By Joe Baker

An accident involving a handgun took the life of a two-year-old girl in Panna Maria Friday evening.

According to information from the sheriff’s office and DPS, Panna Maria resident Jason Jansky (25) was taking apart a handgun around 6 p.m. when the accident happened.

Earlier in the day Jansky had learned how to take the gun apart and put it back together and he was showing his wife Jennifer how to take the gun apart. At the time, the Jansky’s two-year-old daughter Neveah was playing a video game in the same room just a few feet away from her parents.

The gun discharged and a single bullet entered the child in the neck and exited through her upper torso.

CUERO - The tragic accident in Karnes County on Friday that took the life of a 2-year-old is a solemn reminder of rules that should be followed when handling firearms.

Law enforcement investigators said the toddler's father was "disassembling" a handgun he was not familiar with when it fired and struck the child.

Cuero Police Chief Glenn Mutchler said his first rule in firearm safety is, "always handle it like it's loaded. Then double check to make sure it's not loaded. Then check it again. It's also a good idea if there is no one else in the area if you are going to clean a weapon."

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2007 — Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Connor today announced the availability of $8.9 million in grants for communities without broadband service to provide residential service and connect facilities such as police and fire stations, health care, libraries and schools.

"The Community Connect Grant Program has proved to be effective in reaching those rural communities where broadband service is least likely to be deployed," Conner said. "Connecting residents and essential community facilities improves local services and the protection of the citizens of these communities."

The De-Go-La RC&D Board of Directors are pleased to announce that they are co-sponsoring an advanced grant writing course along with Coastal Bend College and the San Antonio River Authority, featuring Mr. Larry Lancaster, President of Eagle Grant Services, Inc.

This workshop is for individuals with some experience in writing grant proposals who are interested in learning advanced techniques.

The course will be offered on Tuesday, August 7th through Thursday August 9th at the Beeville Campus of Coastal Bend Community College.

This is a hands-on workshop that teaches such topics as: methodology, evaluation & outcome objectives; vertical and horizontal methods of writing; budget preparation; and complete proposal organization.

A fee will be charged for the course that will cover all course materials, meals, and refreshments for the three-day course.

Registration will be limited to twenty-five (25) participants. The deadline for early registration is July 31, 2007.

For more information, call the De-Go-La RC&D office at 361-570-7138.