February 26, 2020 Issue

The Round Mountain Extension Education Club met on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 2PM at the new Community Resource Center in Johnson City. Ten members and one guest answered roll call. Minutes and treasurer’s report were approved. Trina Burnam, secretary read several thank you letters from organizations we sent donations to at Christmas.

The Blanco County Commissioners Court’s special meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Judge Brett Bray on Feb. 25. Commissioners Tommy Weir, Emil Uecker, Chris Liesmann, and Paul Granberg were present. After the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, public comments were heard. Judge Bray informed the others that a county employee was recently in a bad accident and the county is thinking of him during his recovery. D’Anne and Kenneth Welch spoke individually about agenda item 12 wh ...

March is national Save Your Vision month which recognizes the importance of eye health at all ages to prevent future vision loss. Approximately 261,000 Texans 65 and older report dealing with vision difficulties, and the number is expected to increase to 658,180 by 2038, according to a report by the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee.

While the City of Johnson City said it is making headway on the completion of four fiscal years of financial audits, some residents continue to express concern about the issue.   One year of audits should be completed by the city council meeting in March, followed by the remaining years at a rate of about one a month, Johnson City Chief Administrative Officer Anthony Holland told the Record Courier last week. Holland said that the city also has hired some part-time help to speed up the ...

The Pearl celebrated the end of an extensive renovation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, February 20, 2020, with the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce. The historic hotel was built by James Polk Johnson and named after one of his daughters. Now an event and accommodation space available for rent, the hotel is outfitted with eight bedrooms and three bathrooms, a dining area, kitchen, courtyard and more.

If it’s Lent, it’s time for Johnson City to fill the truck again with donated clothing to go to survivors of disasters that haven’t happened yet. But we know they will happen. Every spring there’s a tornado or flood or other catastrophe somewhere in Texas whose survivors need fresh clothing so they can get to work cleaning up what’s left of their homes.

Ken Chute & Sheryl Wilson of Johnson City received their BaccaLOOPerate degree from America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA). The degree is given in recognition of completing one of the world’s most unique adventures, America’s Great Loop. Boaters doing the Great Loop are on a 6,000-mile journey that circumnavigates the eastern part of the U.S.

On Feb. 18, Blanco County citizens gathered at the Blanco County Annex for the public meeting regarding transportation and economic development plans. The purpose of the plan is to create a blueprint for the future while balancing the economy and transportation. Blanco County is working together with TxDOT and Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) on this project. Rachel Steele, CAPCOG director of community & economic development, provided background information on the plan. Next ...

The 10th Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser supporting SHS, Inc. Community Preschool.  Saturday, February 29th 5-9pm at the Blanco County Show Barn.  This exciting event will feature approximately 12 soups from area restaurants including Fat Boys Burgers, Proof and Cooper, Nurry's, Hilltop Cafe, Clear River, and Social Hauz.  Fresh bread and cookies as well as tea and water will also be provided as part of the meal.

AUSTIN— Gov. Greg Abbott on Feb. 20 established a clemency application specifically for survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence. The application, crafted in coordination with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, includes a section that affords the applicant an opportunity to provide a statement to the board regarding their human trafficking or domestic violence victimization.  Human trafficking and domestic violence, according to the governor’s office, often lead victi ...

North Blanco County Emergency Services District No. 1 (ESD 1) held a regular meeting on February 17, 2020. Board President David O’Bannon called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. and a quorum was established with all board members present. There were no citizen comments and the minutes of the January 20, 2020 meeting were approved with motion from Vice President Brandt Rayburn and second from Board Member Kirk McIlhinney; motion carried.

The Johnson City Christian Food Pantry has taken up residence at the Community Resource Center (CRC) and has expanded its hours of operation. Food pantry hours are as follows: • Every Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to noon • Every fourth Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon On the fourth Monday of each month, the Central Texas Food Bank is at the CRC to assist with applying for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as Food Stamps).

Though first-year Lady Eagle Head Softball Coach Lacy Butler claims that taking the helm at her alma mater “feels pretty crazy!” it appears to be a perfect fit for the program. Butler was a four-year starter with a career which included the Lady Eagles’ most successful playoff run in 2011 that ended in the Regional Quarterfinals.

The Lady Eagles opened Week Three of the 2020 season with a 11-8 victory over the Mason Lady Punchers Monday night. The win came forty-eight hours after JC held off a late comeback by the Lady Horns of Harper in a 9-7 slugfest at Comfort. Bridgette McKennis was 2-2 scoring three runs and Gabby Martinez homered to lead the offense against Mason.

The Eagle Varsity struck pay dirt in their final road contest of the 19-20 Basketball season coming back from a one point deficit in the first quarter to take the 54-31 win. Junior Mason Roberts led all scorers with 12 points and eight of nine Eagles scored. The Eagle defense held the Buffaloes to single digits in each quarter after their twelve point first quarter. In their final contest of the season the Eagles suffered an 80-33 loss to a playoff-bound Lago Vista team.

LBJ Middle School students represented well at the Special Olympics State Bowling Competition in Austin, TX.  Both students bowled against athletes from all over the state to earn awards.  Maria Alvarado, a 7th grader, bowled a personal best game of 130 in one of the games in competition.  This earned her a well-deserved 1st place gold medal.  Eris Stone, a 6th grade student at LBJ Middle School, also made a great showing earning a 4th place ribbon.  This is Eris's first year and Maria's ...

Local calligrapher and artist, Haley Ping, is displaying her latest calligraphic commission, a modern day illuminated manuscript commission on calfskin vellum at the Blanco Library in the large conference room on Saturday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend. The commission is an English translation of the Pirkei Avot, a Jewish book of ethical teachings that is read at Passover.

Blanco, Texas is a community where citizens turn out in full force to support those in need. This week we will once again have an opportunity to support a family in our community. On January 24, 17-year-old Madelynn Giese of Blanco was critically injured in a major auto accident at the intersection of US 281 and Highway 473.

Texas is a land with a wealth of history dating back as far prehistoric times. Once great dinosaurs roamed the land. At times it was covered with shallow seas. While taking a walk through the Hill Country, one can find sea shell fossils laying in abundance on the caliche ground.

The 10th Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser supporting SHS, Inc. Community Preschool.  Saturday, February 29th 5-9pm at the Blanco County Show Barn.  This exciting event will feature approximately 12 soups from area restaurants including Fat Boys Burgers, Proof and Cooper, Nurry's, Hilltop Cafe, Clear River, and Social Hauz.  Fresh bread and cookies as well as tea and water will also be provided as part of the meal.

The last couple of weeks we have been discussing Home Health. We have discussed the Nursing and Therapy benefits in previous articles. Today we are going to discuss some fallacies. One is the cost. If you have Medicare it is a covered expense, most health insurance policies cover a home health benefit.

Why does Johnson City need another church? I would like to tell you our story. The Lord started this journey when I was a child and would visit my family in Johnson City. Oh how my heart would sink when we would leave. Fast forward a few years and my wife and children would have that same feeling.

Movie Night The Library will screen “Harriet” on February 27 at 5:30 p.m. National Chili Day Thursday, Feb. 27, is National Chili Day. Check out our local chili provider, Pure Texan Chili, right here in Johnson City for all your chili celebration needs. www.PureTexanChili.com. Ribbon Cutting The Johnson City Chamber of Commerce will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Texas Regional Bank at 206 E.

Brain fitness is the ability of the brain to learn what the organism needs to know in order to survive in a changing environment. The Brain Fitness Program is a program to get the brain in better shape and is designed to drive beneficial chemical, physical and functional change in the brain.

On Monday, April 6, the Rotary Club of Blanco county will host its 2nd Annual Charity golf Classic at the Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco. Over the last year, many of you have learned about the projects that the Rotary Club of Blanco Count has been involved in serving our community as our Human Trafficking initiative of providing education and information to parents, teachers and community leaders in our area; Partners Assisting Literacy success (PALS) at our elementary school; Computers to ...

On February 11, 2020, at her home, with her husband by her side, Cecilia Marie (Ce Ce) Matthews lost a hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Ce Ce was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 29, 1943. Although most of her life was spent in Texas, she still considered Oklahoma as her true home and was a member of both the Chickasaw and Delaware Native American nations. Through the years, Ce Ce made life-long friends; from high school friends in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, to her nursing buddies in ...

Archie was born on October 7th, 1948 in Austin Texas, and went to be with the Lord on February 19th, 2020. He lived his life on the ranch between Spicewood and Cypress Mill, Texas. He was a rancher, public servant servicing the Burnet County area through the Spicewood Volunteer Fire Department, and held many different positions over his storied career with the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office.

Why does Johnson City need another church? I would like to tell you our story. The Lord started this journey when I was a child and would visit my family in Johnson City. Oh how my heart would sink when we would leave. Fast forward a few years and my wife and children would have that same feeling.

For a young educator it was a dream job. I had the privilege of supervising ten private elementary schools located along Mexico’s west coast from Tijuana on the U.S. border to Tapachula near the border with Guatemala. Three of “my” schools were located in the beautiful state of Veracruz. I also had schools located on the Yucatan peninsula and Puebla.

On February 26 many churches will be celebrating Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, culminating in Holy Week and Easter. During this service the participants may receive ashes on the forehead, with words similar to “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” These words are based on Genesis 3:7 where God creates man out of dust, and Genesis 3:19, where God tells Adam,”for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Because Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, they lost the perfection God ...

I agree with the reasoned letter submitted last week by Joyce Humble regarding cross-over primary voting, IF, one is promoting the Democrat Party. However Joyce states that there are more non-voters leaning Democratic then non-voters leaning Republican, and on this point I may not agree. Whichever primary election one participates in once the vote has been cast, they are counted as party members. Thus those who staunchly vote Independent (the actual majority of all voters) must forego th ...

The Round Mountain Extension Education Club met on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 2PM at the new Community Resource Center in Johnson City. Ten members and one guest answered roll call. Minutes and treasurer’s report were approved. Trina Burnam, secretary read several thank you letters from organizations we sent donations to at Christmas.

The Blanco County Commissioners Court’s special meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Judge Brett Bray on Feb. 25. Commissioners Tommy Weir, Emil Uecker, Chris Liesmann, and Paul Granberg were present. After the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, public comments were heard. Judge Bray informed the others that a county employee was recently in a bad accident and the county is thinking of him during his recovery. D’Anne and Kenneth Welch spoke individually about agenda item 12 wh ...

March is national Save Your Vision month which recognizes the importance of eye health at all ages to prevent future vision loss. Approximately 261,000 Texans 65 and older report dealing with vision difficulties, and the number is expected to increase to 658,180 by 2038, according to a report by the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee.

Blanco, Texas is a community where citizens turn out in full force to support those in need. This week we will once again have an opportunity to support a family in our community. On January 24, 17-year-old Madelynn Giese of Blanco was critically injured in a major auto accident at the intersection of US 281 and Highway 473.

On Feb. 18, Blanco County citizens gathered at the Blanco County Annex for the public meeting regarding transportation and economic development plans. The purpose of the plan is to create a blueprint for the future while balancing the economy and transportation. Blanco County is working together with TxDOT and Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) on this project. Rachel Steele, CAPCOG director of community & economic development, provided background information on the plan. Next ...

AUSTIN— Gov. Greg Abbott on Feb. 20 established a clemency application specifically for survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence. The application, crafted in coordination with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, includes a section that affords the applicant an opportunity to provide a statement to the board regarding their human trafficking or domestic violence victimization.  Human trafficking and domestic violence, according to the governor’s office, often lead victi ...

Brain fitness is the ability of the brain to learn what the organism needs to know in order to survive in a changing environment. The Brain Fitness Program is a program to get the brain in better shape and is designed to drive beneficial chemical, physical and functional change in the brain.

On Monday, April 6, the Rotary Club of Blanco county will host its 2nd Annual Charity golf Classic at the Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco. Over the last year, many of you have learned about the projects that the Rotary Club of Blanco Count has been involved in serving our community as our Human Trafficking initiative of providing education and information to parents, teachers and community leaders in our area; Partners Assisting Literacy success (PALS) at our elementary school; Computers to ...