The Front Page
Happy Cinco de' Mayo
Santa Anna has a rich Mexican-American heritage that spans many generations with names like DeLeon, Vasquez, Castillo, Diaz, and Salazar. Names that I grew up with and some of which belonged to my best friends.
The fifth of May, Cinco de Mayo, is what many think is Mexican Independence Day but it actually recognizes the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is today more of a celebration of Mexican heritage.
At a time when America is struggling with illegal immigration, as it has since it's borders were formed, I would dare say that most of our forefathers have come here as immigrants, legal and illegal.
Immigration reform is not something new by any means and I am sure that compromises will be made to resolve today's problems, but they must be made within and from the laws that make this country what it is and that is a great place to live.
Santa Anna Junior High Tennis
The Santa Anna Junior High Girls Tennis Team won the district championship. Pictured below are Peyton Morris and Ranee Floyd 1st Place Girls Doubles, Kianna Albritton and Heather McMillan 2nd Place Girls Doubles, Sarah Herrod 1st Place Girls Singles, and Harlie Anderson 3rd Place Girls Singles. Not pictured Spencer Gilbreath and Kenneth McMillan 3rd Place Boys Doubles, and Dillan Whitley 4th Place Boys Singles.
You Might Be From Santa Anna If..
You might be from Santa Anna if you and four of your friends have never seen a telephone booth before..
.. and think it would be fun to see if all of you can get in it at the same time..
Michael, Truman, Colt, Kevin, and Patrick
MOUNTAINEER HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BANQUET
Santa Anna Mountaineer Booster Club will host the 2006 High School Sports Awards Ceremonies on Tuesday, May 9th at 6:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria ( Old Gym). Bar-B-Q Dinner with all the fixins will be served and the Coaches will present awards. We welcome all friends, family & relatives. Cost is $8 (athletes receive complimentary dinner). Booster Club officers for the 06-07 year will be introduced.
The Hype About Hypertension
Andrew B. Crocker, Extension Program Specialist - Gerontology Health
Submitted by Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS
More than half of Americans over age 60 have high blood pressure; but, that does not mean it is part of normal aging. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is sometimes called the "silent killer" because you cannot necessarily see or feel any of its symptoms. You can have hypertension and still feel just fine. However, hypertension is a major health problem. If not treated, it can lead to stroke, heart disease, eye problems or kidney failure, among other things. The good news is that there are ways you can prevent and/or control high blood pressure.
Whether going in for a check-up or major surgery, having your blood pressure checked is a standard procedure for health providers. But, what exactly do those numbers mean and why are there two of them? The first, or top, number is your systolic pressure. This tells you how much your blood pushes against the blood vessel walls as your heart beats. The second, or bottom, number measures the pressure while the heart relaxes between beats. This is the diastolic pressure. If your blood pressure is normal, according to current recommendations, your systolic pressure is less than 120 and your diastolic pressure is less than 80.
For older people, the first number (systolic) often is high (greater than 140), but the second number (diastolic) is normal (less than 80). This problem is called isolated systolic hypertension. Isolated systolic hypertension is the most common form of high blood pressure in older people. Isolated systolic hypertension can lead to serious health problems. If you are diagnosed with hypertension, your health care provider will probably want you to make changes in your daily habits to try and lower those numbers. He or she may also ask you to check your blood pressure at home at different times of the day. If the numbers are still high after several checks, your health provider will probably suggest medication, changes in your diet and exercise.
Try these healthy habits recommended by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to help you control or prevent high blood pressure:
* Keep a healthy weight. Being overweight adds to your risk of high blood pressure. Ask your health provider if you need to lose weight.
* Exercise every day. Moderate exercise may lower your risk of hypertension and heart disease. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week or more. Check with your health provider before starting a new exercise program.
* Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy foods. Also, make sure you are getting enough potassium. Fresh fruits and vegetables are high in potassium. If using packaged foods, read the nutrition labels to choose those that have more potassium.
* Cut down on salt and sodium. Most Americans eat more salt and sodium than they need. A low-salt diet might help lower your blood pressure. Talk with your health provider about your salt intake.
* Drink less alcohol. Drinking alcohol can affect your blood pressure as it decreases the amount of water in your body. As a general rule, men shouldn't have more than two drinks a day; women not more than one drink a day.
If lifestyle changes alone do not control your high blood pressure, your health provider may tell you to take blood pressure pills. You may need to take medicine for the rest of your life. It is important to note any significant changes in your health or level of functioning once you start taking blood pressure medication. The dose may need to be adjusted to suit your needs and this may take several attempts.
If you have high blood pressure, remember that:
* High blood pressure may not make you feel sick, but it is serious.
* You can lower your blood pressure by changing your daily habits and, if needed, by taking medicine. If you need to take high blood pressure medicine, lifestyle changes may help lower the dose you need and reduce side effects.
* If you have hypertension but are controlling it through diet, exercise and/or medication, that's great!. But if another health provider asks if you have high blood pressure, the answer is "yes, but it is being treated."
* Tell your health provider about all the drugs you take. Don't forget to mention over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and dietary supplements. They may affect your blood pressure and may change how well your blood pressure medicine works.
* Blood pressure pills should be taken at the same time each day. If you miss a dose, do not double the dose the next day. Contact your health provider if you have any questions.
* If you have high blood pressure, test it at home between check-ups. Ask your health provider to show you how. Make sure you are seated with your feet on the floor and your back has something to lean against. Relax quietly for 5 minutes before checking your blood pressure. Your arm should be resting on a support at the level of your heart. Keep a list of the results to share with your health provider.
With a little effort and attention, you can make great strides in preventing hypertension from affecting you and your family. You may also be able to effectively control your or your loved one's hypertension. For more information, contact your County Extension Agent, Debbie Hailey at 325-625-4519. You may also visit the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/index.htm.
Regional Track
I took a day of vacation Friday to catch the Regional Track Meet in Abilene. It was quite a day raining most of the time and one delay caused by lightning in the area.
Santa Anna was well represented at the meet with a couple making it to the finals on Saturday. SAHS Freshman, Kendra Coleman, finished second in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 12.60 qualifying for the State Meet in Austin in a couple of weeks.
State Qualifer - Kendra Coleman
Girls Regional Qualifiers
Photos Contributed
LAW ENFORCEMENT UPDATE
Working Together to Protect Senior Texans
Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas
On Dec. 22, 2005, a former Hillsboro nursing home activity director pled guilty to two charges of fraudulent use of identifying information. A Hillsboro Police Department investigator discovered the woman had stolen the personal information of two residents to obtain utility services at her personal residence and then diverted funds from one resident's bank account to pay the bill.
Medicaid fraud comes in many forms, from financial exploitation to fraudulent reimbursement claims for services or products not provided to physical abuse and neglect. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) within my office has jurisdiction to investigate when these crimes occur in Medicaid-funded nursing homes and facilities and works together with local law enforcement to protect senior Texans. In this case, our MFCU investigators subpoenaed billing records and a voice recording that implicated the former activity director, and the case was successfully prosecuted by the Hill County District Attorney's Office.
Identity theft like this is a very common type of financial fraud in nursing homes. Seniors typically have clean credit histories, making it easy for a thief to open fraudulent accounts in the name of a resident. But falsifying identities and documents can be dangerous to the health and safety of residents and patients as well. Last month, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman who was posing as a registered nurse at an Obstetrical and Gynecological physicians' office in Round Rock. The woman gained employment using a fraudulent license and worked nearly a year as a registered nurse though she was not educated, trained, licensed or qualified. The criminal investigation by MFCU and the sheriff's office found that this was not the first occurrence of this woman fraudulently posing as a registered nurse, but it will be her last as the Williamson County District Attorney's Office prepares to prosecute the case with the ongoing help of our MFCU staff.
Many drug diversion scams also occur within nursing homes and healthcare facilities. Last year, a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) at a healthcare center in Brownwood appeared to be "under the influence" while she was working, raising the suspicions of another nurse on duty. A drug count revealed that 90 doses of the painkiller Oxycodone were missing. The joint criminal investigation conducted by the Brownwood Police Department and our MFCU investigators found evidence that the LVN had obtained the drug by fraud, a felony in Texas. She had injected herself with it and then destroyed the resident's narcotic count sheet.
In another case, missing morphine and the subsequent death of an elderly resident led the MFCU and the White Settlement Police Department to investigate the resident's prescribed use of the pain medication. The hospice LVN charged with monitoring the patient's dosage had left the medication unsecured in the room several times and later discovered multiple doses of the medication missing. The resident's granddaughter was eventually charged and received five years deferred probation and community supervision and was ordered to a substance abuse felony punishment facility.
Drug diversion scams and financial fraud against senior Texans is despicable, but physical abuse and neglect are even more heinous crimes. Our MFCU works closely with local law enforcement and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services to bring to justice those whose actions have inflicted injury or death.
On January 17, 2006, an LVN in Wharton County pled guilty to charges of injury to an elderly individual by reckless omission after she disregarded multiple reports from certified nurse aides of a resident’s deteriorating condition. The symptoms progressively worsened over the next few hours without proper assessment, until the resident passed away. The Wharton County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from our MFCU investigators, and subpoenaed cell phone records showed that the LVN spent a significant amount of time on her personal phone during times she was supposed to be caring for the resident.
In Bell County, an 87-year-old nursing home resident died after a healthcare worker transported the resident from her doctor’s appointment, parked the vehicle and then left the parking lot, leaving the resident in an unventilated and non air-conditioned van for over four hours. The case was investigated by the Temple Police Department as well as the MFCU, and the healthcare worker eventually pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide.
When I took office in 2002, one of my top priorities was to expand the work done by our MFCU as part of my commitment to seniors. Funding from the Texas Legislature in 2003 made that goal a reality, and today our MFCU has field offices in Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, McAllen, San Antonio and Tyler. The staff of 196 personnel is comprised of criminal investigators, both commissioned and non-commissioned peace officers, attorneys, auditors and support staff.
Some police departments have also created specialized task forces within their department, such as the Special Victims Unit in El Paso, which conducts training in domestic violence and elderly abuse prevention issues. These types of initiatives offer valuable resources and services to victims and families.
Abuse against senior Texans will not be tolerated. While the majority of healthcare providers and caretakers are dedicated professionals, we will crack down on the few whose actions cause untold pain, damage and waste. Continued cooperation from you is an important key to the efforts of our MFCU, and I commend local law enforcement for your continued diligence in protecting and serving our senior Texans.
Rain
Late Monday afternoon/early evening we had some rain mixed with mostly pea sized and some up to marble sized hail.
SantaAnnaNews.com Official Rain Reporter and Photographer, Tex Wright, reported "As of 8:00PM Friday evening I had just a tad under 6/10 inch in my rain gauge. Counting dead bugs and dust." and then, "Had another 1/4 inch on Friday night" for just about an inch by my CCTC gauge laying in the mud.
He also sent me these pictures and a few words about the wildflowers or lack of:
"In my driving around the country I have not seen any wild flowers like we had last year. the attached picture was taken last year.
Down in the Mason /Fredricksburg area that is usually covered up with wildflowers there are very few places where the flowers show up like they have in the past years.
Some of the patches that I have seen that are worth looking at are:
On Hwy 279 north and west of Brownwood there is an area that is well covered with bluebonnets.
On Hwy 158 north of Bronte there are some big areas of wildflowers. ( this information came second hand)
Jim Spillman said that he had a large patch across from his house here in Santa Anna.
Along Hwy 16 the Bluebonnets are sparse, but in a couple of areas there are some pretty patches ( south closer to Fredricksburg)
On US87 you will find some patches of Bluebonnets south of Mason, but the other wild flowers are beginning to come out.
If you have a patch of wild flowers that would be worth the drive to see let us know."
Blue Bonnets
24 Years Ago
Monday May the First, Cindy and I will celebrate our 24th Wedding Anniversary and I want to be sure and tell her Happy Anniversary!
As old and forgetful as I am getting I better do it while I am thing about it...
Be sure and check out Coder's Corner this week appropriately titled "Marriage can be Fun"!
2006 Homecoming
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