Australian trip is all-paid
Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:16 | 
Rotarians seek professionals for study exchange
Atlanta Rotarians and Rotary Clubs in District 5830 seek professionals to represent their clubs during an international Group Study Exchange to Australia.
District 5830 has paired with D9680 Northern Sydney, Australia, to exchange representatives from their respective areas in February-March 2011. The goal of each trip is to provide a professional and cultural exchange, between countries.
Travel, lodging and meals are paid for the GSE participants by Rotary. Applicants cannot be a Rotarian or direct relative of a Rotarian (spouse, parent or child) and must be between the ages of 25 and 40.
The deadline for applications is Friday, July 16.
Rotarian hosts organize a four- to six-week itinerary of vocational, educational, and cultural points of interest. Since 1965, more than 57,000 individuals (almost 12,000 teams) from 100 countries have participated at a cost of more than $92 million.
The Rotary Foundation’s GSE program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for businesspeople and professionals who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. Team members experience the host country’s culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.
In a typical four-week tour, applicants participate in five full days of vocational visits, 15 to 20 club presentations, 10 to 15 formal visits and social events, two to three days at the district conference, three to four hours per day of cultural and site tours, and three to four hours per day of free time with host families.
For each team member, the Foundation provides the most economical round-trip airline ticket between the home and host countries. Rotarians in the host area provide for meals, lodging, and group travel within their district.
For more information about the program, visit www.rotary.org,for an application, call Gary Gregory, Atlanta Area Rotary Club president, at 903-728-5364 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:35 )
At local VA office Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:13 |
Rep says there's benefits available for vets By ANGELA GUILLORY This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it The county’s military veterans service officer addressed Cass County commissioners Monday, saying he hopes to increase the visibility of his department’s services. Robert Dotson spoke during County Judge Charles McMichael’s report time, saying the Veterans Affairs Office, which was established in 1945, "typically goes unnoticed and it shouldn’t." "There are a lot of folks out there that still are not aware that the office exists," Dotson said. "It is important that we are a viable office because there are so many benefits out there that our local veterans don’t know about and aren’t aware of and many are simply unclaimed." He said the county’s veteran population is less than 3,200 but he has only 500 to 600 active files in his office. "So that tells you there are a lot of veterans who don’t need or want help but I suspect they don’t know the benefits that are available to them," Dotson said. "Or they don’t know there is someone available to help them. Even families of veterans don’t realize the benefits that apply to them and are available to them." He explained veterans’ benefits are not granted automatically. "A claim has to be filed and evidence has to be furnished to prove existing entitlement and it is almost impossible for the average veteran to do this theirselves without help," Dotson said. "It requires someone that has been trained in filing claims for compensation, pension, death benefits, education benefits, loans, insurance, housing, there are many. Many simply don’t know how to apply for the many benefits available for war veterans. He said in 2009, Cass County received total expenditures from the VA of $14.5 million; of that amount, $9.1 million was paid to individual veterans in the form of compensation. In 2007, VA expenditures were $7.5 million. In 2008, it was almost $8.4 million. It is increasing about $1 million a year, he said. "That is a lot of money coming into the county," Dotson said. "The state of Texas leads all other large states in monetary recovery of veterans’ compensation and pension of $1.5 billion." Dotson said the reason for his visit was to seek the county’s help in continuing to keep his office visible and functioning. "Helping our veterans is our most important job," Dotson said. He said his job description is to aid county veterans but he helps everybody who comes to his office. Dotson said his worst fear is "that people will cease to care that we will be relegated to some dusty, dark, cramped corner somewhere and forgotten about. The job is much more important than that. I have received support from the commissioners’ court and many of the county offices as well and I covet that continued support. That is all I have to say." "I would like to say how much I appreciate the service you provide to our countries veterans," Commissioner Paul Cothren said. "It is such an invaluable thing that you do for the service. They give their lives for this country." Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:15 ) Pair airlifted to LSU-S Friday, 02 July 2010 14:27 |
L-K teacher, son injured when vehicle rolls By MARTI ALEXANDER This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it A Linden-Kildare CISD school teacher and her young son remain in serious condition at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport following a one-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon. Lisa Stanley, 34, was traveling south on U.S. 59 in a Ford Explorer when she crossed the northbound lane of traffic and struck a culvert, according to Trooper David Stewart of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He said after striking the culvert, the vehicle went airborne and rolled several times, coming to rest facing northwest against a fence. Stanley and her son were both air-lifted to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport where they remain in the Intensive Care Unit in serious condition, Stewart said. Stewart said Stanley was wearing a seat belt, but the investigation shows the child, Dillon Stanley, appeared to be unrestrained. "He was in the front seat wrapped in a blanket when we arrived on the scene," Stewart said. "We are not sure if he was in the back seat and made his way to the front seat when the vehicle rolled or if he was riding in the front seat." He said they believe the child was around 4 years of age. Trooper Monte Whisenhunt investigated the accident with Stewart assisting. Last Updated ( Friday, 02 July 2010 14:29 ) |
Judge casts deciding vote Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:11 |
Commissioners approve drug court By ANGELA GUILLORY This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Commissioners enacted a resolution to establish a Cass County Drug Court program during their June 28 meeting. Before commissioners voted to approve the program, County Court at Law Judge Donald Dowd said he understands the county is struggling with budget shortfalls. "I do think it would be a benefit to the county," Dowd said. The judge explained the county currently pays $40 per day to house prisoners in Gregg County and the majority of those prisoners are female because the county jail is not able to house them due to state jail statutes. The cost to house one female prisoner for one month is about $1,200. For a violation of probation charge with a six-month sentence, the cost to the county to house that prisoner is around $8,000. "If we could divert two female prisoners into the drug court program instead of sentencing them to a six-month jail term, that would be the cost of the drug court for an entire year," Dowd said. "The only cost to the county will be to pay the court-appointed defense attorney." He explained the drug court works by having a court-supervised intensive supervision of persons who are addicted or with a dependence on methamphetamine, crack cocaine, alcohol or prescription drugs. "I do hope that we can apply for grants for future funding of the drug court program, if approved," said Dowd. Precinct 3 Commissioner Paul Cothren made a motion to establish the drug court program and Precinct 4 Commissioner Darrell Godwin seconded the motion. Precinct 1 Commissioner Brett Fitts and Precinct 2 Commissioner Danny Shaddix were opposed. County Judge Charles McMichael broke the tie by saying, "I am going to go along with it and we are going to try it. My vote is a yes, so the motion carries," said McMichael. The county judge votes only if there is a tie vote in the court. McMichael signed the resolution which states, "The Commissioner’s Court of Cass County, pursuant to the provisions of the Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 469.002 (3), et. seg., hereby authorizes the creation of the Cass County Drug Court program for persons arrested for, charged with, or convicted of, an offensive involving use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance, or marijuana; or an offense in which the use of alcohol or a controlled substance significantly contributed to the commission of the offense." The resolution states the County Court at Law judge will be judge of the drug court and has the authority to apply for grants to run the court and will have the authority to pay a reasonable attorney’s fee to a defense attorney named by the judge to represent indigent defendants who are selected to participate in the program. In other business, commissioners unanimously approved a budget amendment for the purchase of a Kubota tractor for bush hogging in Precinct 1 to replace one that had gone down. Commissioner Fitts said the tractor was purchased from Cass County Equipment in Queen City for $31,975. Commissioners approved bonds, pending signatures, for Gina Bassham, Precinct 2 justice of the peace, and Pam Jaynes, her JP court clerk. Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 July 2010 15:13 ) Jeep rolls on FM 74 Friday, 02 July 2010 14:24 |
Bloomburg teens injured in accident By MARTI ALEXANDER This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Two teenagers were taken to the hospital following a one-vehicle rollover on Farm-to-Market 74 Wednesday afternoon. Around 3 p.m., William Cody Wilson, 17, of Bloomburg was headed east on 74 in a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee when he ran off the road and struck a culvert, causing his vehicle to roll and land upside down in the ditch, according to Trooper Monte Whisenhunt of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Wilson and his passenger, 18-year-old Christopher Shane Wesson, were taken to Atlanta Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries. Last Updated ( Friday, 02 July 2010 14:26 ) |
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