March 11, 2010

Blanco County Commissioners on Tuesday approved the use of the interior of the Blanco County Courthouse for the Wild Flower Festival Youth Art Show. The Festival, scheduled for April 17, may use the lower floor of the Courthouse at times when it will not interfere with normal county business. Commissioners approved set-up on Friday after 5:00 p.m.

Chris Stewart, M.A., M.S., will present Use ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: How to Build Workforce Muscle at this year’s National Head Start Association’s Annual Conference in Dallas this May. This presentation highlights proven leadership practices that create a work environment that enhances employee confidence "muscle" - bringing out the best in people for succeeding in today’s rapidly changing business environments. Business leaders have a unique opportunity to lea ...

Charlie Ewing, President of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church Men’s Club is announcing they will be offering "The Deacon Jack Murrell Scholarship Fund" for the first time this year to a Johnson City High School graduating senior. There will be two $500.00 scholarships given from the proceeds of the Men’s Club "First Annual Jack Murrell Golf Tournament"

Good Shepherd Catholic Church invites you to join us on Sunday, March 21, 2010 beginning at 11am for a scrumptious homemade Mexican dinner. Plates include cheese enchiladas, tamale, taco, rice, beans, tortilla, homemade salsa and a dessert. You may dine in or to go plates will be available. Donations for lunch will be accepted at the door. In addition, we will be selling baked goods and chances for raffle prizes.

Vino & Pasta is an event geared to help you find that perfect pairing of wine (vino) and pasta both while enjoying the beautiful TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. Each of the nine wineries have worked with a top restaurant to make this one of your best trips ever. Stay the night and enjoy a weekend of Fun, Fun, Fun! ·Fredericksburg, Texas - Texas Hill Country - Nine wineries, making up the Fredericksburg Wine Road 290 invite you to participate in an event Saturday, March 20, 2010. ...

AARP is offering its four-hour course on safe driving for seniors at 9 am Saturday, March 13, at the First United Methodist Church. It’s open to anyone, but is aimed at drivers aged 55 or better. Completion of the class earns a discount on car insurance from most companies (but it doesn’t count for ticket dismissal).

The Stonewall Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a Spring Fish Fry on Sunday, March 21, 2010 to raise monies to retire the cost of the new fire station, built in 2009. Serving will begin at 11 a.m. Unlike their Fish Fry in October of each year, this event will be a drive-though, take-out only meal.

The Texas Men’s State Chili and Barbecue Championships have been scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at the Blanco County Fairgrounds in Johnson City. This will be the seventh annual edition of the event to be held in Johnson City. The chili cook-off will be sanctioned by Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) and will qualify the top cooks for the Terlingua International Chili Championship.

Standing room only at this year’s Spaghetti/Bingo. The Woman’s Club puts on the event to help raise money for our local library. Photo by Glynn Miller

February 27, Garden Club Executives Christine Schulze (Treasurer), Pearl Hedlund (President) and "money maker" Joycelyn Carter (Committee Chairman of Crafts & Sales) met at the Johnson City Library to give the divided $8500.00 checks to Community Organizations. The Library was awarded $2000.00 for their operations fund as well as a $500.00 to the Friends of the Library.

Johnson City Quilt Guild met at Good Shepherd Catholic Church with 24 members present. Charlotte gave a quick report of progress on the upcoming Quilt Show. Our next Quilt Show Committee meeting will be in Blanco at the home of Martha Wagner on March 19th at 9:00 am. If you would like to attend this meeting, feel free to do so.

The porch hasn’t changed much. We still sit and visit and tell big tales and laugh as much as we can. This being Monday and guess what folks, it is raining. I really cannot complain about the rain, first of all, because I love it and second of all, because I remember not too long ago when we really needed rain.

If you know my littlest one, Shay (1st grader), you know her animal friends. Two horses named Komet and Little Bit along with two dogs named Lightnin’ and Buda. (Not like the town, but like Buddha) We have also housed a three-hoofed cow named Hot Rod. Its backside rode higher than its front, hence the name.

There is a quilt pattern called Courthouse Steps and it is so appropriate for this story. We journeyed to Lampasas last week for their Quilt and Needle Art Show. They are fortunate to hold their Quilt Show in their lovely old courthouse. I have been to this show before but the concept of it never hit me before.

Everyone knows the Sun is a brilliant round ball that travels around Earth each day. Perfect and unchanging, it is made of shiny quintessence, a heavenly substance not found on Earth. At least that’s what sophisticated Europeans thought in the early 17th century when Galileo and others began studying the heavens with the newly invented telescope 400 years ago. That view of the Sun began to crumble when Galileo and other early astronomers discovered sunspots.

I just love my ‘old things’ and it’s a good thing because my husband likes to make my old things last forever He is a ‘fixer’. He had rather fiddle with something that is broken or just not working well than to eat cake. He is a good fixer and can make do with little or nothing to work with.

*****Don’t forget to SPRING AHEAD. Set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night. *****Brianna Francis, daughter of former Blanco County resident Mark Francis & wife Laura, competed in the Southern Sectional Swimming Championships at Texas A&M University, Mar 5-7. Way to go, Briana! Mark & his family make their home in Sandy, Utah. *****Two new babies in Johnson City’s extended families.

The school board meeting on Monday, March 8th, began with open forum. Suree Burke spoke on behalf of parents who wish to start a youth basketball program. Currently, Johnson City kids who want to participate in a basketball league must drive to Marble Falls. The target age for the program will be kids in the 3rd-6th grades.

"Where is he?! Where is he?" panicked 6th grader Nathan Oertli. "I don’t know, I don’t know! Oh man, I died!" responded LBJ Middle School peer Thomas Tobolka. On Saturday, March 6th these two young men were facing off in an epic battle of Halo 3 with some of their friends.

Kelly Carper Polden, a local author and communications consultant, signed a contract with Arcadia Publishing, the leading local history publisher in the United States, to author a book entitled Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. The book is scheduled for release in December 2010 and will commemorate the 2011 grand opening of the Texas White House at LBJ Ranch. "I am honored to work with the National Park Service staff here in Johnson City, to create what will be the first-ev ...

Blanco County Farm Bureau is looking at another banner year for membership growth. "Farming and ranching is important to the economic vitality of Blanco County," said Blanco CFB S & TAdrian Schulze. "We have set a goal of 50 new members for 2010. The membership efforts of 207 county Farm Bureaus statewide raised the Texas Farm Bureau membership total in 2009 to 439,260, a gain of 17,101 member families.

Caleb William Ferguson was born and went to be with Jesus on Tuesday, March 9th. A graveside service will be held at Sandy Cemetery on Saturday, March 13th at 2:00pm. Every life however long or short, has a profound impact on our world. Caleb’s heart valves are being donated so others may live. He is survived by his loving parents, Kyle and Corrine Ferguson and brother, Silas, from Sitka, Alaska.

Johnson City Police Department Reports These reports were filed between Feb. 20 and Feb. 26. Feb. 21 • Hwy 281 Hill Co Inn. 2:30 AM. Traffic Stop • 107 281 Loop Rd. 1:56 PM. Alarm • Scofield Ave. 3:11 PM. Noise Complaint • EXXON JC. 8:55 PM. Suspicious Person • 281 and Stanton. 11:28 PM. Traffic Stop Feb.

The children’s choir at First Christian Church presented an inspiring and joyful musical called "I Am a Promise" on March 7th. Twenty eight voices from age 3 to 6th grade joined to make this presentation a delight for all who listened. The children memorized music and spoken parts and really put their hearts into this work and it really showed on their faces because they enjoyed what they were doing.

It was almost an invitation to lunch that King Minos (center) gave to Prince Theseus (in shorts). Actually, Minos was ordering Theseus to go to Crete with him, to be fed to the Minotaur monster as a sacrifice. Darlene Young’s class had been studying classic mythology, and turned the stories into a play including Theseus and the Minotaur (Theseus won), Neptune, Icarus and other mythological figures...plus a few they invented for themselves.

Twenty four students from Johnson City competed in the 1A through 5A Regional Visual Art Scholastic Event the 27th of February. 29 artworks medaled with the highest score of 4 and five works of art placed second. These students worked well over 100 hours on their artwork, writing essays and practicing their art vocabulary for the one on one competition with a judge.

The Johnson City Eagle baseball team won first place in the annual Johnson City tournament held this past weekend. The Eagles managed to keep their undefeated record intact as they won three games against Harper, Round Rock Christian and Florence. In the first game of the tournament, JC faced the Harper Longhorns and defeated them by a score of 15-0.

Johnson City’s baseball team continued their season Tuesday night with a 24-1 victory over the Ingram Warriors. With the victory, the Eagles ran their season record to 7-0. Luke Neely started on the mound for the Eagles and went three strong innings before being relieved by Kris McDonald and Treyler Caulfield.

The District 27-AA honors were released last week. The Lady Eagles were well represented, posting as many athletes as their 1st place district rivals Harper. Kayla Jernigan (15 points per game, 3.5 steals per game, 6 rebounds per game), Adrienne Pabon (8 points per game, 2.5 steals per game, 9 rebounds per game) and Kelya Jureczki (3 assists per game, 4 steals per game) all were awarded 1st team honors.

The Lady Eagles played in a softball tournament in Blanco March 4-6. Thursday they defeated the Fredericksburg JV team 8-3, Lago Vista 9-3, and St. Andrew’s 6-1. Saturday, the Lady Eagles played the Championship game against Blanco and lost 4-0. During the tournament, incredible defense was played by Adrienne Pabon, Tamara Nacel, Elizabeth O’ Day, and Brittany Harris. The offense was led by Lacy Butler, Savannah Woodcock, Kendyll Kohlleppel, Kacie Cantwell ...

Question: How are retirement benefits figured, and do I get less in benefits if I stop working while I am in my fifties? Answer: Your retirement age is the age at which you begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits. Your stop work age is the age at which you leave the labor force and no longer work.