Christmas Along the Corridor

Go to webpage

AACOG's Christmas Along the Corridor Pony Express Courier Run Grand Finale and Fair will be held at the Ft. Sam Houston Arthur MacArthur Parade Field from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2005.

The Annual Christmas Along the Corridor Pony Express Courier Run is a celebration of American history, heritage, and the holidays, hosted by AACOG, the U.S. Postal Service, and Ft. Sam Houston.  More than 120 Pony Express Christmas Couriers travel over 120 miles carrying proclamations to communities in seven counties along the historic Alamo-La Bahia Corridor and other segments of the 300-year-old Camino Real de Los Tejas.  These couriers deliver a special holiday greeting from the Governor of Texas to San Antonio.  This is a patriotic and unique event, spotlighting the historical and cultural significance of the Alamo region.

Click here for information on Christmas events throughout the AACOG Region.
 

Christmas Along the Corridor contact: Burma Hyde

Top

AACOG's Bexar AAA to host Train the Trainer Workshop for "Mas Vale Prevenir" National Pilot

Go to webpage

On Monday, December 12 and Tuesday, December 13, 2005, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., AACOG's Bexar Area Agency on Aging (Bexar AAA) will host two Train the Trainer workshops for the "Mas Vale Prevenir" (It's better to prevent) fire prevention program for older Hispanic adults.  The training will be held at AACOG, 8700 Tesoro Drive, Classroom 5 (1st Floor), San Antonio.  The program will emphasize fire safety and incorporate information on injury prevention, particularly fall prevention.  San Antonio is one of three pilot sites selected for this National Pilot program.

The training will involve fire and police departments, city code compliance officers, assisted living facilities, adult protective services, health and human services, community advocacy organization, community volunteers, school districts, and "basically anyone with any contact with families, especially multigenerational home settings where an elder is living," said Nick Monreal, the Managing Local Ombudsman for Long Term Care Services at Bexar AAA.  "The goal is not just educating the senior, but educating the entire family."  To find out more about these workshops, call Nick Monreal at (210) 362-5236.

Mas Vale Prevenir Pilot contact: Nick Monreal

Top

Closed Landfill Inventory Now Available Online

Go to webpage

The Closed Landfill Inventory for the AACOG Region is now accessible on the AACOG website.  House Bill 2537, passed by the Texas Legislature in 1993, required the Regional Council of Governments to include an inventory of closed municipal solid waste landfills in their regional plans for solid waste management.  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) contracted with Southwest Texas State University (SWTSU), now Texas State University, to do a preliminary inventory of the closed municipal solid waste landfills in the state.  In 1999, Senate Bill (SB) 1447 was passed and required the COGs to further develop the Closed Landfill Inventory.

AACOG staff reviewed the 483 sites on the preliminary inventory completed by SWTSU, researched state, and local archival documents, visited appraisal districts, county engineers, county judges and commissioners, and the general public for additional information and held public meetings in each county.  These efforts resulted in the deletion of duplicate sites and the addition of a few previously undetected sites.

The Closed Landfill Inventory is an ongoing project.  New information will be added as it becomes available.  The Closed Landfill Inventory presently contains sites in all 12 counties of the AACOG region.  For each site, there is a map of the approximate location and a data sheet containing the available information for that site.  No claims are made as to the positioned accuracy of the data or its suitability for a particular purpose.  The information in the inventory is not intended to influence the sale or purchase of real property. 

Direct any questions about the inventory to Dr. Georgia Zannaras, Resource Recovery Manager, at 362-5287.  Click here to visit the Closed Landfill Inventory site.

Closed Landfill Inventory Contact: Georgia Zannaras

Top

Learn About Medicare's New Prescription Drug Benefit at San Antonio Libraries

Go to webpage

On January 1, 2006 Medicare’s new prescription drug benefit will begin. All people receiving Medicare Part A or B will be able to sign up for a prescription drug plan.  There will be several plans to choose from.  People with limited income and assets will receive “extra help” paying for the plan premiums.

On November 15, 2005, enrollment began for the drug plans.  Drug plans were able to begin marketing on October 1, 2005.  People may now apply for "extra help".

The AACOG Bexar Area Agency on Aging will give talks about the new prescription drug benefit at San Antonio libraries.  Click here for the schedule.  These talks will explain the following:  what the benefit is, what plans are available, how to get the “extra help”, and what choices are available if you already have prescription coverage through a Medicare HMO or employee retirement.  For more information please call the Bexar Area Agency on Aging at (210) 362-5254.

Medicare Part D Point of Contact:  Dana Long

Top

**PUBLIC NOTICES**

AACOG’s main office will be closed Monday, December 26, 2005, through Monday, January 2, 2006, and will re-open for business on Tuesday, January 3, 2006.   WorkSource Career Centers will be closed Monday, December 26, 2005 and Friday, December 30, 2005, but will remain open during regular business hours Tuesday, December 27, 2005 through Thursday, December 29, 2005, and will re-open for business on Monday, January 2, 2006.  Alamo Regional Transit services in the eleven counties surrounding Bexar will only provide transportation for Medicaid clients Monday, December 26, 2005 through Friday, December 30, 2005, and on January 2, 2006. 

*******************************

A Public Hearing on the Administrative Plan for AACOG's Section Eight Housing Choice Voucher Program is set for Wednesday, December 7 at 8:30 a.m. in the AACOG Board Room.