July 13, 2017 Issue

Blanco County crews worked overnight Tuesday and through Wednesday to oversee cleanup operations and extinguish hot spots of a vegetation fire that consumed over 350 acres in rural Blanco County and injured none. The fire began early afternoon on Tuesday when reports say a resident near FM 1323 and Trails End Rd.

Mayor Capra gave the oath of office to a new City Council Member Tuesday night. Rosie Danz was chosen to fill the seat vacated by Mitchell Liesmann who resigned after moving beyond city limits earlier this year. The meeting went on to focus on a potential impact fee for new housing developments and finishing public works projects for this fiscal year. Impact Fees An impact fee of about $7000 is being considered for Johnson City and the extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Congratulations to Lori Weirich Frederick and Tracy Tolbert. They were married on June 24 in a double wedding ring ceremony at the Johnson Settlement. Tracy’s sister, who is a judge in Burnet County, officiated. His son, Brennon, was best man and Lori’s daughter, Mikayla Frederick, was maid of honor. The reception was held at the education center with a delicious bar-b-que dinner that was followed by a dance. ***** The Pleasant Hill-Rocky Community Club held their Annual Ice Cream Social on ...

Ten days in the rain forests of Costa Rica sounds like a great vacation, but for ten Johnson City high school students and four adults, this was no picnic. “We were on the job-site by eight in the morning,” recalled Rusty Weirich, one of the adults from the First United Methodist Church. “We sweated in the tropical heat until three in the afternoon, when the day’s cooling rain came, then sweated some more in the higher humidity the rain left behind.

A few years ago after eating a meal at Applebee’s, getting the check and leaving a tip, a misguided pastor, wrote this on the receipt after leaving an 18% gratuity for a party of ten: “I Give God 10%! Why do you get 18?” A photo of the receipt went viral, the waitress who posted it got fired and the pastor ended up humbly confessing that it was a “lapse in my character and judgment.” My daughters, DD and Laurel, are servers at the excellent dining establishment East Main Grill in town ...

When our bodies start to slow down and betray our minds, our Spirit is still strong. It is a knowledge that we are more than just our physical body. Our mind is something that is eternal. No disease can steal that from us not even Alzheimer’s or Dementia. When someone was raised in a religious home they are always uplifted by worship services and pastoral visits.

I don’t remember the nature of the event that I was missing at home. I just remember that I was feeling a little lonesome and sorry for myself as I drove solo through the night across the seemingly endless desert of west Texas. I pulled over at a roadside café near El Paso, mostly to stretch my legs.

All Commissioners except one were present at the July 11 Court Session. The South County Annex is getting closer to construction and took center stage at the meeting. Blanco County Judge, Brett Bray reported Commissioner James Sultemeier is doing well but is following his doctor’s order to rest at home. Bray expects him to return to the next Commissioners’ meeting. South County Annex Commissioner Weir presented an update on the progress made with the South County Annex. “We’re still on ...

Ten days in the rain forests of Costa Rica sounds like a great vacation, but for ten Johnson City high school students and four adults, this was no picnic. “We were on the job-site by eight in the morning,” recalled Rusty Weirich, one of the adults from the First United Methodist Church. “We sweated in the tropical heat until three in the afternoon, when the day’s cooling rain came, then sweated some more in the higher humidity the rain left behind.