September 21, 2017 Issue

After months of deliberation and discussion, the county budget and tax rate was approved unanimously by Commissioners and Judge Bray. On Monday Sept. 18 Commissioners met for a special meeting called to vote on the budget and tax rate as well as to approve salaries for elected officials and new employees. At last week’s budget hearing the final minor changes were made to the 2017/2018 budget and at Monday’s meeting commissioners voted to approve the new budget.

The Texas State Library & Archives Commission (TSLAC) recently awarded funding to Johnson City Library under its Special Projects Grant program to fund the 2017/18 Discovery Academy. Now in its eleventh year, Discovery Academy is an after-school enrichment program in science and math for third through fifth graders. The program uses hands-on experiments and projects to instill a life-long love of learning.

Texas drivers statewide have to put their cellphones down when behind the wheel as a new law banning texting while driving took effect Sept. 1, 2017. The law prohibits motorists from any reading, writing or sending electronic messages while their car is moving. The ban extends to popular communications, such as posting on social media, sending emails or using similar apps.

The Johnson City Eagles capped off a week full of homecoming festivities with a win against the San Saba Armadillos, final score 27-6, Eagles. Asked after the game, coach Chris Cloninger said “This was a good game. We started out kinda slow, but found our groove late in the second quarter.

Three students from LBJ Middle School have qualified for participation in this year’s Talent Search for mathematically and verbally advanced students sponsored by Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP). The program identifies highly able seventh-graders from a 16-state region in the south, southwest and midwest. To be eligible, students must have a score of 95% or higher on the 2017 STAAR Math and/or STAAR Reading Test.

I first became aware of Gene Fullmer at the ripe old age of twelve. I was attending a boxing event with a youth group at the Fair Grounds in Salt Lake City. One of my buddies pointed ringside and excitedly exclaimed, “There’s Gene Fullmer!” I stared blankly and asked, “Who’s Gene Fullmer?” Shortly after I first laid eyes on him, he won the world middleweight championship when he upset the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson by soundly winning a unanimous 15-round decision.

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site invites everyone to join in the fun on Saturday, September 23rd, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Daily Farm Chores. Step back in time and come visit the Sauer Beckmann Living History Farm. Period dressed costumed park ranger interpreters will take you back in time to the traditions of a 1915 German farm family.

Mark your calendar, its Mexican dinner time again. The parishioners of Good Shepherd Catholic Church would like to invite you to join us on Sunday, October 1, 2017 for our scrumptious homemade Mexican dinner. Plates include cheese enchiladas, tamale, beef taco, rice, beans, tortilla, salsa and your choice of dessert. Serving begins at 11am and continues until 2pm or sold out.

“Oh, wow!”, said Mason Warren. He was on a bus loaded with Hurricane Harvey relief supplies, rolling into Aransas Pass last Saturday, and the children with him were getting their first face-to-face look at a disaster. “Look at that house!” Some had a patched roof, or no roof, or a missing wall. Big, old trees that had withstood past hurricanes were on the ground, chainsawed into pieces. Boarded businesses still closed after two weeks, signs down on the ground, golden arches no ...