July 3, 2018 Issue

The Blanco County Sheriff’s Office received 336 calls for service from 6/25/2018 through 7/1/2018. The Blanco County Communications Center received the following call types during the seven-day period: 7 = Arrests 143 = Traffic Stops 18 = Reckless Drivers 26 = Medical Aid Calls/Medical Alarm 16 = 911 Hang up Calls, Mis-dials, Open line or Abuse calls 12 = Fire Calls/Fire Alarms 9 = Motor Vehicle Accidents 4 = Disturbance Calls 13 = Animal Complaints/Loose Live Stock Calls ...

Motorists hitting the road to celebrate the July 4 holiday will be feeling more pinched than last year, shelling out an average of $2.90 per gallon, the highest Independence Day prices since 2014, when the national average hit $3.66 per gallon, according to GasBuddy, a smartphone app connecting drivers with gas stop locations and prices. Making holiday travel sourer this year is that a price jump is looming.

U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Texas Redistricting Maps The U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 on June 25 to approve 10 of 11 disputed Texas House and congressional redistricting maps used in the state’s 2014 and 2016 elections. The court ruled that only Texas House District 90 in Fort Worth was gerrymandered along racial lines and therefore must be redrawn. Except for the case of HD-90, the high court reversed findings issued by a three-judge panel of a San Antonio U.S.

The Capital Area Rural Transportation System is providing free rides July 2 through July 6 on their Country Bus service. Anyone can ride this reservation-based service for free this week. The CARTS Country Bus is regional community-based transportation for the rural areas of Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Fayette, Lee, Travis and Williamson Counties. The Country Bus is a flexible service that provides rides locally and to nearby destinations but requires a ride reservation be ma ...

Denis and Marilyn Bacque moved from Louisiana to property just north of Johnson City. Shortly after their move, they acquired their first animal, a young Canadian Elk they named Dottie. Over the years, their exotic animal family grew into diverse herds of exotic species that delight visitors throughout what it has become today.

Hill Country Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will present its July program on Native Wetland & Pond Plants in the Landscape on Monday, July 23 at VFW Post 6441 at 401 Jacobs Well Road, Wimberley. The program will be presented by Casey Williams, ecologist with BIO-WEST. Williams graduated from Texas State University with both his B.S.

Texas small land sales volume continued to spur strong demand in 2017, while sales volume topped $1 billion, according to the Texas Small Land Sales Report released today by the Texas Association of Realtors. Blanco falls in Region Seven – Austin/Waco/Hill Country. In Region Seven, small land sales increased 0.12 percent to 2,412 land sales in 2017, while price-per-acre for small land tracts decreased 1.84 percent to $8,524 in the same time frame. “In recent years, small land sales ha ...

The Science Mill in Johnson City was recently selected as a recipient of a 2018 AIA Minneapolis Merit Award. The award recognizes projects that tell a story of excellence beyond design; emphasize public interest design; and embrace the varied forces that shape a building. The Science Mill, which opened in 2015, re-imagines a community landmark – a historic feed mill built in 1880 as a steam gristmill and cotton gin – into a gathering place for the community and a forum for science explo ...

Our national flag has quite a history--perhaps not the one we learned about in school, but just as colorful. In truth, it is remarkable how little evidence has survived about the early flags of our nation. The modern spirit of American patriotism did not exist then, and the affection of citizens was primarily for their own colonies.

The name of this column, “Hill Country Naturalist” was chosen in part to indicate that, to the extent that I have any particular expertise in matters of the natural world, it is pretty much limited to the Hill Country. I can’t claim to be particularly knowledgeable about the plants of the Rio Grande Valley or the habitats of the Piney Woods.

Hill Country Memorial will offer diabetes education options in July at the HCM Wellness Center conference room (1006 S. State Hwy. 16) in Fredericksburg. “Diabetes is a serious condition, but it can be managed and even prevented by taking action,” said Kim Thornton, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at HCM.

Almost anyone can canoe or kayak, and more Americans paddle than play soccer, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. They recommend that if you want to see nature in a new way, get your paddle wet. Bring your canoe, kayak or boat (electric motors only) to the park. It’s a $5 park entrance fee for a day pass for anyone 13 years and older; children 12 years and under are free.

On Tuesday, June 19 children attending the Summer Reading Program at the Blanco Library made musical instruments from household items, such as, a tambourine made of paper plates, yarn, and jingle bells. Librarian Crystal Spybuck taught everyone to make a variety of instruments. She played a video of the musical performance group, Stomp, to demonstrate how common items can be used to make musical sounds.

Soccer registration for the fall league is going on now through July 31. The fee for registration is $95 for registration, and additional siblings for $85 each. If children are enrolling in both soccer and baseball, they receive a $25 discount $25. The Blanco Youth Soccer Association accepts children age four to 11 years. To register, go to our website www.blancoyouthsoccer.com to sign up or you can also register at Blanco A/C Electrical & Plumbing we do accept cards.

Many high school graduates will be leaving Blanco this fall to venture off to college, vocational schools, the military or to join the workforce. While leaving home for the first time can be very exciting for these new high school graduates, it can be worrisome for parents. Parents simply do not have as much control over their kids when move away.

The Lower Colorado River Authority will accept grant applications for community projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric or water service areas in July. Grants of up to $50,000 are available. Applications for the Community Development Partnership Program grants will be available at lcra.org/cdpp beginning July 1 and are due by July 31. The grant program recently helped fund 22 projects, including providing emergency equipment to firefighters and other first responders, replacing outdated a ...

“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.,” wrote Luke in chapter 12 of his book in the King James Bible. My family and I have been given much in our ranching life.

Almost anyone can canoe or kayak, and more Americans paddle than play soccer, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. They recommend that if you want to see nature in a new way, get your paddle wet. Bring your canoe, kayak or boat (electric motors only) to the park. It’s a $5 park entrance fee for a day pass for anyone 13 years and older; children 12 years and under are free.

On Tuesday, June 19 children attending the Summer Reading Program at the Blanco Library made musical instruments from household items, such as, a tambourine made of paper plates, yarn, and jingle bells. Librarian Crystal Spybuck taught everyone to make a variety of instruments. She played a video of the musical performance group, Stomp, to demonstrate how common items can be used to make musical sounds.

Soccer registration for the fall league is going on now through July 31. The fee for registration is $95 for registration, and additional siblings for $85 each. If children are enrolling in both soccer and baseball, they receive a $25 discount $25. The Blanco Youth Soccer Association accepts children age four to 11 years. To register, go to our website www.blancoyouthsoccer.com to sign up or you can also register at Blanco A/C Electrical & Plumbing we do accept cards.

Many high school graduates will be leaving Blanco this fall to venture off to college, vocational schools, the military or to join the workforce. While leaving home for the first time can be very exciting for these new high school graduates, it can be worrisome for parents. Parents simply do not have as much control over their kids when move away.

Teachers going back to school this fall will have an additional resource to draw on to fund innovation in their classrooms. They can for grants to fund programs and projects from the newly formed Blanco Education Foundation. April 9, 2018 was the first meeting of the Blanco Education Foundation where officers were elected.

The Capital Area Rural Transportation System is providing free rides July 2 through July 6 on their Country Bus service. Anyone can ride this reservation-based service for free this week. The CARTS Country Bus is regional community-based transportation for the rural areas of Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Fayette, Lee, Travis and Williamson Counties. The Country Bus is a flexible service that provides rides locally and to nearby destinations but requires a ride reservation be ma ...

Denis and Marilyn Bacque moved from Louisiana to property just north of Johnson City. Shortly after their move, they acquired their first animal, a young Canadian Elk they named Dottie. Over the years, their exotic animal family grew into diverse herds of exotic species that delight visitors throughout what it has become today.

Alyce Sierra is honored to announce the graduation of her son, Tristan, from Columbia Law School, New York, New York as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar in May 2018. While attending Columbia, Tristan held internships at the U.S. Department of Justice in the National Security Division and the Civil Division in Washington, DC, as well as at the U.

The Lindendale community invites all to attend their Independence Day celebration to be held beginning at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 7 at the one-room school house located at 7686 Ranch Road 1888. Fresh sausage plates, with all the sides like beans, sauerkraut, desserts, etc. will be hosted by the Hartmann family.

Hill Country Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will present its July program on Native Wetland & Pond Plants in the Landscape on Monday, July 23 at VFW Post 6441 at 401 Jacobs Well Road, Wimberley. The program will be presented by Casey Williams, ecologist with BIO-WEST. Williams graduated from Texas State University with both his B.S.

Texas small land sales volume continued to spur strong demand in 2017, while sales volume topped $1 billion, according to the Texas Small Land Sales Report released today by the Texas Association of Realtors. Blanco falls in Region Seven – Austin/Waco/Hill Country. In Region Seven, small land sales increased 0.12 percent to 2,412 land sales in 2017, while price-per-acre for small land tracts decreased 1.84 percent to $8,524 in the same time frame. “In recent years, small land sales ha ...

The Science Mill in Johnson City was recently selected as a recipient of a 2018 AIA Minneapolis Merit Award. The award recognizes projects that tell a story of excellence beyond design; emphasize public interest design; and embrace the varied forces that shape a building. The Science Mill, which opened in 2015, re-imagines a community landmark – a historic feed mill built in 1880 as a steam gristmill and cotton gin – into a gathering place for the community and a forum for science explo ...

Hill Country Memorial will offer diabetes education options in July at the HCM Wellness Center conference room (1006 S. State Hwy. 16) in Fredericksburg. “Diabetes is a serious condition, but it can be managed and even prevented by taking action,” said Kim Thornton, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at HCM.

This refurbishing is a multiple-step process so our volunteers have to wait for paint to dry between steps. Volunteers work on the markers in the early morning or late evening hours to work on the markers because of the amount of traffic during peak hours and the heat of the day. The commission has a goal to refurbish all the historic designation markers throughout the county.

The Lower Colorado River Authority will accept grant applications for community projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric or water service areas in July. Grants of up to $50,000 are available. Applications for the Community Development Partnership Program grants will be available at lcra.org/cdpp beginning July 1 and are due by July 31. The grant program recently helped fund 22 projects, including providing emergency equipment to firefighters and other first responders, replacing outdated a ...

My Daddy was a great fisherman. He always knew where to go, what bait to use and what time of the day to fish. We would go fishing in the same boat and he would catch two or three fish to my one. Why was that? Daddy always had a strategy; knew the structure of where we were fishing and the most likely bait to use.

Most people think they stand a chance of going to hell because of their sins and/or the sin of Adam and Eve. I was taught that we have to tell GOD we are sorry for our sins to be forgiven. I was also taught to go to a priest in a confessional. Then I read about the day JESUS died on the cross in a King James Version bible, and “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

You should always be able to ask as many questions as you’d like when working with your financial advisor. So, before you have your annual review, think carefully about what you’d like to ask. Here are a few suggestions: • Are my goals still realistic? When you first began working with your financial advisor, you may well have articulated a number of financial goals.