January 21, 2009

At their regular meeting January 13, City Council heard a presentation from John Patton, a representative of Sonic Drive-Ins for the Greater Austin area, requesting a zoning variance in order to construct a new Sonic at 1020 S. Hwy. 281. At a special meeting January 8, the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended by a 3-2 vote to deny the variance, based on the amount of impervious cover or paving, which exceeds the UDC’s requirement of 65% for mixed use zoning and 70 % for commercial.

The mood was festive at the January 12 meeting of the Blanco ISD trustees. The Texas Association of School Boards designates January is School Board Recognition Month. Governor Rick Perry’s proclamation “urges all Texans to recognize the invaluable contributions realized through the work of our school boards.” Representatives from all three schools in the district presented trustees with tokens of appreciation, including a poster, gift bags, and certificates in appreciation of their effor ...

January 21, 2009 Stonewall, Texas – The A.E. Woods fish hatchery in San Marcos will release approximately 600 Rainbow Trout 1/21/09 at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site in Stonewall. The trout are released in an ongoing effort by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division to promote fishing in public waters, especially to the youth in the community.

The Blanco Library has received word that it is a recipient of a Picturing America Grant which brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Through this innovative program, students and citizens will gain a deeper appreciation of our country’s history and character through the study and understanding of its art.

January 27, 2009 •Project Graduation meeting: Tuesday, January 27 at 6pm; Blanco High School cafeteria. January 29, 2009 •Senior boys/girls volleyball match: Thursday, January 29 at 6pm in the Blanco High School gym, $5 admission. Proceeds benefit 2009 Project Graduation. January 31, 2009 •Hill Country Trail Riders Cowboy Breakfast - Saturday, January 31, 6:00am-8:00am, Yett Memorial Park.

Got Salsa? Like to Eat? If you think you have a great salsa recipe, you know the one that everyone ask you to bring when you are going to a party, well then, you need to participate in the Blanco Cooks for the Cure Chili Cook Off. It’s simple to do and lots of fun!

The Friends of the Bulverde/Spring Branch Library (FOL) will hold their annual used books sale on January 31st from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the library. Thousands of books in all categories will be available with hard-cover books being sold for $1.00 and paperbacks for 25¢ to 50¢. Specials will sell for different amounts.

There is fun and learning galore for all ages, free at the Bulverde/Spring Branch Library. Regular weekly events include a Wednesday 10:30am Pre-School Story Time with our well loved Connie Pace, and a Monday 10:30am Toddler’s Story Time with Connie’s sister, our new and already well received, Becky Kuykendall. Both Connie and Becky have extensive experience with story time, love spending time with children, and children love spending time with them!

On January 14, The good Samaritan Center held its business meeting which covered all of 2008. This report reveals the number of bags of groceries dispensed, the number of families receiving those groceries, the number of people involved, the number of request for special aid, and other miscellaneous aid. Groceries :2008 Number of bags: 2.826; Number of families: 1,065; Number of People: 3,231; Number of Special Aid Recipients: 217; Number of Other Recipients: 98. Groceries: 2004 Number of bags: ...

Last Thursday night, January 15, at the Marble Falls Pavilion, the Hill Country 100 Club held it Annual Meeting and Recognition Banquet. Law Enforcement, Fire Fighting and Emergency Medical Responders from Llano, Burnet and Blanco Counties gathered along with HC100 Club members and officers to recognize their outstanding comrades, do the Club’s business and enjoy a catfish dinner catered by the Catfish Barge.

Did Santa miss a bike on your X-mas list this year? No problem. We have a collection of Blanco Blue Bikes you can take home and share with your friends. Drop by the Real Foods bike rack on the square to pick up your ride. They will be available at 12 noon, January 24. Donate your old bikes by leaning them by the south gate at the 2nd & Cherry maintenance yard.

Clifton Knoll was elected President of the Blanco Cemetery Assn. in the year 2000 when Hilmar Bindseil passed away. Hilmar had been President for almost 30 years. At that time I, (Joyce Knoll), was elected Secretary of the Blanco Cemetery Assn. Cora Bindseil was Secretary and Treasurer for almost 30 years and wanted out from under so much responsibility.

(TEXAS) - H-E-B is issuing a precautionary recall for Luvs Candy Text Messages hard candy sold in all its stores. The fruit-flavored candy, manufactured by ZED Candy may contain foreign material. There have been no reports of illnesses or injuries; however, H-E-B is taking all necessary precautions. “We are committed to absolute and complete food safety,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs and Diversity.

It took countless volunteers to make the Youth Show a fun and meaningful experience for the young people in Blanco County. Students, parents and other volunteers showed up for two workdays prior to the show to begin barn preparations. Rule Books for exhibitors were prepared by Martha Danz. The Awards Committee, headed by Keitha Johnson, ordered duffel bags, jacket certificates, and buckles for the champion exhibitors, and buyer appreciation gifts for the buyers.

A young boy attended vacation bible school all week and on the last day was given a plaque inscribed with the words, “Have Faith In God”. Somewhere between the classroom and the bus, he had misplaced the plaque. When the bus took off, he stood up and said, “Stop the bus.

I encourage you to carefully read Matthew 18:21-35. I do not have the space to include the entire text here, so it will it would benefit you to know the story before you read on. Our subject is forgiveness. Many people come up with great excuses for why they just “can’t” forgive someone or something, like it is out of their control.

A minister called the advertising editor of his local paper to announce the title of his upcoming sermon. “My sermon this week will be titled “The Lord Is My Shepherd,” he said. “Is that all?” asked the editor. “That’s enough,” the minister replied. When the newspaper arrived that week the pastor opened it and was surprised to read that the title of his sermon would be “The Lord is my shepherd; THAT’S ENOUGH!” Two women were standing and conversing in a convenience store a ...

Ephesians 6:10-18 “10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in th ...

Reader alert: Be advised that this is a “Mother Hubbard” treatise. These random thoughts offered periodically are comparable to preachers’ “Mother Hubbard” sermons. They, in turn, are like “Mother Hubbard” dresses--the ones that “cover everything but touch nothing.” Let the far-afield ramblings begin…. * * * * * Parents and grandparents agree that children’s “terrible two’s” now greatly exceed 12 months. This is a “guesstimate” at best.

Edna Leona Gerhard, 86, beloved Mother and Grandmother went to be with her Lord January 13, 2009. She was born January 18, 1922 to William and Selma Menking. She worked over 30 years for San Antonio Drug Company, and she and her husband lived in San Antonio until their retirement to Blanco in 1982.

Dear Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to everyone who generously sponsored me in the Distinguished Youth Program of Texas in November. Although I didn’t win the title, it was a very amazing and privileged experience that would not have been possible without your help.

Jan. 16, 2009 — Help battle the rising cost of college tuition by applying for a $1,000 scholarship from the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) Foundation. This year, the ABoR Foundation will award at least 10 college-bound high school seniors with monetary assistance with their education costs. Applications are available online at www.abor.com/events/forms/ScholarshipApp.cfm.

Lucky Leaf 4-H Club would like to thank all participants for making their club fundraiser a success. The winners of the raffle drawing held on Saturday, January 17th were Carl Bragg of Blanco, the second winner was Johnson City Bank (who donated back to club to be auctioned at end of sale), and Linda Dechert of Blanco.

Get set – the senior boys at Blanco High School will once again go up against the senior girls in their annual volleyball game scheduled for Thursday, January 29, at 6:00pm at the high school gym. Proceeds will benefit 2009 Project Graduation, which provides an all-night, alcohol and drug-free celebration for Blanco seniors.

The Women’s Auxiliary to the Texas Sheep and Goat Raiser’s Association, Hill Country Chapter are once again offering scholarship opportunities to area high school seniors and current university juniors, seniors and graduate students. Deadline to apply is April 1 and no late applications will be accepted. Applications can be obtained at the local high school counselor’s office or by email to charlotte.kneupper@comfort.txed.net.

If you are planning to have your children participate this year in the 2009 Blanco Little League season, we are open for registration. The registration deadline is February 6th. You can register your child by either going online to the Blanco Little League website at www.blancolittleleague.org or by going to KIMS Printing Monday thru Friday between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm. February 6th is the last day for regular registration.

Varsity Boys final score: 49-33 Varsity Girls final score: 54-35 JV Gold Boys final score: 59-23 JV White Boys final score: 32-20 JV Girls final score: 34-31

How do you pay your contractor? There are several ways you can pay a contractor; by the hour, cost plus, or draws. Which ever route you take, get a signed agreement for your protection. When you select to pay by the hour, just beware that a job can be stretched out.

Let's make 2009 our "Make Blanco Beautiful Year" by voluntarily complying with the state and city codes and ordinances. The Junk Car ordinance is #231 and the nusiance ordinance is #332. Each ordinance carries the rules for environmental issues that help the city protect the citizens health, safety and welfare.

We always get excited when Hollywood hits the trail and takes us back in time to ol’ shoot em ups of the western days and this is one of those weeks. Appaloosa hit the shelf last week with an all-star cast and the anticipation of six shooters and Spencer rifles accompanied by brazen words from lawmen with bad guys in their sight. Ed Harris plays Virgil Cole, who with his partner Everett Hitch (played by Viggo Mortensen), roams the West as hired guns who come in and tame towns where lawlessnes ...

Finally - another sighting of Ada Cooley, via Ronnie - she was getting beautiful at Nancy’s Congratulation to Dr. Clinton deWolfe and Loris and Amy Perkins! They are exemplary. My mom’s gentleman friend arrived last Thursday and stayed until Monday. A good time was had by all!!! Hope he comes back to visit very, very soon - we enjoy him. Thanks to Bonnie Holmes and Tina Gourley - they made last Wednesday specialfor me, as did all the other wonderful ladies of the Blanco Woman’s Club!

16 teams in Blanco Tourney January 19, 1979 Although only four schools are involved, 16 teams are scheduled for as many games in the Blanco Junior High Basketball Tournament next Thursday and Saturday. Thursday’s opening game schedule starts at noon, with games listed every hour, opening with Blanco-Marion 7th graded boys, followed at 1:00 p.m.

AUSTIN - The 81st regular session of the Texas Legislature convened Jan. 13. On a voice vote, House members unanimously elected state Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, as speaker. Straus succeeds Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, in that powerful role. Craddick, a House member for the last 40 years, will continue to represent his district.

All over the country, property casualty insurance has become increasingly more expensive and more difficult to obtain. Mold, natural disasters, market share competition, terrorism and the roller-coaster stock market are just a few of the issues that have insurers a little nervous. As a result, in many markets — including Texas — insurers are increasing premiums, declining to write new policies and refusing to renew existing ones. In fact, the National Association of Realtors reports that ho ...

Scott Gardner, a ranch manager from Johnson City, will speak to the Fredericksburg Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas on land management and stewardship on January 27 at the Gillespie County Historical Society Building, 312 West San Antonio Street in Fredericksburg, beginning at 7:00pm. The free meeting is open to the public. Gardner, a graduate of Texas State University with a degree in geography, has been the manager of the C.L.

The first Marble Falls Opry will be held on Saturday, January 24, at the Uptown Theater in downtown Marble Falls. The show begins at 7:30 PM and admission is $10.00 per person. Tickets are now on sale by calling (830) 693-9996 or online at: www.uptownmarble.com The show is sponsored by the Heart of Texas Country Music Association.

Hill Country Memorial Hospital is welcoming Lance Love, M.D., to its medical staff. Dr. Love, a general surgeon, began practicing in Fredericksburg this week. He specializes in procedures of the chest, lungs, abdomen, abdominal wall, neck, breast and skin. “His expertise, particularly in thoracic surgical procedures, and others, will be beneficial to our patients, because he brings specialization in some areas we have previously had to refer to specialists outside of Fredericksburg,” Michae ...

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 18 and Dec 22. Dec 19 • Reckless Driver. 11:44 AM.