The 2012 Baseball/Softball Camp was a big hit this year. About 50 campers attended the camp last Monday and Tuesday during Spring Break.

Central Texas was smacked with storms on Monday night, March 20. With tornado warnings popping up all over the area, the majority of the storms passed around Blanco early in the evening. Into Tuesday, another wave of storms brought rain, lightning, and thunder. Rainfall totals around Blanco, according to CoCoRaHs, ranged from 2.05” to 2.22”.

The Blanco Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet in the Uptown Blanco Ballroom on March 14. Congratulations to Blanco Volunteer EMS and Pat Vallone, who were awarded Co-Members of the Year.

Texas Lutheran University hosted 17 men’s golf teams from 15 colleges and universities last Monday and Tuesday, March 12-13, at Vaaler Creek Golf Club at Rockin’ J Ranch south of Blanco. This is the second consecutive year the TLU Bulldogs have hosted the TLU Intercollegiate Invitational at Vaaler Creek, bringing players and coaches to Blanco to stay, shop, and eat. Linda Sullivan with Best Western Plus Blanco Luxury Inn & Suites, where most of the teams stayed, said that about 200 people ...

Lunches of Love celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at the Gem of the Hills with homemade corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread. Tanja Tomlinson made the bread, Nadean Page provided table decorations, and New Hope Lutheran donated the beef.

Are you doing your spring cleaning? Join The Blanco American Legion Post 352 for their first ever flea market on Saturday, March 31. Spaces are available under the beautiful oak trees next to the Post on 13th Street, north of Blanco Elementary. The Post will also have a concession stand available for customers visiting the market.

Come have some fun, get out in the fresh air and maybe even get a little exercise. Blanco State Park needs volunteers for the upcoming busy summer season. There are lots of things to do from greeting visitors, to monitoring bluebird boxes to just clearing trash. There is a job that is right for you.

Pedernales Electric Cooperative is seeking member feedback on proposed revisions to the Co-op’s 2008 goals for energy efficiency and renewable energy. The revisions, proposed by PEC’s Board of Directors at its February 20 regular meeting, are part of the Co-op’s effort to redefine the goals. The proposed goals and related fiscal impact statements are posted at the Co-op’s website, www.pec.coop/feedback, for members to review.

Every week we get a little closer to our Friends’ Dinner and a Movie on April 20. Get your tickets from the library or On the Square. Sibby Barret of Onion Creek Kitchens is catering our southern style dinner with fried chicken, collard greens, chocolate pie, and more. Remember, this is a social and BYOB event at the Old Blanco County Courthouse at 6p.m.

On Saturday, March 10, Burnet County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Francis Ybarra on a third degree felony charge of Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution of a Known Felon, according to a release from the sheriff’s office in Burnet. The charge comes after the escape of Ybarra’s son, Johnny Angel Ybarra, in the early morning of Thursday, March 1, from the Burnet County Jail, in the county north of Blanco County.

St. Ferdinand’s Catholic Church welcomed Lenten Lunchers last Thursday, March 15, with quite the spread and a message by Rev. Udomah. The lunches support the Blanco Ministerial Alliance and are held at noon during lent and include a special message. A $5 donation is suggested, which goes to the alliance funds.

We met standing in line at the Post Office on a pre-spring, almost balmy, day. I opened the conversation by commenting on how fast the line was moving, somewhat of a minor miracle. “Yes,” he agreed, “there are three working at the counter today and that makes a difference.” Now that we were off to a positive start, I added a comment about the nice weather, hoping it might lead to talking about the goodness of God.

A little boy prayed at the supper table, saying, "Thank you for the baby brother, but I prayed for a puppy." Our God is always present even when He gives unexpected answeres to our prayers. Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58).

Have you ever read the book of Job? There were three friends who spoke a lot of words to Job during his trials, and at the end of Elihu’s speech, this is what God had to say. This ought to remind us that God is in control, and we should not question Him.

Dear Editor, “Light saving” strikes twice at our Blanco community. Not only are we coming back with one less hour of sleep, we’re also coming back to miss dearly our “Light Saving” Lighthouse, Elementary Principal Sue Ann Reininger. I like to refer to these people who make a difference as my “lighthouse people.” Once in a while we are gifted with very special “lighthouse people” – I would say unusual lighthouse people.

The Internal Revenue Service today warned senior citizens and other taxpayers to beware of an emerging federal tax refund scam tempting victims to file tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds. Bogus refund claims have been identified across the nation with significant pockets of activity in at least six states, including California, Georgia, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama and Indiana. These schemes carry a common theme of promising refunds to people who have little or no income, and are normall ...

AUSTIN — Texas’ new law supporters say is meant to prevent voter fraud got a thumbs-down from the U.S. Department of Justice on March 12. If the federal government had allowed the law to take effect in its present form, voters would have been required to present a state-approved identification card in addition to their voter registration card at the polls in order to cast a ballot.

Middle School science teacher Pam Meier and vision specialist Teresa O’Shaughnessy received a $100 check from Farm Bureau Insurance for achieving perfect attendance at Blanco ISD during the fourth six weeks grading period. Farm Bureau representative Monica McCormick pulled their names from a pool of eligible employees to receive the award. “This is our way of recognizing and thanking our school employees who devote themselves daily to the education of the young people of our community,” ...

The 2012 baseball season is well under way. The varsity team has a record of 10-4. District began Tuesday, March 20, at Ingram. Sam Isenberg is leading the way with a 524 average. Wes Copenhaver leads the team with 22 runs and two home runs. Kyle Gray leads the team with 17 hits, two triples, and 16 runs batted in.

District play began for the Panther softball team Tuesday, March 13. The Panthers fell to the Junction Eagles, 2-3, in a low-scoring, tough loss. Callie Culton pitched for Blanco, tossing six strike-outs and giving up only four hits for one earned run. The first inning ended with a 2-2 tie. The Eagles put a runner on base due to a Panther throwing error and scored off a double from the next batter.

With so many nutritional products on the market today and so many claims being made about them – you need to find products and companies that distinguish themselves by providing solid, independent evidence that their product works. The next time you are presented with something you might put in your mouth or on your body, see something advertised, or see a sign on a telephone pole, ask the following three questions.

Three trash-off events will be held in April. Please read this carefully so you don’t get confused. The first event will be Keep Blanco Beautiful’s 13th Annual Trash-Off and Citywide Clean-Up. The main event will be held Saturday, April 14. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at Bindseil Park. They will be given trash bags and assigned an area of town to clean up.

If you can avoid problems and changes, through proper planning you will be able to finish what you started, and get the results you want. No one wants to see their dream house sit half finished because they could not afford to finish it. Proper planning is going to help you avoid this problem completely.

March 25, 1960 Mr. Mac McKenzie, Promotion Director for KENS-TV, has made announcement that the “Salute to Blanco” will be given over KENS-TV on April 5, at which time pictures of various scenes in and around Blanco will be shown. • Several boys from Blanco County placed with their exhibits in the Houston Stock Show.

These days, many people consider the environment when making purchases. Just look at the popularity of hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels, locally grown produce and a host of other products designed to use fewer resources and reduce pollution and waste. Well, did you know that can add housing to the list of ways to be environmentally friendly? Which pollutes more, a car or a house?