Archive for the ‘News’ Category

If you need to register to vote or update your information, today is the last day to have your voter registration info postmarked.

You can print out the forms here and drop them off for pick up at your local Post Office — just make sure you get them in before the last pick up today!

Early voting begins October 20 and continues through the end of the month.

You can also choose to vote early by mail, but only if you will be outside your home county on Election Day and during early voting.

There are, however, some exceptions. You also qualify to vote by mail if you are:

• sick or disabled
• 65 years or older
• in jail but eligible to vote

Applications for a mail-in ballot must be received by Oct. 28.

Las Vegas school officials could be in Dallas recruiting as early as next week.

Between the two cities, the school district issues couldn’t be more different. While DISD has too many teachers, Las Vegas doesn’t have enough. And why does DISD have too many teachers? Because DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa has somehow managed to run the district almost $84 MILLION over budget this year….and the school year just began a few weeks ago.

And for those teachers looking into the idea of making the move, the choice has both its positives and negatives.

As DISD officials continued to crunch numbers in Dallas, Trustee Ron Price traveled to Clark County in Nevada to learn about one number in particular, 400. That number is about how many job openings the school district there has for teachers.

Clark County’s school district is twice the size of Dallas, and has more than 300,000 students and 18,000 teachers. Its urban setting and diverse student body could make for a smooth transition.

But, will their paycheck feel the pinch?

The starting salary for a new teacher in DISD is just more than $44,000. But depending on education and experience, one could make up to $81,000 dollars.

Calculating the cost of living, Dallas teachers making $44,000 would have to make more than $52,000 in Vegas to maintain the same lifestyle.

The biggest expense would be housing, which on average is 80 percent higher. And while groceries run about 6 percent more a year, teachers could expect to save a bit on utilities.

But in Clark County, teacher salaries start at $35,000, which is $9,000 less than Dallas and a difference of about $16,000 when the cost of living is considered.

Clark County officials say their putting ads in this Sunday’s newspapers in Dallas to reach out to potential employees.

Information related to job fair is expected to be available after Thursday’s layoff vote.

Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott said the state will consider whether to take action based on the outcome of Thursday’s Dallas Independent School District school board meeting. There is the possibility that the State will step in and take over DISD.

During the past two Presidential elections, Dallas-based 7-Eleven has offered it’s coffee drinking customers a way to let their opinions be known. Choose a red cup, and you’re pro-McCain. Blue and you’re pro-Obama.

The promotional campaign kicks off this Wednesday (1 Oct 08) and runs through Election Day.

Is there any validity to this casual poll? Take a look at the results from the past two elections:

2000 election
Presidential candidate // U.S. voters // 7-Election voters
George W. Bush // 47.9% // 51.2%
Al Gore // 48.4% // 48.9%

2004 election
George W. Bush // 50.7% // 51 %
John Kerry // 48.3% // 49%

The commission has voted 7-6 to deny renaming Ross.

That means it will take a vote of 11 members of the council (with Council Member Rasansky abstaining over a conflict of interest) to rename Ross for Cesar Chavez.

A new Texas Lottery scratch off-game will celebrate the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum while giving players a chance to win a limited edition Texas Ranger motorcycle.

The scratch off game’s official debut is being timed to coincide with the opening of the State Fair of Texas tomorrow in Dallas, although stores were to begin selling the tickets Monday.

Lottery officials are offering seven of the 100 limited edition motorcycles made for the Ranger museum by LDT Customs of Vanderpool, Texas. The motorcycles, retailing for $60,000 each, are decorated with the museum logo and features such as “Texas Star” wheels, a cowboy-saddle seat, and “Winchester rifle” clutch and brake levers, according to the press release. The museum received a $1,000 royalty for each bike sold.

Each winner of the limited edition motorcycle will receive a certificate from the museum signed by an active or retired Captain of the Texas Rangers. Their names will be engraved on a plaque at the museum, the release said.

Each $5 ticket buys players two chances to win one of the Texas Ranger Limited Edition motorcycles. Four motorcycles can be won through instant-win scratch-offs. The other three will be awarded through a “second chance” drawing of the game tickets sent in by players, the release said.

The 5.5 million game tickets also offer prizes ranging from $5 to $50,000, according to the Texas Lottery Commission.

As some of our steady readers know, yours truly is very involved with the motorcycle world. I’ve been staying in touch with contacts in Houston regarding the status of the Lone Star Rally and it IS all systems Go!

The City of Galveston wants the rally to take place and come hell or high water, they are looking forward to the 500,000 bikers!

For those of you that have hotel reservations, please know that the phone lines are NOT working on Galveston yet. If you call a hotel, it is being re-routed to their corporate 800# and those staff are thinking it’s all doom and gloom. My contact at the Rally said she was at the Galveston Hilton yesterday and the hotel looked fine. There was some broken glass but that was being replaced while they were there. Keep your hotel reservations - it looks like those are all going to be fine and ready to rock by the time you roll into town.

Here is the official update from LSR:

Dear Friends!
I¹d bet you have been waiting to hear from us! First, let me tell everyone effected that our hearts and prayers are with you and the Lone Star Rally
will not sit idle. We are prepared to help! We too lost our offices and
are working under combat like conditions. We apologize for being difficult to get ahold of.
The good news is that the City has asked us to remain in Galveston and to keep the dates the same. So, The Lone Star Rally will happen in Galveston Oct 30th thru Nov 2! Everything will remain the same only better. We are now officially the Rally to Rebuild! We encourage everyone to come and help rebuild the Galveston economy. Yes, hotels are going to be a little hard to find. Keep watching our website as we will add lodging daily.
LSR will create special logos that can be added to your shirts for a donation to the fund, provide donation centers, a telethon and more, all to help our effected community. Our vendors will serve as trick or treat stations for the kids with candy, etc.
For more details join us at San Jacinto Harley Davidson this week for our second LSR Preview Party. Everyone knows that San Jacinto throws great parties and we could all use one! Plase join us ther this Saturday beginning at 12noon for all of the festivities, parkiing pass sales, Beach boys tickets and much more!
Let¹s show the world how much bikers care and show up in droves to Galveston this year. Jean Lafitte founded Galveston and he will return with his two wheeled pirates to rebuild!
Please watch our website for lodging opportunities. Please be patient with the hotels as they are all trying hard to get back online. Please do not call our offices unless it is absolutely necessary. We are swamped getting re-ready and are operating with limited capacity. Thanks for understanding!
You can help further by emailing this to all of your friends to help us get the word out that all is well and happening!
See you at the Rally!
Ron

If you still don’t have a TollTag — you might want to get one because the savings will add up fast if you the area tollroads.

The North Texas Tollway Authority has announced that it is raising tolls at the Wycliff Avenue gate of the Dallas North Tollway to make them consistent with those at other toll booths.

Beginning Oct. 1, tolls will go up a dime to 70 cents for TollTag customers and a quarter to $1 for other motorists, the authority said today.

The tolls had been lower because of construction between Lemmon Avenue and Interstate 35. Wycliff Avenue sits in the middle of the construction. The construction had limited toll road access to two lanes in each direction. But on Aug. 29, a third lane opened, marking completion of a $50 million renovation project.