Lifesavers Recognized We have been privileged to own a home in Blanco for the past 13 years. Coming from Houston, we have learned to love the community, the people, and general relaxed pace. We also understood that, with the rural small town setting, we could not expect to enjoy the same level of civic services that exist in a large metropolitan area.

Dear Editor: We would like to thank you and commend Bryan Edmondson for his warm, homespun, human interest article, "The Water Runs Deep in Blanco." It caused us to pause and be more thankful for the blessings of living in our beautiful Texas Hill Country. It also brought back memories of the Edmondson family and all the times we shared together...thank you!! Maryella & Dr.

It was over forty years ago. I was in my fleeting youth, toe headed, barefoot, and growing like a weed. After I ran bonkers around Grandpa and Grandma’s house about 20 times in the summer sun, I was desperate for a drink. I always went to the kitchen. The refreshing water that I drew from the tap of the kitchen sink at Grandma Hill’s house, I simply called “Blanco Water.” And at that time, the Blanco Municipal Water Supply was processed and purified straight out of the Blanco River. I ...

Dear Editor, I am writing on behalf of our Blanco County Cat Coalition to let our community know that we urgently want to help our residents to trap, spay, neuter, and return their feral cats. The cat coalition is not just for cats. It is also for all of us who anguish over stray and feral animals who are not cared for.

Dear Editor, A few months ago while reading an article about a woman who had fostered over 180 babies in her lifetime, I instantly thought of Pamela Capps, a local Blanconian. The humorous animated thought accommodating Pamela's "foster" care efforts was her arrival at "The Pearly Gates," greeted by the hundreds of animals she has saved or helped along the way.

Editor, I was discouraged to read about the County Commissioners' planned use for the old jail for several reasons: First, I agree with the letter from Tim Elliott pointing out that the decisions made by the judge and commissioners to buy prime Johnson City real estate keeps this real estate off of the tax roles.

In 1999 the Legislature unknowingly created a set of second-class Texans when it imposed Customer Choice (choose your own electric provider) on investor-owned electric utilities, but not electric cooperatives. The legislature may have assumed that members of a tax-exempt, non-profit electric cooperative would not benefit from Customer Choice since cooperatives are not for profit, have access to cheap capital, and are member-owned.

The City of Blanco should be proud of the 2012 Lavender Festival. As a full-time artist, I exhibit at about thirty fine art shows per year throughout Texas and Louisiana. Of all these shows, few are as fun or as well organized as the Lavender Festival. The event has come a long way since the first Lavender Festival eight years ago.

In the June 12, 2012, Commissioner's Meeting, I was encouraged to hear that the Commissioners Court was considering a refinancing instrument which could, in effect, lower taxpayer interest payments on our $6+ million outstanding debt by about $130,000 annually or over $2 million over its remaining life through 2029. It sounded like a good deal.

Talking about the old jail facility, my sentiments are that the County holds a fair amount of prime real estate in Johnson City and some of it has higher and better uses then the present ones. Arguably even the new jail as well as the yard for precinct 2, both with 281 highway frontage are probably not well located as those sorts of facilities do not need high traffic count and visibility for their operations nor do I imagine are they particularly the types of facilities we want to present as t ...

Another tragic fatal traffic accident occurred on RR165 on Sunday, June 3rd. A young motorcyclist crested a blind hill at Cottontail Trail as Ann Dignan was turning left into her road. He struck the rear side of the truck, and was killed instantly. Blanco County News published a brief and incomplete notice of the accident, stating that Ms.

Dear Editor, What is going on with our Mayor and City Council? Instead of being here for all the citizens of Blanco they are catering to one citizen and their family. We want to make sure that all citizens are aware of this. We are the homeowners who live on Blanco Avenue east of Loop 163.

I want to express my feelings about the 5th grade students in our local schools. On May 3rd I had the pleasure helping the Johnson City Lions club serve lunch at the Farm Safety Expo for Kids at the Blanco County Fair Grounds. The students were from Johnson City and Blanco ISD.

Dear Editor, This is the third time I saw this photo of this panther in this paper (“Mystery Photo Reveals Why We’re the Blanco Panthers,” April 25, 2012). I read the article and the latter part of a paragraph of Angeline Fulcher stating she was at that time the last living direct descendent of Sam Houston. I lived in Houston twenty-two years.

Dear Editor, Some campaign signs belonging to my opponent, Mrs. Riley, have been vandalized or stolen. Mrs. Riley has conducted a clean and fair campaign, and I urge all supporters of all candidates to refrain from such bad acts. If a sign is placed illegally or without permission, it should be taken down, but destroying a legal campaign sign is petty, criminal, and ultimately pointless because people vote for a person, not a sign. David Allen Hall Blanco, TX