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In 18k gold with diamonds set in platinum, $6,850. Thepeoplewantto protect the environment. Nation By Rob Stein THE WASHINGTON POST WASHINGTON More than 91,000 babies were mistreated in their first year of life in the United States in 2006, according to the first national estimate of abuse of the youngest, most vulnerable children. The report was prepared by federal officials on the basis of cases substantiated by state and local protective services agencies. Although the report focused on non-fatal maltreatment, officials estimated that abuse killed an additional 499 children in 2006 before their 1st birthday.

a picture that you even want to imagine that this number of infants are being said Ileana Ariasof the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which prepared the report. More than one-third of the non-fatal abuse occurred in the first week of life, with most involving neglect rather than purposeful physical abuse, according to the analysis of data from the national child abuse system. Under federal law, states since 1993 have filed with a federal database reports of all abuse cases verified by investigators. The inquiries can be triggered by suspicions raised by medical and social services personnel, law enforcement, teachers, day-care providers, parents, relatives, neighbors or friends. Officials expressed dismay at the magnitude of the problem.

For the study, researchers examined data collected in fiscal year 2006 from 44 states plus the District of Columbia through the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. A total of 905,000 children were reported to have been abused that year, including 91,278 younger than 1 year, according to the analysis published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Of the children abused in the first year of life, more than 84 percent 35,455 were less than a month old and of those, more than 84 percent 29,881 were less than a week old. Most of the abuse 68 percent was considered neglect. 91,000 babies abused by age 1 Most less than month old, victims of neglect By Maurice Possley TRIBUNE CORRESPONDENT VOCA, Texas As he stridesthrough his vineyard wearing a wide-brimmed hat and tan coveralls, the years fall away so easily from Alphonse Dotsonthat, even at can picture him lining up at defensive tackle for the Raiders.

While nearly 40 years have passed since Dotson was tossing aside blockers, he remains an imposing the result of 70-hour work weeks tending some of the most prized grapes in Texas. His broad grin and outstretched hand belie his fearsome football image as he greets visitors to his 83-acre vineyard northwest of Austin. His handshake, which threatens, but crush, reveals the calluses that come from hard work. Here, at Certenberg Vineyards, 1,800 plants in produced what some say are the best cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay grapes in the Texas Hill Country. Wine is hot in Texas and the wine coming out of the Hill Country is winning numerous awards.

In January, Saveur maga- zineincluded Dotson and the vineyard in its 10th annual list of 100 favorites in the world of food. As the market for peanuts dried up and cattle prices fell, some Texans turned to winemaking after discovering that the area north and west of San Antonio and Austin contains soil that grows excellent grapes. While Texas pales in comparison to California, the top wine producer, the Lone Star state now has more than 150 wineries and Dotson pre- dictshe will own a winery there too. For now, Dotson and his wife, Martha, grow the grapes and sell of Fall Creek Vineyards, located near Llano. Fall Creek is the oldest of the Hill Country wineries and the third largest.

Ed Auler, Fall Creek owner, said wines made with grapes have won major awards. has got a lot of different soils and micro-climates and when you can match them up, you can grow some good Auler said in an interview. phonse has demonstrated the ability to grow world- class grapes there. They are the best in From gridiron to grapes How does a native of Houston, graduate of Grambling University with a degree in fine arts and a career in the National Football League wind up growing grapes and becoming president of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association? After hanging up his NFL cleats in 1970, Dotson played in the Canadian Football League, then worked variously as a concert and sporting event promoter, sports agent much like roughneck oil field trucker before taking time to travel to Africa, South America and Mexico. In 1983, Dotson settled into a life of leisure in Acapulco.

thought I would retire in the middle and work he says with a deep chuckle. He fell in love and married Martha Cervantes and they started a family. By 1994, they were ready to leave Acapulco. thought, I have to do something Dotson says. is it going to be? And I thought, going to do That a just a bolt from the a youngster, Dotson had seen the grape arbor at the Houston home of his grandfather, Alphonse Certenberg.

said to my grandfather, can grow grapes in And he just Decades later, Dotson began to research grape-growing with a passion. mother told me, used to worry that you might become a gambler and now you are taking the biggest gamble of them Dotson says. Former teammates me I was crazy. I just told them I can read and I can Dotson says. So he met with scientists at the University of California department of viticulture and enology (the study of grape-growing and wine- making), and winemakers in the Hill Country.

He studied soil maps. A winning streak His search for land took him northwest of Austin on state Highway 71 (his NFL number) toward Brady, relatives on his side had lived years earlier. He wound up 120 miles from Austin in Voca, an eye-blink town; population 50. There, he found the red soil he had been looking for. And it was just about that time that he was handling the negotiations for his son, Santana Dotson, a defensive tacklefor the Tampa Bay Buccaneerswho had become a free agent.

When a deal was cut with the Green BayPackers, Dotson used his commission to buy the 83 acres that now in- clude29 acres of grapevines. He and Martha left their four-story house in Acapulco for a warehouse-style home with a concrete floor. The first planting was on May 4, 1997, and four days later, 2 inches of rain fell. It was the beginning of a heady run for Dotson. In 1999, the vineyard produced nearly 25 tons of grapes.

In 2000, the crop grew to 77 tons and the bounty topped 100 tons in 2001 and 2002. Along the way, Martha worked side by side with her husband in the vineyard. is a labor of she said. come to love the plants like children and you realize that only God can make this so And then, Big as Dotson refers to God, me For three consecutive years he was hit by major freezes that damaged his vines and crippled his crop, cutting it to as low as 11 tons two years ago. Now Dotson says he has installed a sprinkler system to protect the grapes during freezes.

Dotson acknowledges that he has led a varied life. this is a good he says. being humbled by the Big Guy, not taking things for granted. working hard to be goal is to work back to 100 tons and then beginning toset aside some to have our own winery and develop our own Dotson says. and Martha are about as conscientious and work as hard as any two people I Auler said.

they have a world-class site. The grapes are a joy to NFL vet is Texas MVP In a place known more for cows than cabernet, Alphonse vines raise the game Photos for the Tribune by Brian Harkin A longhorn cow wanders the rows of vines at Certenberg Vineyards, a Texas outfit owned by ex-athlete Alphonse Dotson. Alphonse Dotson and his wife, Martha, work side by side in the vineyard. mother told me, used to worry that you might become a gambler and now you are taking the biggest gamble of them Dotson, owner of Certenberg Winery, an 83-acre vineyard northwest of Austin Product: CTMAIN PubDate: 04-04-2008 Zone: ALL Edition: HD Page: NATION-3 User: sjnovak Time: Color:.