February 21, 2018 Issue

When staff at the Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve came to the Blanco State Park to help remove debris following the Memorial Day flood of 2015, they saw big pecan logs in piles destined for the city landfill. Colleen Gardner, executive director of the Ranch, located at 2341 Blue Ridge Dr., Johnson City, ranch manager Steven Fulton and ranch biologist Jared Holmes were among the volunteers.

The Blanco County Sheriff’s Office received 309 calls for service from 2/12/2018 through 2/18/2018. The Blanco County Communications Center received the following call types during the seven-day period: 10 = Arrest 122 = Traffic Stops 13 = Reckless Drivers 21 = Medical Aid Calls/Medical Alarm 28 = 911 Hang up Calls, Mis-dials, Open line or Abuse calls 13 = Fire Calls/Fire Alarms 8 = Motor Vehicle Accidents 6 = Disturbance Calls 14 = Animal Complaints/Loose Live Stock Calls ...

As part of its ongoing commitment to youth and education, Pedernales Electric Cooperative will once again offer $100,000 in scholarships to eligible high school and home-schooled seniors in its service area. Applications for the 2018 school year are now available at pec.coop/scholarship. “We are committed to helping our future leaders grow, and our scholarship program is one way we recognize our responsibility to support the communities we serve,” said Trista Fugate, PEC’s director of ...

2/11 arrested a 28-yr-old Burnet man for possession of marijuana over 4 oz. 2/16 arrested a 25-yr-old Swanzey, NH man arrested for possession of controlled substances including LSD 2/16 arrested a 28-yr-old San Antonio man arrested for possession of marijuana 2/18 arrested a 20-yr-old Canyon Lake man on Comal County warrants 2/18 arrested a 35-yr-old Canyon Lake man for possession of marijuana

The Blanco Historic Preservation Commission convened a special meeting on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 to review plans related to the historic retaining wall on Town Creek in the Pecan Bottom, just south of the Town Square. All commission members were present for the special meeting. In accordance with procedure, the commission, which has determined that the retaining wall in question falls under Demolition by Neglect city ordinance, composed a written Assessment Report.

The Texas Legislature authorized counties to establish County Historical Commissions (CHC) to assist county commissioners’ courts and the Texas Historical Commission (THC) in the preservation of our historic and cultural resources--this is the mission of each CHC. The responsibilities of a CHC are set forth in the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 318.

Linda Howard gave a presentation on the Blanco County Historical Commission. After taking a leadership role in the commission, Howard completed a yearly survey to be sent to the state historical commission based on the County’s progress and ten-year goals. The survey revealed the commission had fallen behind in several areas including up-keep with historical markers and training.

The Miró Quartet’s highly anticipated return, as part of the Blanco Performing Arts eighth season, was greeted by an enthusiastic audience from Blanco and the surrounding areas. The viewers of this fantastic presentation were treated to a world class performance by this prestigious chamber music group of twenty-five years, one which has performed in distinguished venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center , as well as in in competitions such as the Banff International String Quart ...

Regular readers of these columns have probably read something along the lines of: “One of the most important characteristics of a healthy, sustainable, productive native habitat is that it is biodiverse.” And there is certainly nothing wrong with that statement, as far as it goes. When most people think about biodiversity, they think in terms of the number of plant and/or animal species that can be found on any given property or natural area—the more different species, the more biodiv ...

This is the month we prune fruit trees, roses and shrubs. Don’t prune early-blooming trees; wait until they have bloomed before pruning. Cut perennials and semi-hardy plants that have frozen back. This is a good time to fertilize plants, roses, trees and lawns. Using an organic fertilizer does not burn if you can’t water immediately. Fertilize winter annuals with your favorite plant food.

The Blanco County Historic Commission met Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, at the Blanco County Library. Chair Linda Howard, along with Co-Chair Jo Nelle Haas and commissioners Vic Hinze, Butch Crofts, Pat Weiss and Steve Rossignol were present for the meeting, which began with the treasurer’s report, and a consideration of the minutes from Nov.

John Kinsey is part of an international team of scientists (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, USDA-APHIS National Wildlife Research Center and Animal Control Technologies of Australia) that has been researching sodium nitrite as a wild pig pesticide under the commercial name, Hoggone, for more than a decade. Kinsey, a wildlife research biologist with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area, is one of the principal scientists testing the efficacy of sodi ...

BES fourth-graders will present “Musical Finesse in Action!” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the BISD auditorium inside the central office building. The concert will feature the students singing, playing musical instruments and dancing, as well as sharing some of the artwork they’ve completed during the year.

The Panther tennis team played in the Fredericksburg junior varsity tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Pictured, left to right are: Tanner Suarez, Brynn Kirkland, and Cami Mariquez. Suarez won consolation singles defeating Turner of Fredericksburg, 8-0. Kirkland and Manriquez beat Claussen and Licardello to win 3rd place in girl’s doubles.

The Panther basketball team captured the District Championship with an undefeated 12-0 record. The final hurdle was a home game against the Florence Buffalo on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Despite some contentious moments with technical and loud fans, the Panthers kept their focus, winning the game 74-58. Junior Eddie Calzoncit led the team with 24 points, with 80% shooting from the two-point range.

The Lady Panthers lost a low-scoring defensive battle, 35-27, to the Industrial Cobras in Area round of playoffs on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2108. The Cobras jumped out to an early 7-0 lead before Blanco found their rhythm, tieing the score 7-7 and ending the first quarter trailing 10-9. The Industrial defense held Blanco to a two-point second quarter and Blanco was strong on defense in the third quarter allowing only five points.

BHS alumni and current baseball team scrimmaged Feb. 17, 2018 at Panther Stadium. Standing: Umpire Randy McClinton, Umpire Laura McClinton, CJ Lovalvo, Cade Felps, Andrew Shelton, Tristan Lopez, Will Granberg, AJ Briscoe, Clayton Green, Coach Logan Lucke, Jon Cross Caldwell, Ty Royce, Justin Wardlow, Josh Cox, Skylar Wagner, Kelby Cox, Ty Preiss, Griffin Johnson, Lane Lassberg, Peyton Van Dyke, Jackson Hunter, and Lane Lowak.

The Blanco Woman’s Club held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, in the Blanco Library conference room. Ginger Faught, coordinator of the new volunteer program in the elementary school, Partners Assisting Literary Success (PALS), and elementary teacher Alex Mann, the program liaison between teachers and volunteers, spoke to members about the Blanco ISD PALS program.

Do thoughts about someone else’s behavior, due to drinking or substance abuse, tend to dominate your thoughts? Even if you are no longer living with an active drinker or abuser, the effects of having lived with one are long-term. You are not alone. There is an organization meeting in Blanco that welcomes friends and families of alcoholics and other substance abusers.

Wills, a topic most of us avoid as it brings to our memory that we will die. Unfortunately; unless Jesus comes back we all will experience death as has all mankind. I could mentioned a few names in the Bible that did not die but this article is not for discussing theology. First make sure you complete your Will before serious health issues start.

Elliott McFadden, a candidate for U.S. Congressional District 21, which includes Blanco County, was in Johnson City on Feb. 11, 2018, and spoke to a packed house at the 290 Vinery. McFadden is a leader of nonprofits that tackle issues such as healthcare, affordable housing and transportation. He managed the effort to create the Travis County Healthcare District, which brought the Dell Medical School to Austin.

The fate of such notorious Indian chieftains as Geronimo, Sitting Bull and Mangas Coloradas is generally known. However, one historian wrote that the infamous Indio Juan, as he was called in Mexico, or Indian Joe, as he was called in the States, “disappeared into the vast mountains of northern Mexico and he was never heard of again.” In 1994, I organized an expedition for El Paso art teachers into the Sierra Madre Mountains of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Ash Wednesday is its colloquial name. Its official name is the Day of Ashes. It is called Ash Wednesday because, being forty days before Good Friday, it always falls on a Wednesday and it is called Ash Wednesday because on that day at church the faithful have their foreheads marked with ashes in the shape of a cross. Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity.

The story is told about a preacher that got up in the pulpit and apologized for the Band-Aid on his face. He said “I was thinking about my sermon while shaving and cut my face.” Afterward the treasurer found a note in the collection plate, “Next time, think about your face and cut the sermon.” Often speakers, even when staying in the allotted time frame, feel like they have only told half of what they desired to tell. In I Kings 10:4-7 we have a record of the visit made by the queen ...

When staff at the Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve came to the Blanco State Park to help remove debris following the Memorial Day flood of 2015, they saw big pecan logs in piles destined for the city landfill. Colleen Gardner, executive director of the Ranch, located at 2341 Blue Ridge Dr., Johnson City, ranch manager Steven Fulton and ranch biologist Jared Holmes were among the volunteers.