The Blanco Youth Football League will begin practice on Monday, August 2, at 6:00 p.m., at the middle school practice field. This will be a very busy practice and all players need to attend. At this practice you will meet your child’s coaches, receive your child’s equipment, and turn in any paperwork that is still needed. Equipment will be handed out to tackle football players and conditioning practices will start.

The American Legion is proud to announce that Donnea Simon of the Memorial Highway Post 352 and Auxiliary Unit 352 has completed the 2-1/2 day 2010-2011 District/Division Commander’s School and Department of Texas 2010 Legion College held in Austin, Texas, from July 9-11. The Commander’s School covered such topics as duties and responsibilities of a commander, finances, organizing a district, membership, courtesies, and Legion programs.

As I recall, the little movie was entitled, “In One Blinding Moment.” It was based on a true story. A little girl is on her way to elementary school carrying a small fish bowl containing a small goldfish. She is looking forward with anticipation to sharing her little fish with her little friends at school during show and tell. As she crosses the street at the designated place and with the help of the cross guard, a car comes careening around the corner.

I always thought Alice in Wonderland was a strange movie and now, with Tim Burton as the director of the remake, it remains a strange but beautiful movie. I've enjoyed most of Tim Burton's movies and this one is no exception. The movie opens up with an engagement party for 19 year old Alice, who is unaware that she is about to be proposed to.

In 1609 Galileo made his first perspicillum (see-through device) which we now call a telescope. It was initially used as a spyglass for seeing distant ships and other terrestrial objects. In late in 1609 he first turned his device skyward and was astounded by views of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and other heavenly bodies.

AUSTIN — Out-of-work Texans will have until Nov. 27 to qualify for unemployment benefits, the Texas Workforce Commission reported July 23. This is thanks to passage of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 by Congress on July 22. President Obama signed the act into law without delay. About 150,000 Texans had exhausted their unemployment benefits, the Texas Workforce Commission said. According to the U.S.

The Gem of the Hills Community Center is going to be the venue of a unique cultural experience for the residents of Blanco and surrounding counties. West African Master Dancer, Moustapha Bangoura, is going to be teaching a dance class at Gem of the Hills on Tuesday, August 3 at 6:00 p.m.

On May 15, 2010, Armando Pena hosted a celebration of David Key’s life at Treetops Ranch, coinciding with the first anniversary of David’s death. In attendance were over 100 local friends as well as friends and relatives from New York, Ohio, Florida, and Louisiana. Guests were greeted by Texas-sized sparkling silver boots at the entrance to Treetops Ranch.

Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors adopted a policy Monday providing guidance in the event of unsolicited offers to purchase all or part of the Cooperative. “We are not inviting nor are we encouraging proposals,” District 7 Director Dr. Patrick Cox said, emphasizing that PEC is not for sale. Cox is chairman of the Governance, Bylaws and Legal Committee, which proposed the policy after an enterprise expressed interest in purchasing the Cooperative.

Pioneer Museum will open its second exhibit on September 18. Pat Vallone, Exhibit Chairman, announced the theme will be “Then and Now,” relating household items of the mid-1800s and early 1900s to present-day items with descriptive stories and demonstrations. An auction of antique items will be combined with musical entertainment and story telling.

The spring event of the Blanco County 2010 Relay for Life held in Johnson City was a huge success. The event has come and gone but fundraising efforts and donations still continue throughout the year. These types of donations and fundraising efforts will help many with cancer “Celebrate More Birthdays.” The 2011 Relay for Life will be hosted in Blanco.

A second wave of emergency flood relief from Blanco County rolled out to Eagle Pass this week, and was immediately passed on to a church across the border in Mexico, where many people who were flooded out of their homes still needed food and water. Like the truckload delivered the previous week, this one was quickly taken across the Rio Grande by Mexican church workers and prepared for hungry evacuees. “It is different in Mexico,” explained Pastor Jesús Hecto ...

A boy was looking at a plaque a congregation had placed on the building. When preacher came by the boy asked what it was for. He explained the list was of those who died in service. The boy looked puzzled and said, "which service, the 10:00 service or the 6:00 service?"

At a time when the economy has many churches cutting back on community outreach and missionary work, a Chicago area church has chosen to do the opposite. To celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2010, this congregation is giving sacrificially to meet the needs of people in their area. They are sending 25 adults back to college, rescuing 25 families from foreclosure and liberating the needy among them from $2.5 million of oppressive debt.

Hebrews 12:1-4 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Matthew 18:18 “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” KVJ Same thing in Amplified version: “ 18Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.” Why can&rsq ...

Fred J. Floerke, 84, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2010 from a brief illness. He was born in a small farmhouse between Sinton and Taft on September 22, 1925. He graduated from Taft High School, and then graduated from Saint Mary’s University. Fred was a lifetime farmer and rancher. Farming was his true passion; therefore, he served many years on Midways Board of Directors.

Several members of the Blanco FFA and Blanco Jr. FFA traveled to Seguin on July 9 and 10 to exhibit their prospect market steers in the Annual Guadalupe Valley Pecan Classic. More than 250 steers from across the state competed in this year’s show. Leading the way for the local steer feeders was Jr.

The Blanco FFA Chapter was well represented in Corpus Christi at the annual Texas FFA Convention, as 18 local FFA members were honored on stage for various awards and accomplishments from the past school year. Seniors Kaleigh Anderson and Taylor McCormick were each awarded a $15,000 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Scholarship.

The 2010 Blanco Major Girls All-Stars had a great end of season run this year. The girls won the District 26 Championship in the tournament played in Fredericksburg, July 3 through July 9. The team of 11 and 12 year olds were undefeated champions over other All-Stars from Wimberley, Burnet, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, and Center Point. The girls, parents, and coached then traveled to San Angelo to play in the West Texas Section 3 Tournament.

Did you enjoy the blooming ‘Green Cloud Senisa’ (sage) this past week? Everywhere you looked, there were lovely violet flowers. I was surprised that the white (regular) sage, the ones with the lavender blooms, had very few blooms. A long-time ‘tale’ is when the sage blooms, it will rain; very often, it does rain. Lawns have been a real problem this spring and summer.

As a Builder/Realtor, I read many articles. This was taken from the Residential Design and Build site. So much good information out there and I love passing it on. Enjoy! A custom builder recently told me he believes the only way to truly protect a client’s budget is by letting one firm handle the design and a separate firm handle the construction.

Births July 31, 1970 Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lindeman are the proud parents of a baby boy, Keith Clark, weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Weeaks of Blanco. Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Lindeman of Johnson City. Engagement Told July 31, 1970 Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Smith announce the engagement of their daughter, Linda, to Donald Pawkett, s ...

Have you ever considered buying a home strictly for use as a rental property? If you haven't, this may be a good time to start. Consider this In all likelihood, it will be a good investment for your future, but there are some things to think about: Of primary importance is your willingness to be a landlord.