Recent News

Austin Boat, Sport & Outdoor Show and San Antonio Boat & RV Show Ramp Up for 2012 Expositions

January 12, 2011


Photos from 2010 and 2011 Boat & RV Shows

Two of the largest boating, travel and outdoor shows in Texas are heading to Austin and San Antonio in the coming weeks, just in time for families planning their spring break and summer getaways.

First up is the 2012 Austin Boat, Sport & Outdoor Show, taking place January 19–22 at the Austin Convention Center.

For boating enthusiasts, the event will offer over 400 watercraft spanning over 200,000 square feet from the region's top dealers, including a full line-up of cruisers, sailboats, fishing boats, wakeboard boats, ski boats, runabouts and personal watercraft. Other highlights include tackle workshops, boater safety and education courses, Nobody's Waterproof interactive display, kid's catfish tank, Army Bass Anglers display, rock climbing wall and bubble runners.

For more information visit www.austinboatsportandoutdoorshow.com.

Then on January 26–29, it's time for the 2012 San Antonio Boat and RV Show, taking place at the Alamodome. Whether you are interested in traveling the waterways or the highways, the San Antonio Boat & RV Show has it all, with over 300 boats and 100 RVs on display.

For boating enthusiasts, the event marks the beginning of the annual boat buying season, and a full array of cruisers, fishing boats, wakeboard boats, ski boats, runabouts and personal watercraft will be showcased. Other highlights include tackle workshops, coastal fishing roundtable, boater safety and education courses, kid's catfish tank, Army Bass Anglers display and bubble runners.

Those interested in RVs will have the chance to tour fifth wheels, travel trailers and pop up trailers from the industry's top vendors. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will host a Texas State Parks exhibit, providing education on how best to enjoy parks across the state.

For more information, visit www.sanantonioboatshow.com.




Longhorn Village Resident Featured in Alcalde Magazine

January 10, 2011


Photo published in Alcalde Magazine. Credit: US Air Force Photo Courtesy of Jerry Fineg

Longhorn Village Resident and former chief veterinarian on Project Mercury, the NASA initiative that sent the first chimps into space in the late 1950's, Jerry Fineg was featured in this month's issue of Alcalde Magazine, the official alumni magazine for the Univeristy of Texas.

» Read the full story




A Resolution for Managing Diabetes: Local Podiatrist Offers Tips for Keeping Your Diabetes in Check in 2012

January 1, 2011

The New Year presents a wonderful opportunity to assess everything in your life. Some of the most popular resolutions including losing weight, eating healthier, organizing one’s home and spending more time with friends and family.

For many individuals, however, the changing of the calendar represents a very important opportunity to evaluate their diabetes management.

Following is a list of some recommendations spanning health, fitness and general management that may be worth considering as a means of keeping your diabetes in check through 2012:

Overall Diabetes Management

  • Remember to check your blood glucose approximately two hours after a meal (goal is less than 180 mg/dl)
  • If your meter is aging, consider an upgrade to ensure accurate results
  • Sign up for a diabetes education class or program
  • Take your diabetes medication as prescribed
  • Keep your appointments with your healthcare providers

Healthy Eating and Weight Management

  • Visit a dietitian to develop a plan to reach a healthy weight for you
  • Include fruits and vegetables in your meals
  • Consider bringing your lunch to work as a healthy alternative
  • Consider drinking green tea as an alternative to soda or coffee
  • Start off your supper with salad or a bowl of soup
  • Keep a food record to assess what you are really eating

Physical Activity

  • Get away from your desk or take a break from housework by taking a walk
  • Sign up for a few sessions with a personal trainer to establish a fitness program that addresses your needs
  • Take the stairs and park further away to burn additional calories each day
  • Invite a friend to begin a fitness routine with you
  • Set fitness goals and reward yourself for achieving them

Making changes in your lifestyle can be difficult, but the results are worth every ounce of effort you put into improving your overall health and wellness.

Visit www.austinfootandankle.com for more information.




Austin Diagnostic Clinic Opens Southwest Austin and Westlake Locations

December 12, 2011

The Austin Diagnostic Clinic (ADC), a multi-specialty clinic with more than 115 physicians representing 21 medical specialties at locations throughout Central Texas, is pleased to announce the opening of two new clinics serving the Southwest Austin and Westlake communities.

ADC's 13,500-square-foot Circle C clinic is located in the new Parkside Village development on the southwest corner of MoPac and Slaughter Lane. It features primary care, with Allergy, Family Practice, Pediatrics and Podiatry, as well as lab and X-ray services. The Circle C clinic also offers EasyCare walk-in and same-day urgent care seven days a week, ideal for families seeking care when their regular physician may not be available. For additional information, visit ADClinic.com/CircleC.

ADC's 9,000-square-foot Westlake clinic is located in the Cielo Center at 1250 S. Capitol of Texas Highway, Building 3. It features specialty care as well as lab services. Medical specialties at the new location include Cardiology, Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Neurology, Pulmonology, Rheumatology and Urology. The Westlake clinic also offers weight loss programs, providing customized plans for individuals looking to lose weight, eat smarter and enjoy an overall healthier lifestyle. For additional information, visit ADClinic.com/Westlake.

Serving families since 1952, The Austin Diagnostic Clinic (ADC) is a multi-specialty clinic with more than 115 physicians representing 21 medical specialties. ADC provides quality primary and specialty care to residents across Central Texas at locations including North Austin, Round Rock, Southwest Austin, San Marcos and Westlake. ADC utilizes an electronic medical record system for the most efficient medical record keeping, and an e-Access program allowing patients to request appointments online. It accepts some of the most utilized health insurance plans available in Austin and Central Texas.




Sommers Marketing Launches New Website for Pinto Pony Cookie Factory

November 22, 2011

Sommers Marketing recently assisted with the redesign of the website for the Pinto Pony Cookie Factory in San Augustine, Texas. The company, owned by Jodi Johnson and Mike Jackson, is known for its award winning cookies and breakfast bars, and has now expanded its operations to include a new restaurant and a to-be-constructed cookie factory that will employ over 100 people.

The new Pinto Pony site offers visitors the opportunity to browse and order from a wide assortment of cookies and breakfast bars, as well as premium gift boxes, t-shirts, tumblers, coffee mugs and hand-carved decor. There is also a special section on the site for schools and corporations to purchase larger quantities of cookies and breakfast bars for their clientele.

Guests may also sign up for the Cookie of the Month subscription package and the Birthday Club, where Pinto Pony cartoon favorites JoJo and Duddi will send out a special surprise to that special friend or family member.

Visit www.pintopony.com to view the new site.




New New Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Report Shows Continued Improvement in Trucking Safety

November 18, 2011

Texas Motor Transportation Association President John D. Esparza praised the trucking community’s efforts and continued diligence resulting in an increased safety record. New safety gains were recently published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) supporting trucking’s efforts. This comes on the heels of TxDPS’s Operation Texas Thunder initiative’s results that fail to include critical numbers and address only a portion of the transportation big picture.

“Enforcement is important to transportation and we support our TxDPS partners in their efforts to make our highways safe. But as an industry, we know that education and accountability are two other essential pieces of the transportation equation.”

The recently released 2009 FMCSA Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts shows that the fatal crash rate involving large trucks has fallen 54.5% over the past decade, outpacing the 25% decline in the fatal crash rate for all vehicles. Further, the report says that in fatal crashes where a law enforcement concludes that a driver’s actions may have contributed to the crash, 80.5% of those factors were assigned to the driver of the passenger vehicle, while just 22% of the time the commercial driver’s actions were cited.

“These numbers tell a very different story, one that supports the training and preparation that the trucking industry upholds,” said Esparza. “We have to be prepared for the dangers that lurk everywhere on our highways. It would be irresponsible and erroneous to suggest that truck drivers leave for work looking to get into an accident; these professionals share the same roads they drive for work with their own families.”

TxDPS officials stated in a Public Safety Commission meeting on Thursday that commercial vehicles are responsible for approximately 15 percent of the fatalities in Texas crashes; however FMCSA large truck and bus crash statistics confirm that DPS’s statement leaves out critical information. In 2009 alone, Texas truck-involved crashes and resulting fatalities were at all-time lows for the state.

The FMCSA report also states that the majority of fatal multivehicle crashes (59%) recorded were the result of a passenger vehicle rear-ending a truck, crossing the median to hit a truck head on or hitting a truck in some other way, as coded in the government’s database.

“It’s quite an obvious omission for those of us that dissect every aspect of safety in this industry,” Esparza stated. “We hold our drivers and company’s accountable and to a higher standard and when we talk about fatalities involving trucks, the numbers are improving. The numbers also state that passenger cars are at fault 8 out of every 10 times in fatal crashes involving a large truck. That says a lot about the professionalism of the truck driver, but also suggests we have to do a better job of educating the entire commuting public on how to share the road.”

The industry uses key safety education tools such as the American Trucking Associations “Share the Road program” which has been informing the public on how to share the road with large trucks for the past 20 years. In addition, TMTA’s trucking safety councils hold workshops year round and meet regionally working to make Texas roads safer. Increases in safety are also due to improvements in technology, slower more fuel efficient driving and the dedication of the Texas trucking industry.

“Professional truck drivers will continue to be prepared and proactive as they deliver America’s goods, but the crash statistics suggest that education cannot begin and end with our trucking companies alone,” stated Esparza. “Our own safety professionals will continue to do their job as they have for decades, but we must also do a better job of making the driving public more aware.”

A copy of the FMCSA report can be located at: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/LTBCF2009/2009LargeTruckCrashOverview.aspx




November is Diabetes Awareness Month! Tips from Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists

November 1, 2011

Taking a minute or two every day to inspect your feet and observing a few simple rules can make the difference in sparing diabetes patients from a preventable outcome of the disease – a foot amputation.

“Of all diabetes-related complications, a serious foot ulcer and subsequent amputation might be the most preventable with proper care and vigilance in checking the feet at least once a day for small cuts and other abrasions,” says Craig Thomajan, DPM, of Austin Foot & Ankle Specialists.

Loss of sensation inhibits the body’s normal pain response. As a result, walking can apply repetitive, unfelt pressure to a wound, making it larger and deeper. Left untreated, diabetic ulcers lead to serious infections, which may result in amputation.

Daily self-exams are the best protection. Too often, patients fail to check their feet for small cuts or punctures that over time will ulcerate and become infected. Even a few days can make a difference in preventing serious foot problems from developing.

Here are some diabetes statistics relating to foot care:

  • 7 in 10 diabetes patients have nerve damage that impairs feeling in their feet
  • 5% eventually will develop a foot ulcer, with one in four losing a foot
  • Each year over 86,000 amputations are performed due to diabetes

For more information on foot care from Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists, please visit www.austinfootandankle.com.




Taylor Morrison Announces $20,000 Ultimate Home Tailgate Party for NFL, NCAA Football Fans

October 15, 2011

Whether you’re a Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Dallas Cowboys or Houston Texans fan, homebuilder Taylor Morrison is giving you a chance to enjoy your favorite team in style through the newly announced $20,000 Ultimate Home Tailgate Party promotion.

From now until December 31, 2011, football fans can enter the sweepstakes, with prizes that include a 70-inch LED HDTV, stainless steel gas grill with refrigerator, $10,000 of family room furniture from Club Furniture, team jerseys and $2,500 in free food or a cash award.

Participants can enter the contest by visiting any Taylor Morrison community in Central Texas, including Brodie Springs (Austin), Falconhead West (Bee Cave), Ladera (Bee Cave), Senna Hills (Austin), four Crystal Falls (Leander) neighborhoods and six neighborhoods within Steiner Ranch (Austin), and by registering online at tailgate.taylormorrison.com.

To enter, you must be at least 21 years old and a legal resident of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia (excluding Puerto Rico and all other U.S. territories).

For more information on Taylor Morrison homes and communities, please visit www.taylormorrison.com/austin.




The Austin Diagnostic Clinic, with New Circle C Location Under Construction, Offers Helpful Halloween Safety Tips

October 1, 2011

Construction continues swiftly at The Austin Diagnostic Clinic’s (ADC’s) new facility at the Parkside Village development in Circle C, and the trusted health provider to Austinites for nearly 60 years is offering helpful tips to area parents just in time for Halloween.

Here are a few ideas to help make this Halloween a safe and fun occasion for family members of all ages:

  • For older children, know the route that they are taking and require that they check in each hour either by walkie talkie, phone or by stopping back at home.
  • Always accompany younger children, even within your own neighborhood. If you cannot accompany them, see if they can join another family.
  • Help your child pick out a costume that will be safe. This includes costumes that are fire proof and that are the proper length. For costumes with masks, make sure the eyeholes are large enough for good peripheral vision.
  • Inspect your child’s costume props, such as swords or spears, to make sure the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury.
  • Kids will be kids, but it’s important to explain the difference between tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs may be fun, for example, but clean up responsibilities and damages can ruin someone else’s Halloween.
  • Implement the “bring it home first” rule, letting your child know that candy must first be brought home and inspected before anything can be eaten. Parents, throw out any candy that does not have a wrapper or has been flattened.
  • Serve your child a filling meal before heading out to trick or treat. This will help reduce some of the temptation to eat candy before they return home.
  • Remind your child how to cross the street properly, looking both ways and crossing at corners and crosswalks. Children should hold hands when possible.

ADC’s 13,500-square-foot Circle C clinic will be located in the new Parkside Village development on the southwest corner of MoPac and Slaughter Lane. It will feature primary care, with Allergy, Family Practice, Pediatrics and Podiatry, as well as lab and X-ray services. The southwest Austin location also will offer EasyCare walk-in and same-day urgent care seven days a week.

For more information regarding the new ADC clinic in Southwest Austin, visit www.ADClinic.com/CircleC.