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The 6-1 Mountaineers will travel to Blanket to take on the 4-2 Tigers. Ranked 20th, Santa Anna is now 1-0 in District play while this is the first district game for 36th ranked Blanket as they had a bye last week.
Who and how the Tigers have played:
Lost to Blum 62-12
Beat Brookesmith 63-50 (Santa Anna beat Brookesmith 78-67)
Lost to Rochelle 48-20
Beat Cherokee 50-0
Beat Zephyr 95-48 (Santa Anna beat Zephyr 52-6)
Beat Gordon 55-52
The Mountaineers are picked to win by 20 by SixManFootball.com but I think it will be much closer than that. Get your black and gold on, be sure and bring your blanket to Blanket, and we will see you at the game!
Mountaineer Band
If you looked at the Rising Star football game photo album for pictures of the band's halftime all dressed in their uniforms you might have been a little disappointed because I didn't take any pictures of them. Mr. Mitchell and the band members have done such a great job!
But I did use my digital camera to video the whole performance. Almost ten minutes long and 25MB, I was glad that the football game didn't last too much longer or I would have run out of room! It didn't turn out as good as I hoped but maybe you will like it if you have a high speed connection and can download it. It worked pretty good for me but it took me all week to get it liked I wanted. It is about 10MB on the download from the web but it still looks pretty good I think.
See the 2006 Mountaineer Band Video of the Rising Star game halftime show.
I thought the band would be marching this weekend in Brady but they weren't on the schedule. We always had a lot of fun going to the contest in Brady. They do a great job of hosting the contest. The school ca lender shows them marching scheduled in Abilene last week as canceled. I am not sure if that is we canceled or they canceled. I am sure some of you band or school people know better than me.
Subscriptions | Office of the Attorney General | Consumer Protection Page
CONSUMER ALERT
“Vishing” Is A New Addition To Identity Thieves’ Arsenal
“Phishing” scams have been around since the early days of the Internet. They involve sending an e-mail that looks as if it's from a legitimate bank or merchant asking consumers to re-submit their personal information. Generally, phishing scam emails are intended to cause alarm by telling the consumer that they must resubmit personal information immediately or their accounts will be “suspended.” Consumers are then typically asked to click on a link that takes them to a legitimate-looking Web page in which they are asked to resubmit their personal information, such as account number and passwords.
In a new twist, “vishing” takes advantage of even newer technology to defraud unsuspecting consumers.
Like with phishing scams, vishing typically starts with the same alarming email which appears to be from a legitimate business or banking institution. But rather than instructing consumers to resubmit their personal information online, vishing emails tell the victim to call a phone number through which they can provide their information. When the consumer calls, an automated message identifies itself as the bank or retailer that sent the original email and prompts the consumers to key-in their personal information. Once this information is entered, the scam artist will be able to access the consumer’s account or open lines of credit in his or her name, thus causing considerable harm.
Consumers who by now are wary of dubious emails that link to bogus Web pages might not be as reluctant to call a phone number, especially if it appears to be a local call. However, identity thieves who perpetrate vishing often use new technology that enables them to subscribe to Internet-based phone service via Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP). This makes it possible for a scam artist thousands of miles away to set up a phone account that victims might believe is a local call. But just as in a phishing scam, victims will be submitting their sensitive information to a thief beyond the reach of law enforcement in the United States.
The warning remains the same: Never respond to an email that purports to be from your bank or other business that threatens “suspension” of your account or a similar drastic action unless you immediately re-submit your personal information, either by clicking on a link or calling a phone number. Legitimate businesses do not contact and threaten their clients in this manner. If you have any questions about such emails, contact the bank or business purportedly sending the email directly based on a phone number that appears in the phone directory or your statements. DO NOT call a phone number that appears on an email.
If you believe you have been the victim of identity theft, immediately file a report with your local law enforcement agency. You should also obtain an ID Theft Victim’s Kit through my office at 1-800-252-8011 or online at www.oag.state.tx.us for additional steps you should take to prevent further losses and clear your name.
Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas
BECOME PART OF SPACE HISTORY -- HELP NAME THE NEXT STATION MODULE
The International Space Station is growing, and NASA's Node 2 is the next U.S. pressurized module scheduled for installation on the orbiting laboratory. The node will provide more room for station crews to live and work, but it needs a name.
Students in kindergarten through grade 12 attending U.S. schools and children of American personnel overseas are being asked to help NASA name the module and become part of the history of the station. The module is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and is targeted for launch in late 2007. The node will be a connecting port and passageway to additional international science labs and space supply vehicles. It also will be a work platform for the station's robotic arm.
Name the International Space Station Node 2 Challenge requires students to work together as a class or school to create their own Node 2 model. Students will name their node, write a brief description explaining the choice and take digital pictures to send to NASA.
The submitted image of the model will not be judged, but it will be the ticket to enter the name challenge. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of NASA scientists, engineers and educators. The deadline to submit model images and names is Dec. 1. The winning entry will be announced in early 2007. To register a school or class, teachers or administrators should send an email to: NASA-ESC@nasa.gov. For information about Node 2, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/node2.html
For additional information about the Space Station Node 2 Challenge,
visit:
http://esc.nasa.gov
ABBOTT HALTS DECEPTIVE SALES BY ONE OF NATION’S TOP JEWELRY RETAILERS
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| AUSTIN – Attorney General Greg Abbott today hailed an agreed final judgment against Friedman’s Jewelers as a victory for Texas consumers who were forced to pay for various types of merchandise insurance they neither requested nor authorized when applying for the company’s credit program. Texas was one of the first states to launch an investigation culminating in similar legal actions today by 18 other states against the Georgia-based company, which is in the process of moving to Addison, Texas. The judgment filed in Travis County district court forces Friedman’s to change many of its business practices in Texas, including providing clear disclosures to consumers who apply for credit at its nearly 40 locations in the state. Friedman’s operates approximately 420 outlets nationally.
“It’s patently unfair that consumers who bought jewelry to commemorate an important event or as a special gift were illegally steered into costly insurance coverage for those items, often without their consent or knowledge,” said Attorney General Abbott. “Any retailer who wants to do business in Texas must deal fairly with the public and be above-board in explaining all terms of a sale.” Attorney General Abbott sued the company in December 2004 when an extensive investigation revealed that Friedman’s low-income customers were routinely sold credit, property and disability insurance when they applied for lines of credit through the company even though consumers did not request or approve the coverage. Many consumers were not informed that they were buying this optional coverage. Some who noticed the charges and questioned Friedman’s employees were falsely told that coverage was mandatory to obtain a line of credit. The cost of the coverage was based on the amount of credit being used, and many consumers had to pay in excess of $100 for the coverage in addition to the retail price of the jewelry and interest. The Attorney General’s investigation uncovered evidence that consumers were paying for credit insurance plans even though they never signed the corresponding section of the purchase contract authorizing the extra coverage. As part of the legal action, Friedman’s stores in Texas will now have to make all financing terms abundantly clear to consumers, including the fact that credit insurance is optional. Friedman’s cannot extend and charge for this coverage without express written permission from the consumer. Friedman’s customers who were charged credit insurance without authorizing such purchase can apply for restitution for these fees by filing a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General. Consumers should review their credit agreements with Friedman’s to find out if they reflect charges for insurance even if they did not sign the “Statement of Insurance” section at the center the contract indicating that they chose to buy this insurance. Complaints should be filed no later than Jan. 11, 2007. The Attorney General’s consumer complaint forms are available by calling 1-800-252-8011 or going online at www.oag.state.tx.us. Consumers should also contact the Office of the Attorney General if they believe any other retailer is misleading or forcing them into paying additional fees as part of a credit agreement. |
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NASA ANNOUNCES NEW INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CREW
NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton C. Anderson and Daniel M. Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor N. Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg V. Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Anderson will get a ride to the station aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-118 mission, targeted for launch in June 2007. He will return to Earth on shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-120. That flight will carry his replacement, Tani, to the station. Tani will return on shuttle mission STS-122, targeted for October 2007.
Yurchikhin will command Expedition 15, and Kotov will serve as station flight engineer and Soyuz commander. Yurchikhin and Kotov will fly to the complex aboard a Soyuz spacecraft scheduled to launch in March 2007. Until Anderson arrives, astronaut Sunita L. Williams will serve as Expedition 15's third crew member and flight engineer. She will fly to the station on STS-116 in December.
A native of Nebraska, Anderson was selected as an astronaut in 1998 following a technical career in mission operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. He managed the Emergency Operations Center at Johnson for several years before becoming an astronaut. He has a bachelor's degree from Hastings College in Hastings, Neb., and a master's from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
A native of Illinois, Tani has a bachelor's and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. He was selected as an astronaut in 1996. Tani's first spaceflight was aboard Endeavour in December 2001 on the STS-108 mission. During that flight, he performed a four-hour spacewalk.
Yurchikhin previously visited the space station aboard Atlantis on STS-112 in 2002. He is qualified as a mechanical engineer and has a doctorate in economics. Before he was selected as a cosmonaut, Yurchikhin served as a Russian flight controller and lead engineer for several missions.
Kotov was selected as a cosmonaut in 1996 and has trained for Soyuz, Mir and space station missions. He is a graduate of the Kirov Medical Academy in Russia.
The Expedition 15 backup crew is astronaut Gregory E. Chamitoff for Anderson; Sandra H. Magnus for Tani; Russian cosmonauts Roman Y. Romanenko and Mikhail B. Kornienko for Yurchikhin and Kotov.
Video of the Expedition 15 crew members will air on NASA TV's Video
File. For NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling
information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more about the station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For more about upcoming space shuttle missions, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT SUES STARR COUNTY WOMAN FOR UNAUTHORIZED LEGAL SERVICES BUSINESS
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| RIO GRANDE CITY – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today took legal action against a South Texas woman alleging she violated several provisions of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) and the Texas Government Code by providing immigration and other legal services to consumers despite not being licensed as an attorney. Irene V. Rodriguez allegedly charged consumers in Starr County hundreds of dollars each to prepare legal documents in anticipation of immigration proceedings and misled clients into believing that she was authorized to handle such matters. The Attorney General’s lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against Rodriguez, as well as Rodriguez Immigration & Office Services, the fraudulent document preparation business she operates in Rio Grande City.
“The exploitation of Texas consumers seeking legitimate legal representation will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Abbott. “Families in need of legal assistance should be able to rely on honorable professionals who are qualified and licensed to practice law. The Consumer Protection Division of my office will continue to vigorously pursue anyone who ignores requirements set out under Texas law.” Consumers paid Rodriguez upwards of $600 to determine their eligibility for immigration benefits and prepare and file immigration documents on their behalf with federal officials. Rodriguez relied upon misleading business cards to advertise her unauthorized business and deceive unsuspecting consumers into believing that she was qualified to provide legal counsel on immigration issues. Rodriguez is neither licensed as an attorney nor accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) as able to charge fees to advise and represent clients in immigration matters, as required by Texas law. The lawsuit also accuses Rodriguez of deceptive use of her notary public status. Texas notaries public are primarily charged with witnessing the signing of legal documents; however, in Mexico, a "notario público" is much like an attorney in the United States, licensed to offer legal counsel and to represent citizens in legal matters. Scam artists have long exploited the misunderstanding between the term "notary" and the similar-sounding Spanish term "notario," which is commonly used in Latin America to refer to highly specialized attorneys. Texas law specifically prohibits notaries public from providing immigration services unless they are a licensed attorney. Today’s action marks the first such “notario” case in Starr County prosecuted by the Texas Attorney General’s office. The lawsuit seeks fines of up to $20,000 per violation of the DTPA. Consumers seeking licensed attorneys should contact the Texas State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Services hotline at (800) 252-9690. Since assuming office, Attorney General Abbott has become a national leader in halting businesses that prey upon unsuspecting consumers. He has shut down almost 40 businesses that are not authorized to provide legal advice or document preparation services. For additional information or to file a complaint against a suspected unauthorized legal services operation, consumers can contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or visit the Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us. Assistance is available in English and Spanish. |
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Waterline Work Continues
The progress on the City and County waterline project continues but appears to have been delayed by rains from the past two weekends.
Project sign
Pump Station on HWY 67/84 East of Santa Anna
Equipment just past County line
More Rain and Football
I was hoping to get started roofing my storage building Saturday but with rain in the forecast for the weekend I opted to mow the grass instead. Just about the time I finished mowing Saturday afternoon it started and continued most of Saturday evening. Sunday was pretty much a carbon copy with the rains starting in the late afternoon. What better reason to sit in the easy chair and watch football?
Tex Wright reports "I had 1.80 in the rain guage. With the sunday morning 2/10, It gives me 2.00 for the weekend."
I had two and two tenths in my Santa Anna National Bank rain gauge and one and eight tenths and a handful of moths in my Coleman County Telephone Coop gauge for Saturday through Monday night. It rained all the way to work on my Monday commute to Goldthwaite.
For those of you that didn't stay up to watch Monday Night Football, the Chicago Bears made an amazing comeback to beat the Arizona Cardinals 24-23 in their brand new stadium. The Bears were down by twenty points at halftime.
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Mountaineer Football | |
The Mountaineers took on the Rising Star Wildcats in Santa Anna Friday night for their first Division 1 District 13 game and came out with a decisive 46-0 victory. With 4:44 left in the third quarter the game was called by the 45 Point Mercy Rule.
The Mountaineers will travel to Blanket this Friday and the Tigers might just be looking for some revenge after the Mountaineers' upset them last year in the Bi-District game.
See the Sports Page for photo album of the game.
Down at the Pumpkin Patch to benefit Ethan Mendoza
Submitted by Stephanie Dane
The First Baptist Church Santa Anna Girls in Action (GA's) group will be hosting a community wide fall festival entitled "Down at the Pumpkin Patch" on Saturday, October 28, 2006 from 5pm-8pm in the First Baptist Church CLC/gym. All proceeds of the festival will be to benefit Ethan Mendoza and his family. Ethan is an 8 year old student of Santa Anna, Texas which contracted encephalitis in early June and has been hospitalized in Cook Children’s Medical Center. He is scheduled to be released in mid October and will require continuing medical attention which can be very expensive.
The tickets for the games are only .25 cents a piece with each game ranging from one to four tickets to play. Nothing will cost more than a dollar to play. We will also have arm bracelets available for $10.00 per person for unlimited play without keeping up with tickets. A concession stand will have great food to feed your whole family.
Activities will include games, a hay ride, FREE door prizes, a live auction and fun for the whole family. The Santa Anna Volunteer Fire Department will be showing off their new quick response truck and answering questions you may have. SAVFD was able to purchase the truck in 2005 with the help of the community and are looking forward to allowing the community an opportunity to see their funds at work first hand.
We still have a few booths open and if any individual or organization would like to help support Ethan and his family, we would love to have your help. The First Baptist Church is proving all prizes and whatever you need to run your booth. Please call Stephanie Dane at 325-280-1729 or Leann Donham at 325-642-0062 with any questions or to volunteer.
There will be a pumpkin carving contest which is FREE to enter. If you would like to enter your jack-o-lantern, you can drop it off at the CLC no later than 6:00pm during the festival. The prizes will be awarded at 7:30pm.
Remember, all proceeds will benefit Ethan Mendoza and his family so we hope to see everyone come out and have some fun while we support a local family! No costumes please.Ethan Mendoza, age 8 and a student at Santa Anna Elementary is currently hospitalized at Cook Children's Medical Center in Ft. Worth due to a diagnosis of Encephalitis. He has been there since early June and remains there for physical therapy and rehabilitation.
The last report I had on Ethan, he is now up and walking on his own, and doing much better, but still has a way to go. His doctors are planning to release him in mid October to return home to Santa Anna where he will continue to recover from his illness.
Ethan is the son of Sandi Watson of Santa Anna. Send well wishes to Cook Children's Hospital Center, Ethan Mendoza, Rm 6406, 801 7th Ave., Ft. Worth, TX 76104
Please remember Ethan and his family as he recovers.
Santa Anna Yearbook Staff Selling Poinsettias
The Santa Anna Yearbook Staff will be selling poinsettias again this year starting around the middle of October. They will be the same price as last year ($12.50) with foiled covers and a bow. This money is used to help fund our yearbook and purchase photography equipment when needed. Yearbook staff members will be coming around to check and see if you would like to order or you may send an e-mail to becky.martin@netxv to order. They appreciate your support in the activities that they do.
Coleman 4H Club to Sell Poinsettias
The Coleman 4H club will be selling poinsettias from now through October 10th. The cost will be $10.00 per plant. The colors that will be available are red, pink or white. The profits that are made will be used to purchase toys for Coleman’s Citywide Toy Drive. What a beautiful way to decorate for Christmas!
You may purchase poinsettias from any Coleman 4Her or call the Coleman County Agriculture Extension office at 625-4519. The plants will be delivered to the Bill Franklin Center (at the rodeo grounds) on December 2nd. You may pick them up there or make arrangements with the 4Her you bought them from to deliver them. Payment is due when the plants are picked up.
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