July 30, 2008

The State of Texas came closer to a decision on its allegations against Mark McMain and the Blanco Volunteer Ambulance Corps when Administrative Law Judge Ann Landeros sent her recommendation to Department of State Health Services Commissioner David LaKey on Thursday, July 25, in the case of DSHS vs. Mark McMain.

BLANCO, Texas – Youngsters who have wanted to learn how to fish got the chance this summer to learn the “how tos” from fishing experts and practice their new fishing skills at Blanco State Park. Forty-two children earned their Texas Parks and Wildlife “Junior Angler” award this summer at four “Learn to Fish Family Fishing Days” hosted by Blanco State Park. The children spent the mornings working their way through stations to learn how to tie on their own hook, how to identify local fish and good fish habitat, casting, and how to do it all safely.

On Saturday, July 26, 2008, twelve faithful Friends of the Blanco Historic Cemetery gathered just after the sun came up to garnish additional information about each beloved veteran in our cemetery. Thanks to TD Smiley, who devised an interesting set of questions for each deceased member, we were able to list their first, last, and sometimes middle initial or name; birthdate and death date; military service, rank, and what war. Claire Klepac has graciously consented to compile all of this information on a spreadsheet.

July 22, 2008-At the Special meeting of the Commissioner’s Court, held in the Johnson City Courthouse at 9:00AM, Judge Guthrie received the authority to sign a contract for a previously discussed stairway addition to the courthouse, submitted by Fromberg Associates, Ltd. The stairway addition will be built according to Historical Commission guidelines and is in response to concerns over potential building code violations due to periodic overcrowding, such as times of a jury selection process.

The Blanco Blue Bike Project is still forging ahead in their mission to bring the joy of riding around Blanco on a bicycle to all citizens. They have issued a mission statement that sums up their mission rather succinctly: To encourage village living, eco-tourism, alternative transportation and youth self-reliance by recycling bicycles, providing bike mechanic skills and giving opportunities for community involvement. This summer has found volunteers and kids gathering at Bindseil Park to learn how to repair bicycles.

August 3, 2008 • The Sons of Hermann Lodge #138 meeting Sunday, August 3rd at 2:30p.m. Twin Sisters School House in Twin Sisters. All members are encouraged to attend. August 30, 2008 • Tejas Art Club bake sale, yard sale, and starving artists art sale. It will take place at the Uptown Art Center, 410 Pecan Street.

The American Red Cross says it will begin offering CPR, First Aid and AED training in Blanco County quarterly, as a result of increased local interest in taking the classes. Ten residents turned out in Johnson City Saturday to spend all day learning to save the lives of family, friends and neighbors.

The Blanco County Disaster Response Group got as close to Hurricane Dolly as being put on standby status, but thankfully was not needed for the storm. There was a possibility a hospital in the Rio Grande Valley might need to be evacuated, with the patients going to a hospital in Kerrville.

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.

Uptown Blanco Art Center completed an excellent summer camp for children with a luau where they “erupted” a homemade volcano, a project they worked on throughout the two-week session. The camp was open to any child between the ages of 5 and 12 with age appropriate projects for everyone to enjoy.

How about that rain? Do your plantings look happier? It’s amazing what one inch of rain can do. Fall is only a few weeks away so it’s time to prepare for a productive fall garden. Gardners watch the calendar, not the temperature! Seed: snap beans, cucumbers, radishes, summer squash, sweet corn, okra and black-eyed peas.

The Bank Job Keith There’s nothing better than a good ‘ole fashion burglary and this is a great heist film. Set in London in the early 1970s, The Bank Job is based on real life events. A group of would be criminals is set up by MI5 (British version of the FBI or Secret Service) to rob a bank and regain compromising photos of a royal personage.

Doris and Robert Rahm of Hye drove up to Lake Fork in East Texas to spend the Fourth of July holiday with their son, Bryan, who has a travel trailer parked at Bridge View on Lake Fork. Friday evening they drove over to Tyler for the spectacular fireworks show at Lindsey Park contracted by Atlas Enterprises.

Quarterback Club Ex’es Plan Game August 2, 1968 The Blanco Quarterback Club will have a meeting on Friday night, August 9 at 8:00 p.m. at the Football Stadium. All quarterback Club members and anyone interested in participating in the Ex’es Football Game is asked to please attend. Plans will be completed at this time and teams chosen for the coming Ex’es Game. Records needed August 3, 1988 Gem of the Hills President, Monta Knoll, urgently requests everyone who has assisted the organization in anyway whatsoever during the past four years to turn this information into her or any director immediately. Dr.

AUSTIN - Hurricane Dolly hit the Texas coast at South Padre Island on July 22, causing wind damage, power outages and flooding that affected an estimated 1.5 million people. Levees along the Rio Grande withstood rains of up to 12 inches that pelted the region. Gov. Rick Perry “pre-deployed” a wide range of state agencies and other aid-providing groups to South Texas communities before the hurricane made landfall. On July 23 the governor requested a disaster declaration from President George W.

Before you make that big leap to buy a home, stop and make sure you know what you are getting into. One of the best ways to ensure you are getting what you paid for is by hiring a reputable inspector to do an overall assessment of the property. A thorough inspection will give you some peace of mind, but there are limitations to what these professionals do.

Word to Weiss is a new feature column that will allow readers to seek advice anonymously. Readers may write in for advice on family, love, relationship, career or just life in general. A letter or two will be chosen each week to be answered and featured in Blanco County News.

In our July 16, 2008 issue, we ran an article about the July 8, 2008 City Council meeting. Priscilla Seals, the author, offers this clarification and correction: “In response to the July 8 City Council article: Tina Gourley clarified for the Blanco County News that the Blanco Independent School District paid (1/3 of a bill for installing a water meter) as a good will gesture, not because they actually owed the bill. In our July 23, 2008 edition, we ran a photo along with the article “Investigations Ongoing ...” Pictured was a helicopter operated by EVAC, who is not under investigation.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Simon of Blanco are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Jennifer Simon to Matthew Burchett on July 1, 2008 at the Old Blanco County Courthouse. Matthew is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ramon Castilleja of Blanco and Mr.Robert Burchett of Pleasonton. Matthew and Jennifer are both 2007 graduates of Blanco High School.

Genesis 1:26-28 – “26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” KJV We’ve been created in the image and likeness of almighty God, and have been given authority over the fish of the sea, birds, beasts and every creeping thing on the earth!

This week, we will wrap up our series on marriage and family. We started off this series by talking about the God given roles of wives; and last week talked about the same concerning husbands. Now we’re going to look into the roles of children; as well as parents. The Creator of the universe set out the pattern for the proper order of the family in His Word, The Holy Bible.

When he’s really steamed, my Uncle Mort becomes a different person. His glasses fog over, his voice shakes, and Aunt Maude fears his blow-up might boil into a full-scale smothering spell. During his phone call from the thicket a few nights back, I heard a crackling voice that might have reached 8.5 on the Richter Scale. Why, his voice would have melted butter on a day-old waffle…. * * * * * His shape wasn’t bent out by high gasoline prices.

When the motor on our pump gave out, the repairman advised that we replace both the pump and motor. The cost was nearly six hundred dollars and we had about half of that amount. “How are we going to pay for this?” my worried wife asked. “I don’t know, I replied.” But that day a check came in the mail to cover the total cost of the repair. Two years later, about midnight, we discovered we were without water.

Betty Jean Schnell was born October 15, 1939 in Granger, Texas, the daughter of Alfred Christ Lindemann and Otillie Agustina Lindemann nee Cervenka. On October 22, 1939 she was baptized at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Roman Catholic Church of Granger, Texas by Rev. J. Vanicek. She was confirmed at Trinity Hill Lutheran Church of La Grange on August 12, 1956, by Rev.

Dear Editor, Real Foods Market is NOT recalling any Jalapeno peppers or tomatoes. Even though organically-grown vegetables have never been implicated in the Salmonella or E coli scares, we are advising our customers to WASH their produce. No matter where it comes from. Birds poop. Vegetables are usually grown outdoors. So yes, the possibility exists that a Salmonella-infected bird could poop on your tomato, or pepper, or lettuce, or anything else for that matter. Unfortunately, large-scale producers tend to cut corners where they can, in pursuit of more profit.

Dear Editor, After reading your latest article I can’t help but feel anger and relief that I no longer live in a community where the acts of heroism and selflessness are forgotten when someone does something wrong. What your headline mentioned was on the verge of SLANDER. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Dear Editor, I am writing in response to the front page story about the Blanco EMS in the July 23rd 2008 edition: “Investigations are ongoing . . . “I have two questions please: Was that an editorial? Although it begins as an article it seems to end as an editorial, yet it is not labeled as such on the front page. I am wondering if the part beginning with “However much to the dismay .

PPCD- Pre-Kindergarten 2 pkgs. play-dough 1 lg. bottle bubbles (or 6 sm. bottles) 1 towel or small blanket for resting 2 white T-shirts (your childs size) 1 container of disinfecting wipes (Clorox or similar) Each student needs to keep an extra change of clothes (including underwear) at school. Label each item with your childs name and bring in a ziplock bag.

Registration for Blanco Elementary School will be Thursday, August 7th during the times of 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please come during these hours. The following information will be required: 1) Complete immunization record. Required shots: (a) DPT: Minimum of 4 doses, last dose must be after 4th birthday.

The Blanco All-Star Major Girl’s road trip has finally come to an end. On Monday night, July 21st, the team played in Waco at the Southwestern Regional Little League Complex on Reicher Field in the Texas West State Championship game against Waco Midway. The Midway team has been a major girl’s softball powerhouse for the past 25 years, winning 24 State titles and 11 World Series Championships.

The 2008 Lady Panther Volleyball season will kickoff on Monday, August 4th at 7:30a.m. at the High School Track. This is the beginning of Two-a-days! All volleyball players will attend the morning session at the track, which will last until approximately 8:30a.m. Upcoming Freshmen will practice from 9a.m. until 11a.m. or so.

Public records information is compiled by Charles Willgren from reports filed at the Blanco Police Department, Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, Blanco Volunteer Fire Department, Blanco County Clerk, District Clerk, and Justices of the Peace offices. Blanco Police Reports These reports were filed between Jun 15 and Jun 18, and Jul 3 and Jul 9. Jun 15 • Disturbance with Weapon.