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Home My WebLink About2007-03-30 Euless ArticlesDISTRIBUTED TO: IMA YOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY CRIM HENNIG MCK4MIE RIDG WA Y(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DA TE DISTRIBUTED 3 / 3 c 1 0 7 DATE OFARTICLE 3IdJlo7 NEWSPAPER DMN COMMNNITY CALENDAR BOOK SALE: The Friends of the Euless Library will host a three-day book sale from Friday through Sunday at the ' Euless Public Library, 201 N. Ector Drive. Book prices range from 10 cents to $2. A "sneak peek" admission of $5 will be charged on Friday. Hours are 3 to6 p.m. Friday, 10a.m. to5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Call 817-685-1679 All proceeds benefit the Euless Public Library. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DISPOSAL: The clty of Euless will have a mob~le collect~on unlt that can accept materials l~ke aerosol cans and pest~c~des from 9 to 11 a m. Saturday at the Euless Munlc~pal Complex, 201 N Ector Drlve The un~t can accept Items from 125 households. Call 817-685-1410 or v~s~t www euless org/hazmat to view a complete llst of mater~als that will be accepted DISTRIBUTED TO: MA YOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RZDGtYA Y(2) BO YETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER GETCHELL LZBRAR Y ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 3/30107 DATEOFARTICLE 3 IJ~ 1' NElYSPAPER DMN, ~d* Santeria priest's suit highlights religious, cultural clashes By ANABELLE GARAY / Associated Press On Inany Sunday mornings Jose Merced watches police officers directing traffic into and fro111 overflowing ch~~rch parking lots and realizes his own religion doesn't evoke the same acceptance. When police came to his home on a quiet cul-de-sac in this Fort Worth suburb last summer, it was to demand that Merced - an Oba, or Santeria priest - call off a religious ceremony planned for the next day. The reason: the city's ban on animal slaughter. Merced explained that the ritual sacrifice of an animal is necessary to initiate a new priest into the Santeria faith. He also offered a copy of a Supreme Court n~ling allowing such sacrifices for religious reasons. But Euless officials insisted that local sanitation ordinances prohibit the slaughter of animals inside city limits. Such conflicts have become Inore common recently as the U.S. becomes a Inore religiously diverse society. Immigrants have also brought new religions with practices that fall outside the Judeo-Christian mainstream. The case highlights how local laws in place tluoughout the U.S. someti~lles clasl~ with evolving culh~ral and religious customs. Merced has sued the city, saying the slaughter ban encroaches on his right to use perform religious ceremonies at his home. "It's just ignorance and it's the same thing that happened with the city ... They shut the door on me," Merced said. In some places, authorities have worked to accommodate religious practices brought by new residents. Other times, participants have met with opposition, said Jerenly Gu~~ll, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. "Most political societies are very accolnmodating to the nlajority practice, but not to minority religions," Gunn said. For example: DISTRIBUTED TO: PACE 2 OF MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY CRIM HENNIC MCKAMIE RIDCCVAY(2) BOYETT BROCfiV YOUNG hlcDONALD COLLINS BARKER CETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 30 lo' DATE OFARTICLE 3 /q 4 NEWSPAPER DMN, C~L~ A Canadian Amish man mamed to an American citizen was barred from re-entering the U.S. in 2004 Githout photo identification. A federal court later rejected his argument that the requirement conflicted with the group's interpretation of a Biblical prohibition against making graven images and violated his religious rights. - A Sikh college student in Michigan was arrested in 2005 for carrying a 10-inch knife, called a kirpan. Carrying a kirpan at all times is a basic tenet of the Sikh religion. Authorities later dropped the charge against Sukhpreet Singh Garcha. - A Hmong shaman was convicted of a felony in California after the clubbing of a puppy sacrificed to cure his ill wife. The charge against Chia Thai Moua was reduced in 1996 to a misdemeanor. Euless spokeswoman Betsy Boyett said her city's slaughtering ban is intended to protect the health and safety of residents. But believers say animal sacrifices are an essential devotion in Santeria, a religion born in Cuba by Yoruba slaves who fused elements of Roman Catholicism with beliefs they brought with them from Africa. Adherents later brought Santeria to the U.S. during the Cuban revolution. Santerians believe in spiritual forces called Orishas, whose survival depends on blood sacrifices. During the rite, a 4-inch blade is used to sever an animal's carotid artery, letting blood fall on a shrine. The animal is then prepared and eaten. Only those participating in the ceremony may be present. Santeria practitioners say cities are going down a precarious path in trying to ban ritual sacrificing by claiming health and safety concerns. The fight to perform animal sacrifices is important for Merced, whose Santeria congregation is called Templo Yoruba Omo Orisha. He eventually hopes to build a temple where believers can openly practice their beliefs. Santeria believers in New York, California and Florida also have faced legal hurdles due to their ritual practices. In 1993, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye in Hialeah and issued an opinion protecting the rights of Santeria practitioners to ritually slaughter animals. Now, church leaders there are supporting Merced in his struggle with city officials in Euless. "By targeting Jose Merced on the issue of animal slaughter means that the government deems it appropriate to regulate ... how one worships inside the privacy of a home," said Oba Ernesto Pichardo. "It's a dangerous claim toward religion as a whole, it's important for everyone to understand that." The Euless anti-slaughter ordinance dates back to 1974 and was not aimed at curtailing religious activities, said Boyett, pointing out that residents are still permitted to slaughter chickens intended for the table. But Miguel A. De La Torre, an ethics professor at Illif School of Theology in Denver, says the city must still adhere to the spirit of the Supreme Court decision. DISTRIBUTED TO: PACE 3 OF 3 MA YOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM HENNIC MCKAMIE RIDCWAY(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS BARKER CETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMALCNTR DA TE DISTRIBUTED 3 30 DATE OF ARTICLE 3 194 1 3 NEWSPAPER DMN,LDY "To deny an individual in Santeria from sacrificing an animal would be the same as the government making a law saying Christians are not able to practice communion, or that Jews cannot be circumcised," De La Torre said. "Why are you preventing this individual from worshipping?" DISTRIBUTED TO: I I PACE OF MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRfM HENNIC MCKAMIE RfDCWAY(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER CETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DfSTfuBUTED 3 1 30 / o DATE OF ARTICLE . FWST Council candidate dropping out of race EULESS - City Council Place 1 candidate Steve Symonds said Friday that he is dropping out of the race because he is moving to ~olleyvi'lle. His name will still appear on the ballot May 12 be- cause Tuesday was the last day to withdraw. -Jessica DeLeo'n DISTRIBUTED TO: I OF 3 PAGE MA YOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDG WA Y(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADAWN I LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 3 136 1'7 DATEOFARTICLE 3 / J rI07 NEW~PER F WST RECREATION Hit the trails Rrrant County trails offer exercise, scenic views and a touch of history .- . STOKY BY STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER JESSICA D~LEON GRAPHICS BY TIM BEDISON AND DAVE SEYMW Eastern Tarrant County residents have an escape from stress that's just miles - and sometimes yards - away from their homes. They're city trails, perfect for walkers, runners, inline skaters and bicyclists. The Star-Telegram has produced a list, by no means complete, of trails residents might want to visit. Euless and Keller have long trails. The Cottonbelt Trail stretches through North Richland Hills and parts of Colleyville and Grapevine, and will eventually con- nect to Hurst. And Arlington's River Legacy Parks tfails include an 8.2-mile paved trail that follows the Trinity River from Fort Worth to Grand Prairie. Most of the trails - such as the Big Bear Creek Greenbelt in Keller - have wooded areas, with songbirds and native A. Big Bear Creek Greenbelt, Keller 8. Bob Jones Park and the Walnut Grove trail system, Southlake C. Trails of Euless. Euless plants, inany of whi~6 are labeled. "It gets you away from the city," Keller Parks and Recreation Director Dona Roth Kinney said. The Bob Jones Park and the Walnut Grove trail system in Southlake, near Lake Grapevine, is filled with wildflow- ers and about 200 species of birds. "It's a huge natural area that can't be developed," said Julie Dove, Southlake's parks project coordinator. "It's just beau- tiful to walk in." The C. Shane Wilbanks Trail offers J, views of Lake Grapevine and hard sur- faces through forests and fields. "It's a very popular trail for people exercising, riding their bikes and walking their dogs, which we stroqgly encourage to be kept on a leash," Grapevine Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Joe Trails of Euless. Euless DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE 4 OF 3 MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGCVAY(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATEDIsrRIsuTED 3130107 DATEOFARTICLE 3 layto7 NEwspApm FwsT Moore said. Most trails have unique or unusual features. The Cotton- belt Trail parallels the Cotton Belt railroad tracks that Grapevine's steam train uses to take passengers to and from the Fort Worth Stockyards. At the Preserve at McCor- mick Park in Euless, users can read plaques that detail the history of trees. More than 30 historical trees have been planted, including the Elvis Presley sweet gum that was grown from a seed gathered at Graceland in Memphis. At the Village Creek His- torical AreaDob Findlay Lin- Cottonbelt Trail, Colleyville, Grapevine, North Richland Hills leasant Run Park and Bransford Oak GroveiC. Shane Wilbanks trails. Gra~evine A. Oak GroveIC. Shane Wilbanks trails, ear Park in Arlington, monu- c~~~,.,~;~~ ments tell about the Indians Ul O~CVIIIC B. North ElectricPNalker's Creek trails, North Richland Hills C. Cottonbelt Trail, Colleyville. Grapevine and North Richland Hills. D. Bedford Boys Ranch Park, Bedford E. River Legacy Parks trails, Arlington f. Village Creek Historical area/Bob Findlay Linear Park, Arlington G. Veterans Park: Xeriscapelwildlife area trail. Arlinqton who settled in the area and the Battle of Village Creek fought between Indians and Republic of Texas soldiers. Pedestrians and riders may find another welcome feature along the North Electric/ Walker's Creek trails in North Richland Hills, said Vickie Loftice, the city's director of H. Walnut Creek Linear Park trails, parks and recreation. Mansfield "There's a snow cone" shop, Loftice said. Jessica DeLe6n. 817-685-3932 jdeleon@star-teIegrarn.com - North Electric/Walkerrs Creek trails, North Richland Hills Villaae Creek, Arlinqton What to look for: Monuments that I\ of the Indians who settled along llage Creek and the Battle of llaqe Creek betweenlndians and, DISTRIBUTED TO: 3 3 PAGE OF MA YOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWA Y(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 3/30 /07 DATE OF A Bia Bear Creek Greenbelt. Keller -5 _ k-, i Hours open: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m ~.,;-j~ Len* 5.39 miles ; i ,2:d What to look for: Wildflowers, picturesque creek, w~de open $- River Legacy Parks trails, Arlington --i -I!": ! fields, heavily wooded areas with various native plants labeled alonq the way, and playgrounds at Bear Creek Park and at the ' Keller-Smithfield Activity Node, at 116 Keller Smithfield Road [ Q Parking South. The trall east of Rufe Snow Dr~ve IS particularly scenic. t I~-~P~~~~~~~*U~~~~~~~I*.P~~-P)~-P)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MB)~X~MMMMM~~~~' Bedford Bovs Ranch Park. Bedford i!&- a ii ,, -- RTICL E 3 1 a s/ o-' NEWSPAPER FWST Bob Jones Park and the Walnut Grove trail svstem. Southlake Walnut Creek Linear Park. Mansfield ngth: About a quarter of a ile on the south side of the park, with a small pond What to look for: A slew of low-maintenance native plants. The area is gorgeous when the flowers bloom in DISTRIBUTED TO: I PAGE OF MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGCVAY(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHEL L LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DA TE DISTRIBUTED 3 f 3 1 o-7 DA TE 0, ARTICLE F CVS T EULESS the booths, said Roger Al- New sports bar Sports bar bright, attorney for the owner. Composite Investments. The menu would, range seeks OK for from pork tenderloin and sea bass to traditional sports-bar fare, such as hamburgers, nachos and chicken wings. Live music and billiards makeover . would still be a part of the The owner of Gator's heads back scene, Albright said. to the City Council for approval to "You are probably going make it into a more upscale place. there for two Al- bright said. "One, it's a very fun By JESSICA D~LE~N atmosphere with good food. STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER Two, you are going td watch EULESS - Gator's Sports Bar and the game you want to watch." Grill could be in for a $1 million make- The franchise has locations over and a new name. in The Colony, Mesquite and STARTELEGRAMITIM BEDISON The owner of the popular business is Rowlett, he said. scheduled to present a site plan for a Composite bought the old tin said the owner needs to an- new restaurant at the hotel and restaurant in 2005 swer a lot of questions. City Council meeting if yo" QO and announced it would make "I'm kind of concerned that 'Tuesday. Council Eulesr Cih( the renovations. we want to put a nice place in members tabled ac- Council meeting, Gator's received two specif- front of a decrepit, falling- tion on the plan at the Tuesday, ic-use permits in 2005 as a down hotel," she said. last meeting. City Hall, 201 N. drinking establishment with Gator's would stay open If approved, the Ector Drive billiards, said Chris Barker, the during construction, which more upscale Sports city's planning and develop- would take place from 2 to 11 City Cafe could be finished by Aug. 15, ment manager. a.m. replacing Gator's. - In February 2006, the coun- The restaurant might have The owner also wants to transform cil approved a site plan and to shut down for a day or two. the Ramada Inn attached to the rear of specific-use permit for the res- The Ramada Inn closed Gator's into a Crowne Plaza hotel but taurant and hotel. about six years ago after asbes- doesn't yet have the money. . The site plan expired this tos and mold were found: The Sports City Cafe would be a "very February because work- had problems have been alleviated, high-end eating-establishment/sports- not. begun within 12 months. Albright said. bar concept" where sports events Thesiteplansubmittedthis Now the owner hopes to would be shown on a big screen and in year is for the restaurant only. convert it into a 100-room This rankled some council Crowne Plaza hotel but needs members, who peppered Al- financing. bright about the project during "There's nobody out there their March 13 meeting. to invest .$l7 million in a Councilman Leon Hogg Crowne Plaza in Euless today," said last week that members Albright said. are concerned that Composite P is doing the project in stages. ONLINE: "They first came in for big www.gatorssportsgrilI.com, plans and everything," Hogg www.sportscitycafe.net/flat- said. "You know, great. All of a index.htm1, www.cieuless.tx.us sudden, things change and they keep operating Gator's." '? Jesstca DeLebn, 817-685-3932 Counci~woman Linda Mar- jdeleon@stnr-telegramcorn DISTRIBUTED TO: MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRAR Y REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 3 /30 107 DATEOFARTICLE 3/d ID7 NEWSPAPER FWST WHAT'S GREAT THIS WEEK! ' , FRESH IDEAS FOR rn FUN-SEEKING FAM1LIES I, EVENT Hunting eggs on Easter morning is all well and good, but searching ' for glow-in-the-dark ones after sundown would get even Peter Cottontail excited. The city of Eu- less will hold a free hunt 6-9 p.m. Saturday at the Parks at Texas Star, 1501 S. Pipeline Road. The park will also have bounce houses, Easter games and treats. Call 817-685- 1666 or visit www.euless.org for more information. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF AYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT BROWN rUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 3 f 3 DATE OF ARTICLE 3 /a l CD NEWSPAPER FWST 1 EULESS St Ok1 i-n1 V, point FM E, i �e i pAP' X4�•. k C , a : �C BY JESSICA DELE6N Why did the City Council reject the sTnxTaLEcxnM STAFF wiuTEx plan? ments,said it would renovate both the EULESS — Gator's Sports Bar and The site plan was for the restaurant hotel and restaurant when it bought ill won't be getting its proposed only and did not include renovations to the property in 2005. $1 million makeover just yet. the former Ramada Inn behind it,city "mat the council wants to see is a EThe Euless City Council voted 5-0 officials said. plan that would revitalize the entire Ejesday to reject a site.plan for a new -The Ramada Inn closed about six property," Euless City Manager Joe upscale restaurant that would have re- years ago after asbestos and mold were Hennig said. laced the popular sports bar on Air- found.The problems have been allevi- rt Freeway. ated. What did the owners propose?_ The owner, .Composite Invest- , The owners wanted to transform ` STAR-TELEGRAM/KELLEY CHINN 1 Stephanie Herndon of Euless shoots pool Wednesday at Gator's Sports Bar and Grill.The city had expected Composite Investments, which bought the property in 2005,to renovate the restaurant along with the old Ramada Inn behind it,at top. 1 DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE 4 OF 4 MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY CRZM HENNIG MCKAMIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT BROWN YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED 3/30/03 DATEOFARTICLE 3/d91°7 NEWSPAPER FFVST Gator's, .which has a blue-col- l.&atmosphePe, into:Spcirts Ci- : &.Cafe, an upscale restaurant &d sports bar. The franchise hai, locafions in The Colony, Mesquite ,and Rowlett, said ! Roger ~lbri~lit,"'attorne~ for CompositeInvestments. . '. . ' : .,-,Customers ,__.could, watch ~ - . - sports events on the rnain;~~ : screen or .choose . theu own gqe in their booths. 'There ; would be live music.and bil- lied& asY'at, Gator's, and the :"niehu would range from pork tenderloin to hamburgers. ., ; Albright said the company. wants to transform the ~ama-' ; da Inn intq a 10Oroom Crowne . . -- .>~ - .. plaza hotilLbut it doesn't have the $17 Sllion needed for con- ,.. . . , struction. ~. .. 'I. ,.' . --. . : ''All we were asking the cify Was to do it in phases," he said. He said both buildings' ex-', teriors would have been reno- ; vated. "The only difference is, the hotel would not' presently be occupied;":Albright said. r : ', . : . , ... . . What's next? . . , . ' Hehig 'said the 'ownsrs -have several options, including resubmitting their plan. ' , ' Albright said, Gator's ' will & :;. continue to operate. ' " ' -,:'"We were attemptbig to bring , the ' finest restaurant within the city limits to the.cit;jr of Fless," he said:''They[the council1 apparently wouldpre- fer a decrepit, abandoned hotel that existed long before we were involved and-.a bar as a opposed to the million-dollar . ~ - -- ---- ~ ~ .. restaurant. that they, had all 'rhdy Seen when they ijisited Mesquite." .- . . ' . . . . . :-- , , . . . ~e~ica DeLdn, 817-685-3932 ' ' - - jdeleon@stor-te1egiam.com - -~ . ~. .~