February 10, 1967

Initial steps were taken for the creation of a hospital district for the Blanco trade area when a group of men discussed the proper procedure for the creation of such a district. The entire setup would have to be done in several steps: Mayor Smith was appointed temporary chairman to name a temporary Board of Directors; they in turn would define the limits of the district—it was suggested to use the existing boundaries of the Blanco ISD since it covers most of the immediate trade area of Blanco without going into another hospital district. The Stat Legislature would then be asked to create the district. Then, the Board would need to obtain the services of a Hospital Consultant who would give advice on the feasibility of the entire operation. • The Blanco Panther Boys’ Basketball Team were champions of District 59-B even though they still had one game to play. The local team had a 5-0 district record and a 9-9 season record. • Mr. Dudy Weir of Hope Ambulance Co. of San Antonio was the guest speaker at the Blanco Lions Club meeting. Mr. Weir gave a demonstration of the resuscitator that had been approved for purchase by the Lions Club Board of Directors. The resuscitator would be cared for by the Blanco Volunteer Fire Department. • Blanco weather made a decided change when Old Man Winter lashed out in full fury with the worst storm of the season so far; this, after several days of mild weather. Sleet and snow fell for the first time this winter and high winds accompanied the storm.

February 11, 1977

An outbreak of Type B influenza virus that had caused a sharp increase in absenteeism in the Blanco Schools had forced school officials to cancel school and give students a long weekend to recuperate. Blanco ISD Superintendent Bobby Roberts said that absenteeism in the schools was 20% on Wednesday and that the total had jumped to 27% on Thursday. Dr. David Vause, school physician, said the Type B virus is very contagious in the first stages when the children show signs of a mild fever. • The Blanco County Jail would no longer serve the good home-cooked meals of Mrs. Clayton Bradshaw. The commissioners court voted to purchase a stove for the jail so that jailkeepers could heat up TV dinners for guests of the county. They commissioners decided that this would be the least expensive feeding system.

February 11, 1897

Cattleman’s National Bank would soon be opening a new branch in Blanco, located next to Leo’s Barbecue on US 281. The bank, a branch of Cattleman’s National Bank in Round Mountain, recently received approval by the Comptroller of Currency. The Blanco City County approved its building permit. • Efforts were being made to designate the Old Kendalia Road (County Road 102) as a state-maintained Farm to Market Road, according to County Judge Charles Scott. Scott indicated that the commissioner’s court would be making a request in the next couple of weeks to the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation to convert the narrow county road to a wider and safer FM road. If approved, the new FM route would enhance the soon-to-be existing Old Kendalia Road bridge on the Blanco River.

February 5, 1997

Built in 1984, the Blanco County jail had sheltered hundreds and hundreds of prisoners in its century of steady usage. The old jail passed a mandatory state inspection, which means another year’s worth of inmates can be housed at the facility. The passing grade comes in the wake of the previous March’s failure when inspector Terry Julian with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards failed the jail for two reasons: inadequate supervision of inmates, and documented overcrowding for 19 days in 1995. The commissioner’s court corrected those deficiencies by hiring another jailer and sending inmates, when necessary, to Hays County to be housed. • For the second time within the span of a year, the Blanco Livestock Commission had closed its doors to business. Jeff Owens, who leased the property from owners Bill Holley of Lampasas and Thomas Earl Winters of Goldwaithe, said that the barn “wasn’t getting enough livestock in.” The last sale had been Mon., Jan. 27th (1997). The livestock barn shut down Jan. 30, 1996, but reopened under new management April 1. • Blanco County had recently joined CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for the Highland Lakes Area, Inc. CASA is a local non-profit organization that trains and supervises volunteers to become “eyes and ears” for the court. Every year, law enforcement authorities receive more and more reports of abuse, neglect, or abandonment of children. If a district judge believes those children are not being cared for properly, or they are in danger, they are removed from the abusive parent. The children that are taken into custody become victims of an overburdened judicial and child welfare system. Each CASA program is a non-profit organization that follows state and national policies and procedures but is funded and governed by a local board of directors. There were 48 court volunteers, speaking for 86 children placed in foster homes and institutions from all over the state. Each volunteer has one or two cases and is supervised by a staff member that assists them with research, court reports, and accompanies them to all court hearings and meetings concerning the children.

February 7, 2007

Local Blanco and Blanco County residents gathered together at Gem of the Hills for the first Visionaries in Preservation (VIP) meeting, led by Josh Lasserre from the Texas Historical Commission. Blanco was selected as one of three VIP communities in Texas for 2007, along with Rio Grande City and Brewster County, and is the 19th community to participate in this four-year-old program. The non-regulatory program seeks to set the tone for a town or county’s growth, laying out what citizens want to see happen.