Cleveland Cemetery Association 45th Annual Meeting

The Cleveland Cemetery Association 45th Annual Meeting will be Saturday April 28, 2007 at 10 am at the Cleveland Cemetery Chapel. The Financial Report will be given; new business includes the addition of an acre to the cemetery and election of officers. Current officers are Charlie Ray Fleming President, Bob Reese Vice-President, Ernest Covey, 2nd Vice President, Janice Fellers, Secretary-Treasurer.

Gov. Perry Encourages Texans to Honor a Day of Mourning

Apr. 19, 2007

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today encouraged all Texans to join the Commonwealth of Virginia in observing a Day of Mourning on Friday, April 20, in remembrance of the tragedy at Virginia Tech University. A bell ringing ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. (noon Eastern Standard Time) in honor of those who lost their lives.

“Perhaps by standing with our fellow Americans, ringing bells in our churches, civic buildings, educational campuses, or even in our homes, will help us through the healing process,” said Perry. “I encourage all Texans to stand with us this day, and know that, in time, we will regain strength through our tears, and joy through our prayers.”

On Wednesday, Gov. Perry ordered U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the Virginia Tech University shootings until Sunday, April 22.

“Though our hearts are heavy with sorrow, we find hope in the stories of courage and bravery that have emerged in the aftermath,” said Perry. “Students placed themselves in harm’s way to protect fellow students. Professors laid down their lives to protect their students. Emergency responders raced into buildings without reservation. We are taught that a man has no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. And so they did.”

Attorney General Abbott Takes Action Against Fraudulent Acting School

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Operator of The Actor’s Place, L.A. Summit Talent cited for misleading students

AUSTIN –Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has taken legal action to stop the owner of fraudulent “career schools” from misleading aspiring actors seeking professional Screen Actor’s Guild agents.

According to a petition filed in Travis County District Court, Will Boroski of Round Rock operated The Actor’s Place and its affiliated Web site without obtaining a certificate from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and without legally mandated security bonds. Court documents charge Boroski and The Actor’s Place with unlawfully operating an unlicensed acting career school. The Attorney General also seeks a halt to the fraudulent Boroski-backed “pilot season retreat” known as L.A. Summit Talent in Hollywood.

“Texans will not tolerate deceptive schemes that swindle consumers,” said Attorney General Abbott. “The Office of Attorney General will aggressively pursue anyone who violates Texas’ consumer protection laws.”

The lawsuit alleges Boroski, who claimed a “100 percent success rate since 1998” in finding agents for clients, charged consumers $2,750 to attend his month-long L.A. Summit Talent retreat. This fee supposedly included a luxury apartment with fully furnished kitchen, a rental vehicle with a driver, and an onsite acting coach. He targeted parents with children as well, encouraging them to pay an extra $600 for upgraded private apartments.

Clients who paid Boroski this fee later complained that he did not deliver the services as advertised. Complainants reported that Boroski never led any acting classes at the retreat and said most scheduled classes were later canceled. Although Boroski claimed to have secured more than 400 auditions for clients in 2004-2005, former clients revealed that they did not receive any auditions despite their participation in the retreat.

The TWC held a formal agency hearing pertaining to Boroski’s conduct at The Actor’s Place and issued a cease and desist order to Boroski. He failed to appear at the hearing and ignored the order. The TWC then referred the case to the Attorney General.

The lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, seeks a court-ordered injunction stopping Boroski from operating a career school without the proper state certificate. The Attorney General also asked the court to order Boroski to provide restitution to harmed consumers, as well as to pay civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation of the DTPA and $1,000 per day for violations of the Texas Career Schools and Colleges Act, which protects students.

SENATE PASSES TYC REFORM; PRIVATE TOLL ROAD MORATORIUM

The Senate approved a measure by Jacksonville Senator Robert Nichols to halt for two years the sale of public road projects to private entities.

(AUSTIN) -- The troubled Texas Youth Commission would face sweeping reforms under a bill passed by the Senate Thursday. A legislative investigation sparked by allegations of abuse at one west Texas facility uncovered serious problems at other TYC facilities as well, including retributive extension of sentences and the ignoring of grievances. The bill passed Thursday could serve as a national model for agency reform, said bill author Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa. "We put checks and balances in the system, a lot of transparency, a lot of accountability, to the point that this could serve as a model for the rest of the country on how to restructure an agency that's gone bad," he said.

The bill begins with a complete restructuring of the administrative and accountability staffs at the TYC. An office of Inspector General would be created to police the agency and investigate allegations of wrong doing. The bill would establish an ombudsman to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of services offered to inmates, as well as manage complaints from parents and youths within TYC. A parent's Bill of Rights would also be created, to keep parents informed about policies and grievance procedures, and sentences could only be extended following approval of a specially created review board.

The bill requires that juvenile corrections officers at TYC receive a minimum of 300 hours of training, up from the 30-40 hours they get now, and would disqualify anyone with a felony record. Under current statute, corrections officers can only be fired for cause, and this bill would classify TYC employees as "at-will", making it easier to fire poor performing employees. Corrections officers would also have to be at least three years older than the inmates they guard.

One of the major provisions in the bill would keep misdemeanor juvenile offenders out of TYC and house them closer to home. To accomplish this, the bill includes $47 million for 600 new beds for regional juvenile detention centers. Hinojosa said that youths who commit relatively minor crimes are better served close to home. "They're better off staying back home, so they can receive support from their families, and from their own communities," he said.

Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa describes reforms in his bill to restructure the Texas Youth Commission.

The bill now heads to the House for further consideration.

The Senate also passed a bill on Thursday to halt for two years the sale of public road projects to private firms for operation and management. Senate Bill 1267, by Jacksonville Senator Robert Nichols, would create a legislative study commission to look at the impact of public/private comprehensive development agreements on public transportation. This session, a growing number of legislators have expressed dissatisfaction with the Texas Department of Transportation's recent policy of selling public projects to private entities under agreements that could not be broken or even modified for 50 years o more. Nichols said the state needs to take a closer look at how these agreements will impact transportation in Texas before moving forward. "I believe these provisions need to be carefully reviewed by the public, all entities impacted, as well as the legislature, before many contracts are signed for half a century or longer," he said

The bill exempts certain projects in El Paso, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

The Senate will reconvene Monday, April 23, at 1:30 p.m.

Session video and all other webcast recordings can be accessed from the Senate website's audio and video archive pages.

Federal Court Sentences Hays County Man on Child Pornography Charge

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Offender superimposed images of himself, young relative over sexually explicit photos

AUSTIN – A Hays County child pornographer was sentenced to five years in federal prison today for stockpiling sexually explicit images of children on his home computer. The case was prosecuted by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Paul Anthony Lawrence, 64, of Niederwald, pleaded guilty in February to one count of possession of child pornography. Upon completion of his sentence, Lawrence will be under supervised release for eight years and will be required to register as a sex offender for life.

“Texans will not tolerate criminals who prey upon children,” Attorney General Abbott said. “The Cyber Crimes Unit will continue to protect young Texans by aggressively cracking down on child pornographers and sexual predators. We are grateful to U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton and Hays County Sheriff Allen Bridges for their assistance and commitment to Texas children.”

An investigation by the Hays County Sheriff’s Department led to a search of Lawrence’s residence. Law enforcement officers confiscated a computer and external media from the home, and the Cyber Crimes Unit’s forensic analysis of the equipment revealed images of child pornography.

Cyber Crimes Unit investigators discovered that Lawrence used computer software to superimpose images of his face over those of the adults sexually assaulting the children in several of the photos. Lawrence also cut and pasted images of a young relative’s face over those of the child victims.

The case is one of many pursued under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a national initiative announced by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales earlier this year. PSC encourages the use of multi-jurisdictional task forces to investigate the sexual exploitation of children over the Internet. In addition to tough law enforcement, PSC encourages community-wide campaigns to assist victims and to educate parents, other adults, and children about Internet safety. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

In Texas, investigative assistance in these matters is provided by the Texas Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). In May 2006, Attorney General Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit was awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention to establish an ICAC Task Force. The Texas Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force is one of almost 50 federally funded task forces across the country dedicated to this project.

Attorney General Abbott has earned a national reputation for aggressively arresting and prosecuting online child predators. In 2003, he launched the Cyber Crimes Unit, which targets online predators by assuming the identities of young teenagers in Internet chat rooms, and the Fugitive Unit, which locates convicted child sex offenders who have violated the terms of their parole and could be stalking children. Attorney General Abbott’s initiative has resulted in more than 500 arrests of such offenders. His office also has obtained convictions against 60 men on child pornography charges.

For more information, contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us.

CALLEGARI BILLS LEGALIZE LICENSE PLATE BRACKETS, WARN MOTORISTS OF CAMERAS

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Today, Texas State Representative Bill Callegari passed two measures to helps motorists on Texas roads. The first bill, Senate Bill 369, allows motorists to use license plate brackets on their cars. The second measure, House Bill 1052, requires that cities post signs notifying drivers of the use of red light cameras at an intersection.

"These bills help drivers by providing them fair protections from being pulled over and ticketed," said Representative Callegari. "These bills do not help those that want to break our traffic laws and thereby endanger our fellow citizens. Rather, they help those drivers who want to abide by our traffic laws by providing them with a fair warning of the use of a traffic light camera, and a legitimate justification for using a license plate bracket."

As passed by the House of Representatives, S.B. 369 allows drivers to use a license plate bracket provided that it does not cover more than one half of the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered. The letters and numbers of the license plate itself must be un-obscured. The bill also authorizes the use of trailer hitches, bike racks, and wheelchair lifts that may, when used, obscure portions of a license plate.

The changes in law made by S.B. 369 fix an unintended consequence from legislation passed in 2003 that some law enforcement agencies interpreted to outlaw license plate brackets. Consequently, some drivers found themselves with a $200 traffic ticket for having a bracket around their license plate.

"This legislation fixes a problem that should not have happened," said Representative Callegari. "Provided that the state name and numbers of a license plate are reasonably discernable, there is no reason for a driver to be pulled over and ticketed for having a license plate bracket that reflects their support of their favorite sports team, college, or car dealership."

The other bill passed by Representative Callegari, H.B. 1052, requires that cities that use red light cameras at an intersection post signs warning drivers of their use at that intersection. The bill requires that the signs be posted at a distance from an intersection to give drivers a fair warning, and that they be readily identifiable and readable.

Representative Callegari explained, "I think that providing drivers with a fair warning of a red light camera will go far towards solving the problem of people running red lights. While cameras help cities identify and ticket offenders, they don't necessarily encourage drivers to slow down and stop at a traffic light. I think that posting a warning sign, as my bill requires, will encourage drivers to slow down and obey traffic signals. Moreover, I believe that this would help make our roads more safe."

Once approved, both bills would take effect on September 1, 2007. Senate Bill 369, which is identical to H.B. 348 authored by Representative Callegari and passed by the House of Representatives earlier this spring, awaits final approval by Governor Perry. House Bill 1052 must be approved by the Senate before being signed by the Governor.

April 18, 2007

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

Audio MP3(5.8 Mb) Audio Script Video Video Podcast

COLLEGE STATION – Wet though cool weather improved range and pasture conditions across the state, but some crops took a hit from last week's freeze, report Texas Cooperative Extension agents and specialists.

Wheat and grapes took the biggest hits. Damage varied from county to county in the West Central, Rolling Plains, North, West Central and Central regions, Extension experts report.

"In Concho, McCulloch, and Mason counties the wheat that was pollinating was impacted the most – with a range of 25 to 50 percent impacted," said Dr. Billy Warrick, Extension agronomist based in West Central Texas. "The later-developing heads will need time and environment to produce full test weight grain. The younger wheat that had not headed yet looked good."

In Jones County, less than 10 percent of the crop was damaged, while San Saba and Gillespie counties appeared to have dodged the bullet completely, Warrick said.

In other areas, the assessment of damage to the wheat crop is ongoing.

"Glasscock, Reagan and Upton counties had the most damage. Wheat that was pollinating was injured in a number of samples evaluated. Younger wheat overall looked good," he said.

Grapes, both for wine production and the table, did not fare so well either in many parts of the state.

" It was a white Easter," said Jeff Wyatt, Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Dawson County. "Ten percent of all varieties of grapes were destroyed. Vine loss estimates are still pending."

"The Saturday before Easter was not kind to Pecos County growers," said Jed Elrod, Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Pecos County. "Wheat was the least of producer's worries as the wine grape crop was completely frozen out this year for a reported 100 percent loss."

Despite 4 to 5 inches of snow and near freezing weather, grapes and fruit in the Hill Country appeared to have escaped damage, said Dr. Forrest Mitchell, a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station entomologist, Stephenville.

"We got the most snow I've ever seen in this part of the country," he said. "Temperatures dropped briefly to 30 degrees (F), then climbed back up again."

The snow , which accumulated briefly on vines, may have insulated grapes and other fruit crops.

"I talked to the owner of a peach orchard briefly a week after the freeze," Mitchell said. "If anything is going be freeze-damaged, it's going to be peaches, but his crop was fine. As best as we can tell, we got away."

Here are reports from Extension districts around the state:

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were below average most of the week. Late-week storms brought light hail, rain, freezing temperatures and light snow. Precipitation ranged from a half to more than 1 inch. Soil moisture is rated from short to surplus with most areas reporting adequate to surplus. Corn planting has been slowed by wet fields and cold temperatures. Only minor damage to the wheat from Easter freezes was reported, and most areas reported the crop in good to excellent condition. Range conditions were rated mostly fair to good and improving. Cattle are in fair to good condition. Supplemental feeding has slowed but continues in most areas.

SOUTH PLAINS: Winds from 30 to 50 mph caused blowing sand. Primary field operations this week included emergency tillage to halt the blowing sand, shredding of stalks and listing of crops. Preliminary reports indicate that last weekend's freeze significantly damaged grapes. The extent of the damage depended upon location and variety, Extension agents report. Freeze damage in wheat has not been as significant as was anticipated. However, damage symptoms may take several days more to become apparent. Pastures and ranges are in fair to good condition. Cattle are in good condition, and the slightly warmer temperatures and open conditions should allow grazing to improve. Soil moisture is adequate.

ROLLING PLAINS: Temperatures were cooler with some reports of freezing. A complete assessment on the damage done to the wheat by the Easter freeze is still days away, Extension agronomists report. Friday 13 brought baseball-sized hail to area southwest of Wichita Springs. The wheat crop took a "pretty good beating," Extension agents report. Damage assessments from the hail continue, but Extension experts expect yield reductions of at least 10 percent. Leaf rust on wheat is increasing, but overall, the crop is in good condition, with about 25 percent headed out. Pastures have greened up and mesquite has leafed out. Livestock are in good to excellent condition. Cotton farmers are gearing up to plant cotton in the next few weeks.

NORTH: The corn crop is nearly 100 percent planted, mostly emerged, and in good condition. In some areas, the corn suffered some visible freeze damage but is expected to recover. Wheat that was heading – which includes most of the crop – may have been damaged from last week's freeze. Hail and thunderstorms were reported in some areas. The cooler weather has slowed the growth of warm- season forages. Winter pastures are doing well. No damage has been reported on peaches. Soybeans, sorghum and cotton are being planted. Hessian fly larvae have been found in several varieties of wheat including those most resistant to the pest. Hay reserves remain low, and livestock are a little thin from the winter, but overall are in good condition. Some areas still need rain.

EAST: Farmers are preparing land and planting crops. Warm-season grasses are growing, and winter pastures are doing well. Many cattle are coming out of the winter in thin body condition, scores 3 and 4, some Extension agents said. Other counties reported cattle to be in good to excellent condition. Planting of warm season grasses continued, and hay supplies are still short. Planting of warm-season vegetable crops continued. Fertilization of pastures increased. Hay yields of winter pastures are expected to be better this year, but the high price of nitrogen fertilizers and corn have producers worried, Extension agents report. Cattle prices are steady to higher, with demand remaining strong. Snow fell for several hours throughout the counties, but there was no accumulation. Temperatures fell to the high 30s Fahrenheit.

FAR WEST: Soil moisture ranged from very short to adequate, and crops and pastures are in very poor to good condition. Corn is in poor condition. Winter wheat is in fair to good condition. Much of the area received some adverse weather over the Easter weekend. Freezing temperatures, lasting about about 48 hours, damaged crops. Most fruit on trees was damaged, especially apples and peaches. All watermelon seedlings were killed. All of the grape crop was lost. The extent of damage to pecan crop is not yet known. High winds dried out the topsoil.

WEST CENTRAL: Late-season ice storms and freezing temperatures damaged small grains crops. Damage to wheat fields is currently being evaluated. The extent of the damage to buildings from hail and high wind damage is yet to be determined. There is better news when it comes to range and pastures, with Extension agents reporting "significant improvements" from the recent rainfall. Spring green-up is in full swing with good growth of warm season grasses and forbs. Livestock are in good condition as forage quality improved and quantity increased. The late cold spell was hard on goats, with some deaths in new kids reported. Fruit-tree damage is undetermined. Pecan damage appears to be minimal.

CENTRAL: Soil moisture ranges from adequate to surplus. Grapes and other fruit appeared to have escaped damage despite a heavy snowfall and temperatures right at or slightly below freezing. Some oats and wheat fields were damaged last week from snow and below-average temperatures. Corn and sorghum fields appear all right, having seemingly survived the severe weather. Range and pasture conditions are in good shape. The cold, wet weather has stalled cotton planting.

SOUTHEAST: Weather conditions have allowed some oat and ryegrass fields to be baled for hay. Fertilizer applications have been modest because of high costs. A farm in the Dayton area had damage to several hundred acres of corn, 75 acres of grain sorghum and 125 acres of coastal bermudagrass. The damage does not appear to have been caused by the Easter freeze, and an investigation is ongoing. At this time, the damage appears to be isolated to one farm only. Spring planting was delayed due to rains during the week, and more rain was received over the weekend. Livestock are doing well.

SOUTHWEST: While good rains have improved the agricultural situation, the region remains dry. The last 25-month period has been the driest period on record for a large portion of the region. Late-season cold spells, including a freeze, have slowed the growth of many crops. Young corn and sorghum plants are yellowing as a result of the cold weather, and recently planted cotton may not establish good stands. The region looks green, however, and forage availability has improved. Sorghum, corn, potatoes and some cotton have all been planted and are progressing. More rain is be needed to sustain this spring growing momentum, Extension agronomists said. The cabbage harvest continued; the spinach harvest has wound down. Potatoes are up, but making very slow progress due to the cool weather.

COASTAL BEND: Dry weather prompted producers to irrigate crops in some areas, while the western part of the region received as much as two inches of rain . Cool temperatures slowed corn growth. Livestock are in good condition, with good grazing as pastures responded to the moisture.

SOUTH: Producers irrigated their crops because of dry conditions in some parts of the region. The western part of the region, however, received as much as 2 inches of rain as last week's cold front moved in. The harvest of sugarcane, citrus, vegetables and onions continued. Corn and cotton progressed well. Livestock condition has improved as increased forage on native range and pastures became available.

HOMELAND SECURITY OMNIBUS BILL APPROVED

(AUSTIN) -- The Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that seeks to aid state and local law enforcement in preventing terrorism, fighting organized crime, and dealing with natural disasters and emergencies. Senate Bill 11, by Senator John Carona of Dallas, expands wiretapping measures, increases co-operation between law enforcement agencies, and updates statutes with respect to emergency and preparedness standards.

Senator John Carona of Dallas discusses his omnibus bill to enhance homeland security and emergency response in Texas.

Under this bill, the type of suspected offenses for which police could seek a wiretap order is expanded to include kidnapping, money laundering and human trafficking. The bill would also permit wiretaps to follow the individual, changing the current statute which restricts a tap to a single location or phone line.

With the proliferation of new technologies such as the Internet and disposable cell phones, Carona says law enforcement needs additional tools to stay up-to-date. "All this bill does is allow us to catch up with current technology," he said. "We still have to go through the same judicial process to tap or follow the activity of anyone, this just keeps us current with the technology." The bill would also limit to five the number of prepaid, disposable cell phones that an individual could purchase. Service providers would also be required to keep information related to who purchases these phones.

The bill was amended to allow college administrators and staff to have better access to state school emergency plans and procedures, by allowing colleges and universities to use the resources at the Texas School Safety Center in San Marcos. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst says he wants to look at ways to help colleges prepare and respond to emergency situations. "All I want to do with this amendment is make sure we're doing every thing we can with all of our universities to think through what they would do in a crisis, how do they respond, how do they classify it," he said. "I want to use all the resources we have in state government to help our state schools."

Other provisions in the bill would facilitate aid between law enforcement and emergency response personnel from different cities, require training for local officials on how to use the Emergency Alert System, and permits private meetings when a state or local entity discusses security or emergency procedures.

The Senate will reconvene Thursday, April 19, at 10 a.m.

Session video and all other webcast recordings can be accessed from the Senate website's audio and video archive pages.

Gov. Perry Awards $950,000 in Emerging Tech Funds to Global Contours

Apr. 18, 2007

AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry today awarded $950,000 to Global Contours Ltd. of Rockwell for further development of its patented Smart Concrete ™, a material capable of sensing infrastructure conditions when used to construct new buildings, bridges, highways, dams, levees and tunnels. For example, instead of embedding a sensory device in roads at weigh stations, future roads built with Smart Concrete will become the sensory mechanism. This technology also has the potential to detect infrastructure breaches in buildings and other major infrastructure.

“Technological innovation is the lifeblood of today’s economy.” Perry said. “Texas is making an important investment, literally, in the foundation of our state’s future. By supporting advancing technology projects, such as Smart Concrete, Texans are making a difference in the security and quality of our lives here today, and in the future.”

The grants are awarded through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF), a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005 at the governor’s request. The award will leverage an additional $950,000 received from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army to accelerate the commercialization of this technology.

A 17-member advisory committee of high-tech leaders, entrepreneurs and research experts reviews potential TETF projects and recommends funding for projects to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House.

To date, the TETF has allocated $75 million in grant funds to Texas companies and universities in areas promoting:

• Increasing research collaboration between public and private sector entities through new Regional Centers of Innovation and Commercialization where the seeds of an idea can take root in a university lab and eventually grow into a new product marketed by a new or expanding firm;
• Matching research grants provided by both federal and private sponsors to help innovators acquire the capital they need to bring their idea to life; and
• Attracting more top-notch research teams from other universities around the nation that will help put Texas universities on the cutting edge of technology research and development.

For more information on the TETF, please visit www.emergingtechfund.com.

Spring Continues

Well Spring continues whether we want it or not.

I want it because I like the longer days and warmer weather but my allergies want a vacation...

I almost forgot to tell you about my Easter moisture... I had about half an inch of water in my gauges after the three or four inches of snow melted. This past Tuesday I had another two tenths in the gauges and Tex Wright reports, "Just thought I'd let you know, it got a little noisy under my steel roof this afternoon. we had 2/10 inch of rain and LOTS of pea size hail. It appeared to be soft hail and doesn't seemed to have caused much damage around my place here at the foot of the Santa Anna Mountains."

It sure is helping the flowers, grass, and trees.

We all like the wild flowers this time of year and even I am guilty of taking the bluebonnets and snow pictures, but I haven't seen anything quite like what one of my mentor's, Joe Sanchez, formerly of BradyTexasNews.com and now editor of marlintexas-businesscenter.com sent to me this past week.

I am not sure who took these or where they were taken but these photos will make you stay in your car!

Words of Encouragment

As I struggle with events of the past week my heart is still hurting for my friends at Coleman County Telephone Coop who have lost their loved ones and with those who have lost loved ones in the Virginia Tech tragedy. At the Coop, Janice Fellers, Lane Guthrie, Danny Cook, and Larry Brown have recently lost parents.

As I struggle to find words of encouragement for my friends it is hard for me to find something right to say. I was most moved by the words in a prayer by one my friends, Brother Marvin Hale, in the funeral for Joyce Cupps, "Father, wrap your arms around them and somehow let them know that things will be alright."

I sit here trying to get these keys to talk for me while looking through tears to see the screen, I smile as I think of how Marvin preaches. I often kidded him when we worked together about being on TV someday. I gave him a hard time about having a rooster tail in the morning, or some crumbs in his moustache after we would eat lunch under a shade tree, or about saying "ya know" or "I tell ya" too much in a sermon. For those of you that have never heard him preach a funeral or preach on Sunday I will tell you that he preaches from the heart. He reads this stuff from time to time as well so I should say, "Thank you Marvin, for being my friend."

I realize that Santa Anna is really a good place to live when the worst we have to complain about is the holes in the streets or the neighbor's dogs running loose.

As I think back to my days of working in the service station in Santa Anna I think of how I miss it sometimes. I don't miss the gas pumping, flat fixing, or the oil changing but I do miss seeing the people. I miss Mrs. Guthrie and Mrs. Cupps and the many others that would come by on their way to work or to other places and depended on their cars to get them there and on me to take care of their cars.

Just as I had come to know and take care of these ladies my daughter's Jennifer and Chrystal had come to know and take care of them in a different and more important way these past few months.

I think of those that didn't just help me make a living but those that made my day when they came in, like Mrs. Guthrie and Mrs. Cupps. I think of how important it is to make someone's day. I think of how important it is to make the world a better place. Have you made someone's day lately? Have you made the world a better place?

No matter who you are or what you do, you and what you do are important, whether it is checking someone's tires or checking someone's pulse. Do the best that you can no matter what you are doing and "On my honor, I will do my best..."

Please remember in your thoughts and prayers the Brown, Cook, Guthrie, Fellers, Cupps, Walker, and Wagner families and all those at Virginia Tech.

Hug someone and tell them you love them today.

Thanks for listening,
James

April 17, 2007

President Bush Offers Condolences at Virginia Tech Memorial Convocation
Cassell Coliseum
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Presidential Remarks   Audio   En Español

      Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy at Virginia Tech
      In Focus: School Safety

2:36 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Governor, thank you. President Steger, thank you very much. Students, and faculty, and staff, and grieving family members, and members of this really extraordinary place.

Laura and I have come to Blacksburg today with hearts full of sorrow. This is a day of mourning for the Virginia Tech community -- and it is a day of sadness for our entire nation. We've come to express our sympathy. In this time of anguish, I hope you know that people all over this country are thinking about you, and asking God to provide comfort for all who have been affected.

Yesterday began like any other day. Students woke up, and they grabbed their backpacks and they headed for class. And soon the day took a dark turn, with students and faculty barricading themselves in classrooms and dormitories -- confused, terrified, and deeply worried. By the end of the morning, it was the worst day of violence on a college campus in American history -- and for many of you here today, it was the worst day of your lives.

It's impossible to make sense of such violence and suffering. Those whose lives were taken did nothing to deserve their fate. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now they're gone -- and they leave behind grieving families, and grieving classmates, and a grieving nation.

In such times as this, we look for sources of strength to sustain us. And in this moment of loss, you're finding these sources everywhere around you. These sources of strength are in this community, this college community. You have a compassionate and resilient community here at Virginia Tech. Even as yesterday's events were still unfolding, members of this community found each other; you came together in dorm rooms and dining halls and on blogs. One recent graduate wrote this: "I don't know most of you guys, but we're all Hokies, which means we're family. To all of you who are okay, I'm happy for that. For those of you who are in pain or have lost someone close to you, I'm sure you can call on anyone of us and have help any time you need it."

These sources of strength are with your loved ones. For many of you, your first instinct was to call home and let your moms and dads know that you were okay. Others took on the terrible duty of calling the relatives of a classmate or a colleague who had been wounded or lost. I know many of you feel awfully far away from people you lean on and people you count on during difficult times. But as a dad, I can assure you, a parent's love is never far from their child's heart. And as you draw closer to your own families in the coming days, I ask you to reach out to those who ache for sons and daughters who will never come home.

These sources of strength are also in the faith that sustains so many of us. Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their doors and have lifted you up in prayer. People who have never met you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God. As the Scriptures tell us, "Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

And on this terrible day of mourning, it's hard to imagine that a time will come when life at Virginia Tech will return to normal. But such a day will come. And when it does, you will always remember the friends and teachers who were lost yesterday, and the time you shared with them, and the lives they hoped to lead. May God bless you. May God bless and keep the souls of the lost. And may His love touch all those who suffer and grieve. (Applause.)

END 2:45 P.M. EDT

Apr. 17, 2007

Gov. Perry Orders Flags at Half-Staff To Honor Victims of Virginia Tech Shootings

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today directed that flags be flown at half-staff to honor the lives of the victims of yesterday’s shootings at Virginia Tech.

“Anita and I send our deepest condolences and prayers to the students, faculty and families affected by the tragedy at Virginia Tech,” Perry said. “The loss of these innocent lives weighs heavy on the hearts of Texans and all Americans.”

The governor’s directive applies to all U.S. and state flags under the control of the state. Flags will be at half-staff on the state Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state beginning today until sunset on Sunday, April 22.

Individuals, businesses, municipalities, counties and other political subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

The University of Texas at Austin Darkens Tower
In Remembrance of Virginia Tech Shooting Victims

April 17, 2007

AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin Tower will be darkened this evening (April 17) and will remain dark through Thursday night (April 19) in remembrance of the victims of the shooting incident yesterday at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

In addition, flags will be lowered to half-staff through Sunday as the university symbolizes its compassion and concern for the members of the Virginia Tech community.

Student Government is planning a vigil on Monday (April 23) to express support for the people of Virginia Tech. The starting time is yet to be determined. The Tower will again be darkened on Monday evening in connection with the event.

“The University of Texas at Austin extends its profound sympathy and compassion to the members of the Virginia Tech community,” William Powers Jr., president of The University of Texas at Austin, said in an e-mail to members of the university community. “Virginia Tech’s students, faculty and staff, and their families are in our hearts and thoughts as they struggle to cope with yesterday’s horrible tragedy.”

In the e-mail (http://www.utexas.edu/opa/news/2007/04/virginia_tech17.html) also included below, Powers said he had contacted Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger to express his sympathies and offer the university’s assistance as Virginia Tech recovers from the incident.

University of Texas President Responds to Virginia Tech Tragedy

April 17, 2007

The University of Texas at Austin extends its profound sympathy and compassion to the members of the Virginia Tech University community. Virginia Tech's students, faculty and staff, and their families are in our hearts and thoughts as they struggle to cope with yesterday's horrible tragedy.

When terrible events such as these occur, our community reflects on whether we are being vigilant and doing enough to keep our campus safe. I want to reassure and remind members of our University community that the safety of our students, faculty and staff remains our top priority.

Our police officers regularly review and practice armed subject scenarios and have the full support of our city emergency response partners. Resident advisers are proficient in "lock down" procedures and able to quickly communicate with their residents in case of emergency. Our public affairs office works closely with local media to announce campus shut downs at the earliest opportunity, and the newly installed siren system is just one of many communications tools available to use if we need to move everyone to shelter inside. In an emergency we use all of the multiple channels of communication available to us.

The greater challenge in emergencies is with individuals not knowing personally what to do if they find themselves in a threatening situation or if they have noticed a significant, strange change in someone's behavior. On our emergency Web site, you will find safety protocols for dealing with armed subjects or disruptive individuals (http://www.utexas.edu/emergency/procedures.php). I encourage each of you to review these protocols and contact the university police (512-471-4441) or the emergency preparedness office (512-232-2757) with any questions you may have concerning the instructions. If you wish to make an anonymous report about someone exhibiting strange behavior you may do so at http://www.utexas.edu/police/contact/silent_witness.php. You can contact the University police department by phone at 512-471-4441.

I know there may be members of our community who were touched deeply by yesterday's events. Students who would like to talk with someone about the incident and are in need of counseling support may wish to contact student counseling services at the Counseling and Mental Health Center (512-471-3515) or the 24-Hour Telephone Counseling line at 512-471-CALL (2255). In addition to Counseling and Mental Health Services, the Office of the Dean of Students/Student Emergency Services is available to provide non-counseling assistance to our student community. Those in need of assistance should call 512-471-5017. Faculty and staff may contact the Employee Assistance Program at 512-471-3366.

I have contacted the president of Virginia Tech University to express our community's regrets for the university's monumental loss and to offer whatever support we may provide in the coming weeks. I know the entire University of Texas at Austin community joins me in expressing our deepest condolences to the Virginia Tech community.

William Powers Jr.
President
The University of Texas at Austin

Related Sites:

• Office of the President
• Counseling and Mental Health Center
• Employee Assistance Program
• Emergency Preparedness
  • Emergency Procedures

Office of Public Affairs

MEDICAID REFORM BILL PASSES SENATE

A sweeping Medicaid reform bill, authored by Lewisville Senator Jane Nelson, was passed unanimously Tuesday by the Senate.

(AUSTIN) -- With healthcare costs skyrocketing, lawmakers around the nation are looking at ways to cut costs of government-based health plans without decreasing coverage or benefits. The Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 gives states more flexibility in deciding how to use federal Medicaid funds. The Senate passed one such measure Tuesday, a bill aimed at insuring more Texans while reducing costs in areas like emergency room care. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst said Tuesday's bill was a "huge first step" toward getting a handle on the state's rising health care costs. He added that ignoring this problem could lead to a financial crisis in Texas. "Unless we tweak it, it threatens to bankrupt the state of Texas, and all other 49 states," said Dewhurst.

Senate Bill 10, by Health and Human Services Committee Chair Jane Nelson, would change how the state offers healthcare. It would create a pilot program to look at tailored benefit programs, to increase efficiency and deliver needed services to patients, without paying for services they don't need. It would use federal funds to create a pool to increase health coverage for uninsured Texans. The bill would also set up a pilot program to look at a three-share program, where federal Medicaid dollars could be funneled to pay one-third of private insurance premium costs, with another third coming from the client, and the final third coming from state or charity funds.

Senator Robert Duncan of Lubbock passed a bill to consolidate authority to regulate radioactive material under the Texas Council on Environmental Quality.

Nelson said her bill also addresses the problem of emergency room care. Often, uninsured individuals seek routine medical care in an emergency room, which costs far more than care in a clinic. The bill would authorize co-payment charges for non-emergency care received in the emergency room.

Another important component of SB 10 is preventative care. Nelson said that by increasing the use of preventative programs, like smoking-cessation or weight loss plans, the state could reduce health care costs in the future for the elderly. "We spend so many of our dollars on the elderly, which really is not the majority of the people we serve, but is certainly the majority of our healthcare spending," she said. "And a lot of that is preventable." Her bill would direct the Health and Human Services Commission to look at ways to implement incentives for individuals who take and follow preventative care courses.

Lt. Governor Dewhurst took time following Tuesday's session to comment on the tragic killing of more than 30 students and teachers at Virginia Tech. He expressed condolences for victims and their families, and called on community colleges and universities in Texas to review their emergency procedures to see if there is anything they can change to increase campus security. He added that he wants to amend a bill directed at state homeland security to permit higher education institutions to use resources at the School Safety Center, a state clearinghouse for school security and safety procedures and practices. "That's a start, because none of us ever want to see what happened at Virginia Tech happen again," said Dewhurst.

The Senate will reconvene Wednesday, April 18, at 11 a.m.

Session video and all other webcast recordings can be accessed from the Senate website's audio and video archive pages.

PARKER'S SEX OFFENDER IDENTIFICATION LEGISLATION APPROVED BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Flower Mound Lawmaker's Legislation Targets Child Predators


Austin, TX – Rep. Tan Parker's legislation to improve tracking of sexual offenders cleared an important hurdle last Friday when House Bill 2656 was voted out of the House Committee on State Affairs. The bill, authored by Representative Tan Parker and supported by law enforcement leaders calls for an identifying emblem to be placed on the driver's license of sex offenders whose victims were younger than 14 years of age. Currently four other states place identifying marks on the driver's license of certain sex offenders: Alabama, Delaware, Kansas, and Utah. Parker wants to see Texas become the fifth.

“Child predators commit the most unthinkable of criminal acts,” Parker stated. “My legislation has bi-partisan support because many view this as a way to easily identify these predators and make sure our children stay out of harm's way.”

House Bill 2656 is endorsed by the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) and the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA), both of which see this legislation as a great step toward proactively promoting child safety.

"This extra information could alert an officer to suspicious circumstances that otherwise may have gone unnoticed, like a child predator hanging around a school or park," commented Tom Gaylor, the Deputy Executive Director for TMPA.

Certain municipalities in Texas have already enacted their own ordinances governing where registered sex offenders can and can not reside or socialize. Among common prohibited areas are places where children are known to gather, such as playgrounds and schools. With Parker's legislation, apartment managers, realtors, police officers, school employees, children's volunteer groups, community groups, and other organizations will be given an effective tool for identifying child predators and ensuring they conform to state and local laws.

At a recent committee hearing, House Bill 2656 was also supported by the Texas Apartment Association and the Texas Eagle Forum. Parker's legislation must now be scheduled for consideration on the House floor, where Parker will seek the support of the full Texas House of Representatives.

"I see this as a strong preventive measure," Parker concluded. "This legislative body has addressed the need for prosecuting repeat child predators, and now its time to support a law that will help prevent these crimes against children from occurring in the first place."

Elected on November 7th of this past year, Representative Parker represents both rural and urban parts of Denton County which encompass the cities of Flower Mound, Lewisville, Highland Village, Pilot Point, Argyle, Aubrey, Krugerville, Sanger, Cross Roads, Krum, Ponder, Justin, Northlake, Copper Canyon, Double Oak, Bartonville, Trophy Club, and Roanoke.

Serving his first term in the Texas Legislature, Representative Parker is focusing his efforts on further property tax relief, appraisal reform, strengthening border security and immigration policy, promoting fiscally responsible government spending, and protecting family values. As a freshman representative, Parker earned a key appointment to the powerful State Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Human Services Committee, and the Local and Consent Calendars Committee.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Attorney General Abbott Continues Aggressively Enforcing Identity Theft Prevention Law

CVS Pharmacy cited for exposing hundreds of customer records

HOUSTON – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took legal action Tuesday against CVS Pharmacy for exposing its customers to identity theft. According to court documents filed by the Attorney General, CVS violated a 2005 law requiring businesses to protect any customer records that contain sensitive customer information, including credit and debit card numbers.

Investigators with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) discovered that a CVS store in Liberty, near Houston, exposed hundreds of its customers to identity theft by failing to properly dispose of records that contained sensitive information. The investigation was launched after reports indicated that bulk customer records were tossed in a dumpster behind the store. Investigators also found several medical prescription forms that included each customer’s name, address, date of birth, issuing physician and the types of medication prescribed. The documents obtained by OAG investigators also contained hundreds of active debit and credit card numbers, complete with expiration dates.

Media links

Sample Documents in CVS Dumpster (Personal info. dedacted by OAG)

Lawsuit Against CVS

Consumer Complaint Form

News conference video

"Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States," Attorney General Abbott said. "Texas law protects sensitive personal information in order to prevent this widespread crime. Texans can rest assured that we will continue aggressively cracking down on vendors who jeopardize the confidentiality of their clients' sensitive information."

CVS is accused of violating the 2005 Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act, which requires businesses to protect and properly dispose of documents that include clients’ sensitive personal information. Under the law, the OAG has the authority to seek penalties of up to $50,000 per violation.

The Attorney General also charged CVS with violating Chapter 35 of the Business and Commerce Code, which requires businesses to develop retention and disposal procedures for their clients’ personal information. The law provides for civil penalties of up to $500 for each abandoned record.

Attorney General investigators are also working to determine if any exposed data has been used illegally. Consumers who interacted with CVS’ Liberty location should carefully monitor their bank, credit card and any similar statements for evidence of suspicious activity. Customers should also consider obtaining free copies of their credit reports.

Consumers who wish to file a complaint may contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or file a complaint online at www.oag.state.tx.us. Consumers can also obtain information on how to detect and prevent identity theft.

Today’s legal action against CVS is the fourth identity theft enforcement action by the Office of the Attorney General in recent weeks. On April 2, Attorney General Abbott took legal action against Fort-Worth based RadioShack Corporation after a Corpus Christi-area store improperly dumped several boxes of receipts that contained customer-identifying information. On March 14, the Attorney General took legal action against Jones Beauty College in Dallas for improperly discarding student financial aid forms with Social Security numbers and other personal information. Also in March, Attorney General Abbott took legal action against On Track Modeling, a North Carolina-based talent agency that abruptly shut down its Grand Prairie office and abandoned more than 60 boxes containing hundreds of confidential client records.

April 17, 2007
Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576,s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Steve Sturtz, 325-659-6522,s-sturtz@tamu.edu

SAN ANGELO – Texas Cooperative Extension in Tom Green County has scheduled a "Quail Appreciation Day" from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. May 3.

Activities will be held at the San Angelo Claybird Association and the Divided Find Ranch.

Topics will include: "Appreciating Your Quail," "Getting To Know Your Quail," and "The Quail Equation." Dr. Dale Rollins, Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo, is the featured speaker. A tour of the ranch will be presented in the afternoon.

Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered.

To find the San Angelo Claybird Association, take U.S. Highway 67 South toward Mertzon and travel 7.2 miles from the intersection of U.S. Highway 67 and Farm-to-Market Road 2288. Take a right on Duncan Road, and go 2 miles to the main entrance.

Individual registration is $10 by April 27 and $20 thereafter.

To register or for more information, call the Extension office in Tom Green County at 325-659-6522.

April 17, 2007
Writer: Linda Anderson, 979-862-1460,lw-anderson@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Susanne Talcott, 979-862-7095,smtalcott@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – Nutrition: It's not just the four basic food groups any more.

Researcher Dr. Susanne Mertens-Talcott of Texas A&M University is looking into how plant-based phytochemicals, including antioxidants and herbal supplements, can be useful in the promotion of health and prevention of chronic diseases.

This field is still growing. In the U.S. more than $20 billion was spent on dietary supplements in 2005, said Talcott, who is in a joint research and teaching position with the department of nutrition and food science and the department of veterinary physiology and pharmacology.

"Over $7 billion was spent on herbal dietary supplements in 2005." These supplements are plant-based, including grape seed extract, St. John's wort, ginseng and biloba extract, she added.

"In addition to that there is the segment of so-called ‘functional foods,' including antioxidant foods – for example, fruit juices and beverages and grain-based products," Talcott said.

The amount spent on these foods each year "has increased drastically; however, we do not know yet how efficacious these different antioxidants really are in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer," she said. "We also do not know very much about the mechanisms, which appear to include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of these phytochemicals."

This can be important to health since these reactive oxygen species or ‘free radicals' may play a role in some diseases, including Alzheimer's, cancer and atherosclerosis, she said.

"However, other mechanisms, including the prevention of chronic inflammation and interaction with intracellular mechanisms, may be as important in the prevention of chronic diseases," she said. But are they safe? Are they efficient? How much is required? And how much is too much? Talcott is looking for the answers to these questions through her research.

"My overall goal is to find out more about the safety and efficacy of phytochemical dietary supplements," she said. Because these items are already popular with consumers, "we need to follow up with research. We know very little about (dose) recommendations and how safe (they are)."

Phytochemicals, also called secondary plant compounds – including antioxidants – have been defined as chemicals found in plants that have protective or disease-fighting properties ( http://phytochemicals.info/ ).

Pomegranate juice and extract have been the focus of much of her studies. Because these are used in different food products, they are found as ingredients in many different items in supermarkets, Talcott said.

She has also done research on the properties of muscadine grapes and acai, a palm fruit from Brazil, as well as isolated compounds including quercetin and ellagic acid, which are also sold as dietary supplements.

The results of some of her studies were published in the Oct. 13, 2006, edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The article was titled "Absorption, Metabolism and Antioxidant Effects of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Polyphenols after Ingestion of a Standardized Extract in Healthy Human Volunteers."

In addition to her research, Talcott teaches a class on "Special Topics in Phytochemicals of Fruits and Vegetables" for students who are majoring in nutrition and food science. Many of the students are planning to enter medical or pharmacy school, she added.

"It is my goal to give students as much relevant information, which they directly can apply in their desired profession," Talcott said. "Consumers and patients have many questions about herbal dietary supplements, and health care professionals and (members of the) food industry are and will be even more confronted with these questions."

For example, Dr. Joseph M. Betz was a recent guest lecturer in Talcott's class. Betz is the director of the Dietary Supplement Methods and Reference Materials Program Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. He discussed Food and Drug Administration rules as to the differences between foods and drugs and how each must be labeled. With regard to herbal supplements, this can sometimes be a little tricky, he said.

During the question and answer period at the end of his talk, one of the students asked about a recent study on antioxidants. According to news reports, the study seemed to find that antioxidants – especially vitamins A and E – don't have the beneficial properties they are thought to have and may even increase mortality.

Talcott offered this clarification in regard to the study: "This study statistically analyzed many different clinical studies with vitamins A, E (and) C, beta-carotene and selenium. The performed statistical analysis indicated that vitamin A and E and beta-caraotene may increase mortality in some of the selected studies. The meaning of this study currently is being discussed."

The study looked at synthetic antioxidants, she said, which are not the same compounds that she is researching.

"Even though we still have a lot to learn about the efficacy, safety and dosing recommendations for herbal supplements and antioxidant foods, we can be confident to recommend a healthy balanced diet according to the food-pyramid rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. I also would not see a problem with the intake of reasonable amounts of standardized high-quality antioxidant dietary supplements," she said

"It is my long-term goal to see science-based intake recommendations developed for those herbal plant compounds which have a proven potential in the promotion of health and prevention of chronic disease."

Talcott earned a master of science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Bonn in Germany in 1998, and a doctorate in nutritional sciences from the University of Florida in 2004. From 2004-2006, she was a postdoctoral research associate with the pharmaceutics department, Center for Food Drug Interactions and Education, at the University of Florida.

April 17, 2007
Writer: Edith Chenault, 979-845-2886,EChenaul@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Spencer Behmer, 979-845-3411,s-behmer@tamu.edu

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

COLLEGE STATION – They're not afraid of heights, they're voracious, and Dr. Spencer Behmer wants to know if you've seen them hanging out in oak trees or on your house.

They're post oak grasshoppers, and Behmer, a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station entomologist, wants to research their life cycle and behavior.

If you haven't heard of them, don't feel alone. Until recently, most Texans hadn't.

"I didn't see them for the first 25 years of my career," said Dr. John Jackman, Texas Cooperative Extension entomologist. "I would have told you there weren't any grasshoppers that chewed on trees."

Five years ago, he said, the grasshoppers' numbers started growing, and last year, exploded in areas from Dallas to near Corpus Christi.

"We don't know a whole lot about them," Jackman said.

Terry Junek, a research assistant in one of the Texas A&M University department of entomology labs, began noticing the grasshoppers about four years ago. They were crawling up the side of her Wellborn home.

The majority of adult post oak grasshoppers have short wings and are flightless, Behmer said, but they love to climb up trees and houses.

"Last year they were in enormous amounts," Junek said, "and mainly on the east side of my house."

If hordes of grasshoppers on houses aren't bad enough, they make their presence even more obnoxious by leaving frass -- or insect excrement -- behind, which often leaves a near-permanent stain, Behmer said The stain is the result of tannins -- the compound used in tanning leather -- which are found in oak leaves. As the frass dries, the tannins bind strongly to other chemicals. Once this has occurred, stains become very difficult to remove.

The post oak grasshoppers become adults in late April, and from early May to mid-June the females lay their eggs in the soil. A female typically lays five to six eggs at a time in a pod, and will produce two to four pods over her lifetime. In the spring, when post oak leaves begin to emerge, the eggs hatch and the nymphs begin to climb trees to feed. They go through at least five developmental stages before becoming adults, all the while munching on leaves. Currently, they are still in the pre-adult stage, he said.

The grasshoppers prefer post oaks, but Behmer has heard reports of them feeding on other oak and hickory trees, even defoliating them.

To help him find out more about these post oak grasshoppers, Behmer is asking for the public's help.

"If someone thinks they have these grasshoppers, they can e-mail me (s-behmer@tamu.edu ) with general information about where they are," he said.

The exact location of their house isn't necessary, he said, but a zip code and a nearby major intersection would be helpful. If possible, they should send a digital photo of the grasshopper so he can positively identify it. Behmer wants to use this information to begin mapping their location throughout the state and to create a database.

He's also raising the grasshoppers in his lab, with Junek supplying nymphs she has already found this year.

Junek is also giving him other valuable insights gained through personal observations. Last year, when the grasshoppers reached adulthood, she caught them and fed them to her chickens. The chickens readily ate them, giving Behmer a clue that they are not toxic to other animals. Normally, chickens will not eat what will harm them, Behmer said.

Behmer is still not sure what the Easter weekend cold snap will do to the grasshoppers' population, but he wants to study that too. Junek said they were still crawling up the side of house on April 8, even though their numbers were reduced.

Further information on post oak grasshoppers is available from http://insects.tamu.edu/fromthefield/postoakgh.html, and at Behmer's research Web site at http://behmerlab.tamu.edu/index.html .

April 16, 2007

President Bush Shocked, Saddened by Shootings at Virginia Tech

Presidential Remarks Audio En Español

In Focus: School Safety

4:01 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Our nation is shocked and saddened by the news of the shootings at Virginia Tech today. The exact total has not yet been confirmed, but it appears that more than 30 people were killed and many more were wounded.

I've spoken with Governor Tim Kaine and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger. I told them that Laura and I and many across our nation are praying for the victims and their families and all the members of the university community who have been devastated by this terrible tragedy. I told them that my administration would do everything possible to assist with the investigation, and that I pledged that we would stand ready to help local law enforcement and the local community in any way we can during this time of sorrow.

Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community.

Today, our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. We hold the victims in our hearts, we lift them up in our prayers, and we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering today.

Thank you.

END 4:03 P.M. EDT

Governor Kaine Declares State of Emergency to Coordinate Response to Shootings at Virginia Tech

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Virginia, directing state agencies to take all necessary actions to aid in the response and recovery following today’s shootings at Virginia Tech.

A declaration of emergency allows the Governor to immediately deploy state personnel, equipment, and other resources, and to coordinate state and local response in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy.
 
 “State agencies, including State Police and the Virginia Departments of Health and Emergency Management, are doing everything possible to be of assistance to those who were injured, and those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy,” Governor Kaine said.

The Virginia State Police are on-scene in Blacksburg investigating the shootings in cooperation with local law enforcement. The Department of Health has sent the Chief Medical Examiner and additional personnel to the area to assist with the fatalities. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has sent staff to the scene to advise and assist local emergency managers and first responders. The Virginia Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state level assistance. In addition, the state will help coordinate crisis counseling assistance for those in need.

Additional information about the recovery at Virginia Tech will be available online at www.vt.edu.

Separately, Governor Kaine has ordered the lowering of the Virginia state flag in honor of those who were killed or injured in today’s shootings. See the flag status alert on our temporary home page.

Statements by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger

April 16, 2007 | 4:30 p.m.

With me today is the Secretary of Public Safety for the Commonwealth of Virginia, John Marshall and the Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Steve Flaherty. Also present if the Mayor of Blacksburg, Ron Rordham; the chief of Blacksburg PD, Kim Crannis; the chief of Virginia Tech Police, Wendell Flinchum.

I want to repeat my horror, disbelief, and profound sorrow at the events of today. People from around the world have expressed their shock and sorrow and endless sadness that has transpired today. I am at a loss for words to explain or understand the carnage that visited our campus.

I know no other way to speak about this than to tell you what we know.

It is now confirmed that we have 31 deaths from Norris Hall, including the gunman. 15 other victims are being treated at local hospitals in the Roanoke and New River Valleys. There are two confirmed deaths from the shooting in Ambler Johnston Dormitory in addition to the 31 in Norris.

We have not confirmed his identity of the gunman because he carried no identification on his person. We are in the process of attempting identification.

Norris Hall is a tragic and sorrowful crime scene. We are in the process of identifying victims and in the process of notifying next of kin. This may take a while. We will not release any names until we are positive of this notification. We anticipate being able to release a list sometime tomorrow.

We are asking students to contact their parents to let them know their status.

Our investigation continues into whether there is a connection between the first and second incidents.

We know that parents will want to embrace their children. We are not suggesting that you come to campus. However, if parents feel that they must come to campus, we are locating counselors at The Inn and Skelton Conference Center.

As you can imagine, security, investigation, operational, and counseling resources are very taxed at the moment. However, we are getting assistance from the state police, the FBI, ATF, local jurisdictions, and the Red Cross. And we understand the desire, indeed the compelling need to get information on the part of family, students, and loved ones, but unfortunately this is all the information we have at the time.

We are posting information to our website as we learn it. Our communications systems are taxed also and we are also posting information, www.vsp.virginia.gov.

April 16, 2007 | Noon

The university was struck today with a tragedy of monumental proportions. There were two shootings on campus. In each case, there were fatalities. The university is shocked and horrified that this would befall our campus. I want to extend my deepest, sincerest, and most profound sympathies to the families of these victims, which include students. There are 22 confirmed deaths.

We currently are in the process of notifying families of victims. The Virginia Tech Police are being assisted by numerous other jurisdictions. Crime scenes are being investigated by the FBI, University Police, and State Police. We continue to work to identify the victims impacted by this tragedy. I cannot begin to covey my own personal sense of loss over this senselessness of such an incomprehensible and heinous act. The university will immediately set up counseling centers. So far centers have been identified in Ambler Johnston and the Cook Counseling Center to work with our campus community and families.

Here are some of the facts we know:

At about 7:15 a.m. this morning a 911 call came to the University Police Department concerning an event in West Ambler Johnston Hall. There were multiple shooting victims. While in the process of investigating, about two hours later the university received reports of a shooting in Norris Hall. The police immediately responded. Victims have been transported to various hospitals in the immediate area in the region to receive emergency treatment.

We will proceed to contact the families of victims as identities are available.

All classes are cancelled and the university is closed for the remainder of today. The university will open Tuesday at 8 a.m. but classes are cancelled. The police are currently staging the release of people from campus buildings.

Families wishing to reunite with the students are suggested to meet at the Inn at Virginia Tech. We are making plans for a convocation tomorrow (Tuesday) at noon at Cassell Coliseum for the university community to come together to begin to deal with the tragedy.

Norris Hall gunman identified; ballistics match at both crime scenes

Posted 9:15 a.m., April 17, 2007

The Virginia Tech Police Department has confirmed the identification of the gunman responsible for the multiple fatalities at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus Monday, April 16, 2007.

The individual has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui, 23. Cho was enrolled as an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English major at Virginia Tech. Cho, a South Korean native, was in the U.S. as a resident alien with a residence established in Centerville, Va. Cho was living on campus in Harper Residence Hall.

A 9-milimeter handgun and 22-caliber handgun were recovered from Norris Hall. Ballistic tests on the evidence seized from the Norris Hall and the West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall scenes were conducted at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) lab in Maryland. Lab results confirmed that one of the two weapons seized in Norris Hall was used in both shootings.

“At this time, the evidence does not conclusively identify Cho Seung-Hui as the gunman at both locations,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. “With this newfound ballistics evidence, we are now able to proceed to the next level of this complex investigation.”

State, local, and federal investigators spent the night collecting, processing, and analyzing evidence from within Norris Hall. The deceased were recovered from at least four classrooms on the second floor and a stairwell of Norris Hall. The gunman, who took his life, was discovered by police in a classroom among the victims.          

All of the deceased have been transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for examination and identification.

The names of the 32 deceased students and faculty will be released once all victims are positively identified and next-of-kin notified.

The Virginia Tech Police Department, Blacksburg Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, FBI, ATF, and multiple other state and local agencies are all involved in the ongoing investigations at both Norris Hall and West Ambler Johnston Hall.

Virginia Tech Classes canceled for remainder of week

Posted 9:30 a.m., April 17, 2007

Virginia Tech continues to mourn the loss of 33 members of our community. As we move forward, we share the following information:

• Virginia Tech will cancel all classes for the remainder of the week to allow students the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed. The university will re-open administrative operations beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18, understanding that some faculty and staff may wish to take additional time off this week to grieve the loss of fellow colleagues and friends. We ask individual employees to communicate with their supervisors of their schedules for the balance of the week.
• We will close Norris Hall for the remainder of the semester. Staff are currently working to arrange alternative location for classrooms and faculty offices.
• Counseling and other resources are available for students, faculty, and staff. Students may receive counseling at McComas Hall and counselors will be available for extended hours. Counselors will also be available in West Ambler Johnston for residents.
• Employees may receive needed support by going to the Brush Mountain Room in Squires Student Center throughout the day.
• The university will be holding a convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum. This will be the first time the Virginia Tech community will come together since the tragedy to share our collective sorrow. At that time, President George Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Gov. Timothy Kaine, Mrs. Kaine, members of our Board of Visitors, members of the clergy, our students, and poet Nikki Giovanni will share messages of condolence to the family and friends of the victims and words of hope to all of us as we move forward past this tragedy.

Again we encourage all members of the Virginia Tech community to attend. Should the coliseum be full, the event will be broadcast on campus cable stations.

The Virginia Tech community, and the world at large, continues to struggle with these horrible events. We hope these steps will help in that healing process.

Walk Across Texas - Preventive Health Care

Submitted by Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS

Prevention works! Individuals can save a lot of pain, worry, and money by avoiding health problems. Everyone is growing older, and that changes the way we look and feel. Some changes are unavoidable, like gray hair, alterations to vision and hearing, and the loss of skin tone. But others can be controlled to some extent by lifestyle and attitude. Regular exercise is essential to good health. It helps control weight and can be beneficial for problems like arthritis and osteoporosis. Exercise can be relaxing, increase energy, reduce stress, help prevent heart disease, and generally make you feel better.

Keeping a positive attitude and staying busy are two keys to preventive health care. Get involved. Keep up with old friends, and make new ones. Explore a new hobby or leisure activity. Change your scenery, or take a vacation. Try to always have something to look forward to. Make goals and plans for the day, the week, the month and the year!

Any way you define it, fitness is essential to good health. Even moderate exercise makes a huge difference in both how you feel and what illnesses you get.

It is also very important to eat a balanced low-fat diet of wholesome foods to keep you energetic and free of many illnesses. Controlling stress, and avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs are also key preventive strategies. And don’t forget to take naps, relax during meals, and play with kids, or anything else that you consider a healthy pleasure. And finally, think well of yourself. A Good self image is the foundation of good health.

Preventive Health Strategies:
• Stay active and exercise.
• Eat right.
• Control stress.
• Be tobacco free.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol.
• Pursue healthy pleasures.
• Think well of yourself.

Joyce Cupps

It is once again in just a few short days and with great sadness that I tell you of the passing of another one of my old customers, Joyce Cupps. Mrs. Cupps passed away early Sunday morning at the Coleman hospital. She was a faithful customer of mine and Cindy's when we were in the service station business.

She was also the mother of one of my neighbor's, former co-worker's, friend's, loyal reader, and contributor to the News: Janice Fellers.

According to ColemanNews.com, Mrs. Cupps' family visitation will be Monday from 6 to 7 at Henderson's Funeral Home in Santa Anna and the funeral will be Tuesday at 11 at Henderson's Funeral Chapel with interment at the Cleveland Cemetery.

My heart hurts for my friends, the Guthries and Fellers. I understand that a couple of others at the Telephone Coop have lost parents this past week as well.

Please continue to remember those that have lost loved ones, the Guthries, and now the Cupps and Fellers families.

Gone but not forgotten, Mrs. Joyce Cupps.

Santa Anna One Act Play

Santa Anna's One Act Play competed in the Regional One Act Play Contest held this past Saturday in Abilene. The play did not advance to the State competition but LeeAnda Bennett did land on the All Star Cast and Caylie Robinett was named to the Honorable Mention All Star Cast.

This year's Santa Anna One Act Play, "The Women of Lockerbie" by Deborah Brevoort was one of the best I have ever seen.

The Santa Anna play is set on December 21, 1995, the 7th anniversary of the Pan Am Flight 103 crash. Members of the cast are Jarod Jones, Leeanda Bennett, Molly Pritchard, Becca Fellers, Heather McMillan, Adelaida Dean, Caylie Robinett, and Terrence Jackson. The Crew is made up of: Sierra Herrod, Brittany Morris, Michelle Wetsel, Monica Cortez, and Kendra Coleman. The play is directed by Kathy Walker.

Congratulations to the Santa Anna One Act Play on a successful year!

RANKIN – MOORE TO EXCHANGE VOWS - APRIL 28TH 2007

Jay Lee and Shirley Jane Rankin, of Coleman and Chris and Jerilyn Moore, of Springtown, Texas would like to announce the approaching marriage of their children Stacie Rankin and Seth Moore.

Found

There was a black and white border collie wandering around our neighborhood all day Saturday and I received this from Terry Taylor:

Found on second Street by Santa Anna Grocery, a small fluffy dog. If it is yours and you can describe it or if you would like to give it a good home (preferably with a fenced in yard it cannot escape from) please call. 214-0697.

Vegetable Gardening with Ernie Yates

Submitted by Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS

6:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 17
On, Tuesday, April 17, Ernie Yates, a Coleman County Master Garden Volunteer, will present a Better Living for Texans program on Gardening. Come to the Loaves and Fishes building on the corner of Nueces and Pecan in Coleman, for some delightful ideas on how to grow garden vegetables and how to handle fruits and garden vegetables safely.

You may recognize Ernie as the current writer of the “Gardening 101" column in the Coleman County Chronicle and Democratic Voice.

All interested persons are welcome to attend. For more information, call County Extension Agent, Debbie Hailey, at 325-625-4519.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Woodlands Child Predator Caught by Cyber Crimes Unit Receives Four-Year Prison Sentence

William Noel Shrum pleads guilty to eight felony counts for child sex crimes

HOUSTON – A former church maintenance worker arrested by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit was sentenced to four years in prison for storing child pornography and sexually soliciting a child online.

William Noel Shrum, 26, of The Woodlands, was sentenced Friday in 410th District Court after pleading guilty to five counts of child pornography possession, a third-degree felony. He also pleaded guilty to one count each of online solicitation of a minor, attempted aggravated sexual assault, and attempted sexual performance by a child, all second-degree felonies.

Media links
William Shrum	Video of William Shrum's arrest

“Texans will not tolerate criminals who prey upon our children,” Attorney General Abbott said. “The Cyber Crimes Unit will continue its aggressive crackdown on sexual predators and child pornographers. We are grateful to Montgomery County District Attorney Michael McDougal and the Shenandoah Police Department for their tremendous assistance with this case.”

Cyber Crimes Unit investigators and Shenandoah Police Department officers arrested Shrum in July 2006 after he arranged to meet and sexually assault someone he believed to be a 13-year-old child he had propositioned over the Internet. When he arrived, Shrum discovered the “child” was an undercover Cyber Crimes Unit investigator who had posed as an underage girl online. Forensic analysis conducted by the Cyber Crimes Unit revealed child pornography on Shrum’s computer. At the time of his arrest, Shrum was employed as a maintenance worker at a church in The Woodlands. The church also runs an elementary school.

Attorney General Abbott has earned a national reputation for aggressively arresting and prosecuting child predators. In 2003, he launched the Cyber Crimes Unit, which targets online predators by assuming the identities of young teenagers in Internet chat rooms, and the Fugitive Unit, which locates convicted child sex offenders who have violated the terms of their parole and could be stalking children. Attorney General Abbott’s initiative has netted more than 500 arrests of such offenders. His office also has obtained convictions against 61 men on child pornography charges.

For more information, contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us.

SENATE APPROVES CHARTER SCHOOL REFORM BILL

Plano Senator Florence Shapiro's bill that would provide facilities funding for well-performing charter schools and allow the state to close poor performing charter schools was passed by the Senate Monday.

(AUSTIN) -- The Senate passed a bill Monday that would reward charter schools that perform well, but would permit the state to revoke charters of schools that are poor academic performers. Senate Bill 4, by Plano Senator Florence Shapiro, would create a system where charter schools that are ranked as "recognized" or "exemplary" by the Texas Education Agency two years in a row are given grants to be used for facility construction. Charter schools that fail to pass at least 25 percent of their students in reading and math tests required by the state could be closed. This bill, said Shapiro, will give the state greater latitude to reward good schools, but also remove bad ones. "For the first time in the state since we started charter schools, we finally have a mechanism to close those that are bad actors," she said.

Another bill tentatively passed Monday would change the way the state determines U.S. Congressional Districts received tentative approval Monday. The bill by San Antonio Senator Jeff Wentworth would give a bipartisan redistricting committee authority to draw congressional lines in the state. Each chamber would appoint four members to the committee, two from each major party. This committee would meet from February to June in every year that redistricting occurs, which is normally the year after the national census is taken. Should the committee deadlock over a district map, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court could appoint a ninth member to break the tie. The bill is expected to face a final vote Tuesday.

The Senate will reconvene Tuesday, April 17, at 11 a.m.

Session video and all other webcast recordings can be accessed from the Senate website's audio and video archive pages.

April 16, 2007

Feral hogs are becoming more proliferate throughout Texas and are becoming a nuisance in areas once thought to be out of their normal territory. (Texas Cooperative Extension photo)

LEVELLAND - Feral hogs cause serious problems with agricultural production, from row crops to hay crops to livestock and wildlife. And concerns are only growing, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

"Coping with Feral Hogs" meeting will be held at 6 p.m. May 1 in the Founder's Room of the Student Center on the South Plains College campus in Levelland, said Ken Cearley, Extension wildlife specialist.

The meeting will cover problems associated with feral hogs, their biology and behavior, and ways to minimize losses, Cearley said. Speakers also will discuss disease considerations and legal issues.

"If you don't have hogs on your place right now, it may just be a matter of time before you do," he said. "Farmers and ranchers, as well as landowners in general, could benefit from knowing the full array of control options available so they can utilize the ones best suited to their individual needs."

Texas has the largest feral hog population in the U.S., estimated at more than 2 million, Cearley said.

"Even areas thought to be unattractive to feral hogs due to the lack of abundant surface water, such as the arid Big Bend region, have turned out to host significant numbers," he said. "So, I guess we shouldn't be surprised they've shown up in the western Panhandle and South Plains."

Continuing education units for attendees will be available through the Texas Department of Agriculture. For more information, contact Cearley at 806-651-5760, or Chris Edens, Extension agent in Hockley County, at 806-894-3159.

April 16, 2007

COLLEGE STATION – A Texas high school education just got a little more practical. That's because this academic year – 2006-2007 – instruction in financial education is required as a condition of graduation, said Nancy Granovsky, Texas Cooperative Extension family economics specialist.

April is a good time to focus on this subject because it's Financial Literacy Month nationwide, she said.

Extension has a part in providing one of the Texas State Board of Education-approved curricula thanks to a partnership between the National Endowment for Financial Education, credit unions and the Cooperative Extension system throughout the country, she said.

"The NEFE High School Financial Program has been highly successful in the past," Granovsky said, and has been revised for the 2007-2008 school year. The new national curriculum was rolled out by the National Endowment for Financial Education on March 12-15 in Denver, she said. The Texas rollout, by Extension and the Texas Credit Union Foundation, was March 29 in Dallas.

"The Texas law – HB 492 – was signed into law by Gov. Perry in 2005 (and) requires schools to incorporate instruction in personal financial literacy into any course meeting a requirement for an economics credit," Granovsky said.

The 12 required topics are:

- Understanding interest; avoiding and eliminating credit card debt.

- Renting or buying a home: rights and responsibilities.

- Managing money to move from renting to home ownership.

- Starting a small business.

- Investing in the stock market and other options.

- Beginning a savings program and planning for retirement.

- Understanding bankruptcy.

- Understanding the types of bank accounts and their benefits.

- Balancing a checkbook.

- Knowing the types of loans and becoming a low-risk borrower.

- Understanding insurance.

- Knowing the value of charitable giving.

These may sound like simple common sense facts of financial life but they are not, Granovsky said.

"It's not ‘common sense' to everybody if you've never seen it done," she said. "It's not common sense to know how to pick the best credit card; it's not common sense to know how much you need for retirement; it's not common sense to learn how to distinguish between ‘needs' and ‘wants'."

Young adults especially need to have a working knowledge of these 12 items because too many of them are facing financial issues, she said.

For example, the high cost of going to college can be a difficult thing for young people to face, Granovsky said. But through this program young people learn "that's a form of good debt because your earning capacity will be greater than if you did not go to college, in most cases. So advancing your education means investing in your future, even if you must borrow to do it."

The financial education program teaches students practical knowledge of personal finances and develops important skills, Granovsky said.

"We teach kids the importance of education in being able to earn a living," she said. "Now for the first time we have young people learning to manage the money they are earning."

Managing money and establishing a pattern of saving for future needs are growing more important, Granovsky said.

"One of the most important issues for the future of America is financial security in later life," she said. "As traditional pension plans become less common, people's financial future is going to depend on their ability to save and invest wisely.

"Currently people save very little, as shown by a negative savings (rate). When we rely on credit and have more debt obligations, it means less saving for the future."

Then there is the "complexity of the financial marketplace which requires a high degree of understanding about what you are doing," Granovsky said.

Fortunately, she said, "For young people, time is on their side. They can start early to save for the future, which is why personal finance is so vital to learn before graduating from high school."

The earlier young people learn to pay themselves first, she said, the less they will need to save each week, since they will have more weeks in which to save.

For more information about the high school financial planning program, visit the National Endowment for Financial Education Web site at http://www.nefe.org/ . The curriculum and student workbooks are available free to educators. The program meets Texas state educational standards, Granovsky said.

More information on family economics issues can be found at Extension's Family and Consumer Web site at http://fcs.tamu.edu/ .

April 16, 2007

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

Audio MP3(6.4 Mb) Audio Script Video Video Podcast

OVERTON – Farmers can expect nitrogen fertilizer costs to be more than 50 cents per pound of nitrogen this year, said Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension experts.

What's driving the fertilizer costs higher? Several things, said Dr. David D. Baltensperger, head of the Texas A&M University department of soil and crop sciences.

"There are a lot of factors that always go into fertilizer prices," Baltensperger said. "Since the majority of our nitrogen fertilizer at least comes from petroleum products, the price of petroleum drives nitrogen fertilizer prices rather directly."

Baltensperger said that with fossil fuel prices remaining high relative to what was seen two or three years ago, it's reasonable to expect higher nitrogen prices this year. Another factor is the price of corn, and the record number of acres being planted to supply grain for new ethanol plants.

"Corn acreage ... is one of our big nitrogen users," he said. "And consequently we'd expect to be paying the highest prices we've ever paid for nitrogen on a national basis this coming spring."

Not all types of nitrogen fertilizer will be in the 50-cent-plus range, Baltensperger said, but the ones most commonly used by East Texas livestock operations will.

"Anhydrous (ammonia) will probably still be the cheapest source where it is practical to use, but in many cases we have to use ammonium sulfate or ammonia nitrate," he said. Probably all of the last three are going to be in the 50-cent-plus category coming this year per pound of nitrogen."

With nitrogen costing this much, how can producers maintain production without going in the red? In East Texas, the most critical economic crops are improved summer forages, which require high rates of nitrogen for good production. Experts from Extension and the Experiment Station – one beef specialist, four forage researchers and a soils scientist – gave suggestions on how to lower input costs and maintain profitable production levels.

"We talk about in the future, coming up, how we are experiencing high fertilizer prices now and what challenges it's going to have for the cow/calf producer," said Dr. Jason Cleere, Extension beef specialist. "... I think that one thing we have to evaluate ... is the stocking rate on these pastures. We may not be able to be where we have been in the past. We may have to adjust those stocking rates ... and think more on a basis of per unit of land rather than producing as many calves as we can produce."

Dr. Ray Smith, Experiment Station legume breeder and developer of Apache arrowleaf clover, said winter legumes, because they fix nitrogen from the air, can be part of the answer. The legumes require careful management, however.

"One thing we can do to deal with the really high cost of nitrogen in the future is we can add clover and other forage legumes into our pasture systems," Smith said. "We do this generally by planting in the fall and summer, but we need to make plans now in the spring and summer to both soil test and to add lime into these systems so that we are ready for fall planning.

Properly managed, clovers can add from 80 to 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre to the soils, he said.

Dr. Lloyd Nelson, Experiment Station small grains breeder, has been bullish about using over-seeding of annual ryegrass and other small grains to offset the cost of buying hay and supplemental feeds in the past. With current nitrogen prices, he's more reserved, he said.

"Whenever we do this (over-seed), we are going to have to put on quite a bit of nitrogen to make them very productive. I think cattlemen are going to have to look at that very closely and manage these small grains and ryegrass so they can get the most forage out of them without putting on too much nitrogen. It's going to be too expensive."

Dr. Vincent Haby, soil scientist with the Experiment Station, says the easiest, cheapest cost saving management strategy is one that is often overlooked.

"In fertilizing any forage grass, regardless of the prices of fertilizer, a soil test is always advisable to have," he said. "Fertilize based on that soil test. Also there are some crops that do not require nitrogen. "

One of these crops that do not require nitrogen is alfalfa. It was once thought that alfalfa could not be grown on most East Texas soils because of their high acidity. Haby's research has shown otherwise; that with careful attention to soil amendments, a large proportion of East Texas soils are suitable for alfalfa production, he said. (See http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/SOIL/Dec2204a.htm for more information on growing alfalfa on East Texas soils.)

" Alfalfa is one of the options that are available," Haby said. "If you have to put on phosphorus, do not split-apply if soil test is low. Get all the phosphorus out there in the spring. It will be available through out the growing season."

Dr. Gerald Evers, forage management expert with the Experiment Station, said poultry litter is one option to cut costs.

"Particularly in East Texas, we can look at poultry litter as a source of plant nutrients for pastures," Evers said. "It has many advantages: It's a complete fertilizer, it has all nutrients in it, it has organic matter and also helps improve soil quality. The disadvantages are that you can't get it when you need it all the time and don't always know what nutrients it contains. But it can be an option."

Dr. Monte Rouquette, Experiment station forage scientist, said offering specific management recommendations is next to impossible because each ranching and farming operation is different.

Also, individual producers have different expectations when it comes to their operation's bottom line, said Rouquette, who studies how specific livestock and forage species interact to effect production.

"I think the issue that we face with increased fertilizer prices it is not just a single issue," he said. "It's caused us to be more aware and more efficient in our planning of fertilizer, our planting of pastures, and our planning with animals. ... Stocking rate becomes a problem or it becomes an opportunity for us to make good utilization of all the forage that we grow with the proper class of animal."

April 13, 2007

Dr. Yin-Tung Wang, left, describes the growth pattern of a Nobile dendrobium orchid to Dr. Gene Lester. The two Weslaco scientists were recently named Fellows by the American Society for Horticultural Science. (Texas Agricultural Experiment Station photo by Rod Santa Ana III)

WESLACO - Two agricultural research scientists in Weslaco have received the highest honor their professional peers could bestow upon them. Dr. Gene Lester and Dr. Yin-Tung Wang have been named Fellows by the American Society for Horticultural Science.

Lester is a post-harvest vegetable researcher at the U.S. Department of Agriculture ARS Kika de la Garza Subtropical Research Center at Weslaco. Wang is a horticulturist at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Weslaco.

Lester, a native of Iowa, joined the Weslaco branch of the federal agricultural research agency in 1983. His career has been devoted to improving the post-harvest preservation of fruits and vegetables, as well as developing grower-friendly methods of improving the nutritional levels of fruits and vegetables.

"Being named Fellow is the highest, most respected recognition my professional society can honor me with," Lester said.

His work in extending the shelf life of muskmelons began over 20 years ago when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was looking for ways to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for consumption by astronauts on the then-proposed space station, Lester said.

"NASA wasn't interested so much in keeping the fruit edible as they were in preserving the aroma of fresh produce to remind astronauts of Earth and give them the sense of being in a garden," he said. "And they wanted them to remain fresh for one month, which was the length of time between the scheduled arrival of supply ships to the space station."

While Lester is not sure to what extent the space agency used his solutions, NASA's dilemma led him to develop a method to keep cantaloupes, watermelons and honeydews edible two to three weeks longer than normal.

The process involves chilling the muskmelons immediately after harvest and packing them in vacuum-sealed boxes lined with plastic. Millions of these boxes have been used by melon growers in Central America to ship fruit to Europe and throughout the U.S., Lester said.

He also developed a method to preserve melons by spraying them with a mixture of calcium and an amino acid from soybeans, which helped California growers tap into the lucrative Japanese market.

"In the 1990s, it meant growers were selling to a market in Japan where melons sold for $80 to $90 per melon, versus $2 to $3 here," he said.

Other career accomplishments include developing foliar sprays to increase sugars and beneficial nutrients in cantaloupes, and extending the shelf life of cut fruit. His current research includes comparing the nutritional levels of organically grown produce against produce grown using conventional methods, Lester said.

Dr. Yin-Tung Wang, a native of Taiwan, has been a horticulturist at the Texas A&M research facilities at Weslaco since 1984. While he has worked on a variety of ornamental species, since 1990 he has focused on potted orchids and the development of modern production systems, Wang said.

Dr. Dan Lineberger, a professor of horticulture at Texas A&M University who nominated Wang to receive the society's Fellow designation, said Wang's work has helped make potted orchids one of the hottest-selling ornamental commodities in the world.

"As a result of Dr. Wang's exemplary work, he's taken orchids from the realm of specialty crop to commodity crop," Lineberger said. "He has developed fertilization protocols and addressed cultural requirements for post-harvest handling to maximize sales and customer satisfaction. Dr. Wang is regarded worldwide as the ‘go to' expert for sound research on orchid production."

Wang has written more than 70 refereed publications and many articles for the industry and popular press, received over $1 million in grants and gifts for his research, and served as mentor and professor for many students studying for advanced degrees in horticulture, Lineberger said.

"Only members who have achieved at the highest level of research and scholarly accomplishments are nominated and selected for designation as a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science," he said.

"I am honored and humbled to be named as a Fellow by the Society and thank all of those inside and outside the industry who have helped me in my endeavors over the years," Wang said.

In addition to his work with the horticulture society, Wang has been active in the American Orchid Society and was recently elected executive secretary of the International Commercial Orchid Growers Organization.

Founded in 1903, the society is the largest organization dedicated to advancing horticultural research, education and application. Its 3,500 members include researchers, faculty, extension agents, federal and state experiment station employees, growers and distributors of horticultural products.

April 13, 2007

AMARILLO - The High Plains wheat crop appears to have escaped injury from temperatures that dipped into the low 20s F for an extended period, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

After scouting several regions and visiting with concerned producers, Dr. Brent Bean, Extension agronomist, said he thinks the wheat denseness and the soil temperature may have insulated the crop from the cold.

Using the weather station data from the Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration Network, Bean determined that the southwest corner of the Panhandle, in the Bovina-Muleshoe-Dimmitt area, was the most likely area for damage.

"That's where it was the coldest for the longest, and more than likely, if there was any injury, it should have been seen there," he said on Thursday after scouting that region. "It is a little early, but preliminary observations indicate the wheat came out of the cold conditions in surprisingly good shape."

The reason, Bean said, is the wheat has a good canopy and soil temperatures were warming prior to the cold front moving into the area. That tended to insulate the wheat against the air temperatures.

Some temperatures dropped to 24 F in that region, he said, staying below 26 F for more than 30 hours.

"Those are temperatures where we certainly can get freeze damage," Bean said. "We've seen a little bit of leaf burn, but surprisingly not even much of that."

And leaf burn does not indicate a loss of production. Producers should recheck their fields next week, after possible freeze injury symptoms have had more time to show up, Bean said.

Freeze damage has to be analyzed by splitting the tiller and looking at the immature head, he said. If it is green, it is OK. He said because temperatures have been fairly cool since the freeze, it is possible that once it heats up, some injury might start to show up.

"But right now, it looks very promising," Bean said.

April 13, 2007

ODESSA – Helping kids better understand agriculture is the goal of Texas Cooperative Extension's Kids, Kows & More Expo. The event is scheduled for April 30-May 2 at the Ector County Coliseum Outback Arena in Odessa.

MaryJo Toomire, Extension agent for family and consumer sciences in Ector County, said the sixth annual event will draw fourth graders from Ector, Winkler, Crane and Andrews counties.

"We're expecting more than 1,800 participants this year," Toomire said. "That will be a record for us."

The program is a fun, entertaining learning experience for the students and their teachers, she said. This year's program will feature a mobile dairy classroom, and presentations on beef, pecans, sheep and goats, honey bees and water.

The sessions have been planned to teach children where their food comes from.

Volunteers are needed for the Expo, Toomire said.

"Seventy volunteers were needed to conduct last year's program," she said. "We'll need even more volunteers this year, because we've added the two Winkler County schools."

Planning the program is a year-around effort, Toomire said.

"We meet monthly to recruit schools, identify sponsors, train and recruit volunteers, and identify educational presenters," she said. "The program involves 25 community partners who provide materials and financial support.

For more information call Toomire at 432-498-4071.

April 13, 2007

GAINESVILLE – Cletus Fuhrmann knows how to ‘bee' a winner.

Each year for the past three years he's written a honey of an essay, which put him in the first-place spot in the Texas 4-H Beekeeping Essay competition

This year's essay, "The Need for Bees," won him $100 from the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program, the Williamson County Beekeepers Association and the Collin County Beekeepers Association. His essay has been entered in the national competition.

Not bad for a 17-year-old high school junior who has only been in beekeeping for a few years.

"I've been working with bees since I was a freshman," said Fuhrmann, who attends Muenster High School and has been in 4-H for six years. "They are pretty fun to work with, especially when they are swarming all around you and you know you have to keep calm.

"You know they're dangerous," he said, "and it's really (an amazing) feeling you get when you're harvesting honey and bees are flying all around you – you know you're getting something worthwhile and (taking) some risk there."

Fuhrmann, who said he has "been bitten plenty," credits his win this year to the research he did for his essay.

"I had 18 sources" of information, he said, which counted for about 40 percent of his score.

And while he enjoys working with bees, Fuhrmann doesn't plan on going into beekeeping as a profession.

"Beekeeping as a hobby would be fun in the future but I don't see it as my main career goal," he said. "Those who do keep bees for living have to do lot – 300 hives at least."

Currently, Fuhrmann and his family care for six hives, he said. Each hive usually is home to about 100,000 bees. Some of the honey produced by the bees is sold locally.

Fuhrmann is the son of Arnold and Cecilia Fuhrmann. In addition to beekeeping, his 4-H projects have included dairy cattle, and food and nutrition.

Second-place winner in the contest was Rachel Simer of Axtell. Jacob Gosdin of Glen Rose was named third place. They also received cash awards from Texas 4-H and the beekeepers associations.

The competition is sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees Inc.

April 13, 2007

COLLEGE STATION – The American Cancer Society last month recommended that women at high risk of developing breast cancer should get a magnetic resonance imaging – or MRI – each year in addition to a mammogram, beginning at age 30.

"Together, these two tests can give doctors a better chance of finding breast cancer early, thus improving the woman's chance of survival," said Courtney Schoessow, Texas Cooperative Extension program specialist for health education and development.

This year, more than 175,000 women in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer; more than 40,000 will die. And more than 2 million women living in this country have been treated for the disease. So says the cancer society, which goes on to state that a woman has a one in eight chance of contracting invasive breast cancer during her lifetime, and a one in 33 chance of dying from it. ( http://www.cancer.org/ )

However, the agency's information added, "Breast cancer rates are going down. This decline is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and improved treatment."

MRI scans are more sensitive than mammograms, but are also more likely to show spots that may or may not be cancer, Schoessow said. MRIs are also expensive and may not be covered by insurance.

"You should check with your insurance company before going through this procedure because it is much more expensive than the normal checks," Schoessow said.

MRIs are not recommended for everyone as a tool against breast cancer, she said, only women at high risk of developing the disease.

According to the cancer society's recommendations, a woman should get an annual MRI screening if she has at least one of these conditions:

- BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, which must be diagnosed by a medical professional.

- A parent, sibling or child with this kind of genetic mutation.

- A lifetime risk of developing breast cancer that was scored at 20 percent to 25 percent or more, based on family history and other risk factors.

- Radiation to the chest between the ages of 10 and 30.

- Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or a close relative with any of these conditions.

But whether or not any of these conditions are factors, "all women should begin getting annual mammograms at age 40," Schoessow said. "You should also start getting a clinical breast exam as part of your periodic health exam at least every three years during your 20s and 30s and every year if you are over 40."

Following these guidelines can help reduce the risk of breast cancer, she said.

For more information on this and other health issues, visit Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences Web site at http://fcs.tamu.edu/ .

April 13, 2007

COLLEGE STATION – Through its Norman E. Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, Texas A&M University is again playing a significant role in helping revive agriculture in Iraq.

Dr. Edwin Price, associate vice chancellor and director at the Borlaug Institute, along with five other Texas A&M agricultural faculty and staff members, recently traveled to Iraq as part of a 10-person team assessing opportunities to increase Iraqi agricultural employment over the next nine months.

"This team, the Agriculture Team for the Brinkley Group for Business Transformation, was invited and supported by the Office of the Under Secretary for Business Transformation at the U.S. Department of Defense," Price said. "We met with staff representing U.S., Iraqi and coalition forces operating in the International Zone, as well as with U.S. military civil affairs offices, military personnel and members of Provincial Reconstruction Teams."

The agriculture team, which conducted its assessment from Feb. 24 to March 7, met with reconstruction groups in Al Anbar, Baghdad, Salah Ah Din, Arbil, Dhi Qar and Diyala provinces.

After making their assessment, they provided several recommendations for improving Iraqi agricultural employment in the near, medium and long term.

The team's near-term team recommendations include a Tigris-Euphrates basin salination abatement, irrigation and drainage system program and a national campaign to boost crop value-chain efficiency and productivity. Other recommendations for the near term include programs targeted at produce sorting, grading and packaging, and animal feed manufacture.

"Efforts for these programs can be initiated within a few months to achieve a positive impact on increasing agricultural employment in Iraq," Price said.

The team also suggested steps for more medium- and long-term agricultural employment, he said. Those include livestock health and breeding improvement, oilseed production, crop variety implementation, sorghum and millet production, alternative crop selection and planting, and integrated pest management.

"We identified additional medium- and long-term programs, but these were the ones given priority from the perspective of their potential impact on Iraqi agriculture and the relative speed with which they could be implemented," Price added.

While the Iraqi agriculture sector absorbs a significant percentage of the Iraqi workforce, it currently adds far less than it could to Iraq's gross national product, he said. In addition, Iraq's current agricultural output is inadequate to provide the necessary food for its own population.

U.S. government agency estimates vary on the number of Iraqis currently employed in agriculture, with figures ranging from 25 percent to about 50 percent of their active workforce.

To provide immediate help in increasing agricultural employment, as well as to support more long-term efforts to stabilize Iraq's agriculture, on-site expertise is a must, Price said.

"There is a pressing need to support civilian affairs efforts and efforts by the provincial reconstruction groups by bringing in U.S. agricultural generalists with the skills and expertise we see in our county Extension agents," Price said. "They could be posted with reconstruction teams throughout Iraq, and their efforts could be supported by specialists in fields such as integrated pest management, greenhouse horticulture, soil science, refrigerated shipping and storage, and irrigation engineering."

Agricultural experts could be posted in designated areas, but would be available to serve widely throughout the country at the request of civil affairs units, reconstruction teams and Iraqi agencies, he said.

"For Iraqi agriculture to rebound in the short run and rebuild in the long run, it is vital that we have people there who can directly demonstrate the advantages of modern agricultural methods and policies over previous unsuccessful methods and policies," he said. "Seeing is believing."

SENATE PASSES BUDGET

Senate Finance Committee Chair Steve Ogden discusses provisions contained in the $152 billion Senate version of the state budget.

(AUSTIN) -- The Senate approved its version of the state appropriation bill Thursday, allocating $152 billion for state services during the 2008-2009 biennium. This budget is the largest budget ever considered by the state, said author and Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, and it represents major increases to higher education and health care funding, as well as addressing other vital needs. "I believe the budget is balanced, it is conservative, and it is fair," he said. "It focuses on our priorities." He added the budget dramatically increases government oversight on state agencies and pays back deferments the state used to balance the budget in past years.

As in past years, the lion's share of state funds goes toward public education and health and human services. The bill would increase funding to health and human services by 20 percent, for a total appropriation of $20 billion in general revenue. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) would get an 80 percent increase, moving total funding for the program to $1.8 billion for the biennium. Ogden said this amount, coupled with additional appropriations for state Medicaid, will ensure that every eligible child in Texas will receive health coverage.

The Senate budget spends $34 billion for public and higher education, and includes money for last session's teacher pay raises, as well as an additional $500 per year increase in teacher pay. It also increases state contributions to financial aid programs by 33 percent, to $525 million, and increases funding for the Foundation School Program.

Senator Mario Gallegos chats with his wife at his desk in the Senate Chamber. Gallegos, who has been recovering from a liver transplant in his hometown of Houston, made his first visit to Austin since January to add his voice to the debate over the state budget.

Not everyone was happy with the spending priorities outlined in the budget. El Paso Senator Eliot Shapleigh questioned the provisions earmarking $3 billion to ensure property tax cuts in 2010 and 2011, asking why that money wasn't going toward critical services, like education, CHIP, mental health, Child Protective Services, the Texas Youth Commission and others. "In this budget, the priority for the three billion dollars is tax cuts, 95 percent of which go to people making over $85,000," he said.

Ogden responded, saying the budget may not be perfect, but it is a lot better than the state has done in the past. "Every problem you described is addressed in this budget, with huge increases in funding to try and redress some of the grievances you talked about," he said. "This budget, far from ignoring those complaints, takes them head on." He added that the budget can pay for critical needs, and still provide property tax cuts to ensure a constitutional school finance system.

The House and Senate will now come together in a conference committee to hammer out differences between the two versions of the budget. Ogden said he doesn't see any insurmountable differences, and he expects a relatively easy conference process. Finance Committee Vice-Chair Judith Zaffirini said the 26-5 passage of the bill shows how lawmakers from both sides of the aisle worked together to craft a bill that most Senators could support. "Some of us wanted to spend more, a lot more, but some people wanted to spend a lot less," she said. This is a bill that reflects negotiation and serious compromise. It's a good bill."

The Senate will reconvene Monday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m.

Session video and all other webcast recordings can be accessed from the Senate website's audio and video archive pages.

April 12, 2007

DALLAS – Agricultural producers and agribusiness professionals can learn more about the Cuban export market by attending an April 26 conference at the Small Business Development Center-International Trade Center in Dallas.

"Doing Business with Cuba" will help producers, ranchers agribusiness, export service providers and government officials better understand the export market and methods of marketing products, said Dr. Parr Rosson, Texas Cooperative Extension economist.

"This conference is a kick-start for those who want to begin marketing products to the Cuban market," Rosson said. "Our objective is for everyone to come away with their questions answered about trade opportunities in Cuba."

"This workshop will provide the participants with the understanding and tools to enter the Cuban emerging market, which pays cash in advance for U.S. goods," said Cynthia Thomas, president of the Texas Cuba Trade Alliance. "Qualified participants will have an opportunity to join a low-cost Texas trade mission to Cuba in September to turn the knowledge from the workshop into efforts to sign a contract."

Conference topics will include:

- Steps for licensing products to Cuba and ensuring compliance with trade embargo requirements.

- Transportation considerations and infrastructure.

- The Cuban market for food and agricultural products.

- Expected economic growth opportunities in Cuba over the next year.

In addition to Rosson and Thomas, speakers will include Jon Jorgersen of Beil and Company; Victor Cannon, Texana Rice; Rubert Muse, attorney; Larry Luxner, editor and publisher of Cuba News.

Registration is $60 by April 17 and $75 after. Seating is limited. The event is co-sponsored by the Texas Cuba Trade Alliance and Extension. For more information, contact Elizabeth Harris at 214-747-1300.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Attorney General Abbott Settles $2.1 Million Antitrust Case

Investigation uncovers collusion in Bermuda insurance market

AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today settled a $2.1 million antitrust case with a large commercial casualty insurance company that conspired to avoid competition with the same companies that were its own original investors.

Between 2001 and 2004, Allied World Assurance Co. (AWAC) of Bermuda, and companies affiliated with American International Group (AIG) conspired to coordinate bidding opportunities and share client information.

“An open, competitive marketplace is critical to the success of our capitalist system,” Attorney General Abbott said. “Texans will not tolerate anticompetitive schemes that violate the law and drive up prices. We will continue cracking down on unlawful operations that hurt Texas policyholders.”

Under the terms of the agreed final judgment, AWAC is prohibited from coordinating with its founding companies on the pricing, marketing, underwriting or quoting of its insurance policies. Those founding companies include AIG, Chubb and Goldman Sachs. According to the judgment, AWAC must maintain an operational separation from its founding companies. AWAC is also prohibited from using policyholder databases maintained by the founding companies and may not allocate customers or submit bids in a manner that violates antitrust laws.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Mabank Man Investigated by Attorney General Abbott's Cyber Crimes Unit

Harrison Havens, Jr. suspected of stockpiling and distributing child pornography

TYLER – A federal grand jury has indicted Harrison Havens, Jr., 55, of Mabank after an investigation by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit indicated that he used the Internet to stockpile and distribute child pornography.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Havens Tuesday in the state of New York following his April 4 federal indictment on one count of transporting and four counts of possessing child pornography. If convicted, Havens faces up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

Media links

Harrison Havens

“Texans will not tolerate criminals who prey upon children,” Attorney General Abbott said. “The Cyber Crimes Unit will continue to protect young Texans by aggressively cracking down on sexual predators. We are grateful to U.S. Attorney Matt Orwig and the U.S. Marshals Service for their commitment to collaboration and strict law enforcement.”

Cyber Crimes Unit investigators conducted a search of Havens’ residence after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicated that he was distributing child pornography over the Internet. Forensic analysis of computers and external media confiscated at his home revealed several videos of child pornography. At the time of the Attorney General’s investigation, Havens was working as a waste treatment facility manager.

The case is one of many pursued under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a national initiative announced by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales earlier this year. PSC encourages the use of multi-jurisdictional task forces to investigate and the sexual exploitation of children over the Internet. In addition to tough law enforcement, PSC encourages community-wide campaigns to assist victims and to educate parents, other adults, and children about Internet safety. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Orwig said, “This program is successfully utilizing the cooperative efforts of state and federal authorities and combating sexual exploitation of children on the Internet. We will continue to work closely with the Texas Attorney General's Office in eradicating this plague from the Eastern District of Texas.”

In Texas, investigative assistance in these matters is provided by the Texas Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). In May 2006, Attorney General Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit was awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention to establish an ICAC Task Force. The Texas Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force is one of almost 50 federally funded task forces across the country dedicated to this project.

Attorney General Abbott has earned a national reputation for aggressively arresting and prosecuting online child predators. In 2003, he launched the Cyber Crimes Unit, which targets online predators by assuming the identities of young teenagers in Internet chat rooms, and the Fugitive Unit, which locates convicted child sex offenders who have violated the terms of their parole and could be stalking children. Attorney General Abbott’s initiative has resulted in more than 500 arrests of such offenders. His office also has obtained convictions against 60 men on child pornography charges.

For more information, contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us.

4-H News

Lamb & Goat Camp - Howard College
Goat Camp - June 3, 4, & 5th, 2007
Lamb Camp - June 17, 18, & 19th, 2007

Howard College in Big Spring, Texas offers camps for lamb & and goat exhibitors, parents, and leaders. Topics to be addressed are: Selection, health & management, feeding, exercising, washing and shearing, showmanship, and classifying. This camp is a hands-on type instruction and has proved to be very beneficial for young exhibitors.

There is a charge of $85.00 per person which covers lodging, meals and awards. Adult supervision is required. Entrants will receive a camp tee shirt or cap. Camp participants must be nine (9) years old or entering the third grade.

If you are interested in attending, you will want to send in your reservation ASAP. They only take the first 200 paid and complete applications. Come by the County Extension Office soon for an application and more details about the camp.

Horse Project Certification
If you have a horse(s) that you will be riding in the District 7 4-H Horse Show, you will need to certify your horse(s) by May 1st . Forms are available at the County Extension Office.

Livestock Judging
If you are interested in participating in 4-H Livestock Judging, contact us at the Extension Office at 625-4519 (or e-mail: coleman-tx@tamu.edu ) and put your name on the list. We will begin practice sessions SOON. Watch for updates and announcements. We look forward to your participation.

State Fair - Lamb & Goat Validation Tags
Please be thinking about the number of lamb and goat validation tags you will be needing for 2007 State Fair. Deadline to order is April 20th. Please have your numbers to me by April 18th .

District Roundup - Educational Presentations
It*s not too late to get an Educational Presentation together for the District 7 4-H Roundup event which is held in May each year. Educational Presentations (formerly called Method Demonstrations) can be a fun activity that can be presented individually or in teams of two or more. In presenting a demonstration, you *show and tell* how to do something. The subject matter can be a wide variety of topics: Examples: Horticulture, Food & Nutrition, Horse, Housing & Home Environment, Meat Science, Family Life, Promote 4-H, Public Speaking just to name a few. Ask to see the publication titled 2007 4-H Rock On ! Texas 4-H Roundup Guide for more topics and contest guidelines. If you think you might be interested, contact Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS at the County Extension Office.

1 and 1 Web Hosting Service

Want your own dot com?

This is a great time to get it whether you just want it for an e-mail address of your own, like james@yourlastname.com, or for putting some family pictures on the web, or getting your business on the web
1 and 1 is by far your best bet!

Any questions just send me an e-mail and I will be happy to help you get started, or just click the 1 and 1 ad on the left, or any of the links in this article.