January 7, 2009

“It was a very fruitful meeting,’ exclaimed Blanco Mayor Pro-Tem Ron Houston, describing the December 30 meeting with the Texas Department of Transportation at their area headquarters in Burnet. Blanco Mayor Jim Rodrigue and City Secretary Bobbie Mowery also took part in the meeting that was called to discuss TXDOT’s plans for Blanco.

The Blanco County 4-H and FFA Youth Show to be held at the Blanco County Show Barn in Johnson City begins Thursday, Jan. 15th. Doug Townsend will begin judging the 25 Shop Projects entered in this year’s show at 8:00 a.m. Rodney Green is Shop Project Superintendent. The grand champion and reserve grand champion Shop Projects will be sold through the sale on Saturday.

The Blanco County Cat Coalition had a very successful year in 2008. They have been Trapping, Neutering and Returning cats in a program known as TNR. TNR is a proven procedure in which entire colonies of stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and spayed/neutered by veterinarians.

Governor Rick Perry has proclaimed January as School Board Recognition Month to build awareness and understanding of the vital function an elected board of education plays in our communities. The Blanco ISD is joining with other districts throughout the state to thank board members for caring so much about the future of every child enrolled in our public schools. “The biggest challenge of education is also one of its greatest strengths.

The Master Gardener Association of Blanco County presents a 2009 Training Class for the community. The classes begin Tuesday January 13th from 1:00 till 5:00pm at the new Johnson City Library off of Spur 356 at the entrance to the LBJ High School. Registration forms are available at the AgriLife Extension Service in Johnson City or call 830-868-7167.

The following article ran February 24, 1938 in the Blanco County News and Johnson City Record Courier: Notwithstanding the season’s worst weather, the First Blanco County Boys’ Livestock Show was very successful and well attended. It was estimated that more than 500 people saw the exhibits. The show was staged jointly by the 4-H boys under the direction of County Agent Ross B.

The friendliest folks in the Texas Hill Country will host Blanco Cooks for the Cure Chili and BBQ Cook Off. Our event will take place in Blanco, Texas at Yett Memorial Park on February 6, 7 and closing the event on Sunday February 8 morning with a Cowboy Pancake Breakfast open to the general public for a cash donation.

The Library will begin 2009 with an outstanding photography exhibit, two free classes, an exciting ebook signing, youth art classes with instructor Olga Ibarra and Maggie Goodman’s creative drama classes. David Marshall, son of Blanco residents and Library volunteers Susan Marshall and Alan Cooper, will have an exhibit of his work on display in the Library’s large conference room for the month of January.

January 7, 2009 •Friends of Blanco State Park will meet at 6:30p.m. at the park’s Pavilion. A warm invitation is extended to all persons wishing to join in helping Blanco State Park draw more visitors to Blanco County and area businesses. Come hear what the group is doing, how you can become a member and how you can help improve the park.

On December 20, the American Legion Memorial Highway Post and Unit 352 hosted a special Christmas Party for several local military children of deployed service members. Santa and his helper (Post Sergeant-at-Arms Oscar Segura and daughter Veronica) joined the party to pass out gifts for all the children. A special Christmas dinner was served by the Auxiliary, and the children had plenty of time to play with their new gifts.

Children and adults who want to explore their creative side this Spring can now sign up for painting and drawing classes to be held at Casa de Linda Art Studio, located above the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. “In addition to my ongoing painting classes for ages 10 through adult, I have several other ‘art exploration’ options available now through May,” says Linda Calvert Jacobson, instructor.

Betty Jameson of Austin will demonstrate her artist's skill for the Highland Arts Gallery at 9:30am on Thursday, January 15, at the gallery. She will do a mixed-media, staining technique, including watercolor. Jameson has a B.A. in Art and Education from University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, and M.A. from the University of Hawaii.

Pedernales Electric Cooperative invites its members to participate in a special meeting of the Governance and Oversight Committee on Monday, Jan. 12, 2009 as PEC considers potential changes to the election process for its Board of Directors. The committee members are District 7 Director Dr. Patrick Cox, Advisory Director-at-Large Lamont Ramage and District 2 Advisory Director Rusty Allen.

An opportunity to learn about the Ecology of the Hill Country will be available this Spring through the Highland Lakes Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists. The focus of the Master Naturalist program is to increase a person’s knowledge of natural Texas, and then to apply that knowledge through volunteer service to the local communities. A new Training Class will begin March 5, 2009 and continue for 11 weeks, studying the water issues, the geology, wildlife management and the native plants ...

The “Ring out the Old – Bring in the New” Chili Cook-Off (Tolbert Qualifier) was held for the 4th year at Camp Ranger on RR 32 about 2.7 miles east of US Hwy 281 on Dec 31 and Jan 1. The sponsored, non-profit organization for this event was our local American Legion Memorial Highway Post 352.

IRS Presents: Top Ten Tax Time Tips 1. Gather your records…now! It’s never too early to start getting together any documents or forms you’ll need when filing your taxes: receipts, canceled checks, and other documents that support an item of income or a deduction you’re taking on your return. Also, be on the lookout for W-2s and 1099s, coming soon from your employer. 2.

At 11:00am on a quiet Sunday morning, the last Sunday of the year, the bell of the Kendalia Community Church rang out 33 times. Maxie Jonas rang the bell as Valarie Hicks read the names of loved ones who had passed away in 2008. Dr. Bo Kelly, pastor, opened the program with scripture reading and then shared the story of the effects and power of bell ringing as a part of religious tradition.

What is our inner voice, and where does it come from? If I told you I believe God has spoken to me, some of you would probably scoff and say ‘yeah, right!’ You might ask how do I know it was God, or you may feel I’m not ‘holy enough’so why would God speak to me?

While listening to a call-in radio talk show, I was amused by the frequent use of psychological terms to describe personal problems. “My husband is codependent with me, but he’s in denial and is also a workaholic,” said one. I thought then about how this conversation might have been worded before we became such a counseled crowd; maybe something like this: “My husband and I depend on each other a lot, but we’re not worried about it; especially since he demonstrates his love by workin ...

Psa 1:1-3 says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

The old clock was leaning a little, dispirited at the very least. As the new year approached, chiming was low on her priority list. Her thoughts, whirlwinds of anxieties carried over from a pock-marked 2008, included the possibility of allowing 2009 to tiptoe in without bell-ringing accompaniment. Muddled of mind, she even wondered if her pendulum might be on its last “pendul.” Beads of sweat broke out on her face.

“At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.” -Matthew 27:38 A man was traveling with his mother-in-law in Israel. While they were there, she passed away. He was informed that he could have her shipped home for a cost of $10,000 or for $200 he could have her buried in a local cemetery.

Buna was born August 30, 1923, the youngest of five children born to Mercer and Addie Wolf. She was preceded in death by two husbands, George Burnett and Lloyd McKinnon, her parents, and brothers, Adolph, Kenneth and Jay Wolf, and her sister, Ima Wolf Lengefeld. She is survived by her son, Keith Burnett and his wife, Ruth, and their children, Megan and Tanner.

Harold was born October 12, 1946 in Lakefield, MN to Richard Paul Noland and Lois Faith Armstrong. He passed away January 2, 2009 at home in Johnson City. He graduated from Jackson High School in Jackson, MN in 1963. He served in the United States Navy on the USS Larsen as a machinist mate during the Vietnam War from 1963 to 1967.

Maurine Banks passed away on December 31, 2008. She was 90 years old at the time of her death. She was born to John William Stobaugh and Sarah Elizabeth Trainer Stobaugh on October 11, 1918 in Blanco, Texas and she lived in Blanco most of her life. She married Martin Banks on August 24, 1942.

Presley D. Wright Jr. of Blanco, Texas died Sunday, January 4th at North Central Baptist Hospital in San Antonio. Presley was a husband, father, grandfather, and a friend to all who met him. A 20 year veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, he volunteered for the Good Samaritan Center in Blanco and the Medical Supply Program at the All Faith Chapel.

Ruby Nell Cox, “Sister”, passed away on January 4, 2009 at the age of 84 years and 14 days. She was born on December 20, 1924 in Tupelo, Mississippi. Ruby was the eldest daughter of Roland B. McDaniel and Bertha (Mullins) McDaniel. She had 8 brothers and sisters. She is preceded by the love of her life Chester and by her sister, Sara Louise Hamady and brothers, John E.

Dear Editor, This concerns the Blanco Cemetery. I know I said we were going to have a “public meeting” last year and the date came and went. I can only give you my apology and try to get it done soon. I took over as Secretary/Treasurer in 2005. That was a little over 3 years ago.

The Blanco FFA Chapter began the Christmas Vacation by hosting the 12th Annual Blanco FFA Chapter Livestock Show. There were more than 160 entries in this year’s show. In addition, this year marked the first time the show was held in Blanco. The Blanco High School Agricultural Science Building and Ag Barn proved to be an excellent sight for this year’s show, while also being the first livestock show held in Blanco in several decades. This year’s show began on Friday, following the end of ...

The Blanco FFA Radio Broadcasting Team of Victoria Jones, Daniel Romero, and Brooks Wyatt traveled to Huntsville to compete in the State FFA Leadership Development Events, hosted by Sam Houston State University on December 5th and 6th. After two preliminary heats, Blanco’s team finished in the top 20, out of 597 teams from across the state.

Keeping up with your family’s lifestyle can be quite the juggling act—there’s school, work, family activities and of course, family health. What’s a busy, loving parent on the run to do when you want to provide the best nutrition for your family, but don’t have a lot of time? The key to healthy eating is to be aware of food choices at every meal and snack time.

(AUSTIN, Texas)—Trash4Cash, a new Don’t Mess with Texas competition by the Texas Department of Transportation, is rewarding on-campus student organizations with $1,000 for getting rid of litter in their communities. School groups will compete against others from around the state by organizing litter prevention efforts in their community, such as cleaning up a local park or teaching children about not littering.

In 2000 Blanco joined Keep Texas Beautiful. Keep Blanco Beautiful was incorporated as a 501c3 in 2000. Who are we? Keep Texas Beautiful is a grassroots based organization dedicated to a mission "to educate and engage Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment." Our organizational focus is concentrated in three areas: 1.

A trend in real estate today seems to be remodeling houses and flipping them for a profit. If you have the skill and know how to do it, you can make a good profit off of them. There are some things you should know as you contemplate getting into this kind of work.

Florida swampland scam, move over – Daddy’s here. “Daddy who,” you ask? “The Bank of Nigeria unclaimed funds scam? An identity theft racket? The free vacation drawing you win without entering?” No, unfortunately Daddy is much worse, more prolific and harder to spot – he’s camouflage. For the majority of hunters, camo is a complete rip-off (unless their hunting methods involve jumping around upwind in the open).

We take on the second big sequel to hit recently and while Batman scored big, the Narnia sequel wasn’t quite up to par with the brilliance of the first. This movie is good but lacked the charm and enchantment of the first film. The CGI is great and kids will love this film but I expect this is like Lord of the Rings, where we end up with the second film being a setup for more spectacular work in the future.

Saturday was girls day out! Marilyn and Nan Mikes met Debbie Burt (from Seguin) in New Braunfels. After a breakfast at IHOP, they spent the day doing some after Christmas shopping. The three went to several stores checking the bargains and doing some shopping for the holidays. It was a fun day, and as Miss Pearl would say, “A good time was had by all.” Jennifer Shutterfly, a native Oklahoman, was tired of watching so much football, so she spent Sunday afternoon driving around San Anton ...

City Sales Tax Comes to $2,594 January 3, 1969 The City of Blanco has received their portion of the City Sales and Use Tax collected during the period from July 1 through September 30, 1968, amounting to $2,594.15. The gross collection reported was $2,779.39. Of this amount the State charges 2 per cent of the total amount collected as a bookkeeping fee, which was $55.59; they also retained 4.76 per cent in case of dispute, which amounted to $129.65.

AUSTIN — House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, abandoned his bid for a fourth term as speaker when it became clear that a challenger had secured enough vote pledges to win. The official vote won’t be taken until January 13, opening day for the 81st Texas Legislature. According to his pledge list, Rep.

Winter’s here. What better time to cozy up with your honey and lounge in front of a roaring fire? OK, so it’s Texas and it just might be 70 degrees outside in February — hardly fireplace weather. But let’s be honest: gentle dose of reality aside, there’s nothing like the ambience of a fire to set a romantic mood. Year after year, fireplaces are rated as one of the top amenities desired by homeowners.

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 Dec 5 and Dec 8. Dec 6 • Reckless Drivers. 9:58 PM.