February 24, 2021 Issue

By Tricia Hartmann The ESD-1 Commissioners held a meeting at the North Blanco County EMS Building on February 22, 2021, as well as via Zoom. President David O’Bannon called the meeting to order at 7 pm, and a quorum was established. Commissioners approved the minutes from January 18 following motion from Vice President Brandt Raeburn and second by Commissioner Kirk McElhenney.

By Sandy Switzer The Rotary Club of Blanco County is happy to announce that its annual major fundraising event and golf tournament has now been rescheduled to Monday, June 7, 2021. The tournament has been renamed the “Joe Garcia Memorial Tournament” in honor of our club’s founder, Joe Garcia, and the many contributions he made to the Blanco community.

Winter Storm Uri has caused the shelves at grocery stores and food banks across Texas to be sparsely stocked.  On behalf of its bank members, the Texas Bankers Foundation (TBF), the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association, is making a $26,000 contribution to the Feeding Texas Network reaching affiliated food banks serving all 254 counties in Texas.  “The Texas Bankers Foundation is funded by community bankers and banks of every size across the state,” said TBF Chair Lizzie Wi ...

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas has extended its application deadline for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) from March 1, 2021, to March 10, 2021, due to recent weather-related power outages across Texas. While NRCS accepts easement applications on a continuous basis, applications for the next funding consideration must be submitted by March 10, 2021. ACEP Agricultural Land Easements provide financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasi ...

By Terry Wiemers The Johnson City Womans Civic Club began 2021 with a fascinating program on bees presented by beekeepers Diane Schoenert, President of the Blanco County Master Gardeners and her husband Stephen. Women club members joined the presentation/meeting on Zoom and learned that bees are an important part of the eco-system as pollinators and honey producers.

Do you know a friend or loved one who suffers from fear, anxiety, and depression and do not know what to do?  It can be frustrating to watch someone you know suffer and not be able to help them. Here are 6 ways to help the person cope in these kinds of situations and the best way to deal with anxiety. 1.Learn as much as you can in managing anxiety and depression: There are many books and information that will educate you on how to deal with fear and anxiety.

Due to the unprecedented need this year caused by COVID-19 and the devastating impact of last week’s winter storms, Amplify Austin Day 2021 is more important than ever. Join I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH) in their ninth annual community-wide day of giving, which begins at 6 pm on Thursday, March 4, and ends at 6 pm on Friday, March 5, 2021.

Back in April I wrote a column titled “A lifetime Involved with Nature” about a TV series documenting David Attenborough’s life as a worldwide nature explorer and film maker and things he could teach us all. I am repeating much of that column below to introduce Attenborough to everyone who doesn’t know about him. I am doing this because he has since written a book, published this past spring, entitled “A Life on Our Planet” He is 94, and has a unique world-wide view of the condi ...

“Words are not enough to thank you all for everything you have done.” -Stephen and Barbara Schmidt “Thank you to the 2 PEC workers that came out to Hye Cider.” -Mandy Trejo “Thank you to neighbors Jeff and Pamela Autrey for taking pictures of our icy property and for checking on it for us when we couldn’t be there during the storm last week.” -Kenn & Peggy Loch Thank you PEC for working so hard to help our community by restoring electric services as soon as possible, and t ...

Johnson City really did step up and help one another during last week’s freeze! Our local grocery store, Lowe’s Markets, tried to keep their shelves fully stocked to no avail, with many workers braving the cold to get to work. Ultimately, they had empty shelves, but when two delivery trucks arrived, and with only a few hours before opening, our LBJ Middle School & High School athletes, along with their parents, jumped in and lent a hand. Bryan’s on 290 owner, Bryan, slaved away in t ...

Millions of Texans dealing with water supply issues  Warmer temperatures over the weekend and continuing this week melted most of the snow from the state’s roadways and roofs. But Texans are still dealing with broken pipes that flooded homes and businesses, damaged municipal water systems, and continued power outages in scattered areas, mainly in East and Central Texas. At the height of the power crisis, more than 4 million Texans were without electrical service — a number that shran ...

FUMC Spaghetti Bowl Fundraiser The drive-through only plates-by-donation meal will be offered at the FUMC Activity Center at 105 N. LBJ Drive on Sunday, February 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The funds raised will benefit the middle school youth program of the First United Methodist Church. The plates are spaghetti with meat sauce, side salad, garlic bread, dessert and a bottle of water. City Council Meeting The next regular meeting of the Johnson City City Council is scheduled for March 2, ...

Johnson City is on the upswing after severe winter weather involving ice, snow, fast winds and record freezing temperatures disrupted every household last week. On Thursday, freezing precipitation brought about slick roads and stuck to power lines causing outages across the Hill Country. The rest of the President’s Day weekend was marked by record low temperatures, sometimes in the single digits.

Longtime resident Thomas H. Walston was sworn in as the new Municipal Court Judge for the City of Johnson City by Mayor Rhonda Stell last Friday, February 19. Judge Walston graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law and Texas A&M University. Walston served in the State Office of Administrative Hearings as the Deputy Chief for Hearings, General Counsel, and Administrative Law Judge and Mediator in Austin, TX from 1998 until 2017.

By Sandy Switzer The Rotary Club of Blanco County is happy to announce that its annual major fundraising event and golf tournament has now been rescheduled to Monday, June 7, 2021. The tournament has been renamed the “Joe Garcia Memorial Tournament” in honor of our club’s founder, Joe Garcia, and the many contributions he made to the Blanco community.

Winter Storm Uri has caused the shelves at grocery stores and food banks across Texas to be sparsely stocked.  On behalf of its bank members, the Texas Bankers Foundation (TBF), the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association, is making a $26,000 contribution to the Feeding Texas Network reaching affiliated food banks serving all 254 counties in Texas.  “The Texas Bankers Foundation is funded by community bankers and banks of every size across the state,” said TBF Chair Lizzie Wi ...

By Terry Wiemers The Johnson City Womans Civic Club began 2021 with a fascinating program on bees presented by beekeepers Diane Schoenert, President of the Blanco County Master Gardeners and her husband Stephen. Women club members joined the presentation/meeting on Zoom and learned that bees are an important part of the eco-system as pollinators and honey producers.

FUMC Spaghetti Bowl Fundraiser The drive-through only plates-by-donation meal will be offered at the FUMC Activity Center at 105 N. LBJ Drive on Sunday, February 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The funds raised will benefit the middle school youth program of the First United Methodist Church. The plates are spaghetti with meat sauce, side salad, garlic bread, dessert and a bottle of water. City Council Meeting The next regular meeting of the Johnson City City Council is scheduled for March 2, ...

Joyce Faye McManus, 78, passed away February 13, 2021 in Stonewall, TX. Joyce was born in Baton Rouge, LA, on April 24, 1942 to Edgar Van Osdell and Lillie Elizabeth Rushing. She was preceded in death by a son, Billy Jo McManus; brother, Edward James Van Osdell; and sister, Katherine Elizabeth Lewis. Joyce is survived by three sons, Chuck Raborn and wife Yvette, Robert McManus and wife Carol, and Rodney McManus and wife Diana; brother, Donald Ray Van Osdell; and sister, Jan Brown.

Making green and purple pancakes is among the fondest memories of my teenage years. We used to get together at each other’s homes and just have fun. Besides making green and purple pancakes and eating them with ice cream and other rich toppings, we played Monopoly, Scrabble, listened to rock and roll music, worked on school projects, and just socialized.

Johnson City really did step up and help one another during last week’s freeze! Our local grocery store, Lowe’s Markets, tried to keep their shelves fully stocked to no avail, with many workers braving the cold to get to work. Ultimately, they had empty shelves, but when two delivery trucks arrived, and with only a few hours before opening, our LBJ Middle School & High School athletes, along with their parents, jumped in and lent a hand. Bryan’s on 290 owner, Bryan, slaved away in t ...

I was certainly surprised to learn that Rick Perry, former Secretary of Energy, believes that Texans would prefer loss of electricity to a regulated oil and gas industry. Perry’s belief parallels the notion expresed by Lt. Gov., Dan Patrick who stated, “there are more important things than living” while urging Texans to “take risks” with their health by returning to work and leisure activities without pandemic safeguards. These crises are man-made conditions.  They are the direc ...

By Tricia Hartmann The ESD-1 Commissioners held a meeting at the North Blanco County EMS Building on February 22, 2021, as well as via Zoom. President David O’Bannon called the meeting to order at 7 pm, and a quorum was established. Commissioners approved the minutes from January 18 following motion from Vice President Brandt Raeburn and second by Commissioner Kirk McElhenney.

By Sandy Switzer The Rotary Club of Blanco County is happy to announce that its annual major fundraising event and golf tournament has now been rescheduled to Monday, June 7, 2021. The tournament has been renamed the “Joe Garcia Memorial Tournament” in honor of our club’s founder, Joe Garcia, and the many contributions he made to the Blanco community.

Winter Storm Uri has caused the shelves at grocery stores and food banks across Texas to be sparsely stocked.  On behalf of its bank members, the Texas Bankers Foundation (TBF), the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association, is making a $26,000 contribution to the Feeding Texas Network reaching affiliated food banks serving all 254 counties in Texas.  “The Texas Bankers Foundation is funded by community bankers and banks of every size across the state,” said TBF Chair Lizzie Wi ...

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas has extended its application deadline for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) from March 1, 2021, to March 10, 2021, due to recent weather-related power outages across Texas. While NRCS accepts easement applications on a continuous basis, applications for the next funding consideration must be submitted by March 10, 2021. ACEP Agricultural Land Easements provide financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasi ...

I remember, a long time ago, when I used to have a social life. My husband, Peter, and I have been visiting his sister, Lori, once a week while she battles cancer. She was in yesterday for another radiation treatment, and we are waiting to hear if she will be feeling well enough for a visit this weekend.

Do you know a friend or loved one who suffers from fear, anxiety, and depression and do not know what to do?  It can be frustrating to watch someone you know suffer and not be able to help them. Here are 6 ways to help the person cope in these kinds of situations and the best way to deal with anxiety. 1.Learn as much as you can in managing anxiety and depression: There are many books and information that will educate you on how to deal with fear and anxiety.

Due to the unprecedented need this year caused by COVID-19 and the devastating impact of last week’s winter storms, Amplify Austin Day 2021 is more important than ever. Join I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH) in their ninth annual community-wide day of giving, which begins at 6 pm on Thursday, March 4, and ends at 6 pm on Friday, March 5, 2021.

Back in April I wrote a column titled “A lifetime Involved with Nature” about a TV series documenting David Attenborough’s life as a worldwide nature explorer and film maker and things he could teach us all. I am repeating much of that column below to introduce Attenborough to everyone who doesn’t know about him. I am doing this because he has since written a book, published this past spring, entitled “A Life on Our Planet” He is 94, and has a unique world-wide view of the condi ...

Millions of Texans dealing with water supply issues  Warmer temperatures over the weekend and continuing this week melted most of the snow from the state’s roadways and roofs. But Texans are still dealing with broken pipes that flooded homes and businesses, damaged municipal water systems, and continued power outages in scattered areas, mainly in East and Central Texas. At the height of the power crisis, more than 4 million Texans were without electrical service — a number that shran ...