The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 103, No. 64, Ed. 1 Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Page: 4 of 14
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PAGE 4
The Boerne STAR
Tuesday, August 11, 2.009
Star Editorial
Good deed
gone wrong
Last week, employees of Hill Country Family Services office
arrived at work to find a parking lot already filled with donations
left over the weekend.
While normally, a lot of donations is a good thing for a non-
profit organization, a parking lot filled with discarded sofas,
mattresses and other assorted furniture can be more of a nui-
sance than a blessing. And, this isn’t the first time, or the first
place, this has happened.
Across Boerne, generous people line up at times to give
to charitable organizations including Hill Country Family
Services.
It is this kind of charity that helps make the Hill Country and
Kendall County a great place to live and raise a family.
But, dropping off unwanted items in the dark of night or on the
weekends is little more than littering. In fact, the city of Boerne
ordinance calls it illegal dumping and those who do it can be
hauled into court and fined.
It’s difficult for non-profit agencies that rely on donations to
complain even when employees and volunteers come into work
and have to spend the better part of their morning cleaning rather
than helping people, and it shows a great disrespect for the job
they do just to dump stuff on them.
These agencies have times and days when they will gladly
accept donations of large items and even help unload them.
Some agencies will even arrange times outside of their usual
schedule to meet with people.
If the aim is to help, then it shouldn’t be a problem to call and
find out the right way.
THE BOERNE Star
Online Poll
Is the Cash for Clunkers program good for the
Boerne economy??
■ Yes - It gets people spending money
which helps the economy. 36%
■ No - People just won't be buying cars
later in the year.
• No opinion
55%
904
Results of 33 votes cast as of Monday noon.
Visit www.boernestar.com and cast your vote today
Worth Quoting___
“A life spent making mistakes
is not only more honorable, but
more useful than a life spent
doing nothing.”
- George Bernard Shaw
Bible Verse ...
‘But go and learn what this means:
‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
For I have not come to call
the righteous, but sinners.”
- Matthew 9:13 (NIV)
The BOERNE Star
www.boernestar.com
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Brian Cartwright
EDITORIAL
BOOKKEEPING
VIEWPOINTS
Education system prepares for swine flu season
AUSTIN - Texas school officials
have plans to carry out if the H1N1
“swine flu” influenza virus hits
schools this fall.
Here’s a brief version of a set of
federal-state guidelines schools
are to follow if flu conditions are
about the same as they were last
spring:
1. Stay home when sick
2. Separate ill students and staff
3. Wash hands frequently with
soap and water and cover nose and
mouth with a tissue when cough-
ing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or
elbow if no tissue is available)
4. Routinely clean areas that stu-
dents and staff touch often
5. Treat high-risk students and
staff early
6. Consider selective school dis-
missal to better protect high-risk
students
And here is a brief set of guide-
lines to be used if conditions of
increased severity emerge.
1. Active screening: Check stu-
dents and staff for fever and other
CAPITAL HIGHUGHTS
Ed Sterling
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
ing desks farther apart or canceling
classes that bring together children
from different classrooms.
5. Extend the period for ill persons
to stay home: if influenza severity
increases, people with flu-like ill-
ness should stay home for at least
7 days, even if they have no more
symptoms; if people are still sick,
they should stay home until 24
hours after they have no symptoms
6. School dismissals if conditions
warrant
2009: MOST DROWNINGS
ON RECORD
So far in 2009, 84 children have
drowned in Texas, according to the
count by the Texas Department of
symptoms when they get to school Family and Protective Services.
in the morning, separate those who “If you can’t see a child, you can’t
are ill, and send them home as soon save a child,” said Sasha Rasco, the
as possible; monitor throughout the state agency’s assistant commis-
day sioner for child care licensing.
2. High-risk students and staff “Children should never be left
members stay home unsupervised for any length of time
3. Students with ill household in or around water, because the
members stay home results can be devastating.”
4. Increase distance between An average of 70 children drowned
people at schools, such as mov- each year since the agency began
the count in 2005. In 2008, 82 chil-
dren drowned in Texas, previously
the highest annual total.
Federal statistics show:
• Children under one year old
most often drown in bathtubs, buck-
ets or toilets.
• Children from one to four years
old drown most often in residential
swimming pools.
• Most young children who
drowned in pools were last seen
in the home, had been out of sight
less than five minutes, and were in
the care of one or both parents at
the time.
NEW STICKERS SPORT
COWBOY LOOK
New Texas motor vehicle inspec-
tion stickers debuted Aug. 1, and
they have a western look.
The Texas Department of Public
Safety said images of cowboys will
appear on different types of inspec-
tion stickers.
“We wanted to present a new
certificate design that was immedi-
ately identifiable as being Texan,”
said JoJo Heselmeyer, director of
vehicle services for the DPS.
Texas issues 10 different inspec-
tion certificate designs, dependent
upon factors such as the age of the
vehicle, whether it is designated as
a commercial vehicle and whether
emissions testing is required.
TxDOT USES SOCIAL
NETWORKING
On Aug. 3, the Texas Depart-
ment of Transportation announced
it is using Twitter, Facebook and
YouTube to communicate with the
public.
TxDOT Executive Direc-
tor Amadeo Saenz said, “It has
already proved to be helpful in
communicating important emer-
gency information, traffic updates
and lane closures and we intend to
continue using this technology in
the future.”
PERRY-HUTCHISON
DEBATES PLANNED
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in
late July said she plans to resign
in October or November to run for
governor.
Last week her exploratory com-
mittee said she will participate in
live debates with Gov. Rick Perry.
Perry’s people said the governor
has committed to two debates to
be televised before the March 2
Republican primary.
The Dallas Morning News and
four television stations, all owned
by A.H. Belo Corp., will host and
air the debates.
O’NEILL DECIDES NOT TO
RUN AGAIN
Texas Supreme Court Associate
Justice Harriet O’Neill on Aug.
6 announced she does not intend
to seek reelection when her term
expires in 2010.
O’Neill was elected to her first
six-year term in 1998. She is second
in seniority on the present court.
Letters to the Editor
LCRA vs Landowner rights
"I am confident we can continue to move our state forward in the global
economy without compromising the beauty and benefits provided by our
natural heritage.”
-Gov. Rick PetTy, August 2009 issue
of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine
Here’s the issue. Lower Colorado River Authority’s job is getting wind
power from San Angelo to Comfort. The problem is that they didn’t, for
whatever reason, take time to evaluate what this is going to cost the land-
owners, what it’s going to do to the wildlife and flora in the 56,000 acres
to be destroyed, consider existing routes, consider using highway rights-of-
way and as our governor wrote, be careful that we don’t “compromise our
natural landscape” for unregulated growth.
To add to the frustration, getting LCRA representatives to answer ques-
tions, straight up, just isn’t happening. Repeated phone calls to LCRA folks
aren’t returned and questionnaires supplied by them aren’t replied to.
Here are a couple of other quotes from our governor from that same Texas
Parks and Wildlife article: “urban culture is closely tied to rural Texas;
urban areas depend on farms and ranches for food; rural Texas also pro-
vides diverse and abundant wildlife; a profitable nature tourism industry;
outdoor recreational opportunities essential to maintaining the high quality
of life that Texans enjoy.”
He continues: “our state’s wide-open spaces are increasingly threatened
by expanding suburban development” and “thankfully our state’s rural
landowners work hard to maintain healthy ecosystems and abundant wild-
life on their property.”
The reason given as the time frame for this fast-track approach was a
mandate by the legislature. Were not our legislators aware of the potential
problems this giant easement would cause when taken through eminent
domain? Or could it be they haven’t read what they voted on, which is
becoming so popular in Washington?
In November, we are going to vote on House Resolution 14, which is
• Wait for safe road and traffic conditions before you pass
• Check over your shoulder before moving back
Watch for Children:
• Children on bicycles are often unpredictable
• Expect the unexpected and slow down
• Don’t expect children to know traffic laws
• Because of their size children can be harder to see
All we ask if for is safe passage on roads we help pay for. Oh and my
friend’s 12-year-pld daughter was just hit by a car, because the car driver
was not paying attention and turned right into her. Share the road.
- Kathy Hill,
Boerne
Bikers have responsibilities, too
With all due respect to Mr. Beall on his bike riding incident and his back-
ground, you sound like all drivers that are on the road act the same way.
When I see a person on a bike on a main highway, I slow down, give him
plenty of room. If a car is coming in opposite direction I will slow up until
that car passes giving me plenty of room to get around the biker.
The state laws give you the right to the same laws as motor vehicles, so
I must abide; however, I have seen to many riding bikes who don’t seem
to be aware that sharing the road with 3,000-pound vehicles that are going
close to 10 times the speed you are traveling as a dangerous element of our
highways. I think there are more discourteous bikers than drivers.
Why are bikers not allowed on Intestate 10? This highway has very wide
berms. Must be a good reason, please take note.
Until bikers have to take a class and get special drivers license like motor-
cycle drivers do and until you have to pay bike insurance like us who drive
cars do then be aware of your surrounding and stay out of my way.
- Gil Mason,
Bandera
a constitutional amendment to strengthen landowners’ rights. If we pass
it, (and I bet we will) it will give landowners much stronger protection Embarrassed?
from government abuse through eminent domain. It seems to me the,
Oct. 29 deadline set by PUC is awfully close to this date and a heck of a Now the right is complaining that former President Bill Clinton embar-
coincidence rassed the United States by assisting in the release of the two American
If acquiring this easement is absolutely necessary, let’s at least slow down journalists from North Korea. .
long enough fully access its assets and liabilities, Oh, give me a break! If we had done nothing, the nght would be com-
- Jim Chionsini, chairman plaining that we were to weak to act.
Granite Publications, San Angelo
Managing Editor
News Editor
Sports Editor
Copy Editor
Staff Writers
Candace E. Velvin
Mark J. Armstrong
Kerry Barboza
Kit Brenner
Dave Pasley
Elena Tucker
Office Manager
Sandra Pfeiffer
CIRCULATION
Subscriptions Dana Smith
ADVERTISING
PRODUCTION
Graphic Design
Rebecca Kirsch
Kristyn Bergman
Marketing Director
Sales
Sales
Sales
Frank Shubert
Kolleen Roe
Karen Raye Brown
JT Maroney
DISTRIBUTION
Circulation Manager Stephen Bartell
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Chris Woerner, Chris Tilton, Anya Maltsberger
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS
Mary Alice Yelverton, Dr. John Kelly, Natalie Morgan, Jan Wrede, Ed Davis, Anita
Porterfield, Vera D’Spain, Sharon Benedict, Paula White, Mary Alice Dell
Ken Nietenhoefer, Dr. James Dobson, Ellen Damstra,
Tom Harris, Tom Lanier, Lynn Pendley, Kathy Senkbeil, Ron Warden,
Krysta McDaniel, Bill Ward, Peary Perry and Oscar Garcia.
MEMBER OF Texas Press Association, National Newspaper Association,
South Texas Press Association, Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
941 N. School Street • Boerne, TX (UPS 059-740)
830-249-2441 FAX 830-249-4607
THE BOERNE STAR is published twice weekly for $49 per year in Kendall County, $57
elsewhere in Texas and $65 per year outside of Texas by The Boerne Star, 941 N. School St.,
Boerne, Kendall County, TX. 78006. Periodical postage paid at Boerne, TX. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to THE BOERNE STAR, 941 N. School St., Boerne, TX 78006-0820.
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Share the road
Response to Elizabeth Seidensticker,
I’m sorry that you have had bad experiences with some cyclists in your
lifetime, however, cyclists do have rights to the road, we do not have to “act
like a car, drive the speed limit.”
For your information (from the website http://www.bikeleague.org/
action/sharetheroad.php)
The best way to educate motorists on bicyclists’ rights to the road is to
ride respectfully and have facts on your side. Here are some resources for
cyclists and drivers on sharing the road.
SHARING THE ROAD: MOTORISTS
Drive Cautiously:
• Reduce speed when encountering cyclists
• Don’t tailgate, especially in bad weather
• Recognize hazards cyclists may face and give them space
Yield to Cyclists:
• Bicycles are considered vehicles
• Cyclists should be given the appropriate right of way
• Allow extra time for cyclists to traverse intersections
Be Considerate:
• Scan for cyclists in traffic and at intersections
• Do not blast your horn in close proximity to cyclists
• Look for cyclists when opening doors
Pass with Care:
• When passing, leave four feet between you and a cyclist
- Richard Caldwell,
Kendall County Democratic
Precinct 8 Chairman, Boerne
Letters to the Editor Policy
The Boerne Star welcomes letters on any public issue.
Letters may be mailed, faxed, e-mailed or hand-delivered but must
contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Addresses and
telephone numbers are for verification purposes only and will not be
published. Names and city of residence will be published. Letters
should be short and concise, long enough only to make your point.
We reserve the right to edit all letters for style and content and refuse
letters that would be objectionable to readers. We also will not publish
anonymous letters. Priority will be given to letters 300 words or less
that concern local topics and written by people who’ve not published
a letter in the last 30 days.
The Boerne Star does not accept letters to the editor urging vot-
ers to vote for or against candidates in local elections. Endorsements
should be displayed in political advertising. In light of this policy,
we reserve the right to reject or edit letters for references to can-
didates and whether or not they should be elected.
Call 249-2441 with questions regarding the submission of letters to
the editor for publication.
Letter to the Editor
PO Box 820 Boerne, TX 78006
news @boernestar.com
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Cartwright, Brian & Velvin, Candace E. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 103, No. 64, Ed. 1 Tuesday, August 11, 2009, newspaper, August 11, 2009; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1667429/m1/4/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.