I can’t pick up the remote without running into a survival show these days. One minute I’ll be watching a Chevy truck haul the heaviest payload in its class, and before I know it I’m face to face with some yahoo squeezing drinking water out of an elephant turd. Weekly, various he-man survivalists are abandoned in remote wilderness locations to spend seven days cheating death… solely for our amusement.

Nim’s Island Keith Nim’s Island is a fun film that was more kid friendly than I imagined. Your kids will love this and if you’re in a light enough mood you’ll enjoy it, but it’s definitely geared towards a little younger audience. I did hear that all the animal scenes were real and not computer generated.

AUSTIN - Recent heavy rains and flooding following Hurricane Dolly and Tropical Storm Edouard sent the Texas mosquito population soaring, the Texas Department of State Health Services reports. Health Commissioner David Lakey suggested that citizens use bug repellent “every time they are outside.” Meanwhile, health officials are focusing on a dozen possible cases of flea-borne murine typhus in Travis County. Headache, fever, nausea, body aches and skin rash are possible symptoms of typhus ...

Christina (Tina) M. Gourley, Blanco City Councilmember, was in Austin, TX, August 8-9, 2008, to attend the Newly Elected City Officials’ Orientation. The meeting provided an opportunity for newly elected city officials to voluntarily enhance their knowledge of city government and sharpen their leadership skills. In addition, the orientation offered an opportunity to visit with elected officials across Texas to learn how other cities are coping with similar challenges. During this event, atte ...

August 30, 2008 • Tejas Art Club bake sale, yard sale, and starving artists art sale. It will take place at the Uptown Art Center, 410 Pecan Street. Please keep this date in mind and come visit us. September 13, 2008 • Mathes Employee Reunion Saturday, September 13 at Marble Falls Church of Christ Fellowship Hall.

Hill Country Memorial Health System’s new Cancer Resource Center will offer cancer patients and their families a free six-week introductory course in African hand drumming. “Drumming is a fun way to manage stress,” according to Martha Matteson, a licensed clinical social worker who will lead the program. “Research has shown that it can have healing properties also.” During the six weekly classes of the program from Sept.

Six new Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers were sworn in by 33rd & 424th Judicial District Associate Judge, Robert Hofmann, to begin their work in the aid of children in the five county regions of Blanco, Burnet, Lampasas, Llano and San Saba. Volunteers are appointed by the Court as Guardian ad Litems to advocate for children in the court system that have been removed from their home due to abuse and/or neglect.

AUSTIN—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s, R-Texas, Central Texas Deputy Regional Director, Katharine Priddy, will be in Blanco County on Tuesday, August 26, 2008, to meet with constituents, address any federal concerns they may have, and assist with various other services. “As a U.S. Senator, I work hard to make sure Texas values are well represented in Washington,” Sen.

The next meeting of the Burnet County Republican Club will be on Monday, August 25th will be a MULTI-COUNTY TEXAS VICTORY 2008 RALLY to be held at the Marble Falls Lakeside Pavilion beginning at 6:00 PM. This will be a fund-raiser for the statewide Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) program dedicated to cultivating, energizing and training grassroots volunteers to ensure Republican success at the polls on Election Day in November.

The public is invited to the ground breaking on August 21 for site work on the Hill Country University Center (HCUC), located next to Fort Martin Scott on East Highway 290 at the eastern edge of Fredericksburg. The program will begin at 11:00 am and a free barbecue lunch will be served at noon.

This is a reminder that the Blanco County Master Gardeners and Texas AgriLIFE Service, Blanco County will be conducting a workshop on Tuesday, August 19 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The workshop is entitled “Go Native: Landscaping with Native Plants” and will be held at the Exhibit Hall at the Fairgrounds in Johnson City. The workshop will focus on designing landscapes using a wide variety of Texas Hill Country native plants – including trees, shrubs and bushes, native grasses and wil ...

Adult Grief Support Group No one needs to suffer grief alone; everyone can benefit from care and support. CTMC Hospice Care provides a safe and comfortable environment through its grief support groups to express the feelings you may experience due to the death of a loved one. These services are available at no cost to the participant as a community service.

On August 7 Pedernales Electric ended its legal relationship with Moursund, Moursund & Moursund. In a letter to the firm terminating the relationship, PEC General Manager Juan Garza acknowledged the firm’s long-term service to PEC, but stated that it was “time to move in another direction.” The founder of the legal firm, A.W.

Discipline. It has almost become a dirty word in our society today - even among Christians. It’s a shame, really. Christians are supposed to be disciples. Disciples are supposed to be disciplined. A disciple (learner, pupil, student) is one who practices the disciplines (instructions, teachings, precepts) of his master. So if we are undisciplined, are we truly disciples?

How much noise can you pump into your head before you begin to drown out God’s voice? This question introduces a timely article by Joseph Benz, appearing in the daily devotional booklet “In Touch,” titled “This Noisy Life.” Benz, the author of “Silent God: Finding Him When You Can’t Hear His Voice,” observes that it’s not hard to spend every waking (and sleeping) moment connected to some sort of device that injects information into our brains, writing: “From morning till ...

Since I’ve tasted the better life, I don’t want to turn back. Life is so much better now, walking with the Lord. I’m a living testimony. God fights my battles for me, and brings me through victoriously, every time, no matter what the outcome, I’m victorious. For great encouragement, read Psalms 91; Psalm 4; Psalm 5, and Psalm 27. Psalm 91:3-4 – “3For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

When the woman of Samaria told the citizens of Sychar about Jesus, the Bible says that many believed in Him. After Jesus spent two days with the people, they came to the conclusion that Jesus indeed was the Savior of the world. It must have been an impressive visit! (John 4) We should give thanks to God our Father for our Savior.

By this date, I had hoped to write a piece about recent audience participation at David Letterman’s Late Show in New York City, but it’ll have to wait. Letterman—in general—and Rupert, in particular—are hereby pre-empted by a pair of pie-baking teachers in Glen Rose, Texas. (Now cut out the “head-scratching” about Rupert.

Albert S. Purpura died peacefully in his home on August 9th at 90 years of age. He was born in Brooklyn, NY on November 22, 1917. Albert served his country during WWII in the 1st Armored Division from January 1941 through July 1945. He was stationed at World’s End Camp in Ireland and took part in the North African Invasion.

Harold R. Pruitt beloved husband, father and grandfather went to be with the Lord on August 11, 2008 at the age of 82. He owned and operated Pruitt Communications in Leon Springs and Boerne. He was preceded in death by his wife, Josephine Pruitt, son, Gerald Ray Pruitt, brothers, J.A.

Kirk Lee Henshaw, age 44, formerly of Emporia and Wichita, Minister of Music at First United Methodist Church, Elgin, TX, died Saturday, August 9, 2008 in Austin, Texas. Visitation 2 to 8p.m. Wednesday; Service 10a.m. Thursday, at Smith Mortuary, 1415 N. Rock Rd, Derby. Kirk was born October 24, 1963 in Fowler, Kansas the son of Galen Lee and Cordelia Mae (Davis) Hinshaw.

Dear Editor: Re: Words to Weiss Vaccination Column Here’s something I’ve never been able to understand: If vaccines work so well, then why are parents of vaccinated children scared of having their kids exposed to a child who hasn’t been vaccinated? Their child should be protected by the shots they received, right? I agree with W.

Recently Eric and his 14-year old son, Tristan, of Johannesburg, South Africa, asked in an email: “What would happen if there was another galaxy headed on a collision course with our galaxy? Would we know about it before we were vapourised?” The answer contains both bad and good news. The bad news: another galaxy IS on a collision course with our Milky Way galaxy.

Farmers and ranchers who might otherwise be ineligible for aid under the new disaster programs laid out by the 2008 Farm Bill may still have one opportunity to qualify, Blanco County Farm Bureau Secretary Treasurer Adrian Schulze said. The 2008 Act requires producers who wish to participate in the new disaster programs to have crop insurance or non-insured crop disaster assistance (NAP) coverage for the land for which assistance is being requested, and for all farms in all counties in which th ...

Llano Memorial Healthcare System is going tobacco-free on November 20, 2008, the date designated by the American Cancer Society for their nationwide campaign known as “The Great American Smokeout”. As of that date, no tobacco use of any kind will be permitted – inside or outside – on hospital and all related health system property.

Several members of the Blanco FFA and Blanco Junior FFA took part in the 120th Annual Gillespie County Fair Steer Show this past weekend. Leading the way would be Kaleigh Anderson with her Reserve Champion Maine-Anjou steer. Kaleigh would also bring home two 3rd place ribbons from the Chianina and Limousin divisions.

Last month Tim Hartmann accompanied the Texas A&M Horticulture Team to the National Competition in Orlando, FL for the American Collegiate Branch American Society of Horticultural Scientists. Of the thirteen competing teams, Texas A&M achieved the highest score. Tim Hartmann was overall high scoring individual in the competition. He placed first in three of the six Tim Hartmann Sweeps American Society of Horticulture Scientists National Competition events, and second in one other event.

The Blanco Lions Club will sponsor a community effort to help the kids who will be starting school in a couple of weeks. The Blanco ISD will provide us with a bus on Saturday, August 23rd. The bus will be parked on the Square across from the bank (north side on the courthouse) from 9:00a.m.

WEST HAVEN, Conn., (Grassroots Newswire) August 11, 2008 - Cristina R. King of Spring Branch (78070) graduated from the University of New Haven at the spring commencement held on May 24, 2008 with a Master of Science in forensic science. A leader in experiential education, the University of New Haven provides its students with a unique combination of solid liberal arts and real-world, hands-on professional training.

(AUSTIN) — With the rising cost of gasoline, groceries and other goods, the annual clothing sales tax holiday will help families’ back-to-school budgets go farther, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said today. Combs announced that the 10th annual sales tax holiday will take place Aug. 15-17. During the tax holiday weekend, most clothing and shoes priced less than $100 can be purchased tax free.

It’s too hot to think about planting. One day without water and all of your hard work shrivels; it’s very depressing. Thank goodness for soaker hoses and mulch. They are plant savers. Most of the crape myrtles have bloomed, at least once. If you will strip the old bloom pods from the trees, fertilize and water, they will continue to bloom until frost.

Public records information is compiled by Charles Willgren from reports filed at the Blanco Police Department, Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, Blanco Volunteer Fire Department, Blanco County Clerk, District Clerk, and Justices of the Peace offices. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Criminal Cases Convictions will not appear this week. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Criminal Cases Convictions will not appear this week. Blanco Police Reports These reports were filed between Jul 2 ...

Class of ’69 reunion Aug. 20 August 11, 1978 Blanco - - Blanco High School’s Class of 1969 will hold a nine-year reunion on Sunday, August 20 reported Wanda Cox. It will be held on the Fiddle Fest grounds, beginning at noon, featuring barbecue and all the fixin’s. Coach Gloor Calls Football Meeting August 9, 1968 A football meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 p.m.

“I fought the lawn and the lawn won…” Sound familiar these days? With temperatures hovering at or near the 100-degree mark for the last several months, homeowners may have given up hope of ever seeing a lush, green lawn again. Many may be considering starting from scratch and re-sodding. There’s no doubt summers in Texas can be frustrating in terms of keeping the grass alive, but before you start major excavation, consider these pointers. Watering tips Moderation is the key, accordin ...