VETERANS COMPETE IN NATIONAL BOWLING TOURNAMENT

Bonham - VA North Texas Health Care System, Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center (SRMVC) Recreation Therapy Service is participating in a national bowling tournament co-sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the nation’s league bowlers through the national charity, Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL).

The tournament is being held at the Sher-Den Lanes in Denison. Members of the local team include veterans Donald F. Button, Ron E. Davey, Virgil D. Gillean, David W. Hawkins, Sr., Jim Reeves, and Billy J. Taylor. They will bowl a total of 45 games and send their scores into the BVL headquarters, competing with other VA bowlers from more than 100 hospitals around the country. Winners in each of the seven divisions will be announced in May.

"This tournament is a great opportunity for physical fitness as well as social interaction with other veterans," said Daniel K. Heers, SRMVC operations manager.

FANNIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEET

By Tina Jones

The Fannin County Commissioners held a special meeting on March 31, 2003.

It was approved by the board to re-advertise bids for limestone rock products and trucking of rock products, so that the opportunity for more bids can come in.

The commission discussed the need to replace the air conditioning units at the Adult Probation Office. Only one bid had been received and the decision was made that more bids were needed.

Approval to pay bills ended the meeting.

Number Sense 1^st place team Brian Hopkins, 1^st place Matt Cox, 2^nd place Joe Detwiler

Prose Brandon Bush, 5^th place Current Issues & Events Seven Vincent, 5^th place 1^st place team: Jamie Deason Joe Detwiler Matt Stone, 3^rd place

Science 1^st place Team Heather McCoy, 1^st place, 

Biology Derek Bohannon Matt Stone Brian Hopkins

Literary Criticism: Jamie Deason, 1^st place 1^st place team Kassie Hopkins, 4^th place Kyndra Cox, 6^th place Ashley Pampuch

Feature Writing Matt Stone, 4^th place

Air Force Airman Adam N. Davis has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations.

In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Davis is the son of Connie Dyer and brother of Amber Sisk, both of Bonham, Texas.

He is a 2002 graduate of Bonham High School.

CASA Volunteers Make a Difference

When child abuse is discovered, sometimes it means a child ends up in foster care. According to the Texas Department of Protective & Regulatory Services (TDPRS), there were 44 Fannin County children in foster care during 2002.

  When Child Protective Services takes custody of a child, a civil court case begins. State laws mandate that in these cases, a Guardian Ad Litem be appointed by the judge to represent the child’s best interest. In Fannin County, an organization called CASA makes sure that there are trained, caring adults available to serve as Guardian Ad Litem.

  CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, mobilizes community volunteers to serve in this important role. Volunteers come from all different backgrounds and circumstances.

"We strive to have a diverse group of volunteers," said Sandy Barber, Executive Director of The Fannin County Children’s Center, which includes CASA. "We can better serve our kids if our volunteer pool has variety in age, gender, ethnicity, backgrounds, etc."

  "Some of our volunteers work part-time or full-time jobs while others are homemakers or retired," continued Barber. "Some of our volunteers have college degrees, but others do not, because this job does not require one." CASA volunteers learn information and skills needed to do their job in an intensive, thirty-hour training the agency provides. Staff provides close supervision and support of volunteers during their service. Volunteers also get at least twelve hours of additional training annually.

  "What all CASA volunteers share is a deep concern for kids and a willingness to get involved to make a difference in the life of a child," stated Barber.

  In Fannin County, the judge appoints CASA to each case in which CPS takes custody of a child. The volunteer advocate investigates the child’s circumstances by talking with the parents, other relatives, friends, teachers, caseworkers, attorneys, therapists and, of course, the child. CASA prepares written reports to the court and attends each hearing concerning the child.

  In Fannin County, CASA was organized in 1992 and accepted its first case on April 5, 1993. The agency is celebrating ten years of serving the abused, neglected and needy children of Fannin County with an open house on Friday, April 4 at 112 West Fifth Street in Bonham. The community is invited to come and go from 4:00 ~ 6:00 p.m. There will be a program at 5:00 p.m.

"Everyone will get a chance to see our future home," said Barber. "We aren’t ready to move in yet because our new place does need some work. We hope to finish fundraising soon and begin renovating after that. We may be able to move in as early June."

  To learn more about CASA programs, www.texascasa.org and www.casanet.org are two websites to check out. For more information about the local program, call (903) 583-4339.

  To report suspicions of child abuse, call the toll free state hotline, 24 hours a day at 1-800-252-5400.

State Puts Focus On Dangers Of Drowsy Driving

AUSTIN - State officials are hoping to wake Texas drivers up to the dangers of driving while fatigued.

TxDOT joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Sleep Foundation and other partners in observing National Sleep Awareness Week March 31- April 6. The observance is a nationwide public awareness campaign designed to educate the public about the benefits of adequate sleep and the dangerous consequences of sleep deprivation and untreated sleep disorders.

"The importance of stressing to motorists the dangers involved with operating a motor vehicle while experiencing fatigue or drowsiness goes without saying," said Sue Bryant, TxDOT’s director of traffic safety. "To increase safety, motorists must get proper rest before getting behind the wheel."

There are a variety of factors that can lead to drowsy driving, which include sleep loss, late night driving, medication usage, untreated or unrecognized sleep disorders and consumption of alcohol. Driving while fatigued is a major hazard to the driver and other motorists. Nearly 8,000 fatigue-related crashes were reported in Texas between 1992 and 2000.

It can occur while making long trips, especially at night. Signs of fatigue include back tension, burning eyes, shallow breathing, inattentiveness and erratic driving.

Consuming alcohol before getting behind the wheel is one cause of fatigue. Alcohol is a depressant and a motorist does not have to be drunk to fall asleep while driving. Even consuming one alcoholic beverage can be enough to induce fatigue,

TxDOT and the National Safety Council offer these kips for staying awake while driving:

· Get the proper amount of sleep before driving. Seven or eight hours nightly is required.

· Try to avoid driving alone. Passengers can help with the driving.

· Avoid long drives at night, The glare of lights increases the danger of highway hypnosis.

· Adjust the vehicle’s environment to keep awake and alert. Keep the temperature cool with open windows or air conditioning in the summer and small amounts of heat in the winter.

· Watch your posture. Drive with your head up and your shoulders back.

· Take frequent breaks. Get out of the vehicle and walls around at least once every two hours.

Wildflowers and TxDOT

· TxDOT sows more than 33,000 pounds of seed each year to promote growth of wildflowers in case drought or other factors cut the number of seeds available from the plants we have by the side of the road. We have 30 different varieties of wildflowers per pound.

· TxDOT puts out wildflower seeds to prevent soil erosion and to cover any damaged spots by the side of the road due to construction or other damage.

• Growth is promoted by hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. This helps them to germinate and grow better. Vegetation management says wildflower crop should be good this year.

· Hotline number is 800-452-9292, callers are able to check any of the seven regions that the state is divided into by pressing the appropriate button on the hotline menu.

• Hotline is available from 8a.m. to 6p.m. daily until early May.

• The seven regions are Big Bend, Gulf Coast, Hill Country, Panhandle, Piney-Woods (East Texas), Prairies and Lakes (North Central Texas) and Southwest Texas.

• Information on wildflowers is supplied by TxDOT maintenance personnel, that monitor roadside growth of the wildflowers and pass it to the District Offices. They pass the information to the hotline operators (TxDOT Travel Division). They also get reports from Chambers of Commerce and Park Officials, The hotline is updated weekly.

• The peak blooming season for wildflowers is March, April and May, with the peak for bluebonnets being April.

· Where driver safety is not compromised, maintenance personnel delay cutting grass until the wildflower season is over.

• Wildflower seeds are sown in the approximately 745,000 miles of right-of-way TxDOT maintains across the state. That is along the 79,000 miles of highway in Texas.

Blackford Nursing Conference held at TMC

The Texoma Medical Center Education Department is currently taking registration for the annual Blackford Nursing Conference to be held in the TMC Cafeteria, 1000 Memorial Drive, Denison, on Saturday, April 12, 2003

from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This event is open to nursing professionals and

will provide 6.6 contact hours of credit.

This year’s program will feature Erik Wahl, talented artist and nationally known speaker. Through his program entitled, The Art of Vision, Erik blends warmth, humor and experience to help his audience identify their unchallenged roadblocks to success. This program is sure to help the professional nurse discover strategies to create a culture of commitment, generate new ideas and sustain excellence in healthcare which in turn will promote patient satisfaction within the healthcare delivery system.

The registration cost for nurses with Texoma HealthCare System is $35 and $50 for all other nursing professionals. To register for this event, contact the TMC Education Department at (903) 416-4111. Registration at the door will be accepted as seating permits.

The Blackford Nursing Conference is held annually at TMC updating nurses on the latest medical trends and is made possible by The Clara Blackford and W. Aubrey Smith Foundation.

The Texoma HealthCare System is the 2002 Employer of the Year as awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission. For more information on the services provided by the Texoma HealthCare System contact (903) 416-4000.

By Jean Magness

...Verily I say unto thee That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Matthew 26:74

Spring has finally come to Fannin County. What a beautiful season, after a long cold winter. The blue birds are busy building nests, the trees are all in bud even pecan and flowers are blooming everywhere. It’s truly a beautiful time of year. At Forest Grove Cemetery someone built and hung a bluebird house on the fence post just in front of Royce’s grave. He even painted it blue. Thanks, Don

Commodity distribution will be at the Telephone Community Center from 1-3 p.m., April 10, Ivanhoe, Telephone, Carson, Lamasco, Duplex, Tulip, Elwood, Monkstown and Riverby residents who are eligible should mark their calendars.

Many activities are taking place in our small community. The Telephone Senior Citizens have been busy with their annual fund raiser, which was last weekend. It’s always fun to work at or attend a rummage sale.

Recently the librarians of Telephone Baptist Church entertained ladies and guests of our community with a Spring Tea Party and a book review presented by Cornelia Thornton.

Cornelia is a librarian for the Garland ISD and did a great job reviewing "Bad Women of the Bible." The food was beautifully displayed on the lace covered bar in the fellowship hall. Decorations of teapots, porcelain teacups and saucers, along with bouquets of spring flowers adorned the tops of the tables, which were covered with white clothes and floral napkins. Twenty-one people attended and we’re already looking forward to next spring. The Library was open for our convenience and I checked out all seven of the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I’m already hard at work, reading them, if you have a chance it’s very interesting reading.

Pops Evans passed away about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, 2003 at his son’s home at Telephone. Family night was Saturday and the funeral was Sunday. He is survived by his wife, Elsie, of the home, son and wife, Dale and Cindy Evans, daughter and son-in-law, Frances and Dale of Telephone.

Lela Foreman has been in the hospital in Baylor and is now home. Bobby Slagle is in TMC. We should remember Bobby as we pray. Donzetta McCraw is in Reba’s Rehab at this time. She looked good when I visited with her.

Telephone Baptist Church will be host for md Sunday singing on April 17th at 7 p.m. Lots of good singing and food and fellowship will be available. Make your plans to attend.

The Telephone Senior Citizens will meet on Wednesday, April 16 at 10:30 a.m. for their regular meeting. A covered dish luncheon will be served. Everyone is encouraged to bring food and a visitor and join in the fun for an enjoyable day.

Plans are being made for the Telephone School reunion, which will be sometime in June. The committee is in the process of finalizing plans at this time.

The family of the late Wiley and Julia Fox met last Friday night at the home of Reba and Don Fox for a family reunion. All five children were able to attend.

If you have news for the Tattler, give me a call. Hope to hear from you in the near future.

Congratulations To Amanda Skogen Tucker

Congratulations to Amanda Tucker (formerly Skogen), daughter of John and Cindy Skogen, of Bonham, Texas, on her acceptance into the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University. Amanda is one of only 72 students chosen to be a part of the class of 2007.

She will graduate this May from Oklahoma State with a Bachelors of Science in Animal Science and will begin classes for vet school during the Fall semester 2003.

This is a great accomplishment and we wish her luck and good fortune in all of her future endeavors.

A SOLDIER IN IRAQ

AS HE STARTED OFF TO SCHOOL,

HE WAS SO SMALL;

WITH HEAD SO HIGH,

BUT HE FINISHED IT ALL. NOW HE IS A YOUNG MAN AND HE GOT HIS CALL,

HE IS IN IRAQ

FIGHTING FOR ONE AND ALL.

HIS COUNTRY NEEDED HIM

AND HE IS THERE, FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM AND WE ARE HOPING AND PRAYING

HE WILL NOT FALL.

WITH GUN IN HAND HE IS THERE

DOING HIS BEST FOR US ALL,

AND HE WILL BE THERE THROUGH IT ALL.

UNTIL THE LAST SHOT IS FIRED

AND THE LAST MISSILE FALLS.

HE IS THERE SO PEOPLE CAN BE FREE

WE PRAY HE COMES HOME WITHOUT FAIL

SO WE SEND OUR MAIL (AND OUR LOVE)

TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN

WHO ARE FACING HELL.

THE NIGHTMARE HAS YET TO COME

THE GROUND WAR IS TO COME

OUR SOLDIERS ARE STRONG AND BRAVE

THEY WILL COME HOME THROUGH IT ALL.

I KNOW IN MY HEART HE WILL FINISH THIS ALL.

IF HE IS NOT HERE THIS SPRING OR SUMMER

HE WILL BE HERE IN THE FALL; WE PRAY.

Plans Underway for 10^th Annual Resource Fair

American flags, and lots of patriotic red, white and blue bunting, will decorate the 10th Annual Resource Fair, to be held from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., at the Fannin County Fair grounds on Saturday, April 26th. This year’s committee, led by Mary Diekman, is hard at work to make it the "best Resource Fair we’ve ever had," said Diekman. "America Alive in Fannin County is this year’s theme."

A planning meeting was held on Friday, March 21^St in the community room at the Bonham Housing Authority. Attending were members of the Resource Fair Committee and the Fannin County Networking Committee. This included the following: Mary Diekman, Leonard Gerner, Stella Chennault, Tessie Slate, Debbie Freeman, Don Campbell, Linda Horton, Judy Fullylove, Berniece Brown, Brenda Smith, Jacqueline White, Joyce and Daniel Chavez, Charissa McCollum, Tahlie Carter, Melanie Todd, Amanda Fanning, Susy Meehan and Lori Barfield.

The goal of the annual fair is to provide free health service information and screening for people of all ages. This is the 10^th year the Resource Fair has been sponsored by the Fannin County Networking Committee and each year the Fair gets bigger and better. There will be more than 50 booths exhibiting services, products and businesses that are available to all citizens of Fannin County. Free health screening will be available throughout the day. Seminars on topics of special interest are scheduled inside the Civic Center.

Entertainment, that will appeal to all ages, has been planned for inside the Civic Center throughout the day. Debbie Freeman announced that several singers, two of the PIPS groups, members of the Bonham School of Dance, the Senior Line Dancers, the Senior Circle Exercise group and some cheerleaders have planned to take part in the day’s activities. The committee is working on getting a story teller and will have a magician during the afternoon entertainment.

Children’s outdoor activities will include the "bounce around," the barrel train, and other games. The Bonham Police Department and the Bonham Fire Department will also take part in this year’s fair.

One of the highlights of the day will be the announcement of the Fannin County Young Adult Volunteer of the Year; the Fannin County Youth Volunteer of the Year and the Fannin County Senior Citizen of the Year. The committee is working on getting a dignitary to make the presentations.

The Resource Fair has made plans to place a coupon for a free drink and hot dog in each packet of the people who participate in the Fannin County March of Dimes WalkAmerica, as it is being held on the fair grounds the same day. The food committee has made plans to serve hot dogs, chips, nachos and drinks at the fair. Prices will be reasonable.

For those who want a good laugh, bring your camera to the Bonham Square at 4 p.m. Saturday, after the fair, as members of the Resource Fair Committee will ride the barrel train around the square. (I’ve always wanted to ride that train!) That should be a sight to behold! See you at the fair!

New Toll-Free Connection Provides Help With Alluring Poisons

So many of them are things children love - enticing colors, intriguing containers, inviting contents that look and smell like a favorite food or a familiar beverage. To a small child, that decongestant on the nightstand looks just like red cinnamon candies, and the laxative in the bathroom cabinet is almost identical to a square of chocolate. That yellow lamp oil in the see-through bottle on the kitchen counter smells a lot like lemonade. And the cleanser in the round green can under the sink? It bears a close resemblance to a container of sprinkle-on grated Parmesan cheese.

Poison control centers know all too well about "look-alikes" - those perfectly good products that become dangerous when mistaken for something yummy by a curious crawler or climber, said Judy Whitfield, coordinator for the Texas Poison Center Network and a staff member of the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Texas Department of Health (TDH).

"During 2002, more than half of the 168,000 human-exposure calls the state’s poison control centers received involved the unintentional poisonings of children under 5. And that’s an age group that represents only 8 percent of our population."

Nationally, about 30 deaths and nearly 1 million incidents each year involve children under 5 exposed to potential poisons.

"What makes small children especially vulnerable to accidental poisoning is that they are constantly exploring and investigating the world around them, often putting what they see and can reach into their mouths," Whitfield said. "That’s why it is so important to use products with child-resistant packaging and keep medicines and chemicals locked up and out of sight."

If a suspected poisoning occurs, people have a new nationwide toll-free number that connects with the nearest poison control center.

"Write it down: 1-800-222-1222. Post it by all the phones in the house and program it into your cell phones," Whitfield said.

Those who call the toll-free number are connected to the nearest poison control center and a network of nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and physicians who have extensive education, training and expertise in toxicology and poisonings.

Whitfield said these experts are trained to deal with everything from poison exposures ... to insect stings and snakebites ... to how your new medication may interact with the other medications you’re already taking. "They’ve also handled anthrax and other bioterrorism-related calls and even answered questions about debris from the Shuttle Columbia," she said.

Texas has centers in Amarillo, Dallas, El Paso, Galveston, San Antonio and Temple, all equipped with telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD) and access to the AT&T Language Line, which provides translation services for callers who speak Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages.

"The good news is that 75 to 80 percent of poison exposures can be treated at home," Whitfield said. If someone in your home has been exposed to a possible poison:

• Stay calm. Not all medicines and household chemicals are poisonous, and not all exposures necessarily result in poisoning.

• Call 1-800-222-1222 first, unless you’re in a life-threatening situation. Don’t go straight to the hospital. And don’t induce vomiting unless the expert tells you to.

• Have the label ready, if possible. It will provide information concerning the product’s contents and advice on what immediate first aid to perform.

• Be prepared to give information to the person who answers the phone such as the victim’s age and weight; any existing health conditions or problems; substance involved and how it contacted the person (swallowed, inhaled, absorbed through skin contact, splashed into the eyes); how long ago the victim swallowed or inhaled the substance; any first aid that may have been given; if the person has vomited; and your location and how long it will take you to get to the hospital.

Sam Rayburn ISD Fourth Six Weeks

Honor Roll Students

"A" HONOR ROLL

Will Alexander, Brittany Davenport, Emily Duncan, Sarah Foreman, Jordan Fuller, Alaina Kissinger, Sarah Mead, Brittany Page, Torri Pannell, Dalton Titsworth, Shelby Vandeventer, Brittany Weissert

Sydney Davis, Samantha Duncan, Lupe Gomez, Ruben Gonzales, Lindsay Maxey, Niki Self

Hannah Baugh, Scott Berni, Drew Davis, Brian Haywood, Shelby Stubblefield, Paige Vandeventer

Kaycee Butler, India Calame, Keri Goodwin, Clayton Harrison, Jordan Johnson, Kandice Kissinger, Hunter Maxey, Elizabeth Mills, Jennifer Neufeld, Carly Sadler, Brittany Williams

Lindsay Arthur, Jake Baker, Andrea Eaves, William Goodman, Jacey Jones, Nolan Skidmore

Jonathon Akins, Jessica Hardy, Sarah Landis, Lacie McGuire, Ross Naylor, Chris Young

Megan Butler, Amy Pender

Shondra Rushing, Kirsty Warburton

Bertha Neufeld, Luke Templer

Nequita Backus, Cole Brawner, Courtney Gann, Christy Hintergardt, Karen Kelton, Diamond McGuire, Sarah Meek, Morgan Reeves, Cassie Sadler, Lauren Tollefson, Amy vanEttinger, Kassie Van Hooser, Stormy Vandeventer

Jonathan Bridges, Kelsea Capehart, Mitchell Clement, Kaitlynd Dennis, Courtney Goodwin, Aidan Hartnett, Clark Hopkins, Kendele King, Lendele King, Aaron Mussett, Rani Nichols, Saraja Pjetrovic, Kelsi Pralle, Zakkary Rhoads, Daniel Schindler, Ariane Taylor, Kyle Wallace, Ali Wiechman

Cody Gibbs, Michael Hankey, Cheyenne Haywood, Zachary Mason, Jake Nichols, Vanessa Parker, Taylor Potts, Clinton Prater, Vronika Schindler, Alyssa Taylor, Hunter Titsworth, Ryan Titsworth, Cameron Upson, Zachary Waldrop, Albert Wall, Paul Wallace

Courtney Babb, Colt Brinlee, Trevor Eaves, Timmy Harrison, Cody Humphries, Jesse McCain, Billy Mize, Dara Nelson, Jace Outlaw, Heather Raymond, Keeton Simpson, Brent Smith, Andrew Waldrop

Justin Anderton, Samatha Avila, Shelby Bridges, Stephanie Carroll, Gordan Davenport, Kameron Dollgener, Maddison Foreman, Mariah Fritz, Tyler Hamilton, Jessica Jones, Frankin Mead, Ruben Rempel, Kaleigh Titsworth, Danae Walker

Ashley Carnley, Gaabriel Dominquez, Josh Fuller, Chelsie Kavanaugh, Jacob Mead, Martha Rempel, Casey Templer, William Walker, Kelsey Weissert

Sarah Berni, J.D. Dewek, Chelsea Havens, Cyndi Hernandez, Donaice Oakley, Mitchell Prater, Chris Sanders, Austin Tollefson, Peter Wall, Whitney Whited

Ashley Amlin, Ashley Arthur, Caylie Babb, Daniel Brawner, Ashley Butler, Suzie Friessen, Katrina Fritz, Christina Gomez, Mollie Lasater, Mick Maidens, Matt McWhorter, Philip Milam, Torrie Reynolds, Chirs Stockton, Ernie Taylor, Kayla Wade

James Dodson, Josh Gann, Lee Goodwin, Logan Graham, Ashton Hamilton, Mendy Ivy, Quincy Kueckelhan, Jason Miears, Maria Rempel, Steven Richardson, Chris Sepaugh, Amanda Stockton

John Curry, Matt Davis, Todd Foreman, Jennifer Kempadoo, Nathan McWhorter, Caroline Reynolds, Katie Skidmore, Bridget Thompson, Cora Wylie

Lindsay Davis, David Dominguez, Jordan Jones, Matt Mills, Lauren Moody, Felicia Price, Courtney Taylor, Jami Van Ingen, David Weatherby

Amanda Bridges, Jacob Calaway, Rene Holmes, Clint Littrell, Crystal Miller

Local Site Picked as Dropzone for April 26 Nationwide Skydive

300 of surrounding community people from Whitewright, Trenton, Van Alstyne, Howe, Bells, Sherman, Anna, Bonham, Denison, and all other of our surrounding communities will be at Skydive Dallas for the Operation Freefall. It will benefit (SOAR) Speaking Out About Rape and (RAINN) Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and Skydive Dallas announced that Operation Freefall, a nationwide skydive event to prevent sexual assault and raise funds to help victims, is scheduled for April 26, 2003. Locally, Skydive Dallas is a planned drop zone.

Skydive Dallas is in Whitewright, Texas, announce that Operation Free fall, a nationwide skydive event to prevent sexual assault and raise funds to help victims, is scheduled for April 26, 2003. Locally, Skydive Dallas in Whitewright, Texas is a planned drop zone.

Skydive Dallas is in Whitewright, Texas, local phone number is 903-364-5103 or for long distance, 1-800-SKY-DIVE. You can also find us on the web at www.skydivedallas.com. Skydive Dallas is the best drop zone in North Texas and have great aircraft. We offer tandem skydives and AFF solo skydives.

Operation Freefall is open to beginners and experienced skydivers. Most participants are expected to be first-timers. The $250.00 registration fee includes a tandem jump, complete safety training at a USPA-certified skydive facility, all necessary gear, and an expert tandem partner. Information is available at www.operationfreefall.com, by calling (800) 656-4673 ext. 3, or by calling Skydive Dallas (800) SKYDIVE.

Operation Freefall began when, on the anniversary of her rape, Kellie Greene made her first jump. In doing so, she successfully reclaimed the day that had been taken from her, reviving her own courageous spirit and turning what had been a dreaded memorial into an anticipated celebration. Each year, more people joined Kellie and her jump has attracted national media attention. Operation Freefall 2003 marks the third annual event, and is expected to be the largest ever, attracting thousands of skydivers.

BONHAM SNAP CENTER MENU

Hamburgers, Potato Salad, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Pickles, Onions, Buns, Scalloped Apples, Milk

Pinto Beans & Wieners, Mexicali Corn, Sauerkraut, Cornbread, Pineapple Upsidedown Cake, Milk

Turkey Noodle Casserole, Pea Salad, Beets, Bread, Plum Cobbler, Milk

Pepper Steak, Lima Beans, Sunny Mixed Vegetables, Cornbread, Peaches, Milk

Ham, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Bread, Lime Jello/Orange Juice, Milk

RELAY FOR LIFE RAISES FUNDS WHILE HAVING FUN

Want to help find a cure for cancer while still having fun? Then lace up your tennis shoes, pack your sleeping bag, meet your friends, and join the crowd June 6 at our 2003 Fannin County Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society Signature Event.

Relay For Life is an overnight team event that invites groups of 8 to 15 people (friends, families, hospitals, businesses, schools, churches) to come together to fight cancer. Relay For Life represents our hope that those lost to cancer will not be forgotten, that those who are battling cancer will be supported, and that cancer will one day be eliminated.

Cancer survivors are invited to walk the survivors’ lap, which starts each Relay event. By seeing the many faces of those who have fought cancer and won, this lap provides encouragement and hope to others who are dealing with cancer in their lives.

Survivors, patients, and those who have lost their battle with cancer can be honored during the luminaria ceremony. Luminarias with the honored persons’ names on them are placed around the track and lit at dusk. These luminarias stay lit all night and literally, as well as symbolically, light the way for walkers through the darkness.

For more information on Relay For Life call Alan or Amy Reaves at 903-640-9793 or 903-583-4464; Debbie Vest at 903-623-4755; or Vicky Billings at 903-965-7640.

TMA Delegates Tackle Medical Education,

Public Health & Governmental Issues

Expanding medical education among Texas colleges, legislative issues such as prompt pay and medical liability reform, and setting standards for medical expert testimony are part of what’s on tap during four days of business meetings and continuing education seminars during the Texas Medical Association’s annual TexMed convention in San Antonio at the Convention

Center.

TMA will celebrate its 150th year working to improve the health of all Texans during the session that will draw nearly 2,000 physicians from throughout Texas. Thursday evening the association will install a third-generation Texas physician as president.

TMA’s governing House of Delegates will debate and possibly pass dozens of public health and governmental issues Thursday and Friday. Issues include:

o Defining qualifications for physicians to serve as expert witnesses;

o Defining instances when nurses in long-term care facilities are not

required to initiate resuscitation on patients who experience an unwitnessed

arrest;

o Supporting efforts to increase the number of economically

disadvantaged students, including underrepresented minority students,

enrolled in Texas medical schools;

o Considering uniform clinical skills competency testing for all

medical schools;

o Supporting expansion of the Texas Department of Health’s visa waiver

program to provide physicians in areas underserved areas;

o Supporting comprehensive policies on obesity prevention;

o Endorsing stronger penalties for motorists driving while

intoxicated;

o Supporting "Save Our ERs" in their effort to secure funding to allow

trauma centers to defray a portion of the costs of treating indigent

traumatic injury victims;

o Upholding the rights of adolescents to confidential health care;

o Opposing the use of tobacco, supporting tobacco-free environments,

and classifying tobacco smoke as a Class A carcinogen;

o Adopting safety rules for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs);

o Funding for interpretation services for persons who are deaf;

o Developing guidelines for organ procurement, and urging the American Medical Association to escalate national efforts to increase organ donations.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 38,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 119 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective is to improve the health of all Texans.

Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off to Aid Columbia Recovery Efforts

Volunteers on lookout for shuttle debris while ridding roadsides of litter

AUSTIN - Many of the more than 100,000 Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off volunteers will have a special assignment this year as they fan out to rid roadsides and communities of cigarette butts, soda cans and fast food wrappers.

NASA has asked them to be on the lookout for debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia while picking up litter. Volunteers In the following counties should be especially observant for shuttle remnants: Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Ellis, Freestone, Henderson, Houston, Johnson, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith and Tarrant.

‘We were all deeply saddened by the Columbia accident, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will assist NASA with its recovery in any way we can," said TxDOT Travel Division Director Doris Howdeshell.

With spring in bloom, NASA officials want to recover as much material as possible from the February 1 accident before it Is obscured by growing vegetation. Texans participating in the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off in the 16 core counties should report any suspected debris by calling, toll-free, (866) 448-6603.

"We are very grateful to the Texas Department of Transportation for the support they have provided to us during this difficult time, and we appreciate the willingness of the Trash-Off participants to keep their eyes open for possible Columbia material as they conduct their cleanup," said Allen Flynt, NASA emergency response director at Lufkln.

Co-sponsored by TxDOT and Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off is the Lone Star State’s largest one-day cleanup. Volunteers for this year’s event include the members of 1,350 Adopt-a-Highway groups and more than 100 KTB communities. Adopt-a-Highway groups will be in charge of highway cleanup, while KTB volunteers’ focal point will be neighborhoods, city streets and parks.

"This year KTB is proud to celebrate its 10^th anniversary participating in the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off," said KTB Executive Director Stacy Cantu. "It Is Important that our roadsides remain clean - It’s safer for drivers and better for tourism. But it’s also an educational experience. After you spend a day picking up other people’s trash, you’re less likely to litter again, and more likely to tell others not to litter,"

TxDOT’s Don’t Mess with Texas public education campaign began In 1986 and has helped decrease the state’s roadside litter by 52 percent since 1995.

For more information about the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off and Adopt-a-Highway, visit www, dontmesswithtexas.org

For a complete list of community events or volunteer information, contact KTB at 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit www.ktb.org.

To learn more about NASA`s Columbia recovery operation, visit www.nasa,gov.

For more information, call Sabra P. Vaughan, (903) 737-9205. Information about TxDOT is also available through the department’s World Wide Web site (http://www.dot. state.tx.us).

Texas Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

This year, the week of April 6 through 12 is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The theme for 2003 is Victims’ Rights: Fulfill the Promise.

These five simple yet powerful words allow all of us to show our support

for crime victims.

In keeping with this year’s theme, participants are encouraged to write a "promise" to crime victims. Their messages of support will help victims recover in the aftermath of violent crime. The written promises offer victims supportive community services or assistance in implementing their rights. The individual promises will be prominently displayed to emphasize community commitment to crime victims.

During Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we can renew our determination to treat victims of violent crime with compassion and dignity, helping them deal with their losses. We can take this time to ensure that victims are informed about their statutory and constitutional rights, and we can take steps to help them exercise those rights.

Several ceremonies will be held nationally and locally to commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In El Paso, on Sunday, April 6, victims, victims’ families, advocates and community leaders plan an early morning Victims’ Memorial Walk. Later that evening in Amarillo, the Panhandle Victim Assistance Coalition will host a candlelight ceremony and reception. Other Texas activities include a bell ringing ceremony in the valley and a release of balloons in Central Texas.

The Nation Unites for Victims’ Rights National Candlelight Observance is scheduled for the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial in Washington, D.C. The event is sponsored by the Office for Victims of Crime at the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ). The co-sponsors are national victim assistance and allied professional organizations.

The Office for Victims of Crime, working in partnership with Justice Solutions, has published a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide and a theme poster. These resource materials are designed to help communities commemorate this special week. Both are available free from the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center.

Our agency administers the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, which pays out-of-pocket expenses resulting from violent crimes, on behalf of victims and their families. If you are a crime victim or the family member

of a victim, you can call the Office of the Attorney General’s Crime Victim Services Division for a crime victim compensation application and other information.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a special time, and we should take this opportunity to redouble our efforts to heal the wounds inflicted by acts of criminal violence. I encourage you to make your own promise – it costs nothing, yet it is priceless.

Texas Attorney General Pushes Victim Rights, Compensation

The Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund was created in 1979 by the Texas Legislature with the passage of the Crime Victims’ Compensation Act. This Act set out the protocol for victim eligibility and outlined the first benefits available to victims of crime. Since 1991, the Compensation Fund has been administered by the Office of the Attorney General.

During my tenure as Attorney General of Texas, I intend to make crime victim services a top priority and a resounding success. The key to success is focusing on the victim and the victim’s needs. While each victim faces trauma and loss, no two experiences are the same. We recognize these differences and work hard to meet the specific needs of each eligible victim or claimant.

In the years that the Attorney General’s office has been responsible for Crime Victims’ Compensation, the array of services we offer has expanded significantly. Our Crime Victim Services (CVS) Division today is responsible for a number of functional areas.

First and foremost, we accept applications from victims of violent crime, to determine which costs resulting from the crime may be eligible for reimbursement by the Fund. Victims or their family members must meet some basic eligibility requirements. Expenses that qualify include medical expenses, counseling, lost wages, and the cost of funerals in the case of homicides.

CVS also conducts research on the impact of crime and on the need for services, and provides training for local crime victim service providers and for the victim liaisons in law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices.

In addition, the division administers grants to local victim service providers and sexual assault programs.

To help ensure that victims of sexual assault are treated with dignity and compassion, we train Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), who gather evidence without retraumatizing the victims. An equally important part of

their training is forensic. We want to end sexual assault by effectively prosecuting sexual predators.

Our Crime Victim Notification System (CVNS) exists to protect and inform victims when the offenders’ crimes proceed through the criminal justice system and the offenders come up for parole or release. Accessible and reliable notification can help restore a victim’s sense of safety and control. The rights to be informed and heard, protected and compensated are all guaranteed under the Crime Victims’ "Bill of Rights" (Art. 56, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure). Our job is twofold: to see that victims know their rights and to build communities that respect their rights.

My own commitment is to lead our state’s law enforcement and criminal justice professionals in advocating for victim rights and services. I hope you will join me in this effort.

Benefits for Victims of Child Abuse, Sexual

Assault, Family Violence

As we observe Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Child Abuse Prevention Month – all in April – we can not help but note the diversity of suffering caused by crime in our society. We can also be encouraged by the tireless efforts of advocates who work to meet the specific needs of child victims, victims of sexual assault, victims of family violence, and others whose special circumstances deserve our attention and respect.

My office, in administering the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, strives to deliver specialized services and benefits for various kinds of victims.

To help children who are victims of child abuse and child sexual assault, we have helped fund child advocacy centers in a number of cities throughout Texas.

These facilities exist to provide a centralized, child-friendly environment where the necessary interviews and examinations can take place with reduced trauma to the child. Too often in the past, a child was re-traumatized and re-victimized by repeated questioning and cross-examination. Effective prosecution is critical, if we are going to protect our children from those who abuse and prey upon them. But at the same time, we must protect our children in the criminal justice process.

Another special kind of victim is the victim of sexual assault. My office works closely with local rape crisis and sexual assault service providers to promote sensitive treatment. With training and awareness, we can provide compassionate and respectful services while at the same time effectively investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases.

Special benefits available to victims of sexual assault include relocation expenses for victims who are assaulted in their homes. The Compensation Fund can help with deposits for rent and utilities, and with moving expenses. Moving away from the scene of a traumatic assault can be critical to a victim’s ability to move ahead and rebuild a life shattered by crime.

In recent years, the Legislature has enacted new provisions to help victims of family violence. These victims may qualify for relocation expenses and rent. Discretionary grants have helped provide safe havens in communities, where victims of family violence can make the critical leap from a dangerous environment to safety and freedom.

In addition to money for relocation, survivors of family violence who have dependent children may qualify for loss of support payments on behalf of their dependent children. These funds can, on a temporary basis, help make up for the income lost by leaving a partner or spouse. Victims can also receive help with expenses such as crime-related medical and counseling bills.

Nothing we do can entirely heal the damage that violent crime wreaks in the lives of all it touches. The least we can do is raise our own awareness of the suffering. We can treat victims with respect and sensitivity, and we can work to make every possible benefit available to them.

Military Reservists and Child Support

Due to the crisis in Iraq, thousands of mothers and fathers in the military reserves and National Guard are leaving civilian careers for active duty on our shores and abroad. First and foremost, my employees and I join those who thank you for your sacrifice in service to our country.

Many reservists called to active duty may be parents who receive child support services through the Child Support Division of my office. We wish to assist those parents during their transition to full-time military

service by ensuring that their children’s court-ordered child support payments are not disrupted. We also want parents to understand our policies pertaining to military service, particularly in the areas of review and adjustment of child support orders, medical support, and

passport requests.

If you are a custodial or non-custodial parent who has been called to active duty, please report your change of address and/or employment status to your local child support office. This notification is especially

important for non-custodial parents whose child support payments are withheld from their paycheck, so that we know to issue a new with-holding order to the military employer.

Employers of military reservists who pay child support through an income withholding order can also report their employee’s changed status. Contact us at (800) 252-8014 to report your employee’s date of activation to full-time military service. My office will issue a new income withholding order to the appropriate military service branch to avoid lapses in child support payments.

For some parents, military activation will mean a reduction in total monthly income. We do not want parents to fall behind on child support because they are unable to make payments that are based on a higher salary. Non-custodial parents experiencing a change in monthly income due to military deployment may contact their child support office to request a review and adjustment of the child support order. My staff will give these requests the highest priority. Being called to active duty is considered a material and substantial change in circumstances and constitutes legal grounds for requesting a review of the child support amount. If the court order is eligible for modification, it will be based on the parent’s new income.

Court orders to support children financially also include the requirement to provide medical support. Parents who are called to active duty may enroll their children in the military health care coverage TRICARE by

contacting their military base. If the parent ordered to provide medical support is in the military and does not enroll the child(ren) in TRICARE, the custodial parent can initiate enrollment by bringing the child(ren) and the court order to any military base in the world.

Men and women in military service may be required to obtain passports before their deployment depending on their job duties and assignments. The State Department will not issue passports to parents who owe $5,000 or more in past-due child support until arrangements are made to satisfy the arrearage. Parents whose passport applications are denied should contact their child support office to work out an agreement for paying the amount that is owed.

Know the Ropes for Using Mexican-Origin Rodeo Steers!

Texas Animal Health Commission

Roping and rodeo, they’re true Texas sports. But like all competitions, there are rules, particularly if you plan to use Mexican-origin steers.

"Before being used for roping or rodeos, Mexican-origin steers must have a negative cattle tuberculosis (TB) test in the U.S. by an accredited private veterinary practitioner. The test must be conducted within 12 months prior to being used for sport," explained veterinarian Dan Baca of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. "The animals then must be retested annually thereafter." TB test documents must accompany the animals to events, where TAHC animal health inspectors may check shipments for compliance with testing requirements.

Dr. Baca, the TAHC’s TB epidemiologist, explained identification for the tested animal could include a Mexican blue eartag or silver USDA ear tag. Also acceptable are hide or horn brands or an ear tattoo that will provide unique identification of the animal.

"A few weeks ago, the TAHC commissioners put additional regulations ‘on hold’ for Mexican imported steers, due to budget and staffing shortfalls. Since then, we have fielded a number of questions, and we wanted to clarify the regulations that are in effect," he said.

Dr. Baca said he has been asked why Mexican-origin roping steers must have a TB test in the U.S, while imported Mexican feeder steers are exempt.

"Mexican-origin steers are tested prior to being transported to Texas. However, we know Mexico has a greater incidence of TB infection, and it is possible for animals to be exposed to infection prior to movement. Imported feeder steers aren’t being targeted, because, once in the U.S., theirs is a fairly ‘straight path’ from pasture, feedlot and then to slaughter. Conversely, imported rodeo or roping steers may be used for several years for practice and events. During this time, these rodeo or roping animals may be pastured with or near Texas cattle. If the imported animals are infected with TB, they could spread infection to domestic cattle."

Dr. Baca said 54 TB-infected Mexican-origin steers were detected at Texas slaughter plants during an 18-month period from 2001-2002. "Six of the 54 infected animals were Mexican steers that had been used for roping and rodeo, and we must control the risk posed by these animals," he said.

Dr. Baca pointed out that, in 2004, the TAHC commissioners will review the testing requirements for imported rodeo and roping steers. "If testing provides proof that these animals do not pose a threat of disease, the commissioners will consider rescinding the regulation," he said. To aid the TAHC and the industry in gathering accurate statistics, he said the words "Mexican roping cattle" should be written on TB test charts by the private veterinary practitioner conducting the test.

Texas lost its TB-free status in June 2002, after two infected herds were detected in 2001. "If we are to regain-and maintain-our free status, hopefully by 2004, we must keep our domestic cattle herds free of disease and reduce risk wherever possible," said Dr. Baca. "By having imported rodeo and roping steers tested in the U.S. prior to use, and requiring an annual retest, we may prevent infection from spreading to a domestic cattle herd," he said. "One infected Texas cattle herd could prevent the entire state from regaining TB-free status."

Senator Deuell’s Capitol Update

Issues Facing the 78th Legislature

(Austin) - Recently, the Senate Research Center (SRC) issued a document highlighting some of the issues my Senate colleagues and I will address this session.  This article contains the Senate Research Center report on long-term care and organ donation. Subsequent articles will focus on other issue areas that will be addressed by the legislature.  If you would like to view the full document, you can read it on-line at www.senate.state.tx.us, or contact my office for a copy.
Long-Term Care

  Decreasing revenues and rising Medicaid costs are placing an increased burden on the ability of states to provide long-term care services. Nursing home costs are one of the largest expenditures in the Texas Medicaid long-term care program. Texas policymakers may consider a variety of cost containment options, including: revising income eligibility requirements for nursing homes to tighten admissions; imposing provider taxes; transforming reimbursement systems from cost-based methods to
prospective payment systems; enhancing estate recovery and asset transfer recoupment from Medicaid beneficiaries; capping the enrollment of some waiver programs; placing limits on personal care services; reducing or freezing rate
reimbursement for nursing homes; and capping longterm care per diem costs.

  Texas has been engaged in a major long-term care planning process since 1999 to expand home and community-based services for people with disabilities. Although the state has an array of community services, there are long waiting lists for those services. The legislature may also consider personal attendant care options and other community supports, including housing and transportation issues. Finding ways to increase the numbers of direct care workers in long-term care and provide incentives to nursing homes, home care agencies, and other long-term care providers to recruit and retain these workers also remain issues of concern.

 Organ Donation and Allocation

  Efforts have been made to develop a more equitable organ allocation system and identify methods to increase organ donation. A TDH task force identified several defects in the current Texas organ allocation system. Patients in Texas lack access to donor organs due to the current geographic boundaries, the lack of uniform and consistent listing criteria used by the transplant centers to prioritize patients on waiting
lists, the failure of hospitals to adhere to the required referral law, and the difficulty in matching donor organs with patients who have a higher probability of rejecting a donor organ.

  The legislature may consider legislation to require TDH to assist organ procurement organizations (OPOs), hospitals, and medical communities to develop best practices relating to organ donation and procurement. Other potential issues include making first-person consent legally binding and revising the procedures by which terms of an anatomical gift may be amended or revoked. A variance that would allow statewide distribution of organs for individuals who are highly sensitized to rejecting an organ may also be considered.

  To contact Sen. Deuell about the legislative process, contact the Capitol Office at (512) 463-0102 or mail to Sen. Bob Deuell, Texas Senate, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, TX 78711.  The website for the Texas Senate is www.Senate.state.tx.us.  The e-mail address for Sen. Deuell is: bob.deuell@senate.tx.us.

Broken-H-Ranch and Feed Now Carrying New Line

Trenton, TX-April 2, 2003-Broken H Ranch and Feed now carries a full line of quality Pilgrim’s Feed products.

The store, located 4 miles South of Bonham on Hwy. 121, has offered feed and farm supplies to farmers in Southwest Arkansas for many years.

For further information on available products, please call Broken H Ranch and Feed at 903-989-2800.

Pilgrim’s Feed manufactures and distributes a full line of quality livestock and poultry feed to dealers in the four-state area. With a growing network of 180 feed dealers which are primarily feed and farm supply stores, Pilgrim’s Feed is supplied from Pilgrim’s commercial feed mill in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. The company serves the Eastern half of Texas, Western Louisiana, Southwest Arkansas, and Southeastern Oklahoma.

Dr. Bob Hillman Steps Aboard As Texas State Veterinarian

Saying he was not afraid of making decisions or of standing up for what he believes, Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas’ new state veterinarian, completed his first day on the job Tuesday, April 1, by addressing staff who work at the Austin headquarters of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock health regulatory agency.

"I am extremely honored and pleased to be Texas’ state veterinarian and

TAHC executive director," said Dr. Hillman. "This is a great opportunity to return to my home state to be of service to the animal industries of Texas. I believe in working together, so we can make significant contributions. This is not about ‘I’ or ‘you’--what we achieve will be done together through teamwork."

Born on a ranch near Medina in Bandera County, Dr. Hillman grew up in Cameron and earned his veterinary medical degree in l971 from Texas A&M University. For the past 30 years, he’s lived in Idaho, many of those years serving as Idaho’s state veterinarian, while he and his wife, Martha, raised their three children: Susie, Scott and Mike.

"I am patient, but I expect staff to be honest, to work hard and meet time lines. If the deadlines are unreasonable, we need to talk, " he explained. "I stand for what I believe and for my staff. I’m ready to make decisions, but only if you present the facts, so we can fully evaluate the situation. I don’t mind challenges, but I don’t want surprises. Don’t wait to discuss problems; don’t wait until a crisis erupts to bring me bad news."

"I want to see Texas in the ‘free’ column for cattle brucellosis," he said. "But when we tell USDA that we have eradicated this disease, I want us to be sure that there is no more infection lurking somewhere. Once we’re free of cattle brucellosis, I want Texas to stay that way."

Dr. Hillman said challenges ‘abound’ these days, with domestic disease

issues, such as equine infectious anemia (EIA), scrapie, surveillance for chronic wasting disease, and particularly, the effort to regain cattle tuberculosis-free status. "We want to eradicate domestic diseases, to maintain the livestock industry’s ability to trade without restrictions."

"Texas’ financial state of affairs may look like our biggest challenge, and right now, I can’t predict today what the ‘bottom line’ will be for our state appropriations from the legislature," he said. "In reality, however, our foremost challenge now is the threat of intentional or accidental introduction of a foreign animal disease. Currently, most of our U.S. Department of Agriculture counterparts are in southern California, working to eradicate an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in poultry. This disease outbreak has affected only five or six counties in California. How would we effectively deal with a foreign animal disease if it struck many counties across the country? Preparation and planning are our immediate challenges."

"It will take time to know each of you," he said. "As one of my three grandchildren recently told my new son-in-law--’you’re the new guy.’ Well, I’m the new guy here, but I look forward to getting to know TAHC team members, our livestock industries, and become known not as the ‘new guy,’ but the newest team member in Texas."

Update from the Texas Legislature

CAPITOL WATCH #12

Work continues on the legislative priorities of the session as I discussed in last week’s column. The House passed the major medical malpractice and tort reform effort, HB 4, and has sent the bill to the Senate for consideration. The Senate passed SB 14, which is the sweeping insurance reform bill. Both budget committees continue to work on creating a budget that will address the needs of Texans within the current budget limitations we are faced with.

Along with bills, the House of Representatives frequently passes resolutions which serve to honor, memorialize, or recognize various organizations, events or people. Resolutions serve to bring attention to events that otherwise might not receive statewide recognition. The House passed two resolutions of special importance to the people of Fannin and Grayson counties this week.

HCR 75 was passed this week supporting President Bush and our troops in the campaign to defend our country against terrorism. The resolution specifically supports the President’s leadership, actions and ongoing commitment to safeguard the people of the United States. HCR 75 was passed with wide approval, and will now go before the Senate for passage. The resolution will be forwarded to President Bush and Congress with the request that it be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.

HR 669 was unanimously passed by the House on Thursday, April 4, in memory of the Honorable Bob Bush. His wife Wanda and long-time assistant Sara Starkey were present at the reading and passage of HR 669, and were recognized before the House. The House adjourned on Thursday in his honor.

Bob Bush, a long-time resident of Sherman, served as state representative for the area from 1976-1986. He served with intelligence, integrity and compassion, and was a great advocate for his constituents. The resolution highlighted a number of significant achievements in his career. He was responsible for the landmark modifications to the Texas Natural Death Act, which enabled terminally ill patients to give oral directions to their doctors to have life-sustaining procedures withheld. He was honored in 1985 by the State Bar of Texas as one of the Ten Best Legislators from a Family Law Perspective. He also helped found the Sherman Boys and Girls Club and served as chairman of the Grayson County Child Welfare Board. His life was dedicated to serving his community, and his passing is a great loss not only to those who knew him, but to all that he served.

I encourage you to contact me with your questions or comments regarding legislation. You can reach me by writing to P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768-2910 or by e-mailing me at larry.phillips@house.state.tx.us.

TEXAS SUPREME COURT RULES FOR STATE IN TWO EIGHT-LINER CASES

AUSTIN-- The Texas Supreme Court today affirmed in every respect the Texas Attorney General’s arguments in two consolidated, high-profile eight-liner gambling cases appealed from Johnson and Burnet counties. The decision definitively holds that gift certificates are the equivalent of cash, and the practice of awarding them as prizes makes eight-liner machines illegal.

The unanimous opinion, written by Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, also significantly held that once the state has established probable cause to initiate a civil eight-liner forfeiture proceeding, the person found in possession of the seized devices has the burden to show why those machines should not be subject to forfeiture and therefore returned. The court made it clear that this burden shifts to the person seeking the return of the property, even if there has not been a criminal conviction related to the devices.

"The state has prevailed in every facet of these civil cases. It should be clear to everyone now that the Supreme Court of Texas has spoken: Eight-liner gambling devices that operate outside the strict limits established in the Penal Code are illegal - period," said Attorney General Abbott.

The court went further in its ruling, holding that the practice of exchanging credit tickets for cash does not exempt the machines from the gambling law. In eight-liner establishments, this practice has been commonly referred to as "replay," and the court ruled this could not be construed as "noncash merchandise prizes," as required to meet the exception under the law. Neither gift certificates nor cash used for play on another machine meet the definition of "noncash merchandise prizes," and devices used in such a manner are illegal under the law, the court ruled.

The court clearly indicated that any reward that operates like cash is illegal. "If, as here, the reward operates in the same manner as legal tender in a retail establishment, it does not qualify as a noncash merchandise prize, toy or novelty item."

The key language at issue in the Penal Code was added in 1993 by the Legislature. The court relied upon this passage to determine whether these devices are exempted from the definition of an illegal gambling device:

"A ‘gambling device’ does not include any electronic, electromechanical, or mechanical contrivance designed, made, and adapted solely for bona fide amusement purposes if the contrivance rewards the player exclusively with noncash merchandise prizes, toys, or novelties, or a representation of value redeemable for those items, that have a wholesale value available from a single play of the game or device of not more than 10 times the amount charged to play the game or device once or $5, whichever is less."

Since 1998, the Attorney General’s Special Crimes Division has obtained court-ordered forfeitures of more than 2,000 eight-liner machines, about $500,000 in illegal proceeds and $58,000 worth of gift certificates.

Today’s Texas Supreme Court decision applies to two conflicting forfeiture cases from the Waco and Austin courts of appeals, respectively: Milton W. Hardy and Lovell Green Hardy, individually, and dba Game Time Amusements (Johnson County), and One Super Cherry Master Video Eight-Liner Machine, et al. (Burnet County).

Hot Summer Nights Announces Season Number Nine

Sherman, TX -- Texas legend Billy Joe Shaver will kick off the 2003 Hot Summer Night season on June 12, 2003. Hot Summer Nights is a free concert series on the Sherman Municipal Lawn with live music every Thursday evening through August 7, 2003. Designed to allow families, grandparents, little kids and even the hard-to-please teen to hear live music in a venue free of smoke and rowdiness, Hot Summer Nights has grown from true grass roots into a highly anticipated attraction for people from all over Texas and Oklahoma.

"We’ve created an atmosphere that singers and songwriters really enjoy – the audience actually listens and participates and appreciates the talent that we showcase each year," says Ginger Nye, event coordinator and Sherman’s Director of Tourism. "Artists such as Brave Combo, Jack Ingram, Trout Fishing in America, Charlie Robison, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jim Lauderdale, Sara Hickman, Terri Hendrix, and Slaid Cleaves have all played the Oliver Dewey Mayor Gazebo and this year’s line up is the most exciting yet."

Collecting talent as varied as the audience’ tastes makes for an interesting job and this year’s series includes songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver who was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Austin Music Awards on March 12, 2003. The past year also saw Shaver as the subject of a documentary film which was funded and directed by actor Robert Duvall, a huge Shaver fan.

The 2003 season will feature a little bit of rockabilly, some deep R&B, a big band/jazz group and a creator of blues. Nye has trouble describing Austin-based combo, The Gourds but press materials call their music "a disarming blend of traditional, bluegrass, Cajun, rock, country & western, gospel and folk music." Nye says that after last year’s overwhelming reaction to Brave Combo, "the Gourds should be right up our quirky Shermanite alley."

Scheduled to appear this summer along with Shaver are Radney Foster, Chemistry, Corner Pocket, Doyle Bramhall II, Gina Lee, The Gourds and closing the series will be Austin singer/songwriter Bruce Robison. Robison has penned number one hits for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Lee Ann Womack, the Dixie Chicks, Gary Allan and Kelly Willis. Usually thoughtful and deep, Robison’s latest single is anything but, entitled "What Would Willie Do?," a tribute to Willie Nelson.

The music starts at 7:30 and goes until the band gets tired on Thursday evenings from June 12 through Aug. 7. Bring your lawn chairs, bug spray, kids and friends. Concessions by the Lions Club are available and gourmet picnics from Cock of the Walk Café & Catering will be delivered right to the grounds. Hot Summer Nights is once again made possible by season sponsors American Bank of Texas, Nat McClure State Farm Insurance, Wilson N. Jones Medical Center and the Sherman Dep’t of Tourism. For more information and directions to the Sherman Municipal Lawn, go to www.hotsummernights.org or call 888-893.1188 or 903.893.1184.

MHMR Opposes House Bill 2292

The House Appropriations Committee is holding a public hearing on the Committee Substitute to House Bill 2292 CSHB2292) by Rep. Wohlegemuth. This bill, as originally introduced had little to do with the priorities of Arc. However, in a move that has caught the entire advocacy community off guard, Rep. Wohlegemuth has brought to the Committee hearing a Committee Substitute for HB 2292 that has new language affecting the entire Texas Medicaid program.

CSHB 2292 that could end the Medicaid Long Term Care program for people with disabilities, including both the Intermediate Care Facilities for persons with mental retardation (community residential programs) and the Home and Community and the Home and Community-based Services (HCS) and CLASS Medicaid Waiver programs that are so vital to Texans with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities.

CSHB 2292 has many provisions that would be to the detriment of Texans with Disabilities. However, two of the worst provisions are:

(1) CSHB2292 would DROP state coverage of all Medicaid OPTIONAL populations and benefits (ICFMR/HCS/CLASS) and INSTEAD request a waiver from the federal government that would allow the state to administer these services with capped enrollment and "cost-per-benefit". This means that in the future the ICFMR/HCS/CLASS programs could be made available to even fewer people with disabilities and that the services that might be provided would have to meet some unknown "cost per benefit" test. This is clearly a "capped entitlement" strategy to limit needed expenditures for community services at a time when 25,000+ people are on Waiver Waiting Lists.
THIS WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR TEXANS WITH DISABILITIES. CSHB2292 would also bring about a major reorganization of state health and human services agencies. Included in this proposal are:
• Separation of the states’s mental health and mental
retardation services into two different agencies.
• Combine mental retardation services with a broad range of
other aging and disability services in a new Long Term Care agency
similar to what The Arc stood against four years ago.
• Do away with the Governor appointed Boards that currently
manage the states twelve health and human service agencies. A single
Commissioner of Health and Human Services would determine policy for all health and human services programs in the state. Family,
consumer, and advocate input into the state’s public policy making
process would be severely limited.
• These reorganization proposals have been put forth with
little public input. While the fiscal note on the bill claims a
savings of over $370 million, many are questioning the assumptions
upon which these savings are projected and the validity of the
numbers.

Call members of the House Appropriations Committee today. (See list - below). Ask to speak to the Representative. If he/she is not available ask to speak to his/her aide that deals with Appropriations. Identify yourself as a consumer or a parent/family member/advocate for people with disabilities.
Here’s the Message:
Urge the Representative to vote AGAINST the Committee Substitute for House Bill 2292 by Wohlegemuth because:
• It could destroy the Texas system of Medicaid Services for
people with disabilities and replace it with a system that will
further limit the availability of needed community-based services at
a time when 25,000 are waiting for those services.
• The people of Texas have not had enough input to the proposed
reorganization of state government, the savings projected are
questionable and Texas needs to keep its Governor-appointed system of
agency management to ensure public participation in policy
development.

Make your calls ASAP. If any legislators/staff tell you their
position on CSHB2292, please call Marina at 800-252-9729 and share
that with us. We understand that many additional amendments are likely to be attached to this bill before the hearing is over. This is a very bad bill.

Clerk: Angela Pena
Phone: 512-463-1091

FAX: 512-463-0270 (all members)

Room: EXT E1.032

Chair: Rep. Talmadge Heflin - Tel: 512-463-0568

Vice-Chair: Rep. Vilma Luna - Tel: 512-463-0484

Members:

Rep. Leo Berman - Tel: 512-463-0584

Rep. Dan Branch - Tel: 512-463-0367

Rep. Betty Brown - Tel: 512-463-0458

Rep. Fred Brown - Tel: 512-463-0698

Rep. Myra Crownover - Tel: 512-463-0582

Rep. John Davis - Tel: 512-463-0734

Rep. Joe Deshotel - Tel: 512-463-0662

Rep. Dawnna Dukes - Tel: 512-463-0506

Rep. Craig Eiland - Tel: 512-463-0502

Rep. Dan Ellis - Tel: 512-463-0570

Rep. Roberto Gutierrez - Tel:512-463-0578

Rep. Peggy Hamric - Tel: 512-463-0496

Rep. Ruben Hope - Tel: 512-463-0726

Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp - Tel: 512-463-0684

Rep. Carl Isett - Tel: 512-463-0676

Rep. Elizabeth Ames Jones - Tel: 512-463-0686

Rep. Lois W. Kolkhorst - Tel: 512-463-0600

Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon - Tel: 512-463-0708

Rep. Jose Menendez - Tel: 512-463-0634

Rep. Joseph Pickett - Tel: 512-463-0596

Rep. Jim Pitts - Tel: 512-463-0516

Rep. Richard Raymond - Tel: 512-463-0558

Rep. Jim Solis - Tel: 512-463-0606

Rep. Jack Stick - Tel: 512-463-0821

Rep. Vicki Truitt - Tel: 512-463-0690

Rep. Sylvester Turner - Tel: 512-463-0554

Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth – Tel: 512-463-0538

Capitol Comment

Support Our Troops

Each morning as we get up, prepare to go to work, school or about our daily business, American and allied troops half way around the world wake up to face the unknown. Exposed to extreme elements, deprived of sleep, modern conveniences and basic comforts, and facing the constant threat of attack, they press onward. Those men and women have answered the call to duty and are protecting our nation from a dictatorial regime that seeks to develop weapons of mass destruction that threaten the United States and our allies.

Across the country Americans have joined in prayer, moments of silence and open forums to praise the incredible efforts of our armed forces. The troops who volunteer to put their lives on the line to defend our freedom have earned our respect and rightfully deserve to be honored. And we must not forget their loved ones who wait for them at home.

Support from Congress

In Congress we are doing our part by funding the war effort and ensuring our troops have access to the best training, equipment and technology available. We have also set aside the first hour of each Senate day for Senators to pay tribute to our men and women on the frontlines.

By honoring our troops each morning, we send the signal that in the midst of our daily routines, they are foremost on our minds. We want them to know we support their actions and keep them in our thoughts as we enjoy the freedoms they are fighting to preserve.

Operation USO Care Package

While prayers, encouragement and support are critical, there are other more tangible ways to express solidarity with our troops. The United Service Organizations (USO) developed a program called "Operation USO Care Package" to allow individuals to send a personal message or financial support to provide care packages to troops actively engaged in the fight against terrorism and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation USO Care Package will continue for as long as our country is at war, and is made possible through the support of individuals, corporations and organizations. Visit http://www.usocares.org/home.htm for more information.

The Red Cross

The Red Cross provides another avenue for Americans to show their support. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the Red Cross staff is available to deliver emergency communications between the men and women of the U.S. military and their families, including those serving in the Persian Gulf Region. Donations from the public help make these communications possible.

The Red Cross is also collecting items to send to our troops overseas. Everything from sunscreen to playing cards can be donated at local Red Cross chapters to provide our troops with a touch of home. Visit http://www.redcross.org/services to find out how you can help.

Send a Message

To show your support, log on to the following Web sites to convey greeting cards, virtual thank-you cards and phone calling-card donations to help troops stay in contact with loved ones: http://anyservicemember.navy.mil, http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html, http://www.army.mil/usar/expresssupporthere.html.

For your convenience, I’ve added a special section to my Web site, http://hutchison.senate.gov, which provides links to all of the Web sites listed above.

Please take a few minutes and show our troops how much their sacrifice means to you. We will never be able to repay the debt to those who have lost their lives, but we will always remember their sacrifice. We will grieve for their families. And we will duly honor them. They deserve no less.

April, 2003 Designated "Investor Education Month" by the Texas State Securities Board

With all the uncertainty in the world today, it is more important than ever to be a smart consumer when it comes to investing. The Area Agency on Aging of Texoma is pleased to announce a seminar entitled "Avoiding Investment Pitfalls", presented by Jay Oman, assistant director of enforcement in charge of the Dallas office of the Texas State Securities Board. The seminar will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, April 11, 2003 in the Elizabeth May Room of the American Bank of Texas in Bonham.

The mission of the Texas State Securities Board is to protect Texas investors. Consistent with that purpose, the agency seeks to ensure a free and competitive securities market for Texas, increase investor confidence, and thereby encourage the formation of capital and the creation of new jobs in Texas. Because investor education is a primary initiative of the State Securities Board, April has been designated "Investor Education Month".

Many people do not realize everything that the Texas State Securities Board does to protect Texas investors. The SSB is responsible for the registration of all securities offered or sold in Texas, the registration of firms and individuals that sell securities or render investment advice in the state, investigation of fraud in the offer or sale of securities in Texas and administration of civil and criminal remedies and sanctions for violations of The Securities Act.

The Enforcement Division is the largest of the agency’s divisions and is charged with the detection and prevention of illegal sales of unregistered non-exempt securities, sales of securities by unregistered dealers, and fraud committed in connection with the sale of securities. During the last fiscal year, the Enforcement Division secured restitution of more than $5 million to investors.

The seminar is open to the public. Please contact Stella Chennault at 903-583-5535 ext 56 or ext 30 if you plan to attend.

April Proclaimed Child Abuse Awareness Month

WHEREAS: The city of Bonham prides itself on giving back to the community, contributing to the quality of life among our citizens; and

Chi Lambda’s Annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny to be April 12th

One of the most popular children’s events held in Bonham each spring is the annual Chi Lambda sponsored Breakfast with the Easter Bunny. This year’s breakfast will be held Saturday, April 12th from 9 - 10:30 a.m. in the Finley-Oates Elementary School Cafeteria. The Easter Egg Hunt will be held for all of the children at 9:45 a.m. Children should bring their own Easter baskets with toddlers thru 3rd grade invited to participate.

The price of each ticket is $7.00. Due to the popularity of this event, advance purchase is suggested, as space is limited. Only a few tickets will be available at the door. Tickets may be purchased from any Chi Lambda member or by calling Mary at (903)583-9355 or Beverly at (903)664-2121.

The price of the ticket includes a picture of each child with Mr. or Mrs. Bunny standing in front of a beautiful hand painted backdrop and placed in a keepsake folder, a delicious breakfast, and the candy eggs at the Easter Egg Hunt. A small gift will be given to each child as they leave to return to their home.

Chi Lambda is a local service sorority that uses the proceeds raised at its annual Fall Charity Auction and Dance to assist children and needy organizations in Bonham and Fannin County. Several scholarships are given each year to high school students who wish to attend college. School supplies, medications, eyeglasses, dental work and Christmas gifts for needy children are just a few of the things the organization spends its funds on.

Fannin Community Federal Credit Union Offers Scholarships

Fannin Community Federal Credit Union offers scholarships each year to graduating high school seniors who are members of the Credit Union