July 8, 1966

Senator John Tower announced that the Rural Electric Authority has awarded a $4,400,000 loan to Pedernales Electrical Cooperative, Inc., in Johnson City, for 445 miles of distribution line to serve 3,597 new consumers; 45 miles of 69 kilo-volt transmission line; 7 substations; and system improvements. • Drum Major Dixie Posey, Majorettes Beverley Mazurek, Connie Wagner, Peggy Weeaks, and alternate Majorette, Carolyn Bindseil attended the Twirling and Drum Majoring Camp at Texas Lutheran College in Seguin. • Weddings included Miss Sandra Kay Sargen of San Marcos and Harvie David Lindeman and Miss Sandra Schmidt of Johnson City and Maynard Gene Warnken of Schulenberg.

July 9, 1976

Mr. Wiley Gary of Encinal, Texas walked away with the Grand Champion trophy of the Fiddle Festival. Gary also received first place trophy in the junior division and a trophy for being the youngest fiddler (54) at the contest. E. H. Scales of Kerrville won first place in the senior division and reserve champion of the fiddle contest. Ed. J. Whitworth (85) won the oldest fiddler contest. • Blanco was to be honored at “Winds of Freedom” festival in San Antonio. The festival was an evening of food, fiesta, and fun featuring an outdoor musical play celebrating a Festival of the Fourths of July. • Celia Padilla representing the Blanco Lions Club was chosen as Miss Blanco 1976-1977. Laura Klepac representing Blanco Poor Boy Family Center was chosen as first runner up and Bonnie Triesch representing Blanco Feed and Supply was chosen as second runner up in the Miss Blanco contest. • Miss Lady Bird Johnson began her remarks by saying, “I feel like I’m looking out at a band of hearty pioneers because that rain out there is something. I hope there’s not a creek between you and all your home.” The rains came down on the 4th of July, but that did not stop several hundred people from coming to the PEC Boyhood Home area to participate in the Johnson City celebration of the Nation’s 200th birthday.

July 9, 1986

Two Johnson City women were taken to Hill Country Memorial Hospital in Fredericksburg after a tractor dump-trailer rig rolled into the Poor Boy Store in Johnson City. The driver of the truck apparently left the truck running and left the brakes unlocked while he went inside the Dairy Queen next door. The truck started rolling south, gaining momentum until it struck the northeast side of the grocery store. Talburt said the tractor was completely inside the store when the Johnson City EMS and Volunteer Fire Department arrived. • Volunteer runners from Blanco County helped carry the torch to start the U.S. Olympic Festival—’86 in Houston planned July 25. Here, Mark Tidwell and Brian Wyatt participated in the Blanco portion of the run. Other Blanco volunteers were Benny Finch (bicycle), Amy Rust, and Charles Waxler. • The Blanco Chamber of Commerce authorized the publication of a chamber magazine to serve as a tool to promote the Blanco area. The magazine featured information about local history, residential and commercial development, recreational opportunities, special events, local labor force, land availability, local clubs and organizations, schools and medical facilities, and any other data that might be useful to those looking to relocate to the Blanco area. • The Judge Charles Scott home and grounds were the meeting place during the 4th of July Weekend for the Reunion of the descendants of Neil Moreland and May Sitton. Descendants attending were Mr. and Mrs. John Moreland and Angie Brooks from Boulder, CO; Nell Moreland Stewart from Dallas, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Neil Stewart and Lulu from Grapevine, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Neil Stewart from Justin, Mrs. Douglas Moreland and sons, Randy and Douglas Jr. from Monahans, Allen and Jane Moreland Martin from Marble Falls, Fred Scott and Christopher from Austin, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Willgren, Charles and Caroline from Elroy, and the hosts, Charles and Jewell Moreland Scott.

July 10, 1996

The Blanco water situation was serious. “We no longer have a river running through Blanco, what we have are a few reservoirs”, stated Mayor Ryan Trimble at the regular city council meeting. “I have called the Governor’s office and I don’t think we are going to get any help with this water situation,” he stated. A crowded city council chambers listened to the Mayor as he explained the situation that the City of Blanco is in and many in the audience were shocked when the realization set in that Blanco was running out of water fast. Builder Jack Allen told the crowd that “… one of the scariest things was that the Water Master who has a lot of experience has told city officials that when the water stops flowing, this city can only expect to continue to have enough water in the Blanco river to last 45- 70 days.” Well, the water had stopped flowing. Water which had been running around Wayne Smith Dam reduced to a trickle and then stopped this past week. Within four days, the water level at the dam below the city’s water treatment plant dropped SIXTEEN inches. Mayor Trimble and the city council had been furiously trying to come up with alternative water sources but as of yet to no avail. The option to have water trucked into the city is there but to haul one fourth of the water which citizens are currently using in one day would cost approximately $2,000. This means instead of the city using in excess of 300,000 gallons of water per day, the city would be reduced to about 75,000 gallons a day. Mayor Trimble said if it comes to that, the city can only survive about 4-5 months before going bankrupt. At the previous city council meeting, the council passed a moratorium on new water taps and increased water rates for customers using over 10,000 gallons of water a month. The amendment brought business owners of the town’s two laundry mats, a local motel owner, and a local contractor, etc who felt the increased rates and the moratorium would considerably hurt them or put them out of business. The city council as a whole is extremely concerned about the current situation and urged citizens to stop using any water that was not absolutely necessary. The council voted to form a water supply committee which would try to come up with alternative solutions to the grave situation.

July 5, 2006

On his way home from Fredericksburg to Blanco, Mike Pippen came across an interesting scene at the Wayne Smith Dam on RR 1623. An older couple had stopped and gotten out of their car to look at the Blanco River. As they walked down by the river, their car rolled down the embankment and into the riverbed. A wrecker was called to pull the car out.