June 14, 2018 Issue

More than 50 representatives of local governments, service and non-profit organizations gathered Thursday, June 7, 2018 at the Methodist Church in Johnson City to learn about a new community resource center coming in early 2019 to Blanco County. The meeting was hosted by the sponsors of the project, Community Resource Centers of Texas, Inc.

The Texas Department of Transportation gave a presentation on June 5 in Llano on its plans for the next few years. Cathy Kratz and Michael Dutton of TxDOT were at a sparsely attended meeting at the Llano Library to receive comments on the Rural Transportation Program for fiscal years 2019-2022 for Llano, Blanco, Mason, Gillespie and Lee counties.  Those who did not attend the meeting can get more information online at https://www.txdot.gov/contact-us/form.html.

The Hill Country Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution was recognized for its ongoing efforts to honor and support National Flag Day and Week by the Blanco County Commission, which proclaimed the week of June 10-16 as “National Flag Week” in Blanco County. Flag Day is June 14, 2018, which marks more than 241 years of displaying the American flag since the Second Continental Congress adopted the American flag on June 14, 1777. The proclamation by t ...

By Billie Jean Kutzer Johnson City Antique Tractor and Engine twelfth annual Tractor Pull will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 23 at the Blanco County Fairgrounds at 619 U.S. Hwy 281 in Johnson City. There will be events for various size and age tractors from 1965 and older. Along with the tractor pull, there will be a Kiddie pull and lawnmower pull. The event is a non-points Texas-style pull with weighted and unweighted rules like those used at Temple & Hamilton.

North Burnet County- Hill Country Area Crime Stoppers, and the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office need information of a hit and run accident that occurred April 12, 2018 at approximately 8:15 PM on Hwy 281 North. A white SUV exit a private drive North of County Road 112 headed north on Hwy 281 toward Lampasas driving very erratic. The victim sped up to get away from the suspect and after passing the SUV it accelerated and rammed the victim’s vehicle to the rear of his vehicle causing approx ...

The Hill Country Community Theatre presents the musical “Annie Jr.” for four performances only! Tickets are now on sale! Based on the Broadway favorite and well-known comic strip, “Annie, Jr.” recounts the adventures of a spunky Depression era orphan (Annie) determined to find her parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage, run by the sinister Miss Hannigan.

In May, Claudia Ubinas-Frias, M.D., medical director of the Hill Country Memorial Wound Healing Center earned designation as a “Certified Wound Specialist Physician” from the American Board of Wound Management. She is one of 68 physicians in Texas with this designation and is one of two certified wound specialist physicians in the Hill Country. According to the American Board of Wound Management, this certification formally recognizes her mastery in wound care and highlights her advan ...

Children of all ages are invited to Fredericksburg Thurs., June 21, to participate in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson at the Hill Country Memorial Wellness Center (1006 S. State Hwy. 16, Fredericksburg TX). The lesson is free, and children are required to register to participate. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m., and the lesson begins at 1:30 p.m. Certified swim instructors from the HCM Wellness Center will lead the 30-minute swim and water safety lesson. “This event allows childre ...

The Blanco County Commissioners Court has received an application to de-annex and cancel Lot 20 in the Los Encinos subdivision. The Court will consider this request in their regular meeting on Tuesday June 26, 2018, which is held in the County Courthouse in Johnson City, Texas. Any person wishing to protest this cancellation should attend.

Pedernales Electric Cooperatives invites all members to attend its annual meeting on June 23 in Spring Branch. This year’s meeting is being held at Smithson Valley High School, located at 14001 Texas State Highway 46. At the annual meeting, PEC members in districts 1, 6 and 7 will have an opportunity to cast ballots in the 2018 PEC election if they haven’t already voted early in-person, by mail or online.

Children of all ages are invited to Fredericksburg Thurs., June 21, to participate in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson at the Hill Country Memorial Wellness Center (1006 S. State Hwy. 16, Fredericksburg TX). The lesson is free, and children are required to register to participate. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m., and the lesson begins at 1:30 p.m. Certified swim instructors from the HCM Wellness Center will lead the 30-minute swim and water safety lesson. “This event allows childre ...

Make a lasting impression this weekend when you help create a cyanotype image at the Science Mill! Johnson City's A Smith Gallery will be on site at 11am to lead this project. Use part of your body or one of our props to create a beautiful, blue masterpiece for display at the Mill. You can also create your own, smaller cyanotype image to take home. (You know, Father's Day is coming up, and we bet Dad would love a cyanotype!

In May, Claudia Ubinas-Frias, M.D., medical director of the Hill Country Memorial Wound Healing Center earned designation as a “Certified Wound Specialist Physician” from the American Board of Wound Management. She is one of 68 physicians in Texas with this designation and is one of two certified wound specialist physicians in the Hill Country. According to the American Board of Wound Management, this certification formally recognizes her mastery in wound care and highlights her advan ...

The Blanco County Commissioners Court has received an application to de-annex and cancel Lot 20 in the Los Encinos subdivision. The Court will consider this request in their regular meeting on Tuesday June 26, 2018, which is held in the County Courthouse in Johnson City, Texas. Any person wishing to protest this cancellation should attend.

Pedernales Electric Cooperatives invites all members to attend its annual meeting on June 23 in Spring Branch. This year’s meeting is being held at Smithson Valley High School, located at 14001 Texas State Highway 46. At the annual meeting, PEC members in districts 1, 6 and 7 will have an opportunity to cast ballots in the 2018 PEC election if they haven’t already voted early in-person, by mail or online.

Alice Constance (Connie) Brain Johnson, 98, of Johnson City, TX, in the arms of angels left us on May 24, 2018. Connie was blessed to be able to remain at home as she was lovingly cared for by her daughter Jan and son-in-law Ed Harry. Connie was born in Spokane, Washington on June 20, 1919, the only child of Alice Constance (Hartt) and Elmer Charlton Brain.

Toby Guy Blaylock, 79, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, surrounded by his family in Round Mountain, Texas. Toby was born on April 20, 1939, in Electra, Texas, to Underwood Venus Blaylock and Jewel Rae Whisnand Blaylock. He retired from the United States Army after 23 years of active and reserve service.

“Liz”, Elizabeth Anne Samples Marchand, passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, May 25, surrounded by family and friends at her home in Blanco, Texas. Liz was born February 10, 1968, to Bill and Margaret Rose Samples in Big Spring, Texas. She spent most of her childhood years in Big Spring, Denton, El Paso, Las Cruces, and later graduated from Permian High School in Odessa, Texas in 1986.

I wish I knew the author of the following story so that I could give credit where credit is due. It was submitted by a student in a Sociology class taught by Dr. Reed H. Bradford at BYU back in the 1960’s. He shared it with other students and I have kept it all these years.

By Michael Barr The story of Peter Berg and his sweetheart ranks right up there with Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra and Brad and Jenn on the list of the most timeless and tragic love stories ever told. Peter Berg came to Gillespie County, Texas from Prussia in 1857. At 20 years old he was an accomplished coppersmith and stonemason. Berg did some of the earliest rock work in Gillespie County.

More than 50 representatives of local governments, service and non-profit organizations gathered Thursday, June 7, 2018 at the Methodist Church in Johnson City to learn about a new community resource center coming in early 2019 to Blanco County. The meeting was hosted by the sponsors of the project, Community Resource Centers of Texas, Inc.

The Texas Department of Transportation gave a presentation on June 5 in Llano on its plans for the next few years. Cathy Kratz and Michael Dutton of TxDOT were at a sparsely attended meeting at the Llano Library to receive comments on the Rural Transportation Program for fiscal years 2019-2022 for Llano, Blanco, Mason, Gillespie and Lee counties.  Those who did not attend the meeting can get more information online at https://www.txdot.gov/contact-us/form.html.