Friday, January 13, 1961

The Blanco Electric Service Company opened in the building next to the Blanco Realty Company. It was operated by Paul Drury and provided repair service to washers, dryers, ranges, or other electric appliances. He also offered house wiring. • The Blanco County Commissioners Court awarded the contracts of labor on fencing and the materials for the section of US Highway 281-290 from the “Y” to north of Johnson City. Ervie Dotson was awarded the labor contract (fencing) at $350 per mile for approximately 10 miles of fence. The Dorsey Smith Co. was awarded the fencing material contract including wire, posts, stays, and gates. There was a difference of $1.02 in the forty gates called for bid and the difference in the two low bids on the fencing materials was just over ten dollars.

Friday, January 8, 1971

The Blanco Chapter of Young Homemakers on behalf of the business firms, churches, and organizations of the community officially welcomed six new families to Blanco. Families welcomed to the community were Mr. and Mrs. August Bruns, Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Barbee, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Neubert and family, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gahan, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Barbee and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Burkhart Jr. and family. • The Blanco Theatre was playing “I Walk the Line” starring Gregory Peck, Tuesday Weld, Estelle Parsons and Johnny Cash. • The Blanco community stood to lose one of its more interesting historical landmarks unless something was done to prevent the loss. The Adrian Edwards Conn home, which had a Texas Historical Marker, and the grounds have been put on the (real estate) market. The Blanco Chamber of Commerce tried to raise money to save the historical marker by asking for donations from the public. In a special meeting, the Board of Directors of the Blanco Chamber of Commerce unanimously accepted the responsibility to be the purchasing agent for the property. It was necessary to raise $2,000 immediately for the down payment.

January 15, 1981

About 300 young people were scheduled to participate in the annual Blanco County 4-H and FFA Livestock Show held in the Showbarn at the Blanco County Fairgrounds. The show was the largest youth activity in the county. The show was sponsored by the Youth Council and supported by the community. • An estimated 350 people were expected to attend the Jan. 20 Blanco County Inaugural Ball at Ed’s 281 Club. The ball, which was planned to promote a spirit of cooperation between political camps for the new Reagan administration, began at 7 p.m. and ended at midnight. The $10 admission charge included dinner and dancing. Proceeds were donated to the LBJ Memorial Hospital.

January 9, 1991

Blanco County sheriff’s officials were searching for a 41-year-old man wanted for questioning in connection with the stabbing death of a Johnson City woman. • Jury selection began in Johnson City in a civil case against the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and two department employees for alleged negligence in the May 1987 drowning of two brothers. The family members of the two boys, in separate suits, are asking for monetary damages amounting to at least $600,000. The lawsuits alleged that former superintendent Wilbur Mengers and former ranger Francis Ulrich at Pedernales Falls State Park were aware of heavy rainfall and knew that a flood was coming. The suits further claimed that the park employees were negligent in not properly warning people at the park of impending danger and that an early flood warning system was not sounded.

January 10, 2001

The Blanco city council unanimously voted to support local efforts to seek changes in design plans for a new bridge over the Blanco River along Loop 163 east of the square. The current bridge, built in the 1950s, did not meet current state highway regulations for safety. Highway officials planned to replace the structure with a higher and wider one. • The second-Annual Blanco Alumni Basketball game went off without a hitch. Coach Bryan Wyatt resumed his reign as the winning coach and once Coach Rodney Dowell’s Panthers, led by Muhammed Weusi’s consistent shooting and the powerful defensive play of Tristen Weber and Daniel Myane, were ahead by at least two points the entire game up until the last two minutes. At the end of the third quarter, the Panthers lost Tristan Weber to an ankle injury, but they held onto the lead until the last three minutes of the game. Leaders of the alumni squad, Jason Head and Martin Sauceda, were not about to give up their quest for the championship without a fight. With the score tied up, after a Sauceda jumper, 38 all the battle was on. Fans were on the edge of their seats. After a time out, a jumper, and a foul shot, the Panters were ahead with 30 seconds left. Sauceda scored two points to win the game for the alumni. • Brooke York, 5, of Blanco, was nominated for the title of Penny Princess at her church, the First Assembly of God, for the second year in a row.