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Home My WebLink About2006-01-27 Euless Articles DISTRIBUTED TO: PACE / OF AIA YOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CR111,1 HENNIG MCKAAIIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBR.4RYADMIN LIBR4RYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED /a� 7/0 DATE OF ARTICLE J n NEWSPAPER FfVsT FULL SWI \JC-1 By ELLENA FORTNER year," said Nancy Bunton, Fort 1 MORRISON Worth Parks and Community Ser-STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER �* vices assistant director. She over- While the mild, dry winter has sees the city's five golf courses. prolonged a drought and produced From Jan.1,2004,through Jan.12, numerous grass fires,it has been a 2005,the Texas Star Golf Course in revenue boon for area golf courses, Euless saw almost 36,000 rounds of STAR TELEGRAM/STEWART F.HOUSE allowing golfers to hit the links golf. During the same number of ndy Eliason of Irving drives on a cart more often than usual. days ending Jan.12,2006,that num- fuced h section designed as a waterfall but The number of rounds played has ber increased to almost 40,000. to a trickle at Texas Star. increased as much as 25 percent at "We have had hardly any days some courses compared with this when we were closed, said Ade a CUTBACKS MAY LOOM time last year. . Wallace, the course's head Profes- iCity officials consider watering "Golf is driven so much by sional Golfers' Association of strictions.41 weather, particularly this time of UNSEASONABLE WEATHER f Mild _ , dry conditions this winter have allowedolfers Wt the. g to links more often than usual, benetingcourses 1 i rr STAR TELEGRAM/STEWART F.HOUSE From left,Kurt Howell of Arlington,David Parsons of Euless and Brett Hall of Arlington survey the 13th green at Texas Star Golf Course in Euless on a recent Saturday. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGEC:Y) OFA;2, 1YIAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRINI HENNIG MCKAIYIIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT , YOUNG AfeDONALD COLLINS/ WILHITE GETCHELL LIBR4RYADAIIN LIBR4RYREF ANIMAL CNTR ' DATE DISTRIBUTED l 42 � < U � DATE OF ARTICLE �/12 / /0 4 NEWSPAPER FWST America professional. "The golf- Jennifer Fadden, Arlington ' ers sure are enjoying it." Parks and Recreation assistant di- Texas Star includes several ar ,:.'rector,said golf rounds in Arling- eas left to grow naturally. The •ton are up 10 percent. , course's grass, considered by "Our rounds are performing some players to be as important a ; much better than they were for part of the game as the clubs they this time last year,"she said. use,consists of a Bermuda variety In October,November and De- ' thought to be hardier than aver- cember of 2004,Arlington cours- age grass. That helps the course es generated 28,900 rounds. For survive difficult weather, Euless the same period in 2005,they gen- officials said. erated 31,887 rounds. Arlington ' - "Our golf course is going to has three 18-hole municipal hold up to this type of drought, courses:Tierra Verde,Chester W. Wallace said. Ditto,and Lake Arlington.Mead- Grapevine Golf Course also owbrook golf course has nine has seen an upswing in play.The holes. municipal course's monthly bud- In the long term,however,the get called for 3,800 rounds in De- dry weather could damage the ' cember, a tall order considering ' greens, said Jim Smith, Grape- the number is usually around vine's golf director.An increase in 3,200 for that month, officials water bills is another concern,he said.But the course topped 4,000 said. ' rounds in December,they said. "It's a mixed blessing," Smith In Fort Worth, the number of said. "You have a lot of play, but rounds played on the city's cours- you have to think about what it es during the last quarter of 2005 could do to the grass in the fu- ' jumped to 45,000 from about ture." 39,000 in the last quarter of 2004. Elena Fortner Morrison.(817)685-3888 The big increase came in De- emorrison@star-telegram.corn cember.Besides the dry weather, Christmas and New Year's Day fell on Sundays, so many people had Monday off to play golf,Bun- ' ton said. "We were thinking we wouldn't hit our mark in Decem- ber, because the first 20 days it ' was cold. We were having frost delays,"she said."But the weather broke right between Christmas and New Year's." ' I'I II DISTRIBUTED TO: PACE OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRI/YI HENNIG MCIG4M1E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS `t'ILHITE GETCHELL LI0R4RYAD/Y11[Y LIBR4RYREF ANLtilAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTZ (f DATE OF ARTICLE C NEWSPAPER FWST NE M NORTHEAST CLICK y John u t Y Eubanks, _ Helen Jeff Jones,Giovanna Phillips,Richard Ward,Shellie Johnson Payton 'and Ret Stansberger and Jimmy Payton Allan r ' Weegar, Renova Williams t ' and Steve t' Hanson y: ' Mike McKee,Brett McClung,Kirk King and Luanne King s Reception welcomes president Kirk King,new president of Harris Methodist H.E.B.hospital,was welcomed to the community with a reception recently at the hospital's Edwards Cancer Center Atrium. SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM/MIKE LEWIS i� Y BIII Ridgway,Mary Pat Black and Jim Starr DISTRIBUTED TO: PA GE / OF PIA YOR CITY CO UN CIL CITYATTO VEY CRII I E KAA H NNIG MC 11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS PVILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADIVIIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DA TE DISTRIB UTED DATEOFARTICLE NVlVSPAPER____f�VST EU LESS V�: X Q "Y A s," sTAR-TELEGRAM/STEWART F.HOUS� Johnny Rodriguez,a Web designer for Euless,walks laps to cool down after being evaluated as part of the city's A Healthy*Ne-w You program,.The city has partnered with Harris Methodist H.E.B.hospital to offer health assessments and other benefits. Eul ess new wellness program is encouraging 11 _C:P ..A sto employees to get healthy Slim' �e By ELLENA FORTNER While the weight-loss MORRISON STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WMER competition will be unoffi- cial, Euless 'officials said 41:1 The title of"Euless' Big- they look forward to health- gest Loser" remains un- �ier employees because of claimed, but not for long if the program. city human resources su- The city has partnered pervisor Carolyn Marshall with Harris Methodist has her way. H.E.B. hospital to offer its "I intend to beat every- 370 employees a health as- one at weight loss," said sessment as well as nutri- Marshall, munching on a tion and exercise options. STAR-TELEGRAM/STEWART F.HOUSE vegetable during a lun- Employees can sign up for Mike Moore tests Rodriguez for flexibility at the Harris cheon last week to launch weekly Weight Watchers Methodist H.E.B.hospital fitness center.City employees the city's new wellness pro- meetings and monthly get a discount to use the fitness center. gram,A Healthy New You. DISTRIBUTED T0: PAGE C f OF v� )VIAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRI/1'I HENNIG MCXAA11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADIVIIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED /a l C�, DATE OF ARTICLE // NEWSPAPER_FiYST ' Healthier � employees cent,take part in some aspect brown-bag` lunches where translate into less absentee- of the program, said Hurst speakers cover various health ism, higher productivity and Fire Chief John Brown, who ' topics. lower health insurance costs, oversees the program. Lunchtime activity clubs, said Betsy Boyett,city spokes- In 2005, Hurst also held a such as nine-hole golf,cycling woman. That's a significant blood drive and health fair, and basketball,are also avail- motivation for municipalities with 277 employees partici- able. to get involved because pating, an increase of 40 em- "We are going to work our health-care costs continue to ployees from 2004, he said. tails off," said Mike Moore, be one of their largest annual This year,the city is working ' the hospital's fitness staff su- expenses,she said. to add new things to its well- pervisor. Euless' .employees "If people feel better at ness program, including pos- receive a discount to use the work,that's the best benefit," sibly offering exercise classes hospital's fitness center, and she said. .at lunchtime. ' the Midway Recreation Cen- Hurst began a similar pro- "For our first full year,the ter will offer,free lunchtime gram last year. Of the city's program has been a success," aerobics classes... 332 employees,150,or 45 per- Brown said. "The feedback we're getting from employees as they are doing an activity,' ' is positive, and they appreci that's what we are looking ate the ability to get informa- for." tion about their health and Excitement is high for now, how to improve it. but the success of the pro- ' "Our program is about- gram will depend on long- wellness, not just exercise," term commitment, Marshall he said. said. ' In Euless, Fire Division "It's easy to be excited at Chief Jeff Morris said he has .the beginning but more diffi- collected more than a page of"eult as the muscles"get sore," "names of employees*horare s .ss a said. interested in taking part in an. `But I think the employee ' afternoon run/walk club. "" support and competition.will "People keep -saying, 'I keep it going." don't like to run, but 'can I Ellena Fortner Morrison,(817)685-3888 walk?"'Morris said."As long emorrison@star-telegram.com DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF / MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITY ATTORNEY CRAY! HENNIG MCKAtY11E AlDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS rrWILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIIVLLL CNTR , DATE DISTRIB UTED I l /C)7 DATE OF ARTICLE / D� / � NEWSPAPER FWST Mary Yaist Lyle A I k BENBROOK — Mary Yaist Lyle died Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006, in Fort ' Worth. Memorial service:i p.m.Thursday at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, 2700 McPherson Ave., Fort Worth, in , the TCU area. Memorials: If friends desire, me- morial gifts may be made to Fort Worth Christian School, 7517 Bogart Drive, North Richland Hills,Texas 76180. , She was executive assistant at Ar- lington Memorial Hospital for 25 years before retiring in early 2005. An avid knitter,she was a founding member of the North Central Texas Handknitters ' Guild,and taught knitting in the area for more than 25 years,designed and pub- lished knitting patterns,as well as two technique booklets.An annual escape to the woods of Wisconsin with three longtime friends to knit and refresh the spirit was looked forward to all year.She looked forward to spending her retire- ment years 6ursuing her other creative interests of bookbinding, cardmaking, calligraphy and dabbling in watercolors. Mary was instrumental in resurrect- ing a small park site in her Benbrook neighborhood and was a member of the Benbrook Parks and Recreation Board as well as the Benbrook Community CenterNMCA board. She was preceded in death by her mother,Marie Skelton,of Youngstown, Ohio. Survivors: Husband, Bruce Lyle; daughter, Lori De La Cruz of Euless; son,Brett Eggleston and wife,Joylynn, of Killeen; stepson, Alexander Lyle of Dallas;two wonderful granddaughters; brothers,Frank Yaist and Lee Yaist;sis- ters,Neva Yaist and Clara Goins,all of Youngstown,Ohio;and several nieces and nephews. Thompson's Harveson&Cole Funeral Home and Crematory 702 Eighth Ave.,(817)336-0345 View and sign guestbook at www.star-lelegram-com/obituaries DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF� MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCK4MIE RIDG6VAY(2) BOYETT 1 YOUNG McDONA-LD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CN j DATE DISTRIBUTED DATE OFARTICLE �5 /��Y' NEWSPAPE 1TbM 1 Car rentals get closer to home 1 By Roger Yu and Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY Neighborhood car rentals—a practice that barely existed two decades ago—are now generating more than half the industry's revenue. 1 �, v The car-rental industry is finding growth from neighborhood rental sites. nn� Ra r 1 ' s Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY According to the recently published 2006 fact book Auto Rental News, rentals from downtown, suburban or other commercial neighborhoods account for 54%of$17.6 billion annual revenue. It's the first time the trade publication has attributed most of the industry's income to non-airport rental locations. (Savings chart: How much can you save by going off-airport?) The fact book uses 2004 data —the most recent available —but Auto Rental News editor Joe Crosby says the trend probably continues. ' One big reason for the shift: Cars are cheaper to rent away from airports. Base prices tend to be lower, and airports tack on extra fees and taxes.And air travelers aren't paying only for airport improvements. Taxing non-voting visitors is a popular way to pay for convention centers, stadiums and other amenities that benefit the locals. Even business travelers can find it worthwhile to skip airport car rentals Under normal circumstances, business travelers are unlikely to give up the convenience of renting a car at the airport. ' But the growth of the neighborhood rental business sometimes offers advantages. It's almost always cheaper.And it may be more convenient for short-distance trips or for long stays in a city. ' Ken Rishel, CEO of The Heartland Group,a political consulting firm in Springfield, III.,says his employees often look for cheaper in-town rates before traveling. Some of his employees stay at a client site weeks at a time, and the savings"could add up to a fairly substantial amount." Rishel recently took a shuttle from Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a downtown Enterprise shop and saved about $12 a day. Only about 1%%of Enterprise's revenue comes from travelers who fly into airports and rent from city locations,the company says. ' In pursuing non-leisure customers, Enterprise also contracts with city governments, package-delivery companies and companies that host employees flying in for extended training sessions, says Christy Conrad,company spokeswoman. Neighborhood rentals can also make sense for a short business trip of a few hundred miles. A business traveler who works in downtown Kansas City,for example,could be in downtown Omaha in just over three hours if a DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE?OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAiWIE RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG AlcDON.4LD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADAIIN LIBRARYREF ANIAIAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED cDATE OF ARTICLE (,�� ' NEWSP,iPER C I bdG_ rental car is handy. Factoring in airport time,the trip by air would be four hours or more. By Roger Yu , of Abrams Consulting. Randomp rice checks on Monday by USA TODAY show bottom-line prices at neighborhood sites are frequently one ' more cheaper than at the local airport. Location, location ' The greater convenience of neighborhood sites for many potential customers and changing behavior of consumers ' driving the trend. Because overall revenue continues to grow, airport rental locations are generating more money even as their share , market declines. Airport rentals registered a severe downturn in the travel drop-off following the Sept. 11 attacks. The airport segmen rebounded since and is now growing, mirroring the overall recovery in business travel, says Patrick Farrell, a vice pr , at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Just 15 years ago, neighborhood rentals generated 24%of industry revenue, according to Auto Rental News. ' Strategic adjustment Enterprise,which started in 1957 and specializes in neighborhood locations, now has 5,700 locations in the USA. A ' are at airports. Hertz and Cendant Car Rental Group, which operates Avis and Budget, says industry sales figures on the relative n ' share—the trade publication's report notwithstanding—are too close to call. "Either way, it's close to 50-50,"says spokesman Rich Broome. Crosby,the editor, says it's unclear whether neighborhood sites lead in the number of cars rented as well as sales b Varying car sizes and rental periods make that difficult to project. Several factors are pushing car rental companies to increase the availability of their product at places other than airl *Gasoline prices. Some employers are relying more on rental cars for employee travel because it's often cheaper t reimbursing for mileage on a personal car, Farrell says. The IRS'standard mileage allowance for 2006 is 44.5 cents cents in 2003. Roy Green, general manager of South Shore Harbour Resort near Houston, says his sales employees use rental ca they travel to meet out-of-town clients, mostly in Texas or Louisiana. The employees feel more secure about the arrangement than having to drive their own cars. It's also cheaper for the hotel than having to reimburse, he says. -Disappearing fleets. The practice of maintaining corporate fleets for employee travel is slowly disappearing. Enter for example, has contracts with most Fortune 500 companies -More uses. Most neighborhood rentals are for non-business purposes. At one time, a local person typically rented only as a replacement for one in the shop. Motivation is now more varied. Out-of-town visitors may necessitate a lar vehicle, or city-dwellers may want a car only for occasional trips. -Airport security.With heightened airport security following 9/11, many business travelers have opted for driving. N companies are putting their cars closer to businesses to cater to the trend. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE__4_OF� CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIA1 HENCKNIG MMIE RIDGPVAY(2) BOYETT ,MAYOR YOUNG AlcDONALD COLLLVS WILHITE GETCHELL L1BR4RYADMLV LIBX4RYREF ANIMAL CV R/ DA TE D IS TRIB U TED C>(F DATE OFARTICLE II a lG' �`" NEWSPAPER ' While Enterprise is the e big brand most closely associated with neighborhood rentals, other companies are closing in. Hertz,though it remains strong at airports, opened more than 1,400 neighborhood locations in recent years. ' Avis/Budget, which are owned by Cendant, also have been addingmore neighborhood locations,9 ns, at a rate of close to 10% annual growth, says Cendant Executive Vice President Scott Deaver. Vanguard Group, which owns Alamo/National, remains airport oriented and is leaving neighborhood rentals to competitors, says spokesman Charles Pulley. Off-airport savings Here are prices quoted Monday for a one-day rental this week. Prices, rounded to the nearest dollar. reflect the bottom-line ' price.including taxes and fees. Cartype Airport, Neighborhood, Percent Company price price savings Atlanta Full-size Atlanta-Hartsfield Downtown Atlanta Avis $115 $65 43% Boston Economy Boston Logan Downtown Boston Hertz $132 $81 39% ' Chicago Economy Chicago Midway Downtown Chicago Enterprise $110 $45 59% Dallas Economy Dallas/Fort Worth Downtown Dallas Hertz $100 $50 50% Los Angeles Full-size Los Angeles Int. Downtown Los Angeles Avis $92 $58 37% Minneapolis Economy Minneapolis Int. Edina Hertz $94 $57 39% New York Economy John F. Kennedy Manhattan Budget $85 $68 20% Philadelphia ' Economy Philadelphia Airport Southwest Philadelphia Enterprise $61 $39 36% San Francisco Economy San Francisco Int. Foster City Budget $42 $32 24% Seattle Midsize Seattle-Tacoma Downtown Seattle Budget $70 $40 43% St.Louis ' Midsize Lambert/St. Louis Des Peres Budget $115 $44 62% Washington Ronald Reagan Midsize National airport Downtown Washington Budget $113 $44 61% Source: USA TODAY research DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF AIA YOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRI/til HENNIG MCX4A11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL L1BR4RYADIYII1y LIBRARYREF ,4N11VIAL CNTR DA TE DISTRIB UTED I0DATE OF ARTICLE l/ fie ) NEWSPAPER FPVST Vanessa Gail Christopher > FORT WORTH — Vanessa Gail Christopher,52,a retired dispatcher/re- cords clerk for the'Euless Police De- partment, answered the Master's call Wednesday, Jan.25, 2006,at a local hospital. ' Funeral:11 a.m.Saturday at Rising Star Church of God in Christ, 3909 Reed St.',Elder Charles Barrett officiat- ing.Burial:Skyvue Memorial Gardens. , Visitation:noon to 5 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and the family will receive friends Ito 8 p.m.at New Beginning Ho- liness Church, 1604 E. Bessie, Pastor ' Joyce Smith. Missionary Christopher was a faith- ful member of Rising Star COLIC, where she was an evangelist, youth church president,YWCC,vacation Bi- ' ble school teacher, member of the In- spirational Praise Choir, senior choir and hospitality committee and the ad- jutant to the late Mother Johnnie M., ' Macklin.She was the Texas East Juris- dictional Praise Team leader. Survivors: Song James Byron Christopher IV (Elisabeth); brother, James Byron Christopher III(Princess); sisters, Balinda King(John), Lavonuia Ross and Sherry Cotton(William);spe- cial nieces, Lacy, Felicia and Latrisa Christopher; special friend, Harlan ' Wayne Sanders; and a host of other nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends. Gregory W.Spencer Funeral Directors 4000 Miller Ave.,(817)531-8666 View and sign guestbook at WAW.star-telegram.com/obituaries DISTRIBUTED TO: PACE / OF • MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRrlvl HENNIG MCKAjV11E RIDGWAY(2) BOYETT ' YOUNG MCDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADIVIIN LIBRARYREF ANIX4L CNTR DATEDISTRIBUTED � 7/G5� DATEOFARTICLE C� NEWSPAPER____EfVST ' VANESSA GAIL CHRISTOPHER 11953-2006 i EWess recon ds clerk broke racial barriers ■A sense of humor helped said James as a records clerk with the Eu- Because of her declining ' her through the rough Byron less Police Department in 1982 health,she retired in 2001.But times. Christopher after being trained as a dis- she continued with her other By DOMINGO RAMIREZ IV of Fort patcher. passion:church. STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER Worth, her Her job quickly became a She was a member of Rising FORT WORTH—On manonly, son. passion, and her co-workers Star Church of God in Christ in Y <. "With a soon became her family. Fort Worth,where she was an days, Vanessa Gail Christo- "' smile, she "The city pretty much evangelist, ' youth pher's laughter rattled win- CHRISTOPHER told them watched out for her and her Iden , vac t onBible Cschool dows at the Euless police sta- that she was son because she was a single teacher and a member of the tion. She was happy with her the only one on duty that day parent,"said Gary McKamie,a choir. ' job as a police department re- and if they wanted to make any Euless deputy city manager. "It turned out that everyone cords clerk.And she was ready report that day,she could help "If her car broke down, was,important to her,"her son to joke with anyone who came them." someone would give her a said."She loved life." to the station. Incidents like that never got gide, "McKamie said."The city It was Ms. Christopher's 'Ms. Christopher down, also half raised her son." sense of humor that carried though. Euless Assistant Police Domingo Ramirez Jr.,,ramtrez@star-ceteram gran 685-3822 her through the rough times in "She just loved to serve Chief Bob Freeman said she com the early 1980s as the first Afri- people,"her son said."She was was proudest of her son's sing- ' can-American records clerk in aeo le p p person. And sheing voice: the Euless Police Department. loved her church." "She became like family "She told me a lot of stories Ms.Christopher,52,of Fort from the day she first started of people who walked into the Worth died Wednesday from work here,"said Freeman,who police station,took one look at heart failure at a local hospital. had known Ms. Christopher her and wanted a white clerk," Ms. Christopher was hired for 24 years. 1