HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-03-07 Euless Articles DISTRIBUTED TO:
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1 MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATEDISTRIBUTED 3 7 05 DATE OF ARTICLE .�/vZ /D NEWSPAPER FWST
* xar-'I'elegram
STALR
STAR-TELEGRAM AWARDS RECOGNIZING SERVICE
t
Baum 's quest benefits children,
community
' His baseball career ended when disease.Doctors told Baum
BY LYNN McWiwaMs and
Special to the Star-Telegram he joined the Army,got married, his wife,Vicki, that they didn't
had three children and settled know how to cure the disease and
When Lou Baum found out he down in Euless.His strong sense gave the family little hope.
had been nominated as Northeast of family and community moti- But the Baums aren't defeated
' Tarrant County's Herman J. vated him to organize the first that easily.They began intense
Smith Man of the Year,he was so Citizens on Patrol in Euless,the research and found a drug in
excited he actually sat down.And first National McGruff Safe German they believed could help
sitting down isn't part of the daily Haven Home for kids in Euless Catherine.Tragically,the FDA
' routine of a man with Baum's and the Citizens Police Academy had barred shipment of this drug
extraordinary list of achieve- Alumni Association. He's a grad- to the U.S.
ments. uate of the academy and serves Undeterred,Baum called the
--Baum's life was exceptional -as president-of-the alumni associ- White House-and-pleaded.-his zase--_
1 right from the start.Right out of ation currently. to a presidential aide.Amazingly,
high school in Joplin,Mo. he Baum has demonstrated again the call resulted in a presidential
signed a contract to play major- and again that he knows how to decree signed by President Rea-
league baseball with the Washing- get things done,and this gift was gan that allowed the drug to be
ton Senators and has stories to perhaps never more important to flown into the U.S.just days
tell about playing with Mickey him than when is daughter before Catherine could have suc-
Mantle. Catherine was born with a rare cumbed to the disease.
1
1
r-
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED -7 / , DATE OF ARTICLE 3/� /U 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
Deeply grateftzl;Baum called
back to thank the president and
was surprised when Reagan came
on the line.They discussed the
need for a consortium to address
rare disease problems in the world
and the president agreed to create
a National Commission on Rare
Diseases,with the condition that
Lou Baum serve on the board.
+ Rj
Today,Catherine is 18 and the t r r
oldest living person known to have
survived with her disease. '
In 1991,Baum and his wife
formed The World Life Founda-
tion, a non-profit worldwide F
organization that disseminates
information on metabolic dis-
eases to parents and patients l -
all over the world.-Thus far it has helped
save the lives of more than 850 children.
For this significant contribution, Lou
Baum was given the prestigious Lewis
Hine Award from the National Child ,
Labor Committee. Baum serves now as
president and chairman of the board for K
The World Life Foundation, and asked
that this story include the foundation's ,
phone number, (800) 289-LIFE in case �'�,ry '
someone reading this article needs help
coping with a metabolic disease.
Though Lou Baum is known all over '
the world as a child's advocate, he is
_._particularly revered in Euless for the
great service he gives to his community,
including his current work as Major Pro-
Jects Manager for Euless.
The driving force behind all this gen- ,
erous service is Baum's belief that there
are answers to every question and solu-
tions to every problem in the world, and
he encourages every person he touches to ,
seek them.
Because of Baum's own lifelong quest
for the answers and solutions to ques-
tions and problems he hay faced, many,
many children are not so afraid of the
night and the days hold greater promise
for their future.
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY GRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA-CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
r� DATE DISTRIBUTED
103 DATE OF ARTICLE NEWSPAPER DMN
THE 25 BEST MUNICIPAL COtTSES
Location/ Resident Pro USGA Year 2002
Course Web site Director of Golf Par Rating Slope Architect Open Rank
1 Memorial Park Houston RP-Glenn Childers M-72 70.3 116 x-John Bredemus 1936 1
Memorialparkgolf.com DG-Fred Buehler L-72 70.7 114 y-Dave Marr
Jay Riviere(1974)
2 Painted Dunes EI Paso RP/DG-Mike Nolan M-72 70.9 129 Ken Dye 1991 3
Painteddunes.com L-72 67.6 122
3 Texas Star Euless RP-Adena Wallace M-71 71.1 130 Keith Foster 1997 6
Texasstargolf.com L-71 69.7 124
4 Sherrill Park Richardson DG-Ronny Glanton M-72 72.0 124 x-Leon Howard 1973 5
No.1 Course Cityofrichardson.org L-72 70.0 120 y-D.A.Weibring('74)
5 Squaw Valley Glen Rose RP-DuffCunninghamM-72 71.9 125 Jeff Brauer 1992 23
Apache Links L-72 70.0 117 John Colligan
6 Tierra Verde Arlington RP-Mike Krsnak M-72 70.9 122 Graham&Panks 1998 12
Arlingtongolf.com DG-Greg Durante L-72 70.5 119
' 7 Tenison Highlands Dallas RP-Becky Maciolek M-72 71.6 124 D.A.Weibring 2000 13
Tenisonpark.com DG-Bob Smith L-72 75.2 131
8 Tangle Ridge Grand Prairie RP-Bert Walker M-72 69.9 123 Jeff Brauer 1995 9
Tangleridge.com DG-Mark Viskozki L-72 70.2 117
' 9 Iron Horse North Richland Hills RP-Neil Schmidt M-70 69.8 122 Dick Phelps 1989 4
Ironhorsetex.com L-70 69.6 119
10 Firewheel Garland DG-Don Kennedy M-71 71.6 131 Dick Phelps 1983 2
Old Course Golffirewheel.com L-71 71.7 126
' 11 Morris Williams Austin DG-Beth Cleckler M-72 71.2 121 Leon Howard 1963 10
L-72 69.4 117
12 Roy Kizer Austin DG-Kevin Gomillion M-71 69.6 120 Randy Russell 1994 NR
' L-71 64.7 109
13 Delaware Springs Burnet DG-Doug Apps M-72 69.2 114 Ronald G.Bradshaw 1992 NR
delsprings.com L-72 66.5 107
14 Cottonwood Creek Waco DG-Kenny Duron M-72 71.7 123 Joe Finger 1986 18
Waco-texas.com L-72 73.4 123
15 Timmy Clay Austin RP/DG-Kevin M-72 72.4 124 Joe Finger 1974 7
Gomillion L-72 69.3 114
16 firewheel/ Garland DG-Don Kennedy M-72 73.6 134 Dick Phelps 1986 8
' Lakes Course Golffirewheel.com L-72 73.6 124
17 Cedar Crest Dallas RP/DG-Leonard M-71 69.0 120 A.W.Tillinghast 1919 15
Cedarcrestgolf.com Jones L-75 72.0 116
' 18 Brackenridge Park San Antonio DG-John Erwin M-72 70.1 122 A.W.Tillinghast 1916 19
L-72 69.2 112
19 Cedar Creek San Antonio RP/DG-Richard M-72 71.3 125 Joe Finger 1989 21
Hocott L-72 70.8 113 Ken Dye
20 Bay Forest La Porte DG-Alex Osmond M-72 69.6 122 Jay Riviere 1988 NR
y. Bayforestgolf.com L-72 69.3 113
21 Pecan Valley/ Fort Worth RP-Greg Scott M-70 69.1 121 x-Ralph Plummer 1963 24
River Course Fortworthgolf.org DG-Sam Maraffi L-70 72.1 121 y-Steve Plumer('02)
22 Lions Municipal Austin DG-Lloyd Morrison M-71 67.2 115 Unknown 1924 NR
L-71 67.6 109
23 Tenison Glen Dallas RP-Becky Maciolek M-72 69.6 117 Fooshee&Cheek 1924 14
Tenisonpark.com DG-Bob Smith L-72 70.8 115
24 Indian Creek Carrollton RP-Randy Garrison M-72 NA NA x-Dick Phelps 1984 11
Creek Course Cityofcarrollton.com L-72 NA NA y-Jeff Brauer('02)
25 Riverside Victoria DG-Stever Dermit M-72 71.6 123 Board of directors 1952 NR
L-72 71.1 113
x-original design;y-redesign
NR-Not ranked;No longer on list(2002 rank):Pine Forest(16),Grapevine(17),Squaw Creek(20),Indian Creek Lakes Course(22),
Keeton Park(25)
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MAYOR - CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG- - MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIB UTED I J C� DATE OF ARTICLE 3 /='2 13 NEWSPAPER FWST
star-'Telegram
�r
s
S
.,
STAR-TELEGRAM AWARDS RECOGNIZING SERVICE ,
I;: [.11 I a411N}LL'
_ 1
Irene Rosecrans
Irene Rosecrans loves to
teach and wants others to
have fun while learning a
new skill. For the past sev-
eral years,Ms.Rosecrans
has used her passion for
recycling and her love of
crafting,teaching seniors to ,
crochet with plastic. Many
of her pupils have amazed
other with handbags made 1
from plastic bags and video-
tape. Irene Rosecrans sells
- - --- —
her plastic items and
donates all oft e money s e- -— - —-
receives to various charities, 1
although she prefers to
teach people to make their
own items. She also volun-
teers for the Texas Trash
Off,where she picks up
trash along the highways. 1
1
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCAAMIE DE-LA-CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED 3 / -1 ' U �3 DATE OFARTICLE 3 I I C s NEWSPAPER FWST
Sales tax receipts
' The sales tax received in
February represents t he
sales during December.
According to figures released nai r:
T
' from the state comptroller's -
office, Bedford had the largest percentage drop-off in
Christmastime spending.
Community 2003 2002 Change
' Westlake $522,235 $93,284 459.8%
Grapevine $2,020,225 $1,738,604 16.2%
Roanoke $182,834 $162,275 12.7%
' Flower Mound $372,916 $353,326 5.5%
Haltom City __$638,893 $619,360 3.2%
Southlake $907,364 $879,722 3.1%
Richland Hills $125,964 $122,947 2.5%
Keller $425,096 $415,991 2.2%
Watauga $342,219 $340,696 0.01%
Trophy Club $60,064 S61,368 -2.1%
Hurst $1,989,011 $2,041,395 1.6%
Euless $828,766 $866,774 -4.4%
North Richland Hills $1,436,323 $1,622,789 -11.5%
Colleyville $261,234 $306,507 -14.8%
Bedford $912,484 $1,090,846 -16.4%
SOURCE;Texas State_Comptroller of Public Accounts
STAR-TELEGRAM
1
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM IIENNIG-- MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED I J D 3 DATE OF ARTICLE /3/ NEWSPAPER FWST
whole new
i a
g �
Panchds new owner has
dragged the chain back into the black
By BARRY SHLACHTER employees."But they know we'll put the money
STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER back in the stores and rebuild the business." '
ORT WORTH—The seemingly The new wheels typify a whole different
hearty laughter from district man- approach at Pancho's that has pushed the chain
W Tagers of Pancho's Mexican Buffet back into the black,according to Oyster,who
may have cloaked pain as they invol- cited unaudited financial results. '
untarily swapped Ford Explorers
and full-sized pick- chief executive of Dallas-based officer,had a
ups for their new Consolidated Restaurant chief operations '
company cars— Operations,which owns El company-fiirnished Mustang
two-door KoreanCobra convertible and a
Chico,Spaghetti Warehouse Mercedes-Benz.His mother,
subcompacts. and other chains.
Stephen"Duffy"Oyster,the "He has successfully negoti- who was neither an employee ,
chain's new boss,picked them ated his way out of unprof- nor a director,was given the
up at the fire-sale price ofuse of a Lincoln Town Car,
itable sites,managed costs in a Oster said.
$6,000 apiece from a Daewoo difficult environment,institut- y ,
dealer that's closing down. ed new and bold advertising A one-time renegade share-
"We'll save$25,000 a year in oag holder with 10 percent of the
fuel alone!"crowed oyster,55, programs to drive sales and Fstock,Oyster revolted against
redesigned Pancho's food the chain's-been Pancho's-hands= - -
offeruzgs.He s offering a casual ment after they rejected his
on,cost-cutting chairman dining experience at fast-food
since his hostile acquisition prices.I've been impressed.I suggestions to revamp the
business.
took the company private 18
think it's going to be a success- Little surprise there.
months ago. ful turnaround:' '
"They know we're cheap," One proposal was'to fire
Although the 45-year-old
he said,commenting later company had long taken pride both Arrambide and then-
about his relationship with in serving up cheap,all-you- President and Chief Executive
can-eat meals,Pancho's execu- Hollis Taylor.Oyster and a few ,
Operating at a Mach 3 other shareholders com-
tives went first class before
speed that leaves his salt-and- Aug.31,2001,when Oyster plained at the time that top
pepper pony tail flapping in took over. executives received bonuses
the jet stream,Oyster has even during years when '
closed several locations, The corporate townheadFort
Pancho's lost money.
slashed expenses,halved the Wo east of downtown Fort Taylor was out of the coun-
headquarters staff,remodeled Worth along Airport Freeway, try and could not be reached
was lavishly decorated with ,
stores and revamped most offor comment.
the recipes. Mexican faux antiques,hand- Arrambide,who spoke from
eyed desks hand-painted wall"My impression is that carved furniture,marble- all El Paso,declined to respond
'
Duffy has taken a relatively tiles and original oil paintings. directly but referred to the
sleepy company and applied "It looks like a Mexican company's annual reports,
modern-day managementembassy,"Oyster said jokingly. which confirmed that bonuses
skills and an owner's care and were paid during at least two
Jesse Arrambide III,51,son losing concern,"said John Harkey, g Years.
- of the chain's founder and for-
n
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' _MAYOR CITY COUNCIL -CITYATTORNEY - _-CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY- -
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED 3L_1 C 3 DATE OFARTICLE 3 �3 / NEWSPAPER FWST
' But Arrambide,who runs a He closed three stores,then
Pancho's Mexican Buffet opened a new one in Fort Oyster said he left with assets
under a licensing agreement, Worth.Another is about to be totaling$3 million and returned
' did say that the company opened in San Antonio,and an to Texas in 1988.
Mercedes cited by Oyster was investor has opened the fust of Settling in Austin,he busied
20 years old,the Lincoln at three franchised Pancho's in himself buying distressed prop-
least 10 and that the only vehi- Austin,a market Pancho's aban- erty at a time when the capital's
cle of value he used was the doned years ago. real estate market scraped bot-
late-model Mustang. Every recipe was reformu- tom.He swept up apartment
Asked if,with the benefit of lated,and chicken dishes were buildings at$5,000 per unit.
' hindsight,he would have done added,but prices were not. "Even with 25 percent occu-
anything differently,Arrambide increased.Menus now vary pancy,you could break even,"
conceded that during his tenure depending on local demo- he said.
the company opened too many graphics—pollo asado(baked He purchased or developed
' locations as a way of showing chicken)for a heavily Anglo a hotel,shopping centers,office
Wall Street that Pancho's was clientele,and entrees such as buildings,warehouses and an
expanding.Instead,it should chicken with mole sauce or Austin marina that bears his
have used the capital to remod- menudo for Hispanics. name,Oyster Landing.The
el old restaurants,he said. And the improved victuals marina complex includes the
At one point,there were 72 ended up costing less,thanks to Hula Hut restaurant,in which
Pancho's outlets,including one aggressive negotiating with he is a partner,and opened a
' in Guadalajara,Mexico,a$2.3 suppliers,the new owner said. gourmet coffee shop,Mozart's,
million investment that never Food outlays have been because he demands good java.
made money. reduced from 28 percent of Then came a wake-up call.
Arrambide confirmed that total sales to 25.5 percent,he A serious bout with colon
' the corporation did not recoup said. cancer in 1993 prompted Oyster
a centavo when it abandoned "That's$1 million in savings to re-prioritize.
its eye-catching,multimillion- by changing distributors,find- "Basically,I shut the engines
dollar building in a complicated ing new vendors,"Oyster said. down, he said.The treatment
' arrangement to break a long- As perhaps the largest Texas was"hellacious"and his"prog-
term lease with the land's buyer of anaheim peppers for nosis was not really good:'
Owner,an order of nuns, chile rellenos,for example,the He began to take time to
chain has the clout to get the appreciate life.
' Revamped stores,recipes best prices. "I've always been a Type-A
In the end,Oyster took the personality,something of a
— — —chain private in a-$7 million, -- Familyfirst workaholic,"he said.
'
e deciSed to put-hiswifel--- -- - -
hostile takeover—arranging Pancho's is the latest chapter two daughters and dishing way
in the circuitous career of ahead of his business interests.
financing in advance that used Oyster,which began in Texas "Id still do one or two deals
the chain's own real estate as and led back to semi-retire-
' collateral,valued at more thanment here. a year,but basically concentrat-
$5 million. ed on property I already had,"
The remaining$2 million A graduate of North Texas Oyster State University,now the O ter said.
came from his pocket,the blue- University of North Texas,the He'd take his fishing pole
' jean clad,gonzo honcho said. Dallas native worked for sever- down to Rockport to catch
And he invested$1 million al food-related corporations, trout and red fish or,for more
more to upgrade the 37 comps- including Del Monte and exotic fauna,to the Amazon,in
ny-owned restaurants.(Eight Dunkin'Donuts,where he was which he'd wade once alligators
' others are operated under vice president of marketing. slipped beyond sight.
license,and one is a franchise. At the suggestion of an "I said,`You know,I'm going
Others had already been shut- investment bank,Oyster and to go fishing.'"and had busi-
tered.) eight Jack in The Box col- ness cards printed:"Duffy
' From the start,Oyster began leagues created San Diego- Oyster,Fisherman."
remodeling stores—some- based Foodmaker in a lever- When his hair grew back
thing that hadn't been done in aged buyout of the hamburger after chemotherapy and radia-
years.Discount coupons were chain from corporate parent, tion treatments,Oyster gath-
ended because,he said,some Ralston-Purina. ered it into a pony tail and
customers wouldn't come in Over nine years,the group
until they got one.But after six took the company public,then
' months,he began TV and radio private,then public again.
ads.
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MAYOR -_-CITY COUNCIL-- CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE -DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMALCI
DATE DISTRIBUTED 3 G 3 DATE OFARTICLE / I NEWSPAPER FWST
$700,000 a year;he's now try-
dressed in Hawaiian shirts like ing to lease out about half of million pounds of rice,880,000
the"parrot-head"Jimmy Buffett the headquarters building. pounds of beef and 627,000 ,
fan that he is. Everywhere he turned, pounds of chicken.
Oyster said he wants his Oyster said he'd uncover yet A marathon runner,Taylor.is
Pancho's employees to similarly more ways to save money. working to tweak recipes so
put their family and well-being By taking bids on its electric that a good number of staple
above work service,the chain saved dishes will win the American.
"From my cancer experi- $200,000. Heart.Association's coveted
ence,I learned that business is "Another$100,000 on insur- "heart-healthy"endorsements.
just'stuff'—it'll always be ante and$50,000 by dropping a Healthful Tex-Mex? '
there,"he said. lawyer on retainer,"he said. If Oyster can turn Pancho's
"If you abuse your family, "When we need one,we can fortunes around in a year,
your health and your God, hire one.We saved$700 a maybe he and Taylor can
you're worthless to me.Keep month by watering our own ensure that the concept is not '
your priorities—faith,family plants.Hey,we can get fake an oxymoron.
and-health,and your job is plants if we're too lazy to Barry shlachter,(817)390-7718
fourth somewhere." water." bshlachter@star-telegram.com
So why return to the rat race And not in recent history ,
full-time to turn around had Pancho's contested the tax Pancho's locations
Pancho's? appraisals on its property.An
"Temporary brain damage," additional$300,000 was saved In the Metroplex ,
Oyster joked."I keep asking there. Arlington(2),
myself that question.I really `_That was found money" Burleson,Carrollton, Dallas
don't know why." (3)
Identifying Pancho's as an Oyster said. Denton, Euless, Fort Worth(3)
lfying Among his first manage- I Irving, Mesquite, North ,
undervalued stock,he had ment tasks,he said,was to trash Richland Hills, Plano,
invested with the belief that all of the framed,long-winded Richardson
either the current management corporate mission statements. In Texas
would finesse a turnaround or His new one is easy to Austin, Baytown, Beaumont, '
it would be acquired by another remember: Conaoe, Corpus Christi, EI
company,profitable for him "Have fun and make money." Paso,Garland, Houston(5),
either way. But Oyster said his absolute Humble, Killeen, League City,
"I was still in[semi-retire- smartest move was rehiring '
Longview, Round Rock, San
ment]and had to make a deci- Arthur Taylor,a one-time
Antonio, Sherman,Texarkana,
sion to either sell my stock or Pancho's chief of operations
Ty , Waco
di`g in and buy more.-It was one jE6 relation tome ormer --- -ler -Outside Texas s
of those things that kept accel- who had left the company. ,
erating until it reached a point Making Arthur Taylor presi- Mesa,Ariz.; Baton Rouge, La.;
where there was no turning dent and chief of operations Bossier City, La.; Metairie, La.;
back,"he said of purchasing meant that the system"didn't Albuquerque, N.M.; Oklahoma '
some 10 percent of the stock miss a beat when ownership City
while management kept reject- changed,"Oyster said.
ing his suggestions out of hand.
"And I guess I was ready to "In fact,we picked up a cou- t
get back into the action." ple of steps because everyone
knew him and respected him,"
'Found money' he said.
Oyster's laid-back appear- It was Taylor's knowledge of '
ante belies a steely business the industry that helped
acumen,a second-nature Pancho's slash food costs.
recognition of underlying value The chain,whose 37 compa- ,
and an eye for cutting costs. ny-owned restaurants did$43.5
On his first day,Oyster fired million in sales in 2002,has the
Arrambide and Taylor,then purchasing muscle to demand
proceeded to lay off half of the excellent prices.Last year,it '
50-person headquarters staff. bought 780,000 pounds of gua-
Four regional vice presidents camole,6.5 million dnaheim
were reduced to one.The fir- peppers,5 million tamales,58.5
ings produced savings of million corn tortillas,2.3 mil- '
lion pounds of refried beans,1.9
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM RENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED 3 l 0 =�' DATE OF ARTICLE 3 / 14 l C)3 NEWSPAPER FWST
Big names li* ned up f
A. rbor aze Festival
By TERRY LEE GOODRICH The Beach Boys Jazz saxophonist James has
STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER and Martha and been booked for the final night
EULESS — The Beach the Vandellas are back of the free, nonalcoholic fest
Boys, Rick Springfield, Boney among a diverse group of —a Sunday—after organizers
James, Martha and the Vandel- musical acts lined up for saw how well audiences
las and Joyce Cooling will this year's Arbor Daze received jazz saxman Richard
headline this year's Arbor Festival in Euless. Elliott last year.
Daze Festival April 25-27, fest "I expect this Sunday to be
organizers have announced. for and interim director of the even bigger,"McDonald said.
"Both the Beach Boys and city's Parks and Community About 200,000 people
Martha and the Vandellas have Services Department. attended last year's festival.
' been here before for the fest, While Arbor Daze, which The Beach Boys and
and the Beach Boys were in began in 1989, is traditionally Martha and the Vandellas will
our top three shows as far as associated with oldies, orga- perform Friday-, Springfield on
' bringing in attendance," said nizers began branching out in Saturday-,and guitarist Cooling
Ray McDonald,assistant direc- recent years,he said. and James on Sunday.
"We'll be bringing in a different crowd every day— compact disc, Sweet Thing.
Coogolden oldies '70s and'80s oldies and jazz." ranger o musical influences
range from Brazilian to blues.
—Ray McDonald,Euless Parks and Community Services Department
Community performers will
' be featured on three other
"We'll be bringing in a dif- Girl, Don't Talk to Strangers, stages, and Star Family Circus
American Girls and-Z-GeL will be back with tightrope
' walkers and motorcycle stunts,.
golden oldies, '70s and '80s Excited.
oldies and jazz," McDonald Martha and the Vandellas' McDonald said. A free Arbor-
said. hits include Nowhere to Run, Dazzling Kid Zone will offer.
The Beach Boys' hits Dancing in the Street and Jim- face-painting, balloon artists,
' include Surfin' U.S.A., Good my Mack. - entertainers and hands-on arts
Vibrations,Surfer Girl and Lit- James, who also plays key- and crafts,McDonald said.
tle Deuce Coupe. Among board and writes songs,won a Terry Lee Goodrich,(817)685-3812
' Springfield's hits are Jessie's Soul Train Award for his 1997 terry@star-telegram.com
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ- RIDGWAY '
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIB UTED 3 / -1103 DATE OF ARTICLE 3//Ce l 6) !�> NEWSPAPER FWST
Cities lobby to save funding
for seniors van service
By MITCH MITCHELL Grapevine United Way Northeast.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER TRANSPORTATION passes a About $120,000 in NETS funding
GRAPEVINE — Transportation resolution encouraging state and was appropriated by state lawmakers in '
services for Northeast Tarrant Coun- national lawmakers to retain 2001,but only$22,430 was available for
ty senior citizens could fall victim to funds for Northeast Transporta- this year, state and local officials said.
state and federal budget cuts, but tion Services and seven more Local governments made up the short- '
local politicians are lobbying to cities are expected to follow suit. fall, so NETS was able to receive the
reverse that tide. full$260,000 in available federal match-
On Tuesday, the Grapevine City program, and those cities are also ing funds,said Jennifer Hibbs,assistant
Council voted unanimously in favor of expected to pass similar resolutions, to the Grapevine city manager. '
a resolution.urging state and national Grapevine officials said. . This year, the Texas Department
lawmakers to fully fund the Northeast The door-to-door van service, of Transportation has requested
Transportation Services (NETS) bud- which made more than 20,000 trips $120,000 for the next two years, but
get,which is on the chopping block. last year,takes disabled residents and that amount might not be available. ,
Bedford, Colleyville, Euless, Hal- people 60 and older to medical "With the funding cuts involved,
tom.City, Hurst, Keller and North appointments, jobs and other places, there's a strong possibility that the
Richland Hills residents also use the said Faye Beaulieu,project director at funds will not be allocated at that lev- I
el," said Mary Hobson, the Trans- Manager Roger Nelson wrote in a.
portation Department's public trans- memo to the City Council. '
portation coordinator in the Fort In a budget beset by tax cuts, a,
Worth district. "Transit programs possible war against Iraq anci the gen-
have not been exempt from the cuts." eral malaise of the economy,;people
Hibbs said the cities will not be must resist the weakening of-crucial, '
able to raise enough money to over- social services such as transportation
come any significant reductions for the elderly,city officials said,
—_____ without_greatly-increasing their-local---'I-don't-env}-theLegislature their- - -
- --
contributions, which could be diffi- job at all," Nelson said. "But if we'
cult in a tight budget year. don't go out there and say here's the,
Also, Congress is set to reautho- impact of reducing the funding for:
rize the highway bill this year, which NETS —that people won't be able to ,
included the $260,000 match. A get to the doctor or they won't be able)
reduction in state funding could to get to work—then we'll lose it."
reduce the amount of federal funds Mitch Mitchell,(817)685-3807
available to NETS, Grapevine City mitchmitchell@star-telegram.com '
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY - CRIM HENNIG _MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY
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fiz
ants more than it did under the old regulat-
ed system, despite promises that the
law would lower rates. Attorneys for
Fort Worth and other cities served by
0 1xU said the PUC used flawed proce-
o rate Increase dures in figuring the adjustment.
"It is outrageous that the PUC cares
not one iota about the level of electric
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER p y t
By R.A.DYER not
groups rates aid b residential and small com-
and City officials mercial customers," said Steve Porter,
AUSTIN—The average Metro- cry foul over the energy an attorney for Fort Worth
plex resident will pay at least $10 provider's rate increase. But TXU's Chris Schein said Metro-
more per month for electricity plex customers are still ahead.
'
under a TXU rateincrease WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU "Despite the rise in natural gas
approved Wednesday b Texas prices,TXU Energy's rate continues to
regulators. ■What a typical Metroplex resident be lower than the rates paid by the vast
' The 12 percent increase, the would pay.10C majority of Texans having electric
largest in recent history for the choice,"the utility spokesman said.
hometown electric provider, can TXU's fuel costs.
take effect immediately. The Texas Consumer groups say the The PUC approved a separate 5per-
Public Utility Commission granted increase means electricity costs cent increase for TXU in August. All
`at�hue increase to reflect changes in
fl(lAT IT MEANS TO 1 going up and up and up,they might as siders only the natural gas futures mar-
WHAT be putting a gun to the senior citi- ket, although utilities use other fuels
■Under a rate increase adopted zens. If you're paying over $200 a such as coal.
Wednesday by state regulators,a typi- month,and then$600 a month for rent, "Since deregulation,the commission
cal Metroplex resident would pay about then you don't have anything left:' has rubber-stamped$1.74 billion in rate
' $97 a month for electricity,up about Under the deregulation law, TXU increases for customers
$10. and other traditional utilities were re- [throughout Texas] without requiring
■ August,regulators approved a percent, quired to freeze and then cut rates, al- the utilities to show that the [rates]
te TXU increase of about ti percent,,
sep-
arate
' or$4.05 a month on residential bills. though competitors can charge what- need to be raised at all to recover fuel
■Metroplex residents can compare ever they want.The traditional utilities costs,"said Porter,the Fort Worth attor-
electrical rates at www.powerto- can seek rate increases only to reflect ney.
choose.com.For more information;-call-_-changes-in-the-price-of natural gas, -----But--PUC—Chairwomarr—Rebecca-- ---
(866)PWR-4-TEX or(866)797-4839. which fuels power plants. Klein said the commission will proba-
But the increase adopted Wednes- bly not return to old-style rate-making
told, the combined increases generate day means Fort Worth residents will methods.She also said the rate adjust-
$900 million more each year for the now pay slightly more for electricity ments approved Wednesday fairly ap-
utility, according to an analysis by a than they did on Dec.31,2001—the last proximate fuel costs.
state agency charged with representing day of the old regulated system — al- The commission did, however,
consumer interests. though natural gas is cheaper now, ac- adopt various changes Wednesday on
Wedgwood resident Barbara Greene cording to an analysis by Fort Worth how it calculates fuel costs. For exam-
said the increases are almost too much and other cities. ple,utilities would have to see a greater
to bear.The e and is nearly
retiree lives n. The reason?According to city repre- increase in natural gas prices before
a fixed income and is nearly bedridden.
"It's like I'm between a rock and a sentatives and consumer advocates,the they could request a rate adjustment.
' hard place," Greene said. "With TXU PUC uses flawed methods to calculate Consumer advocates said the
fuel costs. For example, the PUC con- changes don't go far enough They have
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called on the Legislature to fix what
they perceive as defects in the 1999
deregulation law.
One consistent bone of contention
remains the provision in PUC rules al-,
lowing TXU and other utilities to seek
rate increases when gas prices go up,al-
though no corresponding mechanism
exists to force rollbacks when gas '
prices go down.
Kristen Doyle, an attorney for Fort
Worth and Dallas,this week called that '
the"one-way street"provision,and said
it shows why lawmakers should step in:
and fix the deregulation law.
But TXU spokesman Schein '
pledged that the utility will seek to low-
er rates if it sees a prolonged decline in
the natural gas market. "I can promise'
you if natural gas prices go down,we'll ,
be here;'he said."It's the right thing to
do for our customers."
ONLINE:puc.stateh.us '
R.A."Jake"Dyer,(512)476-4294
rdyer@star-telegram.com
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