Dear Blanco,

I am wondering why some of you have this anger and distain for my wife Donnea Simon. All she did was open her own location during the Blanco Lavender Festival calling it Blanco Lavender Days. She in no way took vendors away from the Chamber event. She offered a location to vendors who the Chamber had rejected in their vetting process. What she did was to bring more customers and business to Blanco. Something the Chamber of Commerce is supposed to do. Not discourage people from spending money in our community. She even provided a shuttle from the parking area south of town, to her location and to the Chamber location. This is free enterprise, something this great country was founded upon. The Chamber has even influenced your elected officials to discourage bringing more business in Blanco. Why is the Chamber of Commerce trying to quash business in Blanco?

There are those who have been going around the community spreading rumors and slandering my wife’s name. This has actually gone on for years. My question is “If they are saying these things about her, what are they saying about you?” These little people make themselves feel better and more self important by putting down other members of our community. They have a vested interest in slandering my wife and once the truth comes out, and the legal matters are resolved, they know they will be held accountable in civil court. Why? Because these people MUST be held accountable for the things they are saying about me, my wife, you and everybody. Yes, we have freedom of speech but only as long as it does not cause harm or is not fact at the time it was said. As a veteran I served for the belief of “Innocent till PROVEN guilty.” If you are interested in hearing the truth, we will be happy to tell you, once the legal matters are resolved. Because then I believe those who go about the community, spreading rumors and scurrying about like the vermin they are, will ooze back into the underbelly of our community, till they find another person to attack to make themselves feel superior. Be careful, It could be you next.

Michael Simon

Blanco, TX