Amarillo area business news from BSA, wheat conference, tax holiday, more
Amarillo Globe-News
7 min read
BSA setting the gold standard for stroke care for fifth consecutive year
For the fifth consecutive year, BSA Health System (BSA) has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
According to a news release, BSA also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival and treatment with the clot-buster medication known as a ‘thrombolytic’.
“We are proud to be recognized as a leader in stroke prevention and treatment for the fifth year in a row,” said BSA Vice President of Cardiovascular Services Matt Parker. “This achievement shows our stroke team’s commitment to providing patients the best comprehensive care from the first sign of a stroke to discharge from the hospital.”
According to the American Heart Association, strokes are the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are vital to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care aligns with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines.
“BSA is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said BSA Chief Medical Officer Michael Lamanteer, M.D. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which can help patients recover better. The goal is to ensure more people in the region can experience longer, healthier lives.”
For more information about the stroke services at BSA Health System, visit bsahs.org/stroke.
Third annual Empowering Through Education Conference to be held in partnership with Panhandle Gives training
Registration is open for the third annual Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Texas Plains Chapter Empowering Though Education Conference featuring the 2023 campaign training for The Panhandle Gives. The full day conference will be held Aug. 17 at AmTech Career Academy, located at 3601 Plains Blvd. in Amarillo.
Participants can register online at https://bit.ly/44RRHeF. The cost to attend is $50 for AFP members and $75 for non-members. Scholarships are available, thanks to the support of the Mary E. Bivins Foundation.
“AFP Texas Plains is growing and doing great things for local professionals working in the non-profit sector,” Lesly Bosch Annen, AFP Texas Plains Chapter president, said in a news release. “If someone is raising money for an organization in any capacity, they should attend this full-day conference.”
The conference will feature a keynote address from Russell James, Ph.D., the charitable giving program director for the Texas Tech University School of Financial Planning. His presentation, “Using Storytelling in Major and Planned Gifts Fundraising: New Findings, Ancient Origins and Practical Tips,” will help teach fundraisers how to connect with the donor’s life story through ancient origins, practical techniques and the latest research findings in order to more effectively encourage major gifts and gifts in wills.
Additional afternoon session topics include fundraising basics, donor stewardship, strategic planning and major gifts. Lunch will be provided. The morning training for The Panhandle Gives is free for attendees. For more information, visit www.afptxplains.com.
Annual Wheatheart Wheat Conference set for Aug. 10 in Perryton
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host the 25th annual Wheatheart Wheat Conference on Aug. 10 at the Ochiltree County Expo Center, 402 Expo Drive in Perryton.
“The 2023 wheat crop in Ochiltree County and surrounding counties was the worst crop in over 20 years due to extreme drought beginning in the fall of 2022 until early May,” said Scott Strawn, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Ochiltree County. “However, producers are more positive about fall planting. ... Above average rainfall has replenished the soil moisture profile, and the price outlook is strong. Our goal at this conference is to give producers up-to-date information to encourage them to go for it to make a much better crop in 2024.”
Registration is $10 at the door beginning at 8:30 a.m., with the program from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Topics to be addressed include:
Wheat Market Outlook and Marketing Strategies, Mark Welch, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist-grain marketing in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Bryan-College Station.
General Insect Management Considerations for Wheat, Jose Santiago-Gonzalez, AgriLife Extension entomologist in the Department of Entomology, Amarillo.
Variety Selection for High Grain and Forage Yields, and Weed Management Consideration, Jourdan Bell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Amarillo.
Update from Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association, Darby Campsey, Texas Wheat Producers director of communications and producer relations, Amarillo.
For more information, contact the AgriLife Extension offices in Ochiltree, 806-435-4501; Hemphill, 806-323-9114; Lipscomb, 806-435-4601; Hansford, 806-659-4130; or Roberts Co., 806-868-3191.
Parking lots like this one at Target were crowded as Texas Panhandle residents take advantage of the state of Texas' sales tax holiday in this 2020 file photo.
Texas Sales Tax Holiday weekend set for Aug. 11-13
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday, scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11-13.
State law exempts sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. The dates of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the Texas Legislature.
“As Texans prepare for the back-to-school bell, this is the perfect time to take advantage of the opportunity to save money on everything from blue jeans to ballpoint pens,” Hegar said. “As the father of three, I know how these expenses can add up.”
The Comptroller’s office estimates that shoppers will save $136 million in state and local sales tax during this sales tax holiday. Apparel and school supplies that may be purchased tax free are listed on the Comptroller’s website at TexasTaxHoliday.org.
Walmart kicks off Application Period for Open Call 2023
Today, Walmart began accepting applications for its tenth annual Open Call event, inviting small business owners and entrepreneurs everywhere to apply for the opportunity to pitch their products to be sold on Walmart or Sam's Club shelves or on Walmart.com. Applications are open until Aug. 18.
Open Call is at the heart of Walmart's 10-year, $350 billion commitment to strengthening U.S. manufacturing by sourcing products that are made, grown or assembled in the U.S., and it was instrumental to Walmart achieving its previous $250 billion commitment, a news release states. Open Call will take place on Oct. 24 and 25 this year, during Manufacturing Month 2023.
Open Call began back in 2014, when Walmart first opened its doors to more than 500 businesses with dreams of selling their U.S.-made products to millions of Walmart customers. Since then, Open Call has provided more and more opportunities, with over 1,100 small and medium businesses participating last year. To discover new Open Call entrepreneurs, Walmart is taking its U.S. manufacturing initiative on the road with the first-ever Walmart: Made Local trailer tour. The tour kicked off on July 10 in Frederick, Md., with additional stops in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Chicago. Entrepreneurs who visit the trailer can record a video to apply for Open Call 2023 and meet local Walmart suppliers who earned deals at previous Open Calls.
Walmart also launched its Lead with Local snacks initiative earlier this year. Through this initiative, Walmart sells locally made snacks prominently in stores, connecting customers to products from businesses in their hometowns. Over 130 Walmart stores are participating so far, with more to come.
Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.
