December 27, 2017 Issue

As is the custom of The Veterans of Foreign Wars, we annually give awards for those who were selected as winners of the Patriotism Essay Contest and this year we had a teacher nominated as Teacher of Year as well December 11, I attended the high school assembly program and presented the award, lapel pen and a cash award of $ 100 to Julie Mae Draizan as the winner of the Voice of Democracy contest and the second award to Ted Kerr and a cash award of $ 50 for his entry in the Voice of Democra ...

The Mason County Republican Women held their second bi-monthly mixer at Lea Lou Coop on Saturday, December 16th. In conjunction with this meeting, the ladies, accompanied by spouses and friends, held an ugly Christmas Sweater contest. Lea Lou owner Andy Smith served as the judge, awarding the grand prize to Ann Smith and second place to Ken & Sherry Corderro. The ladies of the MCRW would like to invite you to their next regular meeting on January 17th in the Stribling Room of the Mason Coun ...

MASON, Texas – Capital Farm Credit’s Board of Directors recently approved a $36.8 million cash retirement of remaining allocated equities issued in 2010. Borrowers with loans in 2010 will receive their share of the cash payment in checks mailed this month. Combined with the $56.7 million cash patronage paid in March of this year, Capital Farm Credit will have returned total cash distributions of more than $93.5 million to our members in 2017. “We continue our tradition of strong ear ...

Mr. Stan Whittle is currently in his eighteenth year of education and twelfth year as an educational leader. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lubbock Christian University where he was also a member of the LCU Chaparral baseball team. He was a middle infielder going in but quickly found a home in centerfield, which he loved He received his Master’s degree from Texas Tech University in Educational Leadership.

The Mason County Republican Women held their second bi-monthly mixer at Lea Lou Coop on Saturday, December 16th. In conjunction with this meeting, the ladies, accompanied by spouses and friends, held an ugly Christmas Sweater contest. Lea Lou owner Andy Smith served as the judge, awarding the grand prize to Ann Smith and second place to Ken & Sherry Corderro. The ladies of the MCRW would like to invite you to their next regular meeting on January 17th in the Stribling Room of the Mason Coun ...

This weekend, Mason County's Odeon Theater brings to you the ShredEZs, a short action film created by some of our current and past Mason High School students: Evan Dayton, Aeron Dayton, Jackson Chapman, Blake McLaughlin, and Kade Willimack. The movie takes place in the summer of 2017 here in your very own town - Mason, Texas.

The 2018 Mason County Livestock Show & Expo is only a few short weeks away – January 5-6 at the Fort Mason Park Community Building. This year’s event will feature a new element – a special show dedication that will become an annual honor. The dedication will recognize groups and/or individuals that have had a unique impact on the show’s success over the years. This first dedication recognizes a special group of visionaries that worked together to raise funds to build a facility that ...

After several years of concern, agricultural truckers moving livestock, live fish and insects received a much-needed waiver on the implementation of several regulatory changes. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and law enforcement transitioned to new trucking rules on Dec. 18. Those hauling agricultural commodities will not. Additional regulatory changes for electronic logging devices, hours of service and commercial driving licenses have been postponed 90 days for a ...

We would like to sincerely apologize for not including the following names in the “Community Greeting Card”; Laura Austin ML Farms Texas Chad and Rhona Lemke James & Jodie Kingston Sherry Alexander Patsy Ziriax Punkin Ridge LLC Dan and Judith Barton Jordan & Blan Zesch The total amount donated to 2017 fundraiser: $6,670! The Mason County E.M.S. and Alpha Beta Psi extends a most sincere “Thank You” for your continued support.

Happy New Year. I plan to bring the New Year in right, sleeping in my soft, warm bed. Hope you have a safe and fun celebration. There is no Class meeting scheduled for tonight, December 27th. January’s schedule will be out soon. Happy Birthday to Wesley Head on January 1. Happy Anniversary to Fred and Joan Kettner on December 30th.

Nellie June Anderson, age 70, of Brady, Texas passed away Saturday, December 23, 2017, in Brady. Nellie was born January 25, 1947, in Mason, Texas, to Scott Rufus Beam and June Linnie (Martin) Beam. She married John Wesley Anderson on July 18, 1971. She attended Christian Community Church and the Assembly of God Church in Brady.

Mary Ellen Evans Davis, of Llano, passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2017, in Big Lake at the age of 89. She was a lifetime resident of Llano County. Mary Ellen is survived by a son Thomas Earl Davis of Tow, two daughters Laura Kay Lindley of Mertzon and Clarice Pittman of Llano, two grandsons Logan Kuykendall Davis of Llano and Thomas Jay Shipp of Van Horn, three granddaughters, Staci Rene Williams of New Braunsfel, Laura Lee Johnson of Blanco and Miranda Leigh Tankersley of Mertzon , twelv ...

The Old Passes, the New Arrives... Most holidays do not have an official anthem. There might be several tunes that we associate with the occasion; but, everyone has their own favorite. Except for New Year's Eve. Based upon a poem by Robert Burns written in 1788, and using a traditional folk tune, people around the world have adopted Auld Lang Syne as a required staple that MUST be sung at the stroke of midnight. Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should ol ...

Rustic Olive Flatbread courtesy King Arthur Flour I’m constantly on the lookout for new recipes, and one of my favorite sources is the little catalog King Arthur Flour sends me on a regular basis. While their recipes are quite good, since they sell flour and just about anything else a baker could ever use, they tend to sprinkle their recipes liberally with King Arthur Flour products.

Mason Lion Joel Kuykendall shared with me the following important announcement made by the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville. The Texas Lions Camp’s motto is “Children Can…With TLC.” Texas Lions Camp is a summer camp dedicated to serving children from the state of Texas with physical disabilities, type-1 diabetes or cancer between the ages of 7 and 16.

Sock the homeless Now that Christmas is over, and the country’s sanitation infrastructure is pretty much overwhelmed with all the wrapping paper, and the tree is shedding needles like the one in ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ and your relatives have finally gone home and quit hogging the remote and clogging up the plumbing, it’s time to start thinking about giving back.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas. Now, it’s Happy New Years! I wish for you “Enough!” Enough of what you need. If you’re healthy you’re happy! Wealthy? What is wealth? Well, It’s good health, happiness, friends, family and a smile on your face! Wise? Just when you think you’re wise, something happens to change wisdom into stupidity!

God Bless Us, Everyone… To some, it could be a Cinderella story. Djimonii Jackson, a Howard Payne University senior, was featured in the parade and at the football game as the 2017 Homecoming Queen. Snappily dressed and flashing a disarming smile, she charmed effortlessly. She was escorted by her godfather, Michael Thomas, and also present was her mother, Marsena Alexander, all from Beaumont. When we headed home early the next day, we saw Djimonii in her “grubbies,” dragging out hug ...

Beef and Black-Eyed Pea Casserole With us coming into the New Year I know everyone has their traditions on New Year’s Day, making resolutions in the hope of new beginnings, or eating certain foods to start to the New Year off. We usually have ham, black-eyed peas, scalloped potatoes and cabbage.

Happy New Year. I plan to bring the New Year in right, sleeping in my soft, warm bed. Hope you have a safe and fun celebration. There is no Class meeting scheduled for tonight, December 27th. January’s schedule will be out soon. Happy Birthday to Wesley Head on January 1. Happy Anniversary to Fred and Joan Kettner on December 30th.

This is it. The last of 2017. And so it goes. Time. Going, going, gone. December 31, 2017. Sunday. At midnight. Ring out the old, bring in the new. Horns blow. Confetti rains down. Balloons float in the air. Bells ring. The champagne flows. Kisses and hugs. Laugh and smile. Usher out the old. Welcome the new. The past is past. A new year is born. Break out in song. The song of New Year’s Eve. A song of time. A timeless song. Written in Scots, ...