HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-01-17 Euless Articles DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF
MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS 91LHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED l � ( "� G 3 DATE OF ARTICLE_ O 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
Community r-r�er
Trinitystandout
ByUNHAYWARD Sam Katoa's
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER 1 football career
' EULESS — There's a light- took him to Idaho, Utah ander
hearted debate in the Katoa Europe. Now he's back
household in north Fort home as a Euless police
Worth. officer and mentor to Trinity °Ff <
Sam Katoa will ask his son,
athletes. -
11-year-old Sam Jr., where he
wants to play football.His son here," Katoa said. "I'd love to m
will quickly say Trinity. see him at Trinity."
That's only natural because But even if Sam Jr. doesn't
Katoa was awall-state line- play at Trinity, it's likely that -
backer for the Trojans and his father and family will
still takes his family to most M
remain attached to the Trinity
Trinity games. That some- program.
times includes trips to the Katoa, a 1986 graduate of
Trojans' locker room to visit Trinity and an all-state line-
players and coach Steve . backer in 1984, is a corporal
Lineweaver. for the Euless Police Depart-
But there's a catch: The ment. He not only is the
Katoas live in a different force's first Tongan police
School district. STARTELEGRAM/ eIANMCVEA
officer �dut he also is a mentor Sam Katoa was one ul Trinity's first Tongan football players,end he
"That's the ongoing debate holds the distinction of.being Euless'first Tongan police officer.
The Sam Kat®a file
Then:All-state linebacker at
' Trinity(Class of 1986)
Now:Corporal,Euless Police
Department
Age:34
' personal:He has been married
to Angie for 14 years....The couple,
lives in norTl—i FortWorth with their-
five children:Kaili(13,a volleyball
player at Fossil Hill Middle School),
' Sam Jr.(11),Shalet(8),Lopini(6)
and Colleen(3)...Has three broth-
ers—Fotu,Paul and Fred—who
played at Trinity.
' Career highlights:As a hard-hit-
ting junior linebacker for Trinity,
Katoa was selected all-district,all-
state and all-Tarrant County by the
Star-Telegram...He was an All-
American at Ricks College in Idaho
before spending a season at BYU
and finishing his college career at
Weber State in Ogden,Utah....He
had a tryout with the San Diego
Chargers in 1992 but was released.
1
PAGE a OF 4
DISTRIBUTED TO:
i
MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GIVAY ' 1
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED l ( � f 3 DATE OF ARTICLE �A / C' 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
community. district, all Star-Telegram and team in France,and in 1992 had
Katoa uses those experi- all-state teams as the Trojans a tryout with the San Diego' k;
ences to help bridge the gap finished 8-2-2 and won a dis- Chargers. But neck injuries
that may exist between cul- trict championship. that had hampered him as early
tures in Euless. Katoa planned on a strong as junior college caught up to l
and friend to many Trinity stu- "You are constantly remind- senior season, but that was him only a few days into camp. '
dents. As one of Trinity's first ed of everything they.went derailed by grade problems. "When my medical history
Tongan players,Katoa holds a through,"Katoa'said."He had a Today, Katoa relates that expe- arrived, it was done and over
'unique place in the community. limited knowledge, but he did rience whenever he can. the second it arrived," Katoa'
"He's a big brother to a lot everything and anything he "I thought, 'OK, I'm done, I said.
of the ,Tongan youth," could just-to survive. I'm not show up again next football Three years later, he moved
Lineweaver said. "He's very sure if I had what it takes to season,' " Katoa said."Nothing back to Euless,where he worked
highly respected in the com- make that kind of,sacrifice. makes me more sick to my as a jailer in the Euless Police '
munity. It's tremendous when They wanted more for us." ' stomach. I'm quick to point Department for nearly a year
we get guys like Sammy to Katoa's first experience that out when I talk to kids." before becoming a patrol officer
come back and stay in the com- playing football in Texas was Despite academic troubles, in 1996.He has been working for
munity. He will do anything to during the second semester of Katoa was recruited by several the department since, working
help if a kid needs it.You can't his freshman year. The Trinity schools. After high school, he in law enforcement like his ,
put a price on that." coaching staff"wasn't sure began a football odyssey that father did in Tonga.
Katoa's family, including his where to play the lanky 5-foot- took him to Idaho, Utah and Katoa does speaking engage-
brothers, sisters and cousins, 11 and 142-pound Katoa but Europe. ments at elementary schools ,
came to the United States from placed him at wide receiver. He played for two years at and colleges, talking about his
the tiny Kingdom of Tonga in They quickly realized his pas- Ricks College in Rexberg,Idaho, experiences as a police officer
1970 when he was 2, settling in sion for playmaking was on before transferring to Brigham and as the son of immigrants
the Salt Lake City area. Katoa defense,at linebacker. Young in Provo, Utah. He from the South Pacific.
said his father, Paul, came to He just didn't want to make' played at BYU for a year then "I always considered Euless
the United States with $20 in the tackle," said Lineweaver, moved to Division I-AA Weber my home," Katoa said. "When
his pocket and worked up to who was an assistant when State in Ogden,Utah,where he the opportunity opened to come
three jobs to make ends meet. Katoa played. "He wanted, to said he spent as much time in back,I wanted to get to the com-
The Katoas moved to Euless in make a memorable tackle:' the training room as on the munity I considered home:'
the,early 1980s as one of the AsA_a junior, then at 5-11 and field. i- ten Hayward,(817)' 85-3873
first Tongan families in the 180 pounds, he made the all He played for a professional lahayward@star-telegram.com
+
i
i
l
i
;z
i
j
ssl
g
s
j
DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE E OF !
MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RID GWAY
' YOUNG MCDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIB UTED I t J 7 C) �J DATE OF ARTICLE l I/q 103 NEWSPAPER FWST
Daybook
' Euless
Town hall meeting,7 p.m.,
Police&Courts Facility,UO2
W.Euless Blvd.(Texas 10).
Residents can ask questions of
City Council members and
' department directors.The city
will present information about
road construction projects,
commercial development and
' the park system.
PAGE t OF
DISTRIBUTED TO:
E
MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY ' y
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYA��DM/IN zLIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED I I DATE OF ARTICLE ' I ( ct ( U✓ NEWSPAPER FWST
i
Number of lawyer i
g3 #
Tar€an#CriUn#y has a lawyer fdr�vEry;
42-7'peerple,'accQCding tC►the State BZ.r
of Texas.Thai#�le�.s represe�ta#ron '- � ;
#hati#he'Tex�s aver�g� a lawyer
fQr�:`very 3�9 people.H2re's'ht,�v ares I
dniitWnt#(eS compare
Resident;
Cnnlmunity lawyzrs per la!�rer`
Rihlarrd Nii(s F
n
Soath{ake 57107
Colfihyville." ".' 19 �. 1;433,
'} 'tr6phy Club . 6 1,Q58 .'
34 h 1.237 m. . ._-
Fttnw WWI,
y . eller:. . 6
.N.ki�hland Mi{I5 11 5.Q57
Eules's
fta#toi qty ..r 3 43, -s
StJltitCES State Bat of Tads,2000 Census
y
STAR TELEGRAM
t
a
's
t
i
i
s
s
.5
DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF 1
MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COrLLINS/ WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATEDISTRIBUTED t i �'3 DATE OF ARTICLE , C% 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
i
NETrO lex by Tim Bedison and Dave Lieber
1 R1CNI.AIVD fi HURSf TURNED N0 WONDER EUf.6551URN5 AND:DOME FOR&Et WIOENtIV
N/ L�a�URFIED L1KE A 50 LAST YEAR. NURSEWEARS 50 THt5 YEAR. NDR(H RiCHAND RU✓=E 51VOW
YEARS OGD:8woo MfvZtF6 CELEBRATED 5O MUCH TIER MAIN STREET WHO HILTS.450 1yR1VE -i�f.A�tC
A F�t✓10E CAR- CR1515. EARLY WO THAT MAKEUP /5 OffING A 1SNT? PAIN&r 5t1RGERY FOR
A CAMARO THAT / NEW NORDSfROM THESE FACE-UK. HALE CENTURY AN E91kf,C11Y.
ZOoM5 UP TO SPORE. DAYS. / MARK
' 159 MPH. i � , � . ,. .. ��• � .
"..
ti
DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE__j_OF
MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RID GWAY '
t°
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED I (>_7 DATE OF ARTICLE I �, -3 NEWSPAPER FWST
'Dash,recycling fees reduced for i esidents
STAR-TELEGRAM bave rccyclables collccted.The
} EULESS—Homeowners in fees cannot be iircwased for the !
Euless will pay 29 percent less first three years of the contract.
for trash and recycling services, Residents now pay$8.58 a j
starting March 1. month for trash collection and
The City Council voted 5-0 recycling.
Tuesday night to give final The companies offered the
approval to five.y-,-u contracts de creased rates aficr tl�e city
with Trinity Waste Services and opened the contracts to compe-
Community Waste Disposal, titian.Colleyville and North
s which are the city's collection Richland Hills also decreased
companies. their rates by allow iri-competi-
Residents will pay$6.13 a tion.
month—$5.40 to have their Euless Mayor Mary Lib Saleh.
trash picked up by Trinity Waste and Councilwoman Veva Lou
Services on Tuesdays and Fri- Massey were absent.
days,and 73 cents a month to —Iillen Schroeder
1
:t
4
X
tl
{
K
a
E
.3
'J
N
9
l
DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGEOF
MAYOR CITYCOUNCII, CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMALCNIR
DATED.IsTwBuTED / (D3 DATEOFARTICLE Vlkl / C-, 5 NEWSPAPER FWST
EULESS
Fees are groln.g up' all over-
Membership fees for the Other levels of membership But 51 communities banded
Midway Recreation Center will are increasing by$10 to$15. together to deny the request.
increase slightly,along with fees Fees will also increase for Instead,TXU offered a plan that
charged by several city depart- animal adoption;permits for would increase the company's
ments. food stores,day-care centers revenue by$7.5 million.
Euless res- and public swimming pools; On Tuesday,the council
idents will rentals for recreational facilities approved a monthly residential
pay$10 a and library meeting rooms;use base rate of$8.Residential rates
year,up from of emergency medical services, will climb by 4.45 percent,com-
$8,for the and delinquent debt collection. mercial rates will increase by
basic recre- The fee changes will take 3.61 percent and industrial rates
ation center effect Monday. will go up by 14.83 percent.The'
membership new rates take effect Feb.1.
that includes Ellen Schroeder More price increases
use of the I Natural gas rates in Euless . SpeaWng of rates
gym,walking will increase this year,but not as The City Council is planning
and,jogging much as originally requested by a mid-winter work session at
track game area and showers,as TXU Gas.The company had 8-30 am.Feb.I at the Confer-
well as ID cards and discounts. asked for a$33.8 million revenue ence Centre at Texas Star,1400
Families will pay$30,up from increase from 107 cities,which Texas Star Parkway.The council
$20• would have raised the monthly will discuss changes to the
Daily memberships will base rate for residents to$9.40 water,sewer and drainage rates._
remain$3.Senior-citizenmem- .._-from-$7. EM Schroeder cavern Eukss,.(8M 6853815,
berships will cost$5,up from$2. esdwoeder@star-te1nrdncom
i PAGE OF
DISTRIBUTED TO:
j
MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY 1
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR I
L I 103 NEWSPAPER FWST
DATE DISTRIBUTED � � � � .� DATE OF ARTICLE
1
Games of-Texas may o
1
to extremes this ear
1
By E=NA F.MORMSON Skateboarding and
STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
� in-line skating could be
y Frontside backslides, hip ollies added to the annual Texas
and heel flips could become a regu- Amateur Athletics Federation
lar attraction alongside knuckle- competition, coming in July to
:i balls and long jumps at the Texas Northeast Tarrant County. 1
Amateur Athletic Federation 2003
Games of Texas this summer. competition will be in Northeast
°1 Skateboarding and other Tarrant-County for 2003 and 2004.
j extreme sports may be added to This year's games will be hosted in 1
the 20 amateur sports that make up Bedford, Colleyville, Euless,
the Games of Texas, an annual Grapevine, Hurst and North Rich-
showcase for amateur athletes that land Hills from July 24 through 1
began 17 years ago. July 27.
Patterned after the Olympics, Grapevine officials are talking
the Games of Texas are usually in a with the ESPN X Games Skatepark
different city each year, though the 1
Let the games begin be done for the Games of Currently, the Games of
■Texas Amateur Athletic
Texas:' Texas include baseball, bowl-
Federation 2003 Games of Grapevine officials are ing, boxing, disc golf, fencing, 1
Texas optimistic that a deal can be golf, gymnastics, ice hockey,
` ■July 24-27 worked out. judo, sand volleyball, soccer,
Al
at Grapevine Mills mall about ■$5 per event or$10 for a "I think our chances are softball (adult and girls),
using the venue which has weekend pass good,"said Doug Evans,direc- swimming, tennis (adult andJ41, 1
ramps, halfpipes'and bowls — ■(817)952-2301 for of parks and recreation in youth)and track and field.
- ---for skateboarding,in-line skat- - -- - Grapevine. "They would be a.-_- The Texas Amateur Atlilet=
j
in and possibly other events. natural to have as part of the is Federation,is a nonprofit
j "Having them come on North Texas, "anytime you Games of Texas. It opens the organization established in 1
A board could be significant," can have an indoor facility, it event up to a whole group of 1925 with members, such as
said Kevin Fralicks, Games of is a bonus,"he said. people who might otherwise parks and recreation depart-
Texas organizing committee But do not break out the not be interested." ments, that promote amateur 1
chairman. "The whole con- elbow and kneepads yet It is Skateboarding, BMX biking athletics_
cept of extreme sports is a not yet a done deal, ESPN and in-line skating are fast- If backslides and 180-
new fad." skatepark,officials said. growing sports, with 42 mil- degree flips do make it into
Besides being able to "We haven't made any deci- lion participants between ages the Games of Texas, the -
increase
he :increase attendance, which is sions at this point," said Matt 6 and 24, said Rick Bratman, skaters will be ready,
projected to include about Harris,marketing manager for president of the Aggressive Komarovski said.
10,000 athletes and more than ESPN X Games Skateparks, Skaters Association of Califor "We have a lot of really
20,000 spectators from around which also has facilities in nia. Grapevine's skatepark, good talent," he said. "We
the state, an indoor venue has Colorado, Georgia and Penn- which opened in November, have started to have some
another advantage, Fralicks Sylvania. "We are going to fig- has been popular with skaters really great skaters."
said. ure out if we can execute this of various skill levels,manager Ellena F.Morrison,(817)685-3888 '
During summertime in at the level it would need to Stas Komarovski said. emorrison@star-telegram.com
a
1