October 4, 2017 Issue

The Mason Study Club began their year with a heart wrenching and heart-warming presentation by Carol Kothmann of Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society (BEHS). Carol, having passed the stringent requirements of BEHS, has been an equine foster since February of this year. BEHS, based in College Station, was formed in March 2005 by a group of horse enthusiasts who felt there was a need for a new rescue to help horses and other equines throughout Texas and Arkansas.

09-01-17@0749 Mason EMS responded to a Medical Alarm on Saunders Ln. It was a false alarm. 09-01-17@1125 Deputy Stafford investigated Suspicious Activity at the City Park. 09-01-17@2103 Deputy Hebert responded to the Theft of diesel on Streeter Ln. 09-01-17@2338 Deputy Hebert responded to a Disturbance on Meadowlark. 09-01-17@2342 Deputy Hebert handled a Civil Matter on Moody St. 09-02-17@0825 Deputy Stafford responded to a Commercial Burglary Alarm on Moody St.

“Boss” Lion Jim Heidelberg convened the weekly meeting of the Mason Lions Club on September 26. Twenty-eight members and our guest speaker attended the meeting. Lions Marty Bentson and Mark Lehmberg solicited additional volunteers to staff the “11th Annual Gem of the Hill Country 5K/10K Run/Walk” fund raiser on September 30 and to set up the race course on Friday evening and early Saturday morning. “Boss” Jim announced the Mason Lions Club Charitable Foundation commissioned a ...

Once again this week people came from all over to see the Eckert James River Bat Cave bats. I never cease to be amazed at the folks that come to visit. How do they suddenly decide that tonight is the night? Everyone that shows up for the bat viewing is awe- struck at the phenomena that unfolds before them. Even though the nights are coming faster, there is still a great emergence to enjoy before total darkness sets in.

The Junior High and JV games with Hawley had to be canceled due to heavy rain in their area; but, the Hawley varsity showed up in Mason Friday night and, for the first half, gave the Punchers a slippery run for their money! The wet field at the Puncherdome made it difficult for both teams, and it would be halfway through the first quarter before the Punchers ended a long drive down the field for a 4-yard touchdown run by Jake Cockerham.

After taking two losses over the past couple weeks, the Punchers traveled to Abilene to take on the Wylie Bulldogs. The teams were evenly matched and at halftime the score was tied 0-0. The Punchers finally were able to break the stalemate with a touchdown. Later in the game, they were able to seal the victory with a late interception.

Sunday, October 8 at noon, the Steady Steps Weekday Children’s Ministry council invites you to their annual spaghetti lunch held in the Social Hall of the First United Methodist Church. The meal is by donation and proceeds help benefit the center through its nursery through Pre-K learning program (Frog Street Curriculum) and its faith based program.

The Texas Mission of Mercy (TMOM) is conducting a mobile dental clinic in San Angelo on October 13 and 14. The TMOM is part of the Smiles for Mercy group, and will offer free basic dental care to Texans with limited resources and/or access to care. The focus of the volunteer dental professionals is on relieving pain and preventing pain by providing extractions, fillings and cleanings.

Variety is the spice of life, or so an oft-quoted adage states. However, according to any shelf in WalMart, Pumpkin Spice is the real spice of life. The old nursery rhyme, that says, in part, “Sugar and spice, and all things nice, that’s what little girls are made of,” never dreamed that, decades later, we in America would be contending with so many pumpkin spice products that, laid end to end, they’d circle the earth numerous times.

The Mason County Republican Women are honored to host a “ Meet and Greet Coffee” for Congressman Mike Conaway on Wednesday, October 18th at 8:00 AM in the Stribling Room of the Mason County Library. Congressman Conaway is serving his seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing 29 counties in Texas’ 11th congressional district which includes Mason County. In the House, Congressman Conaway is the chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and also serves on the H ...

This year’s Fall Range Supper has been set for Thursday, October 19 at the Waltisperger Ranch. The late afternoon event is sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extension Service Mason County and NRCS. The ranch is 22 miles South on Hwy 87. The ranch entrance is on the east side of Hwy 87. This year’s program will include: A Live Brush Control Demonstration at 4:00 followed by a brief history of the ranch by Douglas Waltisperger.

It’s a Pink Fiesta and all women in Mason County are invited to attend. Invite your friends and join us Thursday, October 19th, 5:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 224 Broad Street. What is a Pink Fiesta? It is an awareness event for breast and cervical cancer that will help women discover how early detection can provide the best protection for these two cancers.

Texas singer/songwriter Darden Smith will perform at the Odeon theater in Mason, Texas Saturday October 21 at 7:00PM. Smith has been sharing his music for 30 years. From across the USA and around the world, from late night TV to stage and screen Smith has garnered a following that continues to beg for more.

The Hext Volunteer Fire Department invites everyone to their annual fish fry and fund raiser on Saturday, October 7, at the new fire house in Hext, right next to the post office. The fish fry meal with all the trimmings will be by free-will donation. Dine in or take out.

Well, this is definitely not Santa’s Workshop! It is instead the Ghoul’s Workshop for the Second Chance Halloween Soiree 3 to be held Saturday, October 21 at the Seaquist House in Mason. Let’s talk a little here about what’s up with the decorations for this event. Those in attendance last year were delighted with the clever and scary things they saw everywhere they looked (like, remember that clown in the kitchen?).

What a wonderful week. The weather was cooler. We had measurable rain, the gentle soaking-in kind of rain. Even though it is the first of October, and my greenhouse is not on its foundation, I am optimistic that this problem will be solved soon. Maybe if I had a party with lots of food and invited young people to move beast.

Hey guys! Am I not one of the cutest little dogs you have ever seen?? My name is Champ and I am a 6 month old bundle of fun. My owner surrendered me because she had too many dogs and now I need to find a foster or forever home.

James Franklin Bassham entered this world on November 18, 1942. He was born to Wilburn and Roxie Ann (Donawho) Bassham in Corsicana, Texas, where he grew up the youngest in a large family. James is preceded in death by sisters Ida Mae Russell, Geneva Connors, and Helen Beasley and brother Henry Bassham. He is survived by his loving wife, Linda Bassham, his sister Clovis Mason and husband Don, and brother G.H.

During the last few weeks, I've been communicating with Merle and Doris Cope's son, Steve Horner. Steve had a thriving business in the U. S. Virgin Islands... had a thriving business. Then came Irma. There was almost a week when no communication at all was possible, and Steve's family wasn't even sure he had survived the storm.

Dear Gerry: Last week at the library one of the Elders on the Llano approached me with some heat about #name-changing and Correctus a Politicus in Mason. The Elder pointed out that we need to make some serious name changes right here in Mason City, starting with Gooch Cemetery and the names of some streets. He pointed out that in the cemetery we need to remove the tombstones of Jack Lee and his wife to avoid affronting anyone about the Lee name.

Dear Gerry, I have been reading Kendal Hemphill’s columns since subscribing to the Mason County News, two years before we moved here, in 2005. I have also read Dr. Charles Keatings’ two letters to the editor, and I agree with one of his contentions - that Kendal’s columns, of late, have been less humorous and more critical, bordering on snarky. I enjoyed hearing about Kendal’s adventures camping,, waterfall jumping, etc., his family life, and all things gun- and hunting-related.

Must Read Article Dear Gerry and Readers, I stumbled upon the MOST fabulous article, what I’d call a must-read for everyone! It’s not too long as published, but it would take up too much newspaper space. The article is a Dec. ‘57 print of a panel discussion by Central High, Little Rock, students (black and white) concerning the then-recent integration of the “Little Rock Nine” under armed guard into their school.

Letter Length Please, dear Editor, have mercy on us readers. Please, please reinstate your limit on word length for letters to the editor. In the 09-27-2017 edition of the Mason County News, Dr. Christopher Keating responded to Kendal Hemphill’s Outdoors Outpost column of 09-20-2017. The original column and the rebuttal letter were on the subject of climate change. So as not to have to count words, I measured the length of the Hemphill column at 25 1/8” and the Keating letter at 36 ...

To the Editor, Thanks much to Chris Keating for his detailed explanation of the science of climate change caused by human activity. And thanks for his explanation of the simple rules of civil discourse. Dan Barton Streeter

“Katharine Hepburn” Brownies courtesy: Epicurious I stumbled across this recipe while searching the internet for some other recipe. It sounded simple, straight-forward and quick. Plus, there were rave revues from folks that had tried it, so I thought I’d make it and see what all the fuss was about. The brownies really turned out well!

I want to thank everyone who helped make Old Yeller Day so special! I’ll not try to name them all because I’m afraid I’d leave someone out, but let me tell you, we couldn’t have Old Yeller Day without the help of so many wonderful people willing to give their time, energy, and talents to make it happen. On a different note, Saturday is World Card-Making Day.

Driving me crazy All my life I lived in Mason County, which is pretty much the deer capital of Texas, which is to say it’s the deer capital of the world. I know, Kimble County also claims that title. So does Llano County. And I’d be hard put to prove either of them wrong.

I’ve been going down the Memory Lane this past week. These are some of the memories I remember of the Mason I grew up in. My Uncle Roy had a men’s clothing and cleaning shop. When we’d go into town we always made a stop at Uncle Roy’s. He’d pull a nickel out of my ear and off I’d go to Rock’s for a ‘cherry coke Dr.

The World of ‘Isms’… What we knew of “isms,” during days of our youth, was limited. There were many “isms” about which we were totally unaware, and that’s still the case. Initially, though, we figured words ending in “ism” were bad “mocus,” and to be avoided whenever possible. Old-timers complained of painful rheumatism; some of ‘em said they had “rheumatiz.” Years later, it dawned on us that the two terms are interchangeable.

What a wonderful week. The weather was cooler. We had measurable rain, the gentle soaking-in kind of rain. Even though it is the first of October, and my greenhouse is not on its foundation, I am optimistic that this problem will be solved soon. Maybe if I had a party with lots of food and invited young people to move beast.

Canape. Ca-NAP? Ca-NAPE? Mais non, mais non. It’s actually canapé. (With an accent mark, don’tcha know.) French for “sofa,” as in “an upholstered divan.” So says Trusty Webster. And pronounced “canopy” or “can-a-pay.” Here in America where we have Free Speech, we say it like it is. Or however we feel like saying it. And here in the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, canapé is no sofa. No sirree. It’s something to eat. You know…those litt ...