Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas • 32

4D Wednesday June 11 2003 BUSINESS Sbilene wwwreporternewscom TIF board briefed on status of Wooten Frontier Texas! and projects By Jerry Daniel Reed Reporter-News Staff Writer Two major downtown: projects remain on target to open next spring while a third project needs someoneto re-open it downtown manager John Dugan repealed Tuesday afternoon Dugan briefed the Tax Increment Financing District Board on the progress of the Wooten apartmenf building die Frontier Texas! visitors center and the old Warehouse sudi things as catered parties and wed-Funding fin: all three have included 1 dings property tax revenue from the down- This use for the building that last town TIF district served as the Railhead Grill in 1999-2000 The TIF district channels tax revenue looks appealing Dugan said we respiting from increases in property haven't been able to market it well as a should be completely transformed into a 54-unit apartment building by late April or early May he said The first two floors will be leased to commercial tenants the number depending on how much space each tenant needs Dugan said Developer Bill Wenson is taking leasing inquiries and plans to start pre-leasing space about six months from scheduled opening Dugan said His Web site is httpywwwhotelwootencom Also scheduled for opening around -April 2004 is Frontier Texas! a $104 mil- lion attraction and visitors center that backers hope will boost Abilene tourism Dugan noted the Frontier Texas! board is advertising for an executive director on the Web site httpVwwwabilenetxcom Contact public affairs writer Jerry Read at reegreportemewJom or 6766769 yalues in a 100-block downtown area to hind improvements in the same area Dugan reported that two potential lessees are looking at the 15JXX) square-fbot building at 901 1st St as a potential events center that could host restaurant at this point" He reported that the $137 million Wooten restoration project is "very close to being on The deteriorated 17-story former hotel at North 3rd and Cypress streets Insurance Continued from ID change? right away The rates will change when their policies come up for renewal Companies that are found to be charging justified rates will not be required to lower their rates After the initial homeowners insurance rates are in place companies that wapt to increase rates will file their proposal with foe state insurance department which will have up to 60 days to approve it or the new rate will take effect The legislation takes a differ-ent trade with auto insurers Starting in December 2004 when companies want to increase rates they will file foe rate with the department and immediately begin charging it If the rates are deemed too high insurers would be forced to issue refimd checks to policyholders The insurance industry has said it remains to be seen whether foe changes will revitalize the insurance market by encouraging new companies to cometoTexas Bill-signing ceremonies also were scheduled in Amarillo and on Tuesday sV i i TALK AS LONG AS YOU LIKE FROM HOME Television Continued from ID 1 KRBC and KTAB plan to share video fbotage of routine Abilene-area news such as press conferences so video photographers can go to more places The stations will also share video of high school football games allowing both stations to put a wider variety of dips on the ah Vbdaksaid KRBC and KACB which show many of the same programs but different commercials and news- casts previously shared a gener-al Paul who is leaving Abilene for other broad: casting work KACB had a sta- tkm manager to oversee day-to-day operations in San Angelo Now each station has a gener- al manager to oversee sales and programming including net- work affiliation and choice of syndicated programs such as 2' Entertainment Ibnight fo Abilene Jorge Montoya a former salesman for KTXS-TV and-KEDZ-Ty joins KRBC as general manager after working in TV sales in Montana the past four years Montoya grew up in Spain attended Rotan High School as a foreign exchange student and graduated from McMurry -University in A 1994 counterpart at KAGBisTomStoyaQ KTAB general manager Gayle KigerwiU oversee all operations -1 at KTAB and services that Mission has hired Nexstar to provide at KRBC and KACB What will not change is foat fans qf ER and Fijends may still tune in to KRBC or KACB to see NBC programs and KTAB will continue airing CBS shows such Xi as CSI and Everybody Loves -Raymond 'Z Longtime Abilene anchormen Bob Bartlett KTAB and Downing Bolls of will remain behind their anchor desks Reporters will also report exclusively for one station KTAB brand of news offers same things that are unique to it and the KRBC brand of hews offers thing that are unique to that station" Kiger said have any plans of muddying up the waters by mixing those things together" Kiger and fodak said neither station will lose any newscasts Vbdaksaid he would like to get more local news an KRBC which should be easier now foat he has restocked the short-staffed KRBC newsroom with new reporters KRBC also has been without a news' director Bince November 3 I Introducing ALL DISTANCE Connections Unlimited nationwide long distance plus local service voicemail Caller ID and more All for just $4895 Say goodbye to that loud ticking noise in your head every time on a long distance call With All Distance service you can make all of your domestic calls for Just $4895 a month You get unlimited nationwide long distance service when you: direct-dial from home plus your local phone service Caller ID and more Call 1-877-PICK-SBC to sign up or to find the right combination of services for you UCAk ol 1-877-PICKtSBC SBCCOM For SBC residential phone custom ri only Long distance servlet offered and priced by SBC long Distance where FCC approve! has been given Includes SBC local telephone company -service and Essential Phone Solution VoteemaH provided by SBC Messaging Equipment required for Caller ID (soma Information may he blocked or unavailable): Taxes has universal servlet extended-area service end Installation extra Excludes calling card cells and long distance for business Or Internet AusllaMity end credit restrictions apply SBC Die SBC logo and AM Distance era trademarks andtor registered trademarks of SBC Properties lP C2003 SBC Properties LR All rights reserved Contact leisure writer Brien Murphy at mur-ptyMreportammixam or 6760760.