Each year bird watchers from coast to coast become “citizen scientists” by taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count and collecting data on winter bird populations. This year’s GBBC will take place February 17-20. Blanco State Park will be celebrating the bird count with bird walks, classes and children’s activities for experienced and first-time birders alike on Saturday, February 18.

The National Weather Service will offer free severe weather training on Thursday, February 23, from 7-9pm at the Blanco County Annex Building, 101 East Cypress, Johnson City. No registration is required but seating is limited. Every year, the National Weather Service offers these severe weather trainings classes, called Skywarn, to various groups in the community.

Blanco State Park hosted its second successful Stars-in-the-Park event Saturday night, February 11. Despite cold temperatures, a brisk north wind, and, worse of all, a persistent layer of clouds, almost forty people attended the event. Volunteers from the Austin Astronomical Society and the Hill Country Astronomers were on hand to assist.

It took countless volunteers to make the Youth Show a fun and meaningful experience for the young people in Blanco County. Students, parents and other volunteers showed up for two workdays prior to the show to begin barn preparations. Awards were ordered including duffel bags, blankets, chairs, jacket certificates, and buckles for the grand champion exhibitors, and buyer appreciation gifts for the buyers.

All public school employees of Blanco County who may be contemplating retirement in the near future are invited to attend a retirement education seminar. This year’s seminar will be sponsored by the Blanco County Association of Retired Educators as well as the associations in several surrounding counties. Essential information regarding retirement will be presented by a Teacher Retirement System (TRS) retirement counselor.

Hill Country Memorial (HCM) and Jennifer Dulaney, M.D., are cosponsoring the twelfth annual “Girl Talk” seminar Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Fredericksburg Elementary School Cafeteria, 1608 N. Adams Street, starting at 6:30 p.m. The free seminar is designed for young women ages eight and older and their moms or other female caregivers.

Local sales tax receipts play an important part in providing services to Blanco County and its three cities. The latest payment period reflected in sales tax distribution to local government shows Blanco County receiving $37,904, an 86.98% increase over the same 2011 period while year-to-date receipts are up 17.5%. The three cities in Blanco County received similar revenue increases: Blanco same period receipts were up 9.82%, Johnson City receipts were up 86.98%, and Round Mountain receipts wer ...

On the 19th day of November, at 8:10 on a Sunday evening, my mother and father had their second child. That’s when a little 8-pound, 4-ounce brown male (Tejano) was born at Baptist Memorial Hospital in San Antonio. The name my parents decided on was Jesus; it was the partial first name of my grandmother, who was named Jesusita. My early childhood years were spent on Calhoun Street on the east side of San Antonio and I completed the sixth grade at John J.

In keeping with the historic Head-of-State barbecues held on the LBJ Ranch during the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency of the 1960s, the National Park Service is hosting a barbecue on the LBJ Ranch on May 5, 2012, from 4:00pm to 9:00pm. The 1960s barbecues always included good entertainment and tasty food.

The Blanco Bowling Club had the 2011-2012 Winter roll-offs on February 7 and 8. In round one, first place went to team #5; Captain John L. Dechert and Linda Dechert, Bill and Carla Ernst, BoBo and Rhonda Delevan bowled against the fourth place team #12; Captain Jeff Swierc and Zack Swierc, Norm Gourley and Kent Weber, Craig and Melody Deike.

I’ve learned to trust in God and His Word, and all His promises for obedience. We cannot be perfect in this lifetime, but we can do the best we can, and ask for forgiveness when we are slack in some areas. God knows us better than we do ourselves, and while we can kid ourselves, we cannot fool Him.

It's almost time for the lock-in! We always have so much fun at the lock-in and, as the children leave, they usually ask for the date for the next one. Guess it's some crazy fun! The lock-in is this Saturday, February 18. Children in grades 3 through 6, please join us from 6pm until Sunday at noon.

Discouragement is the subtraction of courage not the lack of ability. If we focus primarily on the tribulation at hand instead of God's ability to provide we may indeed lose courage, but if we stand in His promises and strength we shall find the addition of courage which is to be encouraged in the journey before us. Jesus said, "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world"

Eph 5:18 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled (crammed full of and influenced) (present tense - habitually, continually) with the Spirit; Act 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Let’s get into God’s Word. We see in the above Scriptures that as Christians, we are commanded to be continuously filled with the Spi ...

William “Bill” Weldon West was born May 11, 1948, to Weldon and Bernice West. Bill grew up in Blanco and graduated from Blanco High School. He received a Bachelors of Education from Southwest State University in San Marcos, Texas. He taught English throughout central Texas as well as Point Barrow, Alaska.

Glen Marshall McFarlin died on Thursday, February 9, 2012. He was just 63 years young, but he left this world just as he lived in it—looking forward to what was coming next. Glen was born in Milwaukee, WI, on March 13, 1946, the second of four kids of Ralph Marshall and Peggy June McFarlin.

Vivian L. Maggi, 75, passed away, Thursday, February 9, 2012, in Blanco, TX. She was born in Clovis, NM, to Joseph W. Reed and Opal M. Reed. Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Howard Reed, and her husband Tom Maggi. She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Stephens and husband Alan, and her feline companion, Cali.

Let’s celebrate Heart Health Month by giving our fridges a heart health check-up. Take a look today and see how you can give your food supply a loving make-over. Healthy eating leads to healthy living. We are blessed with an appetite and taste buds, and most of us eat because we like to.

Dear Editor, The morning of January 14 started out with a winter blue sky, a blazing bright sun, cold winds and a breakfast at the Blanco Bowling Club. Masons from the Blanco Lodge #216 were there along with Boy Scouts from Troop #497 and Lady Panthers representing the student body and Honor Society from Blanco High School. The event was the “Adopt a Highway” trash clean-up, which takes place at least two times a year.

Dear Editor, I am writing to you in regards to a serious matter involving senior citizens in your community. Combined Community Action, Inc. has been providing Meals on Wheels in your area for many years and unfortunately we are experiencing an expected deficit in finances. We currently serve homebound clients and congregate clients in 6 counties including Bastrop, Blanco, Fayette, Lee, Hays and Caldwell.

AUSTIN – Indications that compromise might not be so far away arose last week in the redrawing of the House, Senate and U.S congressional districts of Texas. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, acting on behalf of the state, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) released statements of commitment to the negotiation process. The statements were made following orders by Judge Orlando Garcia, U.S.

Since 1991, Blanco United Methodist Church has awarded scholarships to deserving Blanco community students who seek to further their education after high school. A total of $72,000 in scholarships has been awarded to 110 students. Before making an application for 2012 scholarship consideration, a potential applicant must meet four requirements: 1. Be a graduating senior. 2.

Blanco's hoops team ruined Senior Night for the Junction Eagles in quick and decisive style. Led by Tanner Rogers' 7 points in the quarter, the Panthers jumped out to a 19-5 first quarter lead and were never threatened in a 56-42 win that was more one-sided than the final indicated. The Panther lead ballooned to 31-13 at the half behind a second-quarter flurry from juniors Ian Ray and Sam Isenberg.

The Ballinger Lady Cats jumped out to a 19-14 lead over the Lady Panthers in the first quarter of the bi-district match-up Monday, February 13. The Panthers tightened their defense in the second quarter, allowing only four points by Ballinger; however, the Blanco shots just would not fall and the Lady Cats led 23-10 at halftime.

Blanco is green. The recent rain has brightened our landscape. City employees are thinking “green.” Trash Talk’s award for Thriftiness and Outstanding Recycling goes to the City of Blanco. Together, Nathan and Bobbie acquired seating for the Byars Building - no more folding chairs for court and council meetings. The padded benches were purchased through government surplus and actually came from Randolph Air Force Base.

Part 28 in a series For the next couple of weeks we will continue to remind you of our annual Blanco Historic Cemetery Association member meeting. Please mark the date of February 25. The meeting is at 2 p.m. at the Blanco Masonic Lodge. We hope you will be able to attend. The last Who’s Who in the Blanco Cemetery was misnumbered.

Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest community improvement program, taking place annually from March 1 through May 31. Activities can include beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning waterways, handling recycling collections, picking up litter, removing graffiti, planting trees and flowers, and conducting educational programs and litter-free events — anything that keeps communities beautiful. In 2011, 1,905 Great American Cleanup events were held, w ...

Contractors and builders have complaints, too. Every job has its ups and downs and contractors are no different. They have a tough job in many aspects. I started comparing my old information technology days in management to my current days in construction and real estate, and they are similar in many ways.

February 17, 1967 Work was progressing nicely on improvements to the Johnson City Water and Sewage System. The work was divided into three projects: Extension of water and sewer lines; water purification plant and construction of a dam on the Pedernales River. Johnson City had extended their city limits to include about 60 to 70 acres to the east and southeast of the old city limits.

If you’re planning to buy a house or condominium, keep in mind that the property may be governed by a homeowners association. An estimated 4.8 million Texans live in communities managed by HOAs. Many homebuyers appreciate the benefits provided by HOAs, but the mandatory dues and covenants, conditions and restrictions placed on the group of homes occasionally rub some people the wrong way.