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CRUMP, ALLEN & LEWIS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP OF AMARILLO CLAIMS WHOPPING $122 MILLION PRIZE, LARGEST-EVER MEGA MILLIONS® JACKPOT TO BE CLAIMED IN TEXAS

Feb. 08, 2007

(AUSTIN) "The family that plays together can claim together" might be an appropriate slogan for the members of the Crump, Allen & Lewis General Partnership, Ronald Crump, general partner, of Amarillo, that claimed the January 9 $122 million Mega Millions® jackpot.

Ronald Crump, as well as his wife, Clara; Donald Crump; Kenneth Crump and his wife, Peggy; Kelvin Allen and his wife, Cindy Crump Allen; Dean Crump and his wife, Nicki; and Rita and Gary Lewis are all clearly related, at least by marriage, if not by blood.

Together, they have been playing Texas Lottery® games for nearly 15 years, and today the legal entity they formed claimed the $122 million prize they won playing Mega Millions. The Cash Value Option amount of the advertised jackpot is $73,572,690 and the largest Mega Millions prize ever claimed here.

The morning after the drawing, Ronald Crump was reading his local newspaper and checked the numbers on the two Mega Millions Quick Pick tickets he had purchased.

"For some reason, the paper did not have the Mega Ball number, so I called the 800-number at the Lottery to get the information," he said. "When I hung up the phone, I must have walked around my kitchen table 10 times holding that ticket and just looking at it."

Crump called Donald first and then the rest of his family members. "When I called the rest of the family to tell them what happened, I got a lot of ‘uh-huhs,’ and ‘yeah, right’ thrown back at me," he said. "Still, I did convince them to come over that afternoon."

Crump and Donald took the ticket to the safe deposit box at the bank. The three brothers are retired. Ronald is a former postal worker in Billings, Montana. Kenneth Crump retired from the Texas Department of Highways. Donald is also retired. Since the drawing, word has gotten out in Amarillo that the claimants are indeed holding the ticket for the January 9 Mega Millions drawing.

One popular rumor pointed to a local TV weatherman as the claimant. According to several sources, that weatherman had to state on the air that he was not the claimant. As far as the plans that members of the partnership have for their winnings, Clara knew right away what they would do. 'This is for our kids and grand-kids," she said.

Now they won’t have to struggle to go to college. "We plan to help our church, too,"

"The proceeds from the Texas Lottery benefit our state’s public schools, so it is always rewarding to hear our winners tell us that the first thing they plan to do is ensure the educational futures of their children and grandchildren," said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Anthony J. Sadberry.

This Mega Millions win is the fourth and largest-ever for Texas since we joined the game in December, 2003. There is one other thing that all the partnership members plan to do together to celebrate this win.

"There’s a plan to take a cruise next month, all of us," Ronald Crump said. "It’ll be to the Caribbean."

"I think all of us would like to visit new places, go to different countries in Europe, go to the Virgin Islands and Las Vegas, just see the world," said Ronald Crump.

Dean Crump, son of the general partner, said he, unlike his father and two uncles, is not yet retired. "I work for a software company in Amarillo," he said. "I have a lot of people who depend on me and I can’t just walk away."

Taylor Petro Co., Inc. #80, 3400 Coulter Drive in Amarillo is the store where Ronald Crump purchased two tickets. The retailer is eligible to receive a bonus of $1 million for having sold the ticket.

Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot is worth an estimated $65 million. Saturday’s Lotto Texas® jackpot is worth an estimated $34 million.

For more information about the Texas Lottery, please visit the official Texas Lottery Web site at http://www.txlottery.org. To learn more about Mega Millions, visit the official Mega Millions Web site at www.megamillions.com

‘Women of the Land’ Workshop Offered March 24-25

Feb. 5, 2007

ALBANY, Texas — Landowners and other women interested in learning about land management, hunting basics and outdoor skills are invited to this year’s “Women of the Land,” workshop held at Stasney’s Cook Ranch in Albany, Texas, March 24-25.

The weekend seminar will offer a variety of classes to its participants, including: wildlife identification and management, deer and quail ecology, outdoor cooking, rifle and shotgun basics, ranch and wildlife management planning, and healthy streams and clean water management.

Saturday evening will feature an informal landowner panel called “Dessert, Coffee and Conservation,” focusing on stewardship and land management, with plenty of time allotted for questions.

“Talking with the actual landowners who are doing this work is always a highlight,” said Linda Campbell, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department private lands program director.

Another highlight of the workshop is the opportunity for mothers to bring their daughters along.

“The idea is to pass on the heritage of land stewardship,” said Campbell. “This is a good opportunity for interested teenagers who are helping their parents in the ranching business.”

Women age 14 and older are eligible to attend.

“Women of the Land 2007” is sponsored by the Texas Wildlife Association, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and Stasney’s Cook Ranch.

The workshop’s registration deadline is March 1. Cost of the program is $150 for participants arriving on Saturday. Friday night lodging is available for an extra fee. For more information contact Linda Campbell at linda.campbell@tpwd.state.tx.us or (512) 389-4395 or Helen Holdsworth at h_holdsworth@texas-wildlife.org or (210) 826-2904.

A“Women of the Land 2007” flyer can be found online through the Texas Wildlife Association Website. Other workshops of interest can be located on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Web site, and more information on Stasney’s Cook Ranch can also be found on the Web.

———
On the Net:

• http://www.texas-wildlife.org/
• http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/private/workshops/
• http://www.stasneyscookranch.com/

Perry: Selling the State Lottery a Good Deal for Texas

Feb. 08, 2007

Selling lottery to fund cancer research provides more bang-for-your-buck than bonding

AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry today told the Texas Public Policy Foundation that his proposal to sell the Texas Lottery for a 40 year private concession is a fiscally sound proposal that will benefit the state. Financial experts conservatively predict the lottery may be sold for $14 billion, generating an estimated $1.3 billion annual interest based on an average return of 9 percent.

"Selling the lottery will work for Texas," Perry said. "The financial gains the sale will generate can effectively provide a long-lasting source of revenue that can ensure we have the money we need to invest in the great challenges we face."

In recent years, the lottery has yielded approximately $1 billion annually. However, this funding is an unstable source of revenue. Selling the lottery for a conservatively estimated $14 billion allows the state to invest in secure trust funds which would annually generate nearly $1.3 billion interest, $300 million more than yearly lottery returns. Gov. Perry proposes using the annual interest gained from the sale of the lottery to establish trust funds in perpetuity for cancer research efforts, public education, and a premium assistance program for the uninsured.

This session, legislators have discussed efforts intended to make Texas a leader in cancer research. With the sale of the lottery, the state can dedicate $300 million annually to finding a cure. Steady funding is particularly important in research endeavors to ensure uninterrupted progression of scientists' work.

The governor also proposes using close to $800 million in earned trust fund interest to fund public education. The governor's budget allocates additional general revenue for public education to ensure there is no gap in education funding.

"Without the sale of the lottery, legislators must fund cancer research from general revenue or through a bond proposal, which will inflate a $3 billion price tag for 20 years to a total of $6 billion due to debt," Perry said. "If legislators are willing to find $300 million in general revenue to finance bonds to fund cancer research, then why not use a smaller amount instead to make education funding whole under the alternative scenario of selling the lottery?"

Additionally, $270 million in annual trust fund earnings is proposed to create a premium assistance program for the uninsured. More than 2 million uninsured Texans are below 200 percent of the federal poverty limit. Perry's proposed "Healthier Texas" program would help individuals purchase health insurance through employer-based programs or private plans.

"This is a unique opportunity for our state to invest in the pillars of prosperity: education, jobs and healthcare," Perry said. "Let's invest in a better Texas through wise use of our resources and a continued commitment to fiscal responsibility."

Click Here for the Texas Lottery Concession Fact Sheet and Proposed Allocation [77KB PDF]

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT

HOUSTON - With all scheduled tasks accomplished, International Space Station Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Sunita Williams ended a nearly seven hour spacewalk at 2:06 p.m. CST Thursday.

It was the last in a series of three spacewalks in nine days from the Quest airlock. Major tasks of this spacewalk included removing and jettisoning two large shrouds and installing an attachment for cargo carriers.

Lopez-Alegria and Williams moved from the airlock out to Crew Equipment Transfer Aid carts on the rails of the main truss. Pushing one cart with their equipment, including a foot restraint, they moved to the Port 3 truss segment. Their first job was to remove two thermal shrouds, one from each of two Rotary Joint Motor Controllers on P3.

Next, they removed two large shrouds from P3 Bays 18 and 20. The shrouds, larger than king-size bed sheets, provide thermal shading. With the station in its present orientation, they are no longer needed and are being removed to avoid trapping heat. Lopez-Alegria jettisoned them toward the rear of the station.

Afterward, the Unpressurized Cargo Carrier Assembly Attachment Systems on the upper face of the P3 truss was deployed. That was done in preparation for attachment of a cargo carrier during a future shuttle mission. While Lopez-Alegria finished work on the assembly attachment system, Williams moved to the end of the P5 truss to remove two launch locks in preparation for the relocation of the P6 truss.

The final scheduled task of the spacewalk was connecting four cables of the Station to Shuttle Power Transfer System to Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 (PMA-2) at the forward end of the Destiny laboratory where shuttles dock. This will allow visiting shuttles to take power from the station to extend their missions.

Work began on the system during the Jan. 31 spacewalk, and two of the cables were routed and connected to PMA-2 on the Feb. 4 spacewalk. The last four cables were connected to the PMA Thursday. The astronauts did complete one get-ahead task to photograph a suspect connector on the outboard end of PMA-2. It carries station shuttle communications when the shuttle is docked but hatches are closed. Communications have been intermittent during recent shuttle missions.

Throughout the spacewalk, Chris Looper in Johnson Space Center's Mission Control advised Lopez-Alegria and Williams and monitored their tasks. Looper is the chief engineer for the Astronaut Office Spacewalk Branch.

Approximately 3 hours, 50 minutes into his ninth spacewalk, Lopez-Alegria set a record for cumulative spacewalk time by a U.S. astronaut at 61 hours, 22 minutes. Jerry Ross previously held the title with 58 hours, 32-minutes accumulated during nine spacewalks.

The three spacewalks from the Quest airlock in U.S. spacesuits and a Russian spacewalk on Feb. 22 are the most ever done by station crew members during such a short period. Starting from scratch, it takes crew members about 100 hours to prepare for a spacewalk. By doing the U.S. spacewalks just a few days apart, considerable crew time can be saved by not having to repeat some of the preparation.

Thursday's spacewalk was the 80th for station assembly and maintenance. It was the 52nd from the station and the 32nd from Quest. It was the fourth for Williams, the most for any woman.

During the Feb. 22 spacewalk, Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will wear Russian Orlan suits to work on an antenna on the Progress 23 cargo ship docked at the aft port of the Zvezda service module. The antenna did not properly retract when that spacecraft docked in October. The spacewalkers will try to secure or remove the antenna to avoid any interference with the undocking of a Progress in April. The spacewalk will be the 10th for Lopez Alegria and will set a new record.

For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station

Nutrition Expert Advises Parents: Relax

Feb. 8, 2007
Writer: Linda Anderson, (979) 862-1460,lw-anderson@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Sharon Robinson, (979) 845-6379,s-robinson@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – Fruits and vegetables are a basic part of a healthful diet, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's My Pyramid Plan.

But what can a parent do if their children refuse to eat fruit or vegetables?

Relax, said Dr. Sharon Robinson, Texas Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist. The situation may not be as bad as the parents might think.

Picky eating habits are common in children, no matter what their gender, age, ethnicity or family economic background, she said.

So common is the phenomenon, Robinson said, that "21 percent of 4- to 5-year-old children were reported to be picky eaters by their parents."

Picky eating habits in children can be affected by such factors as the child's family situation, personal preferences and stage of development, especially at age 2 when the need for autonomy and independence peaks, Robinson said.

Parents who want to help their children overcome their picky eating habits could follow these suggestions, she said:

Give the child plenty of chances to sample new foods.

"Parents tend to offer a new food three to five times before deciding that the child dislikes the food," Robinson said. "Offer (the food) 10 to 12 times."

Show them how it's done.

Studies show "mothers who consumed more fruits and vegetables were less likely to pressure their daughters to eat," Robinson said, and "had daughters who were less picky (and who) consumed more fruits and vegetables,"

Don't force the issue.

Children who are under less pressure or coercion to eat are less likely to be picky eaters, she said.

Don't use food as a reward or a threat.

Excessive control over children's food choices increases the child's preference for restricted foods and compromises the child's ability to self-regulate his or her food intake, Robinson said.

And above all, don't give up, Robinson said.

"Children have the innate ability to self-regulate food (consumption) in response to hunger and satiety," she said.

"Parents need to provide healthful foods and determine when to serve them," she said. "Children should be allowed to choose which (of these healthful) foods and how much they will eat."

For more information about My Pyramid Plan, visit the Web at http://www.mypyramid.gov/

For more information on this and other nutrition topics, visit Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences Web site at http://fcs.tamu.edu/ and click on the link to Food and Nutrition.

Governor Perry Announces Fidelity Investments Expansion

Feb. 07, 2007

Texas Enterprise Fund grant brings more than 1,500 new jobs to Texas

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced an $8.5 million Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant for Fidelity Investments to expand and build a new state-of-the-art, 600,000 square foot building at the company’s Westlake campus. Fidelity will invest more than $200 million in the expansion of its Texas operations, creating 1,535 new jobs.

“Fidelity Investments’ expansion is great news for Texas because it will provide jobs for more than 1,500 Texans and add $200 million to the state’s economy,” Perry said. “This expansion is yet another major victory for Texas made possible by the Enterprise Fund.”

Fidelity Investments is one of the world’s largest providers of financial services, offering investment management, retirement planning, brokerage, and human resources and benefits outsourcing services to more than 22 million individuals and institutions and 5,500 financial intermediary firms. The company began business operations in Texas more than 20 years ago. Today, the company employs more than 3,400 Texans throughout the state, with 2,800 based at its 300-acre site in Westlake.

The Texas Enterprise Fund was a key factor in Fidelity’s final decision to expand in Texas. Fidelity evaluated a number of other sites outside of Texas before choosing to expand in Westlake. With today’s announcement, the state has allocated more than $332 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund, bringing more than 45,000 new jobs and generating more than $15 billion in capital investments to the state.

“Fidelity is pleased to join Gov. Perry and the leaders of Tarrant County and the Town of Westlake to announce our plans to grow our Westlake campus and to continue to build on the long and productive experience we have enjoyed in Texas,” said Fran Eichorst, vice president and site manager for Fidelity Texas. “The Dallas-Forth Worth area offers the strong demographic profile that Fidelity considers important when making location decisions, including a highly talented and growing workforce; a strong business and community environment; and an opportunity to expand operations to get closer to many of our customers and clients. The significant commitment and support from the Texas Enterprise Fund, along with the support of the town and county, were essential in making the final decision.”

“The initial location of Fidelity to Tarrant County in 2000 was an important addition to our corporate community. With this announced expansion and planned job growth, Fidelity will soon become one of the larger employers in the County,” said Gary Fickes, Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 3. “From past experience, we know that Fidelity brings a high standard of quality in its facility development, employment benefits and corporate community service.”

In addition to its Westlake campus, Fidelity maintains several locations across the state, including Irving, Austin, Houston and San Antonio. The Fidelity jobs in Westlake span several of Fidelity’s business divisions, and the company is prepared to start hiring immediately to fill new positions.

“Westlake is proud to have Fidelity as a corporate partner. From the initial planning and design of the environmentally friendly campus to the professionalism and volunteer spirit displayed by each employee, Fidelity has become more than a local partner. Fidelity has established itself as a regional partner to improve transportation, environmental awareness, historic preservation and education in northeast Tarrant County,” said Trent Petty, Town Manager for Westlake. “The prospect of expanding their site is welcome news to the entire region.”

For more information on the Texas Enterprise Fund, please visit http://www.governor.state.tx.us/ .

Funnies

Well I had to kill one of the funnies last week due to the use of the "F" word... I knew that one of them was a little risky and sure enough it came around.

But good news! I found some new ones for you... and I think you will really like them. They include Doonesbury and one of I think everybody's favorites... Garfield! Click on the Funnies for more!

Town and Country Women’s Fair

Submitted by Debbie Hailey, Coleman County Extension Agent-Family & Consumer Sciences

Contributed by Judy Gully, CEA-FCS, Taylor County

The ninth annual Town and Country Women’s Fair, held in conjunction with the Texas Farm-Ranch-Wildlife Expo, will be Tuesday, February 20. Plan to join women from Abilene and the surrounding area in the Modern Living Mall on the Expo Center fairgrounds in Abilene for a day of fun and education. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the day will end at approximately 2:00 p.m. This event is free to the public and the sessions on a variety of topics will be of interest to all. You can spend the day with us or pick and choose the sessions you want to attend. Conference facilities are accessible for physically disabled.

The schedule includes:
8:30 a.m. Registration and coffee
9:00 a.m. MasterScapes® Inc. - Scott Warren
10:00 a.m. Break & Door Prizes
10:15 a.m. Preserving, Using and Appreciation of Vintage Sewing Machines by Marilyn Hale, Llano County Extension
11:00 a.m. Identity Theft by Officer Dwight Kinney, Abilene Police Department
Noon Lunch & Fashion Show
1:00 p.m. Crayon Quilt by Bluebonnet Mercantile
2:00 p.m. Evaluation Door Prizes

The opening session on gardening will include ideas for getting your beds ready and plants suitable for shady and sunny locations. Scott Warren with Masterscapes®, Inc. will present this colorful session. After hearing Marilyn Hale, County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Llano County, you will appreciate the history and value of Grandma’s sewing machine in the back closet. You will learn how to dust it off and display it proudly. Identity Theft is a topic we all need current information on and Officer Dwight Kinney, of the Abilene Police Department, will provide us with tools to keep your personal information private. A natural fibers show featuring the latest fashions for all ages will be presented during lunch. No, that box of crayons is not for just your kids and grandkids any more. The Bluebonnet Mercantile from Winters will inspire us to complete a crayon quilt after watching their demonstration. The Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Committee has planned a day filled with fun and creative ideas to promote agricultural food and fiber products. The slogan is, “if you eat and wear clothes, you are involved in agriculture.” We look forward to seeing you on the 20th of February for the Town and Country Women’s Fair in the Modern Living Mall on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center.

Sugar Land Teen Honored With Named Texas A&M Scholarship

Feb. 7, 2007
Writer: Lorri Jones, 281-855-5620,LJones@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Jody Ford, 979-847-9314,j-ford@tamu.edu

HOUSTON – A Houston business owner and 1983 Texas A&M University graduate has donated $25,000 to the Texas A&M Foundation to establish a memorial scholarship in honor of Ashton Glover, said Jody Ford, the Foundation's assistant director of development for agriculture.

Glover was a Clements High School junior in Fort Bend Independent School District whose kidnaping and murder received extensive local and national media coverage last summer.

The Ashton Glover Memorial Scholarship Fund will provide $1,250 to a Texas A&M-bound Fort Bend school district graduate who is seeking a degree in agriculture and has participated in either 4-H or FFA. 4-H is a youth program of Texas Cooperative Extension; FFA is an extracurricular agriculture club.

Michael Plank, chairman and chief executive officer of The Plank Companies Inc., said he and his wife followed the local media coverage of Glover's disappearance, the search for and discovery of her body, and the arrest of two classmates charged with her shooting.

The couple was "very touched by Ashton's story and the fact that such a sweet, innocent gal had her whole life ahead of her, and her hopes and dreams were shattered by such a senseless act," Plank said.

Plank, who was a member of the Corp of Cadets while an undergraduate at Texas A&M, said that while following the news coverage, he and his wife learned of Glover's lifelong dream to attend Texas A&M and become a veterinarian. That is why they established the scholarship in her honor, he said.

As a member and officer in Clements High School's FFA program, Glover competed with her pig, Lola, in the Fort Bend County Fair in 2005. She was raising a steer last summer for competition in the 2006 fair, said Carolyn Sue Smith, Ashton's mother.

"Ashton loved animals. She loved people, and she loved the Lord," Smith said.

The date of the most recent entry on Glover's MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/aglove , is Feb. 5, as friends continue to leave messages for her on this Internet networking service.

"She could walk in a room and light a place up," Smith said. "She always greeted you with a big hug."

Plank said that although he never met Ashton, news coverage made it clear to him and his wife that she was "a special young lady, exceptional student and dedicated FFA member who had lots of friends throughout Fort Bend County."

When a gift is given to establish a scholarship, the funds are allowed to grow for about 18 months before they will generate the scholarship, said Ford, the Foundation's assistant director. The first scholarship in Glover's name will be awarded in 2008.

"These types of gifts greatly aid students who may not otherwise be able to attend A&M," Ford said. "Scholarships help the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M in recruiting the best and the brightest, and in this case, students like Ashton, who had a lifetime love of different components of agriculture, such as raising animals and public speaking on agriculture related issues."

Smith said that she was humbled by the generous remembrance in her daughter's name.

"There are just not words to express how honored I am that someone would feel led to do something marvelous like that in Ashton's memory," she said.

NASA STATEMENT REGARDING THE STATUS OF LISA NOWAK

The following is a statement from Michael Coats, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, regarding the status of astronaut Lisa Nowak.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. The charges against Lisa Nowak are serious ones that must be decided by the judicial system. She is officially on 30-day leave and has been removed from flight status and all mission-related activities. We will continue to monitor developments in the case."

Gov. Perry Outlines Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2008–09

Feb. 06, 2007

AUSTIN – Today Gov. Rick Perry outlined his 2008-09 budget proposal that establishes a new, higher standard for fiscal responsibility and truth-in-budgeting while meeting key priorities for Texas. The governor’s budget slows government growth, provides $15 billion in property tax relief, allocates $5.4 billion to pay for past accounting gimmicks such as delayed payments and leaves a $4.3 billion balance in the Economic Stabilization Fund untouched.

Gov. Perry proposes a stricter spending cap tied to the average of inflation and population growth. In this session, the governor’s proposed spending cap would be 3.5 percent lower than the current limit. Because the goal of a spending cap is to limit spending, not tax relief, property tax relief would be excluded from the governor’s proposed cap. The governor’s budget complies with this new proposed spending limit.

In total, Gov. Perry’s budget provides $167.3 billion from all funds, including $15 billion in tax relief. Absent tax relief, this represents an increase of $9.8 billion, or 6.9 percent over 2006-07. Spending from general revenue absent tax relief totals $71.4 billion, an increase of $5.8 billion or 8.8 percent over the 2006-07 biennium.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Attorney General Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit Arrests Houston-Area Daycare Worker For Child Pornography

Cybertip leads to discovery of hundreds of images of child pornography

HOUSTON – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Cyber Crimes Unit investigators have arrested Channelview daycare employee Renee Lofton, 21, for possession of child pornography.

“Texans will not tolerate criminals who exploit our children,” said Attorney General Abbott. “The Cyber Crimes Unit will continue its aggressive crackdown on sexual predators and child pornographers. We are grateful to the Harris County District Attorney’s office for their assistance as we strive toward a Texas that is safer for our children.”

Media links

Renee Lofton

Lofton was arrested by Cyber Crimes Unit investigators Feb. 2 at her residence in Channelview. Cyber Crimes Unit investigators conducted a search of Lofton’s computer and external media after a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicated she was posting sexually explicit images of children on the Internet. External media confiscated from Lofton’s home revealed hundreds of images of child pornography.

Possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Attorney General Abbott has earned a national reputation for aggressively arresting and prosecuting online child predators. In 2002, 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 56 men on child pornography charges.

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

Confused Yet? Life Insurance Explained

Feb. 6, 2007
Writer: Linda Anderson, 979-862-1460,lw-anderson@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Joyce Cavanagh, 979-845-3850,jacavanagh@ag.tamu.edu
Nancy Granovsky, 979-845-3850,n-granovsky@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION - Automobile insurance, which is required by state law, helps cover drivers in case of crashes. Health insurance is important because it helps cover the cost of medical care.

But life insurance? Is it necessary? And what is it exactly, since every life will eventually end?

To put it simply, life insurance is a way to help manage financial risks, said Texas Cooperative Extension experts. No, it's not a necessity for everyone, but some individuals and families can benefit from having coverage.

"There are several purposes for life insurance," said Dr. Joyce Cavanagh, Extension family economics specialist. "Probably the No. 1 is to replace income if someone dies."

Although a life insurance policy probably won't replace all of the family's lost income, "adequate life insurance can help supplement the income needs of the household to some extent," added Nancy Granovsky, Extension family economics specialist

Life insurance policies can also help pay off mortgages or estate taxes after the policy owner dies, Cavanagh said.

"And some people buy life insurance because they want to leave a chunk of change in a bequest to a family member, charity, institution or someone else," Granovsky said.

But most of the time life insurance is purchased to provide a financial cushion for a family in case the main breadwinner dies, especially if the family has young children or other dependents, the experts said.

Most life insurance can provide that cushion only if "the policy owner has continued to make premium payments or has a paid-up policy," Granovsky said.

Keeping that warning in mind, life insurance can be a good way to relieve money worries for anyone who will leave behind financial dependents who have no other way of eliminating debt in case of death of the main breadwinner, she said.

Life insurance comes in two basic forms, Cavanagh said: term and whole life, also known as cash value.

"Term (insurance) provides coverage for a certain number of years," she said, adding that coverage can be renewed.

Whole life insurance, on the other hand, not only provides coverage but also carries a certain amount of cash value that policy holders can borrow against if they wish, Cavanagh said. Because of this, whole life insurance has higher premiums than term.

Cost of the premiums should be a consideration when shopping for a policy, but not the only one.

"Premiums have been falling for term insurance for several years now," Cavanagh said.

Because so many people don't really go shopping for life insurance – determining what is available and what works best for them – but are sold policies by agents who seek them out, "one of the common things to happen is they end up purchasing a whole life policy," she said. "For young families with lots of need, this often results in an inability to afford the level of coverage they really need because the premiums are so much higher."

To reverse this, consumers need to take charge by researching which policy is right for them rather than allowing someone to sell them a policy they weren't aware they needed, the experts said.

Who needs life insurance?

"Ask yourself: Is anyone economically dependent on you for their livelihood?" Cavanagh said. "If the answer is yes, you probably need to purchase life insurance."

But even that advice has qualifications, she said.

"Some people have someone economically dependent on them but have enough other sources of income (that they) won't need substantial life insurance."

How much life insurance is enough?

A good rule of thumb, Granovsky said, is to have a policy worth $500,000 to $1 million. That may sound like a lot of money, but consider everything that will have to be provided for if the family breadwinner should die.

If that's too much to consider, she said, do your homework. Figure out the dollar amounts of all lost income and projected income, debts including mortgage payments, planned college costs, cost of living increases, retirement benefits, anticipated interest rates, assets and any other foreseeable costs.

That is a lot of work, the experts said, but the Texas Department of Insurance's publication, "Understanding Life Insurance," found on its Web site at http://tdi.state.tx.us/ , provides basic information for consumers.

Granovsky also recommends "Insure U," a "get smart about insurance" Web site sponsored by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The site, located at http://www.insureuonline.org/ , features insurance information for various life stages, she said.

They also recommended seeking out reviews of life insurance periodically found in Consumer Reports and the Web site of American Council for Life Insurance ( http://www.acli.com/ ) for definitions of terms and trends.

For many people, "life insurance meets a critical need,"Granovsky said, and consumers should know where to look for expert help.

"Insurance professionals are prepared to help people find ways to manage their risks in life and this is one of them."

For more information on family financial issues, visit Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences Web site at http://fcs.tamu.edu/ and click on the link to "Money."

District Champion Santa Anna Lady Mountaineers Vs. Veribest

Cindy and I finally made it to a Lady Mountaineer basketball game last Friday night. The Lady Mountaineers have already have sewn up the District Championship and put on quite a show as they ran away from the Veribest Lady Falcons for a final score of 95-48.

The Mountaineer Varsity teams will travel to Panther Creek Tuesday night of this week for the final regular season games.

Monday, February 5, 2007

Attorney General Abbott Warns Texas Seniors To Just Hang Up On Callers Pitching Foreign Lotteries

Kicks off Consumer Protection Week with warning about President of Jamaica scam

AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today warned Texas seniors and other consumers to just hang up on callers posing as the "President of Jamaica" and promising large cash prizes. Attorney General Abbott issued the warning about international lottery scams as part of National Consumer Protection Week, which runs Feb. 4-10.

International lottery scammers often target seniors by telephone, claiming to be an official with a foreign lottery. The perpetrators assure potential victims they are on the verge of tremendous wealth, but claim the "winner" must first pay substantial up-front "taxes" or "processing fees." After the victims wire their money to bank accounts in foreign countries, the callers disappear forever - and so does the victims' hard-earned money.

"Don't be fooled. Callers claiming to represent foreign lotteries are con artists who cannot be trusted," said Attorney General Abbott. "These kinds of promises are always fraudulent and aim to bilk consumers out of their hard-earned money. Texans who receive these calls should just hang up."

The most recent international lottery scam involves telephone calls to seniors from individuals posing as Jamaican officials. An 85-year-old Houston-area woman recently reported losing approximately $16,000 after she was tricked into believing she won the Jamaican lottery. One of the perpetrators, who posed as the "President of Jamaica," reassured her that just a few "processing fees" would yield a $2.5 million jackpot. The offer was a fraud, and the woman lost her life's savings.

Consumers can find more information by calling (800) 252-8011 or visiting the Attorney General's Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us. The Office of the Attorney General produces numerous resources, newsletters and news releases that contain common-sense tips about a variety of consumer issues, including emerging scams. Consumers also can subscribe to receive consumer alerts and other publications via e-mail.

Information about avoiding scams is also available at the National Consumer Protection Week Web site: www.consumer.gov/ncpw.

Texas Farm, Ranch, Wildlife Expo Set for Feb. 20-21 in Abilene

Feb.5, 2007
Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576,s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Gary Bomar, 325-672-6048,g-bomar@tamu.edu

ABILENE - The annual Texas Farm, Ranch, Wildlife Expo is set for Feb. 20-21 on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center. The center is located at 1700 state Highway 36 in Abilene. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 20 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21.

The event is sponsored by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and Texas Cooperative Extension.

The show features educational seminars, equipment exhibits, product demonstrations, the Town and Country Women's Fair, the Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association's annual meeting, and the Abilene Chamber of Commerce's annual membership luncheon. Highlight of the luncheon is the naming of the Taylor County Farm Family of the Year.

Ten Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units are offered during the educational seminars.

The women's fair starts at 9 a.m. Feb. 20 in the Modern Living Mall.

The show's agricultural-related educational programs begin at 8 a.m. Feb. 20 with "Tools III, Intensive Wildlife Management Seminar,"in the Western Heritage Ranch House.

The seminar "Range Management for Livestock and Wildlife," starts at 8:30 a.m. in the Extension Classroom.

The Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association's annual meeting followed by their membership luncheon starts at 10 a.m. in the Big Country Hall.

The afternoon "Cotton Production in 2007" follows at 1 p.m. in the Big Country Hall.

Concurrent programs on Feb. 21 begin at 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Included are an 8 a.m. Texas Department of Agriculture re-certification course in the Big Country Hall, a Texas Wildlife Association Membership Meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the Extension Classroom and a Wildlife Food Plot Workshop in the Western Heritage Ranch House also at 8:30 a.m.

The chamber of commerce luncheon will be at noon on Feb. 21 in the Big Country Hall. Keynote speaker is Dr. Elsa Murano of College Station, vice chancellor and dean for agriculture and life sciences at Texas A&M University and director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

"Water, Watersheds and Stream Health Conference," the final educational program, starts at 2 p.m. in the Big Country Hall.

The seminars are free to the public with the exception of the "Tools III, Intensive Wildlife Management Seminar," which has an individual registration of $35 by Feb. 16 and $50 thereafter.

Tickets for the chamber of commerce luncheon are available at the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, 325-677-7241, for $15.

For more information contact the Extension office in Taylor County at 325-672-6048.

Monday, February 5, 2007

Attorney General Abbott Takes Legal Action To Halt Sprintnextel’s Deceptive Billings

Says “margin fee reimbursement” violates state law

AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today took legal action to stop SprintNextel Corp. from harming its Texas customers with deceptively worded wireless telephone fees. According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Sprint Spectrum, a subsidiary of SprintNextel, violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by implying that an additional fee on customers’ bills was a state-imposed tax. The Attorney General also charged SprintNextel with violating a 2004 court order prohibiting the company from deceptive billing practices.

“SprintNextel has defrauded its customers and violated a court order, blatantly disregarding the laws of the State of Texas,” Attorney General Greg Abbott said. “Texans will not tolerate SprintNextel’s unlawful business practices. Once again, the Office of Attorney General is taking decisive legal action to crack down on SprintNextel’s false, misleading, and deceptive acts.”

In January, SprintNextel began charging Texas customers a 1 percent fee, claiming it was necessary to reimburse the company for a state-imposed tax. Sprint describes this fee as a “Texas Margin Fee Reimbursement,” wording which the Attorney General’s lawsuit alleges is deceptive because the tax does not become effective until Jan. 1, 2008, and has not been set at a 1 percent rate.

The Attorney General also charged SprintNextel with violating a court-approved agreement prohibiting Sprint from implying that their discretionary fees are required by the government. The agreement stems from a 2004 investigation into Sprint’s deceptive billing practices. Under the court order, the company is required to clearly separate government-mandated charges from those imposed at SprintNextel’s discretion.

The lawsuit, which requests temporary and permanent injunctions against SprintNextel, asks the court to stop the deceptive billings and to compel the company to reimburse all customers who paid this fee. The petition also seeks civil penalties of $20,000 per violation under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Historical Commission Meeting

Submitted by: Tex Wright - Public Relations and Publicity

Coleman County Historical Commission met in the 1st Coleman National Bank Clubroom Thursday Feb. 1st for their monthly meeting.

Pat Wright had a table set with snacks and drinks in a Valentine days motif. All enjoyed the snacks and conversation before the meeting. There were even a few Valentine cards scattered on the table if a person needed one.

The program consisted of reviewing the 2006 annual state report, Montie Guthrie of the Santa Anna Historical Development Organization told of the upcoming dedication of the Thomas T. Perry display at the armory in Santa Anna at the park / Armory. He also told the group that everyone was invited to the opening of the display as there will be introductions of the many people who have been working to bring this bit of history into view for the people of Santa Anna and the visitors who come to town. This will take place Saturday, February 24th starting at 10:00AM. Refreshments will be available after the program.

The Historical Commission is looking to locate and document all historical markers in the county. A listing is needed of both local and state markers that have been placed in the county over the years. If you have knowledge of the where-bouts of these markers, please contact a member of the commission or your County Commissioner. It is very important that we locate these to be able to publicize them. This is the type thing that brings money to the area and can help relieve some of the tax burden to the residents of the county.

Eric Joffrion and D. D. "Tex" Wright met with the County Commissioners on the 31st to present them a list of the newly elected officers for their approval. These persons were approved for the 2007 / 2008 term. Eric Joffrion - Commission Chairman; Bill Shields - Vice chairman; Wanda Ragsdale - Secretary; Ron Owens - Marker Chairman; Historical Preservation Chairman; D. D."Tex" Wright - Promotion and Publicity Chairman ; and Harold Claiborne - Parliamentarian. Also presented to the Commissioners was the 2006 Annual Report to be sent to the State.

The next meeting of the Coleman County Historical Commission will be March 1st at 7:00PM. An interesting meeting is being planned so we would like to see all members and visitors there.

Gov. Perry Establishes HPV Vaccination Program for Young Women

Feb. 02, 2007

Vaccine will save lives of Texas women by preventing cervical cancer caused by HPV

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today issued an executive order directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to adopt rules requiring all girls age 11 and 12 to receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prior to entering sixth grade, effective September 2008. The executive order also directs HHSC and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to make the vaccine immediately available to eligible young females through the Texas Vaccines for Children program for young women ages 9 to 18, and through Medicaid for women ages 19 to 21.

“The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer,” said Perry. “Requiring young girls to get vaccinated before they come into contact with HPV is responsible health and fiscal policy that has the potential to significantly reduce cases of cervical cancer and mitigate future medical costs.”

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Today, approximately 20 million people in the nation are infected, including one in four 15 to 24 year olds. Certain strains of HPV cause most cases of cervical cancer. Texas has the second highest number of women suffering from this devastating disease in the nation. In 2006, there were 1,169 new cases and nearly 400 deaths from cervical cancer in the state.

Parents may choose to opt out of mandatory vaccinations for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. The governor’s executive order directs DSHS to ease the opt out process by providing exemption request forms online.

NASA MOON-IMPACTOR MISSION PASSES MAJOR REVIEW

WASHINGTON - NASA's drive to return astronauts to the moon and later probe deeper into space achieved a key milestone recently when agency officials approved critical elements of a moon impact mission scheduled to launch in October 2008. NASA's unmanned Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS, will strike the moon near its south pole in January 2009. It will search for water and other materials that astronauts could use at a future lunar outpost.

Scott Horowitz, associate administrator of the agency's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, led a confirmation review panel that recently approved the detailed plans, instrument suite, budget and risk factor analysis for the satellite.

NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., manages the mission. The mission is valued at $79 million, excluding launch costs. The mission will help NASA gain a new foothold on the moon and prepare for new journeys to Mars and beyond.

The confirmation review authorized continuation of the lunar impactor project and set its cost and schedule. Another mission milestone, the critical design review, is scheduled for late February. That review will examine the detailed Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite system design. After a successful critical design review, the project team will assemble the spacecraft and its instruments.

"The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite project represents an efficient way of doing business by being cost capped, schedule constrained and risk tolerant," said Daniel Andrews, project manager at Ames for the lunar impactor mission.

The lunar impactor will share a rocket ride into space with a second satellite, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. After the orbiter separates from the Atlas V launch vehicle for its own mission, the LCROSS will use the spent Centaur upper stage of the rocket as a 4,400-pound lunar impactor, targeting a permanently shadowed crater near the lunar South Pole.

According to scientists, the Centaur's collision with the moon will excavate about 220 tons of material from the lunar surface. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite will observe the plume of material with a suite of six instruments to look for water ice and examine lunar soil. The satellite will fly through the plume, also impacting the lunar surface. That second impact will be observed from Earth.

The prime contractor for the satellite is Northrop Grumman Space Technologies of Redondo Beach, Calif.

For information about the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite on the Web, visit:
http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov

For information about NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate on the Web, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov

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