March 20, 2009

Come to Calloway's Perennial Swap - Make your list today!

Dear Homeowners Association,

A Perennial Swap is planned Saturday April 4th at select Calloway’s Nursery locations.
Our Perennial Swap promotion will allow customers to exchange plants and meet local gardeners in the safety of a Calloway’s location. Calloway’s Nursery is excited to host the Perennial Swap on April 4th in South Arlington and Lewisville !

Here’s how it works:
1) Visit the Perennial Swap blog.
2) List what you have and what you want.
3) Arrange to meet and swap on April 4th (locations listed below).
4) Save money, go home, plant and enjoy!

Visit Perennial Swap today,
and start your FREE plant shopping list!

Mark your calendar:
Calloway’s
Perennial Plant Swap
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Noon to 2 p.m. at

April 4th swaps take place at the following locations:
· South Arlington: Calloway’s - 4940 S. Cooper, Arlington , TX 76017 817-465-2838
· Lewisville - Calloway’s: 423 East FM 3040, Lewisville , TX 75067 972-315-3133

From the desk of Rep. Allen Vaught

Bills Filed for the 81st Legislative Session

The deadline to file most bills in both the House and the Senate was this past Friday the 13th, the 60th day of the legislative session. Over 600 bills were filed on the final day as legislators struggled to complete their legislative agenda, hoping that something was not forgotten or overlooked. Over 4,600 bills were filed in the House and over 2,400 were filed in the Senate.

I filed six bills on the last day and thirty-eight in total. Some of the bills I filed were ideas from teachers’ groups, law enforcement, our military personnel and veterans, and others. However, the bulk of the bills came directly from conversations with my constituents over the past couple of years.

In the next few articles, I would like to talk about some of the bills I filed and why I think they would benefit this district if passed into law.

Insurance Reform

Insurance reform is by far one of the biggest issues and concerns brought to my attention since I have been in office, so I filed several bills that seek to address this issue.

Our current system in the insurance market, known as “file and use” allows companies to immediately implement a new rate once it is filed with the Texas Department of Insurance. House Bill (HB) 1609 would require insurance companies to submit their rates for prior approval to the Insurance Commissioner if they have a Complaint Index that is 50% higher than the statewide average. The Texas Department of Insurance compiles a Complaint Index that allows consumers to easily compare the ratio of justified consumer complaints against particular insurance companies. This bill would ensure that companies with a track record of justified complaints are scrutinized more closely before they raise rates again on consumers.

Additionally, I have filed HB 4563 which would mandate that automobile insurance companies cannot use the occupation or educational level of a person insured as a factor in underwriting or rating their coverage. Currently, auto insurance companies divide consumers into several categories and subcategories, including occupation and education, in order to determine their rate. There is no limit on the number of sub categories a person can fit into, and therefore the shared risk of driving (the point of insurance) is negated. Furthermore, companies do not give consumers information on which subcategories they fit into which makes it difficult for consumers to try and lower their rates.

In looking at the bigger picture and where ultimately most of the decisions and power lie, I am a joint-author of HB 173 which would make the Insurance Commissioner an elected position and subject to the voters of Texas. We already elect the Agriculture Commissioner and the Railroad Commissioner among others, yet many of the decisions made daily by the Insurance Commissioner affect Texans to greater degree. I believe we should have the right to hold the commissioner accountable to ensure a fair insurance marketplace and to protect consumers.

Finally, I have filed HB 2010 which would require insurance companies to adequately notify consumers of changes in their policy. My hope is that these bills among others filed by my colleagues in the House and friends in the Senate will protect consumers and protect Texans during these tough economic times. While Texans currently pay some of the highest insurance rates in the country, we cannot afford for this to continue.


I welcome your thoughts and ideas regarding the bills I have filed for the 81st legislative session. Keep in mind that these are the bills as introduced and that details are subject to change as part of the legislative process. Please email my office at District107.Vaught@house.state.tx.us with the subject line 81st Legislative Session Bills.

As always, please feel free to contact my office at (214) 370-8305 with any questions regarding these or other state issues. I look forward to hearing from you.

From the desk of Rep. Allen Vaught

Bills Filed for the 81st Legislative Session

The deadline to file most bills in both the House and the Senate was this past Friday the 13th, the 60th day of the legislative session. Over 600 bills were filed on the final day as legislators struggled to complete their legislative agenda, hoping that something was not forgotten or overlooked. Over 4,600 bills were filed in the House and over 2,400 were filed in the Senate.

I filed six bills on the last day and thirty-eight in total. Some of the bills I filed were ideas from teachers’ groups, law enforcement, our military personnel and veterans, and others. However, the bulk of the bills came directly from conversations with my constituents over the past couple of years.

In the next few articles, I would like to talk about some of the bills I filed and why I think they would benefit this district if passed into law.

Insurance Reform

Insurance reform is by far one of the biggest issues and concerns brought to my attention since I have been in office, so I filed several bills that seek to address this issue.

Our current system in the insurance market, known as “file and use” allows companies to immediately implement a new rate once it is filed with the Texas Department of Insurance. House Bill (HB) 1609 would require insurance companies to submit their rates for prior approval to the Insurance Commissioner if they have a Complaint Index that is 50% higher than the statewide average. The Texas Department of Insurance compiles a Complaint Index that allows consumers to easily compare the ratio of justified consumer complaints against particular insurance companies. This bill would ensure that companies with a track record of justified complaints are scrutinized more closely before they raise rates again on consumers.

Additionally, I have filed HB 4563 which would mandate that automobile insurance companies cannot use the occupation or educational level of a person insured as a factor in underwriting or rating their coverage. Currently, auto insurance companies divide consumers into several categories and subcategories, including occupation and education, in order to determine their rate. There is no limit on the number of sub categories a person can fit into, and therefore the shared risk of driving (the point of insurance) is negated. Furthermore, companies do not give consumers information on which subcategories they fit into which makes it difficult for consumers to try and lower their rates.

In looking at the bigger picture and where ultimately most of the decisions and power lie, I am a joint-author of HB 173 which would make the Insurance Commissioner an elected position and subject to the voters of Texas. We already elect the Agriculture Commissioner and the Railroad Commissioner among others, yet many of the decisions made daily by the Insurance Commissioner affect Texans to greater degree. I believe we should have the right to hold the commissioner accountable to ensure a fair insurance marketplace and to protect consumers.

Finally, I have filed HB 2010 which would require insurance companies to adequately notify consumers of changes in their policy. My hope is that these bills among others filed by my colleagues in the House and friends in the Senate will protect consumers and protect Texans during these tough economic times. While Texans currently pay some of the highest insurance rates in the country, we cannot afford for this to continue.


I welcome your thoughts and ideas regarding the bills I have filed for the 81st legislative session. Keep in mind that these are the bills as introduced and that details are subject to change as part of the legislative process. Please email my office at District107.Vaught@house.state.tx.us with the subject line 81st Legislative Session Bills.

As always, please feel free to contact my office at (214) 370-8305 with any questions regarding these or other state issues. I look forward to hearing from you.

News Release from Representative Allen Vaught and Senator John Carona

March 11, 2009

AUSTIN, TX - This week, Representative Allen Vaught and Senator John Carona took steps to give not only closure but justice to rape victims whose cold cases cannot be prosecuted because they happened at a time before the Legislature had removed enforcement of the statute of limitations in 1996.

Filed Monday, HB 2932 and SB 1558, as introduced, will require a new type of notation in pre-existing criminal histories for clear connections between DNA evidence from older, unsolved sexual assaults and current samples on file with the Department of Public Safety. Once an offender has been identified through DNA, their records must then include a summary indicating that a high likelihood from DNA evidence links the offender to a sexual offense, regardless of whether the offender will or has had charges brought against them.

"The Dallas Police Department has already taken the lead in using advanced science to solve cold cases while still maintaining due process of the law," said Representative Vaught. "I look forward to working with Senator Carona, as well as both Chambers, to create measures that will not only keep the public safe but ensure that offenders are properly identified through DNA. Most importantly though, this legislation will hopefully bring closure to those victims who could not receive it before the advancement of DNA technology."

With the notion that DNA has the potential to one day identify and solve cold cases, the Dallas Police Department has been one of only a few law enforcement agencies in the United States to preserve it from every case where it was discovered through rape kits that can date back to the early 1980's. With that evidence in place at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science lab located in Dallas, there are thousands of cases where the possibility of being solved now exists thanks to the progress that science has made to identify individuals through DNA.

The Dallas District Attorney's office, as well as the Dallas Police Department, have joined forces to help those victims who cannot seek justice through prosecution. Both have not only supported the legislation filed by Representative Vaught and Senator Carona, but they have also been a significant factor from the beginning in creating justice for victims who might otherwise feel forgotten. Of the cases already re-opened by the Dallas PD through their Sexual Assault Cold Case Program, 18 cases of sexual assault have been solved through DNA. The offenders matched are often serving time in a state corrections facility facing parole or are out in the community facing terms of probation or other forms of sentencing from a judge.

"The objective of this legislation is to hold an offender accountable, and therefore keep the public safe, while still being mindful of rights guaranteed by the Constitution," said Senator Carona. "I expect to see this bill evolve during the legislative process to ensure a consequence for these offenders who clearly committed a sexual assault that is both effective and fair for these unconscionable crimes."

If passed, Texas will be the first state to require such a sanction for those identified through DNA as rape suspects.
March 11, 2009

To: LHNHOA Members
From: John Gould
Re: March Library Activities and Update

See the attached March Activities Schedule just received that includes many interesting programs for children and adults. If you have questions about any details call the library at 214-670-1350.

Next Sunday, the 15th, we will have our monthly Book Sale from 2:00 to 4:00. Neighbors have been donating books for the sales so we have a nice collection priced to fit the economy. Please continue dropping off books in the white tub under our Friends exhibit table at the library entrance. Children’s books in particular are always needed.
The AARP Free Income Tax Help program will be held every Tuesday from noon to 4 p.m. thru the April 15th filing deadline. There is no age restriction so if you need assistance you are welcome. Bring your W-2, Form And any other tax information to fill in your form and a copy of your previous year’s tax return.
We are in the process of developing an Audelia Library Friends Website with the help of Ed Ferguson, one of our members who has volunteered to be our web administrator. Google has a free website available to non-profit organizations. We will let you know as soon as it is up and running so that you can access information about library activities more easily anytime you wish information.
The library will be used for early voting again in April.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.


Audelia Road Branch Library
10045 Audelia Rd.
214-670-1350


MARCH ACTIVITIES


PRESCHOOL STORYTIME
Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.
Stories and activities suitable for the whole family. There will be no storytime on Tuesday, March 24.

GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN SUPPORT GROUP
Thursday, March 5, 11:30 a.m.
Join our discussion group for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren with Belinda Glenn, coordinator of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program of the City of Dallas. Please call ahead if you are bringing children or require Spanish assistance. For questions, call Belinda Glenn at 214-243-2049.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF MADAM C. J. WALKER AND OTHER WOMEN TO THE HEALTH FIELD
Thursday, March 5, 4 p.m.
A children’s program on women in the health field. Presentation by Janice Fowler. Craft.

LIBRARY LIVE! * WORDS AND MUSIC – MARSHA WEBB
Tuesday, March 10, 10:30 a.m.
Join the fun with Marsha as she teaches pre-literacy through the use of books and stories told with the help of a variety of musical instruments.
* LIBRARY LIVE! Chase presents LIBRARY LIVE! Big Thought’s FREE monthly program that offers interactive, culturally diverse performances and workshops for students and families. The program brings literary traditions to life through dance, visual art and music. Check out the educational fun at the branch nearest you! Other sponsors include The Dallas Morning News, City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs, The Constantin Foundation, Target Stores, and Centex Corporation.

AUTHORSPEAK
The Dallas Public Library and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth have joined together to present Authorspeak, a literary series featuring nationally known and bestselling authors. This partnership brings to the metroplex a series with a unique focus unlike any other author series currently offered. These two distinguished speakers will open our lives to the world through their extraordinary books.
• Amy Chua, Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 p.m.
• Reza Aslan, Wednesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m.
• Lectures will begin with a reception at 6 p.m.
• J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street,
1st floor auditorium.
Ticket Prices: Members of the Council and Library Friends
$25 per speaker
Non-members
$40 per speaker
For tickets or more information please visit: www.dfwworld.org

DISNEY MOVIES
Thursday, March 12, 3:30 p.m.
G-rated Disney movies shown. All ages welcome.

BUGS! BUGS! BUGS!
Saturday, March 14, 1p.m.
Texas A&M Extension Services brings insects to share.
A children’s program.

THE MYSTERY BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, March 17, 6:30 p.m.
This is a discussion group, not a book review, and we always welcome new members. RSVPs are not required, but are encouraged. Please call 214-670-1350 to RSVP and get the title of this month's selection.

SMALL CHANGE CRAFT PROGRAM
Thursday, March 19, 3:30 p.m.
Children make craft products to donate to organizations for children in need.

READ TO ROCKY
Saturday, March 21, 2 p.m.
Children read to Heart of Texas therapy dogs. Grades K - 4. Read for fun and to improve reading skills. The dogs are good listeners. Bring your own book or use ours.

AUDELIA ROAD BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 p.m.
This is a discussion group, not a book review, and we always welcome new members. RSVPs are not required, but are encouraged. This month's selection is A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Please call 214-670-1350 to RSVP.

AARP - FREE INCOME TAX HELP
Tuesdays, 12 noon - 4 p.m.
Please bring your W-2, Form 1099 or any other current tax information to fill in your form and a copy of your previous year’s tax return.

ON EXHIBIT -- SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS
For a complete listing of Dallas Public Library programs visit our website at
dallaslibrary.org



SPECIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAMS. If you have special equipment, space, or language needs, call your local branch library or the Central library, 214- 670-1400,
214-670-1716 (TDD, TTY). Please call at least 48 hours before the event.
ASISTENCIA ESPECIAL DISPONIBLE PARA PROGRAMAS. Si usted tiene necesidades especiales de equipo, espacio, o idioma, llame a su biblioteca local o a la biblioteca del centro,
214-670-1750, 214-670-1716 (TDD/TTY). Por favor llame minimo de 48 horas antes del programa.