July 9, 2008

Nell Krueger and her house guest from Dallas, John Pruitt, hosted friends Chris Bliss and wife Daisy, from Phoenix, at Mi Tierra in San Antonio recently. They were in Texas working on details for a monument to the Bill of Rights, the first Ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In June, 2007, Governor Perry signed a bill enabling construction of the monument on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol.

Laughing children is what you would have heard had you stopped by the library at 10 am on Tuesday, July 1. Close to 70 children came from as far away as Stonewall to see Ringling Bros. clown, “Bonzo Crunch” perform for the summer reading program. He played a glittering orange banjo as the guests took their seats in the large conference room of the library, and entertained with Laurel and Hardy style slapstick humor, magic tricks, and juggling.

Hill Country State Bank representatives have presented a check for $1,400 to the Hill Country Memorial Hospital Foundation. The gift, earmarked for the Health, Hope & Healing Cancer Resource Center Breast Cancer Fund, was accepted by HCMH Foundation Board Chairman, Mike Tomforde, and Cancer Resource Center Coordinator, Donna Lafferty, on July 2.

June 6-July 18 • Blanco Library Summer Reading Program: Texas Summer Reading Club Jubilee! 1958-2008. The library will host entertainers and storytellers every Friday @10 am for Blanco children to come and enjoy! In addition, if your child reads 5 books, they will earn a free ticket to The Ringling Bros.

A Mothers’ Day Out program for toddlers started last Wednesday at the Uptown Art Center. The toddlers (aged 2-5) were treated to a spirited singing of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, playing dress up, outside games, and created a “Book About Me”. They even had time for a story and healthy snack.

Everyone is invited to free Movies under the Stars at the Lyndon Johnson Ranch, an evening just like in the drive-in movie days. The dates are July 26 for Oliver! and Aug. 9 for Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. These are movies Johnson showed at the ranch and invited community members to watch. Bring the kids and grandkids, chairs, blankets, jackets, flashlight and your picnic basket about 6:00 pm for the fun activities with the movie beginning about dark.

Utter the word “spider!” and most folks run the other way. Fast. But not one Blanco woman. In fact, whenever she can, Sheryl Smith-Rodgers likes to spread the “Good Word” about spiders. This week, the Blanco Library will feature Rodgers during its Summer Reading Program, which starts at 10 a.m. Friday.

Victoria Jones and Avry Stolzman were the guests of honor at a brunch to celebrate their selection to attend Girls State this June. Victoria is from Blanco High School and Avry is from LBJ High School. Christine Huegelet, president of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 352, presented the young ladies with bouquets of flowers to represent their time to bloom.

Adult Grief Support Group - No one needs to suffer grief alone; everyone can benefit from care and support. CTMC Hospice Care provides a safe and comfortable environment through its grief support groups to express the feelings you may experience due to the death of a loved one. These services are available free of charge.

Noel- This is a wonderful movie with the girl from Little Miss Sunshine (Abigail Breslin) and the guy from Just Friends (Ryan Reynolds). I was a little confused at the end of the movie when I found out that Maya (Abigail) knew who her mother was. From the previews I assumed that the entire point of the movie was that she was trying to find out from her dad who her real mom was.

The American Red Cross will teach a full day of life-saving emergency training Saturday, July 26, at the First United Methodist Church in Johnson City. The training will include Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for adults, children and infants, first aid and the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Graduates of the class will receive ARC certification in all those areas. "CPR is what most people want, and it makes good sense to have as many of us trained as possible,"

AUSTIN - About two-thirds of the 10 million schoolchildren in Texas are not up to physical fitness standards, according to a study by a private company and funded by $2.5 million in private donations. The Texas Education Agency on July 1 publicized preliminary results after 2.6 million of the state's 3.4 million children in grades 3-12 were tested. Test results show elementary school kids tend to be more fit than older kids.

KBB directors and members would like to welcome Amy Petri and Pam Meier as directors who will chair the education committee. Our volunteers have worked with BISD on many projects on environmental issues and beautification projects over the last nine years with all three schools. Amy and Pam will be able to enlarge the programs at the high school and middle school and will work with Mr.

The world’s biggest fish story was spun by a 300-pound, sixth grade dropout from north Georgia – a sad blow to the reputation of good-standing Texans everywhere. In 1967, Alvin Samples, an overall-clad, stock-car racing liquor store operator, claimed to have caught a world record 22-pound, 9-ounce largemouth bass in Cumming, Georgia’s Lake Lanier, shattering the 35 year-old mark by five ounces.

Dear Readers: Please forgive me - I had good news 3 weeks ago and forgot to put it in. Sally Wall’s grandkids, Megan and Kyle, and her son, Ashley, came from Tennessee to Texas 2 Saturdays ago to the Stonewall Rodeo. They had a birthday for Kyle and Megan on Sunday.

Young Farmers and Young Homemakers Hold Joint Social July 5, 1968 The Blanco Chapter of Young Farmers hosted an ice cream social for their chapter and the Blanco Young Homemakers on June 30. The ice cream social was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Immel. A film entitles “Cream of the Crop” concerning U.S.

Leo and Beverly Kempf, of Blanco, are pleased to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter Michelle Vernell to Jesse Wayne Gremminger, son of Larry and Lois Gremminger of Richmond, Texas. Shelly is a 2005 graduate of Blanco High School and a 2008 graduate of Texas Lutheran University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology.

Today’s tight labor market may have you thinking negatively about your future. You may wonder if there’s anything meaningful for you to do. Here are a few suggestions to brighten your day and add hope to your future. Help somebody. Read the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) and see how you can apply it in your life. You’ll be helped by helping others. In his book, “You Can Win Over Depression,” Widely read author, Dr.

First I’d like to thank the lady who called, and then I’d like to ask has anyone out there, achieved the state of mind whereby people (closely related or far removed) can throw an offensive remark to you and you are not offended? If so, please share your secrets with me! I can respond lovingly more often now than I used to, but when I receive the straw that breaks the camel’s back I react wrong, and then I have to repent for my reaction to a rude remark.

Few songs in the world of music have “held on” like the theme from the movie, New York, New York. The familiar tune holds classic status thanks to a trio of vocalists. Liza Minnelli was the high-energy star in the movie, and recordings by Tony Bennett and the late Frank Sinatra also made it big. Whatever, I want to focus on a couple of lines in the lyrics: “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Perhaps it is a cynical New Yorker, weary of the influx of visitors overwhelming NYC in the summer months, handing out copies of a cartoon on the subway.

Rom 12:1-2 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Last week we talked about who Jesus is and how to be saved.

Dwight Douglas Upshaw was born to Jasper and Nellie Upshaw November 3, 1953. He was the eldest son and the third child of sixteen children. Dwight, better known as Douglas had a zest for life. He enjoyed the company of friends and family and helped raise his nieces and nephews as if they were his own.

Dear Editor: Living in a nursing home in Wimberley, I have both Medicare and Medicaid. At my last yearly review, the Medicaid worker in San Marcos didn’t have time to get to my case. As a result, from March 30 to June 10, I was refused service at Capital Plaza. We called everyone, including the Omnibudsman, who said our hands were tied.

Three members of the Blanco FFA Chapter traveled to McKinney Roughs State Park in Bastrop to take part in the Area VII FFA Leadership Development Camp. The area camp is held each year with the purpose of developing leadership potential in its participants. This year, Blanco FFA members Quaid Haack, Kaleigh Anderson, and Keaton Dodd, joined over 100 other campers from across Central Texas.

The San Antonio Livestock Exposition has awarded three tour guide scholarships to local FFA members. Seniors Alisa Guler, Ross McCormick, and Jared Newby will each receive a $1,000 scholarship based on their academic, extra-curricular, and FFA careers. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, recipients must have taken part in the school tours program at the San Antonio Livestock Show.

Ross McCormick was selected to play in the Texas High School Baseball Association All Star game last month. This is a big honor for any high school baseball player in Texas. The game was played at Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Ross started in the outfield and represented the North squad and they defeated the South 9-7. Ross was also selected to the Texas Baseball Coaches Association All State Team. A special thanks goes to the Blanco National Bank for supporting Ross at the game. Ross McCormick and Justin Warner were selected to play in the San Antonio Optimist All Star Game last month.

After reviewing water levels in District Monitor Well, Ron Fieseler, General Manager of the Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District, has raised drought conditions in southern Blanco County from Stage One (Mild Drought) to Stage Two (Moderate Drought) for groundwater users in Precincts 1 and 4. This declaration goes into effect on July 9, 2006 and will continue until further notice. District-declared Stage Two Drought conditions affect only well owners and those whose water supply is provided by water wells located in Precincts 1 and 4.

San Marcos - Texas AgriLife Extension Service will conduct a rainwater harvesting workshop on July 26 in San Marcos. The workshop will be held at the AgriLife Extension office in Hays County. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by the program, which is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.