Every day somewhere in our state or nation, fires claim lives, destroy homes and reduce valuable natural resources to smoldering ashes. This year's National Fire Prevention Week marks another coordinated effort by metropolitan, volunteer and wildland firefighters to focus our attention on the importance of fire prevention in the home, on the job and outdoors.

I purchased my first new truck in Houston on a Monday during the summer of 1985; a green Toyota 4X4 King Cab pickup, piled high with fixings – sunroof and bed-liner notwithstanding. I kept the truck parked in the apartment cul-de-sac out front with a dozen or so other vehicles. Running late for work the following Friday morning, I rushed out of my apartment, found the truck, jumped inside and made a beeline for eight-to-fivesville.

Keith- Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a cheesy, yet irresistibly funny and maybe one of the best comedies of the year. FSM takes us through heartbreak and beyond, all while catching you off guard with the adult humor and relational situations that come up in this movie. The humor is definitely mature in nature, but I haven’t laughed this hard in awhile and I think this movie is better than the previous venture of Knocked Up.

AUSTIN - With thousands of families still unable to return to their homes because of Hurricane Ike, Gov. Rick Perry on Oct. 8 extended his disaster declaration through Nov. 6 for 90 Texas counties. Also, at Perry’s request, the Federal Emergency Management Agency extended Hurricane Ike assistance through Nov. 1. FEMA reimburses citizens for protective measures such as the removal of hurricane debris and continues its temporary lodging program with participating hotels and motels. Since Ike ...

The first meeting of professional artist who make their living from original art work was held October 1st. The main purpose of the new guild is to promote Texas Hill Country artists, with the ultimate goal to make the Hill Country a national destination for fine art. A few ideas the budding guild discussed were to hold juried and student art shows, to promote Hill Country artists nationwide, to hold progressive studio dinners and to be an open-minded, secular, freethinking refuge for artists.

The Blanco Thespians are Blanco citizens who have an interest in or a special flair for the theater. Acting, make-up, costumes stage sets and directing are some opportunities the thespian society will offer to create successful shows. The thespians held their first meeting September 30th and came up with some fun ideas for entertaining, such as dinner theater, plays, haunted houses, ghost stories, vaudeville/comedy, children’s theater, and historical themed skits.

Members of the Blanco Woman’s Club’s legislative committee—Dean Myane, Millie Jones, Barbara Hinze, Charlene Pace, and Tina Gourley—presented the program for the year’s first meeting on October 9 at the Blanco Library. Attorney Shannon Edmonds of the Texas District and County Attorneys’ Association described the chain of events beginning with the abduction, rape, and murder of Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl, and ending with a law designed to actually convict child pre ...

October 16, 2008 •Tejas Art Club invites everyone to come to our fun meeting October 16, 2008 at the Blanco Library, 6:00pm. Our demonstration will be by Omce Depew, sharing her talents. October 17, 2008 •Chair Yoga at Live Oak Nursing Home: Public encouraged to attend. 618 Live Oak Street. Call Sharon at 833-0771 for details.

You can Join the Blanco Chamber as a Business, Individual, or Volunteer. Right now, we are looking for volunteers who want to be a part of this Chamber and growing town. Do you like answering the phone, greeting visitors from all over, talking about your town, knowing what is going on in town, computer work, organizing, events, cleaning, visiting with locals, and more?

How do you turn a church into an emergency shelter — and make it work? And is there a role for small churches? A regional panel on emergency shelters in local churches will be held Saturday morning in Johnson City. The panelists will cover ways to make shelters work better in churches, based on their experiences with church shelters over decades past...and as recently as last month. The panel is sponsored by the Blanco County Disaster Response Group, and will include: • Mike McEuen, Dis ...

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Pedernales Soil and Water Conservation District invite the public and any agencies with an interest in conservation issues to participate in a Local Work Group meeting to be held at the Methodist Church in Johnson City. This meeting will be on October 20, 2008 at 10:00a.m. The purpose of this meeting is to receive input from a broad range of local agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals that have an interest in natural ...

Offered on Wednesday, October 22 at 11a.m. and again on Thursday, November 6 at 2 p.m. the public is invited to attend a workshop called “Using Microsoft Word” at the Bulverde / Spring Branch Library. Type along with the library staff as they review with you basic operations of the nation’s most utilized word processing program, Mircosoft Word.

Julie Dill, Executive Director of the Blanco Chamber of Commerce, gave the welcoming speech to the American Legion District 10 Fall convention. District 10 consists of 27 central Texas American Legion Posts stretching from Blanco to Brenham. Memorial Highway Post 352 of Blanco hosted the semi-annual convention at the Gem of the Hills Center on Saturday, October 11th.

The Vintage Cottage has set up a very special pumpkin patch for the entire community to enjoy. We welcome you to take your family’s fall pictures in the patch or to select your pumpkins to carve at home. All proceeds from your pumpkin purchase will benefit the Blanco Christmas Toy Drive, which will provide holiday gifts for local children who might not otherwise have them.

Ninety-five descendents fo the William Schaeferkoeter family celebrated their 31st Annual Reunion at the Twin Sisters School on Sunday, September 28, 2008. A delicious covered-dish lunch and much visiting was enjoyed by all in attendance. The event was hosted by the Ida Waxler family. Family came from Blanco, Fredericksburg, Austin, Liberty Hill, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Canyon Lake, Poteet, and Germany.

For its Gala season opener the Second Act Troupe will present two one act plays in the Learning Center theatre of the Blanco School District’s Administration Building at 814 11th Street (opposite the elementary school). Both plays were presented to sold out audiences in San Marcos in September. Performances are at 8 pm on Saturday October 18 and 2.30 pm Sunday October 19.

This week I will wrap up my series on God’s love. Although the subject of God’s love is inexhaustible, I must move on to different aspects of it. I pray this series has blessed you, and that you will have a much deeper revelation of God’s love for you by the end of this page.

Quilts will be raffled off at the Blanco United Methodist Church on November 1. Tickets for $1 each or 6 for $5 are available at the church office and the Chamber of Commerce. One quilt was pieced by Judy King and Sue McFarlin; the other was pieced and quilted by Samantha Ardiana.

First Baptist Church CRASH Kids - Wednesdays from 6-7 pm Fresh Connect - Sundays 6-7 pm 1st - 6th graders welcome. Rummage Sale-St. Michael’s Church ·Saturday, October 18: Rummage Sale St. Michael’s Church. East over the river, take first left. Maytag washer/dryer combination, kitchen, Christmas, luggage, books, bookshelves, arts/crafts, jewelry, collectibles, decor, books, CDs, DVDs, tapes, toys, and more. Fifth Quarter ·Friday, October 24: Blanco First Baptist Church will be ...

Dr. William Martin, nationally known Rice University scholar and author, will speak at Wimberley Presbyterian Church on Thursday, October 16, at 7 PM, sharing insights into his personal friendship with Billy Graham and discussing current religious topics. Dr. Martin’s articles, most dealing with various aspects of religion and popular culture, have appeared in such publications as The Atlantic, Harper’s, Esquire, and Texas Monthly, as well as in many scholarly journals.

I have a divine appointment approaching; an appointment I expect to keep. Election Day has rolled around again on the calendar calling for my participation as an American citizen and I’m thankful for this opportunity. Millions find excuses for not voting. Not me. Alone in that voting both, I feel like an important part of the team that makes our nation work. When I cast my secret ballot, I’m thrilled by the importance of the moment.

It’s been a well known tradition that every year for at least the last 50 years, Mt. Horeb hosts their annual Homecoming celebration. Everyone comes, even those who aren’t really coming home! Everyone is welcome, and there is always plenty of great food and friendly people to fellowship with. This year is no exception to the rule, although we hope that it is even better than it’s ever been, because of Blanco County’s 150th Sesquicentennial festivities which have been going on all around ...

Proverbs 13 :1 - “1 A wise son heeds [and is the fruit of] his father's instruction and correction, but a scoffer listens not to rebuke.” Definition of scoffer: someone who jeers or mocks or treats something with contempt or calls out in derision. Proverbs 13:2 - “2 A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.” Don’t we all wish our children heeded all our instructions?

“The Grand Ole Gospel Sing” will be in Fredericksburg on Saturday night, October 18, at 6 pm at the First Baptist Church located at 1407 E. Main Street. Dr. Don Higginbotham, pastor, and Gary Covin, Minister of Music, have welcomed the “Gospel Sing” with open arms and will be hosting the event. The “Gospel Sing,” consisting of ten different performing groups, is on-the-road this season just having completed a full schedule of Spring and Summer programs in San Marcos, Austin, San A ...

The masses yearn to flip back the calendar to simpler days. Those of us with tickets punched for geezer status work overtime in the cobwebs of selective memory. With world economies bobbing like yo-yo’s on the string of life, we are awash in words, wishing for bygone days when much was left unsaid. On our hurting planet, politically-charged news bites refer to “streets”--more specifically, Wall Street, Main Street, as well as streets of the world…. When our nation was younger, guardi ...

Each year, the women of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Blanco, Texas, challenge each other to dig deep into their closets, garages and barns in order to hold an annual rummage sale. This much anticipated annual event is part of the fabric of fall in Blanco. October 18 is the magic day for this year’s sale.

Chester Harry William Goehmann, beloved father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, was born on May 28, 1926, in the Cave Creek Community in Gillespie County, Texas. He passed away on October 12, 2008, at the age of 82, in Blanco County, Texas. He married Beatrice Clara "Pat" Birck on June 9, 1950.

Linda Tharp, 67, of Elm Grove, formerly of Dripping Springs, TX. passed away Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at her residence in Elm Grove. She was born May 3, 1941 in Blanco, Texas, the daughter of Ollie Sorrell and Alma Felps Sorrell. In May 1959, Linda Marie Sorrell and Walter Tharp were married in Dripping Springs, Texas.

McCain wants taxes to be simpler, fair, pro-growth and competitive. John McCain believes taxes should be kept low. He supports keeping the top tax rate at 35 percent, maintain the 15 percent rates on dividends and capital gains, and phase-out the Alternative Minimum Tax. McCain want to cut the corporate tax rate to 25 percent.

By John Watson In no other policy area are the American people offered a clearer choice between the starkly different tax programs of Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. Sen. Obama ‘s tax plan delivers broad–based tax relief to middle class families and cuts taxes for small businesses and companies that create jobs in America, while restoring fairness to our tax code and returning to fiscal responsibility.

Dear Editor, For two thousand years or more, Iraq and it’s neighbors have been in wars and turmoil. All of it based on deep religious differences. It seems that we can never learn from history. President Bush hoped to become the saviour of the middle east, eliminate a dictator, father democracy, get rid of WMDs, wipe out terrorism, (which wasn’t there in the first place) and bring peace and prosperity to Iraq and it’s neighbors.

FREDERICKSBURG (10/08/2008) – Schneider’s - 72 Degrees Air Conditioning & Heating recently was granted the prestigious Green Screened contractor mark. The Green Screened mark is bestowed upon contractors who embrace the challenge of protecting the environment by: • Educating people about the environmental and savings benefits of having a “green” home comfort system;  Offering homeowners products and services that can improve the energy efficiency of their home; and • Taking an ...

A book signing party and poetry reading is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Dripping Springs Community Library, 501 Sportsplex Rd. This special after-hours activity, hosted by the Friends of the Library, will be open to the public without charge. Local poet Doyle Morgan Fellers has donated copies of his recently published book, “Come Sit with Me,” to the Friends as a fund raiser for the library, and will be present to sign copies for those who purchase them. “Poetry is a l ...

Congress has passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which extends for 2008 and 2009 an expired provision permitting IRA owners age 70 1/2 and older to make distributions to qualified organizations of up to $100,000 per year. Sandy Goff, executive director of Hill Country Memorial Hospital Foundation and a certified fund raising executive, said no income tax deductions are available for IRA “qualified charitable distributions,” but donors may save taxes anyway where gifts ...

The Community Resource and Recreation Center of Canyon Lake will have their annual Fall Marketdays on Saturday, October 25, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. There will be over 100 venders offering a variety of arts and crafts, attic treasures, books, food, jewelry, candles and many holiday decorating and gift ideas.

For all of our human foibles, Americans are a very generous people. Whenever we see or hear of someone in need, it is our instinct to help. There are no better examples of this American spirit than the recent hurricanes that have hit our shores. But before you write that check or charge your credit card for that donation, a little homework and investigation can ensure your generosity benefits a legitimate cause. It would be advisable not to donate to a charitable cause over the phone.

The Texas Agricultural Technical Assistance Program is a new project overseen by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). This program will provide the agricultural producers of Texas with the technical assistance they need to make cost-effective, energy efficient choices. SECO is working with EnSave, Inc.

Burnet, Blanco, Llano & Lampasas: October 2, 2008 -The Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center’s Lea’s House has been chosen to receive one of 150 grants awarded by a leading national anti-domestic violence organization, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (MKACF). The $20,000 grant will be used to support shelter operations.

Hunters and non-hunters alike are asked to come and support the Kassie Mae Zavadil Scholarship Fundraiser event. Tickets are on sale now at M3, the Llano Chamber of Commerce, and through Mary Ann Scott and friends of Kassie for $15, or can be purchased at the door. November 1st will welcome many to this community to come out and enjoy the beautiful hill country and bountiful hunting Llano County has to offer.

Pedernales Electric’s October 20th Board meeting will start at 10:00a.m. at the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center, 979 Kohler’s Crossing, in Kyle. The location change was confirmed and announced at PEC’s September 15th meeting, and maps to the venue have been posted on www.pec.coop. The October meeting is scheduled to include a report on the C.H.

As many states’ voter registration deadlines come to a close October 6, Rock the Vote celebrated Morgan Reed-Parker, a 17 year old from North Carolina, our 2 millionth registration of the 2008 election cycle. Rock the Vote’s 2008 registration campaign, the largest youth registration drive in history, has engaged young people from all 50 states and D.C.

Neighbors helping neighbors -- we’ve all heard the phrase before and many have taken it to heart. In the wake of Hurricane Ike the Wimberley Players, Inc. have chosen to extend their hand to our Gulf Coast neighbors in their hour of need by sponsoring a “Hurricane Ike Victim Relief” benefit concert on Saturday, Nov.

The Panthers gathered in Drippping Springs on Saturday for their final regular season game. They played a hard fought game, losing to the Dripping Springs White squad (20 - 6). The offensive line looked impressive, they were blocking better than they have all year. The Gold Squads defense contained the runner very well.

Bryan Wyatt and Eddie Calzoncit and their team, The San Antonio Bombers, are declared Champions. Bryan and Eddie play in the San Antonio Mens Senior Baseball League (SAMSBL) with the San Antonio Bombers team. The regular season started in May and came to a conclusion in August with the Bombers in the fourth place seed for the playoffs.

The BYFL Varsity team took on the Wimberley Texan blue team on Saturday in Johnson City. The Texans received the kick, but ran into a stout Panther defense that forced a punt after giving up one first down. The Panthers drove to the Texan 30 before turning the ball over on downs. In the second quarter Wimberley found the end zone on a fly pass, and with a good conversion took the lead at 7-0.

Blanco Police Reports These reports were filed between Sep 25 and Oct 1. Sep 25 • Animal Complaint. 12:15 PM. A dog killed the caller’s chickens and roosters and the caller now had the dog trapped in a pen. • Stranded Motorist. 3:50 PM. A vehicle with a flat tire was reported on US 281. Sep 26 • Information.

Where do you start? Ask yourself these questions: Will I build on my current land or need a different parcel? When will I want to start and complete my home? What size of home and garage do I want? What can I afford? What style of home and exterior materials?

Our Servicemen October 11, 1968 Airman First Class Calvin E. Sultemeier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Sultemeier, of Johnson City has been graduated from a U.S. Air Force technical school at Sheppard AFB. He was training as a pavement specialist. The airman is a 1967 graduate of Lyndon B. Johnson High School. His wife, Carolyn, is the daughter of Mr.

People have been talking more about acceptable business conduct the past few years. But just because corporate scandals at companies like Enron and WorldCom have increased the public discussion on ethics, that doesn’t mean the subject wasn’t important in the past. Realtors, you’ll be glad to know, have made adherence to the highest ethical standards a priority since 1913.