April 23, 2008

Eight community projects were highlighted at the Blanco Woman’s Club-sponsored Town Hall Meeting April 17 at the Old Blanco County Courthouse. Woman’s Club president Nell Krueger took the opportunity to review the club’s 71- year history, dating from its formation in 1937, when it was established “to bring culture and education to a very rural community. ” However, she defined the meeting as a way “to look forward to things ahead.

On Saturday, April 26, friends of the Old Blanco County Courthouse will gather for an historic first-ever Gala held at the Courthouse. Attendees will dine under a giant party tent on the East lawn on a special Riley’s Barbeque dinner featuring beef brisket, chicken, sausage, tossed green salad, corn casserole, roasted potatoes and peach cobbler. Pecan Street dancing to the music of the Sam Bentley country-western band from Austin will continue from 8 p.

City Council Candidates (Ballot Order): Rebecca Howerton, Linda Howard, Bob "Bobby Mack" McClung, Ron Houston, Louann Hayes, and Christina "Tina" M. Gourley.

Over 75 people packed the meeting room at the Pedernales Electric Cooperative board meeting at the Cedar Park Library on Monday afternoon and witnessed two historic moments. Invited guest, Tom Mason, General Manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority, spoke eloquently of a future based on shared goals, mutual respect and cooperation between the PEC and LCRA.

The Second Annual Blanco River clean-up held on April 5 was a great success. Forty two adults, high school students and scouts pulled more than two pickup beds full and one trailer’s worth of junk out of the River and off the River bank. Among the more interesting items found were a derelict washing machine and an old T.

April 26 • Old Blanco County Courthouse Preservation Society Gala, Dance, Dinner, Raffle, and Silent Auction. 830-833-2211

Llano County Sheriff’s Office and Hill Country Area Crime Stoppers are asking for the public’s assistance for any information on a theft of reels of copper wire from Central Texas Electric CO-OP in Kingsland sometime between 5pm Tuesday April 15th, 2008 to 7am Wednesday April 16th, 2008. Another theft occurred 5pm Friday April 18th to 8am Saturday April 19th where 2 CTEC trucks were broken into and chainsaws and other tools were stolen.

Lifelong Blanco County resident Cicero A. Rust Jr. , born in 1915 near the Buzzard Roost community southwest of Blanco and now ranches East of Blanco, received a Texas Flag, certified to have flown at the Capitol in Austin by the Honorable Patrick Rose State of Texas House of Representative on the 15th day of April, 2008.

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.

American Legion Auxiliary members Christine Huguelet (President), Donnea Simon (Vice Commander), Roxanna Avants (Chaplain), and Nancy Purpura display some of the over 100 hats crocheted by Donnea Simon. The hats are being sent to military members who are from Texas and are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The hats are being sent as part of the Operation HomeFront program operating out of Schertz, TX.

It was only a drill -- a test exercise -- but Austin Bergstrom International Airport made the plane crash as realistic as they could. Blanco County volunteers made it even more realistic than the planners expected.

One of my employers (and there are quite a few), Mrs. Julie Dill, Executive Director of the Blanco Chamber of Commerce, represented Blanco County in the Mrs. Texas International pageant 2 weeks ago in San Antonio.

The Blanco County Extension Office will sponsor a Private Applicator License training and testing program on Friday April 25th in Johnson City. The program will be held in the Exhibit Hall beginning at 8: 00am.

On Friday, April 18th, Blanco Mayor Pro Tem Ron Houston, awarded Knights of the Milky Way citations, signed by Mayor Jim Rodrigue, to two local businesses in recognition of exceptional night friendly lighting at their facilities. Riley’s Bar-B-Q/Rockin’ R Steakhouse on 4th Street and Benson Body and Paint on Hwy 165 were both recognized for exemplary foresight and consideration of community in the design and installation of their outdoor lighting.

April has been a strange month, weather wise. I had waited later than usual to plant tomatoes. I planted in the morning, and we had a freeze that night.

Texas summers. Just saying those words kinda makes you want to hit the pool or the lake. Anything to cool off, right?

Sweeney Todd Noel–I wasn’t a huge fan of Tim Burton until his other movie Corpse Bride, which is one of my favorites. Sweeney Todd is one of those movies that you know you probably wouldn’t like but once you watch it for some strange reason you do like it.

Last Chance for C of C April 21, 1978 The Blanco Chamber of Commerce brochure goes to press this next week.

A task force of volunteer lawyers traveled to San Angelo to assist in the YFZ Ranch child protection cases, the Texas Supreme Court press office reported April 18. The volunteers were in San Angelo for an April 17 custody hearing concerning the 416 children taken from YFZ Ranch, a polygamist settlement owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Late-great comedian Red Skelton, a radio pioneer, gave us colorful impersonations of make-believe characters each week. We grew to expect them, our mind’s eye envisioning what they MIGHT look like.

Blanco United Methodist Church’s Children’s Choir sang two anthems entitled “Ask-Seek-Knock” and “Jesus, I Love You” on Sunday, April 13th. at the 10: 55 a.

I’d like to share two prayers that I believe kept me in God’s hand, all my life, (when I wasn’t exactly living right) in hopes that they will help someone reading this column. The first one is known as the “Our Father” or “The Lord’s Prayer,” and it’s found in Matthew chapter 6, verses 9-13.

When Edna Parker, the world’s oldest woman, turned 115 years old recently, she sparked another debate on reasons for longevity. In Edna’s case, some theorized it might have been caused by her lifetime of chores on the family farm. Others suggested it was just the result of having good genes (her sister, Georgia, lived to be 99 and another sister, Opal, reached 88), but her grandson, Don Parker, may have voiced the most likely causes that contributed to Edna’s long life:

Mark 16: 15-20 “And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Jack Ray Burks, 75, of Blanco, Texas passed away on Saturday, April 19 in Fredericksburg at Hill Country Memorial Hospital. Jack was born in Goldthwaite TX. to Clifford and Lucile Burks on October 12, 1932.

William Leigh Dickey, 76, lost his battle with cancer on April 21, 2008. He was born in San Antonio, Texas and graduated from Martin H. S.

Trustees, and those in attendance at the April 14 BISD meeting, were treated to highlights from a TAG+ Open House held April 1 at Blanco Middle School under the direction of Linda Collard, TAG+ coordinator. Callie Nance, grade 8, performed the piece “Short Story on keyboard; Kellum Nance gave a spirited reading of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”; Abbie Weaver displayed the 6-foot giraffe she had welded; and 6th grader Alexandria Penshorn displayed her exceptional photographs, one of which BC News readers may remember seeing in a recent issue. Ms.

The Blanco High School team of Siomha Moore and Kirstin Weber defeated Godley to win the UIL Class AA Cross-Examination Debate State Championship held at the University of Texas in Austin on March 11-12. The 64-team tournament consists of the top two qualifiers from each of the 32 districts in the state.

Blanco Middle School’s Student Council is this week's "Community Star of the Week. " It sponsored a “Kiss a Pig” donation drive in order the raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

After several months of preparation Blanco High School now has a marquee.

Blanco Middle School's 8th graders took a field trip on April 4 to watch the Final Four practice sessions in the Alamodome. The field trip was part of an incentive for students' hard work in preparing for the Math TAKS test.

SEGUIN – Bradley Walker of Blanco was recently inducted in to the Delta Mu Delta honor society. Walker is one of six Texas Lutheran University students who were recently inducted into the national honor society of business administration.

Registration for Blanco Elementary School will be Thursday, May 15 during the times of 9: 00 a. m.

The Panthers rallied from behind to beat the Bobcats last Friday night 8-5. Trailing 3-1 going into the third inning, Blanco exploded for seven runs.

On Saturday, April 19, the Blanco Major League girls softball team played against the Johnson City team number two in Johnson City. The Blanco team, The Angels with Attitude, beat the Johnson City team with a score of 28-8. The mid-point of the season has been reached and the Angels season record is 4-2.

The Blanco Panther Athletic Department added Golf to thier agends this year. While it bing only the first year there was a good turn out for the teams. Coach Scott Balmos coached the golf teams.

Middle School Tennis results from Friday and Saturdays meet last weekend in Kerrville. Kelsey Schwind took second place in the seventh grade girls singles.

The Blanco Panther Softball team finished second in district play. Blanco finished with a 5-3 district record, and a 16-11 overall record in regular season play.

The Texas State University ~ San Marcos Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team hosted over 300 students Tuesday, April 8, 2008, in the Minifie Academic Atrium in the McCoy College of Business. The purpose of the event was to focus on employers’ needs by providing a learning forum to improve students’ resumes, appearance, etiquette, demeanor and interviewing skills. New SIFE students, SIFE officers and corporate executives all helped to make the event a positive experience for students who want to improve their workforce readiness.

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.