KILLER BEES SELECT TERRY RUSKOWSKI TO LEAD TEAM

HIDALGO, Texas- The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League (CHL) are proud to introduce Terry Ruskowski as the team’s new head coach. Ruskowski will become the fourth man to step behind the bench of the Killer Bees.

Ruskowski will also serve the team’s general manager.

“I am very honored and pleased to be coming to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. This is a franchise and organization I have always respected,” said Ruskowski. “I know how to recruit quality players to South Texas and I look forward to a very successful season. I have always enjoyed my time in the Valley and am excited about this opportunity.”

Ruskowski is no stranger to Bees fans as he has directed the Laredo Bucks for the past nine seasons including capturing two CHL Championships and numerous division and conference titles.

Ruskowski started his coaching career during the 1989-90 season with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. Ruskowski started coaching professionally during the 1991-92 campaign with the Columbus Chill of the ECHL where he orchestrated a 16-win turnaround over three seasons.

Ruskowski then moved onto the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League where he compiled a 50-62-11 record.

After a few years away from hockey, Ruskowski rejoined the coaching ranks in the 1999-00 season with the Knoxville Speed of the United Hockey League. In Knoxville, he saw a ten-win improvement from season one to season two.

At the start of the 2002-03 season Ruskowski joined the Laredo Bucks where he would man the bench for the next nine seasons compiling a 343-175-56 record including two CHL titles.

Ruskowski is also a veteran of over 1,000 professional games as a player suiting up for the Houston Aeros and Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association and Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars in the National Hockey League.

Ruskowski was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft and the second round of the 1974 WHA Secret Amateur Draft by the Houston Aeros.

Season tickets for the Killer Bees ninth season of play are now on sale and fans can purchase them by calling the Bees ticket office at (956) 843-7825.

Low Cost Pet Vaccinations - H.E.B. (Trenton & 10th)

Saturday, June 25th from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

in front of H-E-B
901 Trenton Road, McAllen, TX 78504

(for safety, please have your pets on a leash or in a carrier)

Package A (dog & cat):

Rabies 1 Year....$10

Rabies 3 Year....$20

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Package B (dog):

Rabies, DHLPPV.....$24

Package B (cat):

Rabies, FVRCPC....$20

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Package C (dog):

Rabies, DHLPPV, Bordetella....$35

Package C (cat):

Rabies, FVRCPC, FeLV....$35

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Package D (dog):

Rabies, DHLPPV, Bordetella, Canine Influenza....$55

Package D (cat):

Rabies, FVRCPC, FeLV, FIV....$55

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Now Available - Canine Influenza Vaccine

Canine Influenza causes respiratory illness in dogs. Symptoms can be coughing, sneezing, fever, nasal discharge and ocular discharge. It is easily transmitted by direct contact, cough or sneeze, or via contaminated surfaces. It is recommended for all dogs that are taken to places where multiple dogs will be. Examples would be shelters, kennels, boarding facilities, pet stores, adoption groups, doggie daycares, breeding facilities.

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Microchips...$27

Ask us about our Heartworm Specials

City of McAllen Responds to Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Veto of Senate Bill 978

“The Mayor, City Commissioners and Public Utility Board members of the City of McAllen are shocked and extremely disappointed that Governor Perry has announced his intention to veto Senate Bill 978. This Bill, which would eliminate an unnecessary and expensive “layer” of government, was passed by the State Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. A similar bill, which abolished an almost identical Water District in Ft. Bend County, received the Governor’s approval. That fact, along with the tremendous burden that the veto will place upon the taxpayers of the City of McAllen, makes this action by the Governor even more disappointing. Governor Perry prides himself on “reducing” government and cutting taxes—he certainly has not done so in this case.

At the same time, the City should be extremely proud of the work done by Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and Representative Veronica Gonzalez in getting SB 978 passed. They worked tirelessly on this issue. The overwhelming vote totals in favor of the Bill (31 to 0 in the Senate and 136 to 5 in the House), clearly reflect the strong case they made. Their efforts would have saved the citizens and taxpayers of McAllen hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars.

Unfortunately, Governor Perry’s veto will likely cost our citizens a similar amount.
Looking forward, as a result of the veto, the difficulties and expenses the City has had with District #3 are likely to continue. The City felt the Bill represented a fair, orderly transition and dissolution of the District. As a result of the veto, that is now not possible—however, The City will take appropriate action in its relationship with District #3 to ensure our citizens continue to have an efficient, reliable, and safe source of water into the future.”

--Mayor Richard Cortez, McAllen City Commissioners, and McAllen PUB

Senate Bill 978

McAllen Mayor Richard F. Cortez, the McAllen City Commission and the McAllen Public Utility Board are respectfully urging every recipient of this message to call Governor Perry’s office and urge him to sign Senate Bill 978! This bill will reduce government and cut taxes.

The Governor is apparently considering a veto of this Bill and will decide today whether to sign or veto it, so please call right away. Today is the day Governor Perry will decide.

(Instructions for calling: You can call the Governor at (800) 252-9600. From there, you can either leave a recorded message or press “2” and get an actual person. It only took a few seconds on hold to get a live operator. Just ask the person to urge the Governor to sign Senate Bill 978.)

REP. GONZALES: MANAGED CARE TO COME TO THE VALLEY

June 16, 2011

REP. GONZALES: MANAGED CARE TO COME TO THE VALLEY

Dear Friends,

Last week, SB 7 passed out of the 1st 82nd Special Legislative Session. Although the overall purpose is to achieve cost savings to the State in order to balance the budget, these derived cost savings could potentially harm our South Texas families.  Texas has realized a growing healthcare crisis for a number of years, and SB 7 is intended to help remedy this problem by incorporating new methods of delivering healthcare to improve quality and efficiency.  However, these reforms are certainly not guarantees to lower costs or better healthcare.  Our goal should not simply be cutting costs, but, more importantly, to provide better healthcare to our Texas families and increase access to that care.

What is the harmful impact to our communities with the passage of SB 7? Most significantly, Medicaid Managed Care in the Rio Grande Valley is now a certainty.  Currently, the Valley is protected by a moratorium that has prevented managed care from coming into the border region.  We have been fighting it off for years, but, when SB 7 is signed by the Governor, the safe-harbor the moratorium provided will be eliminated.

Under managed care, the State will pay Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) a  negotiated flat rate to serve as a middleman for administering health care.  Healthcare providers will have to join HMO networks and be paid through the HMOs.  This changes the current "pay-as-you-go" model where the State reimburses individual providers.  Managed care is purported to create a more efficient healthcare system and to decrease overutilization of services, so expanding it statewide is claimed to generate a savings of close to $400 million.  However, these savings are not a given. History has shown that implementation of managed care has not always realized the promised savings because of the large HMO administrative costs associated. These possible savings also say nothing for improving patient healthcare or increasing access to care.

The Rio Grande Valley would be the largest geographic service delivery area in the State for managed care - over 300 miles.  This creates inherent obstacles specific to the South Texas border region because of its high population of Medicaid-dependent residents and even higher rates of limited English speakers.  An outside organization may not be able to adequately understand and serve the Valley's particular needs.  Providers could be spread out over large areas with patients having to travel long distances and with the possibility of providers not being available at all or not qualified to be part of the network.  Decreased access to care will only lead to an increase in ER visits which are even more costly.  The Valley delegation is fearful of a lack of access to care in our already medically underserved areas and for that reason, among others, the Valley delegation voted against this legislation.

However, knowing it was only a matter of time before managed care would eventually reach the Valley, Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and I amended SB 7 to address some of the Valley's concerns.  We successfully passed amendments so that extra consideration is given to locally owned and operated managed care organizations when awarding service contracts.  Other amendments would allow for children in a family to go to the same doctor rather than have several different primary care physicians and would allow doctors to submit invoices for payments through one portal as opposed to several.  Another amendment requires that HMOs have a medical director and patient care coordinators located within the Valley service region and that special programs and materials be provided to recipients with limited English or low literacy skills.

I am committed to fighting for the best possible healthcare and access to that care as well as for lowering costs for our South Texas families.  I welcome your feedback and ideas on this and any other issue.

Sincerely,

Veronica Gonzales