The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 26, 1989 Page: 1 of 22
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The
MM
Albany News
"Oldest Journalistic Venture West ol the Brazos"
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1989, ALBANY, TEXAS 76430
14 PAGES IN 2 SECTIONS
VOLUME NUMBER 113 NUMBER 33 PRICE 35C PER COPY
Hospital deficiencies cleared last week
By Carol Lackey
The Shackelford County Hospi-
tal passed a "re-survey" by Medi-
care officials last Thursday with
flying colors, and all termination
proceedings concerning its Medi-
care participation have been re-
scinded.
Friday, January 13, the local
hospital was notified that its
agreement with the Medicare pro-
gram would be terminated Feb-
ruary 1, unless the hospital cor-
rected all areas of non-compliance
with Medicare regulations.
However, a Medicare survey
team visited the hospital Thurs-
day, January 19, and found no
deficiencies, according to hospital
administrator Nick Shankles.
"The hospital underwent an in-
tense re-survey Thursday, and all
previous deficiencies were
cleared," he said. He thanked the
hospital's board of directors, the
physicians and "especially the
employees" for their efforts.
Shankles gave this report at
the January meeting of the
Shackelford County Hospital Dis-
trict Board of Directors meeting
held Friday, January 20, in the
hospital clinic's board room.
The hospital was initially in-
spected October 5 and 6, and two
deficiencies were found. A re-
inspection by a different survey
team was conducted on Novem-
ber 15, and 17 deficiencies were
noted. All of the deficiencies were
"paperwork" problems, Shankles
said.
Friday's board meeting was
originally scheduled for Monday,
January 16, but enough directors
were not present to obtain a
quorum. Friday's meeting was
the first time in two months that
enough directors were present to
have a quorum. All directors at-
tended the Friday meeting.
A long agenda for the meeting
was presented, and directors
heard reports from a represen-
tative of Benefits Plus insurance
program, as well as hearing a re-
quest from the Albany Volunteer
Fire Department chief.
The group also gave a vote of
confidence to a prospective new
physician, and considered leasing
space to Albany Heritage, Inc., a
local drug and alcohol abuse
rehabilitation center.
ECA Course
Albany VFD Chief Cliff Sted-
dum said that a group of approx-
imately 14 volunteer firemen
have shown interest in taking an
Emergency Care Attendant
(ECA) course.
"This course would enable our
firemen to skillfully administer
first aid, which could really help
out in an emergency situation,"
Steddum said. "We are just ask-
ing for the hospital district's help
in funding."
helping hospital employees out
with continuing education costs.
"The hospital board does not of-
fer us help in our continuing
education," Black said. "Some of
us cannot afford to pay for the
courses we are being required to
take, as well as take off work
without pay to have the time for
the classes."
"We have also gone two years
without a raise, and I'm afraid
Local ECA course to be offered
Connie Harris of Texas State
Technical Institute (TSTI) in
Sweetwater, which would ad-
minister the course, informed the
board that the class would be held
two nights per week for six
weeks, from 6:00 until 10:00 p.m.
The cost will be approximately
$100 per student.
"We have a good group of fire-
men—they are dedicated and
want to learn," Steddum said.
Melissa Black, hospital employ-
ee, asked the board to consider
some of the employees may be up-
set if you approve the funding for
this ECA course for the fire de-
partment," she added.
Black encouraged the board to
set a policy for helping its own
employees. "Every licensed per-
son has to have continuing educa-
tion, and we have been footing the
bill by ourselves."
Black said that when an ECA
course was offered by the hospital
before, she was the only employee
to sign up before the limit was
reached. "I think you should give
your nurses first chance in sign-
ing up for these courses."
"We have never been ap
proached about this problem be
fore," commented Dr. L.S. Key,
board member. "The hospital has
paid for these courses before, and
it has been open to anyone."
"Before we consider a policy,
we'll have to talk about this at
another meeting," said board
president Sam Snyder.
Andy Cargile, Texas Depart-
ment of Health representative,
was also at the meeting concern
ing the ECA course.
"We're not here to give you
trouble, but the hospital may
have a problem," Cargile said. "It
is a state law that every am-
bulance run must be manned by
two ECAs. It is a Class A misde-
meanor, and a violation of state
law."
According to Black, there are
currently only two ECAs em
ployed by the hospital, which is
not enough to man the ambulance
24 hours per day.
"There are at least three
hospital employees that need this
ECA course to continue working
on the ambulance, and you should
guarantee them a spot," she add
ed.
Following a lengthy discussion,
the board agreed to pay half of
the cost of an ECA course for 20
participants, on a motion by
Wayne Gray. Hospital employees
will have first chance at signing
up for the course.
Insurance Incentive
Benefits Plus insurance
representative Truett Roberts of
Abilene presented information to
the directors about the West Cen-
tral Texas Oil and Gas Associa-
tion Group Insurance Trust.
The regional insurance group,
offers an "incentive program" to
area hospitals, which encourages
persons insured by the company
to use particular hospitals.
"About two years ago, we dis-
covered a difference in cost in
claims in the two Abilene hos-
pitals," Roberts said. 'There was
a 17 percent spread, with Hen-
drick Medical Center being
cheaper than Humana Hospital."
The WCTOGA company now
encourages people to use the
(bee Hospital, pg. 8-A)
Deadline nearsfortax payments
Say aaahh ...
An Albany kindergarten student reclines comfortably in a portable dental chair and opens wide as a dentist from the
Texas Department of Health takes a good look at his mouth. Local school nurse Susan Jones also assisted with the
examinations, which included every student at Nancy Smith Elementary School. The children's teeth were rated on
a scale of one to four, and parents were notified if a student needed further examination. Some state funding for den-
tal work is available for those who qualify. (Staff Photo]
By Donnie A. Lucas
Local taxpayers have less than
a week to pay their 1988 property
taxes before the January 31 dead-
line.
The deadline for paying 1988
taxes is 4:30 p.m. on January 31 at
the Shackelford County Ap-
praisal District's office.
However, taxes paid through
the mail that are postmarked no
later than January 31 will be con-
sidered as being paid on time,
even if the payment is not re-
ceived in the tax office until after
the deadline.
"The final day to pay in person
at the tax office is January 31,"
said Betty Viertel, chief ap
praiser. "We will also receipt
payments received after the
deadline according to the date
they were postmarked — so as
long as they are postmarked by
January 31 they will not be con-
sidered late."
Taxes not paid by January 31
will have an additional seven per-
cent penalty and interest charge
added effective February 1. Pen-
alty and interest will increase
each month that taxes remain
delinquent for a total of nine per-
cent effective March 1,11 percent
on April 1, 13 percent on May 1,
15 percent on June 1 and 18 per
cent on July 1.
In addition, any taxes not paid
before July 1 will have a service
charge of 15 percent of the total
tax bill, including penalty and in
terest, assessed to cover the cost
of turning the accounts over to
the district's tax attorneys for
collection.
"Each of the jurisdictions that
we serve has voted to pass on the
cost of paying for the delinquent
tax attorneys rather than having
to pay for the service from their
own revenues."
Viertel stated Tuesday that col-
lections were "running about the
same percent as last year."
The chief appraiser suggested
that local taxpayers "pay early to
avoid the rush." Traditionally
many local taxpayers wait until
the final day or two before the
deadline to pay.
In order to avoid waiting in line
at the tax office, Viertel sug
gested paying 1988 tax state
ments now.
Receipts will be provided to
persons who pay in person at the
time they pav their tax bill. Per
sons paying by mail can obtain a
receipt for their payment by
simply including a self addressed
stamped envelope along with
their payment.
The local appraisal district ser
vices all taxing jurisdictions in
the county with both assessing
and collection of taxes.
Tax statements were sent to
local property owners on Septem
ber 30. Persons with questions
concerning their taxes should con-
tact the tax office immediately at
762-2656.
Viertel noted that delinquent,
tax statements will be mailed to
past due accounts in February.
Stock show
meeting slated
The public is invited to attend
an organizational meeting of the
Shackelford County Youth and
Livestock Show Association,
which will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 26, in the
Shackelford County Courthouse.
Association president Tom
Humber explained that the meet-
ing is being held to make plans for
the 1989 show, as well as set dates
for the 1990 show. Superinten
dents for this year's show will be
selected, as well as committee
chairpersons.
This year, the annual Shackel-
ford County Livestock Show is
scheduled for March 9 11 at the
county show barn.
'America Sings' to be presented
The award-winning Texas
Opera Theater continues its tradi-
tion of touring fully-produced
opera productions with its upcom-
ing Albany performance of
"America Sings" on February 8 at
the Albany High School Audi-
torium.
The performance will begin at
7:00 p.m., and is sponsored by the
Old Jail Art Center.
"Ticket sales are going very
slowly," commented OJAC Direc-
tor Reilly Nail. "We want to re-
mind everyone that this is a
chance to enjoy a great evening of
American music."
"This is American theater
music—it is not rock and roll,"
Nail added. "These are not
amateurs, and they are not
children singing —they are pro-
fessionals."
Patron tickets are $25, which
includes a buffet supper and
meeting the cast after the per-
formance.
General admission is $8, and
student and senior citizen tickets
are $3.
During the 1988-89 season,
Texas Opera Theater is touring
with a concert salute to noted
American music theater com-
posers entitled "America Sings."
This concert exemplifies Texas
Opera Theater's commitment to
bringing fully produced operas,
sung in English, with a 24 piece
orchestra to communities
throughout the country where
live music theater and opera are
not regularly available.
"This is a season that offers
something for everyone," said
Houston Opera Center Director
Anne Tomfohrde. "America
Sings" is a fully-produced concert
celebration of the legacy of our
own American opera and musical
theater composers including John
Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland,
Douglas Moore, Leonard Bern-
stein, and many more. It promises
to be a unique and entertaining
look at our American musical
theater heritage."
The 1988-89 eight-week touring
Theater to 37 cities throughout
season will take Texas Opera
ugr
Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma,
as well as a Southeastern tour
that will include Mississippi,
Florida, South Carolina and
North Carolina.
Texas Opera Theater was
created by Houston Grand Opera
in 1974 with the objective of in-
troducing new audiences to opera
by taking fully produced perfor-
mances to communities where
they might not otherwise be
available.
During the past 14 years, Texas
Opera Theater has grown to be
nationally recognized as the
largest touring opera company in
the U.S. and has performed for
more than one million patrons of
all ages in 40 states, including the
District of Columbia, since its in-
ception.
In addition to its primary goal
of touring live performances
throughout this region, Texas
Opera Theater continues its tradi-
tion of providing innovative
music education programs to in-
troduce young people to opera,
and offers a valuable training op-
portunity for America's most pro-
mising young opera singers,
directors and designers.
Texas Opera Theater is the
touring and educational division
of Houston Grand Opera's newly-
formed Houston Opera Center.
Texas Opera Theater's programs
are supported by the Texas Com-
mission on the Arts and the Na-
tional Endowment for the Arts, as
well as numerous corporations,
private foundations and in-
dividuals.
For ticket information, contact
the Old Jail at 762-2269.
Upcoming event...
Tickets are now available for "America Sings," a Texas Opera Theater per-
formance set for Wednesday, February 8 at the Albany High School
auditorium. Among cast members are (l-r) Todd Thomas, Kenneth Wood
and John Horton Murray singing a number from Ol Mice and Men
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Lucas, Donnie A. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 26, 1989, newspaper, January 26, 1989; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth393394/m1/1/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.