June 24, 2020 Issue

On Friday, Johnson City Bank honored long-time employee Brenda Haynes for 50 years of service to the bank. According to Executive Vice President Shannon Sultemeier, “Friday was Brenda’s Day. The celebration went really well and we had a big lunch for her.” The celebration was a surprise for Brenda, which was no easy task to achieve.

Blanco County has the lowest unemployment rate in the nine-county Rural Capital Area region, according to information released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission. The county’s unemployment rate was 6.1 percent for May 2020. The overall rate in the region for May was 10.6 percent, down from 11.5 percent in April.

Market Days is set to start up again for the year this weekend. June 27 and 28, in Memorial Park, 105 E. Main St. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, opening weekend is three months later than originally planned.  Social distancing and the use of face-masks are encouraged to all vendors and visitors. Hand sanitizers will be available to all.   In a normal season, the park can hold up to 55 vendors.

President David O’Bannon called the June 15 regular meeting of the ESD 1 to order at 7 p.m. via teleconference. All members were present, and a Quorum was established. There were no citizens comments. Round Mountain Fire Station Update Vice President Brandt Raeburn and Board Member Kirk McElhenney reported that the construction for Round Mountain fire station looks good, and O’Bannon asked when the skin will be put on the building.

Blanco County Judge Brett Bray called the regular meeting of the Blanco County Commissioners Court to order at 8:59 a.m. Commissioner Tommy Weir, Emil Uecker, Chris Liesmann, and Paul Granberg were present and was simulcasted online via Zoom. Because the meeting was simulcasted, citizens wishing to make a public comment were required to present at the meeting. A request to provide public comments regarding the resignation of the newly appointed Elections Administrator was received late fr ...

One of the longest ongoing events in Blanco County will see a hiatus of at least one year. The Blanco County Fair and Rodeo Association board announced Saturday that the annual county fair and rodeo will be canceled for 2020. It was to be the event’s 90th year. The board cited health and safety concerns, along with current regulations, as reasons to cancel the county fair and rodeo this year.

Blanco County COVID -19 cases are mirroring trends seen recently across the state and nationally, including an increase in coronavirus cases among a younger demographic.  “For confirmed cases from March through May, the average age was 61.5,” said Ben Oakley, Blanco County infectious disease control officer. Oakley is the EMS Chief for Blanco County ESD 2.

Germania is extending its Reduced Driving Payback through June, raising its total reimbursement to policyholders to nearly $9 million in credits. Germania announced the launch of its Reduced Driving Payback program in April for personal auto policyholders. Payments of $25 have been issued to each personal auto policy during April and again in May if the policy was in effect as of the prior month end. An additional $25 credit will be returned for each personal auto policy in June that was ...

AUSTIN — While COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, case counts, hospitalizations and deaths increased last week, more and more Texans ventured out of their homes with the deadly coronavirus showing no sign of abatement. Gov. Greg Abbott recently renewed his COVID pandemic disaster declaration for all counties affected by the disease. Even so, Abbott and Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on June 18 sounded a hopeful note, saying schools would resume normal operations in the fall.

The Community Resource Center (CRC) is the hub for people who need a fan to keep cool as summer heat settles in and for people who want to make donations to support Family Eldercare's Summer Fan Drive. To qualify for a free fan, applicants must live in a low-income household and meet one of these additional conditions: live with children, be age 55 or older, or receive disability benefits.

The Community Resource Center (CRC), in collaboration with Lowe’s market, is providing a grocery delivery service to homebound neighbors. Store to Door is available in both Johnson City and Blanco. Those interested please call the CRC at (830) 868-0208 to register. Homebound participant places grocery orders with Lowe’s Market, Monday through Friday between 7 and 8 am.

Many Americans will be celebrating the Fourth of July outdoors this year, with celebrations including barbecues, picnics and fireworks. No matter how you’re celebrating the Fourth of July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) encourages you to make food safety a part of the celebrations. “Foodborne illness can increase during summer because of the warmer temperatures and time spent outside,” said Dr.

AUSTIN– After six years of growth, Texas small land sales volume declined in 2019, while median price increased, according to the 2020 edition of the Texas Small Land Sales Report released today by Texas Realtors. The number of small land sales declined 2.8%, with 7,813 tracts sold across the state. The average price per acre grew 7.32% to $6,232 an acre. “This comparison of 2018 to 2019 would have been an invaluable trending tool just a few months ago, but given the potential market ...

Willow Grote of the LBJHS Class of 2020, has received the Blanco County Farm Bureau Scholarship of $1000. She is the daughter of Scott and Margaret Grote. Grote believes she is deserving of this scholarship because she is an extremely driven person. She is very determined to complete and use her education to better others.

By Julie Storer Nineteen members of the LBJ High School Class of 2020 proudly included a red, white and blue Honor Cord in their formal regalia worn during their recent graduation ceremony at Eagle Field. The cord signified that the wearer had completed 100 or more documented hours of school and/or community service through a campus program called Eagles in Service.

LBJ High School is pleased to recognize 4 students who earned industry certifications this academic year. Through the intensive certification program, these students have shown mastery of the knowledge needed for entrance into their respective career field of interest in various Career and Technical Education (CTE) subject areas. This promotes a successful transition to postsecondary education and/or the workforce. Developed and issued by industry-leading companies and organizations such as ...

In a normal year, youth from three churches in Johnson City would spend the week somewhere else, sleeping on church floors and spending their days repairing low-income homes and improving public facilities.  But this, of course, is no normal summer, so the church youth leaders modified the plan and the youth stayed in Johnson City this week to work on projects here in a “day camp” structure, sleeping at home each night. They called it “JC 4 JC”, serving Jesus Christ for Johnson C ...

Roy Max Bible of Johnson City, TX passed away peacefully, Friday, June 19, 2020, at the age of 93 in Fredericksburg, TX with his family at his side. Roy was born September 5, 1926 in Blanco County to Martin Bible and Ella (Withers) Bible. Roy attended Johnson City schools until ranching became a full-time commitment.

Claudia “Irma” Barrientes passed away peacefully at her home on June 11, 2020 in Johnson City, Texas at the age of 77 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on October 30, 1942 to Maria Cruz Rodriguez and Francisco Rodriguez in Edcouch, Texas.  Irma married the love of her life, Lorenzo Barrientes of 59 years on October 31, 1961.

Books have been written about race mixture in Latin America. After the Spanish conquest, Europeans established a caste system that ensured that “whites” would remain firmly in control of power. Vestiges of that system still remain today. Even whites were categorized. A Spaniard born in Spain had higher status than a Spaniard born of Spanish parents in the New World.

The resignation of another Election Administrator should concern all Blanco County voters. Throughout Blanco County history elections have been administered by our County Clerk and our Tax Assessor/Collector. Then, in 2019 Blanco County was charged with illegally purging the voter rolls. A US District Court stepped in to force the county to reverse their action and return those affected to the voter roles. In May 2019 the Blanco County Election Commission decided to hire its first ever Elec ...

AUSTIN — While COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, case counts, hospitalizations and deaths increased last week, more and more Texans ventured out of their homes with the deadly coronavirus showing no sign of abatement. Gov. Greg Abbott recently renewed his COVID pandemic disaster declaration for all counties affected by the disease. Even so, Abbott and Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on June 18 sounded a hopeful note, saying schools would resume normal operations in the fall.