view alice business today - march 2008 08.pdf · o’neill son of gerald and denise o’neill,...

AHS names Jr. Citizen of the Year candidates

The purpose of the Junior Citizen of the Year Award is to honor and reward a special stu-dent that has demon-strated exceptional inter-est, understanding and involvement in citizen-ship and community ac-tivities. Thirteen students were selected as candidates for

this year’s honor by Alice High School staff. The thirteen candidates are Lindsey Bickham daughter of Edwin and Molly Bickham, Ashley Canales daughter of Gil-bert and Connie Canales, Treavor Cara-way son of Keith and Pamela Caraway, Joshua Cavazos son of Javier and Bonnie Cavazos, Denella Delgado daughter of Jose and Rebecca Gonzalez, Belinda Flo-res daughter of Victor and Belinda Flores, Luis Mendoza son of Jose and Roberta Mendoza, Elizabeth Narvaez daughter of Armando and Leila Narvaez, Jason O’Neill son of Gerald and Denise O’Neill, Cassandra Rodriguez daughter of Fran-cisco and Rachel Rodriguez, Yvette Saenz daughter of Jesus and Diana Saenz, Henry Uribe son of Henry and Crissy Uribe and Matthew Zamora son of Cirilo and Sylvia Zamora. The 13 candidates will go before a com-mittee who will narrow the field down to five finalists. The five finalists will be in-terviewed by the Alice Chamber of Com-merce Board of Directors on Thursday, March 13th during a special called meet-

See JR. CITIZENS, 2

More than 70 Winter Texans enjoyed a good old fashion fish fry prepared by the Coyote Cooks at the Maxine Flournoy Third Coast Squadron Museum.

MARCH 2008

BB U S I N E S SU S I N E S S T T O DAYO DAY business tradition service community agriculture oil & gas growth

Official Publication of the Alice Chamber of Commerce

Chamber welcomes Winter Texans

Each winter, our area welcomes our friends from the northern United States. Some of the visitors stay a few months, while others venture a few weeks or days in our area. In either case, these Winter Texans become a part of the Alice com-munity in many ways. Some groups ventures south to the Hub City to spend their days on the beau-tiful Alice golf courses, a day at the Wal-Mart Super Center or a day just basking in the warm sun. And for others, it’s time to lend a help-ing hand – building a home for Habitat For Humanity.

For their return stay to Alice, the Alice Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau puts on its annual Fish Fry to welcome and thank the Win-ter Texans for coming to Alice. “It’s always a pleasure to have you all down here each year. It’s all about trying to keep you coming back each year” Chamber Executive Director Mike Smith said. “We try to make your stay in Alice most pleasant so you can continue to re-turn to our area.” “We welcome you to our community

See WINTER TEXANS, Page 3

71st Annual Chamber

of Commerce Banquet Thurs.

March 27th 6 p.m.

KC Hall

Our Mission

The mission of the Alice Chamber of Commerce is to promote

the economic and community development in Alice, Jim Wells

County and the surrounding trade area.

It’s March 2008 and a very busy month here at the Chamber with the annual chamber banquet this month on March 27th at the KC Hall. This is the event where we present the Citizen of the Year award and the Junior Citizen of the Year. If you would like to nominate someone to be citizen of the year you can pick up your official nomination form at the Chamber office. New awards will be presented this year the “Small and Large Employer Excellence Award and Employer of the Year”. So, things are really getting

busy here at your Chamber office. Like to make mention our Winter Texan Fish Fry this year was great and those that at-tended had a great time. Thanks goes out to the “World Famous Coyote Cooks” for do-ing their outstanding work again this year. You know summer is just around the corner and you might start looking at your electric bill. If you want to save this year you need to check out the chamber electric coalition. Several businesses and other organizations have accepted contracts through the Cham-ber program and their estimated savings over the lives of the contracts is $179,283.54. That’s not bad!!! Give us a call this is one benefit that may save you move than the cost of your annual Chamber membership. Hope to see all you at this year’s Chamber banquet, if you haven’t booked your table call the office for your banquet registration form.

“Alice Business Today” published by the Alice Chamber of Commerce

From the Chamber March is an extremely busy month for the Chamber, as we are, or I should say Mike, Juan & Delma are diligently working towards a successful Taste of Alice, Chamber of Commerce Banquet. The banquet is scheduled for March 27th. If you have not purchased a table yet please contact the Chamber, your support is greatly appreci-ated. We are also in need of items for the annual raffle. This years theme is Old Time Alice. The banquet is a wonderful time to net-work your business and mingle amongst fellow community members and to recognize and appreciate the recipients of the various awards. The Winter Texan Fish Fry held in February was a wonderful suc-

cess. Many great comments and compliments from our Winter guests were made re-garding their stay in Alice. They were very appreciative of the hospitality given by the Alice Community. I cannot stress enough for all Alice Chamber of Commerce Members to please utilize the services provided by your chamber. Call the Chamber and familiarize yourself with these services. Juan and Mike would be glad to help. Thank your continued support and as always it is truly appreciated.

Yvette Johnson, Chamber Board President

2008 Chamber Leadership

Executive Committee

Yvette Johnson President

Nena Pitts V.P. - Membership

Virginia Garcia V.P. AJWC-EDC

Velma Starr V.P. - Civic

Marisa Gallegos V.P. - CVB

Gap Alaniz Treasurer

Board of Directors

Mark Alaniz

Albert Gonzales

J.R. Gonzalez

Robert Molina

Mirka Pena

Rito Silva

Ex-Officio Albert Uresti

Staff Mike Smith Executive Vice President

Juan A. Navejar Jr. Marketing/Sales

Mike’s memo

Your First Step to Success

Coastal Bend College Alice Center

704 Coyote Trail - Alice, Texas 78332 (361) 664-2981 - Toll Free 1-866-891-2981 - www.coastalbend.edu

Customized Training Available for the South Texas Workforce

WINTER TEXANS, From Page 1

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be available for startup or existing small businesses in Alice, Texas on Tuesday, March 4, 2008

to explain SBA’s loan eligibility, popular business loans, and free business counseling from SCORE & SBDC.

Individual appointments will be seen from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 am at the Alice Chamber of Commerce, 612 East Main Street.

Please call Debbie Fernandez at 361-879-0017, Ext. 16 for an appointment.

Byron W. Blair, P.C.

Certified Public Accountant

1315 E. Main, Suite 101 P. O. Box 211

Alice, Texas 78332

Office 664-6541 Fax 664-6544

Residence 664-4685


Wells Fargo is a proud Cornerstone Member of the

Alice Chamber of Commerce

Alice Main Alice Medical 601 E. Main Street 1910 E. Main Street 361-668-2400 361-668-1000 wellsfargo.com FDIC Member

WELLS FARGO

Cornerstone Member 2004

and pleased you have chosen to return to Alice,” Chamber board president Yvette Johnson told the group. This year’s Fish Fry was held at the Third Coast Squadron with more than 70 people attending the dinner. “You are chosen few who come here to help build a home and we are grateful to you for this,” Alice Ambassador Nettie Cornelius said. “You caravaners are spe-cial people.” Each year the meal is prepared by the Coyote Cooks. “This is great to have us here like this. We look forward to coming down here each year” Carl Schmidt from St. Both-ell, Washington said. “The meal is great but it’s the hospitality you give us that make the trip down here worthwhile and keeps us coming back.”


Alice Ambassadors

Melva Alegria

Dee Dee Arismendez

Nettie Cornelius

Michael De Leon

Manuel Galindo (Life Member)

Albert Gonzales

Cynthia Hinojosa

Melissa Jaramillo

Bruce Menking

Tem Miller

Rachel Munoz

Dene Murphey

Delma Palacios

Nena Pitts (Life Member)

David Silva

Margaret Smith (Life Member)

Emeritus

Joe Ash

Ralph Gomez

Pedro Jasso

Johnny Rivera

ALICE AMBASSADORS

Did you know the Chamber/CVB has… Maps, brochures, phone books, info on attractions and other cities.

The Alice Ambassadors are gearing up for the Annual Chamber Banquet which is right around the corner at the end of the month. Once again we will assist in selling raf-fle tickets, tables etc. If you would like to purchase tickets for the annual raffle, contact any Alice Ambassador. Prizes include car washes, gift certificates and jewelry to name a few things. The Relay For Life is also just around the corner in April. The Ambassadors will once again participate in the relay that benefits the American Cancer Society. At the Relay, teams of 10 or more participants take turn to keep their baton moving overnight, while a festive atmosphere is created with entertainment, camping out and spot prizes. Highlights include the Cancer Survivors’ Walk, traditionally the first lap and the Can-dlelight Ceremony at dusk. This year’s event was held at the Alice High School football practice field. We ask that you dig deep into your pockets and hearts and be a generous donor for this cause. The Alice Jim Wells County EDC, WorkSource and Coastal Bend College will hold a Job Fair on March 11th at the VFW Hall. There will be more than 30 employers seek-ing applicants to fill job placements. This could be worth your time to look into. Our congratulations and welcome go to our new businesses in town—Maurices, Hib-bits, T-Mobile and Los Mariachis Restaurant. We look forward to assisting you with your grand openings. We still have vacancies in the Alice Ambassadors. If your business is not represented in the group, contact one of the Ambassador listed on the left side of this page so we can get you information about our group.

Tem Miller President 2008 Alice Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors

• P r o d u c t io n T e s t in g• O ffs h o r e S e r v ic e s• B r a id e d a n d S lic k l in e S e r v ic e s• F r a c F lo w b a c k s• H y d r a u l ic C h o k e M a n ifo ld s• F r a c V a lv e s• P ip e l in e “ P ig g in g ” S e p a r a to r s• C a p il la r y T u b in g S e r v ic e s• P -V -T L a b o r a to r y• P -V -T S im u la t io n s• H y d r o c a r b o n L a b o r a to r y• R e s e r v o ir F lu id S a m p lin g• P r e s s u r e T r a n s ie n t A n a ly s e s

C o rp o ra te H e a d q u a r te rs1 0 0 0 F E S C O A v e n u e

A lic e , T e x a s 7 8 3 3 23 6 1 -6 6 4 -3 4 7 9

w w w .fe s c o in c .c o m

Happy St. Patrick’s Day March 17th

Border Title Group “Excellence in Title Insurance”

1708 E. Main Street Alice, Texas 78332

Phone: (361) 668-6024 Fax: (361) 668-0086

www.bordertitle.com


Manufacturing Sales Engineering Service Technical Support Training Repacking Rental

www.endyn.com Cornerstone Member 2004

300 W. First Alice 361-668-8311

GRAND OPENING

Maurices held a grand opening ceremony on Friday, February 22, 2008. The new women’s clothing store is located at 2211 E. Main.

If past experience is any indication, there are probably still some businesses in the area that have not yet completed their 2007 Economic Census forms. But missing the February 12 due date shouldn’t relieve their sense of ur-gency for getting the forms in. Many small businesses were not sent a form, and no action is required from them, but businesses that received a form in December are required by law (Title 13, U.S. Code) to complete and return it. “We are grateful to the many cham-bers of commerce that have contacted their members on behalf of the cen-sus. Even though the due date has passed, please contact your mem-bers again to urge their response in the Economic Census.” Robert Marske with the Economic Census said. “You can base your email, newsletter blurb, or website feature on the sample message shown below, or use some of the ideas shown at http://business.census.gov/media/. Do it now, since some of your members may have missed the February 12 due date.” Chamber members who are having

difficulty completing their forms, encour-age them to get help or request a 30-day extension at http://business.census.gov or by calling 1-800-233-6136. In March, we will send a follow-up let-ter, and in many cases, a second copy of the census form, to any business from which we have not received a response.

Help us save tax dollars by encourag-ing your members to file their form, or get an extension, right away. If you need more information about the 2007 Economic Census, please con-tact Robert Marske or Laurie Torene at 1-877-790-1876, or e-mail us at [email protected].

Assistance available for 2007 Economic Census

Congratulations

New Member

Member of the Month For February

Heart to Heart Home

Healthcare


www.prosperitybanktx.com

1200 E. Main Alice 664-5446

361-661-1580 (24-Hour Fast Line Free, Secure Internet Banking

R

R

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS OF THE MONTH

Page 4 “Alice Business Today” published by the Alice Chamber of Commerce

Alice Heart Center was one of three Alice Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month for February 2008. The Heart Center has been a medical icon for years

with well-known heart specialists.

Love Chrysler was one of three Alice Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month for February 2008. The automotive dealership has been an icon in auto-

motive sales in the Hub City.


There may be a time when the market can no longer live with your current prices. Sales are slowing down and you see potential customers looking at your products or calling for quotes but orders aren’t following. If you can, ask them why they’re not buying to see if they feel your price is too high or they can find it at a lower price elsewhere. Many people will be happy to tell you if you ask them in a friendly manner. This is also a good time to sell the ad-vantages and benefits of your product or services. What us better than your com-petitor, is it selection, guarantee, en-hanced service or better delivery? Or are your competitors just pushing lower prices? Have you looked at your prices on popular products lately to see if they are within current trends? Some products improve and the price drops at the same time because of increased volumes. See if you can reduce prices and still pick-up sales and market share while still making

a good profit. Here are some reasons why you may want to consider lowering prices: ♦ Your supplier cost is now less ♦ You’ve downsized your staff ♦ To move excessive inventory ♦ New technology forced a price re-

duction ♦ For a large quantity order/bid ♦ You are getting large order dis-

counts ♦ Slow time of the year ♦ Products are becoming a commodity ♦ Manufacturing costs reduced ♦ To meet competitor’s prices ♦ You’re getting easy payment dis-

counts from suppliers ♦ To use for an advertising campaign ♦ To clear out soon-to-be obsolete

products ♦ Sales increased and you can accept

lower percent profit ♦ To gain more market share ♦ To increase gross sales before you

sell business But if you reduce your prices too low, you’ll force your competitors to react. Don’t start a price war that makes every-one go even lower. This can be finan-cially dangerous because no one wins and it can be harmful to your company’s growth. You don’t want to be lured into prices so low that you can’t make a profit. If you’re competing against a lar-ger company with commodity type prod-ucts you can follow their lead in pricing or sell a little higher if you have value-added service. Outstanding customer service (Which most big companies don’t have) can add value to even the most basic commodity products. But don’t reduce prices so low that it cuts back your ability to provide better customer care than your competi-tor. Reducing prices for your customers is great but remember you’re still in business to make a profit. Article courtesy of Small Business Mar-keting.

Reducing prices to match competitors

Tops 125,000 Entrepreneurs

WASHINGTON – More than 125,000 entrepreneurs interested in starting or expanding a business have used the U.S. Small Business Administration’s newest online assessment resources, the SBA announced today. The SBA is helping hundreds of pro-spective entrepreneurs each day through two online assessment tools, the “Small Business Readiness” and the 8(a) Busi-ness Development assessment tools. In just over three months, more than 125,000 budding entrepreneurs have benefited from the latest Web-applications. “These new tools represent a changing SBA, where more Web applications are being used to better serve our small busi-ness customers so they can have infor-mation when they need and wherever they are doing business,” SBA Associ-ate Administrator Anoop Prakash said.

Since the SBA introduced the online “Small Business Readiness” assessment tool, usage has climbed rapidly. The assessment tool – the first of its kind – helps budding entrepreneurs evaluate their readiness for starting a small busi-ness. The Small Business Readiness assess-ment tool helps prospective entrepre-neurs determine their level of prepared-ness for venturing into a new business through a series of automated ques-tions. It helps them evaluate their skills, characteristics, and experience as they relate to starting a business. Based on their scores, entrepreneurs are directed to the SBA training re-sources that support the identified needs to improve business preparedness. The Small Business Readiness assessment tool is available on the SBA’s Web site at http://www.sba.gov/assessmenttool/index.html, or by clicking the “Assessment Tool” icon under the spot-light heading on the SBA home page. The 8(a) Business Development as-

sessment tool was launched in October to help small business owners decide whether they are suitable and eligible for the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program. The program helps small disadvan-taged businesses compete in the U.S. economy through business development. Like the small business readiness assess-ment, the customized 8(a) Business De-velopment assessment tool directs entre-preneurs to targeted training and re-sources online. It too is available online a t ht tp: / / t ra in ing.sba .gov:8000/assessment. The Small Business Readiness and the 8(a) business development assessment tools help take away the guess work, and are easy to use. They are customer-focused and de-signed to make it easier for entrepre-neurs to evaluate and recognize needed business skills. The new Web-based tools are simple to use and take about 10 minutes to com-plete.

SBA goes online with business assessment tools usage


ALICE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – 2008 ANNUAL BANQUET

“A TASTE OF ALICE”

KC HALL KC HALL –– ALICE, TEXAS ALICE, TEXAS

March 27, 2008

BANQUET REGISTRATION FORM

Type of Sponsorship Packages / Requests

Gold Banquet Sponsor: $500.00 8 Tickets. Reserved VIP table of 8 Banner with your company logo Chamber Sponsorship listing in Annual Banquet Program Special Recognition Pre-Event, At-Event, and Post-Event

Silver Banquet Sponsor: $350.00

8 Tickets. Reserved VIP table of 8 Banner with your company logo Chamber Sponsorship listing in Annual Banquet Program

Corporation or Agency __________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________________________State __________ Zip ___________

Contact Person ____________________________ Title_______________________________

Telephone (______)_______________________ Fax (______)__________________________

Email:_______________________________________________________________________

Must Reserve Space by March 14, 2008 In order to appear in the Banquet Program Cancellation request received in writing prior to March 5, 2008 will be subject to a 25% processing fee.

Requests received after this date will be charged full fee.

Full payment must accompany signed registration form. Make check payable to


P.O. Box 1609 Alice, TX 78333

Phone (361)664-3454 Fax (361)664-2291

_______________________________ ______________________________ Signature of Authorized Representative Date

2007 Citizen of the Year Award Alice, Texas

Sponsored by


Official Nomination Form Instructions Please review the requirements and procedures for nomination and follow the instructions as specified. It is recommended that you list all the clubs, group organizations, etc. that the nominee belongs to, on one sheet of paper, including the years of offices held and honors received. On a separate sheet(s) list and summarize special activities and accomplishments which demonstrate the nominees contributions to the community and qualifications for the award. IMPORTANT: It is mandatory that the year be listed for each special activity of the nominee. Listed activities that are not dated will not be considered. Name of Nominee: __________________________________________________________________________________________ Address of Nominee: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Age: _______________ Number of Years residing in Alice: _________________________ Business Affiliation: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Business Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Organization or Individual Submitting Nominee: __________________________________________________________________ Contact Person (if organization): _______________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you want the nominee to know that his or her name has been submitted by you or your organization?

( ) Yes ( ) No

Deadline: 5 p.m., Friday, March 14, 2008 Alice Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 1609 / 612 E. Main

Alice, TX 78333 Note: Supporting materials must be attached. If you have any questions, contact the Alice Chamber of Commerce at 361-664-3454.



Auto Home Business Life Health

1810 E. Main Alice 361-664-4348

1-888-664-4349

www.carlisleins.com


Visit us at www.alicetx.org

2701 E. Main (361) 668-0441

Most people have experienced a long wait in the ER, whether it was for an emergency for themselves or a family member. A new program at CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Alice is hoping to make going to the ER an easier experience for people who have urgent, but not emergency, medical needs. Although all patients who come to the hospital are important and deserve care, in an emergency setting, some patients have a more urgent need for care than others. Because of the need to triage, and take the more urgent patients first, those who are in the ER for non-urgent needs (like a sore throat, a minor injury, etc.) often have to wait for longer periods of time. The new program in the ER is de-signed to take patients who are in the ER and triage them with a nurse to determine the severity of their medical need. Patients whose injuries or illnesses are not as severe are taken to another floor where they are treated, freeing up space in the ER for those who are more se-

GROUND BREAKING

La Quinta Hotel held a ground breaking ceremony on Thursday, February 21, 2008. The new hotel will be located on East Main Street.

verely injured or ill. Patients who go through the Fast Track are treated by a physician’s assistant or

CHRISTUS program will speed up ER service

nurse, just as if they were in the ER, and then are processed through admit-ting and billing before heading home.

Did you know the Chamber/CVB has…Maps, brochures, phone books, info on attractions and other cities.

In order to accommodate entrepreneurs busy schedules the Del Mar College SBDC operates a satellite office at Coastal Bend College - Alice. The Alice office services Jim Wells, Duval, Brooks, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen and Kenedy counties. This office run by senior coun-selor Larry Ellis offers business counseling, training and procurement technical assistance to the residents and businesses of South Texas. For more information on the Small Business De-velopment Centers and Procurement Assistance, contact Larry Ellis at 661-1119 or check out our website http://www.delmar.edu/sbdc


801 N. Texas Blvd. Alice, Texas

Cornerstone Member

Member FDIC

“Your Only Locally Owned & Operated Bank In Alice, Texas” Commercial Auto/Boat Checking Consumer CDs Safe Deposit Boxes IRAs Mortgages

24-Hour Banking 664-8789 - 668-8831(24-Hour Customer)

Ten things to consider when deciding on your type of business

ownership

1. Cost. A sole proprietorship or gen-eral partnership can be set up very inex-pensively. A limited partnership and a limited liability company are more ex-pensive to set up. Setting up a corpora-tion can be a very expensive undertaking. 2. Ease. A sole proprietorship is easy to set up; sometimes all it takes is open-ing up a business checking account. Similarly, a general partnership is easy to set up, although a partnership agreement is something that the partners should cre-ate prior to beginning operations. A lim-ited partnership, limited liability com-pany, and corporation involve more work. Since all three entities must be recog-nized by the state, it is important to ad-here strictly to the state requirements or run the risk of losing the advantages that the particular business entity provides. 3. Termination. Some business enti-ties automatically terminate upon such

events as death, the withdrawal of a part-ner, or even divorce. In addition, some businesses are allowed to exist only for a state-mandated period of time. 4. Public Information. How much in-formation do you want the public to know about your business and finances? A corporation is required to provide much more information to the state, which is then available to the public, than a lim-ited liability company or a limited partner-ship. Sole proprietorships and general partner-ships offer the individuals involved a great deal of privacy. 5. Risk. If the business involves a great deal of risk a sole proprietorship or general partnership may be a bad idea because the owner and general partners are personally liable for the business debts and obliga-tions. 6. Operation. The form of the business entity may dictate how it is operated. If you want total control, a sole proprietor-ship provides the businessperson the great-est degree of control (and the greatest de-gree of potential risk). 7. Capitalization. An undercapitalized business may result in a loss of protection provided by the business entity. In addi-

tion, some business forms make it easier to raise capital when it is needed. 8. Selling. A sole proprietorship is easy to sell; usually you sell the assets of the business, and your business ceases to exist. Selling a partnership interest or a member’s interest in a limited liability company can be tricky because it re-quires approval of the other partners or members. 9. State Taxes. Some states have be-gun to levy taxes on the business entity itself. This is becoming a big issue with lim-ited liability companies. You should know whether your state will tax your business entity before setting it up. 10. Expansion. Every entrepreneur wants to be as successful as possible. Some business entities are limited to the number of shareholders they may have. A sole proprietorship ceases to exist the moment the sole proprietor takes on a partner. It is important to choose a business form that allows you the greatest room to grow if that is what you envision. Al-though the business form may be changed, this involves additional expense and energy.


JR. CITIZENS, From Page 1

ing. The Junior Citizen of the Year pro-gram is intended to encourage today’s high school students to become tomor-row’s civic leaders. The students were selected by teachers and counselors. Each student had to write an essay as part of the selection process. The students are judged on their essays and extra-curricular activi-

CONVENTION AND VISITORS

BUREAU The first quar-ter of the year got off to a quick start with the promoting of Alice to our Winter Texans. F e b r u a r y rolled in with many new faces coming into the Hub City from the north.

Many Winter Texans stopped by the Chamber to pick up maps, phone books, as well as ask about the town or for di-rections. The annual Winter Texan Fish Fry was a huge success. More than 70 people attended the event this year. Join-ing the group this year were caravaners who participated in the Alice Habitat For Humanity. Each month we tabulate the number of sessions received on the pages and you would be amazed as how many and where the hits are coming from. We have change Internet Service Provides who tabulates the number of hits, for-merly sessions, on our web page www.alicetx.org. In February the number of hits to our webpage surpassed. 13,000 hits to the site. Among the targeted webpages was general information about Alice, accom-modations and sites. People walking through our doors are asking for information on Alice, the area or asked for phone books and maps of Alice and Texas. Relocation packets were numerous with 29 being sent out in February. Applications for 2008 project funding are available at the Chamber of Com-merce and are due 60 days prior to event in order to receive board approval for events to be held in Alice. All requests must be presented to the Chamber board for approval before granting assistance from the CVB. The promotion of Alice through the CVB is administered by the Alice Chamber of Commerce.

Convention & Visitors Bureau

1-877-992-5423

CELEBRITY LUNCHEON

The Alice Mother’s Club held a Celebrity Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 5th to raise funds for scholarships for local graduates. Local “celebrities” dressed in Mardi Gras attire during the Fat Tuesday luncheon held at the Alice Country Club.

ties. The winner will be announced on Thursday, March 27, 2008 during the 71st Annual Chamber Banquet. The Junior Citizen of the year will also be presented with the Franke Funke Scholarship pre-sented by Wells Fargo Bank. The 13 can-didates are also vying for the Lowell Hunt Memorial Scholarship presented by the Alice Echo-News Journal for their essay competition.

Your company celebrating an anniversary, change of ownership or Relocation? Contact the Chamber for a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Depending on your point of view, these are the best of times or the worst of times for the U.S. dol-lar. One of the rather surprising financial developments in re-cent years has been the significant weak-ness of the dollar,

particularly in comparison to relatively new currency, the euro. The good news – domestic investors who put money to work in overseas stocks have seen a boost in performance when returns are translated from local currencies back into the dollar. In addi-tion, exporters of U.S. products find they can be more competitive in other coun-tries, as a weak dollar works in their fa-vor. The bad news – Americans who want to travel to or make purchases in other countries where the dollar has signifi-cantly weakened will, in effect, pay a lot more for the privilege of doing so. Traveling abroad The trends that have taken place, par-ticularly in the past few years, represent a significant change in the status of the dollar. When many European Union na-tions combined their currencies into the single euro in the late 1990s, a number of analysts wondered whether it would last. Early on in the euro transition, the dollar, originally pegged at an equal value to the euro, gained strength. If you stayed in a Paris hotel in the fall of 2000 that cost $200, you would have actually paid, in dollar terms, ap-proximately only $165. Compare that to a visit at the end of 2007. That same $200 hotel would trans-late into about $290, a 75 percent price hike for an American in Paris. The problem is even hitting closer to home. Just a few years ago, it would have taken only 64 cents to purchase one Canadian dollar’s worth of goods. By the

PAUL RYCROFT on Finance


Dealing with a deflated dollar end of 2007, the exchange rate between the two currencies was almost even – again, making travel in Canada more expensive for Americans now than it was earlier this decade. The cost of studying abroad Ironically, the cost of exchanging dollars to foreign currencies comes at the same time that more and more students are being encouraged to enrich their educational ex-perience abroad. Those planning such an adventure need to keep in mind that costs are going up in many locations. Students should check with their financial aid office to see how dollars can be applied to over-seas study programs, as that will become as critical as ever. It also may make sense to lock-in payments for specific aspects of the trip as soon as possible, to avoid so currency fluctuations. Students and other travelers also may want to give consideration to alternative other destinations where the dollar won’t bear as much burden. Some travel experts suggest seeking out places not typically at the top of the list for overseas travel. Examples include destinations such as Central and South America, Indonesia, Morocco and countries in Europe that have maintained their own currency. For in-stance, the dollar goes a lot farther in Hun-gary than in other European nations that use the euro. For those who still insist on visiting ma-jor destinations where currency trends have been less favorable, find ways to cut costs. Here are a few ideas: ♦ Search out good deals on accommoda-

tions (such as hostels), car rental or rail tickets online

♦ Avoid exchanging more money than required, so you don’t have to ex-change it back and lose on both ends of the transaction

♦ Use ATMs to obtain local currency, as it tends to be the most cost-effective method

♦ Visit grocery stores to buy staples and snacks for food to avoid overspending in restaurants

Good news for investors While the dollar’s weakness frustrates U.S. travelers and students, those who have been investing in overseas markets have greatly benefited from the trend. The simple point to remember is this – after you put your money to work in overseas markets, if the dollar loses ground compared to the other currency, the value of your investment improves after it is translated back into dollar terms. This is one way those who plan to travel overseas can, at least indirectly hedge the potentially higher costs of their foreign country visits. Of course, other factors come into play as well. The actual performance of the investments is another area to focus on. In recent years, overseas markets as a whole have generally outperformed U.S. stocks, even before the currency advan-tage was accounted for. Mutual funds tend to be a good way for most U.S. investors to tap the poten-tial of overseas markets. Including inter-national investments in your long-term investment portfolio is generally consid-ered an effective way for individuals to diversify. One important point to keep in mind regarding currency trends, particularly in the short term, is that they are highly un-predictable. In fact, the level of uncertainty sur-rounding currency movements is one of the key factors contributing to the vola-tile nature of overseas investing. Curren-cies fluctuate in value each day, and it is difficult to anticipate what will happen a day, a month or even a year from now. Consult a financial advisor for invest-ment advice and the best methods for traveling or financing study abroad fees.

Editor’s Note: Paul Rycroft, CPA is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Fi-

nancial Services in Alice, 604 E. Second St.668-1212 or email at paul.f.

[email protected]

LEADERSHIP JIM WELLS COUNTY


Cornerstone Member

1600 E. Main Alice

For the last 13 years, the Leadership Jim Wells County classes have been head-ing to the state capitol to study Texas gov-ernment. This year’s class was no differ-ent. The class met with staff members of Texas Representative Yvonne Gonzalez-Toureilles on their first stop at the capitol. “We are glad to have you here. Represen-tative Toureilles has been a supporter of your program,” Nelson Salinas, Chief of Staff, told the class. “We are fortunate to be able to assist you with emphasis on state government. The class’ first session met with the state parliamentarian’s office as they learned how bills are introduced in both the house and the senate side of the legislature. The class also received an inside as to what key legislature awaits the next session in 2009. Salinas followed with a one-on-one with the class about the legislative session with discussing items pertinent to the Alice area. After lunch at the Capitol Grill, it was time for some Texas History with a tour of the Capitol Bldg. “This is something unique, something you don’t get to see often,” class member Ra-chel Munoz said. “I really enjoyed the tour.” As part of the Texas history and govern-ment lesson, the class visited the historical Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library. “This is something you can bring your whole family to see and enjoy,” class member Dee Dee Arismendez said. “I know my son would love this. He would read everything posted on every display and really have a good time here.” While at the library, some class members viewed a video on President Johnson while others did a self-paced tour of the exhibits that included a mock of the Oval Office. The following day had the class headed back to the Capitol for a briefing with the Texas Comptroller’s Office. Their meeting with the press secretary had the class lis-tening about state taxes – how they are col-lected, the rate of return for cities and counties as well as insight on some Hotel Motel Taxes as well. Following the briefing, the class headed to

Class studies local government

the Visitor’s Center and Museum for last minutes gifts and more Texas history. The class reconvenes on Thursday, March 13th when the class studies Lead-ership and Ethics.

LJWC members Letty Uribe, Yvette John-son, Irene Jarrett, Mary Salinas, Dee Dee Arismendez and Rachel Munoz repre-sented the class in Austin in February as they studied state government.

A Rainbow Beginning A&B Hearing & Audiology Center AT&T A&W Investments Sunset Terrace A-1 Quality Fence Acetylene Oxygen Company Adcock Pipe & Supply AEP Texas Alamo Lumber Company Alice Autoplex, Inc. Alice Board of Realtors Alice Body & Paint Alicecalendar.com Alice Cash & Carry Alice Counseling Center Alice Country Club Alice Echo-News Journal Alice Family Eye Center Alice Fire Fighters Asso. Alice Feeder Supply, Inc. Alice Heart Center Alice High School Alice Housing Authority Alice Hub City Lions Club Alice Mini Storage Alice Motor Inn Alice Optimist Club Alice Paint & Decorating Alice Pest Control, Inc. Alice Police Officers Asso. Alice Radiator & Muffler Shop Alice Shoe Shop Alice Truck Parts *AMBIT Energy American Cancer Society *Amerigroup Community Care Ameriprise Financial Andrews Distributors Astromatic Car/Truck Wash Atkinson - Wonders B&J Air & Pump Baker Auto Sales Ball-Montez Electric Company Barker, Paulette Bedgood, R.E. & Sons Best Western Executive Inn Betty Allison Realtors. Inc. Bob Hays Western Store Bordeaux Apartments Border Title Group Bowden Ford Bradfords Motor Cars BriteStar Bruce Seidel, CPA Brush Country Bank Brush Country Claims Buckhorn Mini Storage Business Network Int’l South TX Byron W. Blair, P.C. C.A. Jackson, Inc. C.A.W. Company Inc. Cameron Village Apts. Carlisle Insurance Agency

Casa De Kleberg Century 21 Hallmark Chiles Sales & Service CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Alice Church’s Fried Chicken City Plumbing & Heating Coastal Bend Aviators Coastal Bend Blood Center Coastal Bend College Coastal Community & Teachers CPL Retail Energy Coastal Community & Teachers Credit Union Coastal Plains MHMR Center Community Action Corporation Constellation New Energy Copy Center Cornelius, Nettie Covance Research Products Cowley Supply Company Coym, Rehmet & Gutierrez Engs. Curves CVS Dairy Burger Dan’s Processing Center, Inc. Day, Michael & Melanea Days Inn Dean, Homer Dee Dee C. Arismendez, Independ-ent Contractor Home Interiors DeLaune Drilling Service *Devon Energy Dixie Iron Works MSI, Ltd. Direct Energy Dominguez, Becky Dr. Alejandro Lopez Dr. Bandeira Teixeira Dr. Gary T. Cloud, O.D. Dr. Roel Garza & Assoc. Family Dentistry Dr. William Nisimblat, M.D. Edward Jones Investments Edwards Furniture EnDyn OMS, Inc. Eye Care Optical FESCO, Inc. FireHouse Gym First Community Bank First State Bank of San Diego *First United Methodist Church Fleet Pride S.W. Region Flournoy Production Company Flowers Machine & Welding Co. Fox, Smolen & Associates Frank’s Services & Equipment Garza, Daniel Garza, Joe Frank Richard J. Garza, P.C. Gilbert’s Fine Jewelry *Goodwill of South Texas Guaranty Title & Abstract Gulf Coast Federal Credit Union H&S Constructors, Inc. Half Hour Photo - Jackson Enterprises

Halliburton Services Heart of America Shows *Heart to Heart Homecare Hispanic Heritage Committee Holiday Inn Express Holmgreen Mortuary Hospitality House Hub City Glass Humpal Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Hunter Petroleum Hunter-Ash Oil Co. Immanuel Lutheran Church International Bank of Commerce Jasso Insurance Jigger JWC Fair Association Joe’s Plumbing Johnny’s Blooming Shop Johnson, Yvette Joleen’s Merle Norman Cosmetics Kansas City Southern K.C. Hall Keetch & Associates Kennemer Ranches & Real Estate Kleberg First National Bank KOPY 92.1 FM L&F Distributors L&L Janitorial Services La Copita Ranch La Paloma Nursing Center - Sava Senior Care Lack’s Furniture Store Larry Clack’s Furniture Law Office of Valentin Colmenero Lawrence B. Cornelius & Co. Lemon & Gonzalez-Lemon LLP Loomis International Lopez Finance Love Chrysler Dodge Jeep Madiley’s Monogramming *Maurices McCoys McDonalds McGill Ranch, Ltd. McNinch, Leon CPA Miller, HL Model Key Shop Mullen, Bob Munoz, Rachel Murdoch Welding N&S Air Conditioning Neff’s Plumbing Service *Nevill Business Machines Inc *New York Life Insurance New Sound Hearing Aid Nortex Bakery & Fast Foods North Point Computers Page Water Well Drilling Paladium Bowl

*Phoinix Global LLC Picture Perfect Sanitizing Platinum Slickline Service Inc. Plaza Four Popeye’s Port of Corpus Christi *PrimeAmerica Financial Services Prosperity Bank Raul Ramirez - State Farm Insurance Ray Vess Jewelers Richardson’s Water Well Drilling Right of Way Service Inc. Rios, Margot Robert Molina - State Farm Insurance Robstown Meat Market & Catering Rush Truck Center, Alice Rushing & Gonzalez Saldivar Coastal Services, Inc. Sandoval, Ruben Scott Bearing Company Scottish Inn Sears Authorized Dealer Store SERCO of Texas, Inc. Sherwin-Williams Silva, David Sluggers Sports Bar Small Business Development Center SNBL USA, Ltd. South Texas Defensive Driving South Texas Museum South Texas Screening - Driving School South Texas Traveler St. Elizabeth Catholic School St. Joseph Catholic School *Star Light Limo Service State Rep Yvonne Gonzalez-Toureilles Steamatic of Alice Steve Costley Advertising Tasco Tool Service, Inc. Tem Miller Golf Shop Texas Champion Bank Texas Star *The Tint Shop Third Coast Squadron Tractor Supply Company Tri-Point Energy Services, Inc. Truckers Equipment Tutti Frutti Delight Tyrone City Barber Shop Unique Transformation *Vence Lonestar Motors V.F.W. Post 8621 Walker, Jack Wal-Mart, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank WorkSorce Network Inc. Write Shop *Indicates new 2008 new member

Thank You 2008 Alice Chamber of Commerce Members

Alice Chamber of Commerce 612 East Main P.O. Box 1609 Alice, Texas 78332

Membership Benefits •Two FREE classified listings in the Chamber web-

site: www.alicetx.org •FREE Subscription to Alice Business Today, the of-

ficial Chamber monthly newsletter •Annual Membership Directory/Buyer’s Guide list-

ing all members, including a classified directory for member businesses

•Advertising opportunities in Chamber publications to promote your business

•Membership Services which include FREE Busi-ness Announcement/Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies, Conference Room Rentals and Mailing Lists

•Networking Opportunities through Chamber activi-ties to make valuable contacts and promote your business

•Opportunities to get involved in the Chamber’s vol-unteer working committees to help build a stronger economy and bright future for our community

•Access to economic and statistical information through the Chamber office

•Support of a professional staff that works fulltime for you and your fellow members

Objectives The following objectives have been established by the Alice Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:

•To encourage and advance the growth of existing industries and businesses.

•To provide all proper assistance to any new firms, professional or individuals seeking to locate in the Alice area.

•To serve as liaison with all government, civic and educational entities, and law enforcement agencies in Alice and Jim Wells County.

•To increase our membership and provide quality service for our members.

•To identify and assist in obtaining funding to accomplish the ob-jectives of the Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on how to get involved and benefit as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, call (361) 664-3454, or stop by the of-fice located at 612 E. Main, Alice, Texas.

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