Consider that you are opening up this letter from Paul, who is speaking to the saints at Colosse; but imagine if you were living at that time, and he is writing this to you.

Colossians 1:1-29

“1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”

The rest of the letter is in chapters 2-4. The book of Colossians may be my favorite of Paul’s letters. It speaks volumes to me, like singing a worship song; it lifts me up. God used Paul in a mighty way, thanks to Jesus Christ! Thank You Father God, for Your Word.

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More from Focus on Faith.

Acts 20:32 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” This week we will continue our series on the word of God’s grace. Last week we covered the fact that: God’s grace is abundant; That His throne is a throne of grace; That Jesus brought God’s grace to us; that it is available to all; And that only the humble are able to receive it. Let’s get further into God’s Word on grace!

How is God's grace received? Only by faith. We are justified (declared righteous by God) by faith. Only by Jesus, do we have access into God’s grace by our faith (Rom 5:1-2). We are only saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-10, Acts 15:11). God’s grace is a gift, and it can only be received by trust, confidence, & belief in and upon Jesus Christ. Grace cannot be of works. It is not possible. Why?

Rom 11:6 “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” This means justification, or right standing with God, is either by works or by grace; but it cannot be a combination of the two. They are mutually exclusive. By definition, works cannot be of grace; and grace cannot be of works. It is black or white. There is no gray. There is no 50-50, 80-20, or 99-1. “It is finished”, or it is not. BTW - it is finished!

Notice Rom 4:3-5 “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” If you could work for grace, God would owe it to you. It would be a debt He had to pay. God owes us nothing, and never will. He gives grace as a gift, and you can either humble yourself and simply believe it and receive it; or you can persist in your pride, doubt it, and do without it. Your own works, or righteousness, is filthy rags (Isa 64:6) to God.

We frustrate (set aside) God's grace when we try to attain righteousness by our works.

Gal 2:21 “I do not frustrate (reject, nullify, refuse, do away with, disregard) the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain (For no reason, for nothing, without a cause).” If you try to be in right standing with God by your works, you reject the grace of God. You are saying, “Christ’s death served no purpose. It was useless. I can do this without you, Jesus.” You would probably never say this with your mouth, but by your attitude and actions concerning God’s grace, your still saying it!

We can fall from God's grace by trying to attain righteousness through works. Gal 5:1-4 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, (or, try to be right with God by what you do) Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the WHOLE law. Christ is become of no effect (entirely useless, ineffective, deprived of power & influence, & made void) unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen (loosed, let go, fallen away) from grace.

Are you fallen from grace? Then repent (Rev. 2:4-5)! Has Christ become of no effect to you? Does Christ profit you nothing? These are sobering and frightening words! Read them over and over again! You cannot work for righteousness! You cannot work for justification! You cannot work for grace! You cannot work for salvation! You cannot work to be acceptable to God! Righteousness is a gift! Salvation is a gift! You CANNOT work for gifts!

Does this sound radical? It is! Yet, it is the truth. It is God’s Word. It is the Gospel. The Gospel is radical. The Word of God’s Grace is radical. It has the power to turn the world upside down (or, in reality, right side up)! But it is not what many Christians have heard, understood, or believed. If we ever do - whoa Nelly! Next week - the fountain and function of good works. Until next time, rejoice in The Lord!

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More from Focus on Faith.

As you’re looking forward to the summer ahead with picnics, swimming, horse back riding or just soaking up some sun., Memorial Highway Post 352 of the American Legion would like to invite you to their 2nd Annual Memorial Day Fajita fundraiser.

We hope you will stop by and enjoy a great Fajita Dinner after church; we will have our smoker on the north side of the court house May 25, 2014 from 12:00 noon until 2:00 pm.

We hope you will come out and remember what Memorial Day is about, those who gave all. Blanco County has a history of strong military support.

Blanco County’s veterans go all the way back to the: Indian Wars, Texas Rangers, Civil War, W.W.I, W.W.II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the War on Terror.

Blanco County has been strong for Independence through-out our history. May we remember our veterans this holiday? I for one am proud of Blanco County Veterans.

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More from Community News.

Yoga has many health benefits from helping with stress reduction to weight loss. Today we will look at how yoga helps with prevention and even reversal of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by weak and thinning bones. According to a study done by Loren Fishman, MD and co-author of “Yoga and Osteoporosis”, both men and women are subject to osteoporosis. To get the most bone health benefit your exercise should be both weight-bearing and isometric. Yoga has both while at the same time being low impact, so its great for any age or ability level.

An isometric activity, forces you to use the strength of the muscle to contract over the bones, meaning the exercise is done in a static position. When the muscles contract over the bone it actually makes bones stronger and thicker, lowering the risk of bone degenerative diseases, like osteopenia and osteoporosis.

As well as being isometric, yoga is also weight-bearing. This means you work against gravity while staying upright. In yoga you practice many standing and balancing poses, which are all weight-bearing. Other types of weight bearing activities can damage cartilage and lead to osteopenia, the pre-cursor to osteoporosis.

Loren Fishman, MD did a two-year pilot study examining the relationship between yoga and osteoporosis and osteopenia. During the two-year study, participants added more than 3/4 of a point on the T scale in their DEXA bone density tests for the spine and 4/5 of a point for the all-important hip, with only 10 minutes of yoga daily. That means that participants hovering about half-way between osteoporosis and osteopenia -- those with a diagnosis of osteopenia - improved enough to re-enter the normal range. Several of the patients who had full-blown osteoporosis improved enough to be re-classified as having osteopenia.

If you’re already diagnosed with these ailments or are worried about your bone health, please consider incorporating a yoga practice into your life. It will reverse and/or prevent the symptoms of bone degenerative diseases. Please visit www.casadeyoga.com for a full list of local classes.

Natalie Hain teaches yoga at Gem of the Hills and Casa de Yoga in Blanco and Alchemy Yoga School in San Marcos. She is also available for private or small group sessions. Please email her with inquiries or to set an appointment time at nattyoga8@gmail.com

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More from Yoga and You.

I received an email from a reader asking how I did it. How did I begin to lose weight? The answer is between the lines of lyrics George Strait crooned in 2006 “(She) drove down to the beach he always said was too far. Sand sure felt good between her toes...she let herself go…”

Too many of us let ourselves go in the wrong direction. In the early twenties, we begin to put on weight and slow down our physical activities. We’re done with high school athletics, we head off to college or settle down with a first child…for a number of reasons, it’s common for women and men, both, to start adding pounds heading into the thirties. I can tell you the why’s and how’s we put it on and take it off, with statistics and data to support my claims, but this week, I’m going to tell you about me, because you’ve asked.

After the birth of my 9th child, I weighed 297 lbs. For too many reasons to go into here, I realized the time had come to claim my body and my life. The 23 years leading up to that moment had been spent much the same as the woman in the song George made famous, “She spent…days raising babies…Ironing his pants,” and such. We know the song, and the life of which I speak. I didn’t come home to read a note written by a man who had left me, but I did have a moment of rude awakening, so to speak. And when that moment arrived, I realized I had to let go. I’d been holding on to things that weighed me down, in more ways than one. When I realized I needed to let go of those things, I was free to take hold of myself. Hear me: we too often lose ourselves in clinging to the wrong things. When we allow ourselves to be free from those things to which we unhealthily cling, we become enabled to reclaim the hold on ourselves.

I let go of trying to be what I thought others expected me to be. I let go of trying to find comfort where there is none. I let go of beating myself up for mistakes or failures. I let go of unhealthy relationships. I let go of self oppression. I let go. And then, I got a grip…on me. I let go of that which I cannot control and took control of what I can. I can put one foot in front of the other and walk out the door. I can put that fork down and turn away. I can throw away food. I used to think a little bit of walking did no good. I used to think I should finish what was on my plate and shouldn’t be wasteful. But the truth is: every step takes you closer to where you want and need to be. And if I put something into my body that is too much or unhealthy in any way, IT IS WASTED already! So whether throwing it in the trash, or storing it on my belly or thighs, it’s a waste. Just as we must learn to hold on wisely, we must learn to let go wisely…even to waste wisely, if it comes to that.

The woman in the song let herself go by claiming herself. I’m doing that, too. It’s a constant effort to get and keep a grip on myself. Maybe that’s all we can ever do; just keep trying to get a grip, and accept we’re always a work in progress. The very first step in claiming yourself is self evaluation. Discover the emotional WHY you are where you are. Address that, and allow yourself to feel the sand between your toes. Let yourself go to that beach you’ve believed was too far. It’s not too far. It might take a while to get there, but you’ll never regret letting yourself go there.

Sally Windham is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor in Blanco, TX. Please send questions and comments to sally.windham@yahoo.com

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More from Fit Tips.

Herpetologist Jared Holmes gave a presentation on snakes and their importance to our ecosystem.Photo by Karyn Parker.

Blanco State Park was a beehive of activity on Friday, May 9, when more than 80 third graders from Blanco Elementary School descended upon the park for the 5th annual Kids Day Out Program. Although the weather forecast was for the possibility of rain, the day started out warm, calm and humid. However, by the end of the program, we all had to rush for cover as the skies opened, up bringing some much needed, very welcome rains.

The Kids Day Out Program is a day for the third graders to experience nature first-hand outside of the traditional classroom. They are exposed to a wide array of subjects and are provided hands-on opportunities to learn about various aspects of wildlife and the environment. The program this year was supported by numerous volunteers, most of whom were Highland Lakes Master Naturalists (the Highland Lakes Chapter covers Blanco, Llano and Burnet Counties).

Throughout the day, the third graders moved through a series of learning stations which focused on different animal species: mammals, bats, birds, fish and spiders. They also participated in an interactive game where they explored the habitat needs of wildlife and how different species compete for resources in order to survive. The final station involved a watershed model which addressed topics such as pollution, erosion and the impact of human actions on the water around us.

The day concluded with a presentation by local herpetologist Jared Holmes who shared his cache of snakes with the kids, ensuring that they understood the importance of snakes to the ecosystem and helping them to develop a respect and appreciation for them.

Organizer Connie Barron reported that departing comments from the children, teachers, parents and volunteers indicated that a fun and rewarding time was had by all. In fact, one student said that this was his first visit to Blanco State Park and, to quote him, “It was one of the best days of my life!” Simply, but powerfully put! Thanks to all who helped make this another successful “Kids Day Out” at Blanco State Park.

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More from Community News.

Dear Western Lovers,

We are happy to announce a special collection just for you! In our large conference room, we have assembled a selection of Rebecca Howerton’s personal Western collection. Thanks to a generous donation from her daughter, Renee Howerton, this collection is beautifully on display and available for check out. We have Louis L’Amour’s leatherette bound books so you can enjoy the feel of a good book. There you will also find the nearly complete collection of William Johstone’s books as well. Be sure to stop by and check out our Western Memorial Collection.

Also, for our classical readers, go to our catalog (https://blanco.biblionix.com), click on “See What’s Hot,” and select our “Classical Literature” booklist. We have been working hard for nearly a year to assemble our collection of true Classical Literature. This collection is great for those brushing up on their reading and those preparing for college!

Check out our Photo Contest on our Home Page!

As always, remember to check our website at www.blancolib.org or call us at 830-833-4280 for more information.

Recently Added Bestsellers: Cincuenta sombras de Grey por E.L. James, Inferno por Dan Brown (español), The Last Dark by Stephen Donaldson, and Missing You by Harlan Coben.

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More from Community News.

The sixth grade band competed at the Lytle Band Festival on Thursday, May 1.

The band received Division One Superior ratings from all three judges. The band’s musical selections included Homework Blues, Buglers Dream, and Beethoven’s 9th.

“Way to go sixth grade band!,” said Band Director Brian Hecimovich.

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More from School.

Blanco I.S.D. will conduct our annual physical screening for the 2014-2015 school year on Wednesday, May 28, 2014. All students that will be in 7th-12th grade that will be in athletics are required to have an annual physical screening before participating in athletics.

Any student participating in athletics will have 2 weeks from the first day of the school year to present a completed physical examination form. A failure to do so will result in the student being removed from athletics. Please do not wait for school to start in August.

Please fill out form entirely and sign the designated box at the bottom of the front page before coming to the physical screening. You may also access the physical form packet on the district athletics website.

TIME: 2:45pm

LOCATION: Blanco High School Gym

COST: $25.00/per student

***Cash or Check Payable to Blanco Regional Clinic***

This is the only time that physicals will be offered by BISD for 2014 -2015.

For more information please contact Danny Rogers or Chris Lay.

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More from School.

1st Place Male, Joaquin Olmeda and 1st Place Female, Noemi Houshmand

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More from Community News.

It’s never too late to add a Wine Cellar to your home. We were recently at a friend’s home and they decided to turn a room into a wine bar. This included changing a closet to be the new wine cellar. We’ve built wine cellars in new homes, but just thought I would let you know you still can have one if you have room in your current home or want to convert a closet. Let’s explore converting a closet to that wine cellar.

If you are going to do this yourself there are kits to help. Figure out how you want to design your closet, and how many racks you will want. Racks come in all kinds of different patterns, materials, sizes, colors, etc. You will want to add some crown molding, insulation and vapor barriers for the walls and ceiling, cooling system, and an air tight door (preferably a designer door). Wine Closets can help if you have temperature changes in your home or constant exposure to UV lights.

Even though your closet is inside, you still need to prep and make it air tight. This means, pulling off base boards, adding vapor barriers, insulation, additional prep for the flooring, electric outlets, new doors, cooling system, and of course the racks. There are many How To’s out there for you do-it-yourselfers, or you can just call a builder to design and complete the job for you. As for the cost to convert a closet to a wine cellar, it is a “case by case” situation since you have so many variables. If you do not convert this area properly, you can damage your walls, ceiling, and your wines.

Lighting is also important in your new showcase of those precious wines. Here again, you need to make sure you are using proper lighting so that it does not work against your cooling system. If you use the wrong lighting, it could cause your cooling system to overwork itself.

There are also monitoring and security systems that you can add. Key pads to access your room are popular. It’s always recommended you keep your cellars locked. Keeping the door locked also works in making sure you shut the door. And locking the door can help prevent theft and keeping kids out. Additional monitoring can include alarms when the temperatures are not correct.

There are many bells and whistles you can add, or just go simple if this is your first conversion of a closet to a wine cellar. Cost will range on the details you select. It can be a fun project, with benefits at the end.

For ALL Your Real Estate and Building needs or questions, call Debbie at (830) 833-4249 / (713)818-6658 or debbie@vallonerealestate.net

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More from Putting the Pieces Together.

You may be tempted to determine your property’s value by using real estate websites. While these can be fun to look at, here’s what you should consider before your base your sales price on what a website tells you.

The information is usually incomplete and inaccurate

There are several houses in my neighborhood on these sites with blank fields—no bedrooms listed, no mention of roof type, etc. It’s hard to see how omitting such data can lead to an accurate property valuation.

Check out what these sites say about your house and your friends’ houses. I’ll bet you find plenty of two-bedroom homes listed with three or vice versa. Do you think an extra—or missing—bedroom affects a home’s price?

Your home may have been built the same year as three others on your street and may share a similar floor plan. But does a website know that you look out on the greenbelt, while your neighbors see only other backyards?

Why is their data so unreliable?

Some real estate websites cobble together whatever data they can find from whoever is willing to provide it. They don’t have real estate professionals in your market—or any presence in your market for that matter. Perhaps their business model prioritizes other goals. Not exactly a recipe for reliable information.

When these sites put incomplete and inaccurate data into a computer algorithm without a local’s understanding of your neighborhood, how good do you think those “guesstimates” are?

How you can lose money

These online values may be so far from the realities of your market that they’ll cost you money. If the site values your house low, you could sell for less than it’s worth. And if the site overvalues your home, it could sit on the market for months, making buyers think there’s something wrong with it—which could result in the house selling for less than it’s worth.

Not all websites are bad

There’s plenty of good real estate information on the Internet, if you can tell which websites to trust. Look for sites by Texas Realtors; they’re the real estate experts in your area.

Texas Realtors get their information directly from your local MLS. They work in your market every day, studying prices and market conditions. Texas Realtors have taken hundreds of hours of classes to get their real estate licenses and keep up with continuing education. And they pledge to abide by a code of professional conduct that goes beyond the minimum requirements of state laws and regulations.

If you’re not sure how to find a Texas Realtor, visit TexasRealEstate.com and use the Find a Texas Realtor search.

For more information on buying or selling property in Texas, please call Waymond Lightfoot at (210) 386-5201.

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More from The Real Estate Corner.

(Left) Kyle Sauceda in his Gray All-Star Team Jersey and (Right) Head Basketball Coach Jeff Akin.

The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches State All-Star 1A-2A-3A Basketball game,Gray All-Stars vs. Gold All-Stars, was played on May 16th at Trinity University in San Antonio.

Kyle Sauceda of Blanco High School played for the Gray All-Stars team, he scored 4pts, had 4 rebounds and, 2 assists.

The final score was Gray 113 to Gold 111.

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More from Sports.

Roxie Avants pins a hand made poppy to Coucil Member Maria Guerrero in honor of Veterans for Memorial Day.

Blanco Mayor Chuck Homan congratulated re-elected council members Martin Sauceda, Bobby McClung, and Al Turner at the May 13 regular meeting of the governing body of Blanco. However, he expressed disappointment at the low voter turn-out, with only 46 citizens casting votes in the May 10 election. “ I wish more people would come out and take an active role in our city government,” he said. Candidate Jim Raby lost by a slim margin of two votes to the three incumbents. Council members canvassed the votes and voted to accept the results.

The issue of dealing with loud vehicles and noisy neighbors was discussed several times during the meeting, first by Retta Martin during the Open Comments portion of the meeting. She referred to the signs on Highway 281 entering Blanco which forbid trucks from engine-braking, but said that other trucks are often noisy. Police Chief Mike Ritchey said that the city does not own any devices to measure the decibel level in order to enforce a noise ordinance. Resident Martha Gosnell said that complaining to the police about noisy neighbors was effective when she lived near noisy A&M students in Bryan. Chief Ritchey responded that complaints about loud, inconsiderate neighbors will be investigated, but that noisy vehicles cannot be dealt with in that way. Later in his police report, Chief Ritchey was asked by City Attorney Eddy Rogers about the cost of devices to measure decibel levels. Rogers volunteered to work with the chief to investigate the cost of the devices and bring back a report to council. Resident Roxie Avants complained about a loud vehicle near her home and was told by Chief Ritchey to call the department when it happens again, and someone will definitely respond.

American Legion Auxiliary members Randi Weeks and Roxie Avants used the Public Comments time to pin poppies on council members and the mayor in honor of veterans for Memorial Day. “Thank you very much for letting us honor the veterans,” said Mrs. Avants. State Representative Jason Isaac presented an “Honor and Remember” flag to the city to be flown on designated holidays such as Memorial Day and whenever a Texan service member dies in the line of duty. Details about the symbolism of the flag can be found at the honorandremember.org website. Isaac thanked all veterans and family members present at the meeting. Mayor Homan said he would make sure the flag is flown on Memorial Day.

Also in the Public Comments time, PEC representative Tessa Schmidtzinsky reminded council and residents about the upcoming annual PEC meeting June 21 at the Leander ISD South Performing Arts Center in Cedar Park. Two directors and a ballot initiative will be voted on. PEC members can vote by mail, online, or in person at the meeting, which will include family-friendly activities.

Other comments included a plea by Retta Martin for the city to ban plastic bags, which have been responsible for the death of several animals who have ingested them. A question about new signage identifying handicapped-accessible curbs was answered by the mayor, who said they are the work of TxDOT and that the city was not consulted. Finally, resident Roxie Avants praised the police department for their efficient work in dealing with a lock-down at Blanco Elementary School last week. Al Turner added that he had heard positive comments from dozens of residents about the department’s quick action.

Planning and Zoning Commission representative Martha Gosnell recommended the appointment of Jon Brieger to P&Z, based on a unanimous vote at their last meeting. Council voted to approve the appointment.

Blanco South Library District Vice-President Greg Hinton and member Dave Lageman reported on sources for the library’s funding, which include a lump sum of $12K from the city of Blanco, $5K from Blanco County, in addition to tax revenue, tax revenue of $67,345K, income of $43,500 from the non-profit Blanco Library Inc. organization, and $7,200 from fund-raising by the Friends of the Blanco Library. These funds constitute 88 percent of the library’s annual funding, which allows it to serve its 6,000 patrons. “There is no resource more valuable to our young people,” said Lageman, adding that the continuing education opportunities it provides are vital to the adults who use it. Volunteers gave 7000 hours of their time in 2010 through 2012-- providing the library a total dollar value of $50,600.

However, Lageman sounded an ominous tone by projecting that the library may be forced to close or curtail its hours in the future because it will use up its endowment in the next eight to ten years. “It is a community problem,” he concluded. “We must come together to find a solution so that our 6,000 patrons can enjoy the benefits that the library provides.”

Blanco Fire Chief Ron Sallman reported 12 total calls in April, with 71 calls for the year to date. Average response time was 10 minutes and 42 seconds, which was longer than usual because of grass fires at the edge of the fire district, according to Sallman. He informed council that the department’s new bunker gear has arrived, which he called “the latest and greatest,” thanks to grants from Texas A&M University. The grants have also allowed the department to purchase a training library and new SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) packs, which provide 45 minutes of air. The city fire truck has been fitted with a gas and cyanide detector, as well as extrication equipment--$42k worth of equipment, according to Sallman. The department’s volunteer corps has risen to 16, up from three last November, and will cap at 20 when the gear is available. A donation of bunk beds to the firehouse has enabled the department to move toward lowering the city’s ISO rating by allowing 24-7 staffing at certain times, such as the Real Ale Ride on May 17.

The fire department has determined that 96 addresses in the city have entrances which are inaccessible to fire trucks, due to low tree limbs, low-hanging utility wires, or vehicles blocking access. Sallman explained that the clearance for a fire truck is 14 feet, six inches, and that brushing an overhead utility wire would be extremely hazardous for a truck or a firefighter. “It’s something we need to address from an ISO standpoint,” warned Sallman, since the ISO inspector will drive down every street before compiling his report. The mayor asked for a copy of the list in order to notify residents, who may not even be aware of a problem.

Finally, Sallman asked for direction in making improvements to the fire department building, which is leased from the city. The mayor said he would ask Pete McKinney, the code compliance officer, to meet with the chief.

Police Chief Ritchey provided council members with statistics for the month of April, saying that they look “real good.” “You are doing a fine job,” responded Al Turner. The issue of additional radios was raised by the mayor, who requested that some money be found in the budget to have a radio at city hall. He complained that since the new system has been put in place, he can only talk to the Blanco State Park. Chief Ritchey said he needs an additional radio for the police station as well. No action was taken on that request, and the meeting adjourned without the need for an executive session.

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More from Community News.

Peggy Pepper was honored at the School Board meeting for her 28 years of service. Robin Johnson (Left) has taken over the position as Blanco ISD Nurse.

The regular meeting of the Blanco ISD Board of Trustees opened with Superintendent Dr. Buck Ford presenting Board Vice President Troy Immel with a plaque for his 9 years of service. The May 12 meeting will be Immel’s last to serve on the Board as he did not file for re-election; Larry Kuebel will serve in his place.

“Troy, I want to Thank you for the support you’ve given; your dedication to the kids. We certainly appreciate it.” said Ford.

Dr. Ford presented one more special recognition during the meeting. “This person has probably affected everybody in this room at one time or another. Peggy Pepper, retired from our district March 31. She’s been Blanco’s nurse for 28 years. She worked as a volunteer for 3 years before that. The Nurse has a tremendous amount of responsibility; the health needs of our students and employees every day, at all the campuses. The job requires hard work, critical decision making, communication skills, and staying on top of ever changing events, regulations and rules. Peggy, we’re going to miss you, but at the same time it is a pleasure to recognize you tonight, and we wish you the best in your retirement.” said Dr. Ford.

Elementary Principal Linda Romano presented a spotlight on the top readers of each grade. “We have 23 ‘millionaires’; as of May 6 we have 23 kids that have read more than a million words in just this school year alone. What I’ve decided to recognize [tonight] is the kids that were going above and beyond in their grade level.”

The top readers in each grade level were; Kindergarten, Brayden Hull with 6,496 words, First Grade, Colby Murphree with 55,045 words, Second Grade, Caleb Murrah with 445,258 words, Third Grade, Calea Cummings with 1,119,789 words, Fourth Grade, Joseph Hernandez with 2,025,944 words, and Fifth Grade, Anna Beliveau with 4,649,830 words.

Romano also presented Family Reading Awards to siblings with a high number of words. Kathryn Hull, a Fifth Grader and Sister to Brayden Hull, read 1,216,395 words. Macee Murphree, a Fourth Grader and sister to Colby Murphree, read 1,014,521 words. Meadow and Tristan Schlinke, Third and Fifth Grade respectively, together read over 3 millions words. Twins Brenden and Jared Mote, in Fourth Grade, also read over 3 million words together. The Top Readers from Family Reading Night was the Beliveaus Family, with over 56 thousands words read as a family.

“We have some voracious readers, and this is just the tip of that reading iceberg.” concluded Romano.

High School Principal Dr. Dustin Barton shined a spotlight on the Region IV UIL Academic Champion. “We have 11 state qualifiers, and I’m going to bring those students up to recognize them.” said Dr. Barton.

Individuals who placed First through Third, the Computer Science Team (Mark Kuebel, Michael O’Rear, Colton Barrow, and Joshua McCaslin) and the Calculator Team (Moses Godinez, Callie Nance, and Mariah Ackerson), will represent Blanco High School at the State Meet at UT Austin on May 20 and 21. Individuals are: Computer Science, First Mark Kuebel, Second Michael O’Rear, and Third Colton Barrow, Persuasive Speaking, First Drew Ritter and Second Thomas Kirkscey, Calculator Applications, First Moses Godinez, Mathematics, Third Place Callie Nance, Editorial Writing, Third Place Kristin Watt, and Current Issues and Events, Second Place Patton Keutz.

Dr. Barton also recognized UIL Academic Coordinator Russell Kirkscey, and UIL Coaches Judy Schwarzlose and Gina Blankenburg.

Blanco’s newly appointed Nurse Robin Johnson gave the board an update on the District’s Health Program. “First of all I’d like to say Thank You, very much, for granted me the privilege of taking over for Nurse Pepper. It is an honor, it is also a very large responsibility that I take very seriously. I also know that I have huge shoes to fill.” She presented to the board an outline of the Nurses daily, ongoing, and annual duties. Nurse Johnson also spoke to the board about Kat Stoss who had taken over the duty of Curriculum Director for “Worth the Wait”, the abstinence based sex-education program used at Blanco ISD. “She has taught sex-ed and abstinence based education to all different sectors, throughout all different communities, including jails and clinics. We are also thankful that the district was able to purchase updated curriculum for her to use.” said Nurse Johnson.

The proposed purchase of Science Textbooks for grades K-12 and Math Textbooks for grades K-8 was brought before the board for approval. Dr. Ford told the board that there were sufficient funds in the state-funded instructional Materials Allotment account to cover the costs of over 140 thousand for the new textbooks. Board President Matt Herndon acknowledged that many schools were finding themselves unable to cover the costs of new textbooks with the Material Allotment alone, forcing them to dip into general funds. Dr. Ford agreed with this and spoke to the board on how the costs funded by the State are lower than the actual costs of the textbooks, but that Blanco had been conservative in the past years in order to purchase new textbooks. Dr. Rick LaBuhn confirmed that the new textbooks would be good for 8 years. A question on if E-books had become a cheaper option for any schools districts was answered by Dr. Ford, “E-books are priced at a point where school districts are not realizing a savings.” The purchase was approved by the Board.

Maria Barraco spoke to the board during Open Forum, on the topic of “Unofficial Hunger Games.” She told the board that she tends to baby chicks at her home. “If you go by my house, you will say, wow, something’s being done well. But, this year, we’ve had a lot of mortality, because my incubator broke down.” began Barraco. “My baby chicks are like our students. From the outside you will think there is nothing wrong, that everything is beautiful, that everything is going great. From the outside we are shining. But we’re still having, you could say, a great mortality rate that should not be there. There’s a lot more that can be done. There are a lot more students that can be helped. I mention the Hunger Games, because it hit me why [the movie did so well] with our young ones, because some people like to play the hunted and hunter. The ones that are picked, everybody else is like, ‘I’m not the chosen one to be hunted, so I’m fine.’ We need to do something for them. I need to do something for those dying chicks, I need to get my incubator. We still need to do a lot. We have to the cut the Unofficial Hunger Games.”

Next in Open Forum, Roxanna Avants of the American Legion requested to Pin Poppies on the school board in honor of veterans for Memorial Day. Before she pinned, she gave “kudos” to the School Board, the Campuses, and the Blanco Police Department for the “great job” during the lockdown. Avants has a daughter in Kindergarten and noted her appreciation for the safety precautions taken by the school.

Following executive session, the Board: Approved the closed session review of the security audit; Approved the employment of Tamara Hall-King for Fifth grade science, and Approved the employment of Dena Torres for the Elementary TAG/Enrichment teacher position.

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With party primary elections coming to a close next week, area residents face another vote, to determine two seats on the Pedernales Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. PEC members will also have the opportunity to vote to continue with “at large” elections for directors or to change to a “single member district voting” system that allows only members within a district to vote for who will serve as the district's director.

Under the current at large system of voting, candidates for the PEC board must reside within the boundaries of the district they seek to represent, but all 217,860 PEC members from PEC's entire service area have the right to vote for who will represent the individual districts.

The PEC's seven districts span 8,100 square miles and 24 counties. PEC's service area is demographically and geographically diverse, home to rapidly growing cities as well as expansive ranch land. Some PEC members believe the interests of members living in urban centers differ from those of members in rural areas of PEC's reach. Others believe the business interest of PEC trumps any geographical differences.

Texas Senator Troy Fraser strongly favors changing to a single member district voting system. Even though the PEC has come a long way since Senator Fraser had to force open the doors at PEC (the board actually locked the doors to its board room to prevent members and the press from attending board meetings), Fraser feels the transformation of the PEC governance structure will not be complete until it implements single member district voting.

Dave Collins, a retired management consultant residing in Johnson City, said he came to understand the various, competing sides of the issue of single member district voting when he was involved with the PEC Board’s Governance Committee and the issue of voting structure was debated. “There are certainly attractions to the single member district approach, but the PEC Board is not a legislative body like a City Council or County Commissioner’s Court. It is a corporate board and like any corporate board member, each PEC director is obliged to represent all PEC members, equally. Single member district voting undermines that obligation, one specified in the governing documents of the cooperative. So, I continue to support at-large voting.”

Milton Hawkins of Johnson City, who was an early leader in making PEC a more transparent governing entity, favors the new single member district system because it “allows the owner-members in a district to elect their own representative, without outside interference, and is the only hope of rescuing our cooperative from the Austin area dominated, green-at-any-cost crowd that has been able to control the PEC board for the last several elections.”

Blanco County Attorney David Hall was a leader in the efforts to reform PEC and strengthen members' rights at PEC favors changing to single member district voting. “If I thought it logical and productive for me to vote in an El Paso congressional district, or for a Dallas socialite to vote in mine, I would support at large voting.”

So how do the current batch of candidates feel about changing to single member district voting? The two District 2 candidates are split on the issue. Incumbent Bill Boggs favors continuing the at large system because it is “based on the long standing cooperative principle of one member/one vote every year.” However, Boggs said he can “live with whatever the members decide” and will act to implement the members' choice if re-elected to the board. Emily Pataki “strongly favors” changing to a single member district voting system to encourage more local involvement in PEC matters. “I think the PEC membership deserves to know its directors better, and the best way for that to happen is for directors to be more tied to their districts during the election process. Additionally, it will save the co-op time and money each year if we only have to send ballots to the districts that are electing directors.”

The four candidates for District 3 director are mixed on changing voting systems. Incumbent Kathryn Scanlon favors retaining the current at large system because “directors are elected to represent all members, so all members should be able to vote for all directors.” Scanlon said, “I can't imagine any business having directors elected by getting votes from only shareholders that live in different geographical areas.”

Candidate Arnold LeVine favors changing to the single member district voting system because it “prevents special interest groups outside a district from dominating what should be a local election decision.” LeVine believes directors should not only live in the districts they represent but also be known in their districts. “I live in Austin; no one in Junction or Blanco knows me.”

Candidate Judy Lawler Pokorny also backs changing to single member district voting to elect PEC’s directors. “Since PEC directors are each related to a specific district or geographical area, it seems to me to be more in alignment with the spirit of the way the cooperative has established the board.”

At the PEC candidate forum on April 24, candidate Don Zimmerman favored the current at large system but has since been swayed by the “overwhelming” grass roots movement and now supports changing to a single member district voting system.

Three years ago, PEC members were split when asked to select between three different voting systems: retain the at large system (8,122 votes), change to single member district voting (6,400 votes), or adopt a hybrid system with some directors elected in districts and others elected at large (4,212). Less than 10% of the over 200,000 PEC members eligible to vote in that election opted to voice their opinion regarding how directors are elected to serve on the PEC board.

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While serving as principal of an alternative school, I was holding a parent conference. In attendance were a tall, athletic student and his mother. Representing the school, besides myself, was a counselor, an assistant principal and a former Marine drill sergeant who served as one of the boy’s teachers. In the course of the meeting the boy swore at his mother. I reprimanded him and told him that I would not tolerate that kind of language directed at his mother. Scarcely had I uttered the words when he literally dived over the table bent on doing me bodily harm. If it hadn’t been for the strong arms and quick reflexes of the former drill sergeant, who quickly wrapped his brawny arms around the boy, the boy would have mopped the floor with me. That student believed that life had dealt him a bad hand and he was angry with everyone and everything. He wanted revenge.

Have you ever read the full story of the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys? It’s fascinating and interesting but sad, too. This was a violent chapter in American history that was more than just a tragic quarrel between two backwoods families. It was a strife that eventually developed into a dispute involving two states that was carried to the U.S. Supreme Court for resolution.

For a short distance the border of Kentucky and West Virginia is made up by Tug Fork, which flows into the Big Sandy and eventually into the mighty Ohio River. After the Civil War, the men of this mountain country wore extra-long mustaches and/or beards that made them look like the men of Duck Dynasty. Standard wearing apparel included high-top boots into which their pants legs were stuffed.

Devil Anse Hatfield was a tall, stooped man in his mid-forties. Randolph McCoy, almost twenty years older, wore a black beard that seemed splotched with patches of stiff gray. These mountain people usually owned razorback pigs which were allowed to roam wild among the fields and forests. Only the curious-shaped notches in the ears served as a brand indicating the family that owned each pig. This pork was the delicacy in their diet.

One time in an angry scuffle that was fueled by plenty of whiskey, one of the Hatfield boys was killed by a McCoy. The McCoys claimed the fellow had it coming to him, while the Hatfields claimed it was downright murder and must be avenged. This started a feud that was to run a long and bloody course.

A short time later Ellison Hatfield tangled in a fist fight with one of the McCoys. Before many serious blows had been struck, three other McCoys joined in, and the result was a terrific beating plus a few stab wounds for poor Ellison. He died a few days later. Sometime later three other McCoys were seized by a good-sized gang of the enemy and put to a speedy death. The feud spread with intensity as each family picked up recruits and confederates from among the other families of the area. On one occasion a group of Hatfields laid siege to a house where a number of McCoys were trapped. The house was set afire, resulting in the death of two of the younger McCoys.

There was a romantic sidelight to the wild affair that seemed to add even more fuel to the angry coals of revenge. It seems that Johnse Hatfield, son of Devil Anse, had a secret and rather torrid love affair with Randolph McCoy’s daughter Rose Anne. The young couple were madly in love, but old Randolph took firm steps to prevent little Rose from even getting a glimpse of Johnse.

The whole feud was an example of the futility of revenge. The product of revenge is almost always an increased hatred and deeper involvement that can erupt in violence. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.” In Ephesians 4:31 we read, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”

Abraham Lincoln had not expected to be re-elected. He had been misunderstood, condemned, humiliated in public and in private, assailed alike by friend and foe. One newspaper had called him “the obscene ape of Illinois.” As the Civil War wound down, many both in the South and in the North hated him and blamed him for the deaths of their sons and the disruption in their lives. He could have been bitter and angry. Instead, he harbored no resentments, had no slightest wish for retaliation against those who had cruelly slandered and abused him. The sentiments expressed in his second inaugural address give us the measure of the man. This closing paragraph, said Elihu Root, “is a living principle of action”:

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan—to do all which may achieve a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

(Comments? mustardseeds101@yahoo.com)

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AUSTIN — House Speaker Joe Straus on May 14 said the Texas House of Representatives would propose a budget next year that uses all of the money in the state highway fund for transportation instead of sending chunks of it to other state agencies.

Taxes and fees such as the gas tax and fees on drivers’ licenses go into the state highway fund to pay for transportation, but for almost 80 years, Straus explained, some of that money has helped fund agencies that are not directly related to transportation.

Using the state highway fund exclusively for transportation would increase funding for roads by about $1.3 billion over two years, Straus, R-San Antonio, added.

“This approach will make the state budget even more straightforward, just as taxpayers expect. It will also provide needed transportation revenue — without a tax increase — as Texas continues to grow twice as fast as the rest of the country,” Straus said.

State adds jobs in April

Texas Workforce Commission on May 16 reported Texas employers added 64,100 jobs in April for a total of 348,000 seasonally adjusted non-farm jobs added over the year.

And, Texas’ unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent in April, down from 5.5 percent in March and down from 6.4 percent a year ago.

“April was a robust month for Texas job growth. The unemployment rate continues to fall and we posted the highest monthly job growth in well over three years,” said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Andres Alcantar.

In April, employment in professional and business services grew by 20,100 positions, the largest monthly increase ever recorded for that industry, and eight of the 11 major industries in Texas experienced positive growth, the agency reported.

Panel votes to impeach

The Texas House Select Committee on Transparency on May 12 met in closed session and voted 7-1 to impeach University of Texas Board of Regents member Wallace L. Hall Jr. of Dallas.

A report cited during the committee's open session alleges Hall, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in February 2011, “abused the powers of his office and may have broken the law in his campaign to force the UT Regents to vote to fire UT President Bill Powers.” May 21 and May 22 meetings are scheduled for the committee to further consider and possibly take action on the issue.

Children are focus of work

Speaker Straus on May 15 announced nine appointees to the House Select Committee on Child Protection, a panel charged with studying abuse and neglect fatalities in Texas and making recommendations to protect children.

The panel will work with public members of the Protect our Kids Commission created by the Legislature in 2013 to study the rate of child abuse and neglect fatalities and to recommend strategies to prevent and reduce them. “I am confident that this committee will provide meaningful recommendations to improve outcomes for Texas children,” Straus said.

State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, will chair the panel. Members include Reps. Cindy Burkett, R-Sunnyvale; Tony Dale, R-Cedar Park; Jessica Farrar, D-Houston; James Frank, R-Wichita Falls; John Frullo, R-Lubbock; Bobby Guerra, D-Mission; Toni Rose, D-Dallas; and J.D. Sheffield, R-Gatesville.

Early voting period begins

Texas Secretary of State Nandita Berry on May 15 published a reminder to voters that early voting for the May 27 Primary Runoff Election begins on May 19 and runs through May 23.

“Statewide there are a number of contests in both the Republican and Democratic primary runoff elections. This election is a chance for voters to select party candidates for the November 4 Election,” Berry said.

The runoff election is for races from the March 4 Primary Election where no candidates secured a majority. The top two finishers from those races will now face each other to represent their party in the November election, Berry said.

Sales tax holiday is set

State Comptroller Susan Combs on May 12 announced the May 24 through May 26 sales tax holiday for certain energy efficient household appliances. The annual state sales tax holiday applies to “Energy Star” qualified air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less, refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less, ceiling fans, fluorescent light bulbs, dishwashers, dehumidifiers and clothes washers. Clothes dryers do not qualify. “Shoppers can save money up front by not having to pay sales tax when buying appliances during the holiday weekend and the energy efficient products can help reduce utility bill costs,” Combs said.

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Kaiser Lorn Birck, 38, passed away at his home in Cypress Mill, TX surrounded by his family on May 14, 2014. He was born in Austin, TX to Vernon and Gretchen Birck. Kaiser will be watching over his wife, Suree Birck, 16 year old step daughter, Alexus Crochet, 4 year old son Braxton Birck and 7 month old daughter Copelin Birck. He will also be looking down over his mother and father, Vernon and Gretchen Birck, brothers Derek Birck and his wife Ronnie and their three children and his brother Blayne Birck and wife Ann. Kaiser also leaves behind aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and a host of other loving relatives and dear friends.

Often referred to as “Captain” by some of his peers, Kaiser was a strong man, physically and mentally. He was a born leader, always the guy that everyone looked up to and came to for help. He was the type of person that would put his own wants, desires and needs aside in order to help or provide for others; always sharing with those that needed. Just like his grandfather, Kaiser was the type of guy that you could just drop by and have a beer and lots of laughs with. There often didn’t even need to be conversation, just a good cold drink and a tailgate. He was always available to offer advice on building a barn, a fence, butchering an animal, fixing a water heater or hanging a ceiling fan. He was a worker, always focusing on the next project and enjoyed staying busy outdoors. Kaiser loved to fish, once catching a 26” wide mouth bass on a fishing trip to Mazatlan, Mexico. Kaiser spent lots of time on the Pedernales River, running trotlines or at Choke Canyon battling the alligators.

Kaiser courageously fought his battle with brain cancer but our good Lord had bigger plans for Kaiser and needed his help beyond this world.

Visitation was held Friday, May 16, 2014 at Crofts – Crow Funeral Home in Johnson City. Funeral services were held Saturday morning at Liberty Lighthouse Fellowship Church, 321 Old River Crossing, Johnson City, TX 78636 with Rev. Ernest Topper officiating. Interment followed in the Cypress Mill Cemetery. A reception at the Blanco Co. Fairgrounds followed the burial.

In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to the Marnie Rose Foundation supporting Brain Cancer research at Brain Power 5K, P.O. Box 1991, Cedar Park, TX 78630.

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Jr “Pete” Crider, of Marble Falls, passed away on April 22, 2014. Pete was born to Rosa (Gibson) and Joseph P. Crider December 16, 1914. He was born in a house where Horseshoe Bay is located and grew up in the Marble Falls area. This was his home for 99 years. He married Agnes Marie Michalak on June 29, 1941 in Brenham, Tx. She preceded him in death.

He worked for Chester Barnett in car sales, and then became the area’s General Electric dealer working with Richard Giesecke. He held many different volunteer positions in the community. Among a few were fire chief of the MFVFD, ambulance driver, driver of band instruments to out of town football games, and other high school booster/volunteer jobs. Going to sports events meant working in the concession stand. His pickup carried logs and brush to many of the MFHS pep rally bonfires prior to the big homecoming game. He was among the first few to introduce and participate in recreational boating and water skiing on Lake Marble Falls in the late 50’s-60’s. He taught many local young people, along with his own children, to ski on Lake Marble Falls.

After retirement he spent many happy days traveling with wife Agnes. Adventures ranged from Texas travel trailer trips to touring the US, Europe, Mexico, and South America. Pete enjoyed tinkering in his shop and could repair just about anything or create a new way to make it work. He enjoyed playing dominoes and cards with friends. Pete loved fishing and hosted many fish fry dinners for family and friends. Hunting was also a big part of his life, killing his last buck at age 90.

The family has a photo of him as a young man standing on the original wooden MF bridge which washed out in the flood of 1937. From then on, until the previous bridge was built, travel across the river was by ferry. He enjoyed watching the weekly progress made on the newest bridges.

He was Grandaddy to his grandchildren and great grandchildren whom he dearly loved.

Agnes and Pete celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2011 with a party at Gateway Gardens Assisted Living in Marble Falls where they had been living since 2005. Included in the momentous occasion was an endowment set up at Highland Lakes Legacy Fund as a scholarship to be presented to a Marble Falls High School senior each year in their name.

Pete’s wife Agnes, passed away in January 2013. Sisters Ophelia, Hun, Angeline, and Sarah and two brothers Ray and Otto preceded him in death.

Surviving family is daughter Kay Berger and husband, Billy Joe, of Blanco, son Jerry Crider of Corpus Christi, and daughter Nancy Petterson and husband, Pete, of Spring Branch; six grandchildren, Beth McManus, Bill, Michael and Margaret Berger, Stacy Richards and Jennifer Miskovsky; four great grandchildren, Tim McManus, Drew Westervelt and Sarah and Ella Miskovsky. Pete’s sister, Lucille Newman, lives in Fredericksburg. He also, had many nieces and nephews who thought he was very special.

He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. Marble Falls is a better community because of the Criders. Agnes and Pete will be remembered most kindly and with respect.

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