September 18, 2019 Issue

The Kuykendall Event Center was abuzz again. Our lady bikers were back in town, now going by the name Ladies in Leather. Many who attended were here last year, but there was also a lot of new faces. On Saturday around noon, the Ladies in Leather Parade commenced from Llano High, through the Courthouse Square, then to the JLK Event Center & Arena, where the rally was being held.

Elections are coming and Llano County has new equipment. That combination scares some people. It is natural to wonder, “How different is the equipment?” or “Will I be able to understand how to use it?” There are some differences with the new equipment compared to the equipment we have used in Llano for the past 15+ years.

At Monday’s City Council meeting, Director of Community Development, Tony Guidroz, announced that the Llano Community Theatre has been relocated to their new home at the Lantex. Their first play, “The Marvelous Wonderettes”, will be presented on October 11. He also informed the Council that admission and popcorn prices at the Lantex will experience a $1 increase beginning October 4. Junk in the Trunk is coming to Llano on Saturday, September 28.

On Friday, September 13, Llano and Packsaddle Elementary held a Color Run. The Dauber Dome served as the Start and Finish Line. Kindergarten through second grade ran one mile. Third through fifth grade could run or walk two miles. Parents were able to purchase a wristband to participate. “The color run was a great event that all of our students enjoyed,” said Llano Elementary Assistant Principal, Kimberly Stubblefield.

The Llano High School 2019 Homecoming Queen, Alexus Cotton and King, Joey Wolf. 2019 Homecoming Prince and Princess Quentin Franklin and Kennedy Wootan. The Llano High School cheerleaders perform on Friday in front of the Llano County Courthouse. Photos by Briley Mitchell.

Just Pass Me By On Saturday afternoon and evening, among the many motorcycles in town and homecoming activities taking place, there was something huge unfolding at the Lantex Theater. “How many seats does the theater hold?” asked Charla Pitcox, wife of producer Tracy Pitcox, that brings the Llano Country Opry to the theater each month.

National Voter Registration Day was founded in 2012 as an annual event with the focus on registering Americans to exercise their right to vote. While the Llano County Elections Office states that a large percentage of Llano County residents are registered, the Llano County Library wants to get the word out to the public that an event will be held here on Tuesday, September 24 between 9:00 a.m.

By Jamie Osbourn, CEA-Ag, and Dr. Whitney Whitworth, FCH Llano County Texas Extension Education Clubs in Llano County are looking forward to sponsoring the annual Ham and Bean Lunch and Country Store on Wednesday, October 2, from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The fundraiser will be held at Schorlemmer Hall at St James Lutheran Church in Llano and will feature good down-home cooking.

Year after year—for close to two decades—the Llano High School Hall of Fame grows with remarkable class, and 2019 is no different. Let’s start our walk down that Hallway. Induction ceremonies took place September 13. Brad Hatfield Brad graduated in 1990 after being named All-District in football, basketball and baseball—Offensive MVP as a tight end in the district.

With the flood so close to Christmas last year, the Starry, Starry Night displays suffered greatly, but the Christmas Lighting Committee and the City of Llano did a great job of letting us have as much as possible. This year, much more will be added as things were repaired and replaced.

“Fear the mellos” is Haley Gronewald’s mantra this season. She leads the Llano Yellow Jacket Band’s mellophone section, and by all accounts has her charges toeing the proverbial line. She describes her section as, “fearless, brilliant, and devoted”, traits that earned them “Section of the Week” honors for the second week of marching season.

Year after year—for close to two decades—the Llano High School Hall of Fame grows with remarkable class, and 2019 is no different. Let’s start our walk down that Hallway. Induction ceremonies took place September 13. Brad Hatfield Brad graduated in 1990 after being named All-District in football, basketball and baseball—Offensive MVP as a tight end in the district.

It was an exciting Homecoming week for the Llano Jackets sub-varsity teams as each of them recorded victories. Llano Freshman Orange 14, Brownwood Freshmen 6 At historic Gordon Wood Stadium, cornerback Ulisses Martinez and linebackers Kyle Gilliland and Eric Miguel each had tackles for loss on the Lions first offensive series to force a punt.

The Lady Jackets used Homecoming Night to come home and win a volleyball game for the first time in too long, and they did it in dramatic fashion. Down two games to one to San Antonio Cole, Llano won 3-2. “The kids fought hard,” said Head Coach Dee Heiner, “did not give up, gutted it out,” and, “showed grit and determination.” LHS jumped out to a big lead in Game 1; Cole rallied to make it respectable, but the result was 25-18, Jackets.

Runner-up Anna Casey led the Lady Jackets to a third-place varsity finish at Harper, September 14. Her time was 12:54 for two miles. Lauren Lee was third and Erin Lauricella, 22nd. Isaiah Bush (19:58, three miles) was second in junior varsity; Jackson Turner, sixth. Loralee Downey was 17th among JV girls.

How good is the Jackets’ offense—without a juiced ball? Their three-game massive message is 141 points, most by any Llano team for that span to open the season in the school’s century of gridiron action. Only a handful of squads are close. None of that would have happened if the Jackets hadn’t recorded 35 points in the last 21 minutes—28 in the final quarter—to defeat a determined, gutty and no-quit-rival Brady, 49-24, on Homecoming Night. Case Kuykendall and Donaven Arellano ...

Thank you to everyone that came to our annual meeting last night. We are so excited about starting year number 101 in January and seeing Llano continue to grow. Just hearing the ladies that were in town this past weekend and their stories reassures the fact that we live in the friendliest town in all of Texas and the hospitality is making Llano a hill country destination.

Wilburn Glenn McCormick went home to be with his Heavenly Father on August 26, 2019, at the age of 85. Wilburn was born on December 27, 1933 to Jessie J. & Irene McCormick in Llano, TX. On March 26, 1955, Wilburn married Stella Mae Buntyn of Pontotoc. They were inseparable for more than 64 years.

William Briley Mitchell, better known as Bill, passed away on September 11, 2019. He was born February 7, 1931 in Eastland, Texas to Marvin White Mitchell and Eva Lavina Briley. His dad worked for Coca Cola and was transferred a lot. As a child, Bill and his family lived in Dublin, Sweetwater, Monday, Seymour, and Abilene. He graduated from Abilene High School and attended Abilene Christian College.

On Tuesday, September 17, 2019, our beloved, Leslie Lynn Norris suddenly went to be with her Savior, at the age of 51. Leslie will forever be remembered as the most intelligent, witty, kind, giving and pure hearted mother, woman, daughter and sister. Leslie was cherished by her husband and best friend, William Norris and daughters, Caitlin Jo Rhodes of Bryan, Texas and Leah Elizabeth Lambertino & husband C.J.

Roy James Birk, age 73 of Llano, TX passed away on September 13, 2019 in Marble Falls, TX. Roy was born in Llano on April 4, 1946 to parents Harold Jacob Birk and Alma Henson Birk. Roy graduated from Llano High School in 1964. He is a proud graduate of the Texas A&M class of 1968. Roy was active in the Llano 4-H club, participating in the Livestock Judging Team and he showed hogs and sheep.

It was a Monday evening right after supper and the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I were watching TV. The next morning as we were finishing breakfast my wife said, “The girls and I will be going thrift store shopping today and therefore you are on your own.” I had to sit down a little bit and try to catch my breath.

Recently my son and I were cleaning out my saddle shed and found three baby raccoons huddled in a bucket in a corner! I carefully poured them into a ‘havahart’ trap to quickly turn them loose out on the ground. I was going to call a friend thinking he might want one for a pet. My son, a Texas Game Warden, said NO! The law today makes it unlawful to keep a wild animal in captivity regardless of how it was acquired.

Old Yeller Day, an annual event celebrating the literary heritage of Mason author, Fred Gipson, is set this year for September 28 from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the west side of the courthouse square in downtown Mason. Festivities include historical re-enactors, food vendors, handmade arts and crafts, antique tools, and activities for kids including apple bobbing and a caricature artist. Special performers for this year are Pistol Packin’ Paula and 2008 World Champion Trick Roper, Kevin ...

Not only was the old Bluffton Cemetery a prominent part of the community, but the Bluffton school system was an integral part of the old community of Bluffton. In all, there were five schools that served Bluffton from 1854 until its demise in 1937, when the waters of Lake Buchanan swallowed up the area. The first school was located at the Saltworks, a couple of miles north of the community of Bluffton and was later to become known as the Tow school.

There are two documents of paramount importance to American history: the Declaration of Independence, which forged our national identity, and the United States Constitution, which set forth the framework for the federal government that is still in use today. While Independence Day is a beloved national holiday, fewer people know about Constitution Week—an annual commemoration of the living document that upholds and protects the freedoms central to our American way of life.

As our countdown to autumnal equinox gets closer (September 23), we are harvesting black eyed peas, Swiss chard for salad and greens, and planting new lettuce starts in a tower planter under the patio due to the intense burning from the sun. I have had some early morning work clearing old watermelon vines into the composter, trimming back zinnias, and pulling peanuts for drying and watching for sweet potato readiness.