Jun. 07, 2007

Gov. Perry Signs $22 Million Film Incentive Bill

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry, joined by State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, Texas Motion Picture Alliance President Hector Garcia and actor Dennis Quaid, today signed House Bill 1634 which provides $22 million to help Texas attract jobs in television and film production.

“Today I am proud to sign a $22 million film incentive bill that will help reverse the export of Texas filmmaking talent, that will bring jobs and economic activity to our cities, and that will make the diverse and beautiful images of Texas more prominent in motion pictures,” Perry said.

House Bill 1634 provides filmmakers with grants equal to 5 percent of what they spend in Texas. To qualify, they must spend at least $1 million in Texas, shoot at least 80 percent of the project within state borders, and hire at least 70 percent of actors, crew and extras in Texas.

Since implementing a film incentive program in 2003, Louisiana has seen film production spending increase 30 times. Likewise, New Mexico has experienced a fifty-fold increase in economic activity related to film production following the creation of film incentives.

“The motion picture industry does much more than fill movie theatres with millions of people who love to hear a good story,” Perry said. “It creates jobs, builds the economy and serves as an incubator for the development of the creative arts industry, as does the production of television programs, television commercials and video games.”

For many years Texas has been a net exporter of creative talent, as industry professionals move not only to Hollywood, but other states and countries that provide an environment more conducive to film production.

The Texas Film Commission is aware of 32 film projects in the last four years that researched Texas for their production location but instead chose other states that offer film incentives. Twelve of those projects had storylines set in Texas, but chose other locations such as New Mexico, Louisiana and Canada.

The loss of those projects cost Texas an estimated $327 million in project spending and forty-six hundred jobs. In recent years, Texas lost 20 percent of its film workforce, including firms that provide specialized filmmaking equipment.

Attorney General: Get the Facts On Auto Credit Insurance

By Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas

Insurance companies often network with automobile dealerships to offer credit insurance policies that insulate vehicle purchases in the event of a personal tragedy. These policies fulfill borrowers’ obligations to their lenders if the borrower dies or becomes disabled. Because credit insurance policies provide coverage for the full term of the vehicle loan, many consumers who pay off their loans early are entitled to have their unearned premiums refunded.

Investigators with the Office of the Attorney General have discovered that many credit insurance companies are not complying with the Texas Insurance Code, which requires credit insurers to refund these unearned premiums. As a result, we have charged eight credit insurance companies with failing to refund certain premiums.

In May, Enterprise Life Insurance Company agreed to reimburse nearly $5 million to affected consumers. Enterprise, the first of the eight companies to settle with the State, sold credit insurance to consumers through Texas auto dealerships. Their policies, which provided coverage for the duration of vehicle loans, were sold as single-premium policies. Purchasers paid a single lump sum; that is, the entire cost of the credit insurance policy was bundled into the buyer’s total loan. Some affected vehicle loans lasted up to six years.

Consumers who cancelled their policies or paid off their loans ahead of schedule were promised refunds for their unearned insurance premiums. Investigators found, however, that Enterprise and others our office has investigated retained the unearned premiums.

Under the State’s agreement with Enterprise, more than 21,000 Texas vehicle owners may be entitled to refunds on unearned premiums. Consumers who have not received a check but believe they are owed a refund should contact the Office of Attorney General toll-free at (800) 252-8011 or visit our Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us to obtain more information.

When buying a car, consumers should review contracts and invoices carefully to make sure they are not buying an unwanted credit insurance policy. Some policies add as much as $500 to $1000 to the price of a vehicle.

Consumers should also check the “truth in lending” statement on their loan agreement to see whether insurance is required. Buyers always should be cautious of high-pressure sales pitches for unnecessary goods or services, including add-ons like credit insurance.

Consumers who decide to buy credit insurance policies should be aware that the premium is added to the vehicle loan so they will have to pay interest on it. Consumers are entitled to a refund of the unearned premium if the loan balance is paid off before the end of the finance period or if they cancel the policy within 15 days of purchase.

Consumers can inquire about a credit insurer or file a complaint by calling the Texas Department of Insurance at (800) 252-3439.

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POINTS TO REMEMBER

Credit Insurance Policies

• Review contracts carefully to avoid purchasing an unwanted insurance policy.
• Check the “Truth in Lending” statement in loan agreements to determine whether an insurance policy is required.
• Remember that Texas law entitles credit insurance purchasers to unearned premium refunds if the purchaser cancels the policy or pays off the loan early.

To ask about a particular credit insurer or file a complaint, contact:
Texas Department of Insurance
(800) 252-3439

Information on this and other topics is available on the Attorney General’s Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us.

June 7, 2007

Playa Management for Wildlife Meetings Planned in June

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608,skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Ken Cearley, 806-651-5760,kcearley@ag.tamu.edu
Steve Young, 806-647-3218,syoung@ag.tamu.edu
J.D. Ragland, 806-983-4912,jdraglan@ag.tamu.edu

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

CANYON – Wildlife-friendly management of playa lakes promises to be significant in Texas due to the unique functions these wetlands provide, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

To help promote management planning, two Playa Appreciation Days will be held this month, said Ken Cearley, Extension wildlife specialist in Canyon.

Both meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m. The first is scheduled for June 25 at the Home Mercantile Building in Nazareth, and the second on June 27 at the Floyd County Friends Unity Center in Muncy.

The meetings will include sessions on the identification of important playa plants, form and function of playas, ways to manage playas for pheasants and waterfowl, and available assistance programs, Cearley said.

Special programs will be presented on the MossyOak / Ducks Unlimited Ochiltree County playa restoration project and the Ogallala Commons, he said. Other programs will cover hunting, leasing and other recreational opportunities, as well as agencies that offer management assistance.

A field tour at each site will show nearby contrasting playa management scenarios, such as heavily grazed vs. lightly grazed or ungrazed, cropland playa with buffer vs. without, fenced vs. unfenced, Cearley said.

Playas make up 400,000 acres in the High Plains, or about 2 percent of the land area, he said. Texas has the largest number of playas, an estimated 20,000. Another 10,000 playas can be found in New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Playas are an important landscape feature, Cearley said.

"These small wetland areas hold enormous capability for ecosystem contribution, yet often fall short of their productive potential due to lack of management," he said. "In many cases, playas are ignored, unnoticed or over-utilized."

Ranging from less than an acre to several hundred acres, playas serve as a source of Ogallala Aquifer replenishment and provide habitat for numerous wildlife species, Cearley said.

Several million migrating waterfowl and 400,000 sandhill cranes use these wetlands each year, he said. As many as 250,000 ducks are reared each year on Texas playas, and pheasants use the wetlands for year-round habitat, especially for winter cover.

The primary uses for playa lakes are crop production, grazing, wildlife production and wintering habitat, urban and other runoff containment, Cearley said.

A $10 fee will cover the cost of a noon meal at each meeting.

Reservations are requested by June 20 for the Nazareth meeting. Call Steve Young, Extension agent in Castro County, at 806-647-3218. Reservations are needed by June 22 for the Muncy meeting. Call J.D. Ragland, Extension agent in Floyd County, at 806-983-4912.

Jun. 06, 2007

Gov. Perry Signs Homeland Security Legislation

SAN ANTONIO – Gov. Rick Perry today signed Senate Bill 11 into law creating the Border Security Council, which will assist the governor in allocating border security funding. SB 11 also establishes procedures for first responders to work together to provide mutual aid in times of an emergency, and expands law enforcement agencies’ ability to use wiretapping to detect and deter serious crimes.

“We must tighten the law enforcement noose on drug cartels, human smugglers and criminal enterprises that exploit our porous border, poison our children and destroy our way of life,” Perry said. “Thanks to actions taken by the 80th Legislature, more officers will be positioned along the border to stop criminal enterprises, more tools and technology will be used to assist in the fight, and more surge operations will be funded to close down key trafficking corridors.”

SB 11 does the following:

• Creates the Border Security Council to advise the governor on how best to allocate border security funds along the border. The governor appoints all members and the chair.
• Streamlines procedures for local government entities to engage in local mutual aid agreements. This includes defining the role of emergency management directors, creating disaster districts, outlining the process for political subdivisions to request and provide mutual aid assistance, and providing for the reimbursement of costs.
• Expands the Department of Public Safety Commission from 3 to 5 commissioners.
• Outlines provisions for amateur radio station license holders to participate in emergency management activities.
• Expands the use of wiretaps to include kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, human trafficking and money laundering.
• Authorizes the Health and Human Services Commission to maintain a registry of certain immunization and medication administered during a disaster.
• Enhances information that can be collected in the criminal street gang database.
• Requires the Governors Division of Emergency Management provide crisis management training to appointed public officers whose job duties include emergency preparedness or response.

Since 2005, Gov. Perry has spearheaded the state-led strategy of putting more boots on the ground, more helicopters in the sky, and more resources in the hands of border law enforcement in order to curb criminal activity along the Texas – Mexico border. Local sheriffs’ offices and police departments have worked side-by-side with their state and federal partners during these highly successful border security operations, including Operation Linebacker, Operation Rio Grande and, most recently, Operation Wrangler.

Perry also noted the importance of local governments now being able to sign mutual aide agreements so that first responders from surrounding communities can immediately come to the aide of their neighbors in a time of crisis.

“If a city has been hit by a wildfire, a chemical spill, a biological threat, or an act of terrorism, bureaucracy should not impede compassion,” Perry said. “This bill removes bureaucratic hurdles when seconds count and lives are in jeopardy.”

SB 11 takes effect September 1, 2007.

For more information on legislative action taken by Gov. Perry, please visit www.governor.state.tx.us.

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Letter Accompanying Filing of SB No. 11

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Attorney General Abbott Seeks Relief for Businesses Plagued by Debt Collector

IFC Credit Corp. attempted to collect debts incurred under false pretenses

HOUSTON – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today asked a Harris County District Court to prevent IFC Credit Corp., an Illinois finance company, from attempting to recover fraudulently incurred debts from Texas small businesses and nonprofits for telecommunications services. According to court documents filed by the Attorney General and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, IFC attempted to collect on debts it purchased from NorVergence Inc., a now-bankrupt company that defrauded small business owners.

NorVergence marketed fixed-price, low-cost telecommunications services to business owners. However, NorVergence customers did not realize they were actually signing five-year “rental agreements” for equipment that was essentially useless without the promised services. Since purchasing these accounts, IFC has aggressively attempted to collect debts that it knew resulted from contracts designed to deceive business owners.

“Small businesses are critical to the success of Texas’ economy,” said Attorney General Abbott. “The Office of Attorney General is committed to protecting small business owners from fraudulent schemes and unlawful debt collection practices. Texans can rest assured we will aggressively protect NorVergence victims from continued suffering because of this illegal, fraudulent scheme.”

Prior to its bankruptcy, NorVergence sold $21 million worth of accounts to IFC at a discount. NorVergence used the proceeds from the sale to pay for additional worthless products that it marketed to small businesses. Today’s action accuses IFC of failing to exercise caution before acquiring the indebted customers’ accounts, and of knowing NorVergence customers were tricked into the transaction with the false promise of low-cost services.

In 2004 the Attorney General took legal action against NorVergence for misleading hundreds of small businesses into signing five-year rental agreements for what amounted to worthless equipment and service. NorVergence falsely claimed it would drastically reduce telecommunications costs with its services. The rental agreements ranged in value from $4,400 to almost $161,000.

The Attorney General’s petition against IFC seeks the dissolution of debts incurred by fraudulent means and the cancellation of wrongful contracts. Attorney General Abbott has also asked the court to void lawsuits IFC has filed against debtors since 2004, given that the company misled business owners into thinking they had no defenses in debt collection cases and that the debts were enforceable.

June 6, 2007

Texas Crop and Weather

Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191,rd-burns@tamu.edu

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

Audio MP3(6.2 Mb) Audio Script

Podcast

COLLEGE STATION – Heavy rains in many areas of the state benefitted row crops, greened up pastures, but delayed hay harvests and planting of some crops, reported Texas Cooperative Extension agents.

"Well, it just keeps raining, something we're just not used to around here," said J.D. Ragland, Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Floyd County. "Just this week we've had 5 inches. It's making it really difficult to get this year's cotton crop in up and going."

"All fields are saturated, and there was some hail damage reported on wheat, corn, soybeans and cotton," said Scott Strawn, Extension agent for agriculture and Natural Resources in Ochiltree County. "However the majority of the crops have benefitted tremendously as a result of the wet conditions. Range conditions are near perfect with the rainfall.Cattle are in great shape."

"Finally some cotton weather," said Lee Howard, Extension agent for agriculture and Natural Resources in Martin County. "Cotton producers are soaking up the high 80s to low 90s as they hurriedly plant their acreage. Cotton seems to be coming up in every field that we check."

Extension representatives gave the following regional reports:

PANHANDLE: Field activities are on hold until drier conditions return. Temperatures were near normal most of the week, with much of the region receiving from a quarter to a half inch of rain. There were isolated reports of 2 to 4 inches. Light hail caused some crop damage. Reports show last week's heavy rains caused flash flooding that washed out miles of fencing and damaged crops. Corn is rated fair to excellent with most areas reporting good. Cotton is 90 percent planted with stands rated mostly fair. Peanuts are 90 percent planted and stands are rated fair to good. Sorghum is 50 percent planted and stands are rated fair to good. Wheat is rated mostly good to excellent. Range conditions vary from very poor to excellent with most areas reporting good. Cattle are in good to excellent condition. Horn flies continue to be a major problem.

SOUTH PLAINS: Frequent thunderstorms have made spring planting a struggle. Rainfall ranged from a half to 6 inches. Some areas received hail and high winds, damaging crops and flooding fields. What cotton that did get planted has been held back by the cool and wet weather. Wheat looks good, though some was damaged by heavy rain and laid down (lodged) by high winds. Extension agronomists expect the wheat that wasn't damaged to produce top yields. Corn is in good condition and has responded well to recent rains. Only about 50 percent of the pumpkin acres have been planted. Sorghum that has been planted looks good. Peanuts look good overall and should survive the weather, but some fields were damaged severely by hail and heavy rains. Pastures and ranges are in good to excellent condition. Cattle continue to be in good to excellent condition.

ROLLING PLAINS: Rains continued to hamper the wheat harvest across the district, with some fields beginning to layover. When fields are dry enough for combines to enter, the humidity remains too high for harvest until late in the day. Only about 20 percent of the crop has been cut. Producers are worried about custom harvesters moving north and leaving little help in getting this year's crop out. Reports of 45- to 65-bushel dryland wheat have been coming in. Warm-season grass pastures are greening up, but some producers are worried about how much grass is under all the weeds. Some of the early planted cotton has emerged and is looking good. Livestock are in good condition. Recent rains have filled tanks and creeks.

NORTH: More rain came to the region, with some areas receiving torrential downpours. Soil moisture ranged from adequate to surplus, with surplus the norm for most areas. Stock tanks, lakes, creeks and rivers are full with some overflowing. Many producers have hay down in the fields. The rain has put a complete stop on the wheat and oat harvest in some areas, but boosted row crop prospects. Corn is in good condition, with 100 percent emerged and 30 percent to 80 percent silked. Soybeans are in good condition and 100 percent planted and emerged. Sorghum is planted and in fair to good condition. Winter wheat is headed and in good condition, though lodging has become a serious problem in some fields. Oats are about half harvested. Lodging is becoming a serious problem in wheat. Bermuda grass is looking good. Cotton is planted and about 35 percent to 50 percent squared and in fair to good condition. Peaches continue to do well. Livestock are in good condition. Insect populations are on the rise, and some fungal problems are showing up.

EAST: The district received plenty of rainfall, but this has prevented producers from harvesting hay. Forages and vegetables are doing well. Lakes and farm ponds are full. Blueberries, peaches, squash, tomatoes, beans, onions and potatoes are all being harvested.

FAR WEST: Soil moisture ranges from very short to surplus, and pastures are in very poor to good condition. Corn is in poor to good condition. Cotton is in fair to good condition. Sorghum is in good to excellent condition. Winter wheat is in very poor to good condition. Oats are in fair to good condition. Scattered showers were reported across the region with rain accumulations of 0.2 to 1.5 inches. Pastures are improving because of recent rains. Cantaloupes are doing well with some being replanted.

WEST CENTRAL: Cooler temperatures, light showers and cloudy conditions, accompanied by high humidity, came to the region. Recent rains have slowed field activity. Flooding has taken out fences in a few areas, and some producers lost hay cuttings due to washing. Cotton planting has been in full swing where field conditions allow. Most small grain fields need to dry out for grain to mature. Wheat fields should be harvested in the next few weeks. Where fields are dry enough, there has been some cutting and baling. Pastures continue to green up and have excellent growth. Fungus problems have been reported in many landscape plants and turf grasses. Livestock are in good to excellent condition. Grazing continues. Fly problems are increasing on livestock. Pecan trees are loaded with the largest crop in years. Peach harvest is underway.

CENTRAL: Heavy rains kept wheat fields too wet for harvesters to enter. Black point fungus has been detected, and with moisture delaying harvest, sprouting in the head could be a problem. Producers continue to cut hay when they can get in the fields. Cattle are fat and doing well. Cotton is off to a good start.

SOUTHEAST: Scattered rains slowed or stopped all farming activities. Field conditions are still too wet for much hay harvest or fertilizer applications to be done. Many fields are ready to cut, with producers waiting on drier conditions. No reports of insect or disease damage were filed. Livestock are doing well. Despite the heavy spring rains, there are varying amounts of grass in pastures.

SOUTHWEST: Rainfall was about twice the long-term average for May. The year-to-date cumulative rainfall is about 125 percent of the long-term average. Minor additional rainfall over the weekend delayed harvesting. Farmers are cutting an excellent hay crop. Corn, sorghum, cotton, peanuts, potatoes, watermelons and cantaloupes are making good progress. Wildlife populations are down because of the recent drought, but rain has improved the nutrition situation for remaining wildlife. A good fawn crop is expected. The harvesting of wheat, oats, cabbage, beets (for processing), onions, green beans and squash should resume as soon as fields dry.

COASTAL BEND: Scattered showers, some heavy, were received early this week with sunny weather in the latter part of the week. Some field flooding occurred, but did not persist. Crop conditions have greatly improved with the rains. Cattle prices are still good with grass plentiful. Hay continues to be in good supply and is being sold at a premium.

SOUTH: Adequate soil moisture conditions was reported for the entire region with good to excellent range and pasture conditions. The western part of the region received a timely rainfall for dryland corn and sorghum. Warmer temperatures were the norm for most of the cotton area, and the crop made excellent progress. The abundance of high-quality forage has helped livestock retain excellent body condition. Early planted corn is approaching its dough stage. All sorghum planted in the western part of the region has headed and should begin changing color within the next seven to 10 days. Watermelons are in the blooming stage. The sugarcane harvest is finished. The vegetable and citrus crop harvests are nearly complete. Row crops are growing well under hot weather and moist conditions.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Attorney General Abbott, Lubbock County Sheriff Crack Down on Parents Who Fail to Pay Child Support

Sheriff David Gutierrez arrests 21 parents in countywide sweep

LUBBOCK – Sheriff David Gutierrez and deputies with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 21 local parents who violated court orders requiring them to pay child support. The countywide sweep, which targeted parents who failed to make regular child support payments, was conducted in conjunction with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Child Support Division.

“Texans will not tolerate parents who neglect their children,” Attorney General Abbott said. “Parents who do not pay their child support must be held accountable. We are grateful to Sheriff David Gutierrez for his commitment to children and his dedication to strict law enforcement.”

The sweep began Tuesday evening, when Sheriff Gutierrez dispatched six two-person teams to work through the night to track down delinquent Lubbock County parents wanted on contempt-of-court charges that stem from their failure to pay child support. An investigator with the Attorney General’s Child Support Division aided the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office by providing logistical assistance and helping to locate missing parents.

Law enforcement officers with the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office; City Marshal’s Office; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Texas Department of Public Safety; and Lubbock County Constables, Pct. 1 and Pct. 4, partnered with the sheriff’s deputies to make arrests and offer additional assistance.

Delinquent parents arrested in the roundup, which continues through Thursday, must appear for court hearings that can result in sentences of up to six months in jail. Cash bonds that parents post to get out of jail are paid to the custodial parents and children who are owed back child support.

Parents wanted for child support violations can avoid the embarrassment of arrest at their home or work by contacting the Warrant Division of the Sheriff’s Office at (806) 775-1493.

Under state and federal law, the Office of the Attorney General is obligated to assist families who request child support services and is required to assist those families who currently receive or have received public assistance. Services offered by the Child Support Division include locating absent parents; establishing paternity for children born to unmarried parents; establishing, enforcing, and modifying child and medical support orders; and collecting and distributing child support payments.

Parents can call (800) 252-8014 to apply for services or obtain information about their child support case. Statewide, child support collected by the Attorney General exceeded $2 billion for the state fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2006. The Attorney General’s Lubbock County child support offices collected $46 million of that amount.

June 6, 2007

Extension Specialist Concentrate on What’s ‘Buggin’ Wheat

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608,skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Ron French, 806-677-5600,rdfrench@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Brent Bean, 806-677-5600,bbean@ag.tamu.edu

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

AMARILLO – Yellowed or brown leaves on wheat may be caused by drought, disease, pests or too much rain. Dr. Ron French puts the plant under a microscope to determine the exact problem.

French is the new supervisor of the Texas High Plains Plant Diagnostic Lab at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Amarillo. He filled the position of Texas Cooperative Extension plant pathologist two months ago.

The High Plains lab is part of the Great Plains Diagnostic Network, French said. The Amarillo lab was originally supervised by Dr. Charlie Rush, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station plant pathologist.

Traveling to field days, getting to know producers and meeting all the Extension agricultural agents in the surrounding counties has kept French busy, he said. In addition, he has been busy analyzing the samples he receives.

"I've enjoyed getting to know the overall wheat community and now I'm looking forward to getting involved with disease problems of summer crops such corn, sorghum, vegetables and the other crops grown in the Texas High Plains," French said.

While wheat issues are a major portion of the lab's work during the spring, other crops are also brought in for diagnosis. During the summer, a larger diversity of crops are examined, French said.

Samples can be brought into the center where French coordinates with other Extension and Experiment Station specialists – such as an entomologist, an agronomist, a weed scientist and plant pathologists – to identify the crop problem.

Producers, Extension agriculture and integrated pest management agents, crop consultants and insurance adjustors all bring in or mail samples to the lab, French said. Each is looking for an unbiased confirmation of what might be happening to a particular crop in a particular field.

The typical plant viruses for wheat in the High Plains are wheat streak mosaic, barley yellow dwarf virus and High Plains virus, he said. All have all been found in this year's wheat crop, but not at as high rates as in some years past.

Fungal diseases such as stripe rust, leaf rust and powdery mildew are also common, but leaf rust has been more prevalent under the wet conditions in the High Plains this year, he said.

Fungal diseases can often be visually identified, but French prefers to examine the plant sample under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis. The virus diseases must be confirmed with laboratory tests, because many things can produce the same symptoms, he said.

"These symptoms can often be confused with injury from herbicide drift or nutrient issues," French said. "If a sick wheat or plant sample comes in, we'll test it for viruses, fungi and bacteria."

Knowing the crop history is important in case symptoms are a result of herbicide, nutrient deficiencies, freeze damage or a previous disease that has shown up before, he said.

An Easter freeze did not extensively injure wheat in the region, but isolated cases of damage are being reported, said Dr. Brent Bean, Extension agronomist.

Once the cause of the damage is identified, French said the specialists can suggest treatments to the producer. No control method exists for the viral diseases once they are established, although preventative measures for next year can be taken.

"With the reduction in yields the virus may cause, the producer will have to make a decision about putting further inputs into the crop," French said. "It will depend on how widespread the problem is in the field."

For several foliar fungal diseases in wheat, he said, the most important step is to protect the flag leaf – the final leaf that comes out before the head appears and is necessary to keep the plant fed as the head matures. For best results, fungicide protection should be applied no later than 10 days before the crop heads out.

"Decisions to apply fungicide for rust control usually need to be made around the first week of May," Bean said..

"The big thing we saw this year was leaf rust, as opposed to stripe rust two years ago," he said. "That all relates back to the wet conditions."

Bean said rusts occur every year in South and Central Texas and whether they become a problem in the High Plains depends on the weather.

The amount of disease each year is dependent on the pathogen population present, weather and environmental conditions, and often variety selection, French said.

Both Bean and French said the rusts can be treated with early detection, so the extra moisture is welcome any time since this also means increase wheat yields.

"Overall, we definitely expect an excellent wheat crop this year," Bean said. Harvest begins about mid-June in the High Plains.

June 5, 2007

Hundreds of Flowering Bedding Plants to be Showcased at Upcoming Hort Field Day

Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191,rd-burns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Brent Pemberton, 903-834-6191,b-pemberton@tamu.edu

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Video Quicktime Movie (3.1 Mb) Video Script Video Podcast

OVERTON – On June 28, nursery growers, greenhouse managers and gardening enthusiasts can view field tests of flowering bedding plant varieties at the annual Overton Horticultural Field Day.

"We have over 800 varieties this year and that includes 180 varieties in the container trials," said Dr. Brent Pemberton, horticulturist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

The field day will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Texas A&M University System's Agricultural and Research Center's North Farm site. The tour will continue at the North Farm site until about 10:30 a.m., then move to the Overton Center's headquarters building where a demonstration garden is located. Lunch will be served at about 11:30 a.m.

Pemberton began trials of bedding plants at the Overton center to serve the commercial greenhouse and bedding plant industry. In recent years, the industry has had a $500 million annual economic impact on the region, according to the Texas Agricultural Statistics Service.

Before Pemberton began his trials, there were few of any tests under East Texas conditions of the many new varieties released by seed company each year, he said.

Since the first field day with less than 100 varieties, the event has grown to include vinca, ornamental peppers, trailing petunias, verbenas, begonias, portulaca, zinnias, geraniums and ageratum. This year, there will be an emphasis on impatiens, including regular impatiens, New Guinea varieties and some miniature types, Pemberton said.

"There's also a good selection this year of angelonia and cuphea," he said.

The field performance trials are now replicated at the Texas A&M University Dallas Center.

"We also coordinate trial results with the Dallas Arboretum," Pemberton said. "Over 5 million consumers in the northeast Texas region now have the opportunity to see how promising new plants from all over the world perform in our climate."

Though begun primarily to serve the bedding plant industry, with the trial's thousands of square feet of plots planted purple, pink, red and white flowers they have become popular with regional gardeners. Because it is such a colorful event, Texas Highways magazine featured the field day in its March 2007 issue, Pemberton said.

Preparation for the trial has also become a way for local Master Gardeners to fulfill their requirement for community service. Moreover, with the ever-increasing number of entries by seed companies, the trials could not have grown to be so all inclusive without the volunteers, Pemberton said.

"The Smith County Master Gardeners Association is an integral part of these trials," he said. "They provide hundreds of hours of labor every year. They are how we get these things planted and how we get this done."

Registration is free and will include a lunch. The Overton center is located 1 mile north of downtown Overton on State Highway 3053.

The North Farm site is about 4 miles north of the center on State Highway 3053. For an online map, go to http://overton.tamu.edu/flowers/fieldday.htm .

June 4, 2007

Survey to Determine Quail Return Rate After Wildfires

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608,skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Ken Cearley, 806-651-5760,kcearley@ag.tamu.edu
Dale Rollins, 325-653-4576,drollins@ag.tamu.edu

Photos and Graphics Click for larger images

CANYON – Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension personnel are trying to find out how and when quail populations in the High Plains will recover after last year's wildfires.

A study was started last spring to monitor the impacts of wildfire on quail, said Ken Cearley, Extension wildlife specialist in Canyon.

Dr. Dale Rollins, Extension wildlife specialist in San Angelo, said there "was a real knowledge void" of how large-scale fires influence quail habitat.

"This scale of wildfires is a rare event and presented a unique research opportunity for us," Rollins said. "We often use prescribed burning as a tool for managing quail habitat, but on a much smaller scale.

"Our main interest is determining how long it takes those quail to repopulate that area two, three, four miles from the unburned edge," he said. "The draws and sandier lands included in these fires are typically good quail habitat."

Laura Baar, a research associate, will spend the next month listening for spring calls from quail in six different sampling transects in Gray, Roberts, Hutchinson, Carson and Wheeler counties.

"We are interested in how distance from the edges of the burned area impacts quail abundance, both inside the burn and outside," Cearley said. "By counting calling males in the spring, we hope to be able to tell how many breeding birds are available going into this year's nesting season."

The transects are 10 miles long and extend at least 2 miles into one of the two largest blocks of burned area, each over 400,000 acres in size, he said. Mile markers are located along the transect, and all the sampling will take place at those markers.

Baar will listen for the birds beginning 30 minutes before official sunrise and continuing for one and a half to two hours, Cearley said. She will spend five minutes at each marker before moving on, and the count will be repeated three times on successive days.

The survey began last year, but the single year's data will provide limited information by itself, Cearley said. Last year was a dry year and that affected the number of quail almost statewide, so it probably also affected the survey in and around the burns.

A third year of data gathered in 2008 would be helpful, but that will depend on funding, he said. Already the survey had to be cut back somewhat from the first year due to lack of funds.

Funding for the study has been provided by the Panhandle Chapter of Quail Unlimited, several local landowners, West Texas A&M University and Extension's Quail Decline Initiative, Rollins said.

In the first year, scent stations and artificial nests with chicken eggs were used to determine how many potential nest predators – coyotes, skunks, etc. – were in the vicinity of each transect and could affect the survival of quail nests, Cearley said.

Habitat photos also were taken last year to evaluate shrub cover and nesting cover, he said. And forb diversity counts were done at each sampling station, to give an idea of food plant availability.

While the 2006 data are still being analyzed, Rollins said, preliminary observations from last summer showed the sandier sites with shinnery oak rebounded more quickly than the hard-land sites, which are typically short-grass communities with less vegetation.

"Often, we'll find out that a burn will enhance the diversity and abundance of forbs, so that will be useful data once it is analyzed," Cearley said.

"We are currently assessing the distance from the various mile markers to the edge of the burn from imagery provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service," Rollins said.

This year is looking better for quail overall due to abundant rainfall, Cearley said. Much of the burned area looks good with what appears to be adequate cover.

"We expect better numbers," he said. "Last year there hadn't been enough regrowth of cover after the fire, early enough in the year, to attract the quail back into the area, or to provide for the survival of very many of them."

Jun. 05, 2007

Gov. Perry Directs Flags to be Lowered In Memory of Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today issued notification that pursuant to federal law provisions, flags should be flown at half-staff at state buildings in memory of United States Senator Craig Thomas of Wyoming, who died Monday.

“Anita and I send our deepest condolences and prayers to the family of Senator Craig Thomas during this time of great loss,” Perry said.

This 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 until sunset today.

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.

Attorney General Targets Data Dumping

By Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas

Identity theft remains one of the nation’s fastest growing crimes. The more than 25,000 Texans who are affected by identity theft every year spend countless hours trying to repair their credit and recover hundreds or even thousands of lost dollars.

Identity thieves commonly obtain paper documents or computer hard drives that contain sensitive personal information, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and other personal information.

Too often, identity thieves have easy access to sensitive information because documents have not been properly discarded. Trash bins outside of homes or businesses contain personal information that identity thieves can use to inflict financial disaster on unsuspecting consumers.

Consumers can take steps to protect themselves from identity theft by destroying personal documents before discarding them. Paperwork that includes names, addresses, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit or debit information should be shredded or otherwise destroyed before it is thrown away.

Consumers who donate or dispose of computer hardware should first remove all personal information. Deleting files or reformatting the hard drive may not be enough to remove these files. Consumers should contact a technology professional to learn more about properly deleting personal information. Consumers should also consider utility software, which “wipes” or overwrites the entire hard drive. Similar steps should be taken when disposing of wireless devices, including cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Legislative leaders recognized the importance of protecting sensitive consumer information. In 2005, the Texas Legislature passed the Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act, which requires businesses to shred, erase or otherwise make unreadable any personal identifying information they collect from their customers. Texas law also requires businesses to develop retention and disposal procedures for customer records. Businesses must adhere to any published privacy policies.

The Office of the Attorney General is aggressively cracking down on violations of these privacy laws. Just last month, we took legal action against a Texas-based pawn shop chain for repeatedly failing to protect customer records that contain sensitive personal information. Investigators discovered that EZPAWN stores across Texas had exposed customers to identity theft by throwing out hundreds of customers’ financial records, including promissory notes and bank statements.

We also took legal action after a RadioShack store in Corpus Christi similarly dumped thousands of customer credit applications that included active credit and debit card numbers. Among the records was a receipt from a woman who, ironically, purchased a shredder from RadioShack in order to protect herself from identity theft.

In yet another case, our investigators found that a CVS/pharmacy near Houston improperly discarded customer records in garbage cans behind the store. The discarded documents included medical prescription forms with each customer’s name, address, issuing physician and the type of medication prescribed. Investigators also discovered many active credit card numbers.

Businesses have much at stake when it comes to the problem of identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft costs businesses and banks more than $50 billion a year. Many of these losses stem from credit card fraud and bogus telephone and utility accounts.

Protecting consumers’ personally identifying information is in the best interest of consumers and businesses alike. Texans who take steps to protect sensitive personal information must be able to rely on businesses and government to do the same. The Office of the Attorney General will continue aggressively enforcing identity theft laws and protecting Texas consumers.

---

POINTS TO REMEMBER
PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL DATA

Just Shred It! Shred all paperwork that includes sensitive personal or financial information.

When disposing of a computer or wireless device, first clear it of all personal information or contact a technology expert about properly erasing all files.

If you have been the victim of identity theft, access our ID Theft Kit online at www.oag.state.tx.us

Texas Laws for Safeguarding Customer Records
Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act Chapter 48, Business and Commerce Code, requires businesses to safeguard and destroy personally identifying information collected from customers.

Chapter 35, Business and Commerce Code, requires businesses to develop retention and disposal procedures for customer records.

Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act requires companies to operate in accordance with their published policies.

To access applicable Texas statutes, log onto www.capitol.state.tx.us

To report improper document dumping, contact local law enforcement, or call the Office of the Attorney General at 800-252-8011.

For more information on this and other consumer topics, visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us.

Cody Williams in State Tournament

Submitted by Connie Culpepper Massey

Just wanted to pass on that Abilene Wylie is playing in the state tournament this week in Round Rock in the Class 3A division. My son, Cody Williams, is on the varsity squad. He will be a senior this fall. He pitches and plays first base but we have a very strong senior group, so he has not seen a lot of play during the playoffs. We are still very excited to see his team progress and have high hopes for the championship.

Rusty Buzzard Coaches in All Stars

One of my former teammates and Head Coach and Athletic Director at Coleman High School was an assistant coach on the 2007 South All Stars for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Myrle Greathouse All-Star Classic football game held at Abilene's Shotwell Stadium this past Saturday.

According to the Big Country FCA website, Rusty and two of his players from CHS, Chase Avants and Robert Yates, played on the All Star team madeup of Big Country players from several classification from small towns like Christoval all the way up to to large schools like Abilene and San Angelo. The annual event includes players, coaches, and cheerleaders from Big Country schools.

I am not sure of the outcome but it appeared that the South may have won by looking at the game photos on AbileneSportz.com which also has some cool Abilene Wylie photos.

Dick Smith to Coach in THSCA All Stars

You can't talk about champions, all stars, and coaches without mentioning Dick Smith.

Dick was named the Defensive Assistant Coach of the Year by the Central Texas Football Coaches Association earlier this year. He is the son of Pat and RC "Coach" Smith of Santa Anna and husband of Karen Wetsel Smith, and father of Dana, Ryne, and Cody. He is the Defensive Coordinator for the famous "Code Red Defense" of the Wimberley Texans. Dick coached for the Texans in 2005 when they were the Division I 3A State Champions.

Dick will also be assisting Texan Head Coach Weldon Nelms and the rest of the Texan's staff in coaching the South Team in the 2007 Texas High School Coaches Association Football All Stars to be held in conjunction with the THSCA Coaching School in Fort Worth, July 29-August 1, 2007. Dick has been coaching with Coach Nelms for eighteen years at Rotan, Wimberley, Iowa Park, Glen Rose, and back to Wimberley where they have been for the last four years.

The football game will be played on July 31 at the Amon Carter Stadium on the TCU Campus. Game time is slated for 7:30 pm. The North will be coached by Kent Jackson of Sweetwater High School. The Texans also have one player on the South team which is Michael Buse.

Congratulations to Cody, Rusty, Dick and all these coaches and players for their accomplishments!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Attorney General Abbott Charges Houston Auto Parts Dealer with Selling Defective Products

ASAP Motors and Parts, Inc. accused of advertising, selling faulty engines and transmissions

HOUSTON – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today charged a Houston automotive parts dealer with selling faulty used engines and transmissions to consumers nationwide in violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). According to documents filed with the Harris County District Court, ASAP Motors and Parts Systems, Inc. and its co-owners, Brian McCutcheon and John Scott Sandell, falsely advertised on various Web sites that they sold high-quality, low mileage replacement motors and transmissions imported from Japan.

Although the defendants claimed their products had been thoroughly tested and inspected, hundreds of ASAP customers, including mechanics, complained about rusted, mismatched or cracked motors and transmissions that failed to perform as advertised. Bank records obtained by the Attorney General’s investigators revealed that ASAP actually purchased the motors and transmissions from local Houston junkyards.

“Texans will not tolerate vendors that sell defective products to unsuspecting victims,” Attorney General Abbott said. “By advertising junkyard scrap as legitimate, inspected, overseas products, ASAP Motors and Parts defrauded their unwitting customers. Consumers can rest assured that the Office of the Attorney General will hold ASAP accountable for violating the law.”

Average losses to consumers range from $1,000 to $1,500 for the purchase of engines and transmissions. Although ASAP price quotes purported to include shipping costs, the company deceptively demanded extra shipping fees from their customers. Many consumers were also charged an unjustified 20 percent “restocking” fee when they returned defective or mismatched engines.

Because of ASAP’s refusal to provide refunds, many consumers cancelled their payments or sought credit card “chargeback” refunds. In response, ASAP filed hundreds of lawsuits in Harris County small claims courts against those customers. The Attorney General’s enforcement action seeks full reimbursement for consumers harmed by the deceptive scheme; civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act; and an additional penalty of $250,000 per violation against McCutcheon and Sandell for consumers over the age of 65.

Texas consumers who wish to file a complaint against ASAP Motors and Parts, Inc. may contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or do so online at www.oag.state.tx.us. Out-of-state consumers may file a complaint online or by calling (512) 463-2100.

2007 Vacation Bible School
First Baptist Church of Santa Anna
Game Day Central: Where Heroes are made!!!

Submitted by: Stephanie Dane, VBS Director

First Baptist Church of Santa Anna cordially invites one and all to join us for a tailgate party to Kick-off and register for the 2007 Vacation Bible school. We will have food, games, and plenty of fun for everyone at this awesome event! All parents are invited to come to register their child/children and stay for the fish fry and festivities. We will have Parents vs. Kids games. So, please come and join us!

Who: All parents and children interested in having fun!
What: VBS Kick-off tailgate party and Fish Fry
When: Sunday, June 10th at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Santa Anna City Park
Why: To register for 2007 Game Day Central Vacation Bible School

2007 Vacation Bible School will be held Monday through Friday, June 11th through June 15th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Santa Anna for Pre-K through 6th grade. Ages are based on the grade the child has just completed.

All of the food and festivities are absolutely FREE!! We look forward to seeing you there!!

SAHS Graduation

The SAHS Class of 2007 graduated in a rare Saturday graduation ceremony and I read in the Coleman paper that Michelle Wetsel was the Valedictorian and Priscilla Guerrero was the Salutatorian.

Several students received scholarships totaling $66,370:

Monica Cortez	Mendoza Scholarship	$1000
Kristle DeLeon	Panhandle-Plains Student Loan Corp.	100
	Class of 1954 Scholarship	$1000
	Guthrie Family Scholarship	$1000
	TOTAL	$2100
Chelsea Guerrero	Santa Anna Lion’s Club Scholarship	$500
	Delta Omicron Sorority Scholarship	$200
	Lilly & Arthur King Science Scholarship	$100
	Ex-Student’s Assn Scholarship	$500
	TOTAL	$1300
Jelisa Kirven	Santa Anna Foundation	$500
	Santa Anna Lion’s Club	$500
	First Presbyterian Church	$500
	Ex-Student’s Assn	$ 500
	DeDe Hudson Scholarship	$250
	TOTAL	$2250
Peyton Kuykendall	Lake Brownwood Lion’s Club	$500
	Santa Anna Youth and Rodeo Ass	$500
	TOTAL	$1000
Ben McIver	Loadcraft Corporation Trade school	$1000
	DeDe Hudson Scholarship	$250
	TOTAL	$1250
Priscilla Guerrero	HPU Tuition Equalization Grant	$3300 x 4yrs
	HPU Honors Scholarship	$5000 x 4yrs
	HPU Academic Competition Scholarship	$750 x 4yrs
	TOTAL	$36,320
Michelle Wetsel	Carr academic	$3750x 4yrs
	Lake Brownwood Lion’s Club	$500
	LULAC Scholarship	$250
	State of Texas Highest Ranking Graduate One Year Tuition at State College	$5400
	TOTAL	$21150

Congratulations to the Class of 2007!

More Rain

Another half inch or so of rain over the weekend...

Tex Wright reports:
I looked at my rain gauge on Saturday and found about 1/2 inch in the guage.
I don't know if some one came along and spit in my gauge or we had that much rain on Friday night.
I did the mowing at the Cleveland Church of Christ on Saturday and found several puddles of water and mud still standing. I guess that we got our 20% out of the cloud that came through on Friday night (Saturday morning)

Friday, June 1, 2007

Five Rio Grande Valley Residents Indicted for Voter Fraud

One indicted for voting twice; four charged with conducting mail-in ballot scheme

RIO GRANDE CITY – Five Starr and Hidalgo County residents face voter fraud charges for their conduct during the 2006 election cycle. Last week, a Brooks County grand jury returned felony indictments against the five defendants in an investigation that began with a complaint filed by Starr County Elections Administrator Rafael R. Montalvo.

Jose Rene Gomez, 33, was indicted for voting twice during the November 2006 general election in Starr County, a third-degree felony. The grand jury charged four other defendants with conducting an illegal mail-in ballot scheme during the March 2006 primary election in Starr County. They are Oralia Frausto, 49; Dolores Gutierrez, 58, also known as Maria Gonzalez; and Gomez, all of Starr County, and Oscar Rios, 37, of Hidalgo County. Rios was arrested Thursday by Precinct 3 Constable Lazaro Gallardo Jr. Arrests of the remaining defendants remain pending.

“Our democratic system of government depends upon fair elections,” said Attorney General Greg Abbott. “Texans will not tolerate illegal schemes that undermine the electoral process. Voters can rest assured that the Office of the Attorney General will protect the validity of their votes and defend the integrity of the ballot box. We are grateful to Starr County Elections Administrator Montalvo for uncovering this extraordinary election fraud case.”

Defendants Frausto, Gutierrez and Rios collectively face more than 50 counts of possessing the ballot of another person without consent, a state jail felony. Prosecutors with the Office of Attorney General, who presented all five cases to the Brooks County grand jury, will prosecute each of the defendants.

Attorney General Abbott added, “The Office of the Attorney General has received critical assistance from Starr County Sheriff Reymundo Guerra and Constable Lazaro Gallardo for their efforts to cooperate and assist with the arrests of the suspects in this case.”

According to the Attorney General’s investigation, false addresses and the names of nonexistent Starr County voters were used to illegally obtain voter registration cards. The addresses that appeared on those cards were not actual voters’ residences, but rather were vacant lots and condemned buildings.

Fraudulently obtained registration cards enabled the defendants to complete mail-in ballot applications, which instructed the Starr County elections office to send mail-in ballots to Hidalgo County addresses, presumably where the “voters” would be present during the March 2006 Starr County Democratic primary election. The four defendants picked up the ballots at the Hidalgo County addresses. The ballots were then filled out and mailed them to the Starr County elections office.

During the March 2006 primary election, Starr County Elections Administrator Montalvo noticed a large number of irregularities with both voter registration applications and applications for mail-in ballots with Hidalgo County destinations. Many of these “voters” provided abandoned properties and vacant lots as their primary residences in Starr County. While canvassing the ballots, the administrator also detected that Gomez cast two votes, one in each of two polling locations. The administrator subsequently referred the matter to the Secretary of State, who certified a complaint to the Office of the Attorney General.

June 1, 2007

Gray Water Alternative for Sub-irrigating Landscape Plants

Writer: Edith Chenault, 979-845-2886,EChenaul@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Bruce Lesikar, 979-845-7453,BLesikar@ag.tamu.edu

Audio MP3(2.0 Mb) Audio Script

COLLEGE STATION – When the weather turns dry, Texans may start thinking about the best ways to avoid high water bills and still maintain their landscaping. Gray water may be one option, said Dr. Bruce Lesikar, Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural engineer.

Gray water is the water that has passed through showers, sinks, bathtubs or washing machines, Lesikar said. It makes up about half of the water used in the home and normally passes into onsite wastewater treatment systems or city sewer systems.

"The typical resident will have about 30 gallons per person per day," he said.

"Gray water is a source (of water) that's already paid for, and you can use it in your landscape," he added.

It is different from black water that comes from the toilet or kitchen sink. Black water has the potential to have many solids and therefore cannot be used on landscapes without treatment, he said.

Gray water is not without risk, though.

"It does come into contact with the human body so there is a risk for having organic matter as well as pathogens," Lesikar said. "So it needs to be used safely and wisely."

Also, gray water may contain high concentrations of sodium and phosphorus from soaps, detergents and cleaning products. If not leached out, these can build up, harming soil health, he said.

State regulations affect how gray water systems may be installed and used, Lesikar said. A typical gray water system consists of a diversion valve to direct gray water to the reuse system, a tank to separate solids, an effluent screen to trap solids before they leave the tank, an overflow pipe with two black-water valves going to the onsite wastewater treatment system or municipal sewer, and a distribution system delivering gray water to the plants. The pipe for distributing the water must be purple to designate that it is reclaimed wastewater.

A gray-water system must be used to avoid ponding or build-up of water on the ground surface, he said. Ponding may cause nutrients and salts to build up in one place in the yard, or it may attract nuisances like insects.

Plus, if pets play or roll in wet areas, they could bring wastewater back into the house.

"Because there is the potential risk in ponded water, pets may be exposed to pathogens," he said.

Typically, gray-water systems that are whole-house systems are completed at the time the house are built.

"If you are planning on a gray-water system, you have to start by planning early," he said. "Houses that are on blocks or above the ground do have the ability to be re-plumbed to separate gray water for use. For houses that are on slabs, it is more difficult to separate the sources once the house is built."

If washing machines or other sources are on exterior walls, however, homeowners can plumb through the wall and access that water, he said. However, the gray-water tank must be able to overflow through two back water valves to the onsite wastewater treatment system or municipal sewer to be in compliance with state regulations.

Gray-water systems may be used on all soil types. However, sites with heavy clays will not easily accept water and will tend to be wet during winter months, Lesikar said.

In that case, have a diversion valve at the beginning of the system. This allows the gray water to be diverted to either onsite wastewater treatment systems or city sewers if needed or if conducting maintenance on the system.

Like most everything else, gray-water systems do need routine maintenance, and the solids will have to be removed from the tank periodically, he said.

Wear gloves when working on systems to protect against pathogens, Lesikar cautioned. The diversion valve, though not required by state regulations, will allow water to be diverted into black-water systems and reduce exposure to pathogens.

Tanks and rigid purple pipe may be purchased at plumbing supply stores, he said. However, flexible pipe may have to be painted purple, he said.

4-H Updates

By: Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS

Multi-County Camp
June 27-29 Brady, TX
Mark your calendar for this fun event ! More details coming soon !!!

District Record Book Judging
July 17, 2007
If you are planning on submitting a 4-H Record Book, please let us know what category and age division your book needs to be entered in. Completed record books should be turned in to the Extension office on or before July 9th .

District 4-H Horse Show

The District 7 4-H Horse Show will be held on Monday, June 11, 2007 in the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater beginning at 8:00 a.m. State entries are also due on the date of the District Horse Show.

Entry Fees:
Regular Qualifying Show $25.00
*NEW THIS YEAR - There is no limit on the number of classes you can enter.

Invitational Events $7.50 per event

Roping Events : $5.00 per event / $5.00 one time cattle charge.

Stall Fee: If you use a stall for any length of time, you must pay a $12.00 stall fee.

Important Notes:
* The top of your district / state entry forms MUST BE TYPED.

* 2007 Texas Animal Health Commission regulations state that all horses must have a negative E.I.A. documentation (Coggins or other approved test) within 12 months of show date. This includes both the District 7 4-H Horse Show and the State 4-H Horse Show.

* The 2007 State 4-H Horse Show Rules are available at: http://animalscience.tamu.edu/main/academics/equine/state_show/2007-rulebook.pdf

There are copies of the State Horse Show Rules at the Extension Office if you would like to have one.

If you have any questions, please contact the Coleman County Extension office at 625-4519.

The State 4-H Horse Show will take place the week of July 22-29 at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.

WEST REGION 4-H JUNIOR HIGH LEADERSHIP LAB

June 14-16, 2007 - Texas 4-H Center

This lab is open to Intermediate 4-H age members who will be in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in the Fall of 2007. Cost per participant is $130.00. Registration will be taken via the 4-H Connect program and will open April 23, 2007 and close May 11, 2007. Late registrations will be taken for a period of 5 days (May 12-16) with an additional charge of $15.

4-Hers will learn about Leadership & Character Building Activities, College Preparation, Team Building Games and other 4-H Opportunities . Recreational activities include volleyball, ping pong, softball, tennis, basketball, swimming and a variety of other games. The theme for this event is *4-H Treasure Hunt* !

For more information about this event, come by the County Extension Office and get a copy of the Schedule of Events. Minor*s Release & Health History forms must be turned in to the District 10 office by May 15th. Please have your health release forms turned in to the Coleman Extension Office by Monday, May 14th.

4-H LEADERSHIP LAB / DISTRICT OFFICER ELECTIONS
June 28-30, 2007 at the Texas 4-H Center
Registration via 4-H Connect Open May 14 through June 1 Office Applications due to the District Office by June 1
All other forms (Minors Release & Health History) due to District Office by June 15

District Leadership Lab will be held at the Texas 4-H Center in Brownwood on June 28-30 (Thursday through Saturday). Districts 7 and 10 will partner with us for lab and will participate together in the same activities. The cost will be $150.00 per delegate. (This includes all meals beginning with dinner on Thursday and ending with lunch on Saturday, insurance, activity fees, lodging and facility use fee.) All participants must be at least 13 years of age by the date of Leadership Lab. All other forms are due in the County Extension Office by June 12th so I can . Workshops will feature leadership development in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, and much more! Get your skills honed while having fun as we work together to *Make The Best Better!*

Callahan Co. Fun Shoot - Saturday, June 16, 2007

The twelfth annual Callahan County Fun Shoot will take place at the Callahan County Shooting Range on June 16, 2007. The goals of the coordinators of the Callahan County Fun Shoot are safety first, fun and the promotion of 4-H Shooting Sports.

Event Date: Saturday, June 16, 2007
Entry Deadline: June 1st ,2007 ( $10 late fee after June 2nd)

Registration: Pre-Registration is required. * Notification of cancellations or substitutions must be made by June 1, 2007. Registration Fee: $25 (this includes 3 events. Additional event fee is $10 with a limit of 4 total events per shooter. (No cross discipline shooting allowed. )

Round fees for shotgun events -
Paid day of shoot
$5.00 / round for American Trap & Skeet
$15.00 for 50 Whiz Bang targets

Eleven events will be offered: Smallbore Rifle Silhouette, Smallbore Hunter Pistol Silhouette, Light Rifle, 3-Position Rifle, Air Pistol Silhouette, 10 meter Air Pistol, Blackpowder Rifle Silhouette, Blackpowder Rifle Bowling Pin & Charcoal Briquets Match, American Skeet, American Trap and Whiz Bang. At the rifle range there will be an Open Event (adult / youth) *Free of Charge*. Sign up after you arrive.

Sign in will be from 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. June 16th with orientation at 8:30 a.m. and the match to start approximately at 9:00 a.m.

If you are interested in participating in this event, come by the County Extension Office and pick up a copy of the rules & regulations and event information.

ICE CREAM SUPPER AT Coleman Co. Electric Coop Annual Mtg.
Friday, July 13, 2007

This year, Coleman county 4-H has been asked to host the refreshments at the Coleman County Electric Cooperative Annual meeting on Friday, July 13 at the Coleman ISD School Cafeteria. We will begin serving at 5:30 p.m. Refreshments which 4-Hers need to bring are *homemade ice cream and homemade cookies.

We also need 4-Hers to help serve at this event. 4-Hers.....this is a great community service activity. Please call the Extension Office at 625-4519 and sign up for what you would like to bring and if you are available that evening to help serve.

4-H Calendar

June

4-8 State 4-H Roundup

14-16 Junior High 4-H Leadership Lab

16 Callahan County Shoot

18 District 4-H Horse Show - Sweetwater

26-28 Multi-County Camp -Brady

28-30 District 4-H Leadership Lab

July
9 Record Books due to Co. Extension Office

13 Ice Cream Supper for Coleman Co. Electric Coop
(Serving begins at 5:30 p.m.) (4-Hers be there by 5:00 pm)

15-21 State Shooting Sports Games - San Antonio

17 District Record Book Judging

23 District Junior & Intermediate Fashion Show

If you have any questions about any of the 4-H events listed above or would like more information about the 4-H programs in Coleman County, please come by the Extension Office, 2nd floor, County Courthouse, or give us a call at 325-625-4519.

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