June 4, 2009

Waxahachie ISD Superintendent Tom Collins; Caroline Weiershausen, who was named Rookie of the Year; and Montae Reagor, WHS graduate and former NFL player. Caroline is a graduate of LBJ High School and has tons of proud family and friends in Johnson City. Photo courtesty of the Waxahachie Daily Light.

LBJ HIGH SCHOOL BAND BOOSTERS meets the 1st Thursday of each month at 6 pm at the LBJ Middle School Band Hall. For more information contact 512-924-5881 or send email to lbjbandboosters@live.com. EARLY BIRD 4-H CLUB meets second Tuesday, Pleasant Hill School. Call Texas Cooperative Extension, Blanco County for more information, 868-7167. HILL COUNTRY SPURS 4-H CLUB meets third Tuesday, Blanco County Fairgrounds Riding Arena, 6:30 pm and focuses on the 4-H Horse Project.

The annual Johnson City basketball camp will be held from Tuesday, June 9 through Friday, June 12 at the LBJ High School gym. Students who will be in grades 2-4 next school year will have their camp from 8-11 am while students who will be in grades 5 through 9 next school year will have their camp from 1-4 pm.

San Antonio, TX – Dale Moore is an avid recycler. As a computer programmer owning a consulting firm with about 500 customers, he routinely recycles computer and technology equipment. As a 25 gallon blood donor, he recycles life. Dale first donated blood 20 years ago when a friend was in need.

PUBLIC NOTICE The Blanco County Commissioners Court is accepting bids for paving oil for the Road and Bridge department. Bidders should contact Commissioner John Wood Telephone No. (830) 833-5331 to obtain the specifications. Bids should be returned to: Bill Guthrie, Blanco County Judge, P.O. Box 387, Johnson City, Texas 78636 and the bid envelope should be marked “Paving Oil Pct 1” in the lower left hand corner.

Dr. Ed Arnett, conservation scientist with Bat Conservation International in Austin, will speak on “Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Wildlife: What Does the Future Hold for our Hill Country Bats.” The meeting will be held on June 9 at the Gillespie County Agricultural Extension Service Building, 95 Frederick Road in Fredericksburg, beginning at 7:00PM.

Betty McNallen, David Hamm and Karen Brugnoli represented Blanco County Habitat for Humanity at the PEC United Charities reception on Wednesday, May 27, 2009. The funds will help Blanco County Habitat for Humanity continue its work to promote decent, affordable housing in Blanco County.

A summer season of laughs begins Monday night in Johnson City with three comedy movies, and it’s all free and open to all. It’s the summer season of the Free Family Movie Night series at the Johnson City First United Methodist Church. This year, the theme is comedy, and the group has scheduled a classic for each month. This month’s film is “Sitting Pretty”, in which an ad for a live-in baby-sitter gets a response from an unexpected source.

One of our tenants had a great birthday party on Saturday. She celebrated in style with many friends right beside her. And this brings us to June and all the June birthdays coming up. Happy Birthday! We had our Tenant Association Meeting @ 2:00 PM this Monday. We had several things to discuss plus we are in the process of planning a FREE Luncheon in July 2009.

Well, school is out and what are we going to do with all that time? Maybe this would be a good time to get those kids sewing. Moda and other companies have made it so easy to make a quilt by coming up with charm packs and layer cakes and things like jelly rolls.

[To readers of Johnson City: Welcome to Stargazer, an every-other-week column for all who find beauty and wonder in the night sky. Hoping you’ll find Stargazer informative and entertaining, I welcome your comments, questions and ideas for column topics, and look forward to hearing from you. -Paul Derrick] Many respected experts point to an alarming trend among our youth which is likely to have dire consequences for our society.

While sitting in the cardiologists office the other day among about 8 people all our age, seniors we’ll call them, Pat and I along with at least 7 of the other ‘patients’ heads snapped hearing; “Who will Archie Andrews become engaged to this year” come across the larger than life television screen in the waiting room. Those of us waiting patiently or maybe not so patiently waiting had just moments before been busily passing the interminable wait to see our doctor by reading Time, Pe ...

*****Elmira Casparis celebrated her birthday this week with family. Her nieces Jerry Ann Buck, and Mary Ann Bearden, both of Johnson City, Helen Cook of San Antonio, great niece Diane Sharp of San Antonio along with her brother Jerry D. Casparis of Johnson City all enjoyed lunch at Silver K.

On May 27 in Austin, Selah-Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Blanco County won the 2009 Leopold Conservation Award for Texas from Sand County Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, part of the department’s Lone Star Land Steward Awards program. “Texas has become an urban state, in that most of us now live in cities,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director.

The Spange Dangle Grand Finale will be held at the Blanco County Fair Grounds on the outside pavilion. It will be preceded by a Grand Spange Dangle Parade at 7pm starting on Pecan Ave in front of the Blanco County Courthouse and running down the spur to Old River Road onto the Fairgrounds.

On May 6, Election Services Corp. mailed nearly 193,000 ballots to members of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative in this year’s board of directors’ election. As of June 2nd, 17,362 members had cast ballots through the mail and 3,116 had cast ballots online, for an eleven percent voter turnout so far. Members have until Friday, June 12 to vote by mail or online.

The statistics are staggering. Reading in America is literally becoming a “past time.” Meaning, quite simply, that it is only something that people used to do in the “past.” In an age where technology and electronics are readily available to distract and entertain young minds, the concept of having a “favorite author,” or even knowing an author is quickly fading.

Pictured: Bamberger Ranch staff and family - Front row: Willow and Grey Grote. Second row: Steven Fulton, Colleen and Scott Gardner, Amanda Fulton. Back row: Justin Duke, J. David Bamberger, Stephanie Duke, Lois Sturm, Leroy Petri, Scott and Melissa Grote

Pedernales Electric employees and PEC are distributing more than $310,000 to civic and charitable organizations throughout its service area. PEC’s United Charities program will give to 369 qualified charities this year. The funds come from volunteer employee payroll deductions and corporate-matched funds approved by PEC’s Board of Directors. Organizations receiving donations include libraries, churches, health and education programs, family and youth programs, animal services, volunteer f ...

I am already getting reports from all over the Hill Country that the harvest is here. I picked my first of the season peppers, onions and blackberries this morning and tomatoes are just ahead. Several of you are way ahead of me and I am happy for you. I always plant later than most folks plant.

On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, the Hill Country Spurs 4-H club held their officer elections for 2009-2010 season. Former President, Bailey Zeoller, called the meeting to order, and started the elections. Kendra Smith, former Historian, was elected President. Amara Yachimski was re-elected for Vice President I. Former Secretary Elizabeth O’Day was elected Vice President II.

The Johnson City FFA held their annual FFA awards banquet on May 18th in the high school cafeteria. The chapter recognized Mr. David Shanley, superintendent of schools, for his continued support of the FFA by presenting him with the Honorary Lone Star Farmer degree. This is the highest award a non FFA member can receive from the Texas FFA.

Daniel Overton Carmichael, age 16, of Copperas Cove passed away June 1, 2009 at his residence. Daniel was born September 21, 1992 to Daniel M. Carmichael and Shirley Overton-Carmichael. He was a sophomore at Copperas Cove High School. Daniel enjoyed bull riding, music, playing football with his nephews, playing the guitar, listening to music, sleeping under the stars, playing golf and most of all hanging out with his sisters and friends.

Lena Grace Hobbs, 90, a resident of Johnson City all of her life, passed away Tuesday the 26th of May, 2009 at LBJ Medical Center. She took such pride in keeping her house and cooking for her family. Later in life she loved her church and the long time friends in her Sunday School Class.

Phillip Russel Sergeant, born in New York state to William Root and Alice Sergeant on April 24th 1939, passed away on May 25th, 2009. Phillip moved to Texas with his mother and grandmother at age 4. They soon moved to Blanco County, and Phillip lived on the same piece of property for the next 65 years.

Simon Sasko, son of Pops and Cindy Sasko, went home to be with the Lord Monday afternoon. Visitation at Beckman Funeral Home Thursday, June 4th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Funeral will be held at Greenwood Cemetary Friday, June 5th at 10 a.m. Both sites located in Fredericksburg.

June 1, 2009, Johnson City, TX – The Johnson City Community Education Foundation board is pleased to announce presentation of a record number of higher education scholarships to graduating Johnson City high school students. During graduation ceremonies on Friday, May 29, JCCEF board member Joe Stewart presented five scholarships, three for students who will attend a four-year college or university and two for students who will enter technical school in the fall. Kennedy Bynum, who plans to ...

Changes to school immunization requirements for five vaccines take effect Aug. 1 according to Texas Department of State Health Services officials. “The changes were made to update the Texas elementary and secondary school immunization requirements to more closely match recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,” said Jack Sims, DSHS immunization branch manager.

Johnson City High School senior Haylee Jernigan has been selected to play in the 10th Annual Greater Austin Area High School All Star Game. Participants in the game are nominated and selected by area softball coaches. The competition features a North vs. South format with the Colorado River as the boundary.

The Johnson City baseball team placed 6 members to the 27AA All District Team. Among the first team All District selections were: Laramie Blackwell at pitcher, Luke Neely at short stop, Wade Pistole at 2nd base, and Braxton Rutledge, Cody Crofts, and Kris McDonald in the outfield. Cody Smith was also a member of the All District Team as a utility player.

This camp is designed for male and female athletes (incoming Freshman-Seniors) who are participating in competitive sports. The camp will focus on improving the athlete’s ability to run, jump and change direction quickly. The activities will concentrate on strength, power, agility and overall physical conditioning in a positive and structural environment.