The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 78, No. 219, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 2, 2000 Page: 1 of 30
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Baytown Sun and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Sterling Municipal Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
1000
WEATHER
Partly cloudy with a 20
percent chance of rain.
Highs in the lower 90s.
PAGE 2A
USA WEEKEND
Privacy Invasion
Many Americans feel their
privacy is threatened
INSIDE
SPORTS
Top coach
Lee’s Dick Olin reflects on
coaching at all-star game
_ PAGE IB '
ft
LIVING
, Fun learning
library program incorporates
enjoymemwith reading
PAGE 1C
®J)e ®ai>toton g>uu
^ SINCE 1922
SUNDAY
July 2, 2000
Volume 78 No. 219
Baytown, Texas
www.baytownsun.com
Bentsen to hold community meeting to address concerns of senior citizens
By ALLISON WOLLAM
Staff writer
BAYTOWN—Congressman Ken
Bentsen will hold a community
meeting to answer questions and ad-
dress concerns of senior citizens and
veterans Wednesday in Highlands
Representatives from die Social
Security Administration, the Health
Care Financing Administration, the
What: Community
meeting.
When: 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Where: Highlands Senior
Center, 604 Wailisville
Road.
Texas Department of Insurance and
the Area Agency on Aging will be
on hand to help seniors and veterans
with specific concerns.
“There are so many issues impor-
tant to our seniors, and this is Con-
gressman Bentsen’s chance to reach
out into the community to address
their concerns,” said Audrey Duff, an
aide to Bentsen
“I know a lot of senior citizens are
concerned with the high price of pre-
scription drugs and Social Security,
and this will be their time to address
it one-on-one with Bentsen,” she
said.
Louella Howard, a field represen-
tative from the Pasadena office of die
Social Security Administration, will
be on hand to answer any questions.
“Itfc always important when elect-
ed officials have town meetings, so
the community can find out what the
congressman is doing in the commu-
nity, and they can tell the congress-
man what they think needs to be
done in the community,” Howard
said.
Insurance commissioner Jose
Montemayor said town meetings al-
ways are important for communities.
“As commissioner of insurance, I
am pleased to provide my staff to as-
sist Baytown seniors with their insur-
ance concerns. The Department of
Insurance is dedicated to helping all
Texans understand their insurance
needs and to shop wisely for insur-
ance.”
The meeting will be at 2 p.m.
Wednesday at the Highlands Senior
Center, 604 Wailisville Road in
Highlands.
Contact Allison Wollam by e-mail
• atallison.wllam@jbaytownsm.com
or by phone at (281) 425-8020.
Tea time
Car buyers
look for gas
efficiency
Dealerships see an increase in
purchase of smaller automobiles
Photos by Alison Ashworth
Charlotte Hebert of Prairie View, La., shines her Road King Harley Davidson at the “Texas Tea Party" on Saturday. The event was the second for the
Texas Motorcycle Rights Association II.
Group emphasizes the importance of
educating voters about political system
educated voters, protests legislation at the Cap-
ital in Austin and lobbies to pass certain laws,
he said.
Bikers from throughout Texas, Louisiana
and Oklahoma participated in auctions and
games, bought leather and knives and ate
chicken and dumplings and steak on a stick.
There was even a mock tea-pouring event,
where participants poured tea into the bay.
The Texas Tea Party, which started Friday
and ends at 4 p.m. today, also serves as a fund-
raiser for the organization’s operations. Sput-
nik said there are other fund-raisers during the
year, but the birthday bash is the biggest one.
Susie Tlimer, a Baytown resident, attended
the party Friday and Saturday. ■■■ ■ '
“I like the bands the most,” Turner said,
adding that she’d come back next year for the
party. Mean Gene Kelton and the Diehards, a
local band, played at the party.
The best part of the event is the camaraderie,
said Janet Mayeaux, event coordinator and a
member of Texas Motorcycle Rights Association Motorcycles of members of the Texas Motorcycle
: 0 Rights Association II were on display for viewing
See PARTY on Page 6A Saturday.
By NMBEMY GENTUE
Staff writer
BAYTOWN —• More than 1,000 bikers from
across the state converged near Tri-Cities
Beach Road this weekend to celebrate the 8th
birthday of a political grassroots organization.
Beer, bands and barbecue added to the fes-
tivities of the three-day party for the Texas
Motorcycle Rights Association D, an organiza-
tion with more than 2,500 members that teach-
es Texans how the state political process
works. ^ - ^ ; V- ■
This was the second year for a birthday par-
ty dubbed the “Texas Tea Party,” which was
meant to symbolize the historic Boston Tea
Party.
“We still believe we’re getting taxation with-
out proper representation,” said the organiza-
tion^ state chairman, Sputnik, who only goes
by his first name.
Sputnik, who’s been around to see all of the
group’s birthdays, painted his almost bald head
red, white and blue for the occasion.
The motorcycle group helps people become
ByKnriinyGENiu
Staff writer
BAYTOWN — Some car dealers
say rising gas prices are affecting
whether area residents buy smaller,
gas-efficient cars instead of trucks
and sport utility vehicles; other deal-
erships haven’t noticed a difference.
As gasoline prices gradually in-
creased through June, some con-
sumers have become more conscious
of how much they spend on gas and
whether they are getting the most
mileage from their vehicle.
“If prices continue to increase, it
might affect business,” said Ken Lan-
nou, business manager at Bayshore
Dodge, adding that he hasn’t noticed
a difference in sales yet “People are
> griping about prices, but it’s not af-
fecting their need for a vehicle.”
Trucks and SUVs make up about
75 percent of the business at
Bayshore Dodge, Lannou said,
adding that this month he’s sold
several SUVs and V8 Magnum
trucks — the dealership’s No. 1
seller.
“People still have boats and trailers
to pull, and they need a large enough
engine to pull them,” he said.
If there’s no end in sight for in-
creasing gas prices, in time, it could
affect his business, Lannou said,
adding that people will become mote
conscious. ■
“You used to fill a 26-galTon tank
for 30 bucks and now ith costing 40
bucks,” he said
Nationwide, the average price of
regular gasoline per gallon was $1.71
as of June 20, according to the AAA
Daily Fuel Gauge Report The aver-
age in Texas is $1.55, compared to
the highest price of $2.13 in Chicago
and the lowest of $1.42 in Phoenix.
Tom Roby, sales manager at Casa
Ford, said auto sales haven’t changed
and he doesn’t think the higher gas
prices will affect them.
“We’re selling the same mix,” he
said
The dealership has sold a few Ford
Excursions, the largest sport utility
on the road that gets 10 to 18 miles a
gallon, Roly said
“People still spend money on gas,
and you can’t shut down the world
because gas goes up 20 or 30 cents a
gallon,” he said
Maybe the gas prices can’t halt
daily routines, but they can affect
how consumers decide what car
they’ll buy.
Robin Calk of Baytown, has been
looking for about a month to buy a
new family car. She originally con-
sidered buying a Chevrolet Tahoe, an
SUV, but said climbing gasoline
prices have made her change her
mind
“With these new (gas) prices and
the type of mileage that these cars
get, I would not want an SUV’ she
said “I’m prejudiced about what the
gasoline is doing now and gas
mileage will play a factor in what we
select”
The Calk family has three cars, in-
cluding a Ford F-150, and Calk esti-
mates they spend almost $200 a
month for gas.
Michael Borque, sales consultant
at the Casa Chrysler Plymouth Jeep
dealership, said people have been
buying smaller cars since gas prices
increased for every three four-cylin-
der cars sold at the dealership, one
six- or eight-cylinder car is sold he
said
“People are looking for cars that
are good on gas,” he said
The Toyota of Baytown dealership
Gee FUEL on Page 6A
Influx of local businesses making a move to Alexander Drive
By JEFF RIGGS
Staff writer
BAYTOWN - It seems more
businesses are moving back to
Alexander Drive. At least one es-
tablished business currently housed
on North Pruett Drive plans to
move soon to 2312 North Alexan-
der Drive in the once-thriving Bay
Plaza.
Jay Meaders, who owns Crazy
J’s sports card shop, said the new
business to be named Crazy J’s
Sports Spectacular will occupy
28,250 square feet at the center. It
will have many of the same things
he offers at his current business
plus a lot more.
“It will be for all ages,” he said.
“It’ll be a family place. There will
be a card shop, collectibles,
comics, four to six batting Cages, a
19-hole Putt-Putt golf course, a
basketball room and 150-plus
video games. There will be a snack
bar and full facilities to accommo-
date birthday parties. All will be
inside.”
The owners will be Meaders,
who will own 40 percent, and
Jeanne Shipp, owner of Empire
Video next door to Meader’s store
on Pruett, who will own another 40
percent. The other 20 percent is
made up of eight stockholders.
The business is to open no later
than Aug. 15, Shipp said.
Meaders said he had the idea
about two years ago. Then he men-
tioned the idea to Shipp about six
months ago.
“He had the idea, but didn’t
know where to go with it,” she
said. “I was just helping him out as
a friend. I did a business plan, get-
ting it on paper.”
Shipp said one of the reasons for
locating the business to Alexander
Drive is the size of the building.
“There are lots of rooftops out
there,” she said. “Cedar Bayou Ju-
nior High is close ly, and I’m told
by DOT (Texas Department of
Transportation) that 41,000 cars
went through the intersection of
(Highway) 146 and Alexander in
1998 for each 24-hour period.”
Rikki Wheeler, community de-
velopment director for the Baytown
Chamber of Commerce, believes
there is a slow, yet definite resur-
gence of business in that area since
its heyday decades ago.
“There’s a lot of businesses go-
ing out there. Most of it is in that
block,” she said. “But without hav-
ing to build new facilities, you
don’t really have a choice. There’s
just not that much real estate thatls
not already being utilized. To get in
on Garth Road; you almost have to
build a building.”
Contact Jeff Riggs by e-mail at
jeffriggs@jbaytownsun.com or by
phone at (281) 425-8022.
INSIDE
Business .........4B
Community........5A
Classifieds____... .ID
Comics ......... .5C
Gardening ________3B
Living............1C
Opinion ..........4A
Obituaries ____. ,..3A
Police Beat..... .5A
Sports ...... IB
Television...... ,1E
LOTTERY
Saturday drawings
Lotto: 7434049-286
Pick 3:7-6-9
I
I
I
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View three places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Cash, Wanda Garner. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 78, No. 219, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 2, 2000, newspaper, July 2, 2000; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1019765/m1/1/?q=architectural+drawings: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.