The students of Merlene Flournoy will present their spring recital on Sunday, May 3rd at 3:00pm. The performance will be held at the Gem of the Hills Senior Citizen building. Participating students are: Haley Link, daughter of Pastor J.D. and Krista Link, Maya and Anna Burkhart, daughters of Pam and Tom Burkhart, Courtney Marshall, daughter of Kristan and Loren Marshall, and Austin Van Pelt, son of Stacy and Larry Van Pelt. A reception will follow the program.

This week we're treated with something that doesn't come along often - a good western. Tim Daly stars in this quiet little movie called the Outsider and the movie has just enough of everything you expect out of a good western to really appreciate it. A simpleton woman looses her husband to the cattle rustlers in the area and a wanted gunman turns up on her land about to die.

AUSTIN - No surprise: On April 24 the Senate refused to concur with House amendments to SB 1, the 2010-2011 proposed state budget. The next step is for a conference committee on SB 1 to reconcile differences in the $178 billion House version and the Senate's $182.2 billion version. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, appointed five senators to the conference committee: • Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, chair of the Senate Finance Committee; • Juan "Chuy"

COLLEGE STATION – According to the experts, when it comes to determining if a drought has ended, one of the most important questions to ask is: Which one? "Trying to determine when a drought has ended is done the same way a fishhook is removed... very carefully," said Dr. Klaus Wolter, a researcher at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Earth System Research Laboratory in Colorado. Many factors, he said, including rain, runoff, inflows and social impacts must be considered b ...

Swine influenza (H1N1 strain) has now been confirmed in 8 humans, including two in the San Antonio area. None of these cases have been traced to livestock exposure at this time and all eight people have recovered. However, this situation requires heightened biosecurity practices on all swine farms in order to help prevent human-to-pig transmission. Texas Pork Producers Association, the National Pork Board, Texas AgriLife Extension and the Texas Animal Health Commission have asked that Extension ...

“2000– Ten Years Running – 2009” is the theme of the 10th annual 5K “Run/Walk for the Hills” event to be held Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Bulverde, Texas, just north of San Antonio. The event is co-sponsored by the Bulverde/Spring Branch Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bulverde Senior Center.

On Saturday, May 2 at 6:45am, two buses of wounded active duty soldiers will be traveling from Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio up through Hwy 281 through Blanco to meet up with their families in Marble Falls for a day of rest, relaxation, fun, and games. The American Legion Memorial Highway Post 352 and Blanco Chamber of Commerce have been asked to place flags out on Hwy 281 through downtown to show our support for these brave soldiers.

With a combination of Southern Hospitality and European Charm, master artist Benini and his wife, Lorraine, graciously welcomed the Blanco Women’s Club to their Benini Gallery and Sculpture Ranch on a cold, rainy day in March. Nell Krueger and Maryella Vause of the BWC Arts Committee facilitated the visit, along with a hostess group headed up by Janie Jones and Kathee Copeland. Benini kept the ladies entertained as he described his career as an artist, describing his unique artwork, his worki ...

May 2, 2009 •Songs & Stories Concert: 7:30pm at the Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Rd, Boerne. The Cibolo Nature Center's concert series has a great line up of musicians. John Focke and his band will play a repertoire of classic country, 70's easy listening, folk and bluegrass music. Bring a chair or blanket, picnic and enjoy an evening under the oak trees and stars.

Getting the best effort out of a volunteer -- and giving the volunteer the best possible experience -- is really easy. You find out what he or she wants in return for the services you want, and give it to 'em! That was the nut of the message George Barnette of the Blanco County Disaster Response Group offered in the Saturday morning class on Volunteer Management offered free at the First United Methodist Church in Johnson City. "It isn't really as simple as that, of course,"

Pink patent leather pumps, roller skates, Shakespearean costumes, and a rich, old woman… These are the ingredients of the hilarious farce, Leading Ladies, now playing at the Wimberley Playhouse. Directed by David Bisett and produced by Jana White, this production guarantees a laugh a minute. The setting is an impressive mansion in York, Pennsylvania where two Shakespearean actors down on their luck arrive to try to claim the fortune of a sickly old woman by claiming to be her long lost relati ...

(Austin) –MaryAnn Weaver was among a group of school board members gathering in El Paso April 16-18 to learn about demographic trends and cultural issues in society that affect educators. Session theme for this, the fourth of five training sessions of Leadership TASB (LTASB), was “Where Leadership Happens through Embracing the Differences.” Activities began on Thursday with group study followed by a presentation by Dr.

The 13th annual “Hill Country Run” motorcycle rally is in Luckenbach, Texas, May 1-3, 2009. Billed as “More than just a plain ole motorcycle rally,” the Hill Country Run is three days filled with hearty food, live music, friends new and old and miles of riding through the towns and vistas of the scenic Texas Hill Country. The weekend gets an early start on Thursday, April 30, at Hondo’s on Main for a social and welcome.

Austin watercolorist Jan Heaton is the latest very accomplished and talented artist to show her newest work in Johnson City. "Details. Color. Light. Values. Expressions. Silhouettes. Negative space. Positive space. Forms. Characters." These are the things that Jan says burn their visual memory in to her creative mind. Of her painting process she says "I look at something, and I respond to it.

On Saturday, May 2, friends of the Old Blanco County Courthouse will gather at 6:00 pm for the nineteenth annual fundraiser Gala, Sparkles and Spurs. The Old Blanco County Courthouse Preservation Society will again set up a giant party tent on the East lawn of the Courthouse grounds where attendees will be treated to a gourmet dinner catered by Blanco’s own Sullivan Street Caterers.

PEC Press Release - The Pedernales Electric Cooperative Board of Directors voted on Monday, April 20, to hire the Houston-based accounting firm BKD to conduct an audit of PEC’s financial statements for the 2008 fiscal year. The Audit Committee’s search included 10 firms, and BKD submitted the lowest bid at $78,500.

Relay for Life is the signature event for the American Cancer Society. Each year this event is commerated through Remembering, Celebrating, and Fighting Back. A special emphasis of Relay for Life is the annual Survivor Dinner for our cancer Survivors. Our Survivors have much to celebrate. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who generously donated or helped with the Survivor Dinner which was held on Saturday, April 25th, as part of the Relay for Life Celebration in Blanco Co ...

Wildflower Days is here! Art, Wine And Wildflowers kicks off at 9:00 a.m, this Saturday, May 2. Grab your hat and head on over to the Johnson City courthouse Square to join the festivities. Check out a variety of art, wine, wildflowers, arts and crafts, foods and desserts. Face painting and color book art for the kids will be available all day.

Ya’all have been walking with me on this journey; that of a Midwestern Jewish woman living in the Hill Country. I thank you kindly for that. The decision to move to Texas really seems to be one that Creator worked out in a really interesting way. When all the pieces fell into place I was quite stunned.

I hope I'm not condemned, but I'm giving an example to you of what I do, and that is, apply God's Word to myself. Please read the 91st Psalm, as it is written in the bible, and then read how I inserted myself, in 1st person, into the revision. Take it or leave it.

Some memories are soon lost and some linger. One of my favorite lingering ones is listening to a father and son guitar and vocal duet titled “The Land of Beginning Again.” Poor decisions had divided these two singers but they had decided to let their past be past and start over again.

Calloused Hearts: This ground gets a lot of foot traffic. The ground is hard and the seed that falls upon it is trampled under the foot of men, or the birds devour it before it has the opportunity to penetrate into the soil. Sometimes people are like that. Perhaps they have been trampled on through life events, deceived by those they thought trustworthy, and hurt by the unforseen events of life, and somewhere along the way they have become cynical and hard.

2Co 5:17-21 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Arlene Coffee passed away April 29, 2009, in Stockton, California, having succumbed to her second battle with breast cancer. Arlene was born July 27, 1943 in Jarrell, Texas, to Eddie Murl White and James Pinkston. She attended high school in Austin and later married Lawrence Coffee and moved to Peyton Colony in Blanco, Texas, where she worked for Community Action Inc. She was a faithful member of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church, in Stockton, California until her death.

Dear Editor, The good people of Blanco deserve a “news” paper, not a publication that would print an article about a political protest written by the event’s organizer, full of that writer’s personal opinions. Yes, the April 15 tea party deserved coverage. But should it have been covered by the very person who organized it?

The Blanco chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America attended the State Leadership Conference held in Corpus Christi, Texas on April 16-18, 2009. The chapter members were among 3,500 delegates attending the three-day conference. The youth developed theme, “Find Your Treasure with FCCLA” was carried out through tracks featuring a series of specialized workshops and general sessions in which members discovered ways to become actively involved in issues facing today’s youth. ...

PEC Press Release - Pedernales Electric has awarded $1,000 scholarships to 50 high school seniors whose parents or legal guardians are PEC members. The scholarships may be used toward expenses at any college, university, junior college, technical school or trade school. “We are dedicated to the hard-working students in our service area and take great pride in investing in their future,” said PEC Scholarship Board President Carol Moore.

Registration for Blanco Elementary School will be Thursday, May 7 during the times of 9:00am to 11:00am and 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Please come during those hours. A Shot Clinic will also be held the same day from 9:30am to 11:30am and 12:30 to 3:00pm. The following information will be required: 1. Complete immunization record.

Come on out and join the fun! Books open at 5:00pm on May 8th at Blanco Rodeo Association Arena in Yett Park. We will close books at 6:15pm so we can start promptly at 6:30pm. You have to be a resident of Blanco ISD or Johnson City ISD to participate. There will be four different age groups: 7 and under lead line, pee wee 7 and under ride alone, Juniors 8 to 12 year olds and Seniors 13 to 18 year olds.

The Lady Panthers played Harper and Johnson City this past Friday and Saturday, defeating both teams with a combined score of 26-1. The Panthers defeated Harper 15-0 in 2 innings of play. Highlights: Rachel Calzoncit faced 6 batters in 2 innings, striking out all six; Chandler Ashley pitched one inning and allowed no hits and no runs.

Five tennis Regional Qualifiers traveled to Texas State in San Marcos to compete in the regional tournament. In girl’s singles, Rachel Calzoncit fought a long battle against Cruz of Navarro; (6-4), (0-6), (0-6). In boy’s doubles, Brooks Lane and JJ Pepper recorded a victory over Industrial; (6-2), (2-6), (7-6). In their next match against a team from Stockdale, Lane and Pepper kept it close in the first set, but eventually fell; (5-7), (1-6).

Last week you read about the River Clean Up and our continuing struggle to keep our river and streams free of garbage. This yearly event is not a ceremonial exercise. It is a crucial awareness campaign designed to get local communities invested in the health of their drinking water. Over 70% of our earth is water.

Thinking about selling your home, but you think you need to remodel it first? Stop…don’t spend money to remodel before you sell. If your home needs paint, then just think about putting a coat of paint on your home to sell it. Clean up your house and yard before you put it on the market.

Legion Celebrates 50th Anniversary April 25, 1969 The Blanco American Legion Post No. 352 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American Legion Saturday, April 26 at the L.C. Johnson Park honoring all its senior members. Barbecue will be served at 5:00 p.m. All members are cordially invited to attend. Dee Lee Triesch Post Adjutant Altar Society Sponsors dinner April 27, 1979 The St.

Is it possible for a house to cost less and more than another house? It wouldn’t seem so, and yet the answer is yes. If you don’t pay attention to some key details, you might wind up in just such an unenviable position. The long-term cost of any home depends on many factors.