By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
It's kind of like a get-out-of-jail free card, except you end up married.
Come Sept. 1, the state fee for marriage licenses will double from $30 to $60. But there's a way not to pay.
Nuptial-minded Texans can choose to take an eight-hour premarital education course to qualify for a fee waiver.
Called the Twogether in Texas Healthy Marriage Program, the law's goal is to save taxpayers money.
'With the frequency of divorce and the problems we have with marriage in this state, it's time somebody addressed the problem,' said the law's author, State Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, in a recent address to Austin legislators.
With 80,000 divorces each year, Texas spends at least $8 billion in family-fragmentation programs, according to a study conducted in 2006 by Georgia College.
'It's a taxation issue. If we can promote healthy marriages, then the cost of entitlement programs will be reduced,' said Christen Wohlgemuln, Chisum's legislative director. 'Good, solid marriages will save taxpayers money in programs that cater to broken-up families like welfare, Medicaid and food stamps.'
To accomplish the goal, Twogether will look to premarital education in the form of an eight-hour, skill-based course. The benefits of such programs, Ms. Wohlgemuln said, have long been recognized and documented in social research.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Army man finds pease with bonsai
By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
Thou shall not ignore thy tree.
If there were to be an 11th commandment, Ian Toland would say it should be something like that.
And he wouldn't be joking.
Trees are serious business at Toland's Killeen home.
For 10 years, he has dedicated two hours a day to the maintenance of his 125 bonsai trees.
'That's how I end my day - out with the bonsais,' Toland said. 'I like it that way.'
Tending to them caters to his desire to be outdoors.
'Never did I think I'd have to work at an inside job,' Toland said, referring to his position as database administrator for the Killeen school district.
After eight years, Toland still is adjusting to life behind a desk. He misses his outdoor work - the years he was a mechanic and in the U.S. Army.
'I'd still be working on cars if it wasn't for my shoulder,' Toland said, explaining the injury that prompted early retirement from the Army.
But he isn't bitter over the predicament. If it never took place, he would have never discovered the art of bonsai.
Telegram Staff Writer
Thou shall not ignore thy tree.
If there were to be an 11th commandment, Ian Toland would say it should be something like that.
And he wouldn't be joking.
Trees are serious business at Toland's Killeen home.
For 10 years, he has dedicated two hours a day to the maintenance of his 125 bonsai trees.
'That's how I end my day - out with the bonsais,' Toland said. 'I like it that way.'
Tending to them caters to his desire to be outdoors.
'Never did I think I'd have to work at an inside job,' Toland said, referring to his position as database administrator for the Killeen school district.
After eight years, Toland still is adjusting to life behind a desk. He misses his outdoor work - the years he was a mechanic and in the U.S. Army.
'I'd still be working on cars if it wasn't for my shoulder,' Toland said, explaining the injury that prompted early retirement from the Army.
But he isn't bitter over the predicament. If it never took place, he would have never discovered the art of bonsai.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Hobby sparkles in TV contest
By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
The time is ticking. She's got until midnight to get what she wants.
No, this story is not about a woman with a Cinderella complex, but it is a story about a woman who makes jewelry fit for a princess.
Dori Benner of Temple, owner of Dreamshadow Designs, is one of the top 50 finalists in a jewelry design contest sponsored by cable's Jewelry Television. Open until 11:59 p.m. tonight, online voting at www.jtvdesigncontest.com will determine the winner.
To vote, the user should go to the site and click on the necklace image above Ms. Benner's name. That necklace is the design that earned Ms. Benner her place in the contest.
Telegram Staff Writer
The time is ticking. She's got until midnight to get what she wants.
No, this story is not about a woman with a Cinderella complex, but it is a story about a woman who makes jewelry fit for a princess.
Dori Benner of Temple, owner of Dreamshadow Designs, is one of the top 50 finalists in a jewelry design contest sponsored by cable's Jewelry Television. Open until 11:59 p.m. tonight, online voting at www.jtvdesigncontest.com will determine the winner.
To vote, the user should go to the site and click on the necklace image above Ms. Benner's name. That necklace is the design that earned Ms. Benner her place in the contest.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Author and family face near blunder at border
By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
It all started when Dad decided he wanted to go to Mexico.
The family was in Del Rio, so he thought, 'Why not? Laredo's not far. Let's go look around.'
At least, that's how Mom remembers it.
'So they we were waiting in line at the border,' said Mom, Tab Lloyd of Nolanville, author of a book about cheap travel in Texas. 'And the closer we got to Mexico, the more signs we saw that said, 'No weapons, no drugs, if caught, there will be no questions, and you will go straight to jail.''
These were idle threats for the Lloyds until they realized that a guard at the Mexican border had spotted a toy BB gun that was laying on top of a luggage bag.
Telegram Staff Writer
It all started when Dad decided he wanted to go to Mexico.
The family was in Del Rio, so he thought, 'Why not? Laredo's not far. Let's go look around.'
At least, that's how Mom remembers it.
'So they we were waiting in line at the border,' said Mom, Tab Lloyd of Nolanville, author of a book about cheap travel in Texas. 'And the closer we got to Mexico, the more signs we saw that said, 'No weapons, no drugs, if caught, there will be no questions, and you will go straight to jail.''
These were idle threats for the Lloyds until they realized that a guard at the Mexican border had spotted a toy BB gun that was laying on top of a luggage bag.
Texas is like a whole 'nuther country ... and you can see it without emptying your pockets
By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
Don’t cancel the family road trip just yet.
Yes, gas prices are high, but if the destination charges no admission, then a vacation could still be affordable.
In Texas alone, there are at least 120 price-free tourist attractions. That’s how many Tab Lloyd of Nolanville discusses in her book, “Free Texas: Free Things to See and Do in the Lone Star State.”
“It’s good timing that I wrote the book when I did,” Mrs. Lloyd said. “I wrote it as I traveled Texas last summer. That let the book be out now, when gas is so much.”
Her hope is that families will visit the historic Texan sites she’s described, so that little ones can learn about their state’s heritage while spending quality time with siblings and parents.
Telegram Staff Writer
Don’t cancel the family road trip just yet.
Yes, gas prices are high, but if the destination charges no admission, then a vacation could still be affordable.
In Texas alone, there are at least 120 price-free tourist attractions. That’s how many Tab Lloyd of Nolanville discusses in her book, “Free Texas: Free Things to See and Do in the Lone Star State.”
“It’s good timing that I wrote the book when I did,” Mrs. Lloyd said. “I wrote it as I traveled Texas last summer. That let the book be out now, when gas is so much.”
Her hope is that families will visit the historic Texan sites she’s described, so that little ones can learn about their state’s heritage while spending quality time with siblings and parents.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Ministry keeps ladies looking, feeling good
By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
The Beatles took a sad song and made it better in 'Hey Jude.'
In the same spirit, the Belton Church of Christ has taken an objectionable phrase and transformed it into a positive ministry. The Holy Rollers program at Crestview Nursing Home is a ministry of the Belton Church of Christ.
Every Friday morning, a group called the Holy Rollers goes to the Crestview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Belton to treat the lady residents to a day at the hair salon.
The ladies get their hair shampooed and curled.
'They are so precious,' said Jan Doke, a proud Holy Roller. 'Their faces just light up when they get all dolled up for the weekend.'
Telegram Staff Writer
The Beatles took a sad song and made it better in 'Hey Jude.'
In the same spirit, the Belton Church of Christ has taken an objectionable phrase and transformed it into a positive ministry. The Holy Rollers program at Crestview Nursing Home is a ministry of the Belton Church of Christ.
Every Friday morning, a group called the Holy Rollers goes to the Crestview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Belton to treat the lady residents to a day at the hair salon.
The ladies get their hair shampooed and curled.
'They are so precious,' said Jan Doke, a proud Holy Roller. 'Their faces just light up when they get all dolled up for the weekend.'
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Woman dons clown makeup for smiles
By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer
Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
It's a woman. It's a clown. It's both.
She's Buttons the Clown - the star of the Buckholts Cotton Festival and a frequent entertainer for dozens of community groups.
She's also Ruth Rolston of Temple, according to her driver's license.
But don't get confused. Buttons is Buttons, and Ruth is Ruth. The persona of Buttons is more than Ruth wearing make-up.
'You become the clown,' Ms. Rolston said, describing her transformation from Ruth to Buttons. 'You can't just put a costume on and say you're a clown. You have to have something on the inside, something that gives life.'
Nurturing that something, that inner clown, is no trivial task. Even though she's a veteran clown of more than 20 years, Ms. Rolston still needs some preparation time before she trades her nostrils for a red, squishy nose.
'You have to get into character, like an actor does,' she said. 'It takes me two hours to put my make-up on, and the whole time I'm doing that, I see Buttons come to life. And then I am Buttons.'
Telegram Staff Writer
Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
It's a woman. It's a clown. It's both.
She's Buttons the Clown - the star of the Buckholts Cotton Festival and a frequent entertainer for dozens of community groups.
She's also Ruth Rolston of Temple, according to her driver's license.
But don't get confused. Buttons is Buttons, and Ruth is Ruth. The persona of Buttons is more than Ruth wearing make-up.
'You become the clown,' Ms. Rolston said, describing her transformation from Ruth to Buttons. 'You can't just put a costume on and say you're a clown. You have to have something on the inside, something that gives life.'
Nurturing that something, that inner clown, is no trivial task. Even though she's a veteran clown of more than 20 years, Ms. Rolston still needs some preparation time before she trades her nostrils for a red, squishy nose.
'You have to get into character, like an actor does,' she said. 'It takes me two hours to put my make-up on, and the whole time I'm doing that, I see Buttons come to life. And then I am Buttons.'
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