December 16, 2020 Issue

By Tricia Hartmann Mayor Rhonda Stell called the regular meeting of Johnson City City Council to order at 6 p.m. on December 8 at City Hall. Pastor Steve Sanchez gave the Invocation, and the Pledge was recited. There were no citizens’ comments. Council adjourned into closed session, and after resuming open session Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)/City Secretary Rick Schroder shared financial updates. “All revenues and expenditures are current in the fund balance.

The holidays are a time for giving across families and communities. A pandemic has not stopped Johnson City from organizing collections and donation drives to support those who find themselves in a rough patch this season. At Lowes, an angel tree has been set up for the residents at LBJ Medical Center nursing home.

There is just one more active case in the county in the last week, moving from 61 to 62 in numbers reported Dec. 9 by the Blanco County Office of Emergency Management. There were 61 active cases on Dec. 4. The number of active cases in the county have increased by 24 since Nov.

Wreaths Across America Day will be held across the country on Saturday, December 19. The Hill Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host a local ceremony at the historic Masonic cemetery at 10 a.m. in Johnson City. The Wreaths Across America mission to remember, honor, and teach is the foundation behind all the organization’s efforts.

Texans don’t always deal with the prolonged stretches of freezing temperatures that our neighbors to the north experience, but temperatures dipping below the freezing mark are common during the winter. In fact, many areas in Texas have already experienced freezing temperatures this year. When the mercury drops, it’s important to be proactive and take precautions to avoid water damage in and around your home, and if you have one or both, your pool and RV.

As the effects of COVID linger across our nation and state, charitable organizations are being stretched to the limit. The need for assistance has never been greater, nor has our opportunity to make an impact” states Texas Farm Bureau President Russell W Boening.  The need for food-related assistance is still evident and has even intensified.

The JCISD regular meeting on December 14 included a public hearing, after which JCISD CFO Scott Berry presented the School FIRST )Financial Integrity Rating of Texas) report. Berry reported that JCISD has received a Superior, or “A” rating for this report. School board candidates Cristol Corpus, Place 7, and Sarah Allen, Place 6, were installed as Trustees.

The Blanco County Police Department is searching for a pair of suspects in a theft and burglary that took place in the early morning hours of Dec. 9. The department is asking for help to identify two suspects, who are sought after a Blanco resident’s Ford F250 was stolen and the ATM at Texas Regional Bank, 416 4th St.

As we greet 2021, a lot of us will make resolutions that we may or may not keep.  No matter your goals for the coming year, the Alzheimer’s Association® encourages everyone to include brain health.  Did you know that research has shown healthy lifestyle choices may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, and also help reduce the risk of dementia? So, while you ponder that last slice of fruitcake and glass of eggnog, take a look at these tips for brain health. 10 Ways to Love Your Bra ...

Hill Country Memorial (HCM) has earned an ‘A’ rating for the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, continuing its streak of receiving the top score for the 15th consecutive rating period. Using data analyzed by the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, all general hospitals across the country are assigned an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade.

Deck the Halls with Science The Science Mill will be open with expanded dates from December 17 to December 31 (closed Dec. 24 + 25 and Jan. 1). Explore 50+ interactive exhibits, inside and outdoors, including the new Remarkable Reflectors whip, newly updated Banana Piano and the return of MindBall—an exhibit powered by YOUR brainwaves!

In the forward to A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold wrote, “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot.” While I can’t aspire to match the beauty of Leopold’s words, he certainly captures my sentiments. We are all familiar with the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses.” but many of us seldom if ever do.

The holiday season is rapidly approaching making it the perfect time to get green. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the amount of trash produced in the United States increases by an estimated 25 percent — that’s about one million extra tons of garbage each week. Annually, Americans discard an estimated: 38,000 miles of ribbon, or enough to wrap around the planet (with some left for a bow); $11 billion worth of packing material; and 15 million used Christmas trees,” states th ...

We have written about questions to ask when touring a health care facility, and a different article when selecting a health care facility. Today I want to discuss questions to ask when admitted at the hospital. When our seniors age their care needs change, and with Covid it brings new decisions into play.

The Johnson City Library has added a new Makerspace to their list of services offered. The Makerspace provides hands-on experience to encourage creativity through designing, building, and inventing for a wide range of ages. This Makerspace contains the new and trendy Cricut Maker, along with a sewing machine and a 3D printer coming soon.

The JCISD regular meeting on December 14 included a public hearing, after which JCISD CFO Scott Berry presented the School FIRST )Financial Integrity Rating of Texas) report. Berry reported that JCISD has received a Superior, or “A” rating for this report. School board candidates Cristol Corpus, Place 7, and Sarah Allen, Place 6, were installed as Trustees.

By Julie Storer The Varsity Eagles battled Bangs to lead 16-13 at halftime then posted back-to-back 18 point periods to outdistance the Bangs Dragons for a 52-32 road victory on Friday. Senior Mason Roberts led all scorers with 14 points; Senior Jakub Emerson added 10 points. The stingy Eagle defense kept Bangs in single digits in the final two periods.

Johnson City may have drawn the short straw in scheduling as they open District 29-2A action against two state-ranked opponents. On Tuesday the Lady Eagles headed west to meet the 16th-ranked, 9-1 Harper Lady Longhorns (late score); On Friday the #3 ranked, 6-0 San Saba Lady Dillos come to JC.

The LBJMS Lady Eagles were 2-0 at Junction last Thursday winning at the 7th and 8th Grade levels. Brooke Hobbs led all scorers with 12 points as JC 7A defeated the Junction Eagles 23-11 in the early game. JC outscored Junction in every quarter and held them scoreless in the final period with aggressive defense led by Kyra Kolek.

Sophomore Lydia White and Freshman Clare White were selected by the Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas to the Region IV All-Region Team for the 2020 season. The sisters placed third and fourth, respectively, in the UIL Region IV-2A Championships in Corpus Christi to qualify for the State Meet in Round Rock.

Deck the Halls with Science The Science Mill will be open with expanded dates from December 17 to December 31 (closed Dec. 24 + 25 and Jan. 1). Explore 50+ interactive exhibits, inside and outdoors, including the new Remarkable Reflectors whip, newly updated Banana Piano and the return of MindBall—an exhibit powered by YOUR brainwaves!

The Johnson City Library has added a new Makerspace to their list of services offered. The Makerspace provides hands-on experience to encourage creativity through designing, building, and inventing for a wide range of ages. This Makerspace contains the new and trendy Cricut Maker, along with a sewing machine and a 3D printer coming soon.

In Luke 2:7 we read “And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger…” Later, when an angel announced the birth of Jesus he declared, “This shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Why was reference made twice in Luke 2 to His being wrapped in swaddling clothes? Elder Russell M.

As the effects of COVID linger across our nation and state, charitable organizations are being stretched to the limit. The need for assistance has never been greater, nor has our opportunity to make an impact” states Texas Farm Bureau President Russell W Boening.  The need for food-related assistance is still evident and has even intensified.

The Blanco County Police Department is searching for a pair of suspects in a theft and burglary that took place in the early morning hours of Dec. 9. The department is asking for help to identify two suspects, who are sought after a Blanco resident’s Ford F250 was stolen and the ATM at Texas Regional Bank, 416 4th St.

As we greet 2021, a lot of us will make resolutions that we may or may not keep.  No matter your goals for the coming year, the Alzheimer’s Association® encourages everyone to include brain health.  Did you know that research has shown healthy lifestyle choices may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, and also help reduce the risk of dementia? So, while you ponder that last slice of fruitcake and glass of eggnog, take a look at these tips for brain health. 10 Ways to Love Your Bra ...

Hill Country Memorial (HCM) has earned an ‘A’ rating for the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, continuing its streak of receiving the top score for the 15th consecutive rating period. Using data analyzed by the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, all general hospitals across the country are assigned an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade.

In the forward to A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold wrote, “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot.” While I can’t aspire to match the beauty of Leopold’s words, he certainly captures my sentiments. We are all familiar with the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses.” but many of us seldom if ever do.

The holiday season is rapidly approaching making it the perfect time to get green. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the amount of trash produced in the United States increases by an estimated 25 percent — that’s about one million extra tons of garbage each week. Annually, Americans discard an estimated: 38,000 miles of ribbon, or enough to wrap around the planet (with some left for a bow); $11 billion worth of packing material; and 15 million used Christmas trees,” states th ...

We have written about questions to ask when touring a health care facility, and a different article when selecting a health care facility. Today I want to discuss questions to ask when admitted at the hospital. When our seniors age their care needs change, and with Covid it brings new decisions into play.