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REGIONAL ROUNDUP
1 )
City manager since '99
to retire in October i
Euless City Manager Joe Hen- cj
nig will retire 'on 'Oct. I, the city
announced Thursday. Mr, Hen-
nig, 59, has served as the city "
manager since 1999. He has ;
worked for the cityLsind 1992 '
and has served as direGor of de-
velopment se~ces, assistant city
manager and deputy city manag-
er.'He worlied for TXU for 23
years before 'joinin'g the city of
. Euless. As city mwger, he over-
saw development ' dong with
,+bond projects that ithpraved the
major roads and in$Fastructure i~
Euless such as the revitalization
pf Euless Main Street aed Pipe-
line Road. He also was involved
with the constructioe of Texas
Star Athletic ,Complex and the
DFW Car Rental Fgciliq. The
City Council will determine Mr.
Henaig's replacement: -
I , - ~arissa~lanis
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EULESS I CITY HALL
Another set of big shoes
Joe Hennig's retirement plan
means that Euless will have to find
another - top-notch city manager.
It was a sad day for Euless in 1999
when Tom Hart left his job as city
manager to take the same post in
Grand Prairie. Hart had shown that he
was very good at running Euless, and
he continues to show the same skill in
Grand Prairie.
Everybody who followed the go-
ings-on at Euless City Hall knew that
it would be hard to replace Hart. Still,
the City Council waited only a couple
of weeks before promoting his depu-
ty, Joe Hennig, to the top administra-
tive post.
It proved th be a seamless transi-
tion, and Euless has thrived under ,
Hennig's leadership.
Now Hennig, 59, has announced
that he will retire Oct. 1. That's not
good. If Euless has to replace a top-
notch city managers every nine years
or so, it could get really discouraging.
Sure, nine years is about three years
longer than the average city manag-
er's tenure, but you can't blame Eu-
less for being spoiled.
When Hennig took the job, he said
his No. 1 priority would be rejuvenat-
ing the city's Main Street corridor.
Mission accomplished, along with
rejuvenating Harwood Road and the
eastern part of Pipeline Road, all done
(on budget) under a $13.5 million
bond program approved by voters in
1998. Of course, at times it seemed
like the work would take forever, but
the results are new, wider roads with
nice landscaping, a face-lift for the
city and these crucial thoroughfares.
Economic growth also has come to
Euless during Hennig's tenure, with
retail and commercial construction
under way along Texas 121. The city
also has refurbished the buildings in
its administrative complex with the
help of revenue gained through a
tax-shari~ig agreement with Dallas/
Fort Worth Airport. The airport's
rental car center is in Euless, and it
shares taxes on those rentals with
Dallas and Fort Worth.
There's n9 reason to belabor the
point. Having Joe Henning as city-
manager has been good for Euless.
He'll be on the job for almost another
six months, so the City Council has
time to find a suitable replacement. It
just won't be easy.
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EULESS
City mulls urging parental
notification
Planned Parenthood nors seek contraceptives or
says it opposes notifying abortion referrals. ,
parents when teens seek
contraceptives. Who's behind the resolution The Northeast Tarrant
By JESSICA D~LE~N " County Right to Life Educa-
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER tional Association says it has
EULESS - The City Coun- received support from 40 pas-
cil is expected to consider a tors and priests.
resolution April 24 that urges "Parents ought to be given
Planned Parenthood to volun- an opportunity to counsel their
tarily notify parents when mi- teenage daughter, under the
sexual health
study .
A 2002 Journal of the Ameri-
can Medical Association study
showed that 99 percent of girls
17 and younger would not stop
having sex if their parents
learned that they were seeking
prescribed contraceptives. But
more than half would stop .
seeking sexual health informa-
tion and medical care.
age of 16 on those decisions,"
said Bedford attorney Neal W.
Adams, who represents the
group.
What the council has said
During a work session
last week, council members
were split about whether to
put the resolution on the agen-
da.
Mayor Mary Lib Saleh and,
cians and other organizations
would be considered nonmu- that oppose requiring paren-
Goipal. tal notification for contracep-
He supports the resolution tives.
because he believes parents "Will the City Council ask.
should be informed when a grocery stores and drugstores
child is counseled about abor- to notify parents that a young
tion. +
man or woman are buying
condoms or a pregnancy
What Planned test?" Snooks said.
Parenthood says
Emily Snooks, spokes- What have other
woman for Planned Parent- cities done?
hood of North Texas, said the Bedford adopted a similar
organization agrees with the
Texas Medical Association,
the American Academy of
Pediatrics, the American
Academy of Family Physi-
resolution last year by a 5-2
vote. I
Jessica DeLmn, 817-685-3932
jdeleon@star-telegram.com
council members Linda Martin
and Leon Hogg, as well as City
Manager Joe Hennig, said the
matter is a federal issue.
Council members Charlie
Miller, Glenn Porterfield and
Carl Tyson wanted the item on
the agenda. . .
After the work session, Por-
terfield said the council has ap-
proved other resolutions that
-
Proposed resolution
~ules; is expected to consider a
resolution that:
m Encourages parents to be
aware that Planned Parenthood,
which has an office in Bedford, is
one of the largest distributors of
contraceptives to unwed minors
without parental consent and that
it is the largest entity that makes
abortion referrals for minors.
W Asks Planned Parenth~od to
voluntarily notify the parents if
unwed minors seek abortion
counsel~ng or advice about birth
control.
W Supports a resolution spon-
sored by state Rep. Todd Smith,
R-Euless, asking Congress to let
parents be notified if their chil-
dren seek contraceptive informa-
tion or abortion counseling from
Planned Parenthood or similar
organizations.
A resolution carries no legal
authority.
SOURCE: Northeast Tarrant County
Rlght to Llfe Educational Association
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INSIDE PUBLIC SAFETY
Anti-arson program
in N. Richland Hills is honored
I The Lone Star Achieve-
ment Award goes to two
local fire departments.
By DOMING0 RAMIREZ JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
NORTH RICHLAND
HILLS - Ninety children have
participated in the North Rich-
land Hills Fire Department's
juvenile fire-setter interven-
tion program since it began in
2004.
Incredibly, just one has gone
back to starting fires, officials
said.
That success rate was one of
the main reasons the program
recently received the Lone Star
Achievement Award from the
Texas Fire Chiefs Association.
The award is presented an-
nually to fire departments that
implement innovative pro-
grams to enhance their cities'
fire safety.
North Richland Hills re-
ceived the award last month,
sharing the honor with the &-
less Fke Departmept, which
was recognized for its geo-
graphical information service
for firefighters responding to
calls.
Counseling and education
The North Richland Hills
program provides education
we have an assessment of the
child and talk to the parents
and counseling for children
who set fires.
In Texas, almost 400 blazes
were started by children play-
ing with fire in 2005, according
to the most recent statistics
from the state fire marshal's of-
fice in Austin. And those fires
caused more than $4 million in
structural damage, statistics
show.
"It's a very good alternative
to putting juveniles in the juve-
nile legal system," said North
Richland Hills Fire Chief Andy
Jones. "The program not only
works with a juvenile but with
their parents."
The program targets youths
separately."
Homework required
~~~l~~~h~~ said the child
is given homework, shown
fire-safety videotapes and re-
quired to return in 30, 60 and
90 days. Parents must help
with the homework. The year- '
long program ends with an exit
interview, authorities said.
Similar programs exist in
ages 10 to 17, but younger chil-
dren are sometimes allowed to
participate.
"There's an assessment
made of the juvenile to-deter-
mine if he or she would be best
served by the program or they
need to be placed in the juve-
nile legal system," said fire Lt.
Mike Smith, who coordinates
the program and works with
three other fire investigators.
Fire investigator James
McClanahan estimated that
the initial assessment and in-
terview last about two hours.
"We have the child and par-
ents in at first to talk about the
fire," McClanahan said. "Then
A closer look
Characteristics of a
noncriminal juvenile fire-
in matches and
lighters
I vascination fii;
El Doesn't understand fire';
destructiveness
B Starts fire accidentally
SOURCE: Area proqrams
Mound. In cities without the *g~mirezlr..81~85-3822
program, firefighters are avail- ramirez@star-te~egram.com
Euless, Hurst, Haltom City,
southlake, Grapevine, Watau- able to talk to children about
ga, Keller, Bedford and Flower setting fires, authorities said.
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1
IRAQ WAR
soldier from
Euless killed
in explosion 1
Spc. Bishop was born in
■The 32-year-old Tyler native heard, three to four days Tyler, graduated from Mar- 1
was on patrol south of Baghdad ago," said Charles Bishop of shall High School and attend-
Tyler. "He kind of expected ed Tyler Junior College.
when he was fatally wounded it" He moved to Northeast
by a bomb. But on Monday,Spc.Bish- Tarrant County several years '
By DOMINGO RAMEUZ JR op was returned to the Unit- ago, going to work for Mar
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF wRIM ed States.. shall Lancaster&Associates
Army Spc.Ryan A.Bishop was Spc.Bishop died Saturday of Bedford as a surveyor. 1
scheduled to return from Iraq this from injuries he suffered Friends introduced him to
summer after when a bomb detonated Melanie Campbell,Whom he
being deployed while he was on patrol just later married.The couple did
there in August. south`of Baghdad, according not have children. 1
However, the to Department of Defense. He had been in the Army
32-year-old Eu- His body was flown to for two years. Spc. Bishop
less soldier Dover, Del., on Monday and was assigned to the 4th Bat-
heard those will arrive at Dallas/Fort talion, 31st Infantry Regi- , 1
plans were go- Worth Airport in two to three ment, 2nd Brigade Combat
ing to change. :3 days. Team, 10th Mountain Divi-
"The military is helping sion,in Fort Drum,-N.Y. 1
His tour would BISHOP �' p g
be extended to right now with the arrange- This was his first tour of
at least November,his father said ments," Charles Bishop said duty in Iraq.
Monday. Monday.
Funeral arrangements are
b."He was on maneuvers when he Domingo Ramirez Jr,817-685-3822
pending. ramirez@star-telegram.com - 1
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1 PUBLIC SAFETY
After- tornado, aerial imaging sy
proves it's not just for-fires and spills
0 An aerial imaging pro- A COulet project '
gram helped emergency y Pro 'b wry{
The Tarrant Appraisal Dis
crews Friday night in Hal- trict and the Tarrant County ' -`3
tom City. 911 District spent $418,170 for b p 3
By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR. the Pictometry program a few Y
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER years ago. This year, those .
f'
HALTOM CITY — Min- agencies will spend '$265,000
utes after a tornado hit the ei- for new aerial photos. Euless
ty Friday evenin , Deputyand other agencies entered an
_g agreement with the county
Fire Chief Wes Rhodes asked agencies to participate in the
for help showing emergency Program for free.
crews what the neighbor- But Isbell and David Allen,
hoods looked like before the Euless' geographical informa- .
twister damaged the area. - tion system manager,made the
,'Euless Assistant Fire Chief Program even more useful by
Robert Isbell and the depart- Placing additional data onto STAR-TELEGRAM/STEWART F.HOUSE
ment's new aerial imaging Robert Isbell of the Euless Fire Department,left,and David Allen,Eu-
software answered the call. the photos, such as street less'GIS manager,made the aerial imaging system more useful by add-
Within seconds,computer names and the locations of fire ing street names and other information to photos.
hydrants and hazardous chem- "In the 1 past paper maps for a fire,"Isbell said."Detailed'screens at the-Haltom Haltom City icals. '
Fire Department's command "We wanted to keep it ba- were about it,,"said Dante Pen- planning of large events is just
nacchia,a spokesman with Pic- more accurate now
center were displaying a con- sic, Allen said Tuesday. tometry in Rochester, N.Y. In Haltom City,the program
1 cise aerial view of the neigh- The Euless department "You now see a location the let emergency crews know
borhoonde it a lot easier to dsstarted
tarteber,d using:a o share the hotos in Oc-ecided way it's supposed to look." within a few hours after the
explain to the electric crews, what we did with other agen- Isbell said the software tornado how many neighbor-
„ gives fire officials a chance to hoods were damaged.
the gas company and police cies, en said. prepare,such as for the size of a "We got it to use for pre-fire-
officers about the surround- Allen and Isbell put or areaeth- burning building or the ground fighting plans, but it proved
ings and our boundaries, er a similar program for area elevation at a hazardous chem- how valuable it was for emer-
1 Rhodes said Tuesday. . departments at a cost of about ical spill. gencies like that," Rhodes
For the past year,Euless has $40 per copy. Fourteen other "By having the dimensions said.
been helping other fire and po- fire departments in Northeast at our fingertips, we calculate
lice departments learn to use Tarrant County now use some Domingo Ramirez Jr.,817-685-3822
art of the aerial program. how much�water we may need+ ramirez@star-telegram com
1 the aerial imaging software. P P g
Their efforts earned Euless the Fort Worth and Arlington
Lone Star Achievement Award also use aerial images as part of
from the Texas Fire Chiefs As- their operations.
9ociation last month.
Program successes
Fire officials at the Penta-
gon on 9-11 used the aerial pro-
gram,and so does the National
Fire Academy,an agency of the
HAieland Security Depart-
ment.
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1
EuLEss I CITY HALL NORTHEAST TARRANT BRIEFS
Potential
problemsoDelay sought in vote
on parental notification
EULESS-The City Council is ex-
■The Euless City Council will con- seek that counseling.Janet Realini,a pected consider a parental notification
sider a parental-notification resolu- San Antonio physician who speaks on resolution at its May 8 meeting instead
tion that could do real harm to Tex- behalf of the Texas Medical Associa- of its April 24 meeting .The resolution
as teens. tion,says that women ages 15 to 24 urges Planned Parenthood to voluntari-
typically have their first sexual expe ly notify parents when minors seek.
The Northeast Tarrant County rience almost two years before they contraceptives or abortion referrals.: •
Right to Life Educational Association visit a clinic. The date was pushed back because the
is a devoted group,and there's noth- A 2002 study published in the Jour- resolution's supporters,who represent
ing wrong with that. nal of the American Medical Associa- the Northeast Tarrant County Right to t
The group has asked a second tion showed that 59 percent of young Life Educational Association,will be out
Northeast Tarrant County city coun- girls would stop using sexual health- of town.
cil for a resolution aimed at requiring care services if there were a require- -Jessica Deleon.
that parents be notified when minors ment that their parents be informed.
seek contraceptives or abortion re- If that meant that they would not
ferrals.There are very serious prob- obtain prescription contraceptives,99
lems with that request. percent of girls would continue to
The Euless City Council is expect- have sex but would rely on riskier
ed to consider the resolution,which methods of birth control.(The 1 per-
focuses on the services of Planned cent who said they would discontinue
Parenthood,on Tuesday.In Novem- sexual intercourse said they would
ber,Bedford council members ap- have oral sex.)
proved a similar resolution,5-2. Part of the push for this resolution
Parents should talk with their chil plays off of the national angst about
dren about sex as they near the age abortion.Euless Councilman Glenn
when they'll be tempted to try it. Porterfield says he favors the resolu-
Those parents who are committed to tion because he believes that parents
maintaining a strong bond with their should be informed when a child is
offspring must find ways to keep that counseled about abortion.
communication going through the That base is already covered.Texas
difficult teen years. requires a minor who seeks an abor-
That will work for some,but not tion to have the signed and notarized
for others.Still, consent of her
no law,no resolu- parents.
tion passed by a The Texas Med-
city council,a ical Association;
state,legislature the American nr
or even ,Con ress
g , Academy of Family
will make it hap Physicians,the
pen.In fact,this American Acade-
is acase in which my of Pediatrics,
laws could cause ., the American Col-
real harm. lege of Obstetri- ;
Supporters of cians and Gynecol-
this resolution ogists,and the
seem to believe Society of Adoles-
that young girls cent Medicine
are more likely to ;i i oppose required
become sexuallyparental notifica-
active if they tion for contracep-
receive counsel- I �1 tion.
ing on contracep- The Euless City .r
tives.Research
,- Council should
shows that most reject the proposed
are sexually ac- jL resolution that asks
tive before they MCC LATCHY-TRIBUNE/BRENT CASTILLO for it.