County Lines for July 28, 2010

County Lines published in The Daily News:

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Today’s New Lane Closures

LEAGUE CITY — Two middle lanes northbound on Interstate 45 from FM 646 to state Highway 96 in League City will be closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. today and Thursday.

— Texas Department of Transportation

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Quilt Exhibition Flies In For GHF Show

GALVESTON — The city’s historical foundation raises the curtain today on a quilt exhibit at its downtown headquarters.

The quilts belong to seamstress and collector Rebekah Williams Cessna, of Missouri City.

Cessna has loaned 43 of them to Galveston Historical Foundation for “Pieces of the Past: The Rebekah Cessna Quilt Collection,” at the 1861 U.S. Custom House, 502 20th St., in Galveston.

The exhibit is free and open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a special showing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 28. It runs through Sept. 24.

— Galveston Historical Foundation

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Engells Wins UTMB’s Top Cop Position

GALVESTON — The University of Texas Medical Branch has appointed former interim police chief Thomas Engells the department’s permanent leader.

Engells, who earlier this year was interim chief at the medical branch, previously was assistant chief of police at the University of Texas’ M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and its Health Science Center at Houston.

He will begin his permanent assignment Aug. 16.

— University of Texas Medical Branch

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TV Comic Starts Life As An Island Restaurateur

GALVESTON — Television comedian Carlos Mencia will perform the official opening his own restaurant on the island Thursday.

Mencia, known for his Mind of Mencia comedy series on Comedy Central, will conduct Maggie Rita’s Mexican Grill & Bar’s grand opening a week after the eatery began trading at 111 23rd St. in the former Fuddruckers outlet.

The counter-service restaurant is a partnership between Mencia and the Restaurant Resource Management Group, which operates Ninfa’s restaurants in Houston and Serranos in Austin.

Mencia will meet and greet his island patrons Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Maggie Rita’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

For information, call 409-765-7482.

— Mitchell Historic Properties

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City Asks State To Tighten Eight-liner Rule

GALVESTON — City council members have approved a resolution requesting Galveston’s legislative delegation amend the section of the state penal code regulating video gambling machines, commonly called eight-liners.

The city has asked the state to amend the code to the pre-1993 language, which prohibited any game of chance that pays out anything of value. In 1993, the legislature changed the code to allow the machines to award players with prizes, toys and novelties worth no more than $5. The new language makes it difficult for law enforcement to regulate the machines, the resolution states.

Copies of the resolution will be given to state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Southside Place; state Sen. Mike Jackson, R-La Porte; and state Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston.

— Rhiannon Meyers

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City Employees Get Customer Training

GALVESTON — The city in mid-July provided training in customer service and conflict resolution to 100 city employees who routinely deal with residents.

The city will in the next few months inaugurate a series of monthly programs to continue the training.

— Rhiannon Meyers

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Isle Debut For Beach Water Quality Report

GALVESTON — Nonprofit group Environment Texas will release the Natural Resources Defense Council’s annual beach water quality report at Stewart Beach today.

The report, which will include data on Texas beaches’ water quality, a special section on oil on the Gulf’s shores, and a five-star rating chart for 200 popular U.S. beaches, is titled “Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches.”

The group’s executive director, Luke Metzger, and Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski are due to release the report at noon from the outdoor pavilion by the snack bar at Stewart Beach, Sixth Street and Seawall Boulevard.

— Environment Texas

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Choir Features Texans, Turks In Harmony

NASSAU BAY — The students of Bay Area Youth Symphony will have 20 new voices when they present a concert at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Nassau Bay next week.

They will be joined by 20 cultural-exchange students and their choir director from northern Turkey to present their Aug. 5 concert.

Tickets for the public event, at 18220 Upper Bay Road, cost $10.

The next day, the students will perform at the Capitol in Austin.

— Gloria Dei Lutheran Church