller. The Eagle t ho Entertainment College Station police officer Rhonda Seaton said investigators Faith & Values eventually accounted for all the children who were absent Food Tuesday at the nearby Rock Prairie Elementary School. Health & Fitness Kids Korner The Department of Public Safety also verified that no one in the Lifestyles state matching the girl's description had been reported missing Newspapers in Monday or Tuesday, Seaton said. Education Obituaries Opinions Investigators believe the man who notified police probably Politics misinterpreted the situation, Seaton said. Investigators continue to Region /State ask that anyone who picked up their children during that time in Schools that area call police at 764 -3600. Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011602cstostopkidnapping.htm 01/17/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeag IF In a diROWN Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com I BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact Site Map Region / State Janaury 15, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Local officials investigate possible Club Meetings College Town kidnapping Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries Law enforcement officials investigating a report that a girl was Town Talk kidnapped called off a three -hour search late Monday after Site Sections officers could not verify any child had disappeared from that A &M News College Station neighborhood. Agriculture Announcements A resident in the area told police he saw a girl forced into a car as Business & Technology she walked along the 3000 block of Sunflower Trail at about 4:45 Classifieds p.m. Columnists Community Lt. Rodney Sigler, spokesman for the College Station Police The Eagle Department, said the man's report prompted more than 30 lbw Entertainment officers — including firefighters and FBI agents — to canvass the Faith & Values neighborhood in hopes of identifying her, but no children had Food been reported missing. Health & Fitness Kids Korner The witness told police that a dark - colored four -door car — Lifestyles possibly a green Honda Accord or similar vehicle — stopped next Newspapers in to the girl, Sigler said. Police were told that the driver remained in Education the car while a passenger grabbed the girl and climbed into the Obituaries back seat with her. Opinions Politics The man described the girl as being about 7 years of age with Region /State blonde shoulder - length hair, possibly wearing a dress. Schools Sports Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident, Si Subscriptions g Sigler said. 9 g Weather Police are asking anyone with information about those involved to contact police, as well as for anyone who might have picked up their child about 4:45 p.m. in the area between Rock Prairie Road and Deacon Drive near Welsh Street to call the police at 764- 3600. c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011502kidnapping.htm 01/17/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 ' coin • MW*1- Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com ( Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Region / State Janaury 15, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Bryan, College Station embark on joint Club Meetings College Town plan for park Datebook Government Links By LAURA HIPP Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk One of Ed and Billie Madeley's last wishes was to create a quiet Site Sections park for their Beverly Estates neighbors in Bryan. A &M News Agriculture But the late couple's idea created a unique quandary: The five Announcements acres donated are in the College Station city limits and access to Business & Technology the land is only through the city of Bryan. Classifieds Columnists Almost five years later, both cities have decided to make the Community property the first joint park development. It will be called Madeley The Eagle Park. i titir Entertainment Faith & Values Ed Madeley gave the city of College Station a portion of his Food property on the edge of the city limits in memory of his wife. It's a Health & Fitness heavily wooded area at the end of Sunny Lane in Bryan. Kids Korner Lifestyles The donation of this piece of property, which the couple owned Newspapers in since 1950, was to ensure other developments did not destroy the Education wooded atmosphere of the neighborhood around Rosemary Obituaries Drive. If the city did not design the park by August of this year, the Opinions property would have been given to the A &M United Methodist Politics Church, of which the Madeleys were longtime members. Region /State Schools The planned park is scheduled for completion in July and will Sports benefit residents in both cities, said Steve Beachy, Parks & Subscriptions Recreation director in College Station. Chimney Hill, a College Weather Station subdivision, is near the park. "It was intended to be left as a natural area with some trails and some benches," Beachy said. "It will provide a nice little buffer there and some green space." College Station will spend $40,000 on a walking trail, benches, a water fountain and an entryway. Bryan will contribute between $5,000 and $10,000 for the entryway and to construct a small parking area with two spaces. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011502bryancsparkplan.htm 01/15/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Giving to the Bryan - College Station community was a priority for the Madeleys, both of whom died in the late 1990s. (Ity Ed Madeley, a former College Station pharmacist, and his wife did not have children, so after their deaths, a majority of their $2 million estate was given to area charities. A.W. Davis, the Madeleys attorney, said the park design would meet the couple's expectations. "I think [Ed] wanted to devote it to a public purpose that would be inoffensive to the neighbors," Davis said. David Schmitz, Parks & Recreation director in Bryan, said the plans give each community a chance to work together for the benefit of all residents. He and Beachy have met with people in the neighborhood to address their concerns. Members of the Beverly Estates Homeowners Association are pleased with the plans for Madeley Park, said Ray Grossman, president of the organization. "It's good for the neighborhood and good for the community and certainly respects Ed Madeley's wishes," Grossman said. "This is one of the things that he wanted to give back to the community." Park plans will be discussed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday by the Bryan Parks & Recreation Advisory Board at the department office, 201 E. 29th St. Bryan and College Station parks and recreation advisory boards will meet jointly at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Neal Recreation Center and further discuss conceptual plans. • Laura Hipp's e -mail address is lhipp@theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011502bryancsparkplan.htm 01/15/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 the &i gI e . ; ' Home Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State Janaury 12, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station boosts ambulance fee by Club Meetings College Town $75 Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The cost of being transported to the hospital by ambulance in Site Sections College Station has gone up by $75. A &M News Agriculture The city council on Thursday voted to raise the fee for ambulance Announcements service to $425, plus $5 per loaded mile. The new rate went into Business & Technology effect immediately. Classifieds Columnists The total cost to the city before patient reimbursement is about Community $1,000 per ambulance ride. The Eagle Entertainment College Station Fire Department spokesman Bart Humphreys VW Faith & Values said Friday the increase was necessary because of a federal law Food passed in 2000. Health & Fitness Kids Korner I n the past, many hospitals, including the College Station Medical Lifestyles Center and St. Joseph Regional Health Center, would give new Newspapers in supplies to the ambulance crew to replace the drugs and other Education disposable items that were used while the patient was en route. Obituaries The hospitals would then add the cost of the supplies onto the Opinions patient's bill. Politics Region /State The law prohibited hospitals from reimbursing emergency service Schools carriers for the items. Sports Subscriptions Weather The reason the law came about was in some areas, it was seen as an enticement by the hospital to get ambulance companies to bring patients to their hospitals instead of another hospital," Humphreys said. "So a lot of that stuff that we used to get on an exchange basis we have to buy and stock ourselves. This even goes with the medication and drugs we have on the unit." Both Bryan and College Station raised ambulance fees in September 2000 after the federal law took effect. At that time, College Station ambulance fees rose from $295 to $350. Bryan's http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011202csraisesambulancefee.htm 01/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 Nrnit thee Home I Classifieds f Aggiesports.com j BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 12, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station Municipal Court to Club Meetings College Town change its hours Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries Operating hours for College Station's Municipal Court will change Town Talk beginning Monday. Site Sections A &M News The new hours will be Monday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Agriculture Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Announcements Business & Technology The court is located at 2611 -B Texas Avenue South and is Classifieds connected to the College Station Police Department Columnists headquarters. All Class C misdemeanors, including traffic and Community parking violations, assault, theft under $50, public intoxication, city The Eagle ordinance violations and stray animal cases are handled at the e Entertainment court. Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle PrivayStatement c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011202cscourttochangehours.htm 01/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 fee went from $350 to $400, where it remains. Both cities charge $5 per loaded mile. Bryan deputy city manager Hugh Walker said Friday that Bryan is not considering raising its ambulance fee at this time. Humphreys said College Station had to spend an additional $44,000 during the 2000 -01 fiscal year on supplies that would have been exchanged under the old system. The city is anticipating costs to reach $50,000 this year and estimates having to spend between $70,000 and $100,000 annually in the future. By raising the cost of ambulance rides, College Station says it will increase revenue by $67,500, assuming it collects on 60 percent of the cases. Humphreys said the city collects on between 62 and 64 percent of the billed cases, which he said is above the national average. College Station receives about 260 emergency medical calls per month. Kathy Hubbard, assistant fiscal services director for the city, said that on average about 210 people each month are transported by ambulance to the hospital. She said about 87 percent of those transported are billed. The city has to write off part of the cost for patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid. Those programs pay a flat fee, which is less than the city's rate. • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http://www.theeagle.com / region/ localregional /011202csraisesambulancefee.htm 01/14/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 t e agle. or Home ! Classifieds I Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com . Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State Janaury 11, 2002 Births Brazos Club Meetings College Station denies request to rezone College Town Datebook property Government Links Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Obituaries Eagle Staff Writer Town Talk Site Sections The College Station City Council on Thursday denied a rezoning A &M News Agriculture request that would have allowed a Bryan plumbing supply company to Announcements relocate to the city. Business & Technology Classifieds Columnists Council members told Mark Hamling, president of Conroe -based Moore Community Supply Co., that they would like to see his Bryan branch relocate to The Eagle College Station, but not on property next to the Edelweiss Estates Entertainment Faith &Values subdivision. Food Health & Fitness Moore Supply's request was denied by a 5 -2 margin, with council KidsKorner members Larry Mariott and Winnie Garner supporting the rezoning. Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries The company had asked the city to rezone a 2.1 -acre piece of land Opinions along Wellborn Road to allow the wholesale and retail plumbing store Politics to build a 14,000- square -foot facility. Region /State Schools Sports " If we could zone based on a project, it would sure be a lot easier," Subscriptions Weather Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney said. "But we can't. It's not the business. I have to consider any land use." Eight residents, six of whom lived in the Edelweiss Estates subdivision, spoke against the rezoning. The majority of the residents said they had purchased their homes based on the knowledge that the undeveloped property was zoned for a light commercial use, such as a bank or bookstore. They feared the plumbing supply company could hurt their property values. Councilman Ron Silvia said he sympathized with the Edelweiss residents. "That decision [to build] was based on what was going to be next to their home," Silvia said. "I don't think it's right to change it now." Silvia said he hoped there was a way to get the company, which http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011102rezonerequestdenied.htm 01/11/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 generated more than $3.3 million in revenue last year, into College Station. C ope Moore Supply's Bryan distribution center has been in business since 1962. The company has 34 locations in Texas and Arkansas. Moore was hoping to relocate to College Station, where many of its employees and customers live. Hamling told the council that his business would have been a better fit than many that would be allowed to build under the current zoning standard. "We pride ourselves on being good neighbors," Hamling said. "I don't know of a single incident with any of our 34 locations." In other action Thursday night, the council: • Voted to raise the city's emergency medical transportation fee by $75 to $425, plus $5 per loaded mile. • Named council members James Massey, Dennis Maloney and Garner to an ad hoc committee to develop final articles of incorporation for a stand -alone Convention and Visitor Bureau for the Brazos Valley. Councilwoman Anne Hazen will serve as the alternate. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell(a�theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011102rezonerequestdenied.htm 01/11/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagle,com Home I Classifieds I Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com I Subscribe ( Contact I Site Map Region / State Janaury 11, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings MPO to hear plans on funding changes College Town a Eagle Staff Report Government ent Links Links Obituaries The Policy Committee of the Bryan - College Station Metropolitan Town Talk Planning Organization will hear a report Friday from Texas Department Site Sections of Transportation officials about plans to overhaul the state's Unified A &M News Transportation Program and funding categories. Agriculture Announcements Business & Technology Plans to reduce the number of funding categories from 32 to 12 would Classifieds allow for more flexibility at the local level, said MPO Director Michael Columnists Community Parks. The Eagle The meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. in Room 102 of the Brazos Center, Entertainment 3232 Briarcrest Drive. Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness The committee members had hoped to resolve a dispute this month Kids Komer with the consulting company overseeing a rail study, but Parks said he L Lifestyles has not received an interpretation from an attorney about the contract. Newspapers in Education There is confusion about the scope and expense of the consultant's Obituaries Opinions work on the project. Politics Region /State Parks said he anticipates a decision at the February meeting. Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement (Ilor http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011102mpofundingchanges.htm 01/11/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagleRcom 61 0:3 1 61 - qt Home j Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com j Subscribe Contact ( Site Map Region / State Janaury 10, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Garage rates cut for reserved spaces Club Meetings College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report Government Links Links College Station is offering reduced -rate reserved spaces in the Obituaries College Main Parking Garage in Northgate for the spring semester. Spaces can be leased for $175, with no deposit Town Talk required. Site Sections A &M News Monthly spots can be leased for $55 with no deposit. Agriculture Announcements Business & Technology A lease guarantees a parking space from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m., Classifieds excluding special event parking. Columnists Community After Jan. 25, the semester rate will go up to $200, with a $25 The Eagle deposit. The monthly lease rate will be the same, but a $25 Entertainment deposit will be added. Faith & Values Anyone interested in obtaining a lease can call 764 -3565 or go to Food the City Hall Accounting Office on Texas Avenue or the Utility Health & Fitness Customer Service Center on Krenek Tap Road. Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011002garageratescut.htm 01/17/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagiecom GROWN Home j Classifieds I Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com I Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State Janaury 10, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings Garage rates cut for reserved spaces College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report Govemment Links Links Obituaries College Station is offering reduced -rate reserved spaces in the College Town Talk Main Parking Garage in Northgate for the spring semester. Spaces can Site Sections be leased for $175, with no deposit required. A &M News Agriculture Announcements Monthly spots can be leased for $55 with no deposit. Business & Technology Classifieds A lease guarantees a parking space from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m., excluding Columnists special event parking. Community The Eagle Entertainment After Jan. 25, the semester rate will go up to $200, with a $25 deposit. Faith & Values The monthly lease rate will be the same, but a $25 deposit will be Food Health & Fitness added. Kids Korner Anyone interested in obtaining a lease can call 764 -3565 or go to the Lifestyles City Hall Accounting Office on Texas Avenue or the Utility Customer Newspapers in Education Service Center on Krenek Tap Road. Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /011002garageratescut.htm 01/11/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 • theeagleicom o;o Home Classifieds A ies orts.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact Si Map i ( 99� p � p � I 1 Region / State January 9, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings C ouncil to study rezoning College Town Datebook College Station residents upset over plan for land Govemment Links Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Obituaries Eagle Staff Writer Town Talk Site Sections The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider a rezoning A &M News Agriculture plan that would allow a plumbing supply business to set up shop on Announcements property along Wellborn Road. Business & Technology Classifieds Columnists The proposed change has caught the eyes of residents of Edelweiss Community subdivision, which sits next to the land. They say the rezoning and The Eagle subsequent construction of the plumbing supply business would lower Entertainment the values of many homes in the neighborhood. Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness A public hearing on the issue will be the first item on the council's KidsKorner regular agenda Thursday night. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the Lifestyles C Newspapers in Education Council Chambers at City Hall. Obituaries Opinions The property is undeveloped and zoned as a lighter commercial Politics n category than what is being considered. The rezoning would be Region /State Schools necessary for the Moore Supply Company to relocate from its location Sports in Bryan. Subscriptions Weather "We feel that the type of business that is planned to occupy the space does not fit because it is not a neighborhood service," said Phil Wade, president of the Edelweiss Estates Homeowners' Association. "It's not like a McDonald's or a Blockbuster or library or anything of that nature. "The original plan set up by the developer was for those types of businesses. From what we've seen [a business like this] can cause the value of the homes to decline." City staff has recommended approval of the rezoning to the council. Natalie Ruiz, development manager for the city, said that the application conformed to the land use plan for the Edelweiss subdivision, so staff had no reason to deny the request. She said that it is the responsibility of the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission to listen to the public and determine the proper use of the plan. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5 -2 in November to pass the proposal, but there was discussion about the impact it could have http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010902councilrezoning.htm 01/09/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 r � on the area. "Our comprehensive plan does state that College Station should continue to protect, preserve and enhance future and existing neighborhoods," Ruiz said. "So the public hearing is really the opportunity for the commission and the council to determine if that [type of] development will impact the neighborhood to the point that it compromises the neighborhood's integrity." A piece of land to the east of the proposed site is already zoned for the same heavier industrial use the council is considering. However, Edelweiss residents say they have no problem with the business on that land, Shadow Rock Pet Resort, because it was already established before most of the neighborhood was built in the early 1990s and it has landscaping. "I know a lot of the growth in College Station is in this direction," said Tracy Stratemann, a member of the Edelweiss homeowners association board whose home backs up to the property on which the plumbing company wants to relocate. "I'm sure the guy has good intentions, but you can't tell me that the a plumbing supply company is going to have this beautiful landscaped upkeep." Ruiz said that if the rezoning is approved by council, a six -foot masonry fence, along with trees and shrubs, would have to divide the property from the residential area. But Stratemann said the plumbing operation would have 9- foot -tall pipe racks that would be visible from her back yard. She also worries about bright lights and large trucks coming in and out of the business. "I don't care how far back or how thick you make a 6 -foot fence, If you've got a 6 -foot fence and a 9 -foot pipe rack, what do you think I'm going to see ?" Stratemann said "That is a no- brainer. That is definitely going to decrease the value of our house." Stratemann said she has collected the signatures of 10 homeowners who feel their properties will be harmed by the rezoning to present to the council. "Every single person who lives within 200 feet [of the property] in the house that they purchased is opposed to this," she said. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell a(�theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010902councilrezoning.htm 01/09/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeiagIe. corm ONOWN Home Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com ( BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact Site Map Region / State January 8, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings Bryan to review tourism bureau changes College Town e B LAURA HIPP Government ent Links Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The Bryan City Council on Tuesday will review changing the Site Sections management and the name of the Bryan - College Station Convention A &M News and Visitor Bureau — a concept created by its southern neighbor. Agriculture Announcements Business &Technology Under the proposal, the bureau would become the Brazos Valley Classifieds Convention and Visitor Bureau, and a governing board comprised of Columnists city appointees and representatives from the hospitality industry would Community oversee operations, said College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney. The Eagle Entertainment Faith & Values The plan was crafted after consultant Randall Travel Marketing Food recommended in April 2001 that the bureau would be more effective as Health & Fitness Kids Korner an independent organization, not under management of the Chamber Lifestyles of Commerce. The chamber oversees the bureau under a contractual Newspapers in Education arrangement with both cities. Obituaries Opinions Politics Bryan Mayor Jay Don Watson said an independent bureau could aid Region /State the community's efforts in increasing tourism revenue. Schools Sports Subscriptions "I don't have any problems [with the change]," Watson said. "Right now, Weather it's in the shadow of the chamber." But, he said, neither city has addressed how to structure the governing board nor how the bureau would be financed. The agency receives hotel and motel tax revenue from both towns. Of the bureau's $800,000 operating budget in 2002, College Station gave $668,000 and Bryan $100,000. College Station also donates the bureau's office space on University Drive. Mcllhaney said the community has reached a size that dictates it take a more aggressive control of marketing the twin cities and the surrounding area. College Station told the Chamber of Commerce in September that it wanted to cancel the management contract. Bryan has not discussed cutting those ties. Both city councils will discuss the plans during workshop sessions this week. Thn Rnion rni inril orfrfrnoo fho icci io of o 2.1 I n m moof http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010802tourismbureauchanges.htm 01/08/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 • 1 1IG LAI yGl 1 OVUI 1011 VY111 6441000 LI IG 10006 CAL CA L.A. 1 V !a.m. II IGGLII Tuesday in the basement training room of the municipal building. The College Station City Council will talk about the plan at a 3 p.m. meeting Thursday at its chambers at city hall. n Laura Hipp's e-mail address is Ihipp @theeagle.com. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement L http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010802tourismbureauchanges.htm 01/08/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 ; thee gle. CO ' V MOWS Home Classifieds ; Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com j Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State January 4, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings Apartment managers unaware of code College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries By and large, apartment managers , Town Talk Site Sections in College Station are pleased by the A &M News provision of the city's new fire code t Agriculture that bans gas and charcoal grills �o Announcements p � � from balconies at their complexes. Business & Technology . . Classifieds They just wish they had known it was Community coming. The Eagle • Entertainment Faith & Values Apartment managers from five local Eagle photo/Butch Ireland Food complexes said they did not know Pepper Tree Apartment resident Isaac Health & Fitness about the new fire code until the Heredia will have to move his Kids Korner y barbeque grill from his second -floor Lifestyles read about it in Thursday's edition of balcony under the new College Newspapers in Education The Eagle. And while they say they Station fire code that took effect Jan. Obituaries will do everything they can to enforce 1. Opinions Politics the policy, some said it would have been nice to know ahead of time. Region /State Schools "I wish they would have mailed some sort of notification letting us know Sports Subscriptions that this was going to happen January 1," said Tammy Fails, property Weather manager at Tree House II Apartments. "That way we could have contacted our residents instead of it being January 3 and they're all gone. When they come back we have to deal with that." With classes at Texas A &M University in recess until Jan. 14, few students are in town. Many of the complexes resemble ghost towns, with empty parking lots and plenty of unmanned barbecue pits. The grill code was just one of several in the 2000 International Codes adopted by the College Station City Council last November. Bryan is expected to adopt the International Code within the next few weeks. Apartment managers were working on letters for residents Thursday to let them know about the new rules. Most planned to distribute them within the next couple of days. But they know the majority of their residents probably will not return until next week. (ir "I'm sending out a copy of the [College Station] code and I'm doing a letter telling our residents to remove their grills effective immediately," said Shanna Silva_ a leasing agent at College Park Enclave. http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /010402barbequefirecode.htm 01/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 The Enclave will place a moratorium on all grills, even though the fire code only prohibits them from being on upstairs balconies. But while the managers may not be happy with the way the message was delivered, they are happy with the message. "It's just one less thing to worry about happening. They're dangerous," Fails said. "I've got three -story buildings, and when you're on the second floor there are a lot of people that could be killed if something happened like the wind caught it or a spark [started a fire]. They don't look at that view, but as a manager we do." Isaac Heredia, a resident at Pepper Tree Apartments, said he understands the city's reasoning. He just doesn't know what he is going to do with his grill. "It's not like there is a lot of room in these apartments," he said. "I have no idea where I'm going to stick this thing." • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell a(.theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement Colv http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010402barbequefirecode.htm 01/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 POGO te+e„ /e.com Y GROWN Home I Classifieds I Aggiesports.com I BrazosSports.com I Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Region / State January 3, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings College Station code puts ban on grilling College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries College Station apartment residents who live above the first floor can Town Talk no longer use gas or charcoal grills to cook out on their balconies — Site Sections A &M News and they can't store them there, either. Agriculture Announcements In Bryan, upstairs dwellers can still use such grills, but not for long. Business & Technology Classifieds Columnists The ban on above - the - first -floor grilling is one of the new regulations Community that went into effect Tuesday in College Station as the city moved to The Eagle conform to the 2000 International Building, Mechanical, Fuel Entertainment g+ g+ Faith & Values Gas, Residential, Property Maintenance and Energy Codes. Food Health & Fitness Bryan Fire Marshal Nathan Sivilis said the same code should be in Kids Korner Lifestyles place in Bryan within a couple of months. co, Newspapers in Education Obituaries Barbecue pits will still be allowed at single - family homes and duplexes. Opinions Politics Region /State The new fire code prohibits charcoal and gas grills on balconies above Schools the first floor of apartment complexes or within 10 feet of "combustible Sports Subscriptions construction," said Jon Mies, College Station's fire marshal. Weather Most residents were unaware of the new codes and said they have not been notified by their complexes of the changes. "I think it ridiculous," said Blake Fitzgerald, a Texas A &M University student who lives in the Tree House I I apartment complex. "I don't even know what to say." Mies said that said the move to outlaw grills at apartments has been a subject of discussion in the past. "A lot of apartment complexes have asked for that to be a requirement in years past, but we hadn't really seen the need for it because we haven't had a lot of fires that were caused by that," he said. "But since it was in [the International Code], we decided to go ahead and leave it in there." Rosemarie Selmon, executive director of the Bryan - College Station Apartment Association, said she is glad to see College Station put the new law into place. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010302cscodebansgrilling.htm 01/04/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 "A lot of residents don't understand that it is a safety issue when it comes to using the barbecue pit," Selmon said. "It is a viable ordinance." A portion of The Grove apartment complex in Bryan burned in 2000 after flames in a charcoal grill went out of control. "We've had several fires in the past that have started because of that," Sivilis said. "We are in the process right now of reviewing different codes in the International Code to make sure they fit what we need." Mies said that violations that could lead to a fire are punishable by a fine of up to $2,000. However, he said the city will give warnings and usually would not level a fine until a violator has been warned several times. In addition to the new grill regulations, Mies said, residents may notice a few other changes because of the new fire code. Houses built in the future will have to have smoke detectors in each bedroom and hallway. The alarms must be connected, so that if a smoke detector sounds in one section of a home, smoke detectors in the other parts of the structure will go off, too. Currently, houses are only required to have smoke detectors outside of each room, Mies said. The new code also has a stricter requirement for sprinkler systems in public buildings. Previously, the number of sprinklers was based solely on a building's square footage. Changes have been put in place to take a building's occupancy into account, along with its size. "Sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems are life safety tools," Mies said. "They are there to protect people's lives. If you have a large group of people there, there is a possibility for a large life loss, so they are requiring these to be installed." The 2000 International Code was put in place to merge all regional building codes from around the country into one universal document. Mies said most cities are switching to the new code. It incorporated the Standard Codes, which is published by the Southern Building Code Congress International, the Uniform Code and the Building Officials and Code Administrators, or BOCA, Code. Both cities have been using the 1994 Edition of the Standard Codes. "It helps development, it helps architects, it helps everyone," Mies said. "Currently, you could have as many as four different model building r nrlac arni rnri tha I Initarl Statac I n TPYaC alnna vni i mini iIri CPP the http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010302cscodebansgrilling.htm 01/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 . Standard Code, the Uniform Code, you would see BOCA. "If you wanted to build, say, a Chili's in the Northeast, you might have to build it under one code. But then you might have to redraw and redesign it under the Standard Code in the South." • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement L- L, http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /010302cscodebansgrilling.htm 01/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 thigIec Specials! Subscribe to The Eagle online.. Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact Site Map Region / State February 20, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station asks county for TIF Club Meetings College Town funding Datebook City says fate of conference center hinges on tax - increment Government Links financing Links Obituaries By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Town Talk Eagle Staff Writer Site Sections A &M News College Station asked the Brazos County Commissioners Court Agriculture on Tuesday to participate in a tax financing method to help pay Announcements for construction of an $18 million conference center on the city's Business & Technology east side. Classifieds Columnists City officials touted the project's benefits, including additional Community opportunities for tourism, increased sales taxes generated from The Eagle construction and minimal demand on county services. The Entertainment conference center is part of a larger $153 million public - private Faith & Values project that is slated to include a 300 -room full - service hotel and Food corporate headquarters for the Adam Corp. /Group. Health & Fitness Kids Korner The city's portion of the project will not be viable without the Lifestyles county's participation in a tax - increment finance zone, or TIF, said Newspapers in Kim Foutz, College Station's economic development director. Education Obituaries In tax - increment financing, the property taxes of businesses or Opinions residential owners in the zone go to the TIF rather than the city Politics and county. The project is in the taxing jurisdiction of the Bryan Region /State school district, which is not being asked to participate in the TIF. Schools Sports Subscriptions Commissioners did not take any action Tuesday on College Weather Station's request. They are expected to make that decision at a future meeting. Either way, the county would continue to collect taxes on the property, currently valued at $3.4 million. But participation would mean giving up an estimated $8.6 million in tax revenue the development would be expected to generate for the county over the next 20 years. Without the development, the revenue would not exist, city officials noted. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022002csasksfortiffunding.htm 02/20/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 "The project cannot move forward until we know it has a TIF," Foutz said. "We're trying to keep things moving to have a hotel and conference center open for football season [in 2003]. That's critical for the opening of a full - service hotel." County Judge Al Jones said he is concerned that the county, by participating in the TIF, may be subsidizing a project that will compete with other local hotels. "I want to be careful about what we do so we don't enhance one facility over the other," he said. Foutz said TIF funds would be used to help pay for two boulevards to the conference center and the 10 -acre facility, which will include 60,000 square feet of conference space, a grand ballroom, an amphitheater and a kitchen. The TIF will not pay for utility extensions to the area. "The TIF funds will solely be used for the conference center project," she said in response to commissioners' concerns that the TIF money would help pay for a private development. The city also will be using hotel -motel tax revenues and an interfund loan to help pay for the conference center, Foutz said. Commissioner Carey Cauley said he does not want the county to participate if the conference center will not be open to the public. Foutz said it would be open to everyone on a first -come, first - served basis. On Tuesday the court appointed Commissioner Tony Jones to the board that will oversee the TIF, but that move does not obligate commissioners to participate. Jones was not at the meeting. The court also waived the requirement that the city provide 60 days' notice of a public hearing about the creation of the TIF. A public hearing has been scheduled for March 19, which Foutz said is 11 days earlier than the city could have it without the waiver. That timing is critical for the project to move forward, she said. Plans for the project were announced in July 2000 by College Station and TAC Realty, a subsidiary of the Adam Corp. It would be built on land bound by F.M. 60 East and Texas 30. Primary agreements for the project have been completed, Foutz said. Officials are negotiating an agreement for a hotel manager and finishing initial budgets and booking policies for the hotel and �•• conference center. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022002csasksfortiffunding.htm 02/20/2002 .-The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 Brazos County participates in a TIF to help the city of Bryan fund the Traditions Golf & Country Club, hotel and residential development in west Bryan. That project was opposed by a group of local residents who said they were against the city and county helping to pay for a private development. Only one person, former City councilman Dick Birdwell, spoke against College Station's project during the court's meeting. He said he is concerned that residents will be left "holding the bag" if the project is not as successful as city officials expect. "I've got great concern about the feasibility of this project and would ask that the county require a feasibility study before getting involved," he said. College Station Councilman James Massey told commissioners that council members have studied the development in order to be sensitive to their constituents. Massey said the project has the council's full support and encouraged commissioners to join in a development that will benefit the county. "This is a community project," he said. 41w. • Colleen Kavanagh's e-mail address is ckavanagh(c�theeagle. com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement Cso http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /022002csasksfortiffunding.htm 02/20/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagIecom StU1deht Specials! Subscribe to The Eagle online,. Home j Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Region / State February 28, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Cities finalize convention bureau bylaws Club Meetings College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links Representatives from the Bryan and College Station city councils Obituaries finalized the bylaws and articles of incorporation Wednesday for Town Talk the Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Site Sections A &M News The two documents will now be taken back to each city for Agriculture consideration. Announcements Business & Technology "This is an example of what we talk about with regionalism," said Classifieds College Station Council member Winnie Garner, who chaired the Columnists committee. Community The Eagle Officials said the bureau, which will be funded by hotel and motel Entertainment tax money from each city, would work to promote the visitor and Faith & Values tourism industry in Bryan, College Station and the surrounding Food area. The Convention and Visitors Bureau also could take over Health & Fitness Kids Korner the Brazos Valley Sports Foundation. Lifestyles Newspapers in In addition to promoting the existing attractions, efforts will be Education made to bring more tourist attractions to the county. One Obituaries suggestion brought forward was the possibility of attracting an Opinions amusement park to the area. Politics Region /State According to the bylaws, the bureau will be managed by a nine - Schools member board of directors, with five of the members acting as a Sports policy- making executive committee. Subscriptions Weather Three members of the executive committee would be appointed by the College Station City Council, because the city is putting up about 88 percent of the bureau's budget from its hotel and motel tax money. Another member would be appointed by the Bryan City Council and a fifth by the Brazos Valley Lodging Association. The other four directors, coming from the travel and tourism industry, will be named by the executive committee members. (iw Articles of incorporation call for the Convention and Visitors Bureau to be housed on University Drive in College Station, but http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022802citiesconvention.htm 03/01/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Bryan council members are pushing for a satellite office on William Joel Bryan Parkway. Bryan is planning a visitors center on the parkway between Sue Haswell Park and Downtown Bryan. By including it as a satellite office for the bureau, some of the hotel and motel tax money could be used in the construction of the project. A 2001 study by Randall Travel Marketing showed Downtown Bryan as the third most - visited destination in the area, behind Texas A &M University and the George Bush Presidential Library. College Station Councilman James Massey said the decision should be left up to the bureau's board of directors, once it is established. But he said it is important for a system to be put in place that benefits both communities. "We're building the community here," Massey said. "The board will decide how they manage the system." Bryan Councilman Mike Beal said his city would still be committed to the project, even if the board chose not to use the Bryan visitors center as a satellite office. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell(r..theeagle.com L © 2000,2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement Cor http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022802citiesconvention.htm 03/01/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 th e� a gIecom . , b te1t SpecialS ubscribe to The Eagle online - Home Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State February 28, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook City of College Station Web site offering Club Meetings College Town list -serve Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries College Station residents can receive news and press releases Town Talk from the city by subscribing to the Net News list- server on the Site Sections city's official Web site. A &M News Agriculture To subscribe, go to www.ci.college- station.tx_ .us and visit the news Announcements and announcements section. Business & Technology Classifieds Columnists Community The Eagle Entertainment Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022802cswebsite.htm 03/01/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 corn tu er� Specials! for t h e ea . Ie1 L Cribe to The Eagle online - Home ; Classifieds j Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe j Contact 1 Site Map Region / State February 28, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Bryan Council plans goal- setting retreat Club Meetings College Town Datebook By LAURA HIPP Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links The Bryan City Council will set short-term goals for projects and Obituaries developments at a two -day retreat beginning Thursday. Town Talk Site Sections The retreat will include a seminar conducted by Gary Maler, A &M News associate director of the Real Estate Center at Texas A &M Agriculture University, at which Maler will discuss creation of a strategic plan Announcements for the city. Maler helped develop similar plans for the Bryan - Business & Technology College Station Economic Development Corp. and the Brazos Classifieds Valley Council of Governments. Columnists Community City Manager Mary Kaye Moore said council members will identify The Eagle issues they want to resolve in the next one to three years and Entertainment formulate a plan to achieve those goals. Faith & Values Food "It is a way to come together and set the direction that you want Health & Fitness Kids Korner the city to move to," Moore said. "I think we have some very big Lifestyles issues to deal with at this point and determine where we're going Newspapers in with them." Education Obituaries Once the City Council defines its goals, the staff can craft next Opinions year's budget to reach those objectives, Moore said. Politics Region /State The retreat will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the basement Schools training room of the Bryan Municipal Building. The second Sports daylong session will begin at 8 a.m. Friday. Subscriptions Weather The second session will conclude Maler's presentation and address other council concerns. Moore will ask the council to define how it wants to fund charitable and social organizations. Each year, several groups, such as Project Unity, receive tax dollars from the city's general fund. "We've got a whole lot more funding requests out there than we have money to give," she said. Moore will review the legal aspects of funding such groups and ask the council to establish guidelines for organizations to receive http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022802bryangoalretreat.htm 03/01/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 tax dollars. The council also will discuss implementing a plan to organize neighborhood associations throughout the city. Bryan leaders hope a network of neighborhood groups will encourage residents to clean up their subdivisions and bring the city government closer to taxpayers. If necessary, the council will conclude the retreat at 8 a.m. Saturday. • Laura Hipp's e-mail address is Ihipp(o�theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022802bryangoalretreat.htm 03/01/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 2 of 4 7 160 Among the top of his donor list is the once mighty Enron. His r voting record shows who owns him. You can view that record and the names of the guilty parties who bought it at www.publiccitizen.org. GEORGE WATKINS College Station Good experience Because of the proposal to move the railroad, I've had the opportunity to attend many meetings of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and see Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney in action. She is a voice of reason on the MPO's Policy Committee — effective, well informed on the issues, and conservative with our tax dollars. Year after year, she is one member of the committee who always puts the good of the entire community first when considering any issue. For example, when the MPO started to consider the recent proposal to move the railroad, Mcllhaney drove all of the proposed routes so that she could understand what businesses and homes would be affected by the proposed move, even though many of those homes and businesses are outside of College Station. Throughout the long process of public hearings and information gathering, she has insisted on getting accurate information so that the Policy Committee can make an informed decision. The decisions made by the MPO affect the future of our community. Citizens of College Station and Brazos County are very lucky to have Lynn Mcllhaney as their advocate. I'm happy that Mcllhaney has decided to run for Brazos County judge. The position of county judge involves administration, but a good county judge needs vision as well as administrative ability. For the past three years on the MPO, Lynn Mcllhaney has been a consistent voice for fiscal conservatism, safeguarding the businesses and homes of citizens throughout Brazos County. As someone who lives in the county, I feel Lynn Mcllhaney does a far better job of representing me than Judge Jones. Brazos County needs a judge who is independent, fiscally conservative, and responsive to the needs of all citizens. Lynn Mcllhaney has done a good job for College Station as mayor, and she'll be a great county judge. ANNE RAYMOND College Station �.. Best for the job http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0227021etterstoeditor.htm 02/27/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 • theeagfeicom Home Classifieds I Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact ( Site Map Politics February 26, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote Hazen files for 3rd council re- election State /National Your Representatives Site Sections Eagle Staff Report A &M News Anne Hazen filed Monday for re- election to Place 6 on the Agriculture Announcements College Station City Council. Business & Technology Classifieds Hazen, 70, is seeking her third consecutive two -year term. Columnists Community She previously served as a City Council member from 1974 -77 The Eagle and on the Planning & Zoning Commission from 1977 -80. Entertainment Faith & Values Hazen is a retired nurse manager at Hospice Brazos Valley and Food works as a part time case manager for the organization. She Health & Fitness graduated from A &M with a master's degree in education. Kids Korner Lifestyles Filing for city and school board elections continues through March Newspapers in 20. Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement am- http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /022602hazenfilescouncil.htm 02/27/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 theeagle.com . Stbscribe today! Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports,com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Politics February 21, 2002 Local /Regional tertoVote State/National Mears, Batchelor file for College Station State / Your Representatives Council Site Sections A &M News Eagle Staff Report Agriculture Announcements Two candidates have filed to be on the May ballot for the Place 4 Business & Technology seat on the College Station City Council. Classifieds Columnists Scott Mears, 41, and W.J. "Bill" Batchelor, 40, are seeking the Community position currently held by Larry Mariott, who is running for county The Eagle Entertainment commissioner. Faith & Values Mears, 41, moved to College Station from California more than Food four years ago to attend graduate school at Texas A &M Health & Fitness Kids Korner University. He now works in the health care industry. Lifestyles Newspapers in He said he was actively involved in city planning when he lived in Education California. He is married and has three children who attend A &M Obituaries Consolidated High School. Opinions Politics Batchelor, who unsuccessfully ran for College Station mayor in Region /State 1998 and for a spot on the College Station school board in 1996, Schools said the timing is right for him to run for the council. He supports Sports smaller government and lower taxes. Subscriptions Weather Batchelor has lived in College Station for more than seven years and is married with two children. He is the owner of the Brazos Snacks Company. College Station council members are elected to two -year terms. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /022102twocscouncilfilings.htm 02/27/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 3 theeagle1com _is,* .0 f Home I Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Opinions Opinions > Letters to the Editor Contact Government Editorials Letters encouraged Letters to the Editor Guest Commentators February 22, 2002 Send a Letter Today in History Leadership failures Site Sections A &M News Agriculture I live in Pebble Creek and am concerned about the business park Announcements being built in our back yards. Business & Technology Classifieds I am absolutely sickened by the lack of foresight that the city of Columnists College Station used in transferring this land to a developer. It Community would have been simple to have deed restrictions or covenants to The Eagle adequately protect the school and streets that will border this Entertainment commercial property. There is inadequate space and foliage Faith & Values between the residential homes and this building and its parking Food lot. Health & Fitness Kids Korner The city leaders have failed us in preventing the destruction of Lifestyles beautiful trees and greenery. Clearly commercial interests were Newspapers in more important. Education Obituaries As I understand it right now the site plan is not approved because Opinions of lack of parking. I also understand that the proposed building Politics does not meet city ordinances, but city planners are just waiting to Region /State rubber stamp the next site -plan submitted. Schools Sports We are not upset that the city is using the land, but feel betrayed Subscriptions Weather by the lack of planning for the business park to co -exist with residential homes and a school with very young children. This is not only a Pebble Creek problem. Look real closely to any vacant land near you and do not rely on the city of College Station to protect your homes. If a bulldozer shows up it is already too late. This is already a done deal. We are looking to the city to find a way to increase the buffers to 50 -feet, put in denser foliage and relocate the road away from the school and back yards. The residents are waiting to see if the developer and the city can now listen to our issues and develop this land in a less offensive way. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0222021etterstoeditor.htm 02/22/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 2 of 3 PATRICE F. GAY College Station Personal complaints After reading the article and seeing the picture (Eagle, Feb. 15), I understand why Councilman Paul Madison criticizes Bryan's increased efforts to be tough on code enforcement: He would be one of the first targets. Madison states that he opposes tough code enforcement because of how it will affect his constituents. Let's be honest. He is worried about how he will be affected. I have passed Madison Metals frequently. I would argue that even in spring and summer you are still able to see the piles of scrap. How is it that other nearby yards such as Bryan Iron and Metal can keep clean yards when an elected official cannot? I have an offer for Councilman Madison. If he does not have the time to clean up his business, there are plenty of people who will help him. I am not even a resident of Bryan but offer to give my weekends to assist him in cleaning up this eyesore. Madison should not use the argument that strict code enforcement does not give citizens sufficient time to clean up their land. Citizens who have pride in their community will be abiding by the code long before they receive a notice that they have 48 hours to make a change. For those who are unable to do so, there are plenty of citizens groups who will volunteer to help them. The Big Event at Texas A &M is but one example. It is obvious that Councilman Madison is concerned with the time stipulations that city rules place on citizens. However, he is mistaken to state that he is concerned how it will affect his citizens. His concern is how much time he has left in office to manipulate the rules to his personal advantage. DON FRERICHS College Station Letters encouraged The Eagle encourages letters to the editor. No more than one letter per writer will be printed each 30 days. Letters should be no more than 300 words and subject to editing for length and clarity. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0222021etterstoeditor.htm 02/22/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 3 of 3 All letters must be signed and contain the writer's address and daytime and evening phone numbers for C aw verification. The Eagle P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805 -3000 FAX: (979) 776 -8923 e -mail: letterseditor@theeagle.com. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement (Iry (810 http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0222021etterstoeditor.htm 02/22/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 • theeagle.com $ tudent Specials! ubscribe to The Eagle online. Home Classifieds I Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State February 21, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Club Meetings Injured woman sues College Station police, College Town Datebook ex-officer Government Links Suit claims department at fault for wreck Links Obituaries By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Town Talk Eagle Staff Writer Site Sections A &M News Agriculture A woman who was critically injured in a head -on collision on North Earl Announcements Rudder Freeway has filed a lawsuit against the city of College Station, Business & Technology claiming a police officer put her in danger when she helped a Classifieds Columnists disoriented man find his car and allowed him to drive away. Community The Eagle Catherine Lester, 39, later was hit by the man, Donald Sam Foster, who Entertainment was driving the wrong way down North Earl Rudder Freeway. Foster Faith & Values Food was killed in the crash. Health & Fitness KidsKorner Lester has had more than two dozen surgeries, including the Lifestyles Newspapers in Education amputation of her left leg from the knee down, since the Feb. 14, 2000, Obituaries accident. Opinions Politics Her attorney, Lane Thibodeaux, filed the lawsuit in federal district court Region /State Schools Feb. 13, the day before the statute of limitations expired. The suit, Sports which names the city and former police officer Sonia Piersall, claims Subscriptions Lester was the victim of a "state- created danger." Weather According to Lester's suit, that danger was created 30 minutes before the accident when Foster asked for help at Denny's restaurant because he could not find his car in the parking lot. Piersall, who was then a College Station officer, helped Foster to his car and allowed him to drive away, the lawsuit says. The city is responsible because of an "informal policy not to detain elderly individuals who exhibit signs of mental confusion and allowing those individuals to operate their motor vehicles despite such signs," the lawsuit says. Neither City Attorney Harvey Cargill nor Piersall could be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Lester said she believes Piersall thought she was doing Foster a favor by helping him locate his car, but the right thing would have been to keep him from driving away. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region / localregional /022102policewrecklawsuit.htm 02/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 "I don't think she was looking at it from the perspective of what could happen after he left," she said. "It didn't do him any favors, and it didn't do me any favors." losw Lester is still recovering from the accident and recently settled a lawsuit with Foster's estate for $2.5 million. She has requested a jury trial for the lawsuit she filed last week, which seeks $1.5 million in damages for medical expenses, physical pain and mental anguish, physical impairment, lost wages and permanent disfigurement. A pretrial conference before U.S. District Judge Sam Kent has been scheduled for May 8 in Galveston. • Colleen Kavanagh's e-mail address is ckavanagh@theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregiona1 /022102policewrecklawsuit.htm 02/21/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 theeagle. o tudent Specials! Subscribe to The Eagle online., Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State February 20, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Candidates agree tracks should not be Club Meetings College Town moved Datebook Government Links By KELLI LEVEY Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The four candidates for Brazos County judge agreed Tuesday Site Sections night that the railroad tracks running through Bryan and College A &M News Station should remain where they are. Agriculture Announcements Transportation — the rail tracks in particular — was the theme of Business & Technology a forum at the Wellborn Center, which drew about 90 people to Classifieds hear the candidates for county judge and the state House District Columnists 14 seat. The event was sponsored by the Citizens for Community Responsible Railroad Solutions. The Eagle Entertainment A $1.1 million study on whether to move the tracks was effectively Faith & Values scuttled a few weeks ago when the Policy Committee of the Food Bryan - College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization voted Health & Fitness to halt further work by consulting firm Carter & Burgess. Kids Korner Lifestyles Republican candidates Dan Bates, Lynn Mcllhaney and Randy Newspapers in Sims and Democrat Tommy Lyons concurred that the committee Education made the right decision. Obituaries Opinions Committee members still must secure funding for grade Politics separations at major intersections, including the $45 million in Region /State federal money earmarked for the project and additional money Schools from Union Pacific Railroad. To accomplish that, Sims proposed Sports setting a budget for the rail project and doing a grade separation Subscriptions Weather every two years. "We really don't need to talk about it anymore," he said. "Let's set up a program and start with it." The county judge candidates also fielded a question about whether the membership of the Policy Committee should be changed. Currently, voting members include the county judge and one representative each from Bryan, College Station, Texas A &M and the Texas Department of Transportation. r.. Mcllhaney, who has been on the committee through the duration http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 022002candidatesagreetracks.htm 02/20/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 of the study, said she isn't sure the composition can legally be changed because the MPO is funded by the state transportation department. NOW Sims said he sees no reason to change the committee's make -up because the various members can bring expertise to the discussions. Lyons said the committee's membership should be reviewed before its next major project, which probably will be determining the future of Easterwood Airport. Bates said he isn't sure what the MPO is or does. The District 14 Republican candidates, incumbent Fred Brown and Al Jones, listed their top priorities if elected. Jones said he considers education, transportation and health care the biggest issues. Brown said his focus will be on higher education. Earlier Tuesday, the District 14 candidates participated in a forum sponsored by the Brazos Valley Technology Alliance. Questions came mostly from the 80 people who attended the event at Briarcrest Country Club. Brown issued "a call to arms, so to speak" for those involved in technology businesses to help set the direction and curriculum for educational programs statewide. Jones lauded the state's council of governments system as a structure for implementing statewide programs and said the Brazos Valley Council of Governments already is reaching out to the rural areas of the surrounding counties to improve social services and educational opportunities. The pair also spoke briefly with the Bryan - College Station Apartment Association. Brown is seeking a third term in the House, where he is vice chairman of the Higher Education Committee and serves on the Land and Resource Management Committee. Jones decided not to seek a third term as Brazos County judge to run for the legislative post. The winner of the March 12 primary will face no Democratic opposition in the November general election. • Kelli Levey's e -mail address isklevey(c�theeagle.com http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 022002candidatesagreetracks.htm 02/20/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • 1 http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /022002candidatesagreetracks.htm 02/20/2002 - The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 3 the�aglacom „.„:„ .4%.. ... Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe Contact I Site Map Politics February 19, 2002 Local /Regional tertoVote State/National College Station Councilman Silvia will State / Your Representatives run for mayor Site Sections A &M News By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Agriculture Eagle Staff Writer Announcements Business & Technology Two -term city Councilman Ron Silvia on Monday said he will run Classifieds for mayor of College Station. Columnists Community Monday was the first day candidates seeking a seat on the Bryan The Eagle or College Station city council or school board could file for the Entertainment May 4 election. Faith & Values Food Silvia, who was first elected to his Place 2 council seat in 1998, Health & Fitness said he decided to run for the office shortly after Mayor Lynn Kids Korner Mcllhaney announced that she would run for Brazos County Lifestyles judge. Newspapers in Education Obituaries "I think it's real important for the council to carry on the priorities Opinions we have in our strategic planning process," Silvia said. "To have a Politics new person come up and have to familiarize themselves with Region /State everything could set the city back." Schools Sports Silvia, 64, a 24 -year resident of College Station, was in the U.S. Subscriptions Air Force for 20 years and served as the assistant state auditor Weather who oversaw audits within the Texas A &M University System until he retired in 1990. He worked for the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center until 1998, when he retired to devote his full attention to council responsibilities. Silvia and his wife, Anna, have been married for 43 years, and have two children and two grandchildren. Silvia's Place 2 council seat, which expires in May, already has a candidate. John Happ, director of aviation at Easterwood Airport and a member of College Station's Planning and Zoning Commission, filed for the position. Happ, 56, has been a resident of College Station for 18 years and has served on the city's Zoning Board of Adjustments. He is a member of the chamber of commerce's Economic Outlook http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021902bcsfilingstartsfolo.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 3 Conference Committee. Happ, who graduated from A &M in 1967, and his wife, Carol, have one son. Two other council spots are open in College Station, and two seats on the school board are open. All positions on both the council and school board are at- large. Council members are elected to two -year terms; trustees serve three -year terms. In Bryan, both school board incumbents said they will run for re- election to three -year terms; the two council incumbents whose seats are up for election also said they plan to run again for the three -year post. Russell Bradley, 52, will seek a second term as the representative for Single Member District 3. Bradley is a dentist and has served on the Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission. Bradley is chairman of the Brazos County Health Board and has served on the boards of the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce, Brazos County United Way and the Brazos County Historical Commission. Ernie Wentrcek, 54, will seek a full term in the Single Member District 4 seat. Last year, Wentrcek was elected to serve the remainder of Kenny Mallard's position after Mallard resigned to run for mayor. Wentrcek is the director of the Brazos County Juvenile Probation Department. He has served on the boards of the Brazos Valley Development Council's Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Federal Prison Advisory Board and the public safety committee of the Bryan 2000 Committee. On the Bryan school board, trustee David Stasny, 49, will run for a fifth term as the at -large trustee. Stasny is a local civil lawyer. He and his wife, Mary, have four children. Trustee Tommy Ramirez, 46, will try for his fourth term in the Single Member District 2 post. Ramirez is a juvenile probation officer. He and his wife, Olga, have three children. The candidate filing period for both cities runs through 5 p.m. on March 20. Early voting will be April 17 -30. • Laura Hipp contributed to this report. • Laura Hipp's e -mail address is Ihpp @theeagle.com • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell@theeagle.com http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021902bcsfilingstartsfolo.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 1 Beware of gang Beware of the College Station gang which is trying to take over the entire county. The mayor and a city councilman have decided they have nothing to lose. They can run for county judge and county commission and if they lose they can file and run for their old positions as mayor and city councilman. These are the same people who: • Built a multi -story parking garage, which has cost and continues to cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. • Removed street parking in the old housing area in an attempt to force students to park in the city garage. • Poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Wolf Pen Creek project, which would have cost even more, had not a major hotel chain seen the folly of a governmental entity entering and competing against private enterprise. • Is currently pouring money into still another attempt to build a hotel with taxpayer money and again compete with private enterprise. • Closed Munson Drive in an attempt to curry favor with a few individuals who are continuing to attempt to dictate to others regarding city owned and maintained streets. • Changed meeting times to discourage dissenting comments during city council meetings. • Prevented a council member from expressing dissenting comments during a city council meeting. • Made a point of removing anyone who dissented so the council would be perceived as presenting a solid front. These people have cow -towed to special interest groups since being installed in office and have made a point of totally ignoring the will of the people. Although these people call themselves conservative, they espouse liberal ideas and spend taxpayers' money with liberal abandon. It would be in the best interest of the county to defeat Lynn Mcllhaney for county judge and Larry Mariott for county commission. CLARENCE E. McCURRY College Station http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0219021etterstoeditor.htm 02/19/2002 . - The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 •_.. 979.776.2345' theeagle.co # r be today Home I Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Politics February 19, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote State /National College Station Councilman Silvia will run Your Representatives Site Sections for mayor A &M News Agriculture Announcements By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Business & Technology Eagle Staff Writer Classifieds Columnists Two -term city Councilman Ron Silvia on Monday said he will run for Community The Eagle mayor of College Station. Entertainment Faith & Values Monday was the first day candidates seeking a seat on the Bryan or Food College Station city council or school board could file for the May 4 Health & Fitness Kids Korner election. Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Silvia, who was first elected to his Place 2 council seat in 1998, said he Obituaries decided to run for the office shortly after Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney Opinions Politics announced that she would run for Brazos County judge. Region /State Schools "1 think it's real important for the council to carry on the priorities we Subscriptions have in our strategic planning process," Silvia said. "To have a new Weather person come up and have to familiarize themselves with everything could set the city back." Silvia, 64, a 24 -year resident of College Station, was in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years and served as the assistant state auditor who oversaw audits within the Texas A &M University System until he retired in 1990. He worked for the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center until 1998, when he retired to devote his full attention to council responsibilities. Silvia and his wife, Anna, have been married for 43 years, and have two children and two grandchildren. Silvia's Place 2 council seat, which expires in May, already has a candidate. John Happ, director of aviation at Easterwood Airport and a member of College Station's Planning and Zoning Commission, filed for the position. Happ, 56, has been a resident of College Station for 18 years and has served on the city's Zoning Board of Adjustments. He is a member of the chamber of commerce's Economic Outlook Conference Committee. Happ, who graduated from A &M in 1967, and his wife, Carol, have one son. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021902bcsfilingstartsfolo.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 2 fhp. Two other council spots are open in College Station, and two seats on the school board are open. All positions on both the council and school board are at- large. Council members are elected to two -year terms; trustees serve three -year terms. In Bryan, both school board incumbents said they will run for re- election to three -year terms; the two council incumbents whose seats are up for election also said they plan to run again for the three -year post. Russell Bradley, 52, will seek a second term as the representative for Single Member District 3. Bradley is a dentist and has served on the Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission. Bradley is chairman of the Brazos County Health Board and has served on the boards of the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce, Brazos County United Way and the Brazos County Historical Commission. Ernie Wentrcek, 54, will seek a full term in the Single Member District 4 seat. Last year, Wentrcek was elected to serve the remainder of Kenny Mallard's position after Mallard resigned to run for mayor. Wentrcek is the director of the Brazos County Juvenile Probation Department. He has served on the boards of the Brazos Valley Development Council's Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Federal Prison Advisory Board and the public safety committee of the Bryan 2000 Committee. On the Bryan school board, trustee David Stasny, 49, will run for a fifth term as the at -large trustee. Stasny is a local civil lawyer. He and his wife, Mary, have four children. Trustee Tommy Ramirez, 46, will try for his fourth term in the Single Member District 2 post. Ramirez is a juvenile probation officer. He and his wife, Olga, have three children. The candidate filing period for both cities runs through 5 p.m. on March 20. Early voting will be April 17 -30. • Laura Hipp contributed to this report. • Laura Hipp's e -mail address is Ihipp@theeagle.com • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell ©theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021902bcsfilingstartsfolo.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 4 r thee agle.co m Home 1 Classifieds ( Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com I Subscribe I Contact Site Map Opinions Opinions > Letters to the Editor Contact Government Editorials Letters encouraged Letters to the Editor Guest Commentators February 19, 2002 Send a Letter Today in History What a reputation Site Sections A &M News Agriculture Wow! What a reputation Shawn Lindsey must be putting on the Announcements line if she can look at the pictures of three men sexually Business & Technology assaulting an unconscious woman with a variety of objects and Classifieds not see something wrong with them (Eagle, Feb. 12). It's Columnists interesting to know that Shawn Lindsey finds such a horrible Community event as merely an act of "four drunk individuals who weren't The Eagle thinking or acting responsibly." Responsibly? Entertainment Faith & Values We would wager that every inmate in the Texas Department of Food Corrections — and their caring friends — believe that they just Health & Fitness "made a mistake." Would Lindsey consider it a mistake if the Kids Korner victim had been herself or a close friend for whom she cares? Do Lifestyles her family and friends know what kind of people she is willing to Newspapers in stand up for? Education Obituaries Shawn Lindsey claims to care for one of those sexual offenders Opinions as a friend. We wonder if she cares enough to visit him in me "Big Politics Region /State House." Schools Sports We can't speak for other citizens, but the women in our office do Subscriptions not befriend sexual offenders. Put those boys where they need to Weather be: away from us, our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, grandmothers, and mothers. PAM CEMINO Bryan Has experience On March 12 the voters will make important decisions about who will represent them in Austin and in Washington. Because of redistricting and numerous withdrawals of long -time legislative I ,, leaders, there will be many new members in the Texas Legislature. With funding shortfalls certain, and difficult priority choices to be made at the state and national levels, it is important http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0219021etterstoeditor.htm 02/19/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 2 of 4 to our community that we be represented by legislators with the greatest possible expertise and experience. Fred Brown, like our other incumbents, state Sen. Steve Ogden and state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, has represented Bryan and College Station extremely well in the Legislature. When he was first elected, Fred traveled widely across the state to meet and establish rapport with other members of the Legislature. He is well respected by his colleagues in the Legislature, and is a highly articulate and effective advocate for our community and for the Texas A &M University System. The fact that he was selected as vice chairman of the key House Higher Education Committee in only his second term is just one mark of the high regard the leadership and his colleagues in the Legislature have for him. I also have great admiration for his opponent, County Judge Al Jones, who has served this county well for many years, and whom I count as a friend. However, I feel that this coming session is not the time to replace a proven legislator with a freshman from our district. As a successful businessman, Fred understands all our community issues and will ensure that our voice is heard in Austin. He has my strong support and I hope the voters will return this experienced and hard - working legislator to Austin. HERBERT H. RICHARDSON Bryan Beware of gang Beware of the College Station gang which is trying to take over the entire county. The mayor and a city councilman have decided they have nothing to lose. They can run for county judge and county commission and if they lose they can file and run for their old positions as mayor and city councilman. These are the same people who: • Built a multi -story parking garage, which has cost and continues to cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. • Removed street parking in the old housing area in an attempt to force students to park in the city garage. • Poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Wolf Pen Creek project, which would have cost even more, had not a major hotel chain seen the folly of a governmental entity entering and competing against private enterprise. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions/ letterstoeditor/ february02 /0219021etterstoeditor.htm 02/19/2002 ' The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 3 of 4 • Is currently pouring money into still another attempt to build a hotel with taxpayer money and again compete with private enterprise. • Closed Munson Drive in an attempt to curry favor with a few individuals who are continuing to attempt to dictate to others regarding city owned and maintained streets. • Changed meeting times to discourage dissenting comments during city council meetings. • Prevented a council member from expressing dissenting comments during a city council meeting. • Made a point of removing anyone who dissented so the council would be perceived as presenting a solid front. These people have cow -towed to special interest groups since being installed in office and have made a point of totally ignoring the will of the people. Although these people call themselves conservative, they espouse liberal ideas and spend taxpayers' money with liberal abandon. It would be in the best interest of the county to defeat Lynn Mcllhaney for county judge and Larry Mariott for county commission. CLARENCE E. McCURRY College Station Two many reasons The District Judge Rick Davis calling absent prospective jurors may not realize a quirk in this community's fairness doctrine: You cannot have a fair jury system when three - fourths of the body politic may receive exemptions. If the district judge hasn't read a jury duty summons mailed from the Brazos County Courthouse, he might scrutinize all the exemptions before criticizing 25 percent of our population called upon to fill jury boxes over and over again. For starters, why should teachers, students and $1,000 -per- month retirees who can play golf but not sit on a jury be exempt? Can education, recreation and age really be more important than justice? 4111 E.N. RUTHERFORD Bryan http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0219021etterstoeditor.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 4 of 4 Letters encouraged The Eagle encourages letters to the editor. No more than one letter per writer will be printed each 30 days. Letters should be no more than 300 words and subject to editing for length and clarity. All letters must be signed and contain the writer's address and daytime and evening phone numbers for verification. The Eagle P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805 -3000 FAX: (979) 776 -8923 e -mail: letterseditor@theeagle.com. © 2000,. 2001 Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions/ letterstoeditor/ february02 /0219021etterstoeditor.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 3 ' 0 I. , ,.. 41 Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com ' Subscribe I Contact 1 Site Map Politics February 19, 2002 Local /Regional tertoVote State/National Forum focuses on finance reform, State / Your Representatives school funding Site Sections A &M News By JOHN LeBAS Agriculture Eagle Staff Writer Announcements Business & Technology Candidates running for the 31st Congressional District and state Classifieds House District 14 touched on topics ranging from campaign Columnists finance reform to the war on terrorism to public school funding in Community a forum Monday. The Eagle Entertainment The two -hour forum, Faith & Values Tuesday's candidate forums sponsored by the Food Bryan- College Station • State Rep. Fred Brown and his District Health & Fitness Chamber of 14 Republican primary challenger, Kids Korner Commerce and Brazos County Judge Al Jones, will ` Lifestyles broadcast live on discuss their views on technology issues Newspapers in WTAW 1620 AM from and answer questions from 11:30 a.m. to Education Obituaries the Hilton College 1 p.m. at the Briarcrest Country Club. Opinions Station Hotel, drew The program is sponsored by the Brazos Politics both Republican Valley Technology Alliance. For more Region /State candidates for state information, call 862 -1769. Schools House District 14: Sports Brazos County Judge • The Bryan - College Station Apartment Subscriptions Al Jones and the Association is hosting a candidates Weather incumbent, Fred Brown forum at 11:30 a.m. at the Brazos of College Station. Center. For more information, call 260- 9842. Five of the Republican hopefuls for the new • The Citizens for Responsible Railroad 31st Congressional Solutions will host a discussion that District also starts at 7 p.m. and a dinner beginning participated: trade at 6:30 p.m. at the Wellborn Community economist Flynn Center. Invited are the state District 14 Adcock of Bryan; real candidates and Brazos County judge estate executive Brad hopefuls Randy Sims, Lynn Mcllhaney, Barton of College Dan Bates and Tommy Lyons. Station; Brazos County Justice of the Peace Patrick Meece; businessman Eric Whitfield of Round Rock; and Brenham resident Roy Streckfuss, a businessman and rancher. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021902candidateforum.htm 02/19/2002 _The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 3 John Carter, a retired state district judge from Williamson County, and Peter Wareing, a businessman from Houston, did not attend. In the 31st District race, the winner of the March 12 primary will face Democrat David Bagley in the November general election. No Democrat is seeking the state House position. Moderator Scott DeLucia asked prearranged questions, along with those posed in writing by some of the 50 audience members. Each candidate was allowed two minutes to respond. The state House candidates were asked what the Legislature's top priorities should be in the next session. Brown said lawmakers must work against a statewide sales tax, saying it will keep businesses from wanting to locate in Texas. "We need to learn to do more with less money," he said. Jones said education at all levels should be a top priority. He also said he would work to get improved roads in Brazos County. But Jones said a projected $5 billion shortfall means tough choices on spending must be made. He said he would be willing to help make those choices, but did not name any programs that should be cut. "There's a great deal of difference between `must have' and `nice to have, - he said Social Security reform found support among each congressional candidate. Adcock and Barton said younger workers should be allowed to put a portion of each paycheck into a private account, while Meece said Social Security dollars should not be used for other government expenses. Whitfield said he favors some privatization, and Streckfuss agreed reforms must be made. The congressional hopefuls were more divided on tax breaks. Barton, Adcock and Whitfield said they favor tax cuts. Whitfield, in particular, advocated abolishing the current tax code. Streckfuss, however, said current taxation levels should be maintained, and Meece said ending tax reform efforts will build consumer confidence and stimulate spending. Each candidate for the 31st District was also asked to give his opinion on campaign finance reform. Meece said he supports eliminating soft money contributions, but that individuals should be allowed to give more to candidates for http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021902candidateforum.htm 02/19/2002 _The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 3 of 3 elected office. Streckfuss voiced the same positions. Whitfield said he vigorously opposes any campaign finance reform because the Constitution does not provide for such action. Wealthy people have always had an influence in politics, he said, yet the founding fathers did not think the federal government should put limits on giving to candidates. Adcock said campaign finance reform is unnecessary because laws are in place to prevent the undue influence of special interest groups and the wealthy. He did say that, with evolving technology, candidates should be required to more quickly report campaign contributions and expenditures. Barton said finance reform will make it harder for candidates to raise money and comes "dangerously close" to infringing on free speech rights. He said liberals support campaign finance reform because it will curtail a conservative agenda in Washington. Brown and Jones were asked how Texas should protect its water. Brown said he favors building more lakes to increase surface - water supply. Jones said he supports Brazos County opting into a water district that would allow for some regional control of the underground Carrizo - Wilcox aquifer. They were also asked whether they support the state's "Robin Hood" school financing plan, which takes money from wealthier districts and reallocates it to poorer schools. Jones said Robin Hood should be replaced, saying it penalizes proactive districts and rewards those that perform less. Brown said he doesn't agree with merging smaller districts to help alleviate funding problems, as some have suggested. The Chamber of Commerce's next candidate forum will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Hilton College Station Hotel. Candidates for Brazos County judge and commissioners will participate. • John LeBas' e -mail address is jlebas a@theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http:/ /www.theeagle.com/campaign2000/ localregional /021902candidateforum.htm 02/19/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 th€ag1e.com Sp ecials! • Subscribe to The Eagle online., Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com ( BrazosSports.com ! Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State February 17, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Mailing wasn't anthrax Club Meetings College Town Brady criticizes FBI for response time Datebook By KELLI LEVEY Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady was relieved to learn Saturday that Town Talk preliminary tests show the powdery substance found in a package Site Sections mailed to his College Station office was not anthrax, but Brady A &M News isn't happy with the FBI's response to the building - clearing scare. Agriculture Announcements Brady said he plans to speak with FBI officials about the agency's Business & Technology "sluggish" reaction to Friday's incident. Classifieds Columnists Meanwhile, the Bank of America building on University Drive, Community which houses Brady's office, has been turned back over to the The Eagle property management company and can reopen as early as Entertainment Monday, said Bart Humphreys, spokesman for the College I Faith & Values Station Fire Department. Food Health & Fitness Brady's second -floor office, however, will not be reopened until Kids Korner after more extensive tests are conducted by the Texas Lifestyles Department of Health Lab in Austin. It typically takes about 72 Newspapers in hours to get those results, Humphreys said Education Obituaries The building was evacuated early Friday evening after an aide to Opinions the Republican congressman opened the package. Politics Region /State Schools A dozen people inside were required to exchange their clothes for Sports protective suits and instructed to go home and shower while Subscriptions College Station firefighters and hazardous materials team Weather members inspected and secured the area. The powder was discovered in a package postmarked from Istanbul, Turkey, that contained a book about Islam and a book about Darwinism. Scott Pool, Brady's regional coordinator, called federal and local authorities after he opened the package. "I quickly threw them in the trash when I saw where they had come from and saw the stuff on them," Pool said. Pool first called the FBI, which referred him to the U.S. Postal Service. That began a series of referrals to other authorities that http: / /www.theeagle.com /americas_new war /local /021702mailingnotanthrax.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 caused a two -hour delay in the response time. That delay has Brady upset. "The FBI has drilled into us [officials in Washington] not to take risks and that they are the ones to go to first when something suspicious happens, then they respond like this," Brady said Saturday night while attending a Republican Party function in College Station. "This happening now, after so much time [after the initial rash of suspicious mailings just after Sept. 11], just tells us we all need to keep on our toes. [FBI officials] said their focus is not so strong on this area now, but I think it needs to be." Calls for response to the FBI's offices in Bryan and Houston were not returned late Saturday night. Brady, who was in Houston at the time of the incident, said he was completely satisfied with the response from College Station's fire and police departments. "I would match them up against anybody in the country," Brady said. "And Capitol police tell us that it was as fast a response as they had ever seen." The Capitol police department in Washington, which is monitoring the local incident because it involved a congressman's office, had no new information Saturday on similar packages that were sent to other congressional offices. The last names of six other Congress members whose offices recently received similar packages also started with "B," and four of five packages have been tested and proved negative, Humphreys said. The discrepancy in the number of packages and those tested could not be accounted for Saturday. Matt Lloyd, Brady's press secretary, said he and Brady thought Pool took the appropriate steps when he discovered the substance. "Obviously, it had every indication that it was suspicious, and Scott did the perfectly right thing," Lloyd said. "We didn't expect it to come out positive for anthrax. The powder that was in the envelope more than likely came off the pages of the book, but you can never take these things lightly. It's better to find out for sure." Pool said he expects to open the office by noon Tuesday. Meanwhile, constituents can speak to Brady's staff members in the Conroe office by placing a call to the College Station office and selecting that option on the voice mail system. The timing of the incident was fortunate, Humphreys said, http : / /www.theeagle.com/americas_ new_ war / local /021702mailingnotanthrax.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 because it occurred late on a Friday afternoon and just before Presidents Day, a federal holiday on which most banks will be closed. "At any other time, we would have had to go to the FDIC and everything else if we closed it down," he said. "The way it is, the bank was supposed to be closed Monday, anyway, so it didn't really change anything." • Kelli Levey's e -mail address is kleveyytheeagle.com ©2000, 2001 . TheBryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http://www.theeagle.com/americas_ newwar/ local /021702mailingnotanthrax.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 th eeagleco m 0 subscribe to The Eagle online- Home I Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com j Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State February 16, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station building evacuated Club Meetings College Town Offices cleared after Brady sent suspicious mail Datebook By HOLLY HUFFMAN Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries A College Station Town Talk office building was . Site Sections evacuated Friday A &M News evening after a Agriculture suspicious package . Announcements that may have i" Business & Technology contained white T Classifieds powder was opened in Columnists U.S. Rep. Kevin i i Community Brady's office. The Eagle Entertainment The package, which C Faith & Values was addressed to " xk , Food Brady and postmarked - `;'t Health & Fitness from Istanbul, Turkey, Kids Korner was opened by Scott 4,,,, , Lifestyles Pool, the 4 Newspapers in Education congressman's g Obituaries regional director, Opinions b 3:30and4 , ' - y ���` Politics p.m. Inside he found Region /State two books about Islam Schools that appeared to have Sports been lightly dusted Subscriptions with a white powder. Weather Eagle photo /Patric Schneider Pool later said the Hazardous materials handlers remove a powder may have suspicious package from U.S. Rep. Kevin been part of the Brady's office Friday. delivery service packaging. After the Brady aide contacted authorities, dozens of College Station police officers and firefighters arrived at the Bank of America on University Drive to contain the substance and clear il the building. Brady's office is on the second floor. http : / /www.theeagle.com/americas_ new war / local /021602bradypossibleanthrax.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 The substance was removed and will be tested for anthrax by the Texas Department of Health Lab in Austin, said College Station Fire Department spokesman Bart Humphreys. Preliminary results • could be returned Saturday. Humphreys said the fire department contacted Capitol police in Washington, D.C., after receiving a call from Pool at about 6 p.m. and was told that similar packages had been delivered recently to at least six other congressional offices. Capitol police reported that all of the deliveries were to the offices of Congress members whose last names begin with "B," Humphreys said. "They guess this is going to go on for quite a while, as whoever is sending these goes down through the alphabet," he said. Substances from four of the five packages have been tested and proved negative, Humphreys added. Pool, after talking with Capitol police, said it appears that the packages may have been sent by a book publishing concern in Turkey that is trying to spread information about Islam. Pool — who was the only person in the office — said it wasn't until after he opened the package that he became suspicious. He immediately notified the FBI, which referred him to the U.S. Postal Service. The postal inspector in Houston then referred him to the College Station postal ' inspector, he said But he was hit with a g. minor delay when the College Station inspector told him that the incident was not in his jurisdiction, he said. "We have some holes to fill," he said of notification procedures, "but they're on the federal side." Brady, who was in the Houston area Friday, also spoke with the FBI, according to spokesman Matt Lloyd. After local authorities arrived, everyone on Eagle photo /Patric Schneider the building's lower level was asked to go U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady's home and shower, Humphreys said. Those assistant, Scott Pool, on the upper lever — including students i n talks to reporters about the mysterious a defensive driving class — were required package delivered to to undress and don protective suits. Their Brady's office in clothes were confiscated and they were College Station on http : / /www.theeagle.com /americas_ new_ war / local /021602bradypossibleanthrax.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 instructed to go home and shower, Friday. Humphreys said. ® The dozen driving- course students were notified of the incident shortly after their class began, but they were forced to stay inside the building for more than an hour before they could begin changing clothes and leaving in pairs. Sandra Long, a 21- year -old Texas A &M student, said she and the others kept a sense of humor after learning of the evacuation. "At first we all just went, `Yeah, whatever," Long said. "Then we saw the suits and we went, `Huh? We have to get naked ?" Humphreys said the building was secured by firefighters at 10:15 p.m. after everyone was removed. It will remain closed until authorities receive the test results. • Holly Huffman's e-mail address is hhuffman@theeag/e.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College.._ Station Eagle Privacy Statement • • http: / /www.theeagle.com/americas new war / local /021602bradypossibleanthrax.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle Page 1 of 2 , usii mb ; -4,M theeagle1com • Home ! Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact Site Map Opinions Contact Government The �il e t Editorials Letters to the Editor Guest Commentators Donnis Baggett Ray Wilkerson Robert C. Send a Letter Borden Today in History Publisher & Editor Executive Editor Site Sections Opinions Editor A &M News editboard(a�theeagle.com Agriculture Announcements February 17, 2002 Business & Technology Classifieds Campaign finance reform is so close Columnists Community The Eagle Hallelujah! At long last it appears that campaign finance reform is Entertainment within sight. It has been a long, painful process, but finally our Faith & Values representatives in Congress have realized that the people back Food home want an end to the huge financial contributions that are so Health & Fitness devastating to the political process. Kids Korner Lifestyles In the wee hours of Thursday morning, the House of Newspapers in Representatives passed the Shays- Meehan bill banning in federal Education elections the so- called soft money that has become the scourge Obituaries of politics and politicians. The vote for the bill was 240 -189, with Opinions 198 Democrats, 41 Republicans (bless them) and one Politics independent in favor, and 12 Democrats, 176 Republicans and Region /State Schools one independent opposed. Sports Subscriptions The measure now goes back to the Senate, which last April Weather approved a similar bill, 59 -41. There, the prospect of a filibuster looms large. Supporters of the measure will have to round up 60 votes to stop that threat. President Bush, while cool to the legislation, has indicated he probably would sign it if it makes it out of the Senate. Soft money was created in 1974 as part of reforms enacted after the abuses of Watergate. Lawmakers decided to put a limit of $1,000 per person on money given to candidates for federal offices, including Congress. But they also gave individuals, corporations, unions and the newly created political action committees the right to give an unlimited amount to political parties, ostensibly to be used only for "party- building" purposes. http: / /www.theeagle. com/ opinions / editorials/ 021702campaignfinancereform.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Page 2 of 2 In presidential elections alone, the amount of soft money given to the Republican and Democratic parties grew from $86 million in 1992 to $500 million in 2000. Much, if not most, of that money did in fact go to advertising for specific candidates. And that is the problem. Had soft money been used for the purposes intended in 1974, few people would have a complaint. But it wasnOt. It became a way to make an end run around those pesky "hard money" limits. Now, if the Senate agrees and President Bush signs on, soft money will disappear. The House did raise the individual limit on direct contributions to candidates to $2,000, which seems fair given inflation since 1974. We are not naive enough to think Shays- Meehan will completely end the abuses of the political process wrought by big money, but it certainly will go a long way toward restoring some sense of sanity to the electoral process. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http : / /www.theeagle.com/opinions/ editorials/ 021702campaignfinancereform.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 2 theeagle1com lop • • Home 1 Classifieds ( Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe ( Contact I Site Map Opinions Opinions > Letters to the Editor Contact Government Editorials Letters encouraged Letters to the Editor Guest Commentators February 17, 2002 Send a Letter Today in History Let's be reasonable Site Sections A &M News Agriculture Finally, the Metropolitan Planning Organization has reached the Announcements decision to scratch the railroad relocation effort. Whatever the Business & Technology reason, I am pleased with the outcome. Classifieds Columnists I am not pleased with the wasted time and money spent to study Community and put fear in residents of Brazos County and Burleson County. The Eagle County Judge Al Jones still wants to move the tracks to the west Entertainment side of the county, where they will negatively affect property Faith & Values values and, ultimately, have to be dealt with again. Food Health & Fitness Fred Brown, when he was a city council member for College Kids Korner Station and now as our state representative, recognized this and Lifestyles wants to deal with the tracks where they are. Newspapers in Education I applaud Rep. Brown. Even the city of Bryan has voted against Obituaries the Texas 47 route lauded by Judge Jones. Opinions Politics Let's deal with the tracks where they are. Let's mitigate the Region /State hazards in the most feasible manner possible and afford Schools Sports transportation movements with limited conflict with the railroad. Subscriptions Texas A &M Vice President Charles Sippial is quoted as Weather recognizing that we need to continue and at least provide grade separations at several locations. I venture that you won't find many opposed to this, Where has the Texas Department of Transportation been for those state highways such as F.M. 2818, F.M. 2347, F.M. 1179, which are the major roadways for east -west traffic. While Texas 47 is nice in that it allows us to bypass the mess along F.M. 2818, it shouldn't have been a high priority with relation to the aforementioned grade separation needs. The problems associated with cross streets and the railroad, as well as the hazardous materials on the trains, need to be dealt • with. This time, let's be reasonable. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0217021etterstoeditor.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 2 of 2 MASON NEWTON Brazos County L Letters encouraged The Eagle encourages letters to the editor. No more than one letter per writer will be printed each 30 days. Letters should be no more than 300 words and subject to editing for length and clarity. All letters must be signed and contain the writer's address and daytime and evening phone numbers for verification. The Eagle P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805 -3000 FAX: (979) 776 -8923 C w e -mail: letterseditor@theeagle.com. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0217021etterstoeditor.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 3 theeagIecom p Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Politics February 17, 2002 Local /Regional tertoVote State/National Bryan- College Station election filing State / Your Representatives starts Monday Site Sections A &M News By LAURA HIPP and CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Agriculture Eagle Staff Writer Announcements Business & Technology Filing to be on the ballot for the May 4 Bryan and College Station Classifieds municipal and school board elections begins Monday. Columnists Community Bryan's election could be topped by a school -bond issue aimed at The Eagle cutting the property -tax rate. Two spots on the Bryan City Council Entertainment and two school trustee positions will be decided. Faith & Values Food In College Station, voters will elect a mayor, three council Health & Fitness members and two school trustees. Kids Korner Lifestyles The candidate filing period for both cities runs through 5 p.m. on Newspapers in March arch 20. Obituaries Opinions The Bryan school board is reviewing several options to structure a Politics bond package next month to include on the ballot. The amount is Region /State undetermined, but the package could provide for refinancing Schools existing school bonds, purchasing a new fiber -optic network and Sports funding much - needed facility maintenance. Subscriptions Weather Trustees are considering several options to refinance existing debt and trim a few cents off the tax rate. A new state law allows school districts to move debt from one fund into another to receive state assistance in making payments. The options under consideration are: • An $18.9 million bond package that could reduce the total tax rate 4.5 cents per $100 valuation. But a $9.8 million bond in the package would not be refinanced until interest rates are favorable, which would delay the tax savings. • A $9.1 million bond package that would cut the tax rate at least 2.8 cents per $100. It does not include the $9.8 million bond. �.. • Including a $2.4 million bond to fund an areawide network that http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021702bcsfilingstarts.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 3 would allow the district to own its own phone lines. The district intends to make the purchase even if the bond is rejected, but buying the system with a bond would make the debt eligible for state assistance. That means the state would pay for almost half of the cost. • Including projects from a $20 million list of maintenance repairs to district buildings. Bryan is two years behind on a five -year plan. Trustees have not determined which projects to include. "We have a long -term maintenance plan, and we're behind because we don't have the funds to do that," said Susan McKneely, Bryan school board vice president. The cash - strapped district is faced with a tight budget, and trustees may have to cut programs and not raise teacher salaries. McKneely said refinancing would allow more "flexibility in the budget," but maintaining programs is not the driving force behind the move. "I think the refinancing allows us to do some things that we can't do otherwise," McKneely said. In the two school trustee elections, both incumbents will be running for re- election to three -year terms. David Stasny says he plans to seek his fifth term in the at -large trustee post, while Tommy Ramirez will seek his fourth term representing Single Member District 2. Likewise, the two council incumbents whose seats are up for election say they plan to run again. Russell Bradley will file to run for a second three -year term as the representative for Single Member District 3, while Ernie Wentrcek will seek a full term in the Single Member District 4 seat. Wentrcek was elected last year to serve the remainder of Kenny Mallard's position after Mallard resigned to run for mayor. There will be a new look for the College Station City Council, which has been intact for the past three years, as its two longest - standing and highest ranking members seeking county offices in next month's primary elections. Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney is running for Brazos County judge and has announced that she will not consider another run for mayor, regardless of the outcome of her GOP primary bid. Mcllhaney is in her third term as mayor. t ow , Councilman Larry Mariott, the council's mayor pro tem, is seeking http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021702bcsfilingstarts.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 3 of 3 the Precinct 3 commissioner post. He is serving his third term as the Place 4 council member. Both spots will appear on the May ballot along with the Place 2 council seat held by Ron Silvia and the Place 4 post held by Anne Hazen. Silvia is in his second term and Hazen is in her third. Two seats are up for grabs on the College Station school board: Place 6, which is held by board President Susan Lowy, and Place 7, held by Steve Aldrich. Lowy and Aldrich are both in their second terms after being elected to the board in 1996 and 1999. All College Station council members and school trustees are elected at- large. Council members are elected to two -year terms; trustees serve three -year terms. • Laura Hipp's e -mail address is Ihipp@theeagle.com • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001.._ The Bryan/College __.Station .._Eagle Privacy Statement c http:/ /www.theeagle.com/campaign2000/ localregional /021702bcsfilingstarts.htm 02/18/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 t heeagle c om tudent Specials! ubscribe to The Eagle online. Home Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact l Site Map Region / State February 13, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Northgate streets to receive face -lift Club Meetings College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links Owners of many of the businesses in the Northgate area have Obituaries seen the roads around them rebuilt and reconstructed over the Town Talk past few years. Site Sections A &M News Now residents in the area are going to see some improvements Agriculture that will benefit them. Announcements Business & Technology The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider Classifieds awarding a contract for more than $557,000 for the reconstruction Columnists of Cherry Street, which runs through one of Northgate's most Community densely populated sections. The Eagle Entertainment Plans call for the portion of the road between Boyett Street and Faith & Values Nagle Street to receive new asphalt, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, Food drive approaches and storm drainage facilities. The water line that Health & Fitness parallels Cherry Street and all associated valves and fire hydrants Kids Korner Lifestyles will be replaced. Newspapers in Education The bid up for vote is from Texcon, which submitted the lower of Obituaries two proposals received by College Station. Money for the project Opinions is available through community development block grants. Politics Region /State Mark Smith, College Station's public works director, said he's Schools pleased with the projects that have been completed in Northgate Sports and hopes that moving into the residential section will produce Subscriptions similar results. Weather "I think the finished project looks nice and [this project] will really upgrade the neighborhood," Smith said. Smith said plans are being drawn for improvements to two other Northgate streets, First and Maple. The time frame for future projects will depend on how much money can be allocated to them, Smith said. Although College Station has been pleased with the Northgate http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /021302northgatestreets.htm 02/13/2002 , The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 renovations, Smith said he does worry that the seemingly nonstop construction work might deter people from going to the area. "I think it has really helped that neighborhood," Smith said. "But it seems like that area is under constant construction. We have to get it done, but I am concerned that if Northgate is under constant construction that it could be an inconvenience that could get to people." • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /021302northgatestreets.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 3 ,,,:,-;1011e 4. theeagIecom , Home ! Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact Site Map Politics February 13, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote State/National � Mariott Sims lead rivals in funding State / Your Representatives Site Sections By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL A &M News Eagle Staff Writer Agriculture Announcements College Station Councilman Larry Mariott is leading his two Business &Technology opponents in money- raising and spending in the race for Brazos Classifieds County Precinct 3 commissioner. Columnists Community Campaign finance reports due Monday show Mariott received The Eagle contributions totaling $17,909 while spending almost $3,900. Entertainment Faith & Values Randy Sims continued to set the pace for money- raising in the Food race for Brazos County judge, listing more than $10,000 in Health & Fitness contributions and a $12,000 personal loan to his campaign. Kids Korner Lifestyles The latest reports cover the month of January. Newspapers in Education Mariott reported contributions from local developers and Obituaries homebuilders as well as Bryan businessman Don Adam and First Opinions American Bank executives. Politics Region /State Mariott did not report any activity during the first reporting period. Schools Sports Janice Ray McBride, one of Mariott's opponents for the Subscriptions Republican nomination, reported contributions of $500 and Weather expenditures of $3,693. She has loaned herself $1,000. Kenny Mallard, the other candidate for Precinct 3 commissioner, had not filed a report for this period by Tuesday. He disclosed spending $3,720 in his first report. Candidates must file one more finance report March 4, eight days before the primary elections. The winner of the GOP primary for the Precinct 3 post will face no Democratic opposition in the fall general election. • Mariott reported contributions of $1,000 from produce company owner David Scarmardo and Gregory Boyd and $500 contributions from Bryan businessman Don Adam, John Hamilton, Louis Newman of Newman Printing, Bill Atkinson from http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021302mariottsimslead.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 3 First American Bank, Bryan councilman and businessman Mitch Morehead, Morris Hamilton, lawyer Lynn Grisham, Tom Giesenschlag, First American Bank executive George Lea, Bill Lero, lawyer Robert Waltman, chiropractor and developer David Dudycha, Carey Smith and Bobby Boenigk. He expenditures included $2,378 for campaign signs and $1,520 for television advertisements. McBride reported receiving a $500 contribution from Jake Caswell of Seguin. She has spent $3,693, with $583 going for signs, $885 for television advertisements and $228 for newspaper advertisements. Sims reported a contribution of $1,001 from Charles B. Jones, who was appointed to Sims' county commissioner post when Sims resigned to run for county judge. Sims received $1,000 contributions from William Wilder and the Bryan Heritage Limited Partnership and $500 contributions from Carey Smith, Marvin Peters and Libby Lightsey. He reported expenditures totaling more than $14,800, including $4,500 to Kent Consulting to conduct voter surveys and more • than $3,600 for advertising. Sims reported contributions totaling more than $3,700 in the first report, as well as a $1,600 loan to himself. College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney, one of Sims' two Republican opponents, reported $750 in contributions and no expenditures during the reporting period. She previously transferred almost $3,000 leftover from her mayoral campaigns to boost her county campaign. Republican candidate Dan Bates did not submit a campaign finance report. In the race for Precinct 2 county commissioner, Republican candidate Jason Bienski led in campaign contributions and expenditures. Bienski collected $7,515 and spent more than $4,000. He also has lent himself $2,000. The only other Republican in the five - person field to report activity was Duane Peters, who has received $850 and has expenditures of $3,363. Peters loaned his campaign $8,000. Gordon Klintworth, Hartzell Elkins and Doug Richards did not http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021302mariottsimslead.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 3 of 3 report any activity during the designated time period. Democrat Patrick Gendron reported receiving $450 and spending $45. His opponent, Anthony Ramirez, did not file a campaign finance report for this period. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrellga the eagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement 1 ty http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021302mariottsimslead.htm 02/13/2002 p 'The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 • theeagle.com , .., .. . ,ite 00 .4 Home Classifieds ' Aggiesports.com j BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Politics February 13, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Stae /National onal Gingrich visits College Station to State/ National Your Representatives endorse Barton Site Sections I A &M News By JOHN LeBAS Agriculture Eagle Staff Writer Announcements Business & Technology With a few jabs at the Classifieds Clinton administration Columnists and a familiar fiery Community '�1 tongue, former U.S. The Eagle _ House Speaker Newt Entertainment _ Gingrich urged Faith & Values supporters at Texas t Food A &M University to vote Health & Fitness Kids Korner for congressional Lifestyles hopeful Brad Barton. Newspapers in Education Gingrich, who has E Obituaries been virtually off the Opinions public's radar since N 7 Politics leaving as speaker in jIi : Region /State 1999, was in College zy Schools Station to endorse Sports Barton for the 31st Subscriptions Congressional District Weather seat. After a luncheon ��� fund- raiser for Barton, a Republican, Gingrich spoke at Texas A &M in an appearance sponsored by student Eagle photo /Dave McDermand organizations. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich addresses a crowd Tuesday in Rudder Theatre A crowd of about 150 on the Texas A &M University campus during a stop to endorse Brad Barton for the 31st mostly college Congressional District seat. Gingrich says students, scattered Barton, 31, is at the "cutting edge" of young throughout the seats leaders. of Rudder Theater on campus to see Gingrich. During a brief introduction, he said Texas A &M students can help determine the `".. outcome of the congressional election if they vote. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021302newtgingrichincs.htm 02/13/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 2 He also said Washington needs younger leaders who understand and can capitalize on new technologies for a more efficient government. "I think we're at the edge of a tremendous opportunity for savings and change for the future," Gingrich said. Gingrich was whisked from the stage immediately after the session and did not take media questions. College Republicans spokesman Brady Creel said his schedule was too tight. Barton said the pair was traveling to Austin, which is not in the 31st District, for more campaigning later Tuesday. One student asked Gingrich, who now lives in Atlanta and heads The Gingrich Group, a communications and management consultant firm, if he'd consider applying for the top post at Texas A &M. President Ray Bowen is expected to step down in the summer. "I'd be thrilled to lead the student body, but I don't know about the faculty," replied Gingrich, a former college professor. He also threw spears at former President Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore. He said the country would be worse off had Gore been in office when terrorists attacked on Sept. 11. In a �► backhanded compliment, he said the ongoing war crimes trial of deposed Yugoslavian leader Slobodan Milosevic is a result of Clinton's "passion for law, as long as it's outside the country." Gingrich said he was endorsing Barton, 31, because he is at the "cutting edge" of young leaders. Barton's father, U.S. Rep. Joe i Barton of Ennis, served in the House with Gingrich for years. Barton faces six other contenders in the March 12 Republican primary: Peter Wareing, a Houston businessman; Flynn Adcock, 4 a trade economist from Bryan; Patrick Meece, a Brazos County justice of the peace; Brenham businessman Roy Streckfuss; John Carter, a retired state district judge from Williamson County; and 4 Eric Whitfield, a construction equipment salesman from Round Rock. 4 • John LeBas' e -mail address is jlebas(p�theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /021302newtgingrichincs.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 4 • theeagfe.co bscribe today! Home ! Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com j BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact Site Map Opinions Opinions > Letters to the Editor Contact Government Editorials Letters encouraged Letters to the Editor Guest Commentators February 13, 2002 Send a Letter Today in History Expensive decisions Site Sections A &M News Agriculture Benito Flores -Meath (Eagle, Feb. 11) was correct in urging voters Announcements to look carefully at the fiscal activities of the College Station City Business & Technology Council. He mentioned the operating losses from the Northgate Classifieds parking garage. Columnists Community Perhaps an even more questionable venture is the planned hotel - The Eagle conference center. Voters narrowly approved a $6 million Entertainment conference center several years ago but now the cost is Faith & Values estimated at more than $16 million. Then there are two new Food business parks in the works on lands purchased for $4.8 million Health & Fitness with several millions more to be spent over the next two years. Kids Korner Lifestyles This money is coming out of the voters' pockets. Take a close Newspapers in look at how much more you are paying in taxes and fees Education compared to several years ago. In addition to taxes, the debt is Obituaries rapidly rising due to the growing use of certificates of obligation, Opinions which is an end run around voter approval. The electric and Politics wastewater funds are being used to help finance these projects. Region /State Last year, $500,000 was transferred from the electric fund and Schools now more than $1 million is coming from the wastewater account Sports to partially fund the conference center while wastewater rates Subscriptions were increased by 7 percent. Another $2.6 million from utility Weather funds will go to off -site infrastructure improvements to private property. The council has set aside $900,000 of corporate welfare to pay cash incentives for economic development. Add in the tax abatements. The city councils' big dream machine is rolling, folks, and it will cost us plenty. If the need for parking garages, hotels and business parks makes economic sense, then the private sector will eventually meet that need. Our local governments should stay out of such ventures and better use our fiscal resources to meet other needs or simply 4 hold down local tax rates. ROGER ABLES College Station http / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ february02 /0213021etterstoeditor.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Lifestyles >Out & About Page 1 of 3 979,776.45 th e�agle1com . . Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com Subscribe Contact Lifestyles Lifestyles > Out & About Faces Features February 10, 2002 Club Scene Home & Garden Out &About Council awakens arts scene in Bryan - Style Briefs College Station Travel Site Sections A &M News There's never a dull — nor wasted — moment Agriculture around the Arts Council of Brazos Valley. Announcements Business & Technology From public art to distinguished speakers to Classifieds funding and supporting art in all forms, the Arts Columnists 4 Council is on top of it. Community The Eagle Marilyn Martell With the December dedication of Wilderness Entertainment Awakened, a bronze sculpture depicting a Faith & Values OUT & family of wolves in Wolf Pen Creek, the number Food ABOUT of permanent public works of art reaches 12 in Health & Fitness just three years. Kids Korner Lifestyles "Placing art in public places is a mission of the Arts Council," Newspapers in says Executive Director P. David Romei. "We believe that art Education should be enjoyed by all and that its impact should be nothing Obituaries less than beautiful." Opinions Politics Wilderness Awakened brings together two talented Brazos Region /State Valley artists. The bronze wolves were created by Payne Lara of Schools Navasota, and the massive stonework and waterfalls were Sports created by Larry Schueckler of College Station. Subscriptions Weather The Arts Council has been diligent in showcasing and acquiring public artworks for the community. Other permanent pieces for the public include: Magnificent Freedom at the Bryan Municipal Building, Whirlwind at the Chamber of Commerce, La Familia at the Bryan Municipal Airport, Diana's Quest at First National Bank on Rock Prairie Road, Cambria #1 at the College Station Public Library, Eternal Winds in Eastgate, Hold On at McDonald's on Rock Prairie Road, Millennium Sculpture at the College Station Police Department, Square to the Gate on East 29th and University Drive, and Xiggerots at the College Station Public Utilities building. Romei says the next piece, a memorial to police officers, will be http: / /www.theeagle.com/brazossunday /outabout /021002outandabout.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Lifestyles >Out & About Page 2 of 3 dedicated on May 15 at the College Station Police Department. The Arts Council also created its Distinguished Lecture Series as part of the Millennium celebration as the Arts Council's commitment to ensure a vibrant cultural outlet for great thinkers in America. It was so popular the series continues today. In its third year, some of the guest speakers include Nobel Prize Laureates, and major leaders in politics, business and the arts. Bush Library Foundation Executive Director Roman Popadiuk, former ambassador to the Ukraine, gave a lively presentation recently on the role of the media in our lives. He spoke of the 24 -hour news cycle, his experiences in the Reagan and Bush White House, and the importance of a free press. The 2002 Distinguished Lecture Series is underwritten by Paul Boatright. "The Arts Council is very grateful for the assistance and support we have received from the elected and appointed leaders of our local governments, the business leaders in our community, and the many members of the Arts Council," says Arts Council President Jimmy Loup. "I am proud to be part of our strong team." • • Behind every great organization you will usually find some unsung heroes, quietly working, contributing greatly to the efficiency of the whole. The St Joseph Regional Health Center Auxiliary fits that description. The support arm of hospital volunteers passed the gavel and leadership pin at its annual luncheon recently, with an impressive display of commitment both in volunteer time and treasure: $82,000. The St. Joseph Regional Health Center Auxiliary presented the check to the hospital to continue its mission of providing health care for the Brazos Valley. Auxiliary volunteers generate the funds through operating hospital and rehabilitation center gift shops, sales of uniforms, holding luncheons, and special art and jewelry sales. • Hundreds of brides -to -be experienced "Springtime in Paris" last weekend at the 2002 Bridal Show and Benefit at Reed Arena. More than 50 exhibitors displayed their goods and services while http: / /www.theeagle.com/brazossunday /outabout /021002outandabout.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Lifestyles >Out & About Page 3 of 3 continuous bridal style shows displayed the latest wedding wear. While the anxious and eager brides and grooms were able to see most of what the Brazos Valley has to offer under one roof, the real winner was the American Red Cross. Organizers earmarked the proceeds to benefit the local American Red Cross in memory of Sept. 11 victims and their families. • © 2000, 2001 TheBryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • http: / /www.theeagle.com/brazossunday /outabout /021002outandabout.htm 02/13/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 zoto.45 „, • theeagle1com y. er10 00 4 Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com I Subscribe ( Contact I Site Map Politics February 8, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote Mcllhaney will not seek re- election State /National Your Representatives Site Sections Eagle Staff Report A &M News Agriculture College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney on Thursday said she is Announcements devoting her full attention to county politics and will not seek Business & Technology another term as mayor, even if she is unsuccessful in her bid for Classifieds Brazos County judge. Columnists Community Mcllhaney is running against former county commissioner Randy The Eagle Sims and Dan Bates in the March 12 Republican Party primary. Entertainment Faith & Values "I feel like it is time to move to county politics,” she said. "If it does Food not happen, I will continue to serve the community, but I will not Health & Fitness run for mayor again." Kids Korner Lifestyles Mcllhaney was attempting to clarify comments in Wednesday's Newspapers in edition of The Bryan - College Station Eagle, in which she seemed Education to leave the door open for a possible bid for re- election. The filing Obituaries deadline to be on the ballot for the May municipal election is Opinions March 20, eight days after the primary election. Politics Region /State Mcllhaney said Thursday that at no point since deciding to run for Schools county judge has she considered running for mayor as a backup Sports Subscriptions plan. Weather Mcllhaney was elected College Station's first female mayor in 1996 and has served on the City Council since 1982. Her term ends in May. 2000, 2001 Station Eagle Privacy Statement http:/ /www.theeagle.com /campaign2000/ localregional /020802mcilhaneynoreelect.htm 02/13/2002 s- The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 theeagle1com • Home ! Classifieds ! Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact Site Map Politics February 7, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote College Station mayor won't rule out bid State /National Your Representatives for re- election Site Sections Could file for city race if she loses in primary A &M News Agriculture By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Announcements Eagle Staff Writer Business & Technology Classifieds College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney won't rule out seeking re- Columnists election if she's unsuccessful in her bid for Brazos County judge, Community but Mcllhaney says she won't stand in the way of anyone who The Eagle wants the mayoral post. Entertainment Faith & Values If she lost in the Republican primary, Mcllhaney would still have a Food week to file to be on the ballot for the College Station city election. Health & Fitness • Kids Korner Lifestyles Mcllhaney is running against former county Commissioner Randy Sims and Dan Bates in the March 12 GOP primary for the party's Newspapers in t c oun judge nomination. Filing for municipal elections begins Education y j g g p g Obituaries Feb. 18 and runs through March 20. Opinions Politics Runoff elections for the party primaries will be held April 9. Region /State Schools Mcllhaney said Wednesday she is focusing her full attention on Sports her campaign for county judge and suggested that a run for re- Subscriptions election is unlikely if she loses the county race. But she wouldn't Weather preclude the possibility. "I feel like if someone else is ready to run, I'm not going to step in," Mcllhaney said. "I feel like this is the time for me to make the transition to county government and if the voters choose otherwise, I will find other ways to serve the community." Mcllhaney was elected College Station's first female mayor in 1996. 4 Larry Mariott, College Station's mayor pro tem, is running for Precinct 3 commissioner and could also file for re- election to his council seat if he's unsuccessful in the Republican primary. He 1 ( could not be reached for comment Wednesday. One of Mariott's opponents in the primary, Kenny Mallard, is http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /020702mayorreelection.htm 02/13/2002 'The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 2 eligible to run for his old seat on the Bryan City Council, but Mallard said Wednesday he has no interest in doing so. "I want to be your next county commissioner," Mallard said. Mallard left the council's District 4 seat last year to kick off an unsuccessful bid to be Bryan's mayor. College Station residents will elect a mayor and three council members in the May election. In addition to Mariott's position, the Place 2 council seat, which is held by Ron Silvia, and the Place 6 post, held by Anne Hazen, will be on the ballot. Three council positions also will be on the May ballot in Bryan. Ernie Wentrcek, who was elected in a special election to serve the remaining year of Mallard's two -year term, has said he will seek a full term in the District 4 position. The other Bryan Council positions up for grabs are in Districts 3 and 5. District 5 Councilman Mike Beal cannot seek re- election because • of term limits. District 3 Councilman Russell Bradley has said he will seek a second term. Election packets can be obtained at the Bryan and College Station city halls. • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferr ell @theeagle.com • Staff writer Laura Hipp contributed to this report. © 2000,2001 TheBryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement I http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ 1ocalregional /020702mayorreelection.htm 02/13/2002 v\ ',2,�( I t , 22L • op 5..- F h s '" h Po x '-h O "p A� fi C7 m ¢' o Pup 0 O p m° c1a p m cr v 5 2 O N $, p �. - O C CD h p E O U Q c 0 , 'd y rs ° m 0 co 9 D� ( „ � O oh C. I.I.3 ,■•I 2 K C O � 0 p� r~ '-s r r . CD r+ - r • "'. CD '•'S r* 0G � • rr m r. f, ° ' .Y m ".Y UG m a rr p' r v. 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T m 7 c .,, 7 O n o ] ( cn 3° m 3 o A ( D N - r' O Q - FL t' O P !1 Orx 3 , r p ' N 3 0 Q O cv r-1. r+ a C m J O O Oa fv 0 O. m N O o m m o cn al o a) m z N m d O o ,� > 0 C o = (0D O K x c,• R' o o C a W CD ° OD. 5 m m 3 C1) c m o ° 4 o '4- o 0 " o '� c p p p c, y n x ° m v w sn 2 .0 c- 3 -1 N r $° d m 0 0 • o °= 5 ( n K,`� ° R o ... as a) 5 w m m m m 7 m 0 m (n > g 3 a " O C m C N p I-' A . 3 N ,-.. M R O o ,54. ,.Y ,•+ a m lc ° 2_ ° j •< m O-6 a- < D 1 3 c o c ° K o m= r. DD _ 0 w o o (n O (DP p on ¢' R G m m° Cr c0 0)-s a' ° —� a vw u' = li mc °• a _.,St o m u m i ym 04 a6 — r+ 2... m o ° p, p , c, '� C � R + A° R Cn d m p nom•- .�0 - F4 �msv = = .,.?r+ om ,, < Z rt7?�'C c?r,, o,�m ,The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 ut sleals t ubscribe o T he Eagle online- Home 1 Classifieds G Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com � Subscribe Conta I Site Map Region / State February 10, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Poo 1side fishing? That's a new angle Club Meetings College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report SC-s. - 1 Government Links Links W _ Obituaries ' ' ' ' ‘' : : ' Town Talk Site Sections A &M News �� Agriculture " Announcements ,. Business &Technology f Classifieds Columnists i �� Community � ns II The Eagle Entertainment Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles o Newspapers in Education Obituaries ) Opinions Politics `,{ '. * a Region /State A Schools A Sports 1 f E a� Subscriptions Weather r m �'` 5 A 0 ° c ,_ Eagle photo. Patric Schneider http: / /www. theeagle.co m/ regi localregional /021002poolsidefishingstand.htm 02/11/2002 .The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Three - year -old Keagan Hayes (left) and his sister, Savannah, 6, enjoy some early- morning fishing at the 17th Annual Pool Trout Fish -Out at the (Bor Southwood - Hallaran Pool in College Station on Saturday. Organizers filled the pool with 1000 pounds of trout and catfish for the event, which runs through today. ©2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /021002poolsidefishingstand.htm 02/11/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 thegIe1 5t udent Sp ecialSpecials! ubscribe to The Eagle online.. Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State February 8, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Bryan- College Station officials fail to Club Meetings College Town agree on rate Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries Bryan and College Station officials failed to reach an agreement Town Talk Thursday over an electric rate dispute in negotiations before a Site Sections federal settlement judge in Austin. A &M News Agriculture In November, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Announcements ordered College Station, Bryan Texas Utilities and the Texas Business & Technology Municipal Power Agency to resolve a six -year disagreement over Classifieds electricity transmission rates. Columnists Community Officials from the entities met for more than seven hours at a The Eagle federal court in Austin, said Glenn Brown, assistant city manager Entertainment of College Station. The group also met in December without Faith & Values reaching an agreement. Food Health & Fitness The squabble began in 1995 when College Station chose to Kids Korner purchase electricity from Texas Utilities Electric, now TXU Lifestyles Electric, instead of the Texas Municipal Power Agency, of which Newspapers in Bryan is a partner. Power from TXU was transmitted to College Education Obituaries Station over BTU lines. Opinions Politics The cities and TMPA are debating the cost of wholesale electric Region /State transmission rates between Jan. 1, 1997, and Aug. 31, 1999. Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020802bcsofficialsrate.htm 02/08/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >NIE Page 1 of 2 theeag Home ` Classifieds Aggiesports.com Subscribe Contact N 1 E Friday, February 8, 2002 Today's Weather aggie,cfacoris.corn Be A Sponsor Newspapers in Education 4,0„„ Our Our Sponsors Teacher Order Form NIE links & resources Spelling bee to be held at Bush Site Sections itiai s i r A &M News Library of thd thB 3 Agriculture Announcements On Saturday, February 23rd: Business & Technology Classifieds The Brazos County Spelling Bee will be held at Columnists George Bush Presidential Library Complex, 1000 Community George Bush Dr, College Station TX 77845. The bee The Eagle will be in the building left of the library in Auditorium Entertainment B. Entrance at glass doors past statue in the plaza. Faith & Values This library is located on FM 2818 and George Bush Food Dr. just south of Fm60. Parking is available in front of Health & Fitness the library. Kids Korner elli Lifestyles Students should arrive by 8:30 a.m. the bee will start Newspapers in at 9:00 a.m., and will end at approximately noon. Education Obituaries Opinions Parents, relatives, teachers and friends are invited to Politics attend. Region /State Schools Please ask those attending to stay for the duration of Sports the Bee, if possible, as a courtesy to all the Subscriptions participating students. Weather No food or drinks allowed in the auditorium. Certificates of participation and Dairy Queen certificates will be given to all contestants at the conclusion of the Bee. You are invited to tour the library. Cost $5.00 for adults and no charge for students under 16 years of age. Contact Clema Ferrell at The Eagle at 979 - 776 -4444 ext. 502 with questions. © 2000, 2001 The 13n/an/College Station Eagle Privac�r Statement http:// www. theeagle .com/nie /020802spellingbee.htm 02/08/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 theeagle.com tibscribe today! Home Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Politics February 7, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote State /National College Station mayor won't rule out bid for Your Representatives Site Sections re- election A &M News Could file for city race if she loses in primary Agriculture Announcements Business & Technology By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Classifieds Eagle Staff Writer Columnists Community The Eagle College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney won't rule out seeking re- Entertainment election if she's unsuccessful in her bid for Brazos County judge, but Faith & Values Mcllhaney says she won't stand in the way of anyone who wants the Food mayoral post. Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles If she lost in the Republican primary, Mcllhaney would still have a week Newspapers in Education to file to be on the ballot for the College Station city election. Obituaries Opinions Politics Mcllhaney is running against former county Commissioner Randy Sims Region /State and Dan Bates in the March 12 GOP primary for the party's county Schools Sports judge nomination. Filing for municipal elections begins Feb. 18 and Subscriptions runs through March 20. Weather Runoff elections for the party primaries will be held April 9. Mcllhaney said Wednesday she is focusing her full attention on her campaign for county judge and suggested that a run for re- election is unlikely if she loses the county race. But she wouldn't preclude the possibility. "I feel like if someone else is ready to run, I'm not going to step in," Mcllhaney said. "I feel like this is the time for me to make the transition to county government and if the voters choose otherwise, 1 will find other ways to serve the community." Mcllhaney was elected College Station's first female mayor in 1996. Larry Mariott, College Station's mayor pro tem, is running for Precinct 3 commissioner and could also file for re- election to his council seat if he's unsuccessful in the Republican primary. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. One of Mariott's opponents in the primary, Kenny Mallard, is eligible to run for his old seat on the Bryan City Council, but Mallard said Wednesday he has no interest in doing so. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /020702mayorreelection.htm 02/07/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagle.com r 'CROWN • Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact 1 Site Map Region / State February 7, 2002 Births Brazos Club M etingsNotebook MPO puts brakes on railroad study College Town Datebook B KELLI LEVEY Government Links Eagle Staff Writer Links Obituaries Officials put a halt Wednesday to the yearslong railroad study, saying a Town Talk Site Sections consulting firm hasn't done all it was hired to do and there is too little A &M News money to pursue further study. Agriculture Announcements Business & Technology Instead, members of the Bryan - College Station Metropolitan Planning Classifieds Organization's Policy Committee plan to leave the railroad tracks where Columnists they are or pursue the addition of a bypass around Downtown Bryan. Community The Eagle Entertainment The bypass is one of three options culled from 23 created from a study Faith & Values that started more than a year ago. The process to find a new route for Food the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, which many consider dangerous and Health & Fitness Kids Korner want moved outside of town, began in 1998. thy Newspapers Newspapers in Education Committee members plan to meet with their attorney within the next few Obituaries weeks to decide whether to pursue mediation or litigation for breach of Opinions Politics contract against the Carter & Burgess consulting firm. Region /State Schools The MPO officials claim Carter & Burgess hasn't delivered at least a Sports Subscriptions draft of an environmental impact study that was included in the Weather contract. Patricia Meronoff, the MPO's attorney, said the consulting firm has indicated it is owed more money for additional work that the MPO requested. Carter & Burgess has said it cannot complete the study without additional funding. In September, the committee extended the consultant's contract until next June. But the firm was put on hold Jan. 25 until the questions 4 about the scope and cost of work were resolved, said MPO Director Michael Parks. Chuck Sippial, a committee member from Texas A &M University, made a motion to discuss the contract with Meronoff in executive session at the committee's next meeting. He also suggested Parks pursue partnerships with officials from Union Pacific Railroad and the Texas Department of Transportation for funding grade separations where the 4 46, railroad tracks cross major streets. "Tho rld rocs 11+ is eio wr,111dJ ho'/in rioiAior cof■r roilrnori +ro http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020702mporailstudy.htm 02/07/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 1 IIG' IIU IGJUIL IJ VVG VVVUIU I IQ VG Q IIGVVGI QIIU JGIGI IQIIIIJQU LI GGI\ system through Bryan - College Station," Sippial said. "But we need to determine how far we can stretch those dollars and how much more Bryan, College Station and A &M would have to pony up to get these things done." The cities and A &M, along with Brazos County and Union Pacific, funded the study, which so far has cost $1.1 million. The Federal Highway Administration already has earmarked $25 million to move the tracks through Brazos County, but the cost estimates of moving the tracks start at about $100 million. Brazos County Judge Al Jones abstained from voting on Sippial's motion "because of frustration." "I'm leaning toward the first option, and that is to stop everything completely," Jones said. Former College Station City Councilman Dick Birdwell urged the policy committee members to do just that. "I encourage you to get out of this as soon as possible, realizing there's no way we're going to get $200 million, which is what it will require to finish this up," he said. Parks said he is frustrated about the confusion with the consultant but he is not disappointed in the committee's decision to keep the tracks where they are. "It could be viewed by some as we didn't achieve the goal but I don't think so," he said. "I think the MPO process worked. Sometimes at the end of studies you realize there is no answer. By default, our option becomes the no -build option and we work on getting overpasses and underpasses at the major intersections like George Bush Drive, Texas 21, Villa Maria and F.M. 2818." • Kelli Levey's e -mail address isklevey @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement L http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020702mporailstudy.htm 02/07/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 the�agle. m • Home I Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com ( Subscribe I Contact l Site Map Region / State February 7, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station picks development Club Meetings College Town services director Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk College Station has hired Kelly Templin as its new Site Sections director of development services, filling a position that has been vacant since November. A &M News te g 4 Agriculture Announcements Templin, 37, has been the director of planning for Business &Technology Auburn, Ala., since 1996 and holds two degrees from Templin Classifieds Texas A &M University. Columnists Community His first day in College Station will be March 4. The Eagle Entertainment The director of development services oversees zoning, Faith &Values neighborhood and land -use planning, engineering services and Food subdivision ordinances. Health & Fitness Kids Korner "I'm fond of the area and that was my initial attraction," Templin Lifestyles said. "It is a good opportunity. There is a lot of new development Newspapers in there." Education Obituaries Julie O'Connell, College Station's human resources director, said Opinions Templin brings a "varied background" to the staff and will be a Politics Region /State good addition. = ls Before going to Auburn, he worked as director of planning in Oxford, Ohio, for two years and in Seabrook, Texas, for three Subscriptions Weather years. Templin's previous positions have also allowed him to work in communities seeking to balance the interests of permanent residents and large student populations, much like College Station's. Auburn University in Alabama has more than 22,000 students in a town of about 44,000 people. Oxford is home to Miami University. "I'm certainly not naive enough to think that there are never any rough areas with the city and university," he said. "At the same http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 020702csdevelopmentdirector.htm 02/07/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 time, I'm looking forward to interacting with Texas A &M." A native of Houston, Templin said he has tried to make annual trips to College Station because of his close ties to the city. He earned a bachelor's degree from A &M in environmental design in 1987 and a master's in urban and regional planning in 1991. "The city is different every time I come back," he joked. "They keep changing it without me." Templin replaces Jim Callaway, who left the city Nov. 9 to accept a similar position in Sugar Land. Assistant City Manager Glen Brown has been the department's acting director since Callaway's departure. O'Connell said Templin will earn $80,000 annually. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cfe rrell @theeagle. com © 2000 2001_ The _Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • 41!) http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 020702csdevelopmentdirector.htm 02/07/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 • the7iagle1com � Home ! Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact E Site Map Region / State February 6, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Verizon to request higher Bryan - College Club Meetings College Town Station rates Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries Verizon is requesting that the Texas Public Utility Commission Town Talk allow a residential phone rate increase of almost $2 annually in Site Sections Bryan and College Station. A &M News Agriculture The commission will consider Verizon's request during public Announcements hearings March 14 and 15, said company spokesman Bill Kula. If Business & Technology approved, the state agency would determine when the change Classifieds would take effect. Columnists Community The average annual residential phone bill will increase by $1.80, The Eagle while business phone rates could jump about $6 a year. Entertainment Faith & Values The rising number of customers in Bryan and College Station Food prompted Verizon to request the rates, Kula said. Phone rates are Health & Fitness based on the number of clients in a town. The cities are two of 52 Kids Korner that could see their phone bills increase slightly. Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement 4 t http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020602verizonratechange.htm 02/06/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 • tlieeagle. cow 00,40 MOWS Home I Classifieds I Aggiesports.com ! BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact !Site Map Region / State February 6, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Police investigating robbery at Foley's Club Meetings College Town Eagle Staff Report Datebook Government Links Links College Station police are investigating a robbery at Post Oak Mall. Obituaries Town Talk Officers learned of the incident at about 7:15 p.m. Monday after Site Sections Foley's employees reported that a man had attempted to steal A &M News clothing by hiding the items in his pants. Agriculture Announcements Loss prevention officers chased the man and caught him in the Business & Technology parking lot, but he refused to return to the store, police said. The Classifieds man then threw a pair of jeans and a shirt at the officers and Columnists threatened them until they backed away. Community The Eagle The man left the mall in a dark - colored Chevrolet Cavalier. Police Entertainment Faith & Values described the man as a six -foot, one -inch white man in his late Food teens or early 20s with a thin build. Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather 4 © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020602foleysrobbery.htm 02/06/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagle.cont 00010 Lwow • Home I Classifieds I Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com I Subscribe I Contact I Site Map Region / State February 6, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Police investigating robbery at Foley's Club Meetings College Town Eagle Staff Report Datebook Government Links Links College Station police are investigating a robbery at Post Oak Mall. Obituaries Town Talk Officers learned of the incident at about 7:15 p.m. Monday after Site Sections Foley's employees reported that a man had attempted to steal A &M News clothing by hiding the items in his pants. Agriculture Announcements Loss prevention officers chased the man and caught him in the Business & Technology parking lot, but he refused to return to the store, police said. The Classifieds man then threw a pair of jeans and a shirt at the officers and Columnists threatened them until they backed away. Community The Eagle The man left the mall in a dark - colored Chevrolet Cavalier. Police Entertainment Faith & Values described the man as a six -foot, one -inch white man in his late Food teens or early 20s with a thin build. Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020602foleysrobbery.htm 02/06/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theagIacom sai Home 1 Classifieds I Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe I Contact ( Site Map Region / State February 3, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station has seven houses that Club Meetings College Town need new homes Datebook City taking bids on shelters to be moved Government Links Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Obituaries Eagle Staff Writer Town Talk Site Sections College Station is accepting bids for purchases of seven houses, A &M News five of which sit along George Bush Drive East. Agriculture Announcements However, the land they sit on is not for sale. The houses must be Business & Technology removed and relocated. Classifieds Columnists Cheryl Turney, purchasing manager for College Station, said the Community land needs to be cleared for a major road project. The Eagle C Entertainment "What we're trying to do is move the houses off the property so Faith & Values that the property is vacant for us to do the expansion of George Food Bush East," Turney said. "Now we want to sale the houses and Health & Fitness have them moved off." Kids Korner Lifestyles College Station is planning to widen the road between Texas Newspapers in Avenue and Harvey Road. Education Obituaries The houses up for bid are located at: Opinions Politics • 103 George Bush Drive East. Region /State Schools • 107 George Bush Drive East. Sports Subscriptions • 111 George Bush Drive East. Weather 4 • 113 George Bush Drive East. • 203 A/B George Bush Drive East. All structures are built on concrete slabs except for 107 George Bush Drive East, which is built on a combination of slab and pier, and 203 George Bush Drive East, which sits on a pier /beam foundation. Brick and mortar homes at 300 Creagor Lane and 2605 Texas http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020302sevenhousesmove.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 1 `,' • theeaglecom *Isis • Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com I Subscribe Contact Site Map Politics March 30, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote College Station Council hopeful drops State /National Your Representatives out of race Site Sections A &M News Eagle Staff Report Agriculture Announcements Natalie Cervantez has withdrawn as a candidate for the Place 2 Business & Technology seat on the College Station City Council in the May 4 election, Classifieds according to a city spokeswoman. Columnists Community Cervantez's withdrawal leaves John Happ Jr. as the only candidate The Eagle for the seat. Entertainment Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement li http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /033002cshopefuldropsout.htm 04/17/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 1 theagIecom - �s�z� N,, - financing NEW 1002 RODEOS Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State March 29, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Roadwork to close College Station Club Meetings College Town intersection Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries The intersection of Stonebrook Drive and Rock Prairie Road will be Town Talk closed for two weeks starting Monday as crews work on the street. Site Sections A &M News The construction is expected to be completed by April 15, but Rock Agriculture Prairie Road will remain open throughout. Announcements Business & Technology For more information, call Jerry Jones, College Station engineering Classifieds inspector, at 777 -4594 or Brett McCully, assistant city engineer, at Columnists 764 -3816. Community The Eagle Entertainment Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032902roadworkintersection.htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 1 aL theeagIecom isuzu financing W NEW 2002 R00E05 g Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com I Subscribe I Contact Site Map Region / State March 29, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Easter closings Club Meetings College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report Government Links Links The following is a schedule of office closings Friday in observance of the Easter holiday: Obituaries Town Talk • The Brazos County Courthouse and the Brazos County Health Site Sections Department. A &M News Agriculture • College Station city offices. Sanitation services will continue as Announcements Business & Technology scheduled. The College Station Public Library will be open from 9 Classifieds a.m. to 5 p.m. Columnists Community • There will be no classes Friday or Monday in College Station. The Eagle Monday is a staff development day and district offices will be open. Entertainment Faith & Values • Bryan city offices will be open Friday. Food Health & Fitness • Bryan school district offices and schools will be closed Friday and Kids Korner Monday. Lifestyles Newspapers in • Blinn College will be closed Friday, and offices at Texas A &M Education University will close at noon. No classes will be held. Classes and Obituaries office operations will resume Monday. Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032802easterclosings.htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 .� i /r . ISU2U 0%�d thegIecom , ,H,It _ - NEW financin 2002 RDDWY Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Region / State March 28, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Opponents of health care cuts stop in Club Meetings College Town College Station Datebook Government Links By KELLI LEVEY Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk A delegation of health care professionals traveling the country in a Site Sections motor home stopped Wednesday in College Station to condemn A &M News anticipated funding cuts for Medicare and Medicaid. Agriculture Announcements Inside were phones programmed to dial the offices of U.S. Rep. Business & Technology Kevin Brady and U.S. Sens. Phil Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchison Classifieds to ask them to block the $160 million cuts in Medicare funding Columnists planned to take effect Oct. 1. Community The Eagle The national reduction of nearly $60 per patient would harm the Entertainment quality and availability of care for the nearly 2 million Medicare Faith & Values beneficiaries who receive skilled nursing care, said Pete Sulik, Food whose family owns two nursing homes in Brazos County and others Health & Fitness in Temple. Kids Korner Lifestyles According to a state -by -state study by independent public policy Newspapers in research firm Muse & Associates, the daily reimbursement rate for Education Texas senior citizens will be reduced next year from the current Obituaries $341.67 to $283.93. Opinions Politics "The cuts make absolutely no sense," Sulik said. "For instance, in Region /State this 120 -bed facility [Bryton Inn Health Center], we would be cutting Schools 16 direct -care staff. That's everyone on the morning shift." Sports Subscriptions The cuts could force private nursing facilities to reject patients who Weather couldn't pay the difference, Sulik said. Salome Vickers, a resident at Bryton Inn, also spoke out against the reductions. "I know Congress and the president are really busy at this time with the terrorists, but we want them to remember the people at home," she said. The nation's ongoing military operations are one reason for the http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032802healthcarepros.htm 04/02/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 proposals to cut the budget, said Matt Lloyd, a spokesman for Brady. "The budget this funding was in was passed in 1997, and at that point we didn't know we were going to be fighting a war on terrorism at this time," he said, referring to the Balanced Budget Act. "The budget is tight in a normal year, and it's even tighter now." Money the Balanced Budget Act subtracted from Medicare has been restored over the past few years, said Tim Graves of the Texas Health Care Association, but he said more than $3 billion of the restoration funds will disappear in October. "That is what we call the `Medicare cliff' because it's going to be a drastic drop," he said. "In a state like Texas, where there is very little Medicaid participation, it is really going to be devastating." The RV tour, called "Driving for Quality Care," moves next to Austin, Dallas and Amarillo before heading to New Mexico on a route that covers 45 states. The final destination will be Washington, D.C., where the oversized petition and several smaller ones will be presented to Congress and President Bush. Budget negotiations will continue for the next few months, Lloyd said. • Kelli Levey's e -mail address is klevey @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032802healthcarepros.htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 3 .i.ur 979.776.2345 the�ag1ecom_ , bscribe today_ Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe I Contact I Site Map Politics March 21, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote Filing for College Station offices closes State /National Your Representatives With late flurry Site Sections A &M News By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Agriculture Eagle Staff Writer Announcements Business & Technology Two more candidates filed to run for mayor Classifieds Wednesday and five others submitted their paperwork Columnists for council seats as filing closed with a flurry in College Community Station. The Eagle Entertainment City Secretary Connie Hooks said all seven Faith & Values candidates turned in election packets between 1 p.m. Schunict Food and the 5 p.m. deadline. Health & Fitness Kids Korner There will be four contested races in the municipal elections and Lifestyles one contested school board race. The elections are May 4. Newspapers in Education Property manager Shannon Schunicht and A &M Consolidated Obituaries Opinions High School senior Casey Streetman announced plans to run for Politics mayor. Region /State Schools Their entry into the race brought the field of mayoral candidates to Sports SIX. Subscriptions Weather City Councilman Ron Silvia, former Councilman Dick Birdwell, Texas A &M University student Jaime Cruz and Blinn College student Chris Field also are hoping to succeed outgoing Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney. Schunicht, who has made three unsuccessful runs for the City Council, said he can bring "decisive" leadership to the council. "You can tell people what to do all day long," Schunicht said. "But until you show them, they are not going to do it." Schunicht said he learned his leadership skills as an Airborne Ranger in the U.S. Army. He also has a degree from Florida State University and two degrees from Texas A &M University. • As mayor, Schunicht said, he would focus on improving communication between College Station, Bryan and Texas A &M, http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /032102csofficefilings.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 3 utilizing A &M's resources and creating "restrictive environmental parameters." Streetman, 18, said he would like to pursue a career in politics. "I think you've got to start somewhere," Streetman said. "I've been into politics for about a year now. I have a few friends and a government teacher that have really inspired me." Streetman said he wants to make transportation the focal point of his campaign. He said improving roads and highways would help attract more businesses to the area. He is a 10 -year resident of College Station and plans to attend Blinn College in the fall. Two candidates have filed for the Place 2 council post that Silvia has held since 1998. John Happ, director of aviation at Easterwood Airport and a member of College Station's Planning & Zoning Commission, will face Texas A &M junior Natalie Cervantez. Cervantez, 22, filed Wednesday because she wants to see a student voice on the council. 1111 She said that students make up a large portion of the city's population, but rarely vote or participate in government. Four candidates are seeking the Place 4 post being vacated by Larry Mariott, who ran for county commissioner in this month's Republican primary. Bill Batchelor, 40; Scott Mears, 41; T.J. Flowers, 23; and Ronald Kaiser, 55, have all filed for the spot. Flowers and Kaiser entered the race Wednesday. Flowers, a junior in the Texas A &M Corps of Cadets, said he wants to bring student representation to the council. He said he gained experience about campaigning as a volunteer for Brad Barton's run for Congress in the GOP primary. Kaiser serves on College Station's Planning & Zoning Commission and is a professor at Texas A &M. He said his experience on the planning commission, which included a four -year stint in the 1980s, has given him an 4 understanding of how the city works. Mears works in the health care industry and was involved in city http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /032102csofficefilings.htm 03/21/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 3 of 3 planning when he lived in California. Batchelor owns the Brazos Snack Company and has previously run for College Station mayor and the school board. Incumbent Anne Hazen has drawn two opponents for her Place 6 seat. James Benham and Janice McBride both filed to run against Hazen on Wednesday. Benham is a graduate student at Texas A &M and owns a computer consulting company. He could not be reached for comment. McBride, who made an unsuccessful bid for Brazos County commissioner in the recent Republican primary, said she decided to run for the council based on the encouragement of many of the people who supported her last campaign. McBride, 65, is a retired business owner. She said her experience running for the county post will be a plus in her bid for the council seat. There will be one contested race for a seat on the College Station school board. Board President Susan Lowy, who is seeking a third term, will face competition for her Place 6 seat from Randall Pitcock. Lowy, 51, is a lecturer in the Texas A &M University Health and Kinesiology Department. She was first elected to the school board in 1996 and was elected again in 1999. She has three children. Pitcock, 43, is a homebuilder and is married with three children. Place 7 Trustee Steve Aldrich will face no opposition in his re- election bid. • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell ©theeagle.com © 2000, 200.1_ The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement L http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /032102csofficefilings.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 0 th ti a g1e.com financing ( at° i c,su c � t rr or $3000 of! Home Classifieds ( Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com ( Subscribe I Contact 1 Site Map Region / State March 21, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Commissioners, College Station to Club Meetings College Town discuss TIF Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries The Brazos County Commissioners Court is expected to meet Town Talk Thursday afternoon with the College Station City Council to Site Sections discuss the city's creation of a reinvestment zone that will help A &M News pay for a planned hotel and conference center development. Agriculture Announcements The county has been asked to participate for 17 years in the tax - Business & Technology increment finance zone, or TIF, for the property in east College Classifieds Station. Commissioners will decide on that participation at a future Columnists meeting. Community The Eagle Without the county's participation, College Station's $18 million Entertainment conference center project would not be feasible, city officials have Faith & Values said. Food Health & Fitness Thursday's joint meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Room 127 of Kids Korner the College Station Conference Center at 1300 George Bush Lifestyles Drive. Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement (ior http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional/ 032102coferencetifdiscussed.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagie ' f, h (k t A? !r or $3000 off Home j Classifieds Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Region / State March 20, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Financially, College Station rates well Club Meetings College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links College Station received the highest possible rating on its outside Obituaries audit for the 2001 fiscal year. Town Talk Site Sections The annual audit of the city's finances was conducted by the A &M News Bryan firm Ingram, Wallis and Co., which gave College Station a Agriculture "clean opinion" based on financial records and data from the Announcements 2000 -01 budget. A clean opinion is the highest of three potential Business & Technology classifications that can be given in an audit. Classifieds Columnists Charles Cryan, fiscal services director for College Station, said he Community was pleased with the outcome of the audit. The Eagle cy Entertainment "The most important thing is that we got an unqualified opinion, Faith & Values which basically means they didn't find anything in our financials Food that they couldn't certify," Cryan said. "We ended the year pretty Health & Fitness much as we anticipated. We had more equity in our fund balance Kids Korner at the end of the year, which is a good thing." Lifestyles Newspapers in Education As a result of the audit, the city is assured of keeping its high Obituaries bond rating, Cryan said. Opinions Politics "One of the things they base it on is looking at the local economy," Region /State Cryan said. "They also look at the procedures, the stability of the Schools community and the stability of the City Council." Sports Subscriptions Ingram, Wallis & Co. did find minor errors in the city's accounting Weather process. In some cases, sales tax collected on electric revenues were not properly allocated between state and local funds. Communication lapses also were discovered between the city's utility division and accounting departments that resulted in record - keeping errors. Neither problem was significant, the auditor found. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell ajtheeagle.com • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032002collegestationaudit.htm 03/21/2002 _ The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagfeacom otyp financing Pik f or $3000 off Home I Classifieds ' Aggiesports.com ( BrazosSports.com Subscribe I Contact I Site Map Region / State March 16, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station to launch public safety Club Meetings College Town program Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk College Station wants its residents to know that more than 470 Site Sections accidents were caused in 2000 because a driver did not obey a A &M News traffic signal. Agriculture Announcements City officials also want to make it clear that speeding was a factor Business & Technology in almost 650 accidents that year. Many of these offenses carry Classifieds hefty fines: Passing a loading or unloading school bus? $410. Columnists Community More than anything though, city leaders want residents to be The Eagle careful behind the wheel of their cars. Entertainment Faith & Values That's why College Station will begin a new public safety Food campaign in April focusing on increasing awareness and Health & Fitness compliance of traffic laws. The program, which runs through Kids Korner December, will feature a different message each month ranging Lifestyles from the dangers of driving without a seat belt to slowing down Newspapers in when construction crews are working. Education Obituaries It is a joint venture between the city's public communications and Opinions marketing, police, fire, public works and public utilities Politics Region /State departments. Schools It came about because of the different traffic violations that were Sports Subscriptions happening," College Station spokeswoman Kelley Cole said. "We Weather felt like if we could build citizens' awareness of the traffic laws, how important it was, and that it could help save lives, then maybe we could change the behavior." The theme of the campaign — "It's so easy! (It could even save lives!)" — was chosen by a Texas A &M University student advisory committee. Each month, the city's public communications office will highlight • a new safety message through public service announcements, the utility bill newsletter, the city's Web site, channel 19, newspaper ads and radio and television appearances. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031602drivingsafety.htm 03/21/2002 . The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Presentations also will be made to A &M Consolidated High School and incoming Texas A &M University students. Each new safety issue will feature and saying such "School bus stopped? Red lights flashing? Stop!" and feature a traffic statistic relating to the monthly message. Cole said all traffic statistics are based on 2000 police records and 2001 accident statistics would be available once the police department is finished implementing a new database. The city's goal is increase awareness of all citizens about traffic safety, Cole said. "Everyone is affected when someone breaks the law. If someone runs a red Tight and hits someone, then the person who ran the red Tight and the person who is impacted are both involved in the accident." • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle (, Privacy Statement Cr http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031602drivingsafety.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 1 theeagla cow ,111110. r - Mamma m or woo off Home Classifieds ; Aggiesports.com I BrazosSports.com I Subscribe I Contact I Site Map Region / State March 15, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station Council creates Club Meetings College Town reinvestment zone Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council on Thursday approved the Site Sections creation of a 192 -acre reinvestment zone for a planned hotel and A &M News conference center despite pleas from several residents asking for Agriculture a referendum. Announcements Business & Technology The Brazos County Commissioners Court must now decide Classifieds whether or not to participate in the tax - increment finance zone, or Columnists TIF, for the land, which sits on the city's east side. The county's Community commitment would last 17 years, but could be retired after 13 The Eagle years if the conference center is paid off sooner. Entertainment Faith & Values If they elect not to participate, College Station's $18 million, Food 60,000- square -foot conference center project could be scrapped. Health & Fitness It will also spell the end for the Adam Corp. /Group's adjoining Kids Korner 300 -room, full - service hotel and corporate headquarters. Lifestyles Newspapers in The council ruling was 5 -0. Councilman James Massey was not in Education attendance and Councilwoman Winnie Garner abstained from the Obituaries vote, citing the fact she works for one of the financers of the Opinions project. Politics Region /State Kim Foutz, College Station's economic development director, said Schools the city will dedicate almost 48 cents per $100 property tax Sports valuation to the TIF. The commitment represents 100 percent of Subscriptions Weather the city's tax collection on the property. The county is being asked to give up more than 38 cents, its maintenance and operation rate, per $100 property tax valuation. That would put the county's contribution at about $8.6 million over the life of the TIF. Foutz said that money would not be generated without the construction of the hotel- conference center and corporate • headquarters. A 9 -acre tract also has been set aside on the land for a performing arts center. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031502councilapprovestif.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 The current appraised value of the land is more than $3.4 million. Foutz estimated the value would increase by more than $31.6 million by 2005, a year after the hotel and conference center's scheduled opening. The property value would continue to increase throughout the first 13 years of the TIF before leveling off through 2022, she said. Former College Station Councilman Dick Birdwell told the council he thought those numbers were too high and asked for another financial feasibility study to be conducted. He also asked that another referendum be put before College Station voters in the May election. In 1997, College Station residents approved a referendum authorizing the council to "proceed with the construction of a convention center." It did not specify a location or dollar amount. At the time, the city was considering a $6 million facility in the Wolf Pen Creek district. Birdwell said the council should not assume that all residents support the current project based on that referendum. "It may be correct legally," he said. "But politically, its absurd." L A pair of residents, Benito Flores -Meath and Bill Batchelor, expressed similar views with the council. Batchelor recently filed to run for the council in the May election. One resident spoke in favor of the project. Jerry Blackwelder, vice president of the Economic Development Corp., told the council that his group supports the development and said it will be a positive for the city and region. Foutz said the conference center, which is being designed to accommodate more than 90 percent of all meetings in Texas last year, will expand the tourism market, bring in more sales tax and will generate business for other hotels in the community besides the on -site TAC Realty -owned facility. Councilman Dennis Maloney said the planned hotel would well - serve foreign dignitaries and other leaders who stay in College Station while visiting Texas A &M University. "It will be a world -class hotel to complement a world -class university," Maloney said. The council also appointed six people to the Tax Increment Reinvestment Finance Zone Board for the designated area, which will prepare and implement the finance and project plans. It also http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031502councilapprovestif.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 3 of 3 is responsible for presenting all taxing entities and the state with an annual report on the zone. 40 Three selected to two -year terms include: William Atkinson, president of TAC Realty; James Wolfe, TAC Realty's financial adviser; and John Hamilton, a representative from College Main Apartments. TAC Realty's Joel Ross and College Main Apartments' Stan Maliska and Terry Pruitt were chosen to serve one year terms. County Commissioner Tony Jones was previously selected as Brazos County's representative and Mike Newman was chosen by state Sen. Steve Ogden, R -Bryan. State Rep. Fred Brown, R- College Station, or one of his appointed representatives, also will serve on the board. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com © 2000, 20.01 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • IL 1 http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031502councilapprovestif.htm 03/21/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Opinions > Letters to the Editor Page 1 of 2 Inadequate buffer A number of citizens of College Station bought property in Pebble Creek adjoining the city's industrial park. At that time, we were assured there would be an adequate buffer zone between our property and any future development. Boy, were we wrong. The city, operating on a 1992 plan, decided to give the land away with little notice other than the required notices published in The Eagle last September. We have had meetings with city representatives and their basic response is now that the land is the property of the developers, the city's hands are tied. At this time, we have asked the city to meet with the developer to insure a minimum buffer zone of 25 feet is observed and to request an additional 25 feet of buffer area. What has us most concerned is a parking lot, which literally is in the backyards of several homes and adjacent to Pebble Creek Elementary School, playgrounds and recreational park. The parking lot could be moved to the other side of the building, but that area is being reserved for yet more development. Proposed plans show two buildings and a huge parking lot crammed into an L- shaped 16 acres. We are reconciled to the land being used for commercial development. We are not reconciled to having commercial parking lot traffic and intrusive lights so very close to residential homes and an elementary school. Now, our only hope is the developer will sympathize with our concerns. Most of our I unhappiness lies with the city of College Station using our tax dollars to place us in a situation where we have little recourse but to beg. STEPHEN and SUSAN ATKINS College Station Letters encouraged The Eagle encourages letters to the editor. No more than one letter per writer will be printed each 30 days. Letters should be no more than 300 words and subject to editing for length and clarity. All letters must be signed and contain the writer's address and daytime and evening phone numbers for verification. The Eagle P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805 -3000 FAX: (979) 776 -8923 http: / /www.theeagle.com/ opinions / letterstoeditor/ march02 /0312021etterstoeditor.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 2 theea *Ito" 0, • Home ; Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Politics March 12, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote High voter turnout expected State /National Your Representatives Site Sections By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer A &M News Agriculture Voters may cast ballots between 7 a.m. Announcements Polling locations and 7 p.m. Tuesday to decide which Business & Technology (PDF:64k) Classifieds nominees will be placed on the Columnists Republican and Democratic tickets in the November general Community election. The Eagle Entertainment Brazos County recorded 4,074 early voters in the Republican Faith &Values primary, and 1,155 in the Democratic primary, according to Food County Clerk Karen McQueen. Those totals almost double early Health &Fitness voter turnout in the 1998 gubernatorial election. Kids Korner Cr Lifestyles "If it's anything like early voting, it should be pretty good," Newspapers in McQueen said of election day. Education Obituaries More than 100 polls will be open across the county. To find out Opinions which voter precinct a resident lives in, he can look on the left Politics side of his registration card for a precinct number. Those precinct Region /State numbers correspond with polling locations that can be found on Schools Page A2 of today's Eagle. Sports Subscriptions Low voter turnout typically is blamed on apathy and even bad Weather weather, but officials said there's no reason for either in these primaries. The ballots are loaded with local names and meteorologists are expecting a clear day with temperatures in the 70s. "If it's pretty people will be out moving," McQueen said. Local voters will help decide who should represent their political party or at least narrow the field of contenders in several crowded races that have the potential to end up in run -off races. At the county level, there are eight contested races, including county judge and three open commissioner seats. Two GOP candidates are seeking the seat for the state House District 14. There are no Democrats running for the post, so the winner in the primary will take office in January. Local voters also http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031202electiontomorrow.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 2 will help determine who will advance in the race for the newly created 31st Congressional District. Ballots will be counted at the Brazos Center at 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan after the polls close at 7 p.m. If no candidate in a race wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two contenders will square off in April 9 runoffs. • Colleen Kavanagh's e-mail address is ckavanagh@theeagle.com. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement (11, (hlw http: / /www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031202electiontomorrow.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 3 11. ' theeaglecom s •. Home j Classifieds ( Aggiesports.com f BrazosSports.com Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Politics March 10, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote 31st race a media war for name State /National Your Representatives recognition Site Sections A &M News By JOHN LeBAS Agriculture Eagle Staff Writer Announcements Business & Technology In a primary race that will probably decide who will be the Bryan - Classifieds College Station area's next congressman, policy stances won't be Columnists the deciding factor for voters. Community The Eagle Rather, the battle for the Republican nomination in the new 31st Entertainment Congressional District has become a struggle for name Faith & Values identification in a field of candidates who are touting very similar Food platforms. Health & Fitness Kids Korner As expected with an open seat, it's been an expensive race, with Lifestyles the GOP candidates expected to pour at least $1.25 million Newspapers in combined into their campaigns. And in recent days, a series of Education attack ads and retorts have stoked the coals, as contenders jostle Obituaries Opinions for last- minute recognition and position before Tuesday's vote. It Politics appears likely that the nomination will be decided in an April 9 Region /State runoff between the top two vote - getters. Schools Sports "When you've got a race where there has never been an Subscriptions incumbent, with seven candidates people don't know who to pick," Weather said Todd Kent, a former consultant who is working on a political science doctorate at Texas A &M University. Seven Republicans are seeking their party's nomination in the Tuesday primary: Flynn Adcock, Brad Barton, John Carter, Patrick Meece, Roy Streckfuss, Peter Wareing and Eric Whitfield. An eighth candidate, Terry Ward, will appear on the ballot but has withdrawn from the race. David Bagley is the lone Democrat seeking the seat and will face the Republican contender in the November general election. Past voting history indicates that district is heavily Republican, and the GOP nominee will be the odds -on favorite to win the seat in November. The a poll conducted for the Houston Chronicle and reported in the paper's Friday editions placed Wareing in first, Carter in http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000 /localregional /031003mediawar31 st.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 3 second and Barton in third in the GOP primary. Sixty -one percent of respondents said they were undecided or preferred none of the candidates. "Even if we have 50 percent undecided, that says a lot," Kent said. "It means the whole thing is to be decided in the last four or five days." Lower taxes, stronger national defense, Social Security reform, better roads — all are issues every candidate has cited as priorities. So each apparent front - runner crafted a campaign identity outside the issues. Wareing touted his business experience in Houston, Barton catered to Aggies and Carter promoted his 20 years as a state district judge in Williamson County. Wareing hit up the country club crowd, while Barton stumped at Northgate bars. Carter focused much of his energy in his fast - growing home county. Those three have the biggest campaign war chests and have aired the most commercials, particularly in the waning days of the campaign. Barton launched the first direct attack against an opponent, Wareing, with a TV spot that blamed him for a major investment loss at the University of Texas. Carter, who could be fighting Barton for the second -place spot, sent out a direct -mail piece that taunts Barton as a carpetbagger and a special- interest captive. Barton, the son of U.S. Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis, who once represented the Bryan - College Station area, moved into the district from a Dallas suburb and has raised more political action committee money than any of the candidates. Like the three front - runners, Meece put thousands into television and radio advertising but has left his opponents alone. The resulting name recognition probably explains his fourth place standing in the Chronicle poll. The three remaining candidates, with less money to spend, have devised other ways to stand out from the crowd. Adcock, Whitfield and Streckfuss say they've relied on the help of volunteers to overcome the limitations of a smaller budget. It seems everyone has a catch phrase. Whitfield has tried to make his campaign promise — to "stand shoulder to shoulder with President Bush" — as visible as possible. Adcock, likewise, has touted a four - pronged slogan: the only http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000 /localregional /031003mediawar3 l st.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 3 of 3 candidate with local roots, policy expertise, Washington experience and conservative values. He said his Web site has gained him valuable visibility in the absence of traditional media. But when it comes to name recognition, media saturation is key. And well- funded candidates typically fare better here. "In a typical district, the rule of thumb is that you need about $600,000 to run a competitive campaign in a House district," said Jon Bond, a political science professor at A &M. Only one candidate for the 31st District — Wareing — is expected to pass that mark by Tuesday. Barton is expected to spend the second most, about $400,000. That makes this an expensive race, but not a record. Wareing, for instance, spent $3.5 million on his 7th Congressional District campaign in 2000, only to lose. And in such a crowded race, a main objective is not necessarily to take the cake on Tuesday — but to ensure a spot in a runoff. "The contest does seem to be mainly between Wareing and Barton and Carter," Bond said. ... The fight is for who's going to be No. 2." • John LeBas' e-mail address is jlebas @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000 /localregional /031003mediawar31 st.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 1 of 7 :! .11 -- theeagiercom fr,tio • .00 Home Classifieds I Aggiesports.com ( BrazosSports.com Subscribe I Contact I Site Map Politics March 10, 2002 Local /Regional Register to Vote Judges' posts top counties' primaries State /National Your Representatives Site Sections Eagle Staff Report AgrMult We County judges' races in Grimes, Roberston, and Leon counties Announcements top the primary ballots for Tuesday's elections, but outside of Business & Technology those and a handful of other races there's not much to stir voter Classifieds interest in the Brazos Valley. Columnists Community County clerks report a uniformly light turnout for early voting in the The Eagle region, and the politicking seems to have proceeded at a genteel Entertainment clip. Faith & Values Food Here's a look at the contested races for party nominations on the Health & Fitness Burleson, Grimes, Madison, Milam, Leon, Washington, and Kids Korner Robertson ballots: Lifestyles Newspapers in Grimes County Education Obituaries County Judge Ira E. "Bud" Haynie faces a Democratic primary Opinions challenge from Paul Shifflet, a 60- year -old pipeline construction Politics worker. Region /State Schools Haynie, 70, said he wants to continue "leading the county in the Sports right direction" by addressing issues tied to future growth. Subscriptions Weather Shifflet says he decided to make his first bid for elected office because he is dissatisfied with the way the Commissioners Court handles taxpayers' money. The winner will face Republican James Dixon, 70, in the general election. Haynie, who ran unopposed in the last election, said he is proud of his record but still has much to accomplish. In preparing for anticipated growth, Haynie said he wants to work on plans for building a county office complex near the Grimes jail, and on improving poor road conditions that continue to plague 4 .„ county drivers. "I'm fearful that we're not looking at the amount of growth that's http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031002brazoswrapup.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 2 of 7 going to happen to this county," he said. "With our bond indebtedness all paid off in 2003, it will free up some monies that will allow expansions to get ready for this growth and for our road problems. I feel I'll be better able to handle that than someone with no experience." Shifflet said he has more than 40 years of experience in the private sector, including working on several projects worth more than $30 million in which he coordinated teams of 1,000 workers. "I probably have more experience because I was out in the private world, and I had to make everything work," he said. "I'll be able to pull the county together and get the Commissioners Court to work toward a common goal of making the county better for all the citizens of Grimes County." • In other Grimes primary races, Republicans Gay Wells, 55, a program assistant at Prairie View A &M University, and Dennis Holt, a 38- year -old technician, are vying to challenge District Clerk Wayne Rucker, a 63- year -old Democrat, in November. Rucker is seeking his seventh full term. • Two Republicans also are running for their party's nomination for county treasurer, with the winner facing two -term Democratic incumbent Phyllis Allen, 39, in November. The GOP candidates are Thelma Klingle, 33, who works in customer service at Body Bilt, and Malcolm Green, 61, who is retired after 33 years with Shell Oil. • In the GOP primary for Precinct 2 county commissioner, incumbent Frank Glass, 71, the only Republican on the Commissioners Court, faces Bill Pendley, 56, a deputy sheriff. Four Democrats are seeking their party's nomination for the Precinct 2 post. They are Frank Dietrich, 58, a business owner; Jesse C. Henry, 71, who is retired; Charles "Charly" Cook, 65, who works at an equipment business; and Carl Smith, 51, who works in maintenance for the county. • In Precinct 4, where Commissioner Marcus Mallard is not seeking re- election, three candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination: Collie Camp "Rock" Arrington Jr., 75, who is retired; Bill Bay, 60, a rancher; and Audelia B. "Dell" Martinez, 54. The winner will face Republican Pam Finke, 36, who works in sales for Navasota Farm & Ranch Center. • John LeFlore, 57, who was elected to fill a two -year unexpired term as Precinct 3 justice of the peace, faces a Democratic �.. primary challenge from James Harris, 37, who held the post until LeFlore took over last year. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031002brazoswrapup.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 3 of 7 • Democratic Party chair A.G. Allen is being challenged for the post by Navasota school district employee Mary Mable. Cii. Madison County In one of three contested races Tuesday, Precinct 2 Commissioner Don Farris is vying against Billy Blow and Audrey Slough for the Democratic nomination. The winner has no Republican opposition. The candidates all cited road improvements as their top priority. There are about 48 miles of roads in the precinct, which covers the northeast part of the county. Farris, 68, said he wants to maintain the more than 40 miles of gravel roads in the precinct. "I'd just like to continue to improve my roads and be here for the people if they need me," said Farris, a retired construction worker who has served one term. Blow, 52, said he would urge the county to apply for grants to help fund roadwork and other government programs. (or "You've got to get the right people out there looking for them," said Blow, a former justice of the peace in Madison County. The farmer said he wants to "get more money in the county so taxes don't have to be raised." Slough, 33, said she also would like to find grants that would help pay for road paving. She is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice officer. "The roads need to be maintained," Slough said. "We don't have that much money to work with. I'd like to see if we can get us more grants in here to get us more money." In other contested races: • Audrey Williamson of Madisonville and Lee Ann Brown - Williams of North Zulch are vying in the Democratic primary for tax assessor - collector. No Republicans filed for the position. The winner will replace Mattie Hoehne, who was appointed as acting tax assessor - collector in 2001. She is not seeking the position. C or Williamson, 57, is a supervisor at the Ferguson Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Brown - Williams, 44, is a voter http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031002brazoswrapup.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 4 of 7 registrar in Madison County. (hr• • North Zulch residents William Hill and Harvey Brady are vying for Republican Party chair, a position incumbent Frances Queen of Madisonville is vacating. Hill, 65, is a marketing manager. Brady, 57, is a teacher at Madisonville High School and has been vice - chairman of the party for 11 years. Robertson County Three political newcomers are vying in the Democratic primary for Robertson County judge, a post being vacated by Billy Lee Stellbauer. They are Jan Anderson Roe, Wendell Johnson Jr. and Fred Elliot. Roe said there are five key issues facing the county — reducing juvenile crime, forming a countywide economic development corporation, implementing a water district and emergency management plan and increasing support for volunteer firefighters. Neither Johnson nor Elliot returned phone calls made for this story. Roe, 43, said administrators need to take a more "aggressive and innovative approach" to fighting juvenile crime. Roe said she would like to see a Robertson County Youth Council formed to help establish local chapters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in the county's economically depressed areas. Her first areas to target would be Hearne and Calvert, she said. But she would like to expand the program to Bremond and Franklin. "I believe that busy kids, involved kids, kids that have some leadership and adult participation are not the kids that are getting into trouble," she said. Roe said she also would like to see a countywide economic development corporation created to actively market Robertson County's assets. The group could help draw companies and jobs to the area, which would in turn draw the area's former residents and allow them to have a future in Robertson County, she said. Roe is a legal assistant and employed as an independent contractor for the law firm Searcy & Gandy. Johnson, 43, is a miner at Walnut Creek Mining Company and is making his first bid for public office. Elliott, 62, a rancher and retired teacher, ran for county judge four years ago. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031002brazoswrapup.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 5 of 7 The winner will face Republican Rodney P. O'Connor, 53, in the general election. Five other posts are being contested in the Democratic primary: • Larry Conn faces David Amos in the race for the nomination for Precinct 2 county commissioner. Conn, 39, is a machinist and Amos, 41, is a wastewater technician. The winner will challenge Republican incumbent Jim Davis, 44, in the general election. • Precinct 4 County Commissioner Marie Abraham, 79, faces Steve Drennan, 34, a manager. • Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Bernadine Yezak Zan, 54, faces machinist Leon Maddox, 46, and Fredrick Webber, a 29- year -old caseworker for the Texas Youth Commission. Webber also is a Hearne municipal judge and served on the Hearne City Council from 1991 -93. • Incumbent Barbara Sweat Ray is being challenged by Catherine Spence for county Democratic chair. • Three Democrats are vying for the party nomination in the 5th Congressional District, which stretches from the Dallas area to Madison County. The Democratic contestants are Bill Bernstein, Ron Chapman and Wayne Raach. The winner will face one of five Republicans vying in the only contested GOP primary on the Madison ballot. They are Jeb Hensarling, Mike Armour, Fred A. Wood, Phil Sudan and Dan Hagwood. Leon County Only two contested races are on tap for Tuesday's primaries: • Democrats John Mallard and Dillard Chatham are seeking their party's nod for Leon County judge. Republican Byron Ryder will face the winner of that race in November. Mallard, 57, owns Leon County Abstract and Title Company and served as county judge during a one -year appointment in 1993. Ryder is mayor of Buffalo and self - employed. The incumbent, Gene Douget, has been suspended with pay by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct pending the outcome of a public lewdness case against him. He did not file for re- election. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031002brazoswrapup.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle >Local Politics Page 6 of 7 • Republican County Chair A.C. Varger, 70, is being challenged by 68- year -old Larry Dorsett of Oakwood, who is retired. Washington County Two contested races are on the GOP primary ballot: • Precinct 2 Commissioner Robert Mikeska, 48, is being challenged by 65- year -old retiree Richard Hinsch. The winner will face Democrat Randy Sonenbert, a pharmacist. • Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Roy May faces Julie L. Sweatt. May, 60, owned radio station KULF until he sold it about a month ago. Sweatt, 38, is the chief clerk in Precinct 2 JP Cone's office. Democrat Roy Hubert, a jailer in the sheriff's department who has served on the Brenham City Council, will face the winner in November. Burleson County Voters will decide two contested races in the Democratic primary and one in the Republican primary: • Vying for the GOP nomination for Precinct 2 county commissioner are Donnie Hejl, a 39- year -old rancher, and Dick Nickerson, a 62- year -old retiree. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Roger Groce in the November general election. • In the Democratic primary for Precinct 1 justice of the peace, Margie L. Thetford, the 73- year -old incumbent, is being challenged by Jay Lemon, 49, for her third term. The winner will face Republican James Baldwin, 27, in the general election. • Democrats Donny Baron, a retiree, and David Welch, a poultry supply manager, are seeking their party's nomination for the Precinct 2 justice of the peace nomination. The winner will face Republican William J. "Bill" Orsak in November. Milam County Two contested races are on the Democratic primary ballot: • Kenneth Hollas, 60, faces Dwight Jekel, 52, in the race for Precinct 2 county commissioner. Hollas is a road and bridge equipment operator for the county and Jekel is retired from military service. Incumbent Troy Mode is not seeking re- election. • Linda Layne Grothe, 55, is running for county treasurer. Grothe ki, is assistant librarian at the Cameron Public Library and this is the second time she has sought the position. Incumbent Danica Lara, 31, is seeking her first full term as treasurer. http:// www. theeagle. com/ campaign2000/ localregional /031002brazoswrapup.htm 03/12/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Avenue can also be bid on. Both homes are on concrete slabs. C or Turney said those two sit on land that will eventually be used by the city, so she went ahead and included them in the current package. The house on Texas Avenue sits near the city's Parks and Recreation office and Central Park. The Creagor Lane property is near the College Station business park. Bids will be accepted for each house in three forms: Positive based bids, zero -based bids and negative -based bids. In positive -based bids, a contractor agrees to pay the city a flat fee for the house. Under a zero -based bid, the contractor agrees to remove and relocate the house at no cost to the city. In a negative -based bid, the contractor wishes payment from the city for relocating the house. Bid packets can be obtained by calling Turney at 764 -3557. Bids will be accepted through 2 p.m. on Feb. 13. Faxed bids are not accepted. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020302sevenhousesmove.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 th ee a gle. cep Home ! Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe I Contact Site Map Region / State February 3, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Oversized generator to be moved today Club Meetings College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report Government Links Links An oversized turbine generator moving through the Brazos Valley Obituaries on Sunday will cause some road closures and traffic delays, officials said. Town Talk Site Sections The Texas Department of Transportation said the generator will A &M News enter Navasota on Texas 105 and move north on Texas 6. The Agriculture transport will then turn onto FM 2154 toward College Station. Announcements Business & Technology In College Station, the generator will travel along Harvey Mitchell Classifieds Columnists Parkway around the west side of the city to University Drive. Community There, it will move onto Texas 47 and continue to Texas 21. The Eagle 1 10 Entertainment The transport will go along Texas 21 until turning north on F.M. 50 Faith & Values to U.S. Highway 79 in Robertson County. It will then make its way Food back to Texas 6 along FM 1664 and FM 485 and continue north Health & Fitness toward Waco. Kids Korner Lifestyles Officials are asking motorists to use caution and be patient. Local Newspapers in police agencies will be doing traffic control in the affected areas. Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020302generatorwideload.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 IF 4 1 4 e the&.gIe1com Home Classifieds ; Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com Subscribe Contact I Site Map Region / State February 2, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Time for free parking in Northgate Club Meetings College Town expires Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries Installation of on- street parking meters has been completed in Town Talk College Station's Northgate area, essentially eliminating free Site Sections parking in the area during the week. A &M News Agriculture The meters run along roads throughout the district, which is Announcements bordered by University Drive, Wellborn Road, Nagle Street and Business & Technology the city limits. Classifieds Columnists They are divided into two zones for cost. Community The Eagle Meters east of College Main Street are 50 cents per hour from 6 Entertainment a.m. until 9 p.m., with a maximum purchase time of 90 minutes at Faith & Values one time. Food Health & Fitness Between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. the cost increases to $1.50 per hour, Kids Korner and the maximum purchase time is four hours. Lifestyles Newspapers in Parking is free in the zone Sundays from 6 a.m. until 9 Education g Y p.m. Obituaries Opinions Parking meters west of College Main Street are 50 cents per hour Politics from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. and can be purchased for a maximum of Region /State 90 minutes. Schools Sports The price goes up to $1.50 per hour between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. Subscriptions The spots can be purchased for up to four hours at night. Weather Sunday parking is free from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. All parking meters on the streets and in the Northgate Promenade Parking Lot accept quarters, dollar coins and special tokens. The parking lot also can be paid for using pre -paid parking cards. Eventually, the street meters will accept the parking cards. Tokens and parking cards can be purchased by contacting the Northgate Parking Garage office at 764 - 3565. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020202northgateparkingmeter.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 Parking at the Northgate Parking Garage on College Main is 50 cents per hour during the day and goes up to $1 per hour between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement • c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020202northgateparkingmeter.htm 02/04/2002 1 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 ONO • theeagle1com Home Classifieds Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com j Subscribe I Contact !Site Map Region / State February 2, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Police probe College Station robbery Club Meetings College Town Datebook Eagle Staff Report Government Links Links College Station police are investigating a robbery after a woman reported to police that she had been attacked outside her home Obituaries Thursday night. Town Talk Site Sections The woman told police she had walked out of her home a little A &M News after 8 p.m. when a man grabbed her and demanded that she get Agriculture something for him out of her house. Announcements Business & Technology The attacker was scared away by the sound of sirens as an Classifieds emergency vehicle passing by on an unrelated call, police said. Columnists Community The Eagle • Entertainment Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement L http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020202policeproberobbery.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 Nmii raga theeagle.com Home 1 Classifieds Aggiesports.com ' BrazosSports.com j Subscribe Contact Site Map Region / State February 1, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station office is winner of Club Meetings College Town registrar award Datebook Government Links Eagle Staff Report Links Obituaries The city secretary's office for College Station was awarded the Town Talk 2001 Five -Star Local Registrar Award at the Bureau of Vital Site Sections Statistics Conference in Austin. A &M News Agriculture Only 30 cities were given the award out of 500 that were Announcements considered. Business & Technology Classifieds Candidates were judged based on the timeliness of reports to the Columnists state, accountability for all banknotes, issuance of birth and death Community certificates and staff training. The Eagle Entertainment Faith & Values Food Health & Fitness Kids Korner Lifestyles Newspapers in Education Obituaries Opinions Politics Region /State Schools Sports Subscriptions Weather © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020102csregistraraward.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 ,.....„ • the&igIe. m ', =7, , I , t I Home Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State February 2, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Texas 6 widening is cleared Club Meetings College Town TxDOT: Project still 'years away' Datebook Government Links By HOLLY HUFFMAN Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The Texas liElimminem Site Sections Department of widening Texas 6 A &M News Transportation cleared Agriculture its first hurdle in the Announcements struggle to expand College Station z. Business & Technology Texas 6 after securing ) 0 I Classifieds an environmental c Columnists clearance to expand Community the highway through a dP The Eagle 10 -acre section of S �,, 0 • Entertainment wetlands. Faith & Values '"'` Food But despite the ` ^ 111 of Health & Fitness advance, actual Section Kids Korner construction is still Texas to be 1441 Lifestyles "years away," a widened Newspapers in TxDOT spokesman Education Obituaries said Friday. Opinions Bob Colwell of TxDOT said the federal ruling found that there Politics would be no significant environmental impact caused b Region /State g P by Schools expanding the highway. The finding was based on an evaluation Sports by the Federal Highway Administration of environmental Subscriptions assessments made by the TxDOT office in Bryan. Weather The clearance will allow the agency to embark on the early stages of expanding the four -lane undivided highway from F.M. 159 to the Navasota River, Colwell said. The highway is slated to be widened into a four -lane controlled- access roadway with a grass median and frontage roads. Colwell said TxDOT can begin designing the highway and 41100 acquiring rights of way. The existing highway varies from 100 to 150 feet wide, he said, but plans call for the department to acquire land alongside the road that will allow its expansion to 460 to 850 feet. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020202highway6widening.htm 02/04/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 The agency doesn't expect problems with the land acquisition, IL , Colwell said, but it fears a lack of funding may hold up the project. "This has just given us the environmental clearance," Colwell said. "We have enough money right now for about a third of the project, which is $10 million. It's going to cost a whole lot more than that to do the project." Colwell said the completed project would probably cost more than $30 million. Construction is still years away, he said. "It's just a waiting game right now," he said. "You've got to have money." State Sen. Steve Ogden, R -Bryan, who has been a staunch supporter of highway expansion, said he was pleased with the progress and is confident the project will be funded. "This is great news," Ogden said. "I look forward to the day when construction there actually begins — this is a big hurdle to get over." Ogden said he would continue in his efforts to speed the process along. Ronnie Vitulli, who created www.hwy6kills.com, also welcomed the federal action. Vitulli, whose Web site provides information about the deadly stretch of Texas 6, said the recent addition of turn lanes have helped to make the road somewhat safer. "[The environmental clearance is] one Tess thing they have to deal with," he said. "But I still wish they could execute the project a little faster." • Holly Huffman's e-mail address is hhuffman @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement c http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /020202highway6widening.htm 02/04/2002 . The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 3 . osuzu theagIecom NEW 2.00 RODEOS f i ni Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State March 29, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station approves contract, signs Club Meetings College Town with hotel operator Datebook Government Links By LAURA HIPP Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council entered into a contract Thursday Site Sections with Crestline Hotels & Resorts to operate the city's planned hotel A &M News and conference center — the same day that Crestline revealed it is Agriculture being bought by a Spanish hospitality firm. Announcements Business & Technology Execution of the city's 10 -year contract is now pending College Classifieds Station's fiscal review of Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, which is based Columnists in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, said Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney. The new Community company will be known as Barcelo Crestline. The Eagle Entertainment Maryland -based Crestline notified city staff Thursday morning that it Faith & Values is being acquired by Barcelo. The merger is expected to be Food complete by June 30, depending on Crestline shareholder Health & Fitness approval. Kids Korner Lifestyles The hotel and conference center project is being planned by the Newspapers in city in conjunction with the Adam Corp. /Group. Education Obituaries The council voted 6 -0 in favor of the contract. Council member Opinions Winnie Garner, who works for Adam Corp. subsidiary First Politics American Bank, abstained. Region /State Schools Kim Foutz, economic development director, said the Crestline Sports management team assigned to the College Station facility will be Subscriptions Weather the same. "[Crestline] will just become a subsidiary of this management company," Foutz said. Two residents, Mike Luther and Benito Flores- Meath, spoke against the hotel and conference center. Flores -Meath asked that residents be allowed to vote on the future of the development. Luther said the council was "gambling with my dollars as a taxpayer" because the market may not sustain the project. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032902csapprovescontract.htm 04/02/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 3 • Mcllhaney said the hotel and conference center will fill a need in the community and increase sales -tax revenue. "We have had very strong legal representation, and every step of the way we have built in protections for the city," she said. "We are looking at this holistically and with the future in mind." According to the contract, Crestline will receive a management fee of up to 3 percent of the gross revenues produced by the hotel and conference center and incentive fees if the development surpasses target operating profits. The agreement includes three renewal options of five years each. The proposed development will include a 315 -room hotel, a corporate headquarters for Adam Corp. and a city -owned $18 million conference center. The 55 -acre project will be on University Drive, east of Earl Rudder Freeway South. Also at the meeting, the City Council appointed Mcllhaney, Glenda Mariott and Joe O'Leary as College Station's representatives on the planned Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mariott, wife of Councilman Larry Mariott, is a partner in Mariott Homes Inc. O'Leary is director of the Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Sciences [checked at A &M website] at Texas A &M. Their terms will not begin until Mcllhaney and Larry Mariott leave office after the May elections. Garner said the representatives are active in the community and interested in bringing more tourism to the Brazos Valley. The Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau will replace the current Bryan - College Station Convention and Visitor Bureau, which is managed by the local Chamber of Commerce. The new entity will be managed by a nine - member board. An executive committee will be comprised of College Station's three representatives, one from Bryan and one from the Brazos Valley Lodging Association. The executive committee will appoint the remaining four board members. The lodging association's appointee is Barron Hobbs, general manager of the Hilton College Station Hotel and Conference Center. Bryan is waiting to interview interested candidates. • Laura Hipp's e -mail address is lhipp @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032902csapprovescontract.htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan - College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 • — isuzu O a theagIecom - f inanc�n NE 20 02 RO DEOS Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact ( Site Map Region / State March 28, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Arts Council backs conference center Club Meetings College Town By JOHN LeBAS Datebook Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links The Arts Council of Brazos Valley is urging local governments to Obituaries make College Station's planned hotel and conference center a Town Talk reality. Site Sections A &M News The council's board of directors approved a resolution Tuesday Agriculture calling on elected and appointed officials to approve "all Announcements instruments and laws necessary" to build the center. Business & Technology Classifieds A performing arts facility is planned as part of the overall project. Columnists Community Local banker and businessman Don Adam, who is partnering with IL The Eagle College Station on the project, has pledged $1 million to the arts Entertainment facility. Faith & Values Food Arts Council President Jimmy Loup said Wednesday that nothing Health & Fitness Kids Korner specific prompted the resolution, but the board wanted to be Lifestyles proactive in its support of the project. Newspapers in Education "It's a win -win situation for our community," Loup said. Obituaries Opinions College Station is waiting to see if Brazos County will agree to Politics participate in a tax - increment finance zone, or TIF, to help fund the Region /State project. City officials have said that without the county's Schools involvement, the planned $18 million conference center cannot be Sports built. Subscriptions Weather County commissioners are expected to decide at an upcoming meeting whether to enter the TIF and give up more than $8 million in projected tax revenue. The revenue would instead go toward the center's cost. Critics of the project have called for feasibility studies on the eastside site and said College Station should ask for voter approval. P. David Romei, executive director of the Arts Council, said the council wanted to show its support for the economic development http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /032802artscouncilsupport.htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 because it benefits the arts. 410 "We can't have arts and culture without economic development," he said. • John LeBas' e -mail address is jlebas @theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement III 40 http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032802artscouncilsupport.htm 04/02/2002 • ' The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 the&sgIe.com F : a #Ii ® � F 2 OFAS Home I Classifieds I Aggiesports.com BrazosSports.com I Subscribe I Contact 1 Site Map Region / State March 27, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station Council to consider hotel Club Meetings College Town pact Datebook Government Links By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider an Site Sections agreement to allow a Maryland -based hotel and resort company to A &M News operate the planned hotel- conference center project the city is Agriculture developing with The Adam Corp. /Group. Announcements Business & Technology In September, the council selected Crestline Hotels & Resorts as Classifieds the operator and authorized city staff to negotiate a contract with Columnists the company, which manages 35 hotels, resorts and convention Community centers across the country. The agreement between the city, the The Eagle hotel operator and TAC Realty, a subsidiary of The Adam Corp., Entertainment would grant Crestline the right to operate both the hotel and Faith & Values conference center. Food Health & Fitness "This is one of the final agreements we need to move the project Kids Korner forward," City Manager Tom Brymer said. Lifestyles Newspapers in The project is planned to include a 315 -room full - service hotel and Education a 30,000- square -foot corporate headquarters for The Adam Corp. Obituaries in addition to an $18 million, city -owned conference center. The Opinions project is slated for 55 acres on University Drive, east of Earl Politics Rudder Freeway South. Region /State Schools Crestline would receive a management fee of up to 3 percent of the Sports gross revenues generated by the hotel and conference center in Subscriptions Weather addition to incentive fees if the project exceeds target operating profits. The 10 -year agreement also provides three renewal options of five years each. Also during the meeting, the council is expected to select three executive committees for the new, stand -alone Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. During the workshop session, the council will discuss a policy to add sidewalks to the city's older neighborhoods and review the Metropolitan Planning Organization's 20 -year transportation plan http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /032702cscouncilhotelpact.htm 04/02/2002 • The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 for the Bryan - College Station area. I L The workshop session is set to begin at 3 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Ave. The regular meeting will follow at 7 p.m. in the council chambers. • Colleen Kavanagh's e-mail address is ckavanagh(a�theeagle.com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle Privacy Statement IL, • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032702cscouncilhotelpact.htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 l • theea e. com •' � , i L g , � r , Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact 1 Site Map Region / State March 22, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook Brazos to decide fate of TIF soon Club Meetings College Town Datebook By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Eagle Staff Writer Government Links Links Brazos County Commissioners Court will make a decision in the Obituaries next few weeks on whether to participate in a tax finance zone and Town Talk forgo more than $8 million in tax revenue for the planned hotel and Site Sections conference center in College Station. A &M News Agriculture Whatever conclusion the commissioners reach, a lack of Announcements information won't factor into the outcome. Business & Technology Classifieds Commissioners and members of the College Station City Council Columnists listened to presentations Thursday from an architect, the hotel Community operator, landowners and College Station's director of fiscal The Eagle • Entertainment services. Faith & Values The two- and -a- half -hour joint meeting, which took placeat the Food College Station Conference Center, was designed to answer any Health & Fitness Kids Korner additional questions commissioners may have about the tax - Lifestyles increment finance zone, or TIF zone, they are being asked to Newspapers in approve for the county. Education Obituaries College Station officials have said that without the county's Opinions involvement, the planned $18 million conference center on the Politics city's east side will not be possible. It will also spell the end for an Region /State affiliated hotel owned by Bryan businessman Don Adam. Schools Sports The county is being asked to give up more than 38 cents, its Subscriptions maintenance and operation tax rate, per $100 property tax Weather valuation. That would put the county's contribution at about $8.6 million over the life of the TIF. Kim Foutz, College Station's economic development director, said the county's contribution could last up to 17 years, depending on how quickly the project is paid off. Opponents of the project, many of whom have spoken against it at previous council and Commissioners Court meetings, urged the county not to participate. They suggested another referendum on the project be conducted and asked for more studies of its http: / /www.theeagle. com / region/ localregional /032202brazostodecideonti£htm 04/02/2002 The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 feasibility. College Station's presentation was designed to answer any remaining questions commissioners had about the impact of the TIF on the county. County Judge Al Jones called the meeting beneficial, but he said it was too soon to say when commissioners will vote on the city's request. "I suspect that not everyone has made up their mind yet," Jones said. "If they had, there would not have been a need for this." College Station Councilman Ron Silvia, who is running for mayor in the May election, said the project has entered a new phase and it was important to make sure commissioners were completely familiar with the plans. "I think we did a good job of presenting the total picture," Silvia said. "The city has worked and has gone through all the stages. We've gotten the referendum, done studies, looked at the feasibility and put together the TIF." The 1997 referendum, in which voters approved a hotel- conference center project, has been a source of contention among some residents. At the time, the city was considering a $6 million facility near Wolf Pen Creek, but the referendum only asked voters for permission to "proceed with the construction of a convention center." It did not specify a location or dollar amount. Dick Birdwell, a former city councilman who also is running for mayor, said the city needs to perform new feasibility studies and hold another referendum on the latest plan for the project. He also said the city's assumptions were too optimistic. "If the numbers were that high, there would be plenty of other hotels building here," Birdwell said. Birdwell was one of a half -dozen residents who urged commissioners not to participate in the TIF. Two speakers, including Roland Mower, president and CEO of the Bryan - College Station Economic Development Corp., spoke in favor of the TIF and the development. • Christopher Ferrell's e -mail address is cferrell(c .theeagle. com © 2000, 2001 The Bryan /College Station Eagle L Privacy Statement http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /032202brazostodecideontif.htm 04/02/2002 r , The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 1 of 2 theeagleicom Wend or $3400 off Home 1 Classifieds 1 Aggiesports.com 1 BrazosSports.com 1 Subscribe 1 Contact I Site Map Region / State March 14, 2002 Births Brazos Valley Notebook College Station Council to consider TIF Club Meetings College Town for conference center Datebook Government Links By CHRISTOPHER FERRELL Links Eagle Staff Writer Obituaries Town Talk The College Station City Council on Thursday is expected to Site Sections consider an ordinance to establish a 20 -year tax increment A &M News finance zone for the planned hotel and conference center on the Agriculture city's east side. Announcements Business & Technology A public hearing on the matter is planned during the regular Classifieds meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at College Station City Hall on Columnists Texas Avenue. Community The Eagle Creation of the 192 -acre zone is mandatory before the Brazos • Entertainment County Commissioners Court can choose whether or not to Faith & Values participate in the tax financing method. Food Health & Fitness If the county decides not to participate, the project could be Kids Korner scrapped because of a clause in the development agreement that Lifestyles allows College Station to terminate the project without county Newspapers in participation. If the county chooses to participate, it will forfeit an Education estimated $8.6 million of property taxes generated from that land Obituaries over the next 20 years. Opinions Politics The zone will help pay for an $18 million conference center, said Region /State Kim Foutz, College Station's economic development director. Schools Sports The Adam Corp. /Group is building an adjoining hotel and Subscriptions Weather corporate headquarters on the property, but will not receive money from the reinvestment zone, according to the proposal. College Station officials have said the project will not be feasible for the city without the county's participation. Presentations were made in February to Brazos County commissioners and Bryan school trustees, the other two taxing entities involved in the reinvestment zone. r ► Commissioners are expected to consider their participation at their March 19, April 2 or April 16 meeting. http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031402cstaxordinancehotel.htm 03/21/2002 • , The Bryan- College Station Eagle> Region & State Page 2 of 2 The Bryan school district is not being asked to give up any tax • dollars for the project. Foutz said a presentation similar to the one given to the two governmental agencies will be presented at Thursday's council meeting. College Station's preliminary finance plan for the tax reinvestment finance zone predicts the land will generate $285,000 annually beginning in 2005. The amount would increase to more than $1.3 million annually between 2015 and 2022. Those numbers are based on the county surrendering more than 38 cents per $100 in generated tax money and the city devoting almost 48 cents per $100 in property tax value. The preliminary finance plan also includes $5.5 million in debt already issued by College Station and $1.1 million from elsewhere in the city's budget. Hotel -motel tax dollars also could be used to pay for the project. Barron Hobbs, general manager of the Hilton College Station Hotel and president of the local hotel -motel association, said the county should take a closer look at the project before • participating. "There are assumptions here," he said of the city's projections. "They're nice to say, but they won't happen. Who pays for it then ?" He said the city should do another market study before proceeding with the project. Because the deal being proposed is for several million dollars more than what College Station voters first approved, the city should take the plan back to the residents, he said. Hobbs said he also feared that county participation in the project could put other hotels and motels at a financial disadvantage. • Christopher Ferrell's e-mail address is cferrell @theeagle.com. • Colleen Kavanagh contributed to this report. © 2000, 2001 The Station Eagle Privacy Statement • http: / /www.theeagle.com/ region/ localregional /031402cstaxordinancehotel.htm 03/21/2002