April 29, 2010

The Blanco County Aggie Moms will hold the last meeting for the current academic school year on Sunday, May 2nd at 3 pm in the home of Tricia Hartmann. The group will complete preparations for spring finals goody bags, vote on designations for scholarship funds, and plan the annual welcome picnic for new Aggies to be held during the summer. New officers will also be installed: Becky Guler will replace Tricia Hartmann as President; Sandi Immel will replace Nickie Cox as Secret ...

A week before the grand reopening of the newly and extensively renovated Albert Dance Hall, the Texas-born Easley family, which purchased the historical Hill Country hamlet last fall, has invited locals to bring their branding irons to a party to make their marks on the new bar in the 88-year-old structure. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Youth Community Assistance Program will be having a Guy’s vs Girls Competition on Saturday, May 8th, 2010 at the ASB Karate Studio in Johnson City. There will be Food and Fun for All. Junior High Age begins at 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, High School Age begins at 9:00 pm to 12 Midnight.

The Blanco County Extension Education Association’s annual Spring Luncheon was held on April 22nd at the Gem of the Hills Citizen Center in Blanco.

Cat owners residing in Blanco County can apply for $25.00 vouchers from the Blanco County Cat Coalition, Inc. (BCCC) to pay for part of the cost of spaying or neutering their pet cats. There are a limited number of vouchers that are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Owners need to make appointments with their regular veterinarians for the spaying/neutering and take their cats and pick them up when the surgery is over.

The Round Mountain Extension Club met on Wednesday, April 21, at the lovely home of Deb McClintock. The meeting was called to order by Barbara Wilson and the opening reading was "The Amazing Cucumber". Eleven members and one guest, Vaneisa Luce, answered roll call stating one thing they like about EEA.

Susan Hamm’s beautiful home overlooking the Pedernales River was the location for the April 26th meeting of the Johnson City Woman’s Civic Club. Members were treated to a delicious array of fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, and a variety of cookies including a terrific iced shortbread cookie that won rave reviews.

Shay, my first grader, informed me the other day that there were only 26 days left of school. What? Her teacher is very clever in finding a count down to the end of school that is also in the form of learning. There are 26 letters in the alphabet and the very next day was to be "A"

We have a new group called Friends of Friends. They had their first meeting on April 22nd, 2010 @ 4:00 pm for a Bible Study. Their purpose is to encourage people to reach out and know that you are never alone. They have a very special saying that they want to base their meetings on, by …Father Paul Keenam.

The "Smith Girls" (as Coach Severne Smith calls us) represented the Johnson City Quilt Guild at the Relay for Life this past weekend. Janie, Marjorie and Darlene were there taking donations for a chance to win a beautiful quilt donated by Johnson City Quilters Guild. The Guild has donated a quilt for the past 3 years and has raised over $1000.00 each year for Relay for Life and the cure for cancer. Darlene is a survivor of 14 years so this event is near to our hearts.

I know it’s a marketing tool, this buy one get one free deal but why can’t they just lower the price in the first place? I think the stores would do better if they did. I don’t think I have ever paid full price for anything at a particular store in Marble Falls.

*****Some of the M&Ms (Marvelously Matures) from the First United Methodist Church went to Fredericksburg for dinner at Pasta Bella and "The Odd Couple" on stage at the Fredericksburg Theater. Aboard the bus were Mary Frances and Lloyd Madison, Jim Aldridge, Joy Feuge, Dianne Walkens, and Sheila and George Barnette.

County Judge and Commissioners dig in at the building site for the new County Annex. Groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday, April 27th.

Construction began on the new Blanco County Annex building, located north of the Courthouse, on Monday, April 26th. Bulldozers went to work preparing the base foundation for the slab. Commissioners held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday after their regular scheduled meeting. This was a proud moment for the County Judge and Commissioners that have seen this project come to life over the past year. While one building is going up the next is in the paper work process.

David Shanley, Superintendent of Johnson City ISD, is the reigning "Pie Eating Contest King." Last year, Shanley showed up ready for the challenge, dressed in black. Black garbage bags, that is, for pie eating protection! This year, Shanley said he’s ready to win again. Who is hungry enough to beat Shanley the Pie Champ?

"Hello, Nathan," said the friendly grownup at church the next day, "what have you been up to lately?" "Oh," responded six-year-old Nathan Axtell, "just changing the world." And he was right. The day before, teams of volunteers, Nathan included, had assembled at First United Methodist Church for breakfast before fanning out into the community to change the worlds of some of their neighbors.

Kelly Carper Polden and CC Hershey Bar race through a field at the recent Texas Tango Endurance Race.

Dakota Williams, State FFA Vice President, Chandler Wagner, Tyler Troppy, Melinda Holdridge, Myron Uecker, Noel Porter, and Kody Kale State FFA vice president.

The Johnson City FFA livestock made history by placing eighth at the state contest last Saturday at Texas A&M University. Team members are Chandler Wagner, Tyler Troppy, Noel Porter, and Melinda Holdridge. They are only the second team from the chapter to ever place in the top 10 at the state contest.

The Hill Country Land Trust (HCLT) recognized its conservation partners during a ceremony at the Stonewall Heritage Society’s Lindig cabin on March 27. Hill Country Land Trust President Bill Lindemann presented each of its partner landowners with a gate sign reading ‘conserved in partnership with the Hill Country Land Trust’.

Despite publicity over the rare occurrence of mistreatment, the vast majority of ranchers take proper care of their livestock, Blanco County Farm Bureau S & T Adrian Schulze said. "Negligent livestock producers can give the beef industry a black eye if cattle are not taken care of or are otherwise mistreated,"

Kelly Carper Polden, a local resident, equestrian, author and communications consultant, and her Arabian horse CC Hershey Bar, reached a milestone in the American Endurance Riders Conference (AERC, www.aerc.org) by successfully completing five 50-mile endurance races in the past 12 months. Kelly and Hershey were awarded with their 250-mile AERC patches in April. "I am so proud of Hershey,"

On the morning of Wednesday, April 21, 2010 approximately 60 Blanco County citizens braved the wind on Whittington’s Mountain to join the Board of Directors of the Pedernales Soil and Water Conservation District for the 26th Annual Soil Stewardship Breakfast. Everyone was treated to campfire coffee, juice, donuts and breakfast tacos prepared by the directors themselves. Reverend Skip Brasher of New Hope Lutheran Church in Blanco presented an inspirational message and ev ...

Learning how to capture every drop of rainfall and be ready for the next drought will be the topic at the May meeting of the Highland Lakes Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Ray Buchanan, a certified Texas Master Naturalist, will be the presenter at the meeting which starts at 1 p.m.

Carlos August Grote, born August 10, 1916, was the first of nine children. He grew up on the family ranch between Johnson City and Willow City, just inside the Blanco County line. He attended Big Flat School near the ranch, and later lived in Fredericksburg with his grandmother in order to graduate from Fredericksburg High School.

Blanco County Sheriff’s Office Reports These reports were filed between Apr. 9 and Apr. 12. Apr. 9 • Blanco Plaza Apartments. 12:05 AM. Disturbance • 212 Chaparral Trl. 1:31 AM. Suspicious Activity • 6 Miles North of Blanco Southbound. 2:56 AM. Reckless Driver • Corner of Barbara Lane and Contour Drive. 3:25 AM. Animal Complaint • Speedy Stop.

Larry told me he knew immediately that he would lose all the weight he needed to lose and this brought a new birth of faith and confidence. He’d tried different diets before with little lasting success. Weight loss programs had let him down. There had been a few short lived experiences of achieving his longed for goals. During his sophomore year in high school, Larry had lost one hundred pounds, but nothing he tried seemed to work for long.

Regional Track Qualifiers: Cody Atwood, Lacey Delancey, Trent Rodriguez, Kris McDonald, Jason Guthrie (alternate), Keyla Jureczki, and Laramie Blackwell.

The LBJ High School regional track qualifiers competed in regional qualifier practice meets this past weekend. On Saturday, April 24 the Eagles traveled to Poth. At this meet, Lacey Delancey won the 400 meter race with a time of 61.97. In the 110 meter hurdles Kris Mcdonald took 2nd with a personal best time of 14.87 and in the 300 meter hurdles he placed 3rd, again with a personal best time of 39.84.

The LBJ Eagle varsity track teams qualified 6 members to compete at the Region IV-2A meet to be held May 3 & 4 at Converse Judson High School in San Antonio. The Eagles won 4 district titles in the varsity division and 1 district title in the JV division. Kris McDonald won the district championship in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles.

Five members of this years LBJ varsity boys basketball team achieved the high honor of being selected academic all district for the 2010 season. The members include seniors Jordan Jones and Nick Mahrou, juniors Kris McDonald and Jacob Sisson and sophomore Van Johnson. Congratulations to all these young men for this impressive achievement.

Monday, April 19th the Lady Eagles competed well, but were defeated by the Blanco Panthers 1-5. Leading the offense by hitting singles were Lacy Butler, Savanah Woodcock, Elizabeth O’Day, and Tamara Nacel. Alex Houston pitched a great game with seven strike-outs. Adrienne Pabon had an amazing catch in center field.