June 25, 2009

IT”S A GIRL.........Chris and Casey Skelton of Lewisville, Texas, are the proud parents of a baby girl, Layna Ruth. Miss Layna was born June 9 at 12:36pm. She weighed 7 pounds 5.4 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long. Proud Gramcie is Jan Christensen, and proud uncles are Scott and Keith.

It’s time to sign up for Blanco County Fair Exhibit Hall. If your agency would like to host a booth during the fair, please call Gretchen Sanders, Exhibit Hall Superintendent at 868-7167. Schedule and Theme: 2009 Theme-A Country Picnic Thursday, August 13 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall will open for booth preparation Your booth should reflect the theme Friday, August 14 3 p.m.

Who’s in charge of what in a disaster response will be George Cofran’s topic when the Blanco County Disaster Response Group meets Saturday in Johnson City. “All disaster responses are structured the same these days,” Cofran said, “whether large or small, in California or Blanco County. Knowing who’s in charge of what can speed up getting the help you need when the situation looks chaotic.” Actually, a disaster response does start out chaotic, but there is order in the midst of ...

On June 18th, Johnson City Library, Writers’ League of Texas, and LBJ National Historic Park hosted its first Writers Conference. Writers from all across the Texas Hill Country helped make this event a huge success! Many of the writers had the opportunity to attend work shops that were led by three published authors from across the state.

Do you know what is amazing about the Johnson City Fourth of July Spange Dangle? Would you like to know? Well, it is the incredible gratification you get from seeing a community come together for such a fantastic, heart warming, heart wrenching, exciting, loud, colorful Fourth of July event that allows every soul within our community to participate.

The Community Garden Club has a history of giving back to the community of Johnson City. Usually one scholarship is given each year; however, the Scholarship Committee was able to narrow the applicants down to two but became unwavering regarding the finalists, Philip Linsey and Mason Moreland. After over two hours of discussion, it was decided to interview both Philip and Mason hoping that this would help in the decision.

From left to right are Vicki Ralph, representing the Johnson City Volunteer Fire Dept.; Art Daniel, representing North Blanco EMS, Patricia Scharinger, librarian, Johnson City Library; Cynthia Keene, president of Johnson City Woman’s Civic Club; Kay Culp, treasurer. Cynthia Keene presented a donation of $100 to the JCVFD and North Blanco EMS, respectively, and a $15,037 donation to the Johnson City Library, which includes $715 received from the ongoing Silent Auction at the library.

It has been hot and we need rain. I thought I would start by researching the possibility of rain @ NOAA’s National Weather Service which says “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors.” Lightning Safety Awareness is this Week, June 21-27. So folks pay attention to the weather and guess what I saw...

Quilts are used for many purposes. The main one being for warmth and a close runner up would be for their beauty. Remake your guest bedroom with a beautiful quilt by using it for the headboard. You can remake a room with little expense by just using a frame for your bed and make the headboard by hanging a quilt at the top of the bed.

Since it was just Fathers Day, I thought I would revive an old story about my granddaddy Tarver who had some pretty definite ideas about how things should be. He also was the father figure for me after I was 8 years old and my father was ‘fathering’ the son of the woman he married after the war.

*****Alice Wadsworth, Donna Sultemeier’s mother, will be coming down from Fort Worth on July 1st to spend 2 1/2 weeks with James and Donna to make Roman shades for their windows. She will then go back to Fort Worth on July 18th to celebrate her 80th birthday. *****Bruce Zbytovsky was at home recuperating from triple by-pass surgery last month.

In a special meeting of the Blanco County Commissioners Court on June 23, commissioners heard a report by Sheriff Bill Elsbury regarding the status of a legal case regarding the Christ of the Hills Monastery. Sheriff Elsbury petitioned the court to authorize County Judge Bill Guthrie to hire legal counsel to represent Blanco County in a forfeiture cause against 105.1 acres of land and a mobile home currently owned by Ecumenical Monks, Inc. Blanco County seeks to acquire the Monastery property ...

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.

•To be held on June 27, 2009 at 2:00 pm In commemoration of the service rendered and the sacrifices made by Ambroce H. Colbath of Company D, the Former Texas Rangers Association has given a special grave marker. Ranger Colbath was born March 17, 1853 and died March 21, 1930 at the age of 78.

The Johnson City Chamber of Commerce was pleased to participated in the Ribbon Cutting hosted by Mainstreet Boutique owners, Denise & Cricket Goff, John & Kim Brooks; Saturday, June 13 at 10:00 am in celebration of opening at their new location; 106 E. Main Street (Hwy 290) in Johnson City.

Ya know when you are on a roller coaster, it will travel up and down then...steep ups and whizzing downs and then veer off to the right and more and more right to create a circle, then more up and now to the left and a quick u-turn to more up up up and zing...down in a split second!!!

COLLEGE STATION — With summer approaching, the danger of children dying from being left unattended in vehicles increases, a Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialist warns. “The problem is that temperatures in parked vehicles rise very quickly,” said Bev Kellner, AgriLife Extension passenger safety specialist. In just 10 minutes the temperature can increase by almost 20 degrees, according to figures from San Francisco State University’s department of geosciences. A child’s bod ...

Connie Jordan, abstract artist whose works have been sold in every country except China and Japan was found on Wednesday morning. The search began after the JC Record Courier received 2 calls from a Dallas Morning News reporter stating she believed Connie to be here, and was immediately heading down here.

There are a few surviving peach varieties of the April 7th frost in the Hill Country. Growers are picking varieties such as BlazePrince, Ruston Red, and Redskin have a small crop of fruit on them now and into July. The fruit has outstanding flavor this year. Currently, many roadside peach stands and orchards also have fresh vegetables and blackberries along with the peaches for sale.

Farm groups across Texas are lending a helping hand to assist the many farmers and ranchers who were devastated by wildfires in the last couple of months. Hundreds of thousands of acres across Archer, Clay, Jack, Montague, Wichita and Young counties went up in flames during March and April, claiming three lives, dozens of homes and outbuildings and scores of livestock. “Many of the very worst fires took place over Easter weekend,” said Blanco County Farm Bureau S & T, Adrian Schulze.“G ...

David Lewis, an avid mycologist from Newton County in East Texas, will give a presentation on “Mushrooms of Texas” on June 30 at the Gillespie County Historical Society Building, 312 West San Antonio Street in Fredericksburg beginning at 7:00PM. The program will be part of the regular monthly meeting of the Fredericksburg Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Increased pressure to develop renewable energy resources, such as wind, may create a negative impact on the Hill Country bat populations. A dearth of information regarding the significance of wind energy development’s impact on the area’s migrating bat and bird populations is a major concern among scientists and non-governmental organizations.

Michael Louis Hart, 41, of Johnson City, passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2009, in Austin, TX after suffering a fatal stroke. Michael was a painting contractor, and musician, formally of League City, and Friendswood, TX. He is survived by his parents, Barbara and Buz Hart, of Johnson City, his grandmother, Elizabeth Hart, of Johnson City, his father, Michael Hrynko, stepmother, Susan Hrynko, of New York, his sister, Florence Hrynko, of South Carolina, and many friends and relatives.

Johnson City Police Department Reports These reports were filed between May. 26 and Jun. 8. May. 28 • 607 Live Oak Dr. 10:07 AM. Traffic Stop • Cheers. 10:38 AM. Traffic Stop • 117 Deer Creek Dr. 1:12 PM. Civil Stand By • 281 N Heading South into JC. 2:02 PM. Reckless Driver • Apts By Casparis Trailer Park.

Living on the E.D.G.E. Many Johnson City children learned how to live on the E.D.G.E. - experience and discover God everywhere- this past week at First Christian Church’s vacation bible school. A little more than 60 children from our community were involved. The church transformed itself into an extreme adventure land, complete with caves, caverns, forests, campsites, and mountain ranges.

How does a crocodile catch a kid? It’s actually harder than you’d think, but they gave it a try at Vacation Bible School this week at First United Methodist Church. The week’s theme, “Crocodile Dock”, is teaching youngsters how to know what’s right and what they think, and is teaching them how to stand up for their beliefs in a big, scary world.

Diplomas were awarded to 5,787 Texas A&M University graduates during spring commencement ceremonies. Among those recognized were: Name: COLBY WILL RENFRO Class: SENIOR Hometown: JOHNSON CITY, TX Zipcode: 78636-0303 Degree 1: BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - RECREATION, PARK & TOURISM SCIENCES Name: CHELSEY NOEL HARLOW Class: SENIOR Hometown: JOHNSON CITY, TX Zipcode: 78669-4009 Degree 1: BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - AG LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT.

With the announcement of felony indictments of its former general manager and millions received in settlement of claims of attorney malfeasance, the Pedernales Electric Cooperative membership elected new members to serve on its board of directors and chart its path into the future. Director Patrick Cox of Wimberley ran unopposed and was re-elected to Pictured l to r: Larry Landaker, Patrick Cox, and Cristi Clement. the board.