September 20, 2017 Issue

Last Thursday the JV Purple played a nail-biter against Comfort. With the Punchers coming out and scoring on their opening drive with a 20 yard scamper by Tad Kirby. The Punchers had a rough time moving the ball through the second and third quarter. Comfort was able to put two touchdowns on the board along with a successful two point conversion and and extra point. Going into the last minute of the game the Punchers were down 15-8 and having trouble moving the ball.

08-01-17@0721 Caller reported a Loose Cow on Hwy 71. Dispatcher was able to make contact with the owner who got the cow off the highway. 08-01-17@0939 Deputy Stafford took an Identity Theft complaint. 08-01-17@0956 Deputy Stafford responded to Loose Livestock on RR 386 but cows were gone on his arrival. 08-01-17@1613 Mason EMS responded to Hofmann St for an elderly patient.

“As sure as night is dark and day is light I keep you on my mind both day and night And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right Because you’re mine, I walk the line.” Johnny Cash, 1956 “Boss” Lion Jim Heidelberg convened the weekly meeting of the Mason Lions Club on September 12. Thirty members and three guests attended the meeting.

Every week the City deals with a wide variety of tasks and situations, some of them are “big” in that they will impact the community for many years and some seem rather “small” that change only a very small part of our town. Last week we had a couple of challenges that represent that wide variety and may give you a better idea of the scope of City concerns.

The Central Texas Cattleman’s Conference was held on Wednesday, September 13 in San Saba, TX. Jordan Cattle Company’s Auction Arena was the site of the day-long event. More than 90 attendees, mostly cattle producers, came to learn from several panels and speakers. Topics included; Unexpected Livestock Issues, Cattle Handling, Vaccination and Herd Health and Grazable Acres.

The Punchers continued their 2017 streak last Friday, racking up a big 47-6 win over the Comfort Bobcats down in Kendal County. The first score of the night didn't occur until half way through the first quarter. After a prolonged Puncher drive, Jake Cockerham made the final 6-yard carry for the Mason team.

Last Thursday the JV Purple played a nail-biter against Comfort. With the Punchers coming out and scoring on their opening drive with a 20 yard scamper by Tad Kirby. The Punchers had a rough time moving the ball through the second and third quarter. Comfort was able to put two touchdowns on the board along with a successful two point conversion and and extra point. Going into the last minute of the game the Punchers were down 15-8 and having trouble moving the ball.

The high school and junior high cross country teams competed in Brownwood this past Wednesday the 13th. Our times are continuing to improve as we close in on district which is only 3 weeks away. The high school boys and girls will travel to Irion County on the morning of the 20th for the Irion County Invitational.

The public is invited to the opening reception for Greg Reuter on Thursday, September 21, 5 pm to 7 pm at Arnold Art Gallery in Mason, Texas. Greg Reuter is on the faculty of Texas A&M University Corpus Christi teaching ceramics and sculpture. He has shown nationally and internationally, his work is represented in numerous private and public art collections, and he has lectured in Mexico, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

Greetings to everyone who like BIRDS, On September 23 at 7:00 p.m. our community is very fortunate to have biologist Rufus Stephens, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s district leader for the Edwards Plateau wildlife district, to share highlights from his and Jan Wrede’s new guidebook on how to improve habitat for birds in the Hill Country. Their work breaks this down by habitat type - backyards, wooded slopes, creeks, etc.

Runners from across the state will head to Mason, Texas on Saturday, September 30, 2017 for the 11th Annual Gem of the Hill Country 5K & 10K Run/Walk, sponsored by Permian FracsSand. The race will begin at 8:30 a.m. in front of the M. Bevin Eckert Library just south of the town Courthouse and Square. The 5K & 10K courses meander through the charming and historic neighborhoods of Mason, featuring hills, valleys, and some of the most scenic views in the Texas Hill Country.

Ethan West will speak at the Mason Co. M. Beven Eckert Memorial Library, located at 410 Post Hill Street, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 6:00 P.M. in the Stribling Room. He will be giving a program about his recent hike on the Appalachian Trail. Only one in four hikers who attempts a “thru hike” (hiking its entirety in a single pass) finishes the trail.

The Comanche Creek 18 Hole Ladies Club Championship will be held this Saturday, September 23rd, at 10:00 am. The tournament will be flighted and all members are encouraged to participate, no matter your skill level. If you are planning to play, please contact Cynthia Bauer at 325-347-7194 or email [email protected]. Also, our “cross country scramble” and Ladies Golf Association Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 12th, at 9:00.

Kayla Hahn Olson, daughter of Mark and Dawn Hahn and granddaughter of Helen Hahn, graduated from Mason High School in 2000. Recently this “hometown girl” has made it big! Kayla’s debut novel, THE SANDCASTLE EMPIRE—a near-future sci- fi thriller about a global war that erupts in the wake of environmental change—came out on June 6, 2017, from HarperTeen.

Youth who plan to show hogs in 2018 major livestock shows must place their tag orders for hogs by Thursday, September 28 at 5 PM in the Mason County AgriLife Extension Office located at 505 Moody. Each tag is $15.00. Tags should be paid for with a check when you place your order. For questions or additional information, contact Micah Walker, Extension Agent for Mason County at 325-347-6459.

October 6th and 7th, HCCW will be hosting the Texas CattleWomen convention in Kerrville. Friday night will be the “Welcoming Reception” at the Hill Country Winery and the convention will start Saturday morning. Event takes place at the YO Motel in Kerrville, TX. Every year HCCW have a booth at the Fredericksburg Wine Fest.

The 67th Llano River Valley German Hymn Fest will be held on Sunday, September 24, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church in Mason beginning at 3:00 p.m. In 1951, Rev. W.R. Birkner & Hugo Schulze decided to celebrate the singing of hymns in German to the glory of God, and to express appreciation for the Christian faith of early German settlers, and to preserve the inspiration of God’s word as expressed through the German language.

It’s time once again to map the future of agriculture in Mason County for the coming year. Mason County Farm Bureau (CFB) will host their annual meeting at 6:00 PM, October 3, 2017. “Our county convention, or annual meeting, is an excellent opportunity for members to meet one another, discuss issues we face and chart the future of our county Farm Bureau for the upcoming year,” Shannon Worrell, Mason CFB president, said. The CFB will craft policies to guide the organization in 2018 a ...

The calendar says fall arrives this week. Time is really rushing by. John and I noticed some trees with yellow leaves toward Fredericksburg. I thought it was too early. However, the calendar says it is time. This really puts my greenhouse rebuild project on the front burner. The foundation is built.

The Mason High School class of 1960 has planned this year's reunion for September 23rd at the Peter's Prairie Schoolhouse in Camp Air. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. Members of "adjacent" classes are more than welcome to drop by and share their memories.

The Mason High School graduating class of 1977 will hold their 40 year reunion on Saturday, October 28, 2017, at Lea Lou Co-op on the Mason Square. This very informal get together will begin at approximately 4 p.m. and end when we are all tired and talked out! The homecoming game for Mason is the night before, for anyone planning to attend. It has been 15 years since the class has had a formal reunion, and although no invitations are being sent, it is hoped that with the help of social me ...

Where - 611 Hawkins St. When - Sunday, September 24th, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Topics - How did we get here? Where are we prophetically? What happens next? Bible studies will begin on September 24, 2017, at 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.. This will be a six-week seminar, divided into three two-week periods. Please bring a King James version Bible, or a New King James version. We will supply you with a Bible if you need one, and we will have notebooks and pens.

Mrs. Martha Holmes passed away Thursday, September 14th, at the age of 92. Martha is survived by her children: Bill Holmes of Harper, Duane Holmes & wife Barbara of Harper, Barbara Walter & husband Tom of Fredericksburg, Carolyn Rodgers of Nashville TN, Patricia Smith of San Angelo, Stephen Homes of Harper; 11 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren & 2 sisters: Theresa Hartmann of Harper & Maggie Litzinger of San Antonio. Martha was born February 14, 1925, in Harper, TX, to Frank & Alma Ke ...

Where - 611 Hawkins St. When - Sunday, September 24th, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Topics - How did we get here? Where are we prophetically? What happens next? Bible studies will begin on September 24, 2017, at 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.. This will be a six-week seminar, divided into three two-week periods. Please bring a King James version Bible, or a New King James version. We will supply you with a Bible if you need one, and we will have notebooks and pens.

Agitator or Innovator? History Decides... An often quoted, or misquoted, axiom says: "History is written by the victors." Whether originally uttered by Pliny the Elder or Winston Churchill, the substance remains. How we view people and events that have lived and occurred has much to do with who documented and recorded those things. In today's world, there are many historical figures that we celebrate as visionaries; but, during their time, they were equally reviled by many of their contem ...

Education Costs This letter is in response to the article published in the paper on Sept. 13 pg. 14 regarding the state and federal budgets and how they will affect our public schools. In case you missed it I would you suggest that you get that paper from the Mason County News office and read it.

Since September is National Yoga Awareness Month, I thought it’d be okay for me to talk about my free yoga classes. I earned my 200-hour teaching certificate through the Living Yoga program in Austin. Now I teach a beginning yoga class on Tuesdays at 8:00 A.M. in the Stribling Room here at the library.

The sky is still falling You people who have bought into the idea that human activity is causing climate change are going to have to step up your game, is all I’ve got to say. Honestly, I don’t know what your problem is, but you’re falling down on the job. My recent column complaining about the hypocrisy and dishonesty coming from AlGore (all one word) must have irritated quite a few of you Chicken Littles, but I only saw one (1) Letter to the Editor about it.

Menu planning is simple in these parts. Any given week it will have Mexican Food and Bar-B-Que in it. This is beef country, so chicken fried steak will also be had. We’re not the four ounce steak with the rag weeds on top folks. Vegetables are corn and green beans.

Pizza on the Run…. My Uncle Mort, who has called the thicket his home during his 105 years of life, has a new neighbor who may have been made in the same mold. Oh, calling him a “neighbor” may be a stretch, since his spread is over the river and through the woods from Mort’s. Let’s call the neighbor “Bud,” who probably is 30 years Mort’s junior.

The calendar says fall arrives this week. Time is really rushing by. John and I noticed some trees with yellow leaves toward Fredericksburg. I thought it was too early. However, the calendar says it is time. This really puts my greenhouse rebuild project on the front burner. The foundation is built.

It’s heeeeere. The end of Summer. The beginning of Fall. As in…Autumn. On Friday the 22nd to be exact. A favorite season for most. Cooler mornings. Softer sun. Crisper moon. Stars to beat the band. A season for retreat. Reformation. Refocusing. Resting. Reaping. But also planting. Bulbs. Bare-root. Root vegetables. Kale. Spinach. To everything, there is a season. And a time to every purpose under Heaven. Things slow down. Time to review. R ...