A01803F1.

QXD 8/2/2006 11:27 PM Page 1

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Kids version of popular book Sikes: Waterfowl population

tells tale of Christmas 04 snow boom is boon for hunters
THE ARTS, 1E SPORTS, 1C

THURSDAY
95 /78
August 3, 2006 A FEW SHOWERS
50 CENTS, City Edition
14C

Quickread
LOCAL CCISD finalist vows to be visible at campuses
Hearing-impaired
now can read Mass I plan to be here She also emphasized her com-
mitment to the Corpus Christi
Bria, 58, began her career 33
years ago in Mesa, Ariz., teaching
Two women are doing for as long as youll Independent School District and sixth grade.
added that, if offered the job, this She also has taught special edu-
the Lords work out of have me, Bria says likely would be her last position as cation in junior high and high
one of their homes by a superintendent. schools in Arizona and worked
creating BY ADRIANA GARZA I stay in communities and I toward writing curriculum for sev-
Caller-Times live there, said Bria, who has enth through 12th grades.
closed- Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times
Five days after being named the served as superintendent of Battle While she is just beginning to
captioning sole finalist for the CCISD super- Ground Independent School Dis- familiarize herself with the district
for the intendent position, Rochonne Bria trict in Washington for eight years. and its issues, Bria already knows
spent most of Wednesday getting I plan to be here for as long as at least one thing she wants to do
Sunday to know the district. youll have me. if CCISD trustees vote to offer her
Mass at During her first full day in Cor- She said that stability would a contract after the obligatory 21-
the Corpus pus Christi since the announce- contribute to the districts success. day negotiation period.
Santos-Garza ment was made, Bria introduced She talked about her background I want to be in the schools every
Christi herself to several dozen school in curriculum and instruction and day, Bria said. I need to know each
Cathedral, writes Rochonne Bria (left), sole CCISD superintendent finalist, listens administrators and teachers and said she was impressed with the dis- one of our schools.
Venessa Santos-Garza. for her introduction during a news conference at the district told them about her long-term tricts new plan, unveiled at the Bria said she plans on allowing
1B office on Wednesday. With her are (from left) CCISD board plans, including becoming more Superintendent Leadership Con-
members Harry Williams, Vicki Rothschild and Bill Clark. visible in the districts schools. ference on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please see BRIA 8A

WORLD
Largest volley of
rockets hits Israel
Hezbollah fired its biggest
and deepest volley of rock-
BEACH ACCESS COALITION TO FILE TODAY
Friends
ets into Israel on Wednes-
day as Israel pursued the
guerrillas with 8,000 sol-
diers on the ground and
heavy bombing. An 18-year-
converge
old Corpus Christi resident
visiting Israel said she
heard the bomb blasts near
her grandmothers home.
10A
on Fender
BUSINESS
Bay Ltd. receives
residence
$117M judgment But please, folks,
A Houston jury has
awarded Bay Ltd., one of
Corpus Christis largest
e-messages only,
employers, $117 million in
damages after a five-year singers wife says
dispute with three compa-
Todd Yates/Caller-Times

nies over two natural gas BY MIKE BAIRD

plant projects in Louisiana. Caller Times
1D An outpouring of support for Freddy Fender had
the legendary musician and his wife fending off
well-intentioned visitors and phone callers to
PAGE 2 their home Wednesday after news of his strug-
Elvis teddy bear A road closed sign sits on Wednesday near the Padre Island seawall and Whitecap Boulevard. gle with cancer.
All the people call-
all shook to pieces

11,000 sign petition

ing, coming over and TO REACH
A guard dog has ripped praying for Freddy is
heartfelt, said Vangie
FREDDY
apart a collection of rare Freddy and his wife
teddy bears, including one Huerta, his wife of 50
years. Weve had lots request fans communi-
once owned by Elvis Presley, cate with them by e-
during a rampage at a chil- of calls, and even had to mail at vangie@
drens museum. 2A put some no trespass- freddyfender.com or
Group wants all April.
The petition has more than
needed to force a vote.
Mayor Henry Garrett said the
ing signs out to keep
fans from coming onto
to sign Freddys guest
book and leave mes-

issues on ballot 11,000 signatures, which if verified,

at the same time
BY DENISE MALAN
Caller-Times
A group fighting the citys proposed
vehicle ban on a Padre Island beach
plans to turn in a second petition
today.
The Beach Access Coalition will
ask the City Council to place a char-
ter amendment on the ballot with
other vehicle ban issues, whether
the election is in November or
would be more than enough to force
coalitions move did not surprise
him, but he worried about ballot
our humble property.
Huerta said theyre
sages on his Web site
Freddyfender.com,
where you can read
an issue on a charter amendment language becoming confusing. appreciative of the
that would put all future beach
vehicle bans to a vote, coalition
Hopefully we can educate (vot-
ers) enough to know what is on the
strong show of support,
but it has been exhaust-
other friends and fans
comments. Fans also
can e-mail and get
members said. About a dozen ballot and what theyre voting for, ing for her husband. She details about con-
members of the coalition met Garrett said. added that the family tributing to a scholar-
Wednesday night and voted to turn The council voted in March to prefers well-wishers con- ship fund in his name.
in their petition earlier than close 7,200 feet of beach to vehicles tact them through e-mail
planned because the council is con- after developer Paul Schexnailder or Fenders Web site.
sidering moving up an election on said the ban was necessary to make The 69-year-old Grammy winner and Bill-
the issue. two proposed resorts feasible. The board chart-topper said Tuesday the 11 cancer-
I think its extremely risky for ban would take cars off the beach ous lumps on his lungs havent hurt his voice
us not to turn it in, group between the Packery Channel south and, despite losing 25 pounds, he still feels like
spokesman Mike McCutchon said.
About 7,000 valid signatures are Please see PETITION 8A Please see FENDER 9A

Index
Y
IDA
Corrections/
A NEWS

Clarifications 2A
Sudoku 2A
Editorials 12A
FR
ACTIVE Caribbean nations wary
Calendar 2B
B LOCAL
Obituaries 5B
ROCKERS of Tropical Storm Chris
Texas 2B-6B WATCHING CHRIS
C SPORTS Forecasters: System A hurricane watch was issued in Though Tropical Storm Chris is two time
NASCAR 2C Comics 12C-13C We spoke the southeastern Bahamas and the zones away, Caller.com users logged on
Hooks Page 4C Crosswords 12C- with Korn likely to strengthen Turks and Caicos Islands, the in droves Wednesday to keep an eye on
National Hurricane Center said. the storm.
NFL 8C-9C
Golf 10C
13C
Jumble 13C frontman into weak hurricane The watch meant hurricane con- Five-day projections courtesy of the
National Weather Service suggest the
Bridge 12C Weather 14C Jonathan ditions of winds of at least 74 mph system will slide between Florida and
D BUSINESS Davis. Find BY LAURA CANDELAS were possible by late today. Cuba late this weekend and head into the
Markets 4D-5D Associated Press Some 600 tourists evacuated
out how he Gulf of Mexico.
SAN JUAN, Puer to Rico Culebra and Vieques, islands off Coastal Bend residents can stay on top
E THE ARTS spends his Tropical Storm Chris swept Puerto Ricos east coast. of the weather by bookmarking
Entertainment 2E TV 3E Caller.com/weather,
Movies 3E Dear Abby 4E
free time and through the eastern Caribbean on Everybody left, said Jacinto
Wednesday, forcing cruise ships to Jiminez, owner of a hotel on Cule- which contains fea-
Horoscopes 3E learn more change course and tourists to evac- bra. tures including:
F CLASSIFIED about the uate small islands off the coast of The storm was projected to pass
Free e-mail alerts
To subscribe: other bands Puerto Rico as it threatened to at least 100 miles north of Puerto Live Weather Radio
Circulation Department become the first hurricane of the Rico, but could produce strong
coming Storm-tracker maps
883-3800 Tuesday
Atlantic season. gusts of wind and as much as 8 Forecasts
The storm had top sustained inches of rain. Authorities in the Current conditions
Copyright 2006 Corpus Christi Caller-Times to the winds of 60 mph as it moved west- U.S. territory warned of possible Evacuation routes
American northwest past Puerto Rico and the flash floods and mudslides. Advisories
U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Forecasters said the storm like- Satellite images
Bank Center. Outer bands of the swirling storm ly was to strengthen and could hit Supply lists
WEEKEND Instructions on boarding windows
began to dump heavy rains on the anywhere from south of Cuba to
U.S. Virgin Islands on Wednesday John Powell Metz, Caller.com
evening. Please see CHRIS 8A
A08803F1.QXD 8/2/2006
8A . Thursday . August 3, 2006 . C A L L E R - T I M E S
FROM THE COVER
CHRIS From 1A
Florida by late this weekend.
Royal Caribbean, the cruise
line operator, said it was
changing the itineraries of
three ships the Navigator of
the Seas, the Explorer of the
Seas and the Freedom of the
Seas to keep them clear of
the storm.
Royal Caribbean will con-
tinue to closely monitor
weather conditions, the com-
pany said.
Trevor Basden, senior
meteorologist with the
Bahamas National Emer-
gency Management Agency,
said he expected Chris to
strengthen into a weak hurri-
cane as it passed through the
island chain. He said the
storm likely was to reach the
Bahamas on Friday morning.
Bahamian officials advised
people to stock up on water
and canned food and be pre-
pared to take precautions
such as boarding up their
houses if the storm reach-
es hurricane strength.
There were no reports of
major damage or injuries as
the storm skirted the Leeward
Islands.
In Anguilla, Chris brought
heavy rain and strong winds
overnight but the storm was
much less severe than expect-
ed because it shifted to the
north at the last minute, said
Elizabeth Klute, director of
the disaster management
agency for the British
Caribbean territory.
It just kind of skirted us,
Klute said. Its moving on.
Islanders in Antigua and
St. Maarten awoke to a light
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10:31 PM Page 1
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
PETITION From 1A
STORM jetty and Padre Balli Park.
STRENGTHENS The coalition used a different petition to
Tropical Storm Chris swept force a vote on the vehicle ban. They turned
through the eastern Caribbean in that petition in June to put the vote in
and threatened to become the April, along with other city elections. The city
first hurricane of the Atlantic also has a proposed charter amendment,
season. which must be voted on, that would put
future vehicle bans to a vote only if the 7,200
0 250 mi Atlantic
0 250 km Ocean feet were closed.
30
The coalition planned to turn in the sec-
Todd Yates/Caller-Times
1 p.m. Sat. ond petition, to put its charter amendment
1 p.m. Fri . to a vote, in October to ensure the measure
FLA.
would be on the April ballot with the vehi-
1 p.m. Thur. 25
BAHAMAS cle ban vote. The coalition favors an April
4 p.m. vote because the city already is paying for an
Wed. election on council positions.
20
CUBA A November city vote would cost the city Dozens of vehicles park Wednesday along the beach between Whitecap Boulevard and Beach
HAITI DOM. REP. a portion of election costs even though there Access Road 4 on Padre Island. This area is part of 7,200 feet of beach the council voted in
is a general election. March to close to vehicle traffic.
PUERTO RICO
80 75 70 65
Garrett and some council members say
15
they favor moving up the beach votes to council members are undecided on the issue, Chapa has said.
TROPICAL STORM CHRIS resolve the issue sooner and draw higher making it unclear whether there are enough They can all be on the same ballot, Gar-
LOCATION MOVEMENT MAX WIND voter turnout. votes to move the election. rett said. The bottom line is that the people
19.9 N WNW 60 To do that, the council would have to The council can choose whether to put get to vote.
64.3 W 10 mph mph
rescind its vote on the ban, then set a char- the coalitions charter amendment on the
Hurricane watch ter amendment election by Aug. 29 to get April or November ballot if the petition is Contact Denise Malan at 886-4334 or at
Tropical storm warning
the issue on the November ballot. Some verified in time, City Secretary Armando maland@caller.com
Sources: NOAA; Weather Underground; ESRI
rain. There were no reports of BRIA From 1A ident Juan Guerra said the union
major flooding or other dam- was encouraged after learning of
age.
The first named storm of
time every morning to meet the
districts students, teachers and
Brias past experience, especial-
ly with minority students.
Stop! Read This
the 2006 season, Tropical
Storm Alberto, swept over
principals. That open line of
communication is key to a dis-
Bria will return next week to
continue her introduction to the
Before Its Too Late!
Florida in mid-June, then tricts success, she added. community.
plowed northward along the CCISD Board President CCISD trustees voted 5-2 last Remember last summer? Dont want to remember your high
U.S. coast past the Outer Manuel Flores said Bria has been week in favor of naming the electric bills? Dont sweat it!
Banks. It was blamed for one well received by the communi- Washington native as the sole Install a new premium Lennox ultra-high efficiency air
death. ty during her first visit. finalist for the districts top job. conditioning system now and get an instant rebate of $1450.00.
Last years hurricane sea- She has proven herself to be The search began in February, Then, just relax and enjoy your homes perfect climate!
son was the worst in more very approachable and she has after former superintendent Jesus
Were so confident that you will save at least 25% on your
than 150 years of record- shown that she is eager to learn Chavez left the district to become
keeping. A record number as much about the district and the superintendent of Round cooling and heating bills (were projecting more like 35-50%)
of tropical storms and hurri- the city as she can, he said. Rock Independent School District. that we will pay you Double the Difference for one year if you
canes formed, including CCISDs finalist also met with dont.
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