The Blanco County Aggie Moms will hold the last meeting for the current academic school year on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 3:00 pm in the home of Tricia Hartmann. The group will complete preparations for spring finals goody bags, vote on designations for scholarship funds, and plan the annual welcome picnic for new Aggies to be held during the summer.

The Kendalia Community Club will hold its annual Homecoming on Sunday, June 27, 2010 at the Kendalia Community Club Center. The Center is located in Kendalia at the corner of Crabapple Road and Hwy 473. Starting at 11:30 and lasting until 1:30, a traditional barbecue meal with all the sides will be served. The meal is prepared to perfection by the Kendalia Club members and other volunteers.

Book Review of The Faithful Spy By Pat Corder Most books are described as a page turner that will keep you reading into the night. The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson actually keeps that promise. Berenson does not bog you down with intricate characterizations and endless descriptions. The book is tightly crafted to keep the action moving.

When I was in the seventh grade I walked five long blocks to school in an area of the city in transition from rural to suburban. The city had once had an elaborate system of electric trolley cars that ran on railroad tracks and were powered by an overhead electric grid.

Law Abiding Citizen This isn't your typical revenge type action-thriller; this movie does in 20 minutes what it takes other movies two hours to accomplish. That is where the similarities end and this movie takes on a whole other persona. The depths one man goes through to not only eliminate his families killer, but the entire system that enabled an accomplice to walk is where this movie turns into a clever film that catches your attention and has you following along gl ...

AUSTIN — An April 23 Sunset Advisory Commission report recommends increasing the Public Utility Commission’s authority to oversee the electric industry in Texas. The report says ERCOT, the powerful Electric Reliability Council of Texas, needs a board of directors with fewer members tied to the electric industry. “Clearly there are a number of issues that ERCOT must address,” said PUC Commissioner Donna Nelson.

Three places on the Blanco Independent School District Board of Trustees are up for election May 8. Incumbent Matt Herden will face off against Rodney Green for Place 5; Charles Riley is running unopposed for Place 6; and Bill Fojtasek will vie with incumbent Bernie San Miguel for Place 7.

On Sunday, April 25, at the Blanco Elementary School Cafeteria, the Blanco Cub Scout Pack 497 had their first ever Rain Gutter Regatta. The boys themselves built the boats they used and were the source of energy for the boats as well. Each boy had to blow the boat from one end of the gutter to the other end.

Music has played a prominent role in Texas history. At the annual membership meeting for Friends of Blanco Library there will be a program addressing this important aspect of Texas culture. The meeting will be held on May 6, 2010 at the Blanco Library. The program will be presented by Dr.

STONEWALL, TX: The Hill Country Land Trust (HCLT) recognized its conservation partners during a ceremony at the Stonewall Heritage Society’s Lindig cabin on March 27. Hill Country Land Trust President Bill Lindemann presented each of its partner landowners with a gate sign reading ‘conserved in partnership with the Hill Country Land Trust.’ Following the reception, visitors took a tour of the Hershey Ranch, one of HCLT’s newly conserved properties.

In the upcoming May 8 election, two candidates—Chuck Homan and Bobby McClung—will face off in a mayoral race to complete the two-year unexpired term of Tina Gourley. Linda Howard, Rebecca Howerton, Martin Sauceda, and Al Turner will vie for three City Council seats. All the candidates were interviewed and asked similar questions. CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR Bobby McClung Your slogan is “Experience, Integrity, Vision. ...

Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors received the audit for the 2009 fiscal year during the Board’s regular monthly meeting on Monday, April 19. The accounting firm BKD gave the Cooperative an unqualified or “clean” opinion, which is the best opinion an auditor can offer. The Board also approved a 2010 operating budget, finalizing a move from a model based on forecasting expenses. Starting with the audit, the Board voted on several measures that ...

Producers are reminded to submit their annual report of acreage to meet Farm Service Agency (FSA) program eligibility requirements. This report is due by May 3, 2010 for Wheat, Oats and Barley. For corn, grain sorghum, haygrazers, improved grasses and other crops this report is due by June 15, 2010. Producers must file their reports accurately and timely for all crops and land uses, including prevented and failed acreage, to ensure they receive the maximum FSA program benefits possibl ...

On the morning of Wednesday, April 21, approximately 60 Blanco County citizens braved the wind on Whittington’s Mountain to join the Board of Directors of the Pedernales Soil and Water Conservation District for the 26th Annual Soil Stewardship Breakfast. Everyone was treated to campfire coffee, juice, donuts and breakfast tacos prepared by the directors themselves. Reverend Skip Brasher of New Hope Lutheran Church in Blanco presented an inspirational message and even trea ...

Cat owners residing in Blanco County can apply for $25.00 vouchers from the Blanco County Cat Coalition, Inc. (BCCC) to pay for part of the cost of spaying or neutering their pet cats. There are a limited number of vouchers that are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Owners need to make appointments with their regular veterinarians for the spaying/neutering and take their cats and pick them up when the surgery is over.

I’m always intrigued by fliers that combine religious zealotry with politics. What happens at times is fascinating, especially when you try to follow their line of thinking - that is, if you want to apply logical thinking. Here’s an example of a flier that my Jewish mentor sent me when I was still in Iowa; he got it through his synagogue in Upstate New York somehow: Headline: WBC to Picket the Unbelieving Jews in Des Moines, IA Jews Killed Jesus!

Recently, a surprising news report about the future of United States military forces caught my attention. In a nutshell, the conclusion of these experts was that the safety of the nation (and the free world) would ultimately be in jeopardy because the general physical condition of today’s youth has been continually declining.

One cannot help but notice all the flowers in bloom alone our roads this time of year. With the green grass as a canvas, the supreme artist has grouped the blue, red, yellow, orange and various other colors together to form a picture that all of us would like to capture with our camera's, but seem to find our best efforts falling short of the original.

Psalm 107:20-21 says, “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” We see from this verse that God sends His Word to heal and deliver us.

Did I ever tell you about the time I was reading Romans, (chapter one) to two ladies in the nursing home, and they asked me to stop and leave? They couldn’t take it. They couldn’t take the truth. Have you ever read Romans, chapter one? It explains why some people burn with lust for the same sex as they are.

Delta Roy Mays passed away on April 24, 2010 at the age of 88. He was born March 29, 1922, in Blackwell, Texas, to Ed and Alma Mays. He was preceded in death by his wife, Emogene Moore Mays, his sister, Catherine Mays, and step-sister, Brookie Petty. He is survived by his nephew, Amil M Baker, Jr.

The Blanco chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America attended the State Leadership Conference held in Dallas, Texas on April 8-10, 2010. The chapter members were among 3,500 delegates attending the three-day conference. The youth developed theme, “Beyond the Limits” 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. < ...

The past two weeks have been extremely busy for members of the Blanco FFA Chapter as 22 members competed in 5 different state competitions across Texas. Leading the way for the local FFA chapter was the Entomology Team, which placed second overall at the State FFA Career Development Events in Lubbock.

Registration for Blanco Elementary School will be Thursday, May 6 during the times of 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please come during these hours. The following information will be required: 1. Complete immunization record. Required shots: a. DPT: Minimum of 4 doses, last dose must be after 4th birthday. b.

The Lady Panthers secured ownership of the District 2AA Softball Championship with back-to-back wins. On Monday, April 19, Blanco walked away with a 5-1 win over Johnson City, then crushed Brooks Academy, 20-2, the following day. Making the short trip north to Johnson City, Blanco needed to win to hold the lead in the District standings.

The Middle School Tennis teams traveled to Wimberley on Saturday, April 24. The 7th grade team won 1st place and the 8th grade team placed 2nd. 7th grade girls singles: Jamie McClinton - 1st Place, Lexi Jenkins - 3rd Place. 7th grade girls doubles: Abbie Culton and Merritt Johnson - 1st Place.

The Blanco Panther baseball team completed district play this past week going 2 and 1 in their final three games. On Tuesday, April 13, the Panthers faced a tough test when they hosted the visiting Comfort Bobcats. While Comfort jumped out to an early 7 to 2 lead, the Panthers clawed their way back and used a 5-run 6th inning to pull ahead 8 to 7.

The Girls JV team had a tremendous meet! Each athlete really stepped up and had a top performance in all of their events. They won the JV District Championship by 105 points, scoring 209 total points. Randolph was 2nd with 103 total. The Varsity really came together as a team at the District Meet.

Adding a pond to your landscape is an investment in money and time, but it is a very enjoyable addition. Choosing the right location for the pond is most important. Shade is okay, but most aquatic plants need at least four hours of sun to bloom. A good thing about shade is it keeps the algae from growing so rapidly.

More and more people are becoming concerned and proactive about preserving the environment and improving all of the processes used in life to have less of an impact on the environment. Many people are choosing to make their homes more `green' and are taking on remodeling projects to improve energy efficiency and to reduce the cost of maintaining a home.

Much of the value of your home comes from the structure itself and property values in your area. But a great deal of it also comes from what you do to the house – and what you don’t. Some remodeling choices may add value to homes, others can actually subtract value, and some choices – say, a built-in aquarium – may make a property extremely challenging to sell. A question of cost Most remodeling projects cost more than the amount ...