December 30, 2020 Issue

This hard year is almost over. Now it’s time to look to our future and imagine what’s possible. Texas has six key challenges that we could overcome if our state leaders seek to tackle them. — Only 30% of Texas fourth graders meet grade-level reading standards. Wide education achievement gaps separate students from different backgrounds, and data suggests COVID-related school closures are hurting students’ progress. Addressing this challenge starts with measuring existing gaps th ...

Texans urged to roll up their sleeves Gov. Greg Abbott and other Texas leaders are rolling up their sleeves to get the COVID-19 vaccine and to encourage the public to follow suit. “I will never ask any Texan to do something that I’m not willing to do myself,” Abbott said before getting vaccinated at a televised event in Austin. The next round of vaccines will go to people 65 and older and to those who are at greatest risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.

Aldo Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac” published in 1949, is one of my very favorite books, one I frequently reread parts of just for the joy of it. I recently reread one essay called “The Odyssey of Atom X. It is about the “mountains being washed to the sea”, but it is much more than that.

His wife had just returned from a long stay in the hospital and rehab, and could no longer get up and down the steps to their house on her own.  In fact, he was taking it pretty slowly these days, himself.  A ramp to replace their steps was what they needed, but that was waaayyy out of his budget.

To recap how 2020 unfolded for Johnson City, we complied this list of the top headlines printed in the past 52 issues of the Johnson City Record Courier. To access past issues from your home computer or smartphone, consider a digital subscription for $40 per year. You can active a subscription at jcrecordcourier.com, and the Record Courier appreciates your patronage.

By Rachel Lumpee The Blanco County Commissioners Court special meeting was called to order by Blanco County Judge Brett Bray at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom of the Blanco County Courthouse. All four commissioners were present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and there were no public comments. Commissioner Chris Liesmann moved to approve the resolution authorizing the judge to sign an interlocal agreement with Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) regarding the statewi ...

Shortly before noon on Monday, an accident on HWY 281 N heading into Johnson City slowed traffic into one single lane at 281 and Stanton Road. An RV rolled over and left the right side of the road strewn with debris. JCVFD, BCEMS, JCPD and the Blanco County Sheriff’s were among those who provided assistance at the scene.

The Johnson City Lady Eagles Varsity. Basketball team did not take Tuesday night’s District 29-2A opponent Center Point lightly, but perhaps felt less at a disadvantage before tip-off than they did for their first two district games. The Lady Eagles (3-9; 0-2) hosted the Center Point Lady Pirates at the LBJ High Gym Tuesday night (late score).

Heading into the opening night of District 29-2A Boys’ Varsity on Tuesday there was no apparent frontrunner in the race for the UIL State Playoffs. Johnson City hosted the 0-3 Center Point Pirates at the LBJ High School Gym (late score). The Eagles three wins against four losses in the pre-district bests all other competitors except the 5-2 San Saba Armadillos.

Die Künstler von Fredericksburg (DK) will begin 2021 with a meeting on January 7. The doors will open at 6:00 PM with the meeting beginning at 6:30 PM. Located in the HEB Community Room of the Texas Tech Hill Country University Campus, the area will be set up according to strict social distancing guidelines.

On Saturday, December 19, 2020, Bobbie Lois Abbott, loving wife, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away at the age of 84.  Bobbie was born June 2, 1936, in Refugio, Texas, to Bob and Eleanor Jenkins.  She was a graduate of Refugio High School, and married Russell Sparks Abbott on April 19, 1957.  Bobbie received her Bachelor of Science degree from Southwest Texas State College in 1959.  She was a Public-school teacher for 13 years in San Antonio, Pleasanton, and Brackettville -- most notab ...

Margareta Emma Maenius nee Meier of Albert passed away on Friday December 25th at the age of 94 years. Margareta was born December 26, 1925 in Luckenbach, TX to Henry and Emma Brodbeck Meier. Margareta married Hugo Maenius on October 17, 1945 in Trinity Lutheran Church. Margareta is survived by 4 children and their spouses: • Cheryl and Harold Bowers of Palacios • GK and Lynda Maenius of Ft Worth • Randall and Jacki Maenius of Mason • Russell and Jeanenne Maenius of Albert ...

“Dad,” said the voice over the phone, “I need your help to write a paper about the ‘Old West.’” My daughter, Tara, in order to improve her lot in life, had gone back to school at age 34. Because of my love for all things ‘western’, I took on the challenge.

This hard year is almost over. Now it’s time to look to our future and imagine what’s possible. Texas has six key challenges that we could overcome if our state leaders seek to tackle them. — Only 30% of Texas fourth graders meet grade-level reading standards. Wide education achievement gaps separate students from different backgrounds, and data suggests COVID-related school closures are hurting students’ progress. Addressing this challenge starts with measuring existing gaps th ...

A fellow I know was grousing about the past year. His birthday was coming up and he felt, once again, that this year failed to meet his expectations. He was unhappy with the year, unhappy with himself, unhappy with the fact that he’d even allowed himself to hope that 2020, of all years, was going to be better than the previous ones. “My caring isn’t going to make any difference in how things work out,” he told me.

This hard year is almost over. Now it’s time to look to our future and imagine what’s possible. Texas has six key challenges that we could overcome if our state leaders seek to tackle them. — Only 30% of Texas fourth graders meet grade-level reading standards. Wide education achievement gaps separate students from different backgrounds, and data suggests COVID-related school closures are hurting students’ progress. Addressing this challenge starts with measuring existing gaps th ...

Texans urged to roll up their sleeves Gov. Greg Abbott and other Texas leaders are rolling up their sleeves to get the COVID-19 vaccine and to encourage the public to follow suit. “I will never ask any Texan to do something that I’m not willing to do myself,” Abbott said before getting vaccinated at a televised event in Austin. The next round of vaccines will go to people 65 and older and to those who are at greatest risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.