"The Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to have such a cutting-edge company as Hypernet Communications be a member of our organization," said Greg Solomon, President of the Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce. "It is excellent companies such as Hypernet Communications, which have allowed our organization to be named National Chamber of theYear."

The Burleson Chamber was officially founded in 1966, and over the years, has grown into a membership of 1025 currently for 2001. With the growth of Burleson and surrounding areas, the Chamber has improved membership benefits to recruit new businesses and sustain current members.

"Being a Burleson Chamber member will provide Hypernet with additional resources to facilitate our growth, such as marketing opportunities, benefit programs, and networking events with the other local businesses," Mandy Calhoun, Vice President of Marketing for Hypernet said. "In return, Hypernet will offer the Burleson community premier Internet services that will be local to them."

"We are excited about becoming a part of the Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce and Burleson community," Ms. Calhoun said.

The Texas Senate recently passed a bill into law, which amended Section 25.084 of the Education Code. The new Section 25.0811 prohibits school districts from beginning instruction before the week in which August 21st falls, with Sunday considered the first day of the week.

There has been some concern from both teachers and students about losing most of the August month of summer vacation. With the new law stating districts should begin the week of August 21st, for the school year 2002, one high school teacher says it will benefit the students.

"I think that the students perform better starting later in the summer because it's so hot out in early August, especially for football and band practice," said Tonya Andrews, Cleburne High School teacher. "It is a good idea to start later in the summer because of the expense to air-condition the schools. It will save money all the way around."

However, this new law does not restrict local districts of choosing a date to begin the new 2002 school year. If a district requests to waive the requirement produced by the new law, there are several steps it must take to begin instruction before the week of August 21st.

These steps include submitting an application at least 60 days before the date, publishing a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the district, and holding a public hearing. The amendment allows modification of the date of the first day of instruction for districts that operate year-round on either a single-track or multi-track calendar.

Whether districts request waiving the requirement or abiding by the new law, many students and teachers will have hope of experiencing a longer summer vacation. However, the 2001 school year has already begun for many local districts. The following is a list of start dates for North Texas ISDs.

2001 ISD Start Dates

District	Start Date		District	Start Date
Allen	August 6		Greenville	August 21
Arlington	August 13		Hillsboro	August 22
Azle	August 13		Hurst/Euless/Bedford	August 20
Burleson	August 20		Irving	August 23
Carrolton/Farmers Branch	August 14		Joshua	August 13
Cedar Hill	August 13		Keene	August 13
Cleburne	August 13		Keller	August 6
Coppell	August 15		Kopperl	August 20
Crowley	August 23		Lancaster	August 13
Dallas	August 15		Lewisville	August 14
De Soto	August 15		Mansfield	August 13
Denton	August 21		Mesquite	August 14
Eagle Mountain/Saginaw	August 9		Mineral Wells	August 15
Ennis	August 15		Paris	August 15
Fort Worth	August 21		Plano	August 2
Frisco	August 13		Richardson	August 21
Garland	August 13		Rio Vista	August 20
Granbury	August 22		Rockwall	August 17
Grapevine/Colleyville	August 15		Weatherford	August 20

Picnics, Potlucks and Barbecues
Picnics, potlucks and barbecues are wonderful ways to celebrate with family and friends this summer. But whatever your plans, prepare and transport the food safely. Whether your event is an elaborate affair for a few dozen friends and relatives or a simple cookout for several close friends, planning will help prevent food borne illnesses common during the summer months.

When Transporting Food:

• Be sure your cooler keeps foods at 40ºF or plan foods that aren't as perishable. Keep drinks in a separate cooler, because it will be opened more often.
• Don't partially pre-cook meat or poultry before transporting. If it must be pre-cooked, cook until done then chill it before packing in the cooler.
• Plan ahead to take just enough food so that you won't have to worry about leftovers.
• Take-out foods like fried chicken or barbecue should be eaten within 2 hours of purchase or thoroughly chilled before adding to the cooler and transporting.
• If you take hot food, wrap the dish in aluminum foil and towels to keep it above 140ºF. If you are taking a long trip, it may be best not to take a hot dish.
• Pack condiments in small containers rather than taking whole jars.
• Keep the cooler in the shade at your destination and be sure to replenish ice often.

• Make sure all utensils, plates and cooking surfaces are clean, and your hands are washed well before handling food.
• When meat is cooked, transfer to a clean plate or platter - never place cooked meat on a platter which held raw meat.
• The USDA recommends fully cooking meats to ensure bacteria is destroyed. To be sure bacteria is destroyed, hamburgers and ribs should be cooked to 160ºF or until the center is no longer pink and juices are clear. Cook ground poultry to 165ºF and poultry parts to 180ºF. Reheat pre-cooked meats until steaming hot.
• Never reuse marinades that have come in contact with raw meat, chicken or fish.

Now that you have the basic rules for a safe picnic, potluck or barbecue, here are a few recipes that will make your guests' mouths water.

Slow Grilled Beef Ribs

Ingredients

• 4 pounds beef short ribs
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Combine everything but the ribs into a non-reactive bowl. Mix well. Place the ribs in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over them. Make sure the ribs are evenly coated. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Preheat the grill and prepare for indirect grilling. When the grill is hot, remove ribs from marinade and place on the grill to cook indirectly. Discard the marinade. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, turning every 15 minutes.

Super Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds (about 6 large) russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 8 radishes, chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped bread and butter pickles
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 1-ounce envelope Ranch salad dressing mix
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Place russet potatoes in large pot. Add water to cover. Boil until potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 35 minutes. Cool the potatoes completely, peel and dice. Place the potatoes in large bowl, then add the next 7 ingredients.

Mix buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, dressing mix, mustard and dillweed in small bowl. Pour over potato mixture and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 6.

Smoked Corn on the Cob

Ingredients

• 6 to 12 ears of corn with the husks still on
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

Directions
Gently pull back the husks on each ear of corn. Remove the silk but not the husks. Place the ears in a large pan and fill with water to cover the corn. Let it sit for several hours. Remove from water, brush the corn with olive oil and add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the green onions. Pull the husks back over the corn. Prepare smoker. The ears of corn will need to smoke at 225ºF for about 1 1/2 hours. When done smoking, pull back the husks and eat.

The previous recipes are compliments of About.com and Bon Appétit.

Great friends and family, great food; you are the master of your cooking domain. Bon Appétit!