Gunman kills 3 people, injures 2 in Swiss village

Police vehicles in the village of Daillon after a shooting, in Switzerland, early Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. A man shot and killed three people and wounded another two in a Swiss village, and was then arrested by officers who shot and injured him, police said Thursday. Police in the southern canton (state) of Valais said they were alerted to the shooting in the village of Daillon just before 9 p.m. (20:00GMT) Wednesday. Three of the victims died at the scene and the two injured people were taken to hospitals. A police statement early Thursday gave no detail on their injuries. (AP Photos/Keystone, Olivier Maire)

Police vehicles in the village of Daillon after a shooting, in Switzerland, early Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. A man shot and killed three people and wounded another two in a Swiss village, and was then arrested by officers who shot and injured him, police said Thursday. Police in the southern canton (state) of Valais said they were alerted to the shooting in the village of Daillon just before 9 p.m. (20:00GMT) Wednesday. Three of the victims died at the scene and the two injured people were taken to hospitals. A police statement early Thursday gave no detail on their injuries. (AP Photos/Keystone, Olivier Maire)

A view of the village of Daillon after a shooting, in Switzerland, early Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. A man shot and killed three people and wounded another two in a Swiss village, and was then arrested by officers who shot and injured him, police said Thursday. Police in the southern canton (state) of Valais said they were alerted to the shooting in the village of Daillon just before 9 p.m. (20:00GMT) Wednesday. Three of the victims died at the scene and the two injured people were taken to hospitals. A police statement early Thursday gave no detail on their injuries. (AP Photos/Keystone, Olivier Maire)

Police patrol in the village of Daillon after a shooting, in Switzerland, early Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. A man shot and killed three people and wounded another two in a Swiss village, and was then arrested by officers who shot and injured him, police said Thursday. Police in the southern canton (state) of Valais said they were alerted to the shooting in the village of Daillon just before 9 p.m. (20:00GMT) Wednesday. Three of the victims died at the scene and the two injured people were taken to hospitals. A police statement early Thursday gave no detail on their injuries. (AP Photos/Keystone, Olivier Maire)

Police close off the road to Daillon after a shooting, in Switzerland, early Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. A man shot and killed three people and wounded another two in a Swiss village, and was then arrested by officers who shot and injured him, police said Thursday. Police in the southern canton (state) of Valais said they were alerted to the shooting in the village of Daillon just before 9 p.m. (20:00GMT) Wednesday. Three of the victims died at the scene and the two injured people were taken to hospitals. A police statement early Thursday gave no detail on their injuries. (AP Photos/Keystone, Olivier Maire)

GENEVA (AP) ? A man armed with an old military rifle and a handgun shot and killed three women and wounded two men in a southern Swiss village, police said Thursday.

Police shot and wounded the suspect after he threatened to also shoot officers who arrived at the scene after the shooting in the village of Daillon on Wednesday evening, said interim cantonal police chief Robert Steiner. The gunman was then arrested.

Steiner said the suspect was using a military rifle that was once standard issue in the Swiss army during the first half of the 20th century.

"The shooter pointed his weapon at our colleagues, so they had to open fire to neutralize him, to avoid being injured themselves," police spokesman Jean-Marie Bornet told Swiss radio. He said the shooter lived in Daillon, and the motive for the shooting was not clear.

Prosecutor Catherine Seppey said the shooter ? who was not identified ? knew several of the victims, but "he was not known for making threats." He was unemployed and had been receiving psychiatric care since at least 2005, when he was first admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and was under the care of the cantonal agency that provides services and counseling to the disabled, she said.

Three of the victims, aged 32, 54 and 79, died at the scene, and the two injured men, aged 33 and 63, were taken to hospitals, Seppey said.

"We have no words to express ourselves after an event like this," Christophe Germanier, head of the Conthey district where the shooting occurred, told a news conference.

It wasn't immediately clear how the shooter obtained his weapons, but the rifle is popularly sold in military surplus markets.

Guns are popular among the Swiss. There are at least 2.3 million weapons stashed among a population of less than 8 million people. Gun clubs are popular in rural parts of the country, with children as young as 10 taking part in shooting competitions.

The country's firearms laws are relaxed, but haven't led to a high gun homicide rate. They have, however, raised concern about a high incidence of firearms suicides.

All able-bodied Swiss men who are required to perform military duty often take their army-issued rifle home with them even after completing military service. In 2007, the government began requiring that nearly all of the ammo is kept at secure army depots.

In 2011, voters rejected a proposal to tighten the gun laws, siding with gun enthusiasts, sports shooters and supporters of Switzerland's citizen soldier tradition.

___

Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-03-Switzerland-Shooting/id-be474c3a207d4fb0a39fe6f4550b4e1b

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1st-grader points finger, says 'pow,' is suspended

By NBCWashington.com

A Maryland first-grader has been?suspended for pointing his fingers?like a gun at school.

The boy, a student at Roscoe Nix Elementary School in Silver Spring, was suspended for one day. The incident happened a week after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in Newtown, Conn.

The family's attorney says the 6-year-old was playing with friends, not making threats.

---

"Evidently, he was pointing his finger at someone and saying, 'Pow,'" said Robin Ficker, an attorney for the family.

More on this story from NBCWashington.com?| Previous reports

The boy's parents were scheduled to meet with school officials Wednesday.

The school system will not comment on individual disciplinary matters. But they did issue a statement detailing their typical procedure with younger students.

"Generally, in an incident involving the behavior of our younger students, we will make sure that the student and his family are well-informed of any behavior that needs to change and understand the consequences if the behavior does not change," said Montgomery County Public Schools spokesman Dana Tofig in a statement.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/02/16305850-maryland-first-grader-suspended-for-pointing-fingers-at-friends-saying-pow?lite

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Treating stable flies in pastures

Public release date: 2-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sandra Avant
Sandra.avant@ars.usda.gov
301-504-1627
United States Department of Agriculture - Research, Education and Economics

This press release is available in Spanish.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are developing strategies to help livestock producers control stable flies, the most damaging arthropod pests of cattle in the United States.

An economic impact assessment by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agroecosystem Management Research Unit (AMRU) in Lincoln, Neb., looked at four sectors of cattle production: dairy, cow/calf, pastured and range stocker, and animals on feed. They found that stable flies cost the U.S. cattle industry more than $2.4 billion each year, due to reduced milk production in dairy cows, decreased weight gain in beef cattle, and lowered feed efficiency.

Stable flies are not only a problem in barnyards and stables for which they are named, but in pastures as well. AMRU entomologist David Taylor and his colleagues showed that this is partly due to the use of large bales of hay placed in fields as supplemental feed for cattle during winter. These feeding sites where wasted hay, manure and urine accumulate produce an ideal habit for stable flies.

To find an easy, inexpensive, quick way to control stable flies, Taylor tested cyromazine, an insect growth regulator that interferes with molting and proper development of an insect's external skeleton. A single application of cyromazine sprinkled on a hay-feeding site reduced the number of emerging adult stable flies by 97 percent. The treatment took 10 minutes, cost $10 per site and was effective for 10 to 20 weeks.

Other potential methods for controlling stable flies include what AMRU entomologist Jerry Zhu calls a "push and pull" strategy. The "push" requires using a repellent to drive flies away from livestock. Treatments contain effective plant-based repellent chemicals like catnip that are low in toxicity. The "pull" involves developing natural attractants or substances associated with the flies' environment to lure and trap them.

So far, Zhu and his team have developed several catnip oil formulations to reduce stable fly field populations. In collaboration with Microtek Laboratories, Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, the researchers are testing a new granular catnip product that prevents stable flies from laying eggs.

###

Read more about this research in the January 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan13/flies0113.htm

ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 2-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sandra Avant
Sandra.avant@ars.usda.gov
301-504-1627
United States Department of Agriculture - Research, Education and Economics

This press release is available in Spanish.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are developing strategies to help livestock producers control stable flies, the most damaging arthropod pests of cattle in the United States.

An economic impact assessment by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agroecosystem Management Research Unit (AMRU) in Lincoln, Neb., looked at four sectors of cattle production: dairy, cow/calf, pastured and range stocker, and animals on feed. They found that stable flies cost the U.S. cattle industry more than $2.4 billion each year, due to reduced milk production in dairy cows, decreased weight gain in beef cattle, and lowered feed efficiency.

Stable flies are not only a problem in barnyards and stables for which they are named, but in pastures as well. AMRU entomologist David Taylor and his colleagues showed that this is partly due to the use of large bales of hay placed in fields as supplemental feed for cattle during winter. These feeding sites where wasted hay, manure and urine accumulate produce an ideal habit for stable flies.

To find an easy, inexpensive, quick way to control stable flies, Taylor tested cyromazine, an insect growth regulator that interferes with molting and proper development of an insect's external skeleton. A single application of cyromazine sprinkled on a hay-feeding site reduced the number of emerging adult stable flies by 97 percent. The treatment took 10 minutes, cost $10 per site and was effective for 10 to 20 weeks.

Other potential methods for controlling stable flies include what AMRU entomologist Jerry Zhu calls a "push and pull" strategy. The "push" requires using a repellent to drive flies away from livestock. Treatments contain effective plant-based repellent chemicals like catnip that are low in toxicity. The "pull" involves developing natural attractants or substances associated with the flies' environment to lure and trap them.

So far, Zhu and his team have developed several catnip oil formulations to reduce stable fly field populations. In collaboration with Microtek Laboratories, Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, the researchers are testing a new granular catnip product that prevents stable flies from laying eggs.

###

Read more about this research in the January 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan13/flies0113.htm

ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/usdo-tsf010213.php

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Self Improvement And Empowerment Blog: Even You Need to be ...

Is it possible to Mother yourself when Mom's not available or nearby? I say yes. I think the best thing your mother can do for you is to teach you how to mother and nurture yourself. But let's face it - it's a skill, a talent and a gift. Doing this kind of self care requires commitment like that of a mother. But as an adult it is the #1 thing you need to become adept at.

This Mother's Day while showering or being showered by attention think of how you can become more self reliant in the self nurturing arena.

Secrets to Get YOU Started on Your Nurturing Journey:

Secret #1 -Reflect: Do you have time to reflect and think things through or are you always harried, frazzled and stressed? Well if you spend most of your days in this anxiety prone state you will not be on the road to long term health.

Learning to slow down and say no to all the distractions which take you away from your true self - your true core - will re-generate and honor your beautiful nature and soul.

Sounds like foreign territory? You must learn to nurture yourself by creating time without pressure (one of my new mottos) and taking the time to give to yourself - even just a little.

Secret #2 - Journal: I love to write I find it a source of grounding, clarity and a place where my imagination can run free. I get to work things out on paper. It's a safe and uncrowded place for me to explore and be as honest as I possibly can with myself. I know you may not find this easy to do and may in fact run from the mere mention of sitting down to write out your deep and most private thoughts. You scream out "I have no time, someone might read it, and I'm not much of a writer." Start with small steps. Remember this is a place to get to know yourself better. To get you started you may want to pick up the classic "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.

Secret #3 Allow Others to do for YOU: Alert, alert! You can not do it all by yourself! I mean you can but at what price? Do you want to constantly feel rundown while feeling virtuous about accomplishing a feat you had set out to do single handedly? Wouldn't you like to have a team helping you out all the way to the finish line? Did you know collaboration comes very naturally to women and is so much more rewarding. Women actually crave it. Better satisfy this craving that your sweet tooth. Your "team or helpers" will also feel special contributing. They will feel a part of something and have a real sense of belonging. Let them! Let go of any martyr or a saint tendencies. Come to terms with the fact that you are a mere mortal with needs and an ability to ask for help (always!).

Secret #4 Make yourself Important: But don't take yourself too seriously. Don't dismiss any thoughts or ideas you have. Value them all - they are a part of you. The worst thing you can do is attack, criticize or demean yourself in any way. You want to be supportive of yourself at all times just like a nurturing mother would be.

Secret #5 Take a Bath: Nothing like a warm, sudsy, comforting, candle-lit bath at the end of a day that says "I love me"! No I don't mean in a narcissistic way but in a loving, mothering, and accepting way.

The warmth of this simple yet soothing activity will go a long way. You will feel calmer, more relaxed and you will sleep better, too. Your calming brain chemicals, specifically Serotonin and Gaba, will be activated ensuring a deep and restful sleep.

Monika Klein, BS, CN. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the "Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach." Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika's services and programs, visit coachingforhealth.com. Providing useful self development, self empowerment and self esteem tips and reviews online.

Source: http://selfimprovementandempowerment.blogspot.com/2013/01/even-you-need-to-be-mothered.html

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Kelly a top NFL target again

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) ? One of the first questions Oregon coach Chip Kelly was asked after arriving in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl was about the possibility of coaching in the NFL.

The are-you-going-to-the-NFL questions haven't let up in the five days since and only figure to pick up after seven coaches were fired Monday.

Deflection has been Kelly's defense since the rumors started and it was no different after all those NFL openings cropped up.

"I've got a game to play," Kelly said during the Fiesta Bowl's media day on Monday. "We're playing in the Fiesta Bowl. That's the biggest thing in my life. If I allowed other things to get into my life, then they would be distractions, but there aren't. Our focus 100 percent is on the Fiesta Bowl."

Kelly has been an intriguing candidate for NFL teams for a few years.

The 49-year-old coach is known as an offensive innovator and his fast-paced, high-scoring offense has led to the most successful stretch in Oregon's history.

The fifth-ranked Ducks have gone to four straight BCS bowl games, a run that includes a trip to the 2011 national championship game, Oregon's first Rose Bowl win in 95 years last season and Thursday night's Fiesta Bowl against No. 5 Kansas State at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The speculation over the past few years has been that Kelly has his eye on an NFL job and he even talked to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year before saying he had unfinished business in Eugene.

The rumors began to pick up this season and followed him to the desert, where he's been asked about the NFL every day he's been here and has given a different version of the same answer every time.

"My heart is to win today and that's it," Kelly said. "I know everybody wants to hear a different answer. And I know that at times when I don't give you guys the answer that you guys want, then I'm being evasive. I'm not being evasive."

One reason that Kelly's stock is so high is that NFL teams are starting to embrace the hurry-all-the-time offense he has nearly perfected in Eugene.

In college, coaches have latched onto the no-huddle offense, with teams across the country employing a version of it.

NFL teams have always seemed to be reluctant to borrow from the college ranks, sticking to smash-mouth football for years even while college offenses had unprecedented success with the spread.

The mindset has changed, at least some, over the past few years as teams have looked for ways to get ahead of the defenses. Several NFL teams have gone the high-octane route on offense, including New England, Seattle, Washington and Green Bay, to a certain extent.

Kelly has been the standard-bearer for the redline approach in college. His Ducks have ranked no lower than sixth in the country in rushing yards since he became offensive coordinator in 2007 and have been in the top 10 in scoring and total offense every year but one.

With success like that, it's no wonder he's become a popular target for NFL teams.

"My whole thing since I've been here is that I'm going to do the best job I can every single day," Kelly said. "If that's good enough that other people look at me sometimes, I don't really care about that. I think too many people live in the future. We live in the moment."

The key this week will be keeping the Ducks in the moment as the rumors swirl.

Kelly is reported to be the top candidate to replace Pat Shurmur with the Cleveland Browns and would be a popular choice for the Philadelphia Eagles now that Andy Reid is gone. Arizona, Buffalo, Chicago, San Diego and Kansas City also are without coaches and could come calling on Kelly as well.

Whatever Kelly does behind the scenes, he's tried to make sure it doesn't become a distraction for his team as it prepares to play another team that had national-championship hopes that lasted deep into the season.

"I never said a word to our guys about it," Kelly said. "They understand what the task is at hand. I don't think about it. They don't think about it, so ..."

So far, it seems to be working.

Kelly's players have taken to his stick-to-what's-in-front-of-you mentality when it comes to games and have done the same thing with the rumors about their coach possibly leaving.

"It's not really distracting," Oregon running back DeAnthony Thomas said. "Our main focus is just winning this game right now and just celebrating as a team."

Celebrating or lamenting, Kelly will likely face a decision not long after it's over.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kelly-top-nfl-target-again-093259275--spt.html

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Storm impedes salvage of grounded drilling ship

This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig Kulluk aground off a small island near Kodiak Island Tuesday Jan. 1, 2013. A Coast Guard C-130 plane and a helicopter were used to fly over the grounded vessel on Tuesday morning. The severe weather did not permit putting the marine experts on board the drilling rig, which is near shore and being pounded by stormy seas. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard)

This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig Kulluk aground off a small island near Kodiak Island Tuesday Jan. 1, 2013. A Coast Guard C-130 plane and a helicopter were used to fly over the grounded vessel on Tuesday morning. The severe weather did not permit putting the marine experts on board the drilling rig, which is near shore and being pounded by stormy seas. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard)

Shell Oil incident commander Susan Childs, second from right, answers a question about the Monday night grounding of the Shell drill ship Kulluk at a press conference on Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, at the Mariott Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska. Looking on are Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith, standing, Coast Guard Commander Shane Montoya, state on-scene coordinator Alan Wien, and Garth Pulkkinen of Noble Corp., the operator of the Kulluk. The drifting Shell drill ship that broke loose from tow vessels during a severe Gulf of Alaska storm ran aground Monday in shallow water off Sitkalidak Island, company officials said. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)

In this photo provided by the United States Coast Guard, a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak conducts the 13th hoist of 18 crewmen from the mobile drilling unit Kulluk on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, 80 miles southwest of Kodiak City, Alaska. The tug Aiviq suffered problems towing the Kulluk Thursday prompting the Coast Guard to deploy cutters and aircraft to while Royal Dutch Shell dispatched additional tugs.(AP Photo/United States Coast Guard, Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) ? High seas and strong winds prevented crews from boarding an oil drilling ship to check for any damage after the large vessel went aground off an uninhabited island in the Gulf of Alaska.

A Coast Guard plane and a helicopter flew over the Kulluk on Tuesday, but severe weather didn't permit putting marine experts on board the drilling rig, which had grounded on a sand and gravel beach in stormy seas.

Federal on-scene response coordinator Capt. Paul Mehler said the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig is carrying about 143,000 gallons of diesel and about 12,000 gallons of lube oil and hydraulic fluid, and appeared stable.

"There is no sign of a release of any product," Mehler said during a news conference.

A team of company, Coast Guard and local officials said they were mobilizing spill response equipment and preparing a plan in the event of a spill in the Partition Cove and Ocean Bay areas of the island. The area is home to at least two endangered species, as well as harbor seals, salmon, and sea lions.

The storm eased Tuesday, with gusts up to 35 mph and waves up to 30 feet high, and similar conditions were expected Wednesday. Officials were hoping to get marine experts onboard to take photos and videos, and then come up with a more complete salvage plan once weather permits.

The goal was to get salvagers aboard the Kulluk and the ship refloated, Mehler said.

Mehler said a team of about 500 people was working on a plan, "with many more coming."

A Shell official said the drilling rig was built with a double-sided hull of reinforced steel that is 3 inches thick. It recently had undergone $292 million in improvements before being put into service for a short time this summer in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska's north coast.

It was being towed to Seattle for maintenance last week when it separated from a towing vessel south of Kodiak Island. Repeated attempts to maintain towing lines were unsuccessful as a severe storm passed through the area. By Monday night, tow boats guided the rig to a place where it would cause the least environmental damage and cut it loose. It grounded off the southeast side of uninhabited Sitkalidak Island, which is near the larger Kodiak Island in the gulf.

U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, expressed his concerns in a statement Tuesday.

"Oil companies keep saying they can conquer the Arctic, but the Arctic keeps disagreeing with the oil companies," Markey said. "Drilling expansion could prove disastrous for this sensitive environment."

Sean Churchfield, operations manager for Shell Alaska, said once the situation is under control, an investigation will be conducted into the cause. He did not know whether the findings would be made public.

The Coast Guard said it would be investigating and would make its findings public.

___

Associated Press staff writers Dan Joling in Anchorage and Donna Blankinship in Seattle contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-02-Shell-Arctic%20Drill%20Ship/id-52fee04bcff749fcbb1191dc88203727

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Texas judge OKs Planned Parenthood funding ban

By Chris Tomlinson, The Associated Press

Texas can cut off funding to Planned Parenthood's family planning programs for poor women, a state judge ruled Monday.

Judge Gary Harger said that Texas may exclude otherwise qualified doctors and clinics from receiving state funding if they advocate for abortion rights.?

The state has long banned the use of state funds for abortion, but had continued to reimburse Planned Parenthood clinics for providing basic health care to poor women through the state's Women's Health Program. The program provides check-ups and birth control to 110,000 poor women a year, and Planned Parenthood clinics were treating 48,000 of them.?

Planned Parenthood's lawsuit to stop the rule will still go forward, but the judge decided Monday that the ban may go into effect for now. In seeking a temporary restraining order, Planned Parenthood's patients could have continued to see their current doctors until a final decision was made.?

"We are pleased the court rejected Planned Parenthood's latest attempt to skirt state law," attorney general spokeswoman Lauren Bean said. "The Texas Attorney General's office will continue to defend the Texas Legislature's decision to prohibit abortion providers and their affiliates from receiving taxpayer dollars through the Women's Health Program."?

Ken Lambrecht, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, said he brought the lawsuit on behalf of poor women who depend on its clinics.?

"It is shocking that once again Texas officials are letting politics jeopardize health care access for women," Lambrecht said. "Our doors remain open today and always to Texas women in need. We only wish Texas politicians shared this commitment to Texas women, their health, and their well-being."?

Planned Parenthood has brought three lawsuits over Texas' so-called "affiliate rule," arguing it violates the constitutional rights of doctors and patients while also contradicting existing state law.?

Republican lawmakers who passed the affiliate rule last year have argued that Texas is an anti-abortion state, and therefore should cut off funds to groups that support abortion rights. Gov. Rick Perry, who vehemently opposes abortion, has pledged to do everything legally possible to shut down Planned Parenthood in Texas and welcomed the court's ruling.?

"Today's ruling finally clears the way for thousands of low-income Texas women to access much-needed care, while at the same time respecting the values and laws of our state," Perry said. "I applaud all those who stand ready to help these women live healthy lives without sending taxpayer money to abortion providers and their affiliates."?

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has spent the last nine months preparing to implement the affiliate rule. But federal officials warned it violated the Social Security Act and cut off federal funds for the Women's Health Program, prompting the commission to start a new program using only state money.?

State officials have also scrambled to sign up new doctors and clinics to replace Planned Parenthood. Women who previously went to Planned Parenthood clinics will now have to use the agency's web site to find a new state-approved doctor.?

On Friday, HHSC officials acknowledged they are unsure whether the new doctors can pick up Planned Parenthood's caseload in all parts of the state.?

Linda Edwards Gockel, a spokesman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said Monday that the new state program will launch as planned on Tuesday.?

"We have more than 3,500 doctors, clinics and other providers in the program and will be able to continue to provide women with family planning services while fully complying with state law," she said. "We welcome Planned Parenthood's help in referring patients to providers in the new program."?

Democratic lawmakers continued to question whether women will have to wait longer for appointments and services.?

"I vehemently disagree with the state's efforts to blacklist a qualified provider and, thereby, interfere with a woman's right to choose her own provider," said state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. "I will be submitting a letter to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, requesting a list of approved providers to gauge the outreach of the new program, and ensure that all qualified women throughout the state have access to its services."?

Another hearing is scheduled with a different judge for Jan. 11, where Planned Parenthood will again ask for an injunction to receive state funding.

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? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/16271081-texas-judge-oks-ban-on-planned-parenthood-funding?lite

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