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Eagle Pass

Yet another accident on Highway 277 has left two injured near the community of Normandy, north of Eagle Pass. The two victims were taken to the emergency room at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center. According to preliminary information, one of the victims hails from Eagle Pass, the other from Del Rio. The victim from Del Rio was identified as Humberto Flores, 70. The victim from Eagle Pass was identified as Humberto Mondragon, 40, who resides in Quemado. The accident occurred at approximately 5:00 P.M. and the two vehicles involved were a Jeep Liberty and a GMC Yukon, both of which were completely destroyed. Authorities informed The News Gram that the accident forced the closure of the highway and motorists were asked to take alternate routes until approximately 8:00 A.M. the next morning. Sheriff deputies and emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene to aid the victims and an ambulance transported them to the hospital. The accident and its causes remain under investigation.

(StatePoint)

Then it comes to healthy finances, periodically evaluating one’s budget and savings goals is crucial. Unfortunately, most people don’t do enough reflection. According to a recent survey by Ally Bank, only 15 percent of consumers check their bank account daily. “If you’re looking to shape up your finances, you’ll want to have a concrete plan. Without one, it will be harder to meet your goal,” advises Di Morais, deposits and innovation executive at Ally Financial. “Drawing up a budget, and allotting a portion of each paycheck to savings is crucial to short and long-term financial health.”

Here are some tips to get started:

Build a Budget

Budgeting can help you better understand your financial situation, save for the future and pay your bills today. By tracking spending, you can pinpoint which expenditures can be eliminated or trimmed, leading to greater savings over the coming months. Just be sure to perform a regular self-review so you stay true to your budget. And don’t be afraid to edit your plan as needed. Perform a Checking Check Up Don’t settle for an outdated or inconvenient checking account that offers little to no return in interest. Some newer checking accounts offer daily compounded interest on checking balances. Consider options that have additional perks, such as card-linked offers and deals. A direct or online bank is a good bet, as they typically have lower operating costs compared to traditional banks and can offer you competitive rates.

Connect Anywhere, Anytime

Don’t leave a literal paper trail! Opt for a bank that allows you to perform transactions online or by phone. Not only is this a faster, more convenient way to bank, you can also keep track of your finances in real time. Don’t forget to research the availability of your financial institution. Look for features like 24/7 live customer service and online chat.

Earn While Saving

If you’re looking to earn on short-term savings without a hard commitment, consider CDs and other short-term savings options. Even an interest-bearing savings account can be a good alternative. The ability to adjust your rate, should interest rates increase, can be very advantageous. For example, Ally Bank offers “Raise Your Rate” Two- and Four-Year CDs which allow customers to raise their rate once or twice respectively during the CD term should rates increase.

Plan for Retirement

Setting aside enough money for retirement is the primary concern among the majority of consumers, according to a recent survey. In addition to participating in employer-sponsored plans, consider bolstering individual savings and look to bank with an institution that can provide products such as IRAs. More money management ideas and strategies can be found online at www.ally.com. With a little planning, you can become a more financially secure you.

Austin, Texas

The University of Texas at Austin could generate as much as $490 million in savings and new revenue over a decade while enhancing its excellence in teaching and research, according to a report submitted by private sector experts who have reviewed university operations. The Committee on Business Productivity, which was chaired by Steve Rohleder, chief executive of Accenture Health and Public Service, recommended changing how campus administrative units are organized by implementing shared services;  modifying its business practices to better foster an environment that will lead to increased commercialization of faculty research; and better leveraging university assets. “Universities are not simply businesses, but in the specific ways that they are like businesses — processing applications, supporting information technology, reimbursing travel, buying outside services, turning lights on and off, printing and mailing and so forth — they ought to be following the best  business practices,” President Bill Powers said. “To do otherwise, as the recipient of both tax dollars and tuition dollars, is to betray the public trust.” In a speech to the UT Austin community, Powers endorsed the direction and objectives of the report. He welcomed it as a key step in an ongoing process of making UT Austin — already one of the most efficient research universities in the nation — even more productive. He said he and campus leaders will review the specific proposals and develop an implementation plan.

The 13-member committee, which was appointed by Powers last spring, presented three broad types of recommendations:

• Consolidating business and administrative functions now spread across individual colleges and offices. This could save the university up to $200 million over 10 years and, Powers said, could be achieved largely through natural job attrition. These changes would not affect the university’s decentralized academic structure, under which teaching and research are coordinated by faculty members, departments and colleges

• Streamlining the process for licensing UT-generated technology. The university should license as many projects as possible and let the private sector pick the “winners.”

• Better leveraging university assets, such as selling excess power, or changing the business model for food, housing and parking services. As with all the recommendations, the potential impact on students, staff and faculty will be carefully reviewed before any such changes are implemented. “The committee strongly shares President Powers’ goal of making UT Austin the No. 1 public university in America and believes these recommendations are an important means to that end,” Rohleder wrote in the executive summary of the report. “If successful, The University of Texas would be the first university in America to overhaul its operational models in all three areas under consideration.” The committee recommended that someone with significant leadership skills and power to push these reforms be appointed to the task. Powers has tapped university vice president and chief financial officer Kevin Hegarty to lead implementation of the recommendations, a process that is expected to actively involve the campus, span several years and be carried out in multiple stages. The committee was not charged with reviewing the university’s academic offerings, many of which are already being transformed or have been reformed during the past decade through such initiatives as the establishment of the School of Undergraduate Studies, the development of Signature Courses and the creation of the Course Transformation Project.