The Llano News (Llano, Tex.), Vol. 115, No. 5, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 6, 2002 Page: 4 of 20
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4 • November 6, 2002 The Llano News
Editorial
Report shows Mexico in
breach of 1944 water treaty
State . Capital
HIGHLIGHTS
By Mike Cox
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
AUSTIN While candidates
from both parties have been figu-
ratively slugging away at each
other m the most mean-spirited
political campaigns in years, if
not ever, a story of huge conse-
quence to much of the state has
been unfolding largely unnoticed.
The issue is water, not votes.
The short version of the prob-
lem is that the Rio Grande Valley
and other areas upstream are not
getting much water out of the
river that separates Texas and
Mexico. The reason, com-
pounded by drought, is that
Mexico is taking out most of the
water before it can get to Texas.
Mexico's water debt amounts to
some 1.5 million acre feet, much
more water than it looks like
Though Mexico disagrees, the
Texas Commission cm Environ-
mental Quality continues to
maintain that Mexico is in "ma-
terial breach” of the 1944 treaty
that stipulates how the LImted
States and that country will share
water.
To underscore its point, the
newly-renamed agency released
a summary of Texas’ position in
the dispute called "The Legal Sta-
tus of the 1944 Utilization of Wa
ters Treaty Between the United
States of America and Mexico.”
The document is as dry as the
Rio Grande, but the bottom line
is that white Texas has no legal
remedy against Mexico, the U.S.
could terminate the treaty with-
out performance or insist on repa-
ration — in both kinds of liquid-
ity, water and money.
This argument involves only
South Texas, but it foreshadows
a huge future problem for Tex-
ans: water supply.
More worries...
As if water supply was not
enough to worry about, the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department is
cautioning the state’s several
hundredthousand deer hunters to
be extra cautious in handling their
kill this season. The reason is
Chronic Wasting Disease.
While CWD has not been found
yet m Texas, it could be a serious
threat to the state's herd, one of
its most important wildlife assets.
Though not dangerous to hu-
mans, the disease could have a
terrible economic impact on
Texas.
Even though there is no known
danger to humans, the Parks and
Wildlife officials say that if a deer
looks ill, don’t shoot it or if you
do, don’t eat it. Hunters are ad-
vised to wear rubber gloves when
dressing game, to remove the
bones from all meat and to not
consume any neural issue.
For more information on the is-
sue, check the agency’s Web site
at www.tpwd.state.tx.us.
Watch your truck...
Nationally, the most stolen ve-
hicle is the Toyota Camry But
that’s nationally.
In the Lone Star state, 20 of the
25 most-stolen vehicles in 2002
were pickup trucks. The favorite
with vehicle rustlers that year was
the Chevrolet C1500 4x2, accord-
ing to data compiled by CCC In-
formation Services, Inc. and
released by the Comptroller’s
Office.
Tea from Taiwan...
The results are in from Sept.
21’s annual Adopt-A-Beach
Cleanup. According to the Gen-
eral Land Office, nearly 10,000
volunteers collected 150 tons of
trash from 208 miles of Texas’
shoreline.
Among the more interesting
items found this year: a Russian
shaving cream can, a package of
jelly from Japan, bottle caps from
Argentina to Nigeria and tea
packets from Taiwan.
Other debris that somehow
ended up washing ashore in
Texas included a water fountain,
an artificial leg, a car door, a re-
frigerator and a piano top.
You probably remembered...
With the helpful slogan, “Fall
back, spring forward,” what to do
when Daylight Savings Time
changes is pretty easy to remem-
ber.
But the Department of Insur-
ance reminds Texans they also
should change the batteries in
their smoke detectors. This
simple procedure can help detect
a potential fire in the home.
Seniors Need Choices
Congressman
Lamar Smith
Medicare was created in 1965
as a program to provide compre-
hensive health care coverage for
older Americans.
Thirty-seven years later, the na-
tionwide health insurance pro-
gram covers 40 million American
seniors and disabled persons. It
provides broad coverage for the
costs of many health services.
Since the early 1980s, Medicare
beneficiaries have been able to
enroll in health maintenance or-
ganizations (IIMOs) so that ben-
eficiaries get all of their Medicare
services through the HMO. The
HMO assumes the risk for pay-
ing for covered services, and in
lum. Medicare makes a predeter-
mined fixed monthly payment to
the plan for each enrol lee no mat-
ter what amount of resources are
used.
Enrollment in HMOs offered
Medicare patients some options,
hut not nearly as many as are
available to a majority of Ameri-
can workers. To address this de-
ficiency in choice. Congress
passed legislation, in 1997, that
established a new program,
Medicare+Choice.
Medicare+C'hoice allows pri-
vate plans to offer beneficiaries
a wide range of options, similar
to what is available in the pri-
vate sector today. It includes im-
portant protections for patients
and providers, as well as require-
ments for quality assessment and
A college education is one investment
that usually returns a profit
Senator Jeff Wentworth
In today's financial market, a
college education is among the
few investments that nearly guar-
antees a profitable return
According to information re-
leased by the nonprofit College
Board, today's college graduates
earn higher incomes than high
school graduates. $43,398 annu-
ally compared to $23,830. That
is more than $880,(MX) in a life-
time Persons with advanced de-
grees usually earn even more.
These figures vary from region
to region, but no matter where
you live, the correlation between
higher education and higher sala-
ries is significant. The cost of
earning undergraduate and gradu-
ate degrees also is significant
Unfortunately, declining tax
revenues and a slumping
economy have forced many col-
leges to increase their tuition and
fees. Public college fees and tu-
ition have increased 9.6 percent,
and room and board charges in-
creased 6 percent.
In seven years, the total cost
of an education is projected to be
$80.(XX) from a four-year public
university and $I74.(HX) from a
private university. These are
daunting sums for most Texas
parents — but there is hope.
While college costs are higher,
saving for college is easier. Texas
now offers two savings plans:
The Texas Guaranteed Tuition
Plan (formerly the Texas Tomor-
row Fund), and The Tomorrow's
College Investment Plan
Since the Legislature estab-
lished the Texas Tomorrow Fund
in 1996, 132,000 Texans have
enrolled their children and grand
children in the plan that locks in
the cost of tomorrow's college tu-
ition and fees at today's prices.
Benefits are guaranteed by the
State of Texas. The plan's next
enrollment period begins No-
vember 11 and ends May 23.
2003.
This year the Texas Tomorrow
Fund was renamed the Texas
Guaranteed Tuition Plan, and a
companion plan. Tomorrow's
College Investment Plan, was
added to Texas' college Savings
program
Tomorrow's College Invest-
ment Plan allows families to save
for college in a tax-free accountso
that their money may grow more
rapidly than in a taxable account.
While this plan may offer a bet
ter return on your investment, the
principal you invest is not insured
or guaranteed by any state or fed-
eral agency.
The plan offers investment op-
portunities appropriate to Texans'
risk tolerance and their needs.
Investors should be aware, how-
ever, that they may not make
money and could lose their in-
vestment.
More information about the
plans is available on the Internet
at www.texastomorrowfunds.org
or by calling toll-free I -800-445-
GRAD (4723) A financial advi-
sor may help select a plan that
best meets your family's needs.
The Texas Tomorrow Funds are
college saving plans that need
time to grow. Texas students
needing immediate financial help
may leam about college scholar-
ships and grants by calling the
Texas Financial Information Cen-
ter toll-free at I -877-782-7322 or
accessing the Texas Higher Edu-
cation Coordinating Board's web
site at
www.collegefortexans.com.
The outlook for Texas' eco-
nomic future will be much
brighter if its citizens advance
their education beyond the high
school level.
t
COW POKES® By Ace Reid
http //www.cowpohua com
© Act %<p< njjojuz
" Wal, the boss looks at the hay baler - it
ain't workin', he gits rid of it; he looks at the
tractor - it ain't workin', he gits rid of it; and
then he looks at me —!"
Quotation
Courage is contagious. When a brave
man takes a stand, the spines
of others are often stiffened.
—Billy Graham
improvement. Today, 14 percent
of Medicare beneficiaries obtain
services through these plans.
Medicare + Choice provides
better care and additional benefits
and improved cost sharing for
beneficiaries.
Seniors need the additional
benefits and lower costs that
Medicare + Choice plans provide,
but those very options have been
declining each year.
I supported legislation in the
House this year that stabilizes the
Medicare + Choice program for
the next two years. And it imple-
ments a more competitive pro-
gram in 2005. This will result in
more choices to ensure the maxi-
mum benefits at the lowest cost
for seniors.
The new Medicare Moderniza-
tion bill stabilizes
Medicare+Choice by creating a
new competitive structure for
M+C plans to assure that seniors
will have dependable choices,
premium savings and early ac-
cess to the variousmedical service
and treatment innovations that are
commonly available to the pri-
vate sector first.
Medicare has been helpful for
millions of Americans but there
is room for improvement. The
fact is seniors need the peace of
mind that they have adequate
medical coverage should a cata-
strophic illness hit.
To be fair and responsible, we
must give senior citizens more
power to choose what's best for
them. That means an affordable
and voluntary prescription drug
benefit, a stronger
Medicare+Choice program, and
lower overall health care costs,
positions on crime.
^ Llano
News
(USPS 316-700)
Serving Llano, Llano County and the Highland Lakes Area since
1889
Published weekly at 813 Berry Street, Llano, Texas 78643
Entered in the Llano Post Office as periodical postage paid at
Llano, Texas under the Act of Congress of 1878.
KEN WESNER • PUBLISHER
JIMMY STEPHENSON • EDITOR
SANDY WESNER • OFFICE MANAGER
GRACE HEDGES • CLASSIFIED/RECEPTIONIST
RUTH PENCE • PRODUCTION MANAGER
COLUMNISTS/CORRESPONDENTS: Marilyn Hale,
Charlotte Buikema, Vera Honig, Vema Dick, Bemice Schuyler,
Regina Eldndge
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Llano and Burnet Counties -1
year $19, 2 years $35, 3 years $50
Elsewhere in Texas -1 year $26, 2 years $48, 3 years $65
Out of State - 1 year $40, 2 years $70, 3 years $90 All
payable in advance Overseas - call for a quote
The Llano News solicits letters to the editor concerning issues of
local interest Letters must be signed and no longer than two
standard pages, double-spaced and typed, if possible A day-time
phone number must also be included We will not accept
political letters endorsing or opposing a particular candidate The
staff reserves the nght to edit all letters according to accepted
standards. For further information call The Llano News at 915-
247-4433. FAX 247-3338. thenews@tstar.net
POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to The Llano News.
P.O Box 187, Llano. Texas 78643
FIH(TFI)
OFFICIALS
PRESIDENT
George W. Bush
Hie White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington. D.C. 20400 '
VICE-PRESIDENT
Richard Cheney
Executive Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
IJ.S. SENATORS:
Kay Bailey Hutchison
283 Russell Senate Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-5922
PHIL GRAMM
370 Russell Senate Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-2934
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
21st DIS.
Lamar Smith
2443 Rayburn House
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-4236
TEXAS GOVERNOR
Rick Perry
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX., 78711
512-463-2000
TEXAS LT. GOVERNOR
Bill Radiff
P.O.Box 12068
Austin, TX., 78711
512-463-0001
STATE SENATOR
Troy Fraser
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, TX., 78711
512-463-0124
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Disc 73
Robert Hirner
P.O. Box 2910
Austin. TX., 78768-2910
512-463-0644
512-463-7637
LLANO COUNTY JUDGE
J.P. Dodgen
Courthouse, Rm., 101
Llano. TX., 78643
915-247-5054
LLANO CITY MAYOR
Terry Hutto
301 W. Main
Uano. TX 78643
915-247-4158
LLANO DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Sam Oatman
P.O. Box 725
Uano. TX . 78643
915-247-5755
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Stephenson, Jimmy. The Llano News (Llano, Tex.), Vol. 115, No. 5, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 6, 2002, newspaper, November 6, 2002; Llano, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1037753/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Llano County Public Library.