Karnes Co. TX - NEWS - November 2007 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Kimm Antell Copyright. All rights reserved. http://files.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Copyright 2007 Victoria Advocate Online (http://victoriaadvocate.com) unless otherwise notated. ************************************************ From mysanantonio.com 11/05/2007 Inside the Stats: Defense wins -- especially scoring defense Ken Eilert San Antonio Express-News Del Rio proved that defense is the key to victory, especially when the defense puts up three touchdowns. Ace Willis, Ozzie Flores and Victor Garcia all returned interceptions for touchdowns in a 34-11 victory against Holmes. Willis covered 25 yards, Flores ran 45 yards and Garcia's return was for 30 yards. PLAY STARTER - AND FINISHER There are 22 players on the field on every play, but nearly every snap involves the quarterback. In Churchill's 35-23 victory over Lee, the two quarterbacks not only started all the plays, but also had a hand in ending all eight touchdowns. Jerome Tiller of Lee fired a touchdown pass of 30 yards to Noel Miller and put up a pair of rushing touchdowns - 13 yards and 16 yards. Sam Mabry of Churchill countered with two rushing touchdowns covering 14 yards and 5 yards. He also threw three TD passes, hitting Ryan Perez for 4- and 35-yard scores and Nathan Brown for a 15-yard TD. RUSHING TO A WIN Four teams used the ground attack to perfection in Week 9, rolling up more than 400 yards to post a victory. South San led the way with 505 rushing yards on 48 carries to beat Harlandale 57-42. Two Bobcats went over 100 yards in the game with George Duenes putting up 202 yards on 11 carries and Richard Arenas carrying the ball 15 times for 162 yards. Stockdale ran the ball 35 times for 434 yards in a 45-0 victory over Kenedy. The Brahmas had two triple-digit rushers - Michael Soto covered 225 yards on 14 carries and Landry Snyder put up 100 yards on 14 tries. Wagner had 424 yards on 59 carries in handling MacArthur 47-28. The two triple-digit rushers for the Thunderbirds were Tyrea Brown with 161 yards on 18 carries and David Glasco, who had 148 yards in 16 plays. Cotulla rolled up 406 yards on 41 carries to beat Natalia 48-0. Two Cowboys went over 100 yards -- Lionel Rocha had 180 yards on 17 carries and Dusty Hoff posted 111 yards on 15 attempts. DUELING QUARTERBACKS Cuero and Gonzales fans saw quite a battle in Week 9 with the two teams' quarterbacks nearly matching passing stats in moving their respective teams up and down the field. Tyler Arndt of Cuero hit 13 of 16 passes for 222 yards and Jacob Bird of Gonzales connected on 14 of 28 for 248 yards in a 44-27 Gobblers' win. The Kerrville Tivy and Boerne fans also saw quite an air battle in a 30-27 overtime win by the Antlers. Tivy's Colton Palmer hit 16 of 25 passes for 216 yards and Boerne's Chuck Thornally found receivers 17 of 24 times for 226 yards. WHO DO YOU COVER A couple of teams had two receivers go over 100 yards in Week 9. Seguin's Isaac Camacho caught 9 passes for 172 yards and Brad Reilley hauled in 8 for 119 yards in a 43-41 loss to Austin Anderson. Renaldo Taylor caught 5 passes for 132 yards and Darnell Smith snagged 5 for 134 yards for Brackenridge in a 71-37 victory over Fox Tech. AN EXTRA FOOT Last week's list of top scoring kickers in the area needs one more addition. Travis Korn of Navarro was actually ranked seventh after last week with 44 points on 26 PATs and 6 FGs. A transcription error caused his name to be inadvertently left off the list. GROUND ATTACK Rushers with more than 150 yards for Week 9: 271: 20 carries - Iveness Shelton, Fox Tech vs. Brackenridge 240: 25 carries - Sammy Winters, Harper vs. Johnson City 225: 14 carries - Michael Soto, Stockdale vs. Kenedy 217: 10 carries - Phillip Pawelek, Pleasanton vs. Poteet 215: 27 carries - Desmon Battle, Crystal City vs. Pearsall 211: 27 carries - Keith Lawson, Warren vs. Stevens 202: 11 carries - George Duenes, South San vs. Harlandale 200: 18 carries - Clayton Jopling, Lytle vs. Somerset 180: 17 carries - Lionel Rocha, Cotulla vs. Natalia 178: 19 carries - Ryan Perez, New Braunfels vs. Lockhart 169: 15 carries - Chris Coe, Luling vs. Marion 168: 27 carries - Alex Lovan, Southside vs. Floresville 164: 22 carries - Jerome Tiller, Lee vs. Churchill 162: 15 carries - Richard Arenas, South San vs. Harlandale 161: 21 carries - Chris Frazier, Center Point vs. Leakey 161: 18 carries - Tyrea Brown, Wagner vs. MacArthur 159: 20 carries - Robert Clay, New Braunfels Canyon vs. Hays 157: 17 carries - Tyler Denson, New Braunfels Canyon vs. Hays 156: 21 carries - Ty Thurman, Llano vs. Bandera 152: 22 carries - Geoffrey Myles, Stevens vs. Warren AIR CORPS Receivers with more than 100 yards for Week 9 187: 10 catches - Ckody Burton, Gonzales vs. Cuero 172: 9 catches - Isaac Camacho, Seguin vs. Austin Anderson 168: 5 catches - Nicholas Amick, Alamo Heights vs. Kenedy 165: 6 catches - Kyle Richter, Antonian vs. Brownsville St. Joseph 152: 7 catches - Robert Williams, Floresville vs. Southside 134: 5 catches - Darnell Smith, Brackenridge vs. Fox Tech 133: 9 catches - Trey Berry, Hays vs. New Braunfels Canyon 132: 5 catches - Renaldo Taylor, Brackenridge vs. Fox Tech 131: 7 catches - Logan Vick, Kerrville Tivy vs. Boerne 130: 9 catches - Cole Jones, St. Anthony vs. Victoria St. Joseph 119: 8 catches - Brad Reiley, Seguin vs. Austin Anderson 118: 7 catches - Aaron Franklin, Goliad vs. Yoakum 103: 2 catches - Scotty Richter, Comfort vs. Brady 102: 4 catches - Jacob Lopez, Somerset vs. Lytle 100: 2 catches - Ray Baca, Pleasanton vs. Poteet Passers with more than 200 yards for Week 9 403: 31-48-0 - Kevin Smith, Seguin vs. Austin Anderson 318: 14-26-1 - Drew Allen, Alamo Heights vs. Kennedy 271: 14-28-1 - Travis Chrisman, Comfort vs. Brady 248: 14-28-3 - Jacob Bird, Gonzales vs. Cuero 245: 18-24-0 - Clayton Rogers, Hays vs. New Braunfels Canyon 226: 17-24-0 - Chuck Thornally, Boerne vs. Kerrville Tivy 224: 19-47-2 - Kade Jones, St. Anthony vs. Victoria St. Joseph 222: 13-16-0 - Tyler Arndt, Cuero vs. Gonzales 216: 16-25-1 - Colton Palmer, Kerrville Tivy vs. Boerne ************************************************ From seguingazette.com November 8, 2007 Parker says FBI contacted about CCSCT By Michael Cary The Gazette-Enterprise SEGUIN - Comal County Commissioner Gregory Parker earlier this week told the Gazette-Enterprise that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was informed about possible financial problems with the administration of the Community Council of South Central Texas. "The FBI has been alerted, but we have not heard back from them," Parker said regarding his recent call for investigation into CCSCT's financial situation. The CCSCT is a non-profit agency that provides aid to the poor in 11 Texas counties, including Guadalupe and Comal counties. The agency also oversees the Head Start program. Louis Ramirez, CCSCT executive director, has tallied about $80,000 in credit card charges, with about $76,000 of that amount in cash advances from a Wells Fargo line of credit account. Parker, a member of the CCSCT board of directors, said that Ramirez was "being secretive" about the debt, and had previously refused to divulge financial information to the board of directors of the CCSCT. Ramirez has denied any allegation that he has used the agency's line of credit for any personal gain. Ramirez was not available for further comment Wednesday, and said he was going to be out of town the remainder of this week and would not be available for interviews. According to the minutes of a January board meeting, Ramirez explained to the board that the agency maintains up to $100,000 in a line of credit account, which is used to pay for program expenses. Ramirez told the board that the programs are not always reimbursed in a timely manner, and the account is used to meet payroll and other financial commitments until the reimbursements are paid. The second card has a $5,000 line of credit that is used primarily for reserving airline tickets, hotels and small purchases. Ramirez also explained that the large credit card had $80,000 in debt, but that $11,000 had been applied from a payment from the CCSCT's defunct transportation program. Interest payments from the large credit card are approximately $587 per month, according to the board minutes. Parker told the board that the high amount on the card would keep programs in the red and additional charges would accumulate. He requested a readjustment of finances at CCSCT. Ramirez then responded that before he had obtained the $100,000 line of credit from Wells Fargo Bank on June 5, 2003, each program had to borrow money on their own, and the bank had recommended the line of credit. Parker criticized the one-page financial report that board members receive at meetings as not sufficient to allow them to make "accurate financial decisions." Parker requested a balance sheet, a statement of activity or income and a cash flow statement for each individual program and for the organization. The board directed Ramirez to "pursue other avenues of credit in lieu of the $100,000 credit card and to research board minutes to determine when the board approved the line of credit." According to minutes from the board's April meeting, Ramirez included a letter giving him permission to set up the line of credit in each board member's information packet. Seguin's Edward Davila, who served on the board in 2006, said he believes Ramirez had done a good job the past few years in heading up the CCSCT. He said he was at a board meeting when Ramirez explained how the line of credit that the board had authorized works. "Some of those programs he runs are funded by the federal government and state agencies. Sometimes the money is not there when the bills come in, and he transfers them to a line of credit to pay out those bills," Davila said. "We get reports and we can see where the money is going. I don't think Ramirez is doing anything wrong, some of the programs are losing money, but like any business, you show a profit and you don't show a profit." Guadalupe County Commissioner Cesareo Guadarrama III, who served for 10 years on the CCSCT board of directors, said that Parker and Ramirez have different management styles, and that "the two styles have always conflicted." Guadarrama left his seat on the board at the beginning of the year, and Seguin City Secretary Thalia Stautzenberger was appointed by Guadalupe County Judge Mike Wiggins to replace him. But Guadarrama has monitored the financial situation, and he said the board members have been given documentation showing where all the money has gone, and it has been accounted for. "Parker should have allowed the leadership of the board of directors to evaluate the different programs as they were doing so they could determine which programs need to be cut back and the programs that need to be eliminated. His (Parker's) style does not lend itself to good working relationships in this community," Guadarrama said. Kathy Coronado, Pleasanton city manager and member of the CCSCT board of directors, said she doesn't know if anything done by Ramirez is illegal, but said she is concerned about his management style, "and we need to correct the situation." Coronado said the board of directors plans to meet on Friday, Nov. 30 to examine the CCSCT's programs and to consider various options concerning the program and the leadership that Ramirez has provided. "As a public servant, I don't want to see these programs in trouble," Coronado said. Ramirez said his presence was required today in Kenedy because a clinic there is closing. "My priority is the community council's business. We're having to relocate some files on the clinic closure, and it is imperative that I be present for the security of confidential files," Ramirez said Wednesday. ************************************************ From businesswire.com Abraxas Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Abraxas Petroleum Corporation (AMEX:ABP) today reported financial and operating results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2007 and provided an operational update. For reporting purposes, results are consolidated and include Abraxas Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries, and Abraxas Energy Partners, L.P. and its subsidiaries. The third quarter of 2007 resulted in: Production of 1.7 Bcfe; Revenue of $13.7 million; EBITDAa of $9.0 million; Cash flowa of $8.5 million; and Net income of $3.0 million, or $0.06 per share. The nine months ended September 30, 2007 resulted in: Production of 5.2 Bcfe; Revenue of $40.2 million; EBITDAa of $25.3 million; Cash flowa of $18.0 million; and Net income of $59.2 million, or $1.30 per share. a see reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures below. Net income in the third quarter of 2007 was $3.0 million, or $0.06 per share compared to net income in the same quarter of 2006 of $589,000, or $0.01 per share. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 was $59.2 million, or $1.30 per share compared to net income during the same nine-month period of 2006 of $2.8 million, or $0.07 per share. Included in net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 was recognition of a pre-tax gain in the amount of $58.5 million as a result of the transactions previously announced on May 25, 2007. In addition to the consolidated financial statements provided herein and to provide greater transparency, we have included a summary of Abraxas Petroleum’s financials on a stand-alone basis. Operations South Texas: In Bee County, the Sutherland #1, which was drilled during the second quarter of 2007, was recently completed as a new gas discovery in the Wilcox formation at approximately 9,700’ and placed on-line. The well is currently producing approximately 1.5 MMcf and 25 barrels of condensate per day. Abraxas Petroleum owns an approximate 55% working interest in this well. In Karnes County, the Gisler #1, which is currently scheduled to spud during the fourth quarter of 2007 will target the Wilcox formation at a total depth of approximately 12,700’. Abraxas Petroleum will own an approximate 63% working interest in this well. In San Patricio County, the Welder #85 was drilled to the base of the Frio sands at a total depth of 9,000’ and placed on production. The well is currently producing approximately 50 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Abraxas Energy owns a 100% working interest in this well. In Wyoming, we are still waiting on approval for our drilling permits. “The third quarter was a quarter of strategic planning after the successful formation of Abraxas Energy Partners, L.P. and the closing of the private placements during the later part of the second quarter which effectively reduced Abraxas’ stand-alone debt by 100% and on a consolidated basis by 72%. Our complete opportunity set was reviewed as we gear up for a very active 2008 targeting development and production growth in a number of our West Texas oil fields. We are pleased with the results of the Sutherland well as it re-affirms our technical ability to internally generate prospects based on 3-D interpretation,” commented Bob Watson, Abraxas’ President and CEO. Conference Call Abraxas invites you to participate in a conference call on Friday, November 9, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. CT to discuss the contents of this release and respond to questions. Please dial 866-383-8119, passcode 25487477, 10 minutes before the scheduled start time, if you would like to participate in the call. The conference call will also be webcast live on the Internet and can be accessed directly on the Company’s website at www.abraxaspetroleum.com under Investor Relations. In addition to the audio webcast replay, a podcast and transcript of the conference call will be posted on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website approximately 24 hours after the conclusion of the call, and will be accessible for at least 60 days. Abraxas Petroleum Corporation is a San Antonio based crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations in Texas and Wyoming. Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements: Statements in this release looking forward in time involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause Abraxas’ actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance suggested in this release. Such factors may include, but may not be necessarily limited to, changes in the prices received by Abraxas for natural gas and crude oil. In addition, Abraxas’ future natural gas and crude oil production is highly dependent upon Abraxas’ level of success in acquiring or finding additional reserves. Further, Abraxas operates in an industry sector where the value of securities is highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond Abraxas’ control. In the context of forward-looking information provided for in this release, reference is made to the discussion of risk factors detailed in Abraxas’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission during the past 12 months. ABRAXAS PETROLEUM CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED QUARTER-END RESULTS (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 2006 2007 2006 Financial Results (In thousands except per share data): Revenues $ 13,667 $ 13,216 $ 40,191 $ 39,825 EBITDAa 9,036 9,312 25,307 27,538 Cash flowa 8,533 4,899 17,991 15,090 Net income 2,998 589 59,158 2,792 Net income per share – basic $ 0.06 $ 0.01 $ 1.30 $ 0.07 Weighted average shares outstanding – basic 48,814 42,584 45,524 42,550 Production: Crude oil per day (Bopd) 522 567 540 549 Natural gas per day (Mcfpd) 15,317 18,752 15,876 18,044 Natural gas equivalents per day (Mcfepd) 18,448 22,157 19,115 21,335 Natural gas equivalents (Bcfe) 1.70 2.04 5.22 5.82 Realized Prices, net of realized hedge effect: Crude oil (Bbl) $ 67.98 $ 66.62 $ 61.05 $ 64.24 Natural gas (Mcf) 6.58 5.46 6.37 5.83 Natural gas equivalent (Mcfe) 7.38 6.33 7.01 6.58 Expenses: Lease operating ($ per Mcfe) $ 1.16 $ 0.92 $ 1.11 $ 0.92 Production taxes (% of oil and gas revenue) 7.5 % 8.2 % 8.6 % 8.2 % General and administrative, excluding stock-based compensation ($ per Mcfe) 0.56 0.41 0.57 0.50 Cash interest ($ per Mcfe) 0.30 2.16 1.40 2.14 Depreciation, depletion and amortization ($ per Mcfe) 2.13 1.78 1.99 1.85 aSee reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures below BALANCE SHEET DATA (In thousands) September 30, 2007 December 31, 2006 Cash $ 13,359 $ 43 Working capital (deficit) 14,755 (3,719 ) Property and equipment - net 107,769 104,957 Total assets 134,858 117,486 Long-term debt 35,000 127,614 Stockholders’ equity (deficit) 59,084 (21,619 ) Common shares outstanding 48,919 42,727 ABRAXAS PETROLEUM CORPORATION STAND-ALONE QUARTER-END RESULTS (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended September 30, 2007 Financial Results (In thousands except per share data): Revenues $ 4,800 (a) Net income 2,935 (a) Net income per share – basic $ 0.06 Weighted average shares outstanding – basic 48,814 Production: Crude oil per day (Bopd) 180 Natural gas per day (Mcfpd) 2,558 Natural gas equivalents per day (Mcfepd) 3,637 Natural gas equivalents (Bcfe) 0.33 Realized Prices, net of realized hedge effect: Crude oil (Bbl) $ 69.56 Natural gas (Mcf) 5.21 Natural gas equivalent (Mcfe) 7.10 Expenses: Lease operating ($ per Mcfe) $ 1.39 Production taxes (% of oil and gas revenue) 0.0 %(b) General and administrative, excluding stock-based compensation ($ per Mcfe) 1.63 Cash interest (income) ($ per Mcfe) (0.48 ) Depreciation, depletion and amortization ($ per Mcfe) 1.80 aIncludes cash distributions from the partnership attributable to the third quarter of 2007 bSeverance tax credit for a well in South Texas for taxes paid over the past 18 months BALANCE SHEET DATA (In thousands) September 30, 2007 Cash $ 11,375 Working capital 7,993 Property and equipment - net 19,743 Total assets 71,377 Long-term debt - Stockholders’ equity 58,316 Common shares outstanding 48,919 ABRAXAS PETROLEUM CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) (In thousands except per share data) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 2006 2007 2006 Revenues: Oil and gas production revenues $ 10,959 $ 12,711 $ 35,151 $ 37,860 Realized hedge income 1,573 183 1,447 466 Unrealized hedge income (loss) 690 (47 ) 2,506 316 Rig revenues 443 363 1,082 1,168 Other 2 6 5 15 13,667 13,216 40,191 39,825 Operating costs and expenses: Lease operating 1,971 1,882 5,792 5,370 Production taxes 819 1,047 3,023 3,097 Depreciation, depletion, and amortization 3,611 3,631 10,367 10,767 Rig operations 199 178 572 608 General and administrative (including stock-based compensation of $204, $208, $748 and $578) 1,156 1,052 3,739 3,474 7,756 7,790 23,493 23,316 Operating income 5,911 5,426 16,698 16,509 Other (income) expense: Interest income (167 ) (1 ) (234 ) (2 ) Interest expense 699 4,440 7,634 12,526 Amortization of deferred financing fees 62 398 609 1,193 Loss on debt extinguishment - - 6,455 - Gain on sale of assets - - (58,498 ) - 594 4,837 (44,034 ) 13,717 Income before income tax and minority interest 5,317 589 60,732 2,792 Income tax expense - - 715 - Income before minority interest 5,317 589 60,017 2,792 Minority interest (2,319 ) - (859 ) - Net income $ 2,998 $ 589 $ 59,158 $ 2,792 Net income per common share - basic $ 0.06 $ 0.01 $ 1.30 $ 0.07 Net income per common share - diluted $ 0.06 $ 0.01 $ 1.29 $ 0.06 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 48,814 42,584 45,524 42,550 Diluted 49,244 43,911 45,870 44,045 ABRAXAS PETROLEUM CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES To fully assess Abraxas’ operating results, management believes that, although not prescribed under generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), discretionary cash flow and EBITDA are appropriate measures of Abraxas' ability to satisfy capital expenditure obligations and working capital requirements. Cash flow and EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures as defined under SEC rules. Abraxas' cash flow and EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for other financial measurements prepared in accordance with GAAP or as a measure of the Company's profitability or liquidity. As cash flow and EBITDA exclude some, but not all items that affect net income and may vary among companies, the cash flow and EBITDA presented below may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Management believes that operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP is the most directly comparable measure to cash flow and EBITDA; therefore, operating income is utilized as the starting point for these reconciliations. Cash flow is defined as operating income (loss) plus depletion, depreciation and amortization expenses, non-cash expenses, unrealized (gains) losses on the settlement of non-hedge derivatives and cash portion of other income (expense) and cash interest. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash flow to operating income for the periods presented. (In thousands) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 2006 2007 2006 Operating income $ 5,911 $ 5,426 $ 16,698 $ 16,509 Unrealized hedge loss (income) (690 ) 47 (2,506 ) (316 ) Depletion, depreciation and amortization 3,611 3,631 10,367 10,767 Stock-based compensation 204 208 748 578 Cash interest (503 ) (4,413 ) (7,316 ) (12,448 ) Cash flow $ 8,533 $ 4,899 $ 17,991 $ 15,090 EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) plus interest expense, depletion, depreciation and amortization expenses, deferred income taxes and other non-cash items. The following table provides a reconciliation of EBITDA to operating income for the periods presented – see consolidated statements of operations for a reconciliation of net income to operating income. (In thousands) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2007 2006 2007 2006 Operating income $ 5,911 $ 5,426 $ 16,698 $ 16,509 Unrealized hedge loss (income) (690 ) 47 (2,506 ) (316 ) Depletion, depreciation and amortization 3,611 3,631 10,367 10,767 Stock-based compensation 204 208 748 578 EBITDA $ 9,036 $ 9,312 $ 25,307 $ 27,538 ************************************************ From herald-zeitung.com November 7, 2007 Ramirez: Cash advances went to programs By Chris Cobb The Herald-Zeitung The executive director of the Community Council of South Central Texas said Tuesday that $176,000 in cash advances drawn on an agency credit card were needed to fund programs helping the poor. Louis Ramirez agreed to be interviewed Tuesday, a day after Dist. 28 Congressman Henry Cuellar said the CCSCT’s financial situation needed to be investigated. Ramirez, CCSCT’s executive director since 1984, provided the Herald-Zeitung with a photocopied spreadsheet purporting to detail the account’s transactions from 2005-07. He still has not provided receipts that prove the cash withdrawals were deposited in the program accounts — receipts that the Herald-Zeitung requested this past Friday under the public information act. ************************************************ From herald-zeitung.com November 8, 2007 Board questioned credit card debt By Chris Cobb The Herald-Zeitung No action has been taken to lower the Community Council of South Central Texas’ outstanding credit card debt despite the board telling the executive director in January to find a different credit source. Official minutes from a Jan. 27 meeting show the board knew about almost $80,000 owed from cash advances and demanded an explanation from Executive Director Louis Ramirez. The minutes were obtained Wednesday by the Herald-Zeitung under a request made last week under the Texas Public Information Act. Ramirez said during an interview Tuesday that the cash advances went to CCSCT programs to cover payroll and other expenses. He provided a spreadsheet Tuesday purporting to show that the funds were indeed transferred to CCSCT programs. He has yet to provide any receipts or formal documentation that prove the money went into those programs; the Herald-Zeitung has requested receipts proving how the cash advances were used under the public information act. Several board members told Ramirez during that January meeting that steps needed to be taken to pay back the more than $79,000 owed to Wells Fargo Bank. The CCSCT has an annual budget of over $7.3 million. Its programs include Head Start, Migrant Assistance, Aging and Nutrition, the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program and nutritional services for women, infants and children (WIC). Its Family Planning Program is nearly $157,000 in debt, and at least two clinics have been shut down to try and reduce the financial liability. The Aging and Nutrition Program also is in debt and Ramirez said the CCSCT will be doing a cost assessment to see whether cuts may need to be made to the program. An audit in July stated that grant operations were normal and functioning correctly, but that the CCSCT’s ability “to pay bills as they become due is diminishing.” Ramirez refused an interview on Wednesday but has said he will meet with a Herald-Zeitung reporter today. Prior to Tuesday’s interview, Ramirez refused to answer questions or return the Herald-Zeitung’s calls Friday, Saturday or Monday. The photocopied spreadsheet he provided Tuesday lists an unpaid balance on the CCSCT’s Wells Fargo account of $79,860.80, with $76,262.94 of the debt in cash advances as of Sept. 28. According to the Jan. 27 minutes, Ramirez said the card was used for cash advances which went to programs whenever they couldn’t make payroll or other financial commitments. As a result of the Jan. 27 meeting, Ramirez was ordered by the board to “pursue other avenues of credit in lieu of the $100,000 credit card, and to research past board minutes for the original approval of the $100,000 line of credit, and for the original resolution authorizing the line of credit.” Board members have been demanding Ramirez find a way for the debt to be paid since that January meeting. “It needs to be corrected immediately,” Pleasanton City Manager Kathy Coronado said on Monday. Coronado also is a member of the CCSCT Board of Directors. “Obviously that’s not the way you want to operate an organization, and hopefully we’ll do something about it.” Board member Elisa Rahmes asked during the Jan. 27 meeting why the balance was so high when these expenses are supposed to be paid back. Ramirez told her it takes a long time to be reimbursed, according to the minutes. The spreadsheet provided by Ramirez on Tuesday indicates the balance has grown from around $50,000 in 2005, to $75,000 as of Oct. 8 of this year. The minutes also show Medina County Justice of the Peace George Ernst Jr. asked if there was a way to keep the programs from deficit spending. Ramirez told him the CCSCT was “between a rock and hard place” and had no choice but to fund the programs through the credit card, which has an unsecured $100,000 line of credit. Ernst also told the board that borrowing directly from the bank would be more cost- effective than to use a credit card at a 10 percent interest rate. On Tuesday, Ramirez said he was unsure when or how the agency would pay back the debt. The CCSCT directs funding to programs in 11 counties: Comal, Guadalupe, Atascosa, Bandera, Frio, Gillespie, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina and Wilson. ************************************************ From bizjournals.com November 9, 2007 Abraxas revenues up 3.4 percent in third quarter Abraxas Petroleum Corp.'s financial results were up significantly during the third quarter of 2007, the company said Friday. Abraxas (AMEX: ABP) reported net income of $3 million, or 6 cents per share, on revenues of $13.7 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2007. This compares to net income of $589,000, or 1 cent per share, on revenues of $13.2 million for the same period a year ago. During the latest quarter, Abraxas produced 522 barrels of oil per day and 15.3 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. This compares to 567 barrels of oil per day and 18.8 million cubic feet of natural gas per day for the same period a year ago. Despite the reduction in oil and gas production, Abraxas benefited from higher commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas. Abraxas was able to sell crude oil in the third quarter at an average price of $67.98 a barrel. This is up from $66.62 a barrel during the same period a year ago. The company also sold natural gas for $6.58 per cubic foot in the third quarter, up from $5.46 during the same period a year ago. During the quarter, Abraxas completed the Sutherland #1 well in Bee County and is currently producing 1.5 million cubic feet of natural gas and 25 barrels of condensate per day. The company owns a 55 percent working interest in this well. The company also drilled the Welder #85 well in San Patricio County at a total depth of 9,000 feet and placed in production. The well is currently producing 50 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Also, in the fourth quarter, the company will begin drilling the Gisler #1 well in Karnes County to a total depth of 12,700 feet. Abraxas will own a 63 percent working interest in the well. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, Abraxas reported net income of $59.2 million, or $1.30 per share, on revenues of $40.2 million. This compares to net income of $2.8 million, or 7 cents per share, on revenues of $39.8 million for the previous nine-month period. The company benefited from a pre-tax gain of $58.5 million as a result of Abraxas' private placements and the formation of the master limited partnership Abraxas Energy Partners LP. "The third quarter was a quarter of strategic planning after the successful formation of Abraxas Energy Partners LP and the closing of the private placements during the later part of the second quarter, which effectively reduced Abraxas' stand-alone debt by 100 percent and on a consolidated basis by 72 percent," Abraxas President and CEO Bob Watson says. Abraxas is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in Texas and Wyoming. ************************************************ From pratttribune.com November 9, 2007 Veterans remember days in uniform By Gale Rose Army 1st Sgt. Wayne Parsons and Navy Carpenters Mate 3rd Class Gene Rose were both training for the invasion of Japan when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and brought the war to an end. Both men were 18 when they were drafted. Rose was in the 7th Beach Battalion and served aboard the U.S.S. Karnes (APA 175) an amphibious assault ship based in Hawaii. His duties were to repair the wooden Higgins boats used to transport troops and equipment from the ship to the beaches and bring wounded back to the ship. He manned a 20 mm gun and was assigned shore patrol. The Karnes was at Saipan, Okinawa, Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, Ulithi Islands, Manila, Kyusu and San Francisco. Karnes off loaded its cargo and was used as a hospital ship. The ship delivered troops, supplies and transported injured including survivors from Iwo Jima. As a carpenter, Rose built a special covering on a Higgins boat used as a captain's boat. The motor failed on the captain's boat as it was being launched from the Karnes and the Higgins was pulled into the Karnes' propellers killing the entire crew. The captain was not on board. Life on the Karnes was good. They had dry beds and good food but there was also danger. During the Okinawa Operation, the ship was under almost continuous battle stations because of Kamikaze attacks. "We had 72 separate air attacks in just three days," Rose said. On May 4, 1945 a Kamikaze bomb just missed the Karnes then the Kamikaze crashed into the nearby light cruiser Birmingham killing 18, Rose said. The Karnes was in a typhoon in September 1945 and rolled 38 degrees before righting itself. The Karnes was in Hawaii when the war ended. She was part of the Japanese occupation force at Sasebo Bay on Kyushu Island. Sailors had to wear steel vests for fear of snipers. Rose is reluctant to talk about the war because of the loss of life, especially on Manila. He saw many injured and dead troops including a pair of soldiers that accidentally got in the way of their own flamethrower. Both died. Parsons was in the 164th Infantry, made of National Guardsmen from North Dakota, South Dakota Illinois and Boston. They reinforced the 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal. Parsons was a 1st Sgt. in the military police. He was an American on New Caledonia and earned the title Americal. He served 10 months in the jungles of Bougainville protecting an airstrip. He spent 10 days on the line then had 10 days of rest. It was days and days of fighting. They would advance and establish a line then advance again. When they met resistance they would have to back down and wait for P 38s or Navy Corsairs to strafe the hillsides. "They would just come zooming in and strafe the hill," Parsons said. "At first it was continuous. We kept taking one hill after another." The troops carried Browning Automatic Rifles as they went through the hot, humid jungle trails that would leave the troops soaked from sweat. On a five-man reconnaissance mission the troops were supposed to locate but not engage the enemy. They found Japanese soldiers who opened up on them. Parsons and another soldier got separated and it took them from four to five hours to find their way back by listening for a river and following it back. After Bougainville Parsons served in the Philippines where they conducted clean up operations and met stiff resistance. "They had some pretty good fire power," he said. Parsons was on Cebu training on Higgins boats for amphibious landings to invade Japan when the atomic bombs ended the war. No one had heard of an atomic bomb but the men didn't care. The war was over. "Well, what's an atomic bomb," Parsons said. "We were elated the war was over. We didn't think about the people that died." As part of the occupation force Parsons was assigned security mainly for warehouses in Yokohama. ************************************************ From theexaminer.com Help needed in identifying deceased woman By Released by the Department of Public Safety Distinctive butterfly tattoos may help solve the case of an unidentified deceased woman found in a remote area in Live Oak County in May 2007. The DPS Texas Rangers are assisting the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation. Foul play is a possibility. The woman’s body was decomposed to the point she was unrecognizable. An exact cause of death is not known, but there was evidence of trauma. The Texas Ranger forensic artist has released a sketch of the rudimentary tattoo that was located on the outside area of the victim’s right calf. The tattoo consisted of two cartoon-like butterflies facing each other, with a heart and arrow in between them. The initials, “R.T” were below the bottom butterfly, as pictured above. (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/pr1113 07photos.htm#location ) She was wearing a “Forever 21” brand burgundy or red halter top and a “Trousers Up” brand black “stretchy” mini-skirt. (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/pr111 307photos.htm#halter and http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/pr11130 7photos.htm#skirt) She also was wearing a corded necklace with two silver beads and four black beads. A red bandana was found nearby. Her ears were pierced and she was wearing metallic blue toenail polish. The woman had been dead about two weeks. According to the Nueces County Medical Examiner, she had long brown hair, was 4 feet 8 inches to 4 feet 9 inches tall, approximately 81 pounds and was probably between 25-35 years old. Her race is listed as white and she could have been Hispanic. Her body was found May 23 in a wooded area near the intersection of FM 1091 and FM 99 near the town of Peggy in the northwest corner of Live Oak County. The body was found about 7 miles east of I-37 (Exit 83) and 2 miles from the Karnes County line. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office at 361-449-2271 or the Texas Rangers Office in Sinton at 361-364-6145. This case is also featured online at the DPS Missing Persons Clearing House www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/ (DPS Case # U0707005). ************************************************ From ktre.com November 13, 2007 Convicted Irving cop killer's desire to die stalled by courts LIVINGSTON, Texas (AP) - A former Texas prison escapee facing death for his role in the 2000 killing of an Irving policeman -- wants to die. But the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to review whether lethal injection is fair punishment has stalled the request of Michael Rodriguez. Rodriguez is 1 of 7 inmates who fled from the Connally Unit near Kenedy. Officer Aubrey Hawkins was slain by them while investigating a robbery. Six were later caught in Colorado, where the seventh killed himself. All six were convicted and sentenced to lethal injection. Rodriguez is the only one not appealing. Rodriguez sent a hand-printed letter to the federal courthouse in Dallas nearly a year and a half ago. He wrote of being a college graduate and wanting to drop his appeals. A federal judge on September 27th signed off on the inmate's request -- two days after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider a Kentucky challenge to lethal injection. Now a state judge won't set an execution date for Rodriguez until after the Supreme Court rules. Rodriguez declined to talk to The Associated Press. Rodriguez escaped while serving a life term for hiring a hit man to kill his wife to collect her $250,000 life insurance. She was gunned down in 1992 in San Antonio. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ************************************************ From goccn.org November 16, 2007 A touch of dignity By Paula Goldapp STC Editor Editor's note: The following is part of an ongoing series on immigration issues in south Texas. There is little evidence of dignity in the deaths of the undocumented men, women and children found among the south Texas cactus and brush over the past few decades. Despite the circumstances that prompted them to cross the Mexican border and regardless of their legal status in the eyes of the government, Father Piotr Koziel said lending dignity to their final resting place is the right thing to do. Seven years ago the priest made his first trip to the cemetery located off a caliche road on the Kenedy Ranch. The site, overgrown with grass and weeds, impacted him in such a way that he recruited others to return and remember those who died in the area but were never identified. In preparation of the Nov. 2 feast of All Souls' blessing of the graves, a group cleans the site and makes improvements to the area where the dead are all but forgotten. But many of them live on in the memory of Rafael Cuellar, Jr., born and reared in Sarita, and a 34-year law enforcement veteran, who retired in 2000. Just as remembering the dead is part of Father Koziel's job as the pastor of St. Gertrude Parish in Kingsville, Cuellar said his job as constable, deputy sheriff and finally sheriff included retrieving the dead from the brush lands of Kenedy County. It was awful to see what I have seen, remembers Cuellar, who since his retirement became physically inactive due to complications from diabetes. He estimated that he buried over 70 people at the cemetery during his tenure. Last year, the U.S. government recorded the deaths of over 450 who died while making their way through south Texas. The numbers dropped by about 100 for 2007. Dehydration, exposure to the extreme heat in the summer and unexpected cold in the winter are among the factors that lead to death. Among the most devastating for Cuellar were the ones killed by trains in the middle of the night. They sleep on the tracks because they are afraid of snakes, he explained. Using a rail for a pillow they fall asleep and become disoriented when awakened by the sound and blinding lights of the oncoming train. He also recalled the young people he found. Among those who died trying to cross the inhospitable land was a 10-year- old boy. These were just some of the stories of those buried in the Sarita cemetery. It was at the same site that a group of students from St. Gertrude elementary school gathered with their pastor and other members of the community to offer their prayers and labors for the dead. Two weeks before the Nov. 2 blessing of the graves, a group, including students from the campus ministry at Texas A and M, converged on the site for major clean-up efforts. Students from the Baptist student union also joined them. Meanwhile, a handful of parishioners made wooden forms in the shape of crosses and then poured concrete to make sturdy headstones to replace the wooden ones crafted years earlier. The elementary students also did their part by putting a white coat of paint on each of the newly fashioned crosses. On the day of the blessing the Kingsville group and others met at the Kenedy County Sheriff's office, where they were escorted across Highway 281 onto the Kenedy Ranch and then down an unpaved road that leads to the cemetery. Following the proclamation of Scripture readings and a moment of silent prayer, Father Koziel blessed each grave with holy water. Students of St. Gertude followed after him placing rosaries and flowers on the concrete-cross headstones. Among the crowd were three members of the Catholic student organization at Texas A and M in Kingsville, who meet during the week for Mass and other activities at the Collegiate Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas. These are our brothers and sisters, said Armando Castellano, a junior, who is originally from Concepcion. You know how much they suffered. Castellano said it is common to meet those who have recently crossed the border on the streets of Kingsville. He added that the ones he has encountered are very prayerful and he believes That's what got them here. When questioned about why she takes part, Angela Palacios, also a junior, returned a question, Why wouldn't we do this? The St. Gertrude students also have thoughts on the experience. The ones who turned out for this year's service made a special effort to come to the 3 p.m. event, since the campus had a noon dismissal that day. Their words reflect a simple faith. I liked blessing the graves and praying for the people so they could go live in peace in Heaven, said fourth grader Josephine Bartolazo. Sixth grader Derek Valerio, added, I feel sorry for the people that died and that their family doesn't know it. His classmate, Matthew Hewitt, said, It felt good to do something for them to help them. Father Koziel said he had no doubt about the importance of his parishioners being involved in this essentialwork of mercy and hopes more people become involved and take an interest in the ministry. And he said it is not the ones they pray for who are helped the most. They are dead and with God. It helps us and we realize that we take a lot for granted, said the priest, a native of Poland, who feels that many immigrants are often misrepresented in the media. The way it's presented makes them look like they are all drug-dealers and murderers. He said those people have better ways of getting across. They are not the ones we find in Kenedy County. As a member of law enforcement, Cuellar said there were cases where fences had obviously been broken or water had been left running by people crossing through the area. He acknowledged that these damages were costly to land owners, but added, Now if you look at it another way, what else could they do in their circumstances? They were tired and hungry. He said he wondered if anyone in their circumstances would act differently. Although Cuellar said among the cases of finding so many people dead in the desert-like conditions, there were also better times when he was involved in rescuing people from certain death. When traveling in a group and one of the members would get sick, the immigrants would often leave their path and seek help from the Border Patrol or whoever they could find. We saved some of them, said Cuellar, who added that many of the originally unidentified dead, were later claimed by family members. Their bodies were exhumed and then taken home to loved ones. I really feel sorry for them, said Cuellar. When you see people leaving their country and risking their lives, it's telling you that they have lots of problems back home. He added that he felt good about helping the ones he could. At least we could give them a decent burial. Father Koziel said he hopes the practice of caring for the cemetery will grow and he is pleased about the added community involvement each successive year and remembers the first time he saw the site. When I got there, that's when it hit me. There was nothing there that suggested it was a cemetery. Despite the desolation he remembered thinking, God was there, I am sure. He left with the thought, We have to bring dignity to this place. Seven years later, with the help of young and old, a touch of dignity has been brought to the people who risked their lives possibly seeking a more dignified life. Rafael Cuellar said he wishes he still had the energy and ability to search the brush. I still think there are a lot of people out there, dead or dying. ************************************************ From herald-zeitung.com November 14, 2007 CCSCT bank records ready for review today By Chris Cobb The Herald-Zeitung An executive from the Community Council of South Central Texas said the organization would be able to provide official documentation today to support Executive Director Louis Ramirez’s claim that more than $79,000 in credit card debt was used to support CCSCT programs. CCSCT Comptroller Homer De La Rosa said Tuesday that he gave receipts and bank statements from the CCSCT’s Wells Fargo account, which the Herald-Zeitung requested on Nov. 2 under the public information act, to Ramirez for “inspection” and the documents would be ready by 11 a.m. today. As of Sept. 28, the account listed an unpaid balance of $79,860.80, with $76,262.94 of the debt in cash advances. CCSCT Chairman of the Board Adolfo Aguilar Jr. sent out a news release from the CCSCT’s office in Seguin, which stated that “the issue of whether there have been any unauthorized expenditures from this line of credit has been raised before, directly and by innuendo. These allegations have been explored in the past and there have been no unauthorized expenditures identified.” CCSCT board members have questioned since January why the organization would continue to operate with the line of credit, although no action has been taken to improve the situation. George Ernst Jr., a Medina County Justice of the Peace and CCSCT board member, previously said the organization needed to find ways to finance the agency’s programs that made more financial sense, according to official minutes from CCSCT meetings. “They have a credit card and I don’t think that’s a big deal,” Ernst said Tuesday. “I just don’t think that’s a healthy practice .... You can’t run your house on a Visa card, so why would run your business that way?” The CCSCT controls the funding for a number of low-income aid programs in 11 Texas counties. Its programs include Head Start, Family Planning, Aging and Nutrition and the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program. At least three of those programs reportedly are experiencing financial difficulties. Family Planning is more than $157,000 debt and has been forced to close clinics in Floresville, Kenedy, Kerrville and New Braunfels. Ramirez said on Nov. 6 that the Aging and Nutrition program is also in debt and that the agency would be doing a cost assessment to see if cutbacks to the program would be necessary. Complaints about insufficient funding in the Head Start program have also surfaced. A number of Head Start teachers and former employees have contacted the Herald-Zeitung in the last week saying that money from federal grants isn’t being used to pay for necessary supplies, facility improvements and transportation repairs. A special board meeting has been called to discuss “pending agency issues” at 1 p.m. Nov. 30 in Seguin. The exact location and agenda have not yet been released. Ernst was confident that the board would work to improve the CCSCT’s financial problems. “There’s little bumps in everything,” Ernst said. “Generally with a little bit of wisdom and guidance, problems get solved.” ************************************************ From seguingazette.com November 14, 2007 Board members weigh in on CCSCT By Michael Cary The Gazette-Enterprise SEGUIN — Karnes County Judge Alger Kendall Jr. said on Tuesday that it is too early to draw a conclusion about allegations that Community Council of South Texas Director Louis Ramirez has mismanaged the organization’s finances. Comal County Commissioner Gregory Parker, a member of the CCSCT board of directors, recently raised concerns about Ramirez’s leadership after he discovered nearly $80,000 in debt was charged to a line of credit. He also expressed concerns about the CCSCT’s Family Planning program being more than $150,000 in debt. Parker said he has requested that the Federal Bureau of Investigation launch a probe into the financial matters of the CCSCT. Kendall said that as a CCSCT board member, he wants to “study this thing very carefully.” “I’m taking a very serious look at this because I am concerned about the debt. At this point I haven’t reached a decision on what direction we should go,” Kendall said. Commissioner Parker said he believes Ramirez “has mismanaged the organization and we need a change in leadership.” “I don’t have a vendetta against Ramirez whatsoever. I just want good management,” Parker said Tuesday. Parker said he believes social services such as what CCSCT provides are needed. Those include the Head Start program and a program that provides meals to the elderly in Comal County. “If anything, we need benchmarks and performance measures of the organizations. When any organization gets money (from federal or state agencies), I want to see it managed. In this case we need a change in leadership,” Parker said. The commissioner said he was not aware that the CCSCT had advertised for sealed bids for an external audit of the organization. The bids were due last Wednesday at 3 p.m., but CCSCT Comptroller Homer De La Rosa referred questions about whether there were any bidders to Ramirez. Ramirez was not available for comment on Monday or Tuesday. The CCSCT administrative office was closed for Veterans Day on Monday. Parker said he would rather have the federal or state government perform an audit on the CCSCT to determine whether the funds it contributes to the agency have been properly spent. “I think the state and federal government need to come and identify where the funds have been spent, but also to see exactly where all the expenses have gone,” Parker said. Although many CCSCT board members also could not be reached for comment or refused to comment, Martha Casas of Christine said there is not enough information to make any accusations against anyone. She also said that in the past year that she has served on the board she has perceived Parker has a personal vendetta against Ramirez, and that he attends board meetings with his own agenda in mind. “At this point it seems to be hearsay without any evidence on paper. Until it gets to that point, I am not going to be slinging any mud or getting into any personal vendetta,” Casas said. Although Casas said she doesn’t know whether any funds have been mishandled, she also has not seen any evidence of wrongdoing. “I want to see the audit first. All of our energy is going into the mudslinging, we’re getting away from the CCSCT’s mission to serve people who need help,” Casas said. “He (Parker) is on a mission from the moment he walks in. It’s the body language. I can sense it when he walks into the room. It’s irritating,” Casas said. “He never brings hardcore evidence to the table.” Casas said that Parker did try to convince the board of directors to remove Ramirez and replace him with CCSCT Executive Assistant Mary Lou Castillo. “I said, ‘wait a minute.’ He wants Ramirez out of that chair, but he has no idea about the second day after Ramirez might be gone. He is not even thinking about that,” Casas said. Parker said he did not recall trying to get Ramirez removed from his job. Joel S. Garcia, a board member for the past eight years, said Parker and others who want Ramirez out of the leadership position at CCSCT should back off and let the evidence, or the audit, be brought to light. He also said that he believes that Ramirez, who has served with the CCSCT since it was created, is doing a good job managing the various programs in the 11 counties it serves. “Whoever is keeping an eye on this says you’re losing money, but they don’t see that you are helping the poor and the needy. It depends on what side of the fence you’re on,” Garcia said. “He has done a fantastic job over the years. People concentrate just on the numbers and they don’t see the humanity point of view which is helping people. Critics should back off and let him do his job,” Garcia said. ************************************************ From chron.com Nov. 14, 2007 Texas crop report © 2007 The Associated Press COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas Cooperative Extension regional crop reports for Nov. 14: PANHANDLE: Soil moisture ranges from very short to adequate. All counties need moisture for wheat and pasture growth. Corn harvest is complete. Cotton ranges from very poor to excellent with most areas reporting good. Cotton harvest continues and yields are being reported as above average. The peanut harvest is almost complete. Sorghum harvest continues. Sunflower harvest is about 80 percent complete. Wheat condition ranges from very poor to adequate with most areas reporting fair. Most areas report moisture is needed. Dryland wheat is moisture-stressed and beginning to dry in some areas. Range conditions are very poor to good with most areas in fair condition. Cattle are in good condition. Supplemental feeding is under way in some areas. SOUTH PLAINS: Weather has remained warm allowing for continued harvest. Highs this week were mostly in the upper 70s with no rainfall. Cotton harvest continues with very good yields for irrigated and dryland cotton. A few producers were again spraying defoliants this week. A killing freeze would be helpful to complete the cotton harvest. Grain sorghum harvest is nearing completion, and yields are way above average. Peanut harvest is winding down. Winter wheat is in fair to good condition with some producers irrigating their fields. Pastures and ranges are in fair to good condition and in need of some moisture. Cattle conditions are mostly good with some supplemental feeding. ROLLING PLAINS: Dry weather continues to cause problems for area producers. However, conditions are great for cotton farmers. Temperatures have warmed up with some cool nights. Cotton yields look good. Small-grain fields are in need of moisture. The fields are too dry currently to sow small grains, and early planted fields have ceased to grow. Winter wheat is trying to survive, but some fields are not going to make it unless they receive rain soon. Pasture forage is decreasing due to cooler temperatures and lack of moisture. Fall cattle work is being done. Some ranchers have started adding supplemental feed. Insect pressure is minimal, although green bugs can be found in a few hot spots. NORTH: Soil moisture ranged from short to adequate. Producers are becoming concerned about lack of rain. Pastures are in fair to good condition but need moisture. A cool front came through, but no precipitation came with it. Most small-grain planting and winter annual pasture grass planting is complete. The wheat crop is in fair to good condition. Pecan harvest is ongoing with 25 percent to 50 percent of the crop harvested. Livestock are in good condition. EAST: Dry conditions prevail with unseasonably warm temperatures. Winter pasture planting is below average due to fertilizer costs, hay supply and dry conditions. Winter pastures that have germinated need rain for good growth. Stock tanks, lakes and creeks are dry to nearly dry in some locations. Hay cutting and baling continues as producers try to get last cuttings of the year. Cattle remain in good body condition. Scab on pecans has been reported, but the crop is giving good to excellent yields. FAR WEST: Soil moisture is short to adequate. No rainfall was received this week. Range and pasture condition is poor to good. Cotton is in poor to excellent condition. Some cotton farmers in Howard County are seeing exceptional yields. Oats are in fair condition. Temperatures are mild with warm days and cool nights. Wheat planting continues, but conditions are very dry. WEST CENTRAL: Warm days and cool nights continued with no precipitation. Wildfires are becoming a threat. Field preparation and small-grain planting continues. Wheat crops need moisture for good growth. Some early planted fields are being grazed. Cotton harvest continues with very good yields. Range and pastures are steadily declining. Hay use has picked up, and hay sales have begun to increase. Livestock remain in fair to good condition. The pecan harvest continues with producers reporting good yields. CENTRAL: No report available. SOUTH: Weather conditions in the mid-region are dry. Sugarcane and citrus are still being harvested. Vegetable harvest has begun. Producers began irrigating spinach, cabbage, carrots and other cool- season vegetables. A cold front brought a few showers to other parts of the region, which helped with soil conditions. Winter vegetables are progressing well. Dryland wheat and oat producers are still ho ping for some rainfall. Although some forage is available for livestock, some producers reported initiating supplemental feeding. SOUTHEAST: Extremely dry conditions have slowed emergence of winter annuals. Planting activity is moving forward, and wheat looks good. Hay baling continued this week but is now winding down. There were no reports of insects and disease in the wheat. Livestock are doing well. SOUTHWEST: The region remains very dry with less than one-third of an inch of rain in the past two months. The region missed the typical fall rainy season, and weather forecasts are not optimistic. The region is going into the winter season at less than half of the long- term August-to-date rainfall. Soils are cracking. Pastures, ranges and yard grasses are going into winter dormancy early even with very mild fall temperatures. Some heavy irrigation has begun. The cotton harvest continues. The peanut, cabbages, spinach, green bean and pickling cucumber harvest continues. COASTAL BEND: Temperatures are cooler, but the region continues to need rain in most areas. No rain and above-normal temperatures have been reported in San Patricio County, resulting in dried soil and lack of winter forage. Karnes County reports no rain, dry and cooler weather. Nueces County reports primary tillage is still going on in some of the late harvested cotton fields. Cattle remain in good condition. No significant rainfall has been reported for more than six weeks. No winter pasture has been planted in the past two weeks. Matagorda County reported low humidity and lack of rain. In Victoria County, 2 to 4 inches of rain is needed to return to near normal conditions. Field work is being completed. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com November 15, 2007 Cuellar wants CCSCT to handle its own issues By Michael Cary The Gazette-Enterprise LAREDO — U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar has decided not to investigate the financial affairs of the Community Council of South Texas, including allegations that CCSCT Director Louis Ramirez has mismanaged the organization’s finances. “Anytime he sees that federal funds are in question, he does make an inquiry to find out more about it. He did that and he spoke to Mr. Ramirez and to two board members. They explained in their opinion what had happened, and he decided to let their own board do their own oversight within their responsibilities,” Mindy Casso, communications director for Cuellar, said Wednesday. Cuellar made the inquiry after Comal County Commissioner Gregory Parker, who also serves on the CCSCT’s board of directors, called for an FBI investigation into the agency’s expenditures on a line of credit of up to $100,000 with Wells Fargo Bank. Ramirez provided information regarding expenditures made in the course of doing CCSCT business on Wednesday. The information is on file at the CCSCT’s Fiscal Division and Staff Training Center, 107 River St. in downtown Seguin. According to financial records, the CCSCT’s line of credit fluctuated from $69,480 in December 2006 to as high as $86,000 in February 2007. Ramirez released an audit report after the Seguin Gazette-Enteprise requested an opportunity to review it. Ramirez has been unavailable for interviews, and on Wednesday issued a letter to the Gazette requesting that any questions for him or CCSCT board chairman Adolfo Aguilar Jr. be submitted to his office in writing. “I will not be accepting interviews or questions without approval from the Chairman of the Board or Mr. Jesse Botello,” Ramirez wrote in the memorandum. Botello is the agency’s attorney. According to an audit of Fiscal Year 2006 performed by Bill Rocha, an independent certified public accountant from San Antonio, the CCSCT showed government grants from state and federal agencies in the amount of more than $6 million. Revenues totaled nearly $7 million and expenses slightly exceeded $7 million. The auditor listed a few issues in the audit recommended for correction, but it did not identify any missing or misspent funds by the CCSCT’s administration. The financial information included copies of canceled checks and invoices showing expenditures made by the CCSCT on the line of credit. One payment of $800 was made to the Mrs. Annie’s Peanut Brittle Co. in October 2005 for office rental space for CCSCT’s family planning office in Floresville. Other expenditures from the account appear to be payments made to family planning and the CCSCT’s aging program and payments to the agency’s payroll for employees who operate the agency’s programs in 11 counties. Aguilar released a written statement explaining reasons for the agency’s budget deficit, which includes more than $150,000 for its Family Planning Program. “The CCSCT Family Planning Program, like many others in Texas, is currently facing multiple challenges. Some of the challenges CCSCT has been faced with in recent years include a decrease in clients. The result is that the agency cannot draw down the entire grant which is based on the number of clients actually served, not on the number of clients projected in the request for funding,” Aguilar explained. “This results in increased cost for providing services and results in difficulty staffing the clinics. In addition, increased competition from Federally Qualified Health Centers, changes to the billing system and delays in receiving timely reimbursements from the state have also negatively affected CCSCT generally, and the Family Planning Program specifically,” Aguilar said in the press release. Aguilar said the agency has had to close clinics in Kerrville, New Braunfels, Kenedy and Floresville, but it plans to maintain service to clients through its Seguin clinic. The Seguin Clinic, located at 808 E. Pine St., is now providing daily clinical services, accepting walk-ins and scheduling same-day appointments. “Many positive changes have occurred at the Seguin clinic that have facilitated access to health care,” Aguilar explained. Ramirez recently said that no increases in funding for its programs have occurred since 1970, yet the agency’s costs have gone up. Ramirez also said the family planning clinics in Floresville and Kenedy were closed because they had very few clients. He said those closings will reduce the debt, but not right away. Board meeting minutes show that CCSCT board members approved the $100,000 line of credit, and that they had asked Ramirez to come up with an alternate plan for funding its programs. “I have presented several proposals to the board, but the board has not made a decision,” Ramirez said recently. The CCSCT board of directors is scheduled to meet on Friday, Nov. 30 in Seguin, at a site to be announced. Commissioner Parker said he did not get a chance to review the financial information that is available in the CCSCT office in Seguin. “I probably will try to get down there Friday to take a look at it,” Parker said. “I’m still disheartened that it took you guys to get this information,” he said. Although some board members have made statements concerning the CCSCT’s debt and the director’s management style, many of the newly- appointed members declined to comment. “I don’t want to comment on it, I’m waiting to see what comes up on the 30th,” Linda Barton, a board member from Medina, said. Irma Cantu of Pearsall said she also was not prepared to make a statement. “The first time I heard about it was at our last meeting. We’re having a meeting on Nov. 30, and I am expecting to get more information at that time,” Cantu said. Linda Cole of Fredericksburg said she also has only been to three board meetings. “I am not qualified to make a comment,” Cole said. Cuellar attended a CCSCT board of directors meeting in January 2005 and expressed his appreciation for the work that CCSCT does. He also warned board members that all of the nation’s domestic programs would see drastic cuts in funding. Cuellar vowed to “continue to work at improving education, health care and increasing economic development.” ************************************************ From herald-zeitung.com November 17, 2007 State official says CCSCT chief needs to go By Chris Cobb The Herald-Zeitung AUSTIN — The state agency which provides around $1.8 million in funding to the Community Council of South Central Texas is demanding swift changes within the nonprofit organization, including the removal of CCSCT Executive Director Louis Ramirez. Michael Gerber, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs executive director, said Friday that the agency had uncovered damaging findings while reviewing the CCSCT’s financial practices. Gerber said TDHCA is placing the CCSCT on a cost-reimbursement basis, effective immediately, and demanding the board of directors make organizational changes to ensure taxpayer money starts going to the people who need it. “We have big concerns about how the Community Council of South Central Texas is doing their business,” Gerber said. “Obviously, we take the reports that we’ve seen very seriously. Our primary concern is making sure that low-income Texans are served by the programs that these funds are supposed to go toward.” The CCSCT is a community action agency founded in 1965 through the federal Office of Economic Opportunity. The nonprofit agency directs funding to programs that provided aid to 7,232 low-income people in 11 Texas counties in 2006, according to a TDHCA monitoring report. Last year, the CCSCT provided assistance to 1,369 people in Comal County and 1,406 in Guadalupe County. The state and federally-funded CCSCT oversees Head Start, the Community Services Block Grant, the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program and other programs designed to help the homeless, the elderly and malnourished women and children. In a letter to Ramirez on Thursday, the TDHCA said it has switched the CCSCT to a cost-reimbursement method of payment because of the “number and severity of monitoring findings as well as recent reports of inadequate procedures and controls in the use of funds.” In a two- month sampling, the agency reported 13 findings required corrective action. The CCSCT now will have to consult the state for all expenditures. “That has a significant impact to their organization,” Gerber said. “They’re no longer going to have a line of credit to draw down on. Instead they’re going to have to submit receipts to the department and then we’ll determine whether they’re eligible to be reimbursed for those costs. Our hope and belief is that can be managed successfully and not have an impact on the low-income Texans who are being served by those programs.” The TDHCA is reviewing the CCSCT’s finances. Officials have submitted a report to Ramirez and CCSCT Board Chairman Adolfo Aguilar Jr. listing all of the state’s findings which need to be corrected. A copy will be given to the Herald- Zeitung Monday. The CCSCT has 45 days to solve the issues outlined in the TDHCA’s report. “We’re sending staff back out so that we can review every expense to determine how much money they owe the department because they were paying for activities that they shouldn’t have,” said Amy Oehler, Director of Community Affairs for the TDHCA. “It is a more prudent approach, but there are clearly a lack of controls or issues that have to be dealt with at an agency that I consider at this point to be in trouble,” added Gerber. Ramirez has been the executive director of the CCSCT since 1984. Neither he, nor Aguilar were available for comment Friday. This month, Ramirez has come under scrutiny for allowing the organization’s debt to continually increase over the last few years. A CCSCT Wells Fargo credit card has an outstanding debt of more than $79,000. The Family Program is more than $150,000 in debt. And although Ramirez said the Head Start program was properly funded earlier this month, numerous teachers and former employees have contacted the Herald-Zeitung complaining that federal funds have not been going to their intended recipients. “We’re very disappointed in what we’re hearing about and what we’re seeing from our own monitoring experience,” Gerber said. “The board of this community action agency needs to step up and the executive director really needs to step out.” “This is a management failure,” Gerber added. “This is a management and process failure. They either fix it, or we’ll have no choice but to take stronger action against them.” Gerber also said federal authorities have been contacted to investigate any possible criminal findings that may arise during the TDHCA’s review, and that the department would work together with any law enforcement agency if anything illegal is discovered. The TDHCA’s funding goes toward CCSCT programs in Comal, Guadalupe, Atascosa, Bandera, Frio, Gillespie, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina and Wilson Counties. The findings and overall tarnishing of the CCSCT’s image as a low- income aid provider could be very damaging for all nonprofits, according to Gerber. “They’re terrible,” Gerber said. “They’ve ruined public confidence in the program for anyone who cares about low-income Texans, or poor people in general. It plays into every belief of people who do not support these programs. People think money is wasted or that there are inadequate controls to make sure it goes to people who really are in need.” Despite agency-wide process and management problems, Gerber feels the situation remains tenable. “You restore public confidence by doing your job correctly,” Gerber said. “We can’t take back or undo what’s happened. We can only fix it and demand swift action to fix it, and that’s what we’re demanding of the board.” ************************************************ From jaspernewsboy.com November 21, 2007 Bowdrie Marshall Byerly B.R. and Michelle Byerly of Jasper announce the birth of their son, Bowdrie Marshall, born Nov. 13 at Woodland Heights Medical Center in Lufkin. He weighed 7 pounds 7 ounces. Grandparents are Elray and Martha Byerly of Jasper, Tommy Coan of Kenedy and Mary Wilson of Jasper. Great-grandparents are the late Cowboy Miller, Modell Miller of Jasper, the late Doris Ralph, and Bud Ralph of Jasper. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com NOV 23, 2007 Pony Express to ride during Christmas Along the Corridor Christmas is quickly approaching, and to celebrate the season, the Alamo Area Council of Governments will sponsor the 19th annual Christmas Along the Corridor festivities, coming to communities across South Texas on Saturday, Dec. 1. Pony Express riders were certified to ride during the Pony Express Christmas Courier Swearing-In Ceremony held Nov. 17 in downtown San Antonio. In Floresville, the Pony Express rider is due to arrive at noon Saturday at the Wilson County Courthouse. The chamber of commerce will sponsor activities, including a sidewalk sale, arts and crafts, food booths, and other activities starting at 8 a.m. and continuing throughout the day. Santa Claus will make a special appearance. The event will culminate with the Festival of Lights Parade at 7 p.m. in downtown Floresville, followed by the lighting of the courthouse and square. The Festival of Lights is sponsored by the Floresville Economic Development Corp. and the chamber of commerce. Christmas Along the Corridor is a celebration of the region’s history and heritage. Proclamations will be carried by more than 120 Pony Express Christmas couriers to communities from Goliad to San Antonio, in the seven counties along the historic Alamo-La Bahia Corridor and El Camino Real de Los Tejas. Pony Express riders will visit Floresville, La Vernia, Stockdale, Falls City, Karnes City, Cestohowa, Dewees, Goliad, Panna Maria, and others. The grand finale will take place at MacArthur Field in Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio from 1-5 p.m. It will include equestrian drills, the six flags of Texas on horseback, the U.S. Army Medical Command Band, hand cancellations of mail with the commemorative Pony Express stamp, living history displays, music, dance, rodeo drills, and more. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information about Christmas Along the Corridor, call Burma Hyde at 210-362-5220, or visit the Web site at www.aacog.com/tourism. For more information about the Floresville Festival of Lights, call 830-393-3965. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com November 20, 2007 CCSCT board wants more information By Michael Cary The Gazette-Enterprise SEGUIN — Despite a state agency executive’s demand that Community Council of South Central Texas Director Louis Ramirez be removed from office, some board members said Monday that it is too soon to make that decision. Michael Gerber, executive director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the agency that provided $1.8 million in 2007 to CCSCT to administer its Community Services Block Grant, a CSBG Migrant Seasonal Farm Worker contract and the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program contract, said it is time to make a change in leadership. “This board needs to clean up their own house. We think it’s time for the executive director to step out, but that decision is ultimately up to the board,” Gerber said. Some on the board have said they need to hear more about the issues before they make such a decision. “When I get to that bridge I’ll cross it,” Elisa Rahmes, a member of the CCSCT board of directors who represents Karnes County, said Monday. “Right now I have no comment, I need to get more information,” Rahmes said. Amy Oehler, director of community affairs for the TDHCA, said board members and county judges in the 11-county area served by the CCSCT will receive copies of a monitoring report and a letter to Ramirez informing him that the CEAP and CSBG contracts will be placed on a cost reimbursement method of payment for the services it provides. The monitoring report was released to the New Braunfels Herald- Zeitung and Seguin Gazette-Enterprise on Monday. The state agency now requires CCSCT to submit “support documentation” for all monthly expenditures in the two programs it administrates for TDHCA. “Your required documents will include but not be limited to the chart of accounts, detailed general ledger, revenue and expenditure statements, payment vouchers and/or receipts and bank reconciliations,” the letter reads. The CCSCT has come under close scrutiny for a line of credit debt that fluctuates around $80,000, and more than $150,000 deficit in the CCSCT’s Family Planning Program. The TDHCA’s monitoring report raises several issues which include a former CCSCT employee’s name remaining on the organization’s bank signature card to expenditures made by CCSCT administrators that were not allowed. The report also reveals that CCSCT financial practices had included borrowing funds between program accounts to “close cash flow gaps” — a practice that the agency says is a violation. TDHCA requires CCSCT management to provide a plan and a timeline “detailing how it will pay the balance owed on the aforementioned lines of credit and balances borrowed from other inter-agency accounts.” The timeline and plan are due no later than 45 days from the date of the report, which according to the letter is Nov. 15. The report also reveals that CCSCT has paid program salary charges that weren’t based upon actual time worked, instead based on salary percentages allowed in the program budgets. The agency now requires CCSCT to charge salaries to the programs according to the actual time worked, to complete timesheets based on actual activity, and report it to the department. TDHCA also requires that CCSCT submit a written plan for how it will spend its CSBG allocation at a balanced rate. The report reveals that CCSCT had only spent 43 percent of its allocation by August with more than 66 percent of the contract year expired — with only three individuals in the program transitioning out of poverty. The target rate is 56 individuals. The agency directs CCSCT to provide a plan for transitioning more individuals out of poverty. Similarly, the CCSCT had expended only 48 percent of its 2008 Migrant Seasonal Farm Worker program with more than 66 percent of the contract year expired. The agency said it wants a written plan on how the 2007 MSFW allocation will be spent. Attempts to get a response from CCSCT officials on Monday were unsuccessful. Ramirez reportedly was out of the office Monday on sick leave and Adolfo Aguilar Jr., the CCSCT board chairman, was unavailable for comment and did not answer a list of questions faxed to the CCSCT office by the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. Ramirez had delivered a letter last week directing any media inquiries be sent to Aguilar or to the CCSCT’s attorney, Jesse Botello. Botello could not confirm Monday whether Ramirez was out sick, and he refused to answer any questions. He referred any inquiries to Aguilar, whose cell phone was not taking calls. Many of the CCSCT board members have had no comment or did not return repeated telephone calls. Other board members said they are new to the CCSCT and do not have enough information to act before the board meets at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at a yet undisclosed location. “I am a newly appointed CCSCT board member who replaced Commissioner Cesareo Guadarrama III with the attendance of my first meeting in April 2007. Prior to the first meeting I was not made fully aware of the financial concerns of the organization that are of issue,” Thalia Stautzenberger, Seguin City Secretary, said recently. “All of what I have learned has come from attending the board meetings. These concerns appear to have been ongoing for longer than my service on the board. I trust and have faith that the current board will face these issues in a fiscally responsible fashion and that the families and children that receive services through CCSCT will continue to be provided those services through the various programs,” she said. Pearsall Police Chief and CCSCT board member Joel A. Gonzales said he was only recently appointed to the board by Frio County Judge Carlos A. García, but he realized there was room for improvement after he attended his first meeting. “To be honest, as far as his resignation is concerned, I’m still up in the air, I’m still looking into the matter and I have an open mind,” Gonzales said Monday. “There is improvement to be made, that’s no question, and I think we can do it. I think we can make this program even better.” Martha Casas, an advocate for the poor in Atascosa County and a member of the CCSCT board, recently said that Ramirez has not been given a chance to show the board exactly what is going on with CCSCT’s finances. She also said she witnessed what she said is an attempt by Comal County Commissioner Gregory Parker to carry out a personal vendetta against Ramirez. Casas said she also is familiar with how federal and state programs for the poor and underserved can be difficult to manage. “I know about state and federal funding. They give you a certain amount of dollars and require all of these things to comply with because they gave you money to work with. You have to use your gut instinct,” Casas said. “You have to decide how to best use the money to bring services to the people.” CCSCT Board Member Joel S. García said he has witnessed Ramirez “trying to make miracles out of what the government gives us, most people do not understand that.” “We get sometimes into the red and we don’t make money with these agencies. The idea is to help the poor and needy, and some people on the other side of the spectrum expect income coming in,” García said. “It’s sort of a balancing act. You have to have money to pay doctors, nurses and teachers, and most poor people don’t have the money, so services have to be free, then you fall short,” he said. Gerber said he has confidence that the CCSCT board of directors can turn the agency around. “A number of the board members are skilled professionals who have what they need to make the right decisions for the longterm health of this agency,” Gerber said. “We welcome a chance to provide them with additional assistance to allow them to keep the CCSCT a viable agency.” ************************************************ From chron.com Nov. 14, 2007 Inmate drops appeals, but execution still on hold LIVINGSTON — The first letter, neatly hand-printed on lined paper, arrived at the federal courthouse in Dallas nearly a year and a half ago with a simple address: U.S. District Clerk's Office. "I am a college graduate and have no delusions what will occur as an end result of these proceedings," inmate Michael Rodriguez wrote in the first of an almost monthly series of notes to the courthouse. Rodriguez, one of the "Texas 7," convicts who escaped from a state prison in 2000 and killed a Dallas-area police officer while on the lam, has dropped his appeals and wants to die. He can't. A federal judge signed off on Rodriguez's request Sept. 27, two days after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider a Kentucky challenge to lethal injection as a means of capital punishment. But now a state judge won't set an execution date for Rodriguez until after the Supreme Court rules on the Kentucky case. "We probably won't be able to set the date for the first time until probably late next year at the earliest, even though he has volunteered and is otherwise good to go," said Dallas prosecutor Lisa Smith. Rodriguez told a psychologist who interviewed him in preparation for a competency hearing that he "had to accept his death sentence and submit to it as payment in order to be forgiven and obtain salvation." Rodriguez and six other inmates overpowered workers at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Connally Unit near Kenedy in South Texas on Dec. 13, 2000, took the workers' clothes, then grabbed 16 guns from the prison armory and fled in a stolen truck. On Christmas Eve, while robbing a suburban Dallas sporting goods store, they shot Irving police officer Aubrey Hawkins 11 times, killing him. The gang, subject of a nationwide manhunt, finally was caught a month later in Colorado. Rodriguez admitted pulling the officer from his patrol car. Rodriguez escaped while serving a life term for hiring a hit man to kill his wife, Theresa, 29, to collect her $250,000 life insurance. She was gunned down in 1992 getting out of her car outside their San Antonio home. The triggerman, Rolando Ruiz, also is on death row. ************************************************ From San Antonio Business Journal November 26, 2007 Abraxas adopts 2008 budget for oil and gas projects Abraxas Petroleum Corp. has set its 2008 capital expenditure budget for oil and gas drilling at $35 million, the company said Monday. This budget does not include capital expenditures for Abraxas Energy Partners LP, the limited partnership the company formed earlier this year. Abraxas Petroleum (AMEX: ABP) will use the money allocated in its 2008 budget to engage in eight major projects. In West Texas, the company intends to drill a 3,500-foot well on the Clearfork, a 9,000-foot well in the Spraberry, a 6,000-foot well in the Strawn Reef, various drilling and recompletions (secondary work on a well) in the Mississippian/Devonian/Montoya formation in Ward County in the 12,000 to 14,000-foot range and a 7,000 well in the Canyon Reef prospect. In South Texas, Abraxas will drill a 13,500-foot horizontal well in the Edwards in DeWitt County and several exploratory wells in the 9,000 to 12,000 range in the Wilcox formation in Bee, Karnes and Live Oak counties. In Wyoming, Abraxas plans to drill 9,000-foot wells in the Brooks Draw Field, which encompasses Converse and Niobrara counties. Abraxas will fund its 2008 capital expenditure budget through cash flow, including cash distributions generated through its limited partnership and available cash on hand. Abraxas does not plan to issue production guidance for 2008 because a single well could have a significant impact on production. On average, however, the company historically has added 1,000 cubic feet equivalent of oil and gas production per $4,500 of capital expended. Abraxas Petroleum is a San Antonio-based crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations in Texas and Wyoming. The company also owns a 47 percent interest in Abraxas Energy Partners LP. ************************************************ From statesman.com November 27, 2007 Austin firefighter who helped save life honored Lt. John Green stopped at crash scene in Karnes County and helped keep a 3-year-old alive By Miguel Liscano An Austin firefighter who stopped at a crash scene and helped bring a 3-year-old girl back from near-death in August was honored Monday for his off-duty effort. Lt. John Green, 43, was given the city's ACE Award by Austin City Manager Toby Futrell for reaching into a wrecked car and lifting Nyalli Sanchez's head to open an airway before pulling her out with the help of others. "You make me and this community proud," Futrell told Green while presenting him with a certificate. Green accepted the recognition while standing with colleagues in front of Fire Station 22 at 5309 E. Riverside Drive. On Aug. 20, he was on his way home — he lives in Nord- heim, northwest of Victoria and about 110 miles south of Austin — when he came across a sedan pinned under an 18-wheeler on Texas 80 southeast of San Antonio. Green checked the two people in the front seat, Manuel Medina Sanchez, 27 and Antonio Sanchez, 6, for pulses, but they didn't have any. Nyalli Sanchez, whose heart was still beating, was wedged between the driver's seat, the driver's-side door and her child seat, Green said. After she started breathing, Green and another man removed some Fiberglas from around her and used a jack to move some of the roof and side of the car that was crushing her. A nurse who had also stopped held her as Green leaned over the trunk, cradled her in his arms and pulled her out. She was taken to University Hospital in San Antonio. Sanchez's father and brother died at the scene. Green said Sanchez was in rehabilitation as of October. On Monday, the 21-year veteran said he was just doing his job when he stopped that day. "We're not off duty, ever," Green said. "It doesn't matter if I have this blue shirt on or I don't." ************************************************ From sanmarcosrecord.com November 29, 2007 Cold weather makes for better duck hunts By Jim Darnell Daily Record Columnist The strong cold front that roared through the state during the Thanksgiving season was welcomed with much thanksgiving by outdoorsmen. Record warm temperatures in November have not been good for Texas hunters. For one thing it’s not fun to hunt when it is hot. Cold weather and hunting just go together. At least now you can hang a deer in a tree overnight instead of having to put him on ice immediately. Although the deer rut is determined much by the days becoming shorter, cold weather is also a factor. Big South Texas bucks should really begin to feel the hormones stirring. The big blow really helped the duck hunters. Mild weather across the U. S. has slowed waterfowl migration to a trickle. But icy conditions in northern states freezes duck waters and forces them to head south. With a big duck hunt planned with my two sons and a son-in-law I was like a kid on Christmas Eve when the front began to blow in throughout the night before Thanksgiving. I knew it would almost guarantee a good hunt. And turkey day at first light was a classic duck hunting morning. The wind was howling out of the north and it had blown in new ducks. With the last decoy in place all four of us, plus Lady, the retriever, took our stations in the blind. Legal shooting time had arrived and I was just fixing to load my shotgun when Tim shouted, “They’re coming into the decoys.” Fortunately, the boys’ shotguns were already loaded. They sent a hailstorm of hot steel into the six gadwalls that were hovering above the decoys with their webs down. Before I could get a shell in the chamber five ducks were floating dead among the decoys. “Good shooting, guys,” I said. “You sure didn’t need me.” The next 30 minutes was duck hunting at its best. We didn’t see great numbers of birds but the ones that came our way liked our set up. Every group came in with wings cupped and feet down. Four redheads. Four more gadwalls. None escaped. The shooting was so fast that Lady couldn’t keep up. Some of the dead ducks drifted across the lake making for a long cold walk for me at hunts end. By 9 a.m. we were on our way home with our 20-bird limit and visions of turkey and dressing on our mind. Next morning Noah Gallaher and his two sons, James and Joseph, joined me and my two sons, Terry and Tim at Kenedy for a post Thanksgiving duck hunt. At exactly legal shooting time ducks swarmed in on us. But unlike the day before there was no pattern. They came from all directions. Some decoyed. Some flew over the blind with the after burners flaming. Others flared just at the edge of good shotgun range. So our shooting percentage was not nearly as good as the previous day but our numbers slowly began to add up. Then the ducks began to work our decoy spread better later in the morning and our shooting improved. We quit shortly before 9 AM with 23 ducks in the bag. For the second year now Texas duck hunters are hunting under the “hunters choice” option. Instead of a six-bird limit we can now shoot only five but one of those can be a pintail, a mallard hen, a canvasback or a “dusky duck” (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids). Two years ago we could not shoot pintails until the middle of December and the canvasback season was closed. At the gate a Texas game warden was waiting for us. He checked our license, stamps, guns (they must be “plugged” for migratory game – only three shots), and our birds. Everything was legal, including our six ‘hunters choice” ducks (4 pintail and 2 mottled ducks). Hunters are not the only ones benefiting from the cold weather. While we were duck hunting my brother Wayne was bay fishing at Aransas Pass. By noon he had his limit of 10 nice speckled trout, one big redfish and a flounder. Some of the best coastal bay fishing will happen during the next six weeks. Colder water pushes fish from shallow flats to the edges of deeper channels and holes. It’s a tough choice. Do I shoot ducks, chase deer, turkey and hogs, go to the Panhandle for the opening of pheasant season or join Wayne at Aransas to fish? Jim Darnell is an ordained minister and host/producer of the syndicated outdoors show, God’s Great Outdoors. His column appears every Thursday in The Daily Record.