November 4, 2020 Issue

This week topic of discussion: will be an overview of services offered in our local communities for seniors in need of assistance. I am going to introduce a variety of possibilities, and should anything in particular interest you: my contact information is located at the end of the article or stop by Morning Star in Fredericksburg. Our first line of defense is you.

Blanco Performing Arts presents Jonathan Tsay and Evan Mitchell in a piano duet concert on Saturday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Community Church of the Hills in Johnson City, Texas. Tsay has played on the BPA chamber music series several times to audience acclaim. As a soloist, collaborative pianist, chamber musician, producer, educator, and arts administrator, he maintains a diverse artistic career. Critic John Bell Young says, “Jonathan Tsay is the genuine article, whose name and pla ...

Blanco County Association of Retired Educators held a virtual meeting on October 22, 2020. Tim Lee, Executive Director of TRTA, the state organization, addressed the effect of the pandemic on retired teachers. Due to COVID-19, many retired teachers who supplement their income by working as substitute teachers have lost the extra income during school closures and issues related to reopening schools.

The Johnson City Womans Civic Club members zoomed into the year on-line on October 26. Membership voted to begin community service with a food donation project benefitting the Women’s Crisis Center for Thanksgiving. The program for the evening was “The History of Womans Club” and was presented by JCWCC President, Diana Burke.

Two of my favorite native animals are cottontails and jackrabbits. As a kid in West Texas, I could always find at least one or the other in a five-minute walk into the pasture. They are nowhere near that populous now. Cottontails are rabbits, but despite the name, jackrabbits are not. Jackrabbits are hares.

By Chris Cobler For most Texans, Election Day is a misnomer. More Texans voted early this year than cast their ballots during all of the 2016 general election. Many more voted early than went to the polls on Election Day. A record 9.7 million people, or 57% of registered voters, completed their civic duty during the extended early voting period of Oct.

CANCELLED: Smorgasboard Fundraiser Every year since 1958, the Smorgasboard Fundraiser raises thousands of dollars for local community entities such as Volunteer fire departments, EMS, libraries, youth organizations, and other charities. COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of this year’s event. Current county guidelines regarding group size and social distancing made the event impossible to have in the schoolhouse.

Every year, the children at the First United Methodist Church show off their costumes to residents of the LBJ Medical Center and do a reverse trick-or-treat up and down the halls, giving out candy and decorations as they go. This year, though, the coronavirus meant they couldn’t go inside, so they put on their costumes a few hours early and paraded around the outside of the nursing home, waving to the residents looking out the windows.

JCISD Board of Trustees held a Special Meeting on October 28th, 2020 in the LBJ High School Commons Area. President Shelly Wenmohs called the Special Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m., and a quorum was established with all members present except Trustees Cynthia Keene and Randy Rutherford. “The criteria that other districts in the area are using for determining the continued need for remote learning are the levels of success that the students are having and the burden on the faculty and staff ...

Blanco County’s active COVID-19 cases increased by six over the past week, the county’s office of emergency management announced Friday. BCOEM announced 34 active cases in its Oct. 30 report, up from 28 announced Oct. 23. The announcement included 24 active confirmed cases and 10 active probable cases, up from 20 and eight, respectively, announced Oct.

Next Wednesday, Veteran’s Day will bring together residents both young and old to remember and honor American heroes from all branches of the military. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.

‘Lotta kids’ showed up to treat themselves to the treats in the trunks of Johnson City residents. Susan and David Hamm, along with Kay Kent, underestimated the number of ghosts, zombies, sharks and princesses, and had to do an emergency restock of candy to keep everyone appeased. Photos by George Barnette.

Kinder Morgan presented a $50,000 donation to the Blanco County Community Resource Center on Oct. 28. The donation will be put to use in continuing operations at the CRC, and future projects on the property. Pictured from left are County Judge Brett Bray, Allen Fore of Kinder Morgan, Donna Klaeger, CRCTX Executive Director, and Mark Mayfield, President/CEO of the Texas Housing Foundation. Kinder Morgan presented a $60,000 donation to the Blanco American Legion on Oct.

The LBJ High School Lady Eagles defeated the Riviera-Kaufer Lady Seahawks 25-14, 25-13, 25-15 to win the Area Championship after earning a first round bye as Champions of District 29-2A. A balanced and powerful net game by the Lady Eagles wore down the Lady Seahawks on Monday at Karnes City sending Johnson City to the next round of the UIL 2A Volleyball State Playoffs.

The Varsity Eagles stayed in the hunt for runner-up in District 14-2A and set up a showdown at Ozona with a victory at home against the Harper Longhorns (2-7, 1-3) on Friday. The Eagles (4-5, 3-1) had their season-high point total and largest margin of victory for the 2020 season in their final appearance at Eagle Field.

Blanco County Association of Retired Educators held a virtual meeting on October 22, 2020. Tim Lee, Executive Director of TRTA, the state organization, addressed the effect of the pandemic on retired teachers. Due to COVID-19, many retired teachers who supplement their income by working as substitute teachers have lost the extra income during school closures and issues related to reopening schools.

JCISD Board of Trustees held a Special Meeting on October 28th, 2020 in the LBJ High School Commons Area. President Shelly Wenmohs called the Special Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m., and a quorum was established with all members present except Trustees Cynthia Keene and Randy Rutherford. “The criteria that other districts in the area are using for determining the continued need for remote learning are the levels of success that the students are having and the burden on the faculty and staff ...

Blanco Performing Arts presents Jonathan Tsay and Evan Mitchell in a piano duet concert on Saturday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Community Church of the Hills in Johnson City, Texas. Tsay has played on the BPA chamber music series several times to audience acclaim. As a soloist, collaborative pianist, chamber musician, producer, educator, and arts administrator, he maintains a diverse artistic career. Critic John Bell Young says, “Jonathan Tsay is the genuine article, whose name and pla ...

The Johnson City Womans Civic Club members zoomed into the year on-line on October 26. Membership voted to begin community service with a food donation project benefitting the Women’s Crisis Center for Thanksgiving. The program for the evening was “The History of Womans Club” and was presented by JCWCC President, Diana Burke.

CANCELLED: Smorgasboard Fundraiser Every year since 1958, the Smorgasboard Fundraiser raises thousands of dollars for local community entities such as Volunteer fire departments, EMS, libraries, youth organizations, and other charities. COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of this year’s event. Current county guidelines regarding group size and social distancing made the event impossible to have in the schoolhouse.

Next Wednesday, Veteran’s Day will bring together residents both young and old to remember and honor American heroes from all branches of the military. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.

Will Marasek was born on February 9,1953 in Houston, Texas to Willie Marasek Sr. and Peggyann Marasek. He passed peacefully away surrounded by his family on October 30, 2020.  Will was raised in Bellaire, Texas and graduated from Bellaire High School. He then went on to graduate from Southwest Texas State University. While at SWT he became a runner for University Savings Bank and after graduating college he moved back to Houston and continued working for University Savings.

Charles Allen Bendele of Hye, Texas, passed away from colon cancer Saturday, October 24, 2020 at his home. He was born April 30, 1943 in Abilene, TX, to the late Henry George and Bonnie (née Schroeder) of Blanco, TX while his father was in officer training during WWII. He was a 1961 graduate of Blanco High School.

The following is an excerpt from a recent discourse by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, world-renowned Apostle of Jesus Christ, and a scholar of the Constitution of the United States. He declared that knowing that we are all children of God gives us a vision of the worth of others and the ability to rise above prejudice: We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies.

This has been a year that defies explanations. I spoke with my parents a week or so ago. We have used Zoom and other types of video to communicate but, more often than not, I just call up my dad, he puts me on speaker, and we chat as we always have. My parents were about to go skiing. They live in the north, but they don’t live on the North Pole.

Two of my favorite native animals are cottontails and jackrabbits. As a kid in West Texas, I could always find at least one or the other in a five-minute walk into the pasture. They are nowhere near that populous now. Cottontails are rabbits, but despite the name, jackrabbits are not. Jackrabbits are hares.

By Chris Cobler For most Texans, Election Day is a misnomer. More Texans voted early this year than cast their ballots during all of the 2016 general election. Many more voted early than went to the polls on Election Day. A record 9.7 million people, or 57% of registered voters, completed their civic duty during the extended early voting period of Oct.