Environmental Headlines, June 10 – 16, 2006
POLLUTANT STUDY GIVES THE COUNTY A CLEANUP ‘TO-DO’ LIST, MAYOR SAYS
Houston Chronicle, 6/13/06
Concentrations of a dozen air pollutants in the Houston area pose significant risks to public health, and nowhere is the risk greater than in east Harris County, along the Ship Channel, a task force of public health and toxicological experts convened by Mayor Bill White concluded Monday.
TAKING A BITE OUT OF SUMMER
Houston Chronicle, 6/12/06
Drivers slowed their cars as they headed into work, and the early-morning walkers marveled at the thick fog spewing from the storm drains at the intersection of Lavender and Rand in northeast Houston.
MOSQUITOES CREATE THE PERFECT SWARM
MOVIE AUDIENCE DIVIDED ABOUT VALIDITY OF TRUTH
Houston Chronicle, 6/13/06
The movie An Inconvenient Truth opened Friday in Houston at the River Oaks Theatre. Made by and starring former Vice President Al Gore, the film’s focus is global warming and its impact. Gore presents the case that warming is caused predominantly by human activity and that it has potentially catastrophic implications for the planet.
INTERVIEW – GORE’S WARMING-TO-DISEASE LINK SEEN TOO STRONG
GORE TO TRAIN 1,000 TO SPREAD WORD ABOUT CLIMATE
NORTHSIDE TERMINAL QUESTIONED
Houston Chronicle, 6/11/06
The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s proposal to put a rail and bus terminal complex smack in the middle of North Main on the near northside drew interest and questions, but little vocal opposition, at a public meeting last week.
ARTIST GETS INTO THE FLOW OF PROMENADE
Houston Chronicle, 6/14/06
Houston artist John Runnels believes life is a journey, one that he prefers to experience in the physical or spiritual proximity of water.
SHELL STATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE MULTILINGUAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PAMPHLETS
Houston Business Journal, 6/12/06
The American Red Cross is teaming up with Shell Oil Co. and Motiva Enterprises LLC to make multilingual disaster preparedness pamphlets available to Gulf Coast area residents in Shell stations throughout Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
TEXAS OFFICIALS ON LOOKOUT FOR RABBIT FEVER
Reuters, 6/13/06
CHICAGO – An unusual number of dead jack rabbits in Texas has authorities concerned that so-called rabbit fever, or tularemia, could be making a comeback. The bacterial disease can infect humans but is rarely fatal.
LIGHTING ORDINANCE APPROVED
Fort Bend Herald Coaster, 6/14/06
The county’s lighting ordinance was amended on Tuesday following the closed session of the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting.
LANDRY’S GOLF COURSE BID DEALT ANOTHER BLOW
Galveston County Daily News, 6/13/06
GALVESTON – The city finance committee recommended Monday that the council reject a bid by Landry’s Restaurants to take over operation of the municipal golf course.
DALLAS AREA DENIED WATER RESERVOIR
Houston Chronicle, 6/12/06
Opponents of a proposed East Texas reservoir, which Dallas had planned to meet its long-range water needs, proclaimed victory Monday when the federal government designated much of the area as a wildlife refuge.
SUSPECT ROBS BANK, BUYS COWBOY GEAR, RIDES AWAY ON BUS
Houston Chronicle, 6/15/06
FORT WORTH – A suspected bank robber who stopped at a nearby Western store after the heist escaped in his new cowboy clothes on one of Cowtown’s city buses, police said.