Sheriff Bill Elsbury to Speak on the State of the County Criminal Justice

By Genelle Montooth

What do you know about the criminal justice system in Blanco County? On August 18 at 7:00pm at the Pedernales Electric Auditorium in Johnson City, Sheriff Bill Elsbury will speak and present a law enforcement training video about terrorism. The evening is being sponsored by the Blanco County Republican Club and is open to all citizens in Blanco.

In July, we read about a tanker truck and cab being stolen in Blanco. Several years ago, the sheriff’s office uncovered the criminal activity at the Christ of the Hills monastery. Additionally, we have read about the white-collar crime that has resulted in indictments against two individuals previously working for Pedernales Electric. If you have served on a jury or grand jury lately, you know that DWI’s are the most frequent crime in the county, and all too often, we read about wrecks on Highway 281 due to alcohol or drugs. But how many of us think about the threat of terrorism in Texas, much less Blanco County, from radical terrorists or drug gangs and criminals crossing the Mexican border illegally? Sheriff Elsbury will be informing us of how crime in America, and crime in Blanco County, is predicted to change in the years to come. Please plan to attend the meeting and learn ways that citizens can become better informed and prepared to protect themselves. Knowledge is a powerful way to protect yourself and your family.

Sheriff Elsbury was elected as Sheriff of Blanco County in 1996. Prior to becoming sheriff, he worked as a police officer in Hayes County for one year and with the Houston Police Department for 24 years. For more information, you may visit our website www.BlancoGOP.org, or call Christine Schulze 830-868-4600 or Genelle Montooth 210-259-9703.

Houston Mayor Bill White to Visit Johnson City, Texas

Johnson City - Houston Mayor Bill White, who is also a candidate for the U. S. Senate, will be in Johnson City on Friday, Aug. 21, at the Silver K Restaurant, 209 East Main Street, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. to meet and discuss his views for the future of Texas.

Mayor White has been elected twice as Mayor of Houston (the fourth largest city in the U.S.) with margins of 86% and 91%. He has led the nation's cities in job growth, adding more jobs than sixteen states combined.

Mayor White was recently honored by the Houston Military Affairs Council for his work in leading a regional Returning Veterans Initiative designed to give returning vets the social services, reductions in red tape, and employment opportunities.

He has made Houston more efficient by providing more services -- including parks, libraries and health clinics --while consistently cutting the property tax rate and raising exemptions for seniors and disabled citizens.

Through his leadership he mobilized more than 100,000 Houstonians in the public, private, business and faith-based communities to help evacuees in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The John F. Kennedy Foundation presented him with the Profiles in courage award, "in recognition of his political courage".

We are very fortunate to have this Mayor White visit our city and hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to meet him and learn more about his candidacy.

If you have any questions, please call Barbara Ann Hudson, 830-868-4219 or bhudson1944@sbcglobal.net.