February 27, 2008

Way back in 1986, Austinite Jill Nokes published her first book, How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest, a landscaper's guide which set the standard for using native plants in the landscape, both for their beauty and their drought-tolerance. A graduate of the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas who also earned a Masters of Science degree in Horticulture at Texas A&M University, Nokes is a sought-after speaker who graciously gives her time to those who wish to work with the sometimes difficult Texas climate to create beautiful landscapes in harmony with their surroundings.

Hill Country Area Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s assistance for any information on the criminal mischief which occurred sometime between Friday night February 15 and the early morning hours of Saturday February 16, 2008. The gate at the Blanco High School football field was torn down and damage was done to the football field and the practice field.

In celebration of Blanco County’s 150th birthday, the Blanco County News will be publishing stories from local citizens who descended from the first settlers in the county. Events on March 8 will continue the year-long celebration.

The Blanco Blue Bike Project took a poll to assess the project and where to go from here. All interviews were published and inspired by the information received. The Blue Bike Project has been addressing bike infrastructure in Blanco, focusing on bicyclist and vehicle safety.

Edda Deike celebrated her 101st birthday February 17, 2008. The party was held at Kendalia Community Center with 115 family and friends. The meal was simple with BBQ and all the fixings.

In this year alone, some 91,020 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Texas. Of that, 49 new cases will be discovered in Blanco County alone. This number represents 49 cases too many!

For years rivalry between schools has been in existence. This occurs in high schools, colleges and professional teams. These games are always exciting and no one ever knows the outcome of a rival game.

Stuart Weaver, son of John and Mary Ann Weaver and a student at the George Washington University in Washington DC, spent the fall semester of 2007 as an intern in the office of Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. He was one of three semester-long interns who shared a variety of duties.

After holding prices steady in recent years, both Dish and DirecTV have announced price increases effective February 1, 2008. Over the last 5 years, cable TV prices have increased 100% (national average) while satellite TV pricing has not changed.

More than 65 riders of all ages on horseback and in wagons will make their way through the Blanco Hill Country on Tuesday, March 4. The 107 mile trail ride will cross 36 cattle guards as they ride through more than 20 Hill Country ranches, including the historic LBJ Ranch on RR1, before arriving at Yett Memorial Park.

The personal stories of eight Blanco residents will be featured at the Library’s Brown Bag Series program entitled “The Way We Were—The l940s” at noon March 5. “Everyone is invited to join us to experience the 40s through listening to the memories of our friends who lived through the World War II era,” said Jan Redmond, who is coordinator of the series.

AUSTIN – Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York met at the University of Texas to debate in a nationally televised forum on Feb. 21.

No Reservations Noel–Finally, a breath of fresh air; a movie worth watching! I feel like over the last couple of weeks we haven’t found or reviewed any movie really worth seeing, but then we watched No Reservations, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Abigail Breslin.

Daisy Cox to retire February 24, 1988 Daisy Cox, Program Assistant will be retiring from U.

Did you know that Texas homeowners pay the highest insurance rates in the nation? Texas consumers pay an average of $880 annually for homeowners insurance. Apparently, insurance carriers in our state believe that Mother Nature tends to hit Texas with some pretty hard blows, including rain, hail, wind, snow, and hurricanes.

It's a simple formula: education = employment. But right now many Texans are failing to take the first step.

How do you react when trouble comes? Do you become pessimistic?

The Bible tells us in 1Corinthians 12: 12-27, that we are all members of one body, who is Christ. If you are born again, you have received the spirit of adoption; which means you can now call God “Daddy” (Rom 8:

It’s all about belief. We pray to God and ask for healing of our body, our mind, our problems, and then we walk around after that saying (claiming) that we have the problem we asked God to deliver us from. That does not show belief in God, that He can, will, and has answered our prayer.

It is bound to happen. Any day now, some pundit charting the “rags to riches” pilgrimage of Barack Obama in his race for the democratic presidential nomination, will mention that he has “it. ”

We are mourning the loss of Angeline Fulcher, a long time resident of Blanco. After attending Mary Washington Women’s University in Virginia, she came to Blanco and married the son of Dr R. L.

Stephen Michael Holmes, 41, passed away at the Live Oak Medical Center in Blanco, February 23, 2008. Stephen was born April 1, 1966 in Charleston, South Carolina.

I want to begin this by saying that I stand behind Mark McMain 100 percent. There is not a soul in Blanco who hasn't been touched by Mark and the rest of the EMS team at one point or another. Mark has shown this town that he is willing to give up a lot of his family time by being at nearly EVERY emergency.

Student Council and students at Blanco Elementary participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients Program, which raises funds to find cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma through research, and for patient services. Pennies for Patients is one of the Society's National School and Youth Programs. It has a double benefit because it allows students to develop compassion and learn the value of helping others as they work for a good cause.

Tarleton State University Phi Eta Sigma is pleased to announce that Kimberley Michelle Dollar, Class of 2007 from Blanco High School has earned a GPA of 3. 57.

Senior Alisa Guler, a Blanco FFA member, exhibited the Reserve Champion American Breed steer at the 2008 San Angelo Stock Show this past week. Alisa placed 2nd in the middle weight American Breed class. After the judge selected the 1st place middle weight as the Champion, Alisa was then selected as the Reserve Champion.

Blanco FFA member Katie Baker started off the major livestock show season with a bang placing her steer in the sale at the Fort Worth Stock Show. Katie finished 6th with her 1,129 lb steer. There were 66 other steers competing for 10 sale slots in the middle weight European class.

Following a strong showing at the Bexar County Livestock Judging Contest in January, several local students took part in the livestock judging contests at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. Blanco’s senior team did well finishing in the top 25% out of 229 teams in the senior division. Blanco FFA members competing in the senior division included:

Its time again for the Blanco Panther Baseball-Softball Camp. The Camp will be held March 17th and 18th starting at 11am and ending at 2pm.

Blanco defeated San Saba 16-4 in the opening game. Justin Warner picked up his first win of the year going five innings striking out seven and scattering five hits.

The Blanco Panther baseball team faced San Saba on Monday, February 25 in Blanco. Shane Klein, Justin Warner, and Lance Gottardy all saw action on the mound, Klein took the loss.

The Blanco softball team defeated Llano 11-6 in seven innings of play. Blanco had a rough start losing to Lago Vista 5-9 last Friday, but the Ladies did a good job putting the ball in play against Llano, pitching and producing nine hits and scoring 11 runs.

The Blanco Softball team finished second in the Division II Austin Softball Tournament. The Panthers finished 4-2 overall, losing to Junction 10-5 in the championship game.

Members of the newly formed Blanco County Lawn Mower Racing Association (BCLMRA) will elect officers at the BCLMRA track at East Headwaters Ranch Rd. and Eastview Lane in Headwaters on Saturday, March 8, 2008. The meeting will be at 1pm.

The Panther Junior Varsity baseball team has gotten off to a slow start to the 2008 season, dropping its first two games to Llano and San Saba. The JV would open the season at Llano on the 18th. The home team Yellow Jackets would score early and often en route to an 11 to 0 victory.

The Blanco Panthers took to the road for the second year in a row to play in the bi-district game, which was held in San Angelo again this year. The Panthers played a hard, tough game.

The Panthers traveled back to San Angelo after only one day to rest, for the Bi-District playoff game. This time, the Panthers would be facing the Ballinger Bearcats for the Area title.

The 2008 Panther Baseball Team opened the season with a hard fought 10 to 8 victory over the Llano Yellow Jackets. Blanco would jump out to an early 5 to 0 lead before seeing the Jackets tie the game in the bottom of the sixth at 8 to 8. The Panthers would manage to push two runs across the plate in the top half of the seventh before closing out the game on the Panther’s first double play of the year.

The Powerlifting teams traveled to Comfort on Saturday, February 23. In the girls divisions,in their weight classes, four girls brought home metals.

Llano County Hospital Authority efforts to establish the Lake of the Hills Regional Medical Center at the corner of SH 71 and US 281 took a giant step onto firmer ground Friday when a group of agreements was signed at the Lakeside Pavilion in Marble Falls. Partner in the development, Scott & White, revealed plans to purchase an additional 22 acres of land adjoining the 18 acres previously donated by Flatrock Springs developers and set their sights on initially constructing a facility of between 70 and 120 beds.

Texas and Blanco County Democrats are voting in record numbers so far in early voting, which continues through Friday, February 29. Blanco County voters can vote early at the County Courthouse in Johnson City.

The Hill Country Cattle Women Chapter of Texas Cattle Women will hold their monthly meeting in Mason, Texas on March 18. Coffee is served at 10AM, the meeting starts at 10: 30AM.

“Water is the ultimate natural resource”. After all, it is something all living plants and animals must have to sustain life. If we are prepared, we can collect this resource in a high quality, soft form called rainwater.

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) announces its 2008 quilt block competition, open to everyone across the state. This year's theme, "Toast a Rising Star," highlights Texas' thriving and popular wine industry. As the nation's fifth-largest wine producing state with more than 220 family-owned vineyards covering 3,700 acres, the Texas wine industry contributes more than $1 billion annually to the state's economy.

Trout anglers get an extra bonus this year as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will stock additional hatchery-reared rainbow trout at seven sites from Feb. 22 to March 7.

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.