The Tejas Art Club sponsored an art contest for the Blanco Middle School 8th graders in Mr. Kris Baker’s class. All the participant’s hard work and imagination showed in their art entries. Eight students had their art displayed at the Blanco Library, where the members of the Tejas Art Club judged and voted on a very diffucult decision.

Blanco resident and real estate broker Stan Barron’s marketing has garnered some recent national attention. His advertisement for a unique property on the East Coast won the “Best Ad of the Year for an Unusual Home” award from the Institute For Luxury Home Marketing. A New York heiress hired Barron to create an ad for her property in Ocean City, Maryland.

On April 16, 2011, Jacob Troublefield, a Junior at the University of Texas, received his Distinguished College Scholar Medallion and College Scholar Cords for being in the top 4 percent of his class. Jacob is in the College of Fine Arts and was the salutatorian of his 2009 class of Blanco High School.

Meagan Grace Nabers graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos on Friday, May 13, 2011, receiving her Bachelor of Arts and Science Degree in Microbiology with a minor in Biochemistry. She graduated Summe Cum Laude and has been accepted at the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston. Meagan was a 2007 graduate of Blanco High School.

On Thursday, May 26, 2011 at the awards ceremony at Blanco High School, Roxanna Avants, President of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 352, awarded two $500 scholarships. One scholarship was awarded to Chandler Ashley, and the other scholarship was awarded to Briar Koehl. The Auxiliary is very honored and pleased to assist these young ladies in their academic endeavors.

On Wednesday, May 25, Blanco Cub Scout Pack 497 had their annual Rain Gutter Regatta. We had 13 cub scouts participate in this exciting double elimination race. Each scout raced down the track for the first race then back to the other end for the second race. If the boats tied with each winning one race, then we had a tie breaker. The scouts had to build their boats from a kit and had to supply the wind power for the boats by blowing on the sail.

Sadly, we bid adieu to our 2010-2011 season, but, as always, we did it in style – at the Uptown Blanco Restaurant. We were escorted to the banquet room, which had a lovely view of the courtyard, although we didn’t spend a great deal of time window gazing – we were much too busy socializing.

In Section B9, there are 13 graves in row 3. Since each row is designed for ten five-foot-wide graves, these people are buried very close together. Each section in the old part of the cemetery is unique in its layout. In “the old days” cemetery space was plentiful and people were buried wherever the family wanted them buried.

Despite any different dates you may have heard, the Kendalia Community Club will hold its annual fundraiser, the Kendalia Homecoming on Sunday, June 26, 2011. As always this event is at the Kendalia Schoolhouse/Library on Hwy 473 in Kendalia, Texas. Whether you are a long time resident in the area, attended school at the Kendalia School, have family or friends in the Hill Country, or are just passing through, stop by and enjoy some great barbecued chicken and sausage, beans, potato salad, cole ...

Native Texans Patrick and Patti McLead have always wanted to live in the Hill Country. As a young boy Patrick’s family came to the Blanco every summer to attend the Benson Family Reunion. Patti and Patrick continued this annual trip with their two growing boys. Garrett their first son served in the U.S.

I just love the book of Hebrews! If you’re confused or just need reminding of who you are in Christ Jesus, or need understanding of the Old and New Covenants, and who can receive the promises of God, then Hebrews is the book for you! If you read through it you will be enlightened and encouraged. In the New Living Translation Hebrews Chapter 8 begins with “Hebrews 8 (New Living Translation) Hebrews 8 Christ Is Our High Priest “1 Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat dow ...

Psalm 120:6-7 says, “My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” King David recognized that peace was not wholly up to him. Though we all may desire peace, and as Christians we should desire peace, that decision is not always ours to make.

In a Scottish cemetery a tombstone had these words - // Here lies Hamish McTavish // Whose deeply sorrowing widow continues // To carry on his grocery business // At 111 High Street // Open daily until 8:00 p.m. I guess you could say that business is business. When Jesus was but twelve years of age He was in the temple discussing with the religious leaders the things of God.

In the past few weeks we have been looking at the idea of, “So That…” in reference to the Resurrection of Jesus. Everything we do is, “So That…” something else can happen. Think about your life as you “toil in the vineyard” daily. You work, “So That…;” you prepare the soil for your garden, “So That…;” all you do is, “So That” something else may take place. The resurrection of Jesus is the most significant event in all of history.

A memorial service for Willie Franke, 87, of Leeds, formerly of Texas, will be held at a later date in San Antonio, Texas. He died April 23, 2011 at the Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby. Willie B. Franke was born June 10, 1923 at Kendalia, Texas to Ben John and Ella (Nickels) Franke.

Services for H.B. Ramsour Jr., 100, of Dallas, TX, are scheduled for 2:00pm Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at Eubank Funeral Chapel with Rev. Larry Ramsour officiating, under the direction of Eubank Funeral Home, Canton. Burial will be in Haven of Memories, Canton, TX. Another service for Dr. Ramsour will be held at First Baptist Church of Blanco, Texas, on Monday, June 6, 2011, at 10 am. He passed away May 28, 2011 in Dallas, TX.

Dear concerned members of the Blanco Historic Cemetery Association, I have enjoyed the past two years working as Superintendent of the Blanco Historic Cemetery. For the community’s benefit, I have spent many hours in the cemetery working with other volunteers to improve physical conditions, organize and update cemetery records and feel that although there remains a tremendous amount of work to be done, much has been accomplished. Unfortunately, prior recordkeeping and plot management practi ...

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park invites the public to view a classic American western movie on Saturday, June 4 at 8:30 p.m. by attending a screening of The Searchers. It stars John Wayne as a middle-aged Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his abducted niece, along with Jeffrey Hunter as his adoptive nephew, who accompanies him. The film was a commercial success, although it received no Academy Award nominations.

The June 9 meeting of the Kendall County Area Democratic Women (KCADW) will feature Texas State Representative Mike Villarreal. The program starts at 10:00 a.m. and will be held in Room B at Boerne’s new Patrick Heath Public Library on 451 North Main St. in Boerne, Texas. The program is open to everyone, without regard to political affiliation, age, or gender.

AUSTIN — On Sunday night, May 29, a Senate filibuster inspired primarily by $4 billion in proposed cuts in public school funding temporarily blocked passage of the 2012-2013 state budget. The deadline to consider legislation hit at midnight. It would have taken unusual suspensions of House and Senate rules for the state budget to be debated on Monday, May 30, the final day of the 82nd regular session of the Texas Legislature. So, at press deadline for this column, it appeared Gov.

With graduation just days away, Project Graduation 2011 is wrapping up all the final details and tying up all loose ends to help Blanco’s graduates party all night without drugs or alcohol. Seniors, PG leaders, and parents worked hard to complete numerous successful fundraising events, including a golf tournament, fishing tournament, fun run, spaghetti dinner, pancake supper, as well as others. Project Graduation 2011 and its seniors are very appreciative of community support for all of thei ...

Fifth Grade Band members show off the Outstanding Performance Award trophy that they won at the Texas Lutheran Band Festival in Seguin. The award is the equivalent to a first division rating.

On Monday, May 23, the fifth grade class visited Blanco Middle School. They were given the opportunity to meet with middle school teachers, and to also take a tour of the middle school facility. “This was a very good event for our students,” said fifth grade science teacher Mike McClure.

On May 26, Blanco High School held the annual National Honor Society Banquet. The banquet serves to honor the departing Senior members, the officers for the 2011-2012 school year, and the sophomore and junior inductees. The National Honor Society is a student program designed to distinguish outstanding students in academics, and to commend their dedication to scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

Cross Country: Meaghen Seales- MVP, Ed Alvarado- MVP, Phil Alvarado- Most Improved Volleyball: Tara Tredaway- MVP, Abbey Weaver- Offensive MVP, Lindsey Jenkins- Defensive MVP, Teresa Collins- Team Award, Alex Gustafson- Dedication Award Football: Tanner Rogers- Offensive MVP, Ethan Evans- Defensive MVP, Gavin Garrow- Defensive Back, Kyle Garrow- Running Back, Mike Garza- Best Lineman Girls Basketball: Micaela Klein- Offensive MVP, Lindsey Jenkins- Defensive MVP, Micaela Klein - 3-point shoot ...

The wind snapped the flags smartly in the cemetery. The wind cooled skin damp from a dip in the river. The wind blew everything not weighted down the road and across the field. It was a windy, windy Memorial Day weekend. We can thank God that the Hill Country escaped the tornadoes that devastated Missouri and Oklahoma.

Well, there’s no doubt about it... summer is here. What happened to spring? For weeks the soil didn’t get warm enough to promote germination and then, 99 to 100 degrees. Only mulch and proper watering will be the saving grace. We plan to begin a heavy mulching program in the park.

My patrol had been assigned to design and build a tower using poles that could be found at hand, and ropes for lashing the poles together. Other patrols had been assigned to engineer and build equivalent structures such as suspension bridges and camp furniture. The seven of us that constituted my patrol put our heads together and drew up the plans for the tower, meticulously putting down on paper everything we thought we would need: four large poles for the outer shell; numerous smaller staves ...

When you build a house you start by making your plans and trying to fit the house to your needs, as well as your wants. Many people consider building their laundry room upstairs, but are not sure whether this is a good idea or not. There are both Pros and Cons to an upstairs laundry.

June 2, 1961 More than a score of workmen were busy rushing to complete the auction ring of the Blanco Livestock Commission Co., Inc., for their opening auction scheduled for June 13th, 1961. The building containing the auction ring, the administration offices, and coffee shop had been completed except for minor finishes.

Did you know there’s an “undo” button for buyers in a real estate contract? Well, it’s not really a button, but there is a clause in sales contracts that allows buyers to cancel the whole deal, legally undoing the real estate contract. Paragraph 23 in the Texas Real Estate Commission residential sales contracts, the “termination option,” lets buyers pay a fee for the right to terminate their contract during a defined period of time. The termination option isn’t a required element ...