The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 79, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 7, 2000 Page: 1 of 14
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WEATHER
Mostly sunny. High
around 60. Light
wind. Low in the
mid 40s.
PAGE 2A
STATE
Another appeal
Plantiffs appeal dismissal in
Cheney’s residency suit
PAGE 8A
SPORTS
Clean and Jerk
Area lifter takes ninth at
national event
PAGE IB
COMMUNITY
Home tour
Thomson holiday collection
is fund-raiser feature
PAGE 6A
TO)t paptoUm §mn
THURSDAY
December 7, 2000
Volume 79 No. 11
SINCE 1922
Baytown, Texas
www.baytownsun.com
50 cents
Gore hangs hopes on courts; Bush denied
By LARRY NEUME1STER
The Associated Press .
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A1
Gore hung his presidential
hopes on legal proceedings
moving at head-spinning speed
a day ahead of arguments before
the Florida Supreme Court,
counting on a court shocker to
upset George W. Bush’s certi-
fied Florida victory.
Lawyers sprinted between
courtrooms Wednesday to battle
over absentee ballots while Bush
and Gore submitted papers to
persuade the state Supreme
Court to rule their way in a fight
over recounts.
Late in the day, Republican
legislative leaders called for a
special session on Friday to'
choose a slate of electors. The
two leaders said they hoped
such a step wouldn’t be needed
if there’s a court resolution of
the disputed election.
Democrats denounced the
action as a mistake of historic
proportions, and accused GOP
rivals of moving to ensure
Bush’s election.
“We’re protecting Florida’s 25
electoral votes and its 6 million
voters,” said John McKay, the
president of the state Senate.
Rep. Lois Frankel, leader of
the House Democrats, shot
back, “The only thing missing
on the proclamation is the post-
mark from Austin, Texas,” a ref-
erence to the Texas governor’s
campaign headquarters.
See RECOUNT on Page 3A
Parade tonight on avenue
From staff reports
BAYTOWN — Everybody
loves a parade, and that’s why
city Parks and Recr-eation
Department officials are
encouraging people to arrive
early today to view Baytown’s
annual Christmas parade.
“Winter Wonderland” is the
theme of this year’s parade,
which begins at 6:30 p.m. on
Market Street in front of the
Goose Creek school district
administration building.
The parade, which features
125 entries, wdl wind along
Texas Avenue downtown and
end at Commerce Street.
Market Street will close at 5
p.m.
Pipeline disrupts families’ lives Plan to clean
up Houston's
air approved
Rupture,‘dirt
balls’send
locals running
for cover
By MELISSA RENTERIA
Staff writer
BAYTOWN—Residents liv-
ing near a natural gas pipeline
that ruptured Monday night
thought a plane had crashed in
their front yard.
The “horrible, deafening
sound” spewed dirt and debris
through the roofs of nearby
houses, causing extensive dam-
age and sending residents run-
ning for cover.
“They just got up and ran,”
Kenny Bernard said of family
members who reside across the
road from the raptured pipeline.
“They didn’t know what it
was because everything hap-
pened all at once — the noise,
the vibrations and the dirt com-
ing through the ceiling. They
said it sounded like a plane had
crashed.”
A 30-inch natural gas pipeline
raptured just after 8:30 p.m.
Monday near the intersection of
FM 565 and FM 1405 in West
Chambers County, about 10
miles northeast of Baytown.
The gas rupture did not ignite,
but ground rumblings and rat-
tling windows could be heard as
far away as Barbers Hill Road
near Highlands, some 15 miles
from the blast site.
The pressure of the under-
ground pipeline is rated between
400 and 450* pounds per square
inch The average daily amount
of gas going through the
pipetee is 400 million cubic
feet. >
The rapture blew gas and dirt
some 200 yards.
Two houses within a few
yards of the ruptured pipeline,
including the one occupied by
Adrienne and Roberta Bernard
received extensive damage and
are not currently livable.
Adrienne Bernard 76, fell
and broke her right arm when
she and her 35-year-old daugh-
ter, Roberta, ran from their
TNRCC to reduce speed limit, ban
diesel equipment and cut emissions
Photo by Melissa Renteria
Debris and dirt-thrown from a ruptured natural gas pipeline crashed through the roof of Adrienne and
Roberta Bernard’s house, knocking fixtures from the walls and toppling a Christmas tree.
“They didn’t know
what it was because
everything happened
all at once —the noise,
the vibrations and the
dirt coining through the
ceiling.They said it
sounded like a plane
had crashed. ”
Kenny Bernard
resident
home.
Adrienne Bernard is in a
Houston hospital where she will
undergo surgery next week to
repair damaged bones in her
elbow. Roberta Berpard, who
declined to be interviewed, is
staying with friends.
Kenny Bernard said his fami-
ly is still shaken from the expe-
rience.
“Roberta is still real jumpy,”
he said.
Both women were watching
television in a room at the back
of the house when “dirt balls”
came crashing through the ceil-
ing about five feet away from
them, knocking fixtures from
the walls and toppling a
Christmas tree.
The women ran in their stock-
ing feet through the house and
out the front door, Kenny
Bernard said, leaving behind all
their personal belongings.
“They ran around the side of
the house back to the garage, but
they didn’t have the car keys,”
he said, “so they ran down the
road to the phone company to
get help.”
The women described the
incident to family members as a
“horrible, deafening sound” that
“smelled like gas.” .
The blast raptured water
pipes stored in the attic of the
house, spilling water throughout
the home for about 45 minutes.
Debris and diirt tore holes in the
roof throughout, the house,
including the bedrooms.
“If my mother had been in
bed when this happened, she
could have been hit,” Kenny
Bernard said
Other homes in the blast area
also were damaged
Residents) of about 40 homes
east of FM 565 were asked to
evacuate minutes after the blast.
All were allowed to return to
their homejs by early Tuesday,
The pipeline is owned by El
Paso Energy and Enron Corp.
Workers with El Paso Energy
have been at the site since early
Tuesday, assisting displaced
families and helping investiga-
tors and cleanup crews.
Portions of the pipeline have
been sent to a Houston laborato-
iy for ftirther study. It is not
Seo PIPLINE on Page 2A I
, By NATALIE GOTT
The Associated Press
AUSTIN -— The state’s envi-
ronmental agency on Wednesday
approved a plan to clean up the
air over Houston and help shed
the city’s dubious distinction as
the nation’s smoggiest city.
The plan was approved by the
Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission for an
eight-county region including
Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend
Galveston, Harris, Liberty,
Montgomery and Waller coun-
ties.
It calls for large cuts in emis-
sions at industrial plants, reduced
speed limits and a ban on the use
of diesel equipment during
See CLEAN AIR on Page 2A
Hie plan
• Requires Houston-area
industrial plants to reduce
nitrogervoxide releases by an
average 90 percent.
• Lowers speed limits to
55 mph and requires stricter
tailpipe emissions tests.
• Requires Houston-area
industrial plants to reduce
nitrogervoxide releases by an
average 90 percent.
• Requires morning bans
during part of the year on
use of construction diesel
equipment and lawn mowing
equipment used by commer-
cial industry (Waller, Liberty
and Chambers counties not
included).
• Requires the sale of
cleaner diesel fuel and the
retirement or replacement of
off-highway diesel equipment.
Local businesses see
ozone plan as problem
MABENOTSON
Staff writer
BAYTOWN — The state
implementation plan for ozone
reduction, approved Wednesday
by the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission, drew
strong reaction from local busi-
ness and industry leaders.
The plan, which goes to the
governor for his signature and
then to the Environmental
Protection Agency, closely
tracked the recommendations
made several weeks ago by Jeff
Saitas, TNRCC executive direc-
tor.
The goal of the plan is to bring
the eight-county 'Houston-
Galveston region into compli-
ance with the Clean Air Act by
reducing the ozone level
throughout the region by 75 per-
cent, or an estimated 50 tons of
pollution per day.
The major sticking point for
industry in the eight-county
region, including Harris and
Chambers counties, is the 90 per-
cent reduction of nitrogen oxides
(NOx), a basic ingredient in
ozone formation.
Gordon Christman, Bayer
Corp. plant manager; expressed
concern that TNRCC ted not
responded to input from industry.
“The early indication was that
they had not paid any attention to
the recommendations made by
business and industry in this
area,” Christman said. “It’s going
See COMMENTS on Page 2A
lions donation helps Goodfellows total top $6,000
From staff reports
BAYTOWN — Donations to
the Goodfellows program grew
to more than $6,000 Tuesday,
thanks in large part to a $2,133
gift from the Baytown Lions
Club.
“We care a lot about our com-
munity, and especially those
who need a little extra help now
and then,” said tlje Rev. Richard
Turner, Lions president.
The 88-member club is an
annual supporter of the
Goodfellows program, which
uses .donations to purchase toys
and gifts for underprivileged
children and families. ‘
“Goodfellows does good
work and we’re just glad to be
able to work with them,” said
Turner. “We want to help chil-
dren who may not have as good
a Christmas as some kids.”
“We Serve” is the Lions
Club’s motto.
“We take our motto to heart,”
Turner said. “We care a lot about
our community. We want to
make a difference in the com-
munity.”
Goodfellows also is seeking
volunteers to help wrap and dis-
tribute gifts.
Gifts will be wrapped
Monday at Baytown
Community Center starting at 8
a.m. Gifts will be distributed
between 8 a m and 5 p.m. Dec.
15.
Donations may be brought to
The Sun, 1301 Memorial Drive,
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. week-
days or mailed to The Baytown
Sun, P.O. Box 90, Baytown, TX
77522.
For more information about
Goodfellows, call Susan
Meson at (281) 839-2535.
Goodfellows donors
Wilton L. and Pamela R. Pate,
$100.
Mrs. Melvin R. Bailey in memo-
ry of her husband, Ray Bailey,
$50.
Brenda and Brett Thompson in
memory of,our husband and dad,
ira G, Thompson, Jr,, $25.
The T.H.W. Club, $25,
Cheney R. and Joy Coker in
memory ofour son, Tim Coker,
$25.
See DONATIONS on Page 2A
INSIDE
Business ..... <.-r
.5A
Classifieds ......
.4B
Comics.........
.3B
Community......
,6A
Obituaries.......
,3A
Opinion .........
•4A
Police Beat......
.6A
Sports .........
.IB
Television ____.V.
.2B
LOTTERY
Monday drawings
Pick 3:1-84
Lotto: 1-3-9-16-35-39
HH|
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Cash, Wanda Garner. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 79, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 7, 2000, newspaper, December 7, 2000; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1019546/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.