Casa de Yoga hosted a one-day seminar focusing on creating a safe home sequence. Some came and stayed for the whole day, while others just came to a portion. The workshop was successful as Melynnda Button said, “It was everything I had hoped it would be! It was perfect!" Casa de Yoga plans to host more full- and half-day seminars in the future, so if you missed this one please stay tuned for future events.

Casa de Yoga is also proud to have a new teacher joining our community. Laura Salazar, RYT 200 brings much knowledge and patience to her classes and she is a very welcome addition. She will teach an all levels class Monday mornings from 10-11:15. The class began June 10 and will end August 12. Laura began yoga in 2003 and has been teaching for 5. Laura has trained with some of the biggest names in yoga, such as Baron Baptiste, Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Richard Freeman, Sloane Park and Charles MacInerney.. She enjoys teaching to many levels and incorporating life experience to her classes. For a full schedule or to get more information about teachers, please visit casadeyoga.com. As always, all classes are donation-based and no one will be turned away due to financial hardships.

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Question: Where in Blanco County can a young person interact with true artists across the arts spectrum in a beautiful setting and for free?

Answer: At the Blanco Performing Arts Children's Art Festival this Saturday from 8:30-noon at the Uptown Blanco complex. Children ages 6-12 are invited to paint, dance, act out, and experience a live musical and visual art performance. Pianist Carla McElhaney, illustrator and artist Ellen Murray, Ballet San Antonio Ballet principal dancer Sarah Pautz, and master teacher Sarah Culpepper team up to provide this hands-on encounter.

Blanco Performing Arts presents this event, which is sponsored in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts and Uptown Blanco. It is free of charge, but registration is required because space is limited. To register, please call 830-833-5164 by noon on Friday, June 28.

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Thinking about selling your home, but you think you need to remodel it first? Stop…don’t spend money to remodel before you sell. Putting on my real estate hat, I have people ask me all the time if they need to remodel prior to listing their home.

If your home needs paint, then just think about putting a coat of paint on your home to sell it. Clean up your house and yard before you put it on the market. Chances are if you want to remodel, it might not be what the potential new buyers will want. Sometimes, the money you spend to remodel will not necessarily be what the buyer would have chosen. If you are in the middle of a project, you might want to complete it for your home to show well. If you do need to paint, select neutral colors for the rooms, trim, and exterior.

One other thing to consider, if your home is outdated you can give an allowance to the potential buyer to allow them to remodel to their taste. If you are unsure of the amount to negotiate with, ask a builder to quote you some figures for flooring, bathroom upgrades, kitchen upgrades, etc. This will help you in the negotiation process.

If you do remodel, keep it simple. Don’t select wild colors for the things you will replace. Don’t select a mauve toilet and bathtub, cork flooring, concrete kitchen counters, etc. These things could only delay the sell of your place. Go with basic selections. Stick with a white toilet and bathtub, neutral tiles or carpet, granite or laminate counters, etc.

The main things in preparing to sell your home are de-clutter, clean, maybe a coat of paint, and being prepared to know what the upgrades might cost. Ask your builder or realtor to help you out. It’s hard enough for just getting some of these things done to sell, much less a major remodel.

If you are into flipping homes, that is a different case. Some folks pick up homes really cheap that do need massive remodeling. In that case, Yes, you do need to invest in the remodel job. Most of the time, you will make money off this scenario.

Just use caution when you want to remodel prior to selling. Ask your Real Estate Agent or builder what they recommend.

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.

When you decide to buy a new home, a good first step is to determine how much mortgage you can afford. After talking to a mortgage broker or using a mortgage calculator, you may find a payment amount that’s well within your monthly budget.

But keep in mind that the mortgage payment is only one of the monthly expenses you are responsible for with a new house. So, what else are you paying for?

Where the money goes

Your monthly payment is typically made of four components: principal, interest, taxes, and insurance – often referred to as PITI.

Principal. Principal is the amount you originally borrow. Early in your mortgage’s term, your payments will be applied mostly to the loan’s interest. As the loan progresses, you’ll pay off more principal.

Interest. Interest is money the lender charges to take the risk on your loan. The interest rate on your loan has a direct correlation to the size of your payment. That is, a higher interest rate leads to higher monthly payments. For most homebuyers, higher interest rates reduce the amount of money they can borrow, and lower interest rates increase it.

Taxes. Property taxes can account for a significant amount of your monthly payment. These taxes for local schools, city and county services, and other local entities are based on the tax rate for each of those taxing authorities and the appraised value of your property. Instead of a large tax bill coming due at the end of the year, many property owners pay their property tax as part of their monthly payment. The annual amount is divided by the total number of payments in a given year. The lender collects these payments and holds them in escrow until they are due, and then the lender uses the money to pay the bill.

Insurance. There are two types of insurance coverage that may be included in your monthly payment. The first type, property insurance, protects your home and possessions from fire, theft, and other events your policy outlines. The second type of insurance is private mortgage insurance (PMI). When a homebuyer does not put down at least 20% on the home, most lenders require PMI. This insurance offers the lender some protection in the event the borrower is unable to repay the loan. PMI coverage can be dropped once you attain 20% equity in the home.

Taking responsibility for taxes and insurance

While these four components make up a typical monthly payment, some lenders allow homeowners to pay taxes and insurance on their own. In this scenario, you'll have a lower monthly payment, but you must make sure you have the money available to pay property taxes and insurance when those bills come due.

Amortization breaks it down

An amortization schedule shows how much of your monthly loan payment is being applied toward interest costs and how much to reduce the outstanding balance of your loan. The amortization chart details the month-by-month progression of your mortgage payments from mostly covering interest to mostly covering principal. Many lenders allow you to pay extra each month to pay off principal early and pay less interest over the length of the mortgage.

Add it all up

So, how much mortgage can you afford? Factor in the principal, interest, taxes and insurance to get a true picture of the cost of a home. Your Texas REALTOR® can be a great resource to help you understand these components plus other costs of homeownership.

To find a Texas REALTOR® or to learn more about buying real estate in Texas, visitTexasRealEstate.com.

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.

AUSTIN, TX – Texas Secretary of State John Steen announced that photo identification will now be required when voting in Texas elections. His announcement follows a decision Tuesday by the U.S. Supreme Court that cleared the way for photo ID requirements in Texas, originally passed by the Texas Legislature in 2011, to take effect.

“My office is committed to making sure Texans have all the information they need to vote, including what forms of identification they need now that photo ID requirements are in effect,” said Secretary Steen.

A voter will be required to show one of the following forms of photo identification at the polling location before the voter will be permitted to cast a vote:

Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS

Texas personal identification card issued by DPS

Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS

United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph

United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph

United States passport

With the exception of the

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More from Community News.

As the region heads into what is forecast to be a hot, dry summer, the Lower Colorado River Authority is reminding residents that Central Texas is still in the grasp of a severe drought and that everyone needs to do their part to conserve and use water wisely.

Because of the extended period of dry weather, the amount of water flowing into lakes Travis and Buchanan, called inflows, has been reduced to record-low levels for several years.

The lakes serve as reservoirs for more than a million Central Texans and businesses and industries throughout the lower Colorado River basin. The combined storage of both stands at 38 percent full, and weather forecasts hold little hope of significant relief in the near future.

“We’re not going to run out of water, but everyone needs to understand that this is a serious situation,” LCRA General Manager Becky Motal said. “It’s going to take a significant amount of rain over an extended period of time to refill our lakes. We don’t know when that will happen, so it’s critical that everyone follow the watering restrictions put in place by their local water providers and conserve water wherever and whenever they can.”

Lakes Travis and Buchanan currently hold slightly less than 770,000 acre-feet of water and need more than 1 million acre-feet to fill up. That’s about the amount of water added to the lakes in summer 2007, when 19 inches of rain fell on Marble Falls in one night.

In order for rain to fill the Highland Lakes, it must fall upstream of Austin and in the lakes’ watersheds. These are the areas that drain into the lakes, usually through a network of rivers and streams. During a severe drought like the current one, there must be enough rain to saturate the ground and fill the low spots in creek and river beds before water can begin flowing into the Highland Lakes.

For example, the rainstorms in late May, which flooded some Austin streets for a short period of time, added only about 10,000 acre-feet to lakes Travis and Buchanan because much of the rain fell outside the lakes’ watersheds.

Because of the drought, inflows from the rivers and streams that feed the lake:

· Hit an all-time low in 2011;

· Were the fifth lowest ever in 2012; and

· Are about the same in 2013 as they were this time of the year in 2011.

Lakes Buchanan and Travis are low, but the combined storage was lower in the summer of 2011. It was also lower in 1964 and during the drought of the 1950s, the worst drought in the state’s recorded history.

“The lakes are doing exactly what they’re meant to do,” Motal said. “They are intended to go up and down. LCRA built the lakes to capture and manage water during floods and wet times and hold that water so it is available during drought.”

Because of the drought, LCRA cut off Highland Lakes water to most downstream farmers in 2012 and 2013, and has been working for several years with its municipal and industrial customers to conserve water wherever possible. The 2012 cut-off was the first since the Highland Lakes were created.

LCRA also is looking aggressively for new supplies of water. It recently received permits to pump up to 10,000 acre-feet of water a year during a drought from wells in Bastrop County and is building a new off-channel reservoir in Wharton County that should be completed by 2017. The reservoir could add up to 90,000 acre-feet to the region’s water supply.

“We’re working hard to make sure that we not only have enough water to make it through this drought, but also serve a growing region through future droughts,” Motal said. “Water is precious resource. We can’t create it, so it’s vital to plan ahead.”

For more information on the drought, see LCRA.org. For tips on saving water see watersmart.org.

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More from Regional News.

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) officials are urging all recreationalists using the Guadalupe, Blanco, Comal or San Marcos rivers, Canyon Reservoir, Coleto Creek Reservoir (Victoria County), Lake Dunlap (Comal and Guadalupe counties), Lake McQueeney (Guadalupe County), Lake Placid (Guadalupe County), Lake Nolte (Guadalupe County), H4 or Lake Gonzales and H5 orLake Wood (both in Gonzales County) to practice safe boating especially during the Independence Day weekend of Thursday, July 4 – Sunday, July 7, 2013.

During the Independence Day weekend, GBRA officials are advising against the use of personal watercraft and towing of water toys on the hydroelectric lakes.

“As the steward of the Guadalupe River, GBRA is bringing attention to safety issues for recreationalists using the Guadalupe, Blanco, Comal or San Marcos rivers, all of the hydro lakes, Canyon Reservoir and Coleto Creek Reservoir. Whether they are boating or using other watercraft, tubing or swimming, we want them to be safe while they are enjoying the summer,” Bill West, Jr., GBRA general manager explained, adding, “On holiday weekends, it is best to avoid towing water toys or ‘floaties’ on the hydro lakes because they get crowded, making for dangerous conditions and increasing the chances for accidents.”

Wilfred Korth, GBRA’s chief ranger said that with schools ending and warmer temperatures coming on, he expects an increase in recreational users at Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir. “Our park rangers will do everything they can to help ensure the safety of all park and reservoir users – from the fishermen and boaters to swimmers and campers.”

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recommends a number of boating safety tips for recreationalists to practice:

Always wear a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) and carry extra PFDs in both adult and child sizes. Children younger than 13 years of age must wear a PFD while boating or using personal watercraft.

Be especially careful on personal watercraft such as jet skis and water scooters. Maintain a 50-foot distance between your personal watercraft and other personal watercraft, vessels, persons, shore or stationary platform unless operating at an idle speed.

Avoid alcohol. Operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol is just as dangerous as operating a car after drinking alcohol. The probability of being killed in a boating accident doubles when alcohol is involved.

Operate at a safe speed at all times. Excessive speed is a rate of speed greater than is reasonable or prudent without regard for conditions and hazards or greater than will permit a person to bring the boat to a stop within the assured clear distance ahead.

Enroll in a boater education course. For information on classroom, video or online course options, please contact TPWD at (800) 792-1112.

Boating infractions such as speeding or boating under the influence of alcohol can be enforced by TPWD game wardens or county sheriff’s deputies.

The GBRA was established by the Texas Legislature in 1933 as a water conservation and reclamation district. GBRA provides stewardship for the water resources in its 10-county statutory district, which begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers, ends at San Antonio Bay, and includes Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, DeWitt, Victoria, Calhoun, and Refugio counties.

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More from Community News.

The 2013-14 BHS Varsity Cheerleaders attended UCA Cheer Camp at the University of Texas.

The girls won several honors including Superior Home Routine, Superior Fight Song, Superior Xtreme Routine, Outstanding Cheer Squad at Camp, and they brought home the spirit stick every night.

They also won the Best Costume Award for the “Retro” camp theme. The girls rocked the house with their rendition of KISS!

Danielle Oliver and Annabeth Griffin made All-American and Danielle was invited to try out for a UCA instructor.

Kasie Dowdy got both Superior and Excellent awards for Mascot and won the Mascot Spirit Stick as well.

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More from School.

Back Row L-R: Francis, Head Librarian Crystal Spybuck, and Olga Ibarra. Third Row L-R: Nezzie and McKenna. Second Row L-R: Landon, Andrea, Townes, Celeste, and Natalie. Front Row L-R: Kylie, Calla and Ariana. Not Pictured: Pete.

The Tejanito’s Art Classes at the Blanco Library have been busy and fun. The 6-11 age children are putting their talents to work, starting with painting flags for the 4th of July.

They are also doing oil paintings on canvas, using their imagination and a lot of confidence.

A display of the kid’s art is being planned for September.

The Blanco Library is an asset to our community and a great place for the artists of all ages to come together.

For questions, Please call Mrs. Olga Ibarra at 830-833-1966.

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More from Community News.

In 1942 Congress passed a joint resolution summarizing the rules for display of the flag. The Federal Flag Code does not proscribe any behavior: it is merely a codification of customs and traditions. Section 176, Respect for flag reads:

“No disrespect should be allowed to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.

“(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

“(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

“(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

“(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

“(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.

“(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

“(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.

“(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

“(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

“(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin, being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

“(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

The flag of the United States is much more than just red, white and blue cloth. As the symbol of America, it stands for the past, present, and future of our country. It represents our people, our land, and our many ways of life.

The flag may be carried on a staff in parades, at meetings, and during other ceremonies and patriotic events. Displayed from a staff in an auditorium or place of worship, the flag of the United States of America holds the position of honor to the right of the speaker as he or she faces the audience. Any other flag should be placed to the speaker’s left.

When displaying a flag horizontally or vertically against a wall, the blue field should be at the top and at the flag’s own right (to your left as you look at the flag). To display a flag over a street, it should hang vertically with the blue field to the north on an east-west street or to the east on a north-south street.

During the War of 1812, a British fleet attacked Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland. A young man named Francis Scott Key watched as the bombardment lasted through the night. He did not know if the American fortress could withstand the assault.

When the smoke cleared the next morning, Key saw the United States flag—the Star Spangled Banner—still flying over the fort. He wrote down feelings he’d had during the night and his trust in America’s future in a poem he called, “Defence of Fort McHenry.” Soon the words were being sung throughout the country. Francis Scott Key had written lyrics to the song that has become known as “The Star-Spangled Banner”—our national anthem:

“Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming? And the Rockets’ red glare, the Bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our Flag was still there; O! say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave, o’er the Land of the free, and the home of the brave?”

(Comments? mustardseeds101@yahoo.com)

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More from Mustard Seeds.

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry on June 26 summoned lawmakers back to Austin for a second special session of the Texas Legislature to begin July 1. Perry ordered lawmakers to write and pass legislation to do three things:

• Regulate abortion procedures, providers and facilities.

• Fund transportation infrastructure projects.

• Establish a mandatory sentence of life with parole for a capital felony committed by a 17-year-old offender.

Perry’s first called session ended on June 25 with Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, talking to death SB 5, legislation to increase state regulation of women’s health care and access to abortion services in particular. Davis’s 11-hour filibuster was augmented by motions and questions of parliamentary procedure by Sens. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, Judith Zaffirini of Laredo, Kirk Watson of Austin, John Whitmire of Houston and other Democrats.

A crowd filled the gallery and corridors in support of Sen. Davis’s filibuster, chanting loudly enough to create confusion on the Senate floor as midnight approached. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, called SB 5 to a vote just before midnight, but the 19-10 vote was not finalized until 12:03 a.m. on June 26. The filibuster —nonstop talking with no breaks — and the slowed-down vote had eaten up the clock, causing other legislation on the brink of final passage to die at midnight along with SB 5.

Davis’s success in temporarily stopping SB 5 drew national and world attention, but Perry, determined to push through his agenda with the long-held advantage of a Republican-controlled Legislature, reissued his call for lawmakers to take up to another 30 days to pass the same set of bills that had just withered.

Voter ID law to take effect

On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court released its ruling in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, Attorney General et al., a case calling into question the constitutionality of Section 4 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, a formula for determining which states or jurisdictions are held to a higher degree of scrutiny because of their history of racial discrimination.

Texas and other covered jurisdictions, as a result of the ruling, are no longer required to obtain federal judicial “preclearance” of election laws. Attorney General Greg Abbott hailed the ruling, saying the Texas voter ID law and the redistricting maps passed by the Texas Legislature during the first special session and signed into law by the governor on June 26 immediately go into effect.

“Today’s ruling does not abolish the Voting Rights Act,” Abbott commented. “All states, including Texas, continue to be subject to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution, which prohibit racial discrimination nationwide,” he added. Meanwhile, Texas’ chief elections officer, Secretary of State John Steen, said photo identification will now be required when voting in Texas elections. A voter must show one of the following forms of photo identification at the polling location before being permitted to cast a vote: a Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public

Safety, a Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS, a Texas personal identification card issued by DPS, a Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS, a U.S. military identification card containing the person’s photograph, a U.S. citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph, or a U.S. passport.

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 60 days before being presented at the polling place, Steen added.

SCOTUS remands UT case

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-1 decision published June 24 sent the civil rights case Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans for reconsideration. The high court ruled the Fifth Circuit erred in granting summary judgment to the university, and, attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the university’s use of race in its student admissions policy violated the “equal protection” clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Crime rate drops in 2012

Texas Department of Public Safety on June 26 announced that the overall major crime rate in Texas has dropped, while the actual number of violent crimes committed in Texas increased. Statistics in the agency’s 2012 uniform crime rate report show the number of crimes per 100,000 people in Texas decreased by 3 percent in 2012 compared to 2011 but the actual number of crimes compared from one year to the next reflect a 1.2 percent increase in violent crimes over the same period.

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More from Regional News.

German inscription found on the floor joists above the Old Blanco Courthouse Office 102. “Geht Nach Der Galrasieu Lumber Co, Austin, Das Beste Bauholz Fur Das Wenigste Geld” translates in English to “Go to the Galrasieu Lumber Co, Austin, The Best Lumber for the Least Money”

Blanco is home to a hand full of historic homes, buildings, icons and landmarks, but some residents may be concerned that some of these pieces of history are slowly disappearing. Could that ever happen here, as is many places nationwide?

Some of the buildings in the town’s square area have been quietly deteriorating and may be facing demolition. Is this really true? Take a walk, take a hard look; you decide.

Time, simple neglect, and natural decay doom some. Stones, mortar, windmills, and boards can be replaced; but it’s all the memories that go with it, that can also go away. Well, if you let them.

Small farm houses inside the city limits, barns, windmills and other ordinary items provide important insight into the everyday lives of settlers struggling to survive on the unforgiving landscape deep inside of Texas.

Remember the TV program ‘If Walls Could Talk’ (HGTV series). This was an award-winning series profiles homeowners from across the country who renovated their historic homes and uncovered unusual stories and valuable objects along the way. From century-old diaries, to rare coins, even an unopened bank vault. These unexpected discoveries are a lesson in history for thrilled homeowners.

A local example is a German inscription on the floor joists above the Old Blanco Courthouse Office 102, found during the restoration in winter of 2012. Translated to english it reads, “Go to the Galrasieu Lumber Co, Austin, The Best Lumber for the Least Money.

Here are some Web sites to keep you in touch: www.blancoguide.com, www.blancochamber.com, www.cityofblanco.com.

The Historic Preservation Commission meets on the last Monday of the month at the Byars House. The Design Guidelines draft is online: blancoguide.com/design/.

Rudy Nino, is a builder-member of the Blanco’s Historic Preservation Commission and a central Texas remodeler.

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More from Community News.

Congratulations to Keirsten Sauceda for being crowned Little Miss Texas State Queen at the Texas Choice Pageants - State Pageant. The Pageant was held on June 15 & 16, 2013 in San Marcos, TX.

Keirsten is the daughter of Martin & Tracy Sauceda of Blanco.

She competed in the Formal Wear, Portfolio, Personal Introduction & Fresh Face competitions. She won Best Dressed in the Formal wear & Intro, awarded the Texas State Hostess title and Spirit award.

Texas Choice Pageants is a natural pageant system and believes in building self-confidence and looks for a “natural” contestant where poise and personality are ideal.

Keirsten is truly honored to hold this title and looks forward to volunteering within her community and at future pageants. Keirsten will go on to compete at Nationals in August.

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More from Announcements.

Celebrate the Independence Day weekend in Fredericksburg on Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7, with live pari-mutuel horse racing and an evening concert and dance at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds.

Sponsored by the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association, the two-day July Fourth Weekend Racing Festival kicks off the eight-day 2013 summer racing season at the fair grounds.

Featured will be thoroughbred and quarter horse racing on Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7, at the five-eighths mile oval at the Class III track.

Gates open at 11 a.m. and post time is 1 p.m. daily.

On Saturday, July 6, Fiesta de la Musica will be performing on the open air pavilion starting at 8:30 p.m. Featured will be David Lee Garza and Los Hermanos Farias.

Admission to the race meet is $5 for adults (ages 16 and up), $3 for children 6 to 15 years of age and free for children under 6 years. Box seats are available in the grandstands for the races at $9 each.

Admission to the dance is $12 in advance or $15 at the gate.

An all-day pass for Saturday, July 6, is available for $15.

A summer season pass, which is good for all fair association-sponsored events at the fair grounds this summer, is available for $35 each.

Highlighting the racing program on Saturday, July 6, will the Texas Quarter Horse Association Futurity Trials. Finals for that 350-yard race will be run on July 20.

Also on the weekend’s program is the 440-yard Hill Country Dash on Sunday, July 7. Also that day will be the Gillespie County Fair Association Maiden Challenge Trials. The finals for that 350-yard race will be run July 21.

In addition to live racing, simulcast wagering is offered in the Biergarten at the fair grounds and at The Race Barn, located at the main entrance to the fair grounds.

The July Fourth Racing Festival opens the eight-day summer season at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds.

After the July 4th Racing Festival, the season continues with the Fredericksburg Texas Fest Race Meet on July 20-21, the Gillespie County Race Meet on Aug. 10-11 and on Aug. 24-25 as part of the 125th Gillespie County Fair, which runs Aug. Aug. 22-25.

The Texas Fest weekend will also include the Texas Fest Chili Cook-Off on Saturday and Sunday, July 20-21. The cook-off is CASI sanctioned, and is open to anyone interested in cooking.

More information on the cook-off is available by contacting Kim Hiley at kdhiley@yahoo.com or calling her at 210-286-4275.

Texas Fest weekend coincides with the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce’s Night In Old Fredericksburg celebration on Marktplatz on Friday and Saturday, July 19-20. Those who get a wristband with paid admission at either event will get into the other event free.

Special entertainment has also been planned for the 125th Gillespie County Fair, which runs Aug. 22-25.

Featured on Friday night, Aug. 23, will be Darrell McCall and Friends. General admission on Aug. 23 is $5 before 6 p.m. and $10 after 6 p.m. School children and senior citizens are admitted free that day.

On Saturday, Aug. 24, the featured entertainers are John Anderson and Cody Johnson. Admission on Aug. 24 before 6 p.m. is $5 for adults (16 and up), $3 for youth ages 6 to 15 years and free for children under 6. Box seats for the races are $9. After 6 p.m. on Aug. 24, admission is $15 for adults (16 and up), $3 for youth ages 6 to 15 years and free for children under 6.

After the summer racing season concludes, the Fair Association will be sponsoring the Fredericksburg Professional Bull Riding on Saturday, Sept. 14. Tickets are now on sale by contacting the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association.

The Gillespie County Fair Grounds is located approximately two miles south of Fredericksburg on Texas Highway 16 South (Kerrville Highway).

For more information on the upcoming live pari-mutuel horse racing season, the season passes or any of the upcoming events, call the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association at 830-997-2359 or visit their website at www.gillespiefair.com.

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William Edward Jones, 43, was arrested Friday evening around 11pm by Blanco County Sheriff’s Department Deputies Thomas Broy Les and John Livingston. Jones was arrested on charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamines, a 2nd degree felony, according to Lt. Bob Shelton of the Blanco Sheriff’s office. Jones had been out on parole. Lt. Shelton also informed us that Jone’s vehicle and $2,000 in cash are being seized as an asset forfeiture by the District Attorney's Office.

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Art workshop led by Ellen Murray.

Blanco Performing Arts held their 2nd Annual Kids’ Art Festival at the Uptown Blanco courtyard on Saturday, June 29. The festival was geared towards teaching children that real people make art.

Thirty-six children, ages 6-12, participated in painting, dancing, and dramatic storytelling, all inspired by the musical program of pianist Carla McElhaney.

In the closing segment, artist Ellen Murray painted as Ms. McElhaney played and the children all joined together in a group dance.

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Pictured from left to right are: Phyllis Hill Edmondson, Diane Hill Reid, Myrna Hill Montgomery and Julie Hill Swofford.

On June 22, 2013 at the annual Trainer Reunion held at the Masonic Lodge in Blanco, four Trainer descendants signed documents to join The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, an association dedicated to the memory of Texas pioneer families. They qualified to join the organization through ancestor Sarah Jane Page Trainer, a true daughter of the Republic of Texas. One of her descendants was Susie Trainer, who was the great-grandmother to these four ladies.

Phyllis is the daughter of the late Orville Hill, Diane and Myrna are the daughters of the late Morrace Hill, and Julie is the daughter of the late Wilbur Hill.

Not pictured is another qualified cousin, Lynette Hill Barnes, who is the daughter of the late Lindell Hill.

These four men were the sons of Eula Trainer Cunningham and the grandsons of Susie and W.P. Trainer.

Also being added soon are the daughters and granddaughters of the group.

The new members were aided in this process by, and wish to thank, Daughters of the Republic of Texas members Christine Bushong, Sherry Jenkins, Susan Summers, and Dana LeBlanc.

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The library has been upgrading thanks to the Tocker Foundation. You may have seen the new furniture in the Teen section and the new computer desks in the Children’s section.

The Tocker Foundation began in 1964 to implement the philanthropic interests of Phillip and Olive Tocker. After years of supporting a wide range of community-based causes, the foundation discovered a need in small, rural, Texas libraries serving populations of 12,000 or less.

The Tocker foundation focuses on a wide range of ways to support rural libraries, everything from material to digital resources.

The library requested funds to make our library physically more comfortable for our patrons and improve our digital service to our community.

When you check out our website, you will see that we have upgraded our catalog to Apollo. Some people will be familiar with this system since Bulverde Spring Branch Library and Johnson City Library already uses this system too.

New features of Apollo include: the ability to receive text or email notices 3 days before your items are due, select your favorite authors to automatically join the hold queue whenever we get one of their books in, and renew your items online.

Check out our website and future articles for further updates!

Special Announcement: The Library will be closed Thursday July 4th for the holiday. We wish you and yours a happy and safe holiday!

The Blanco Library needs your help! We need front desk volunteers for Friday mornings 10-1pm and Friday afternoon 1-3pm. If you are interested in any of these positions, please come into the library and fill out an application. Be sure to let us know which one of these volunteer availabilities you want.

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

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July hit with a fiery 100 degrees plus. We will need to scramble to keep the gardens producing.

This is not the best time to plant shade, fruit or ornamental trees, but it is the best time if you want to move or plant palms. You can plant or move sagos, windmill palms, Sabal or Mexican Fan Palm. They need to be dug, planted or transplanted in the hot season. Most of the palms are winter-hardy in our area but Sago Palm should be covered when the temperature falls to 20 degrees.

You may continue to plant nursery stock this month, trees and shrubs, but you will need to be constantly aware of the water and nutrient needs of the plants, plus 2-4 inches of mulch to maintain moisture and control weeds.

Fall gardens should be started this month. Transplants should be arriving in the nurseries very soon. Plant tomatoes, peppers, okra, corn, squash, black eyed peas, crowder peas and cream peas.

Late summer gardens bring back fond memories. Friends and family sitting on a porch shelling peas and visiting. Peas served with corn bread, fresh corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh onions. Makes one hungry!

During this time, onions and garlic should have finished their growing cycle. As soon as the tops fall over they can be pulled. Braid or tie the top and hang them in a cool place to dry.

Insects to watch for include spider mites, whitefly, webworms, aphids and grasshoppers. Treat with a contact insecticide. You can use Sinosade or Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT). Your nursery person will be able to help you. Always read instructions and apply accordingly.

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The First Annual Blanco Youth Football League BBQ Cook-Off, held June 20-22, was a weekend full of fun, good food and great music. The fundraiser was put on to help offset the cost of equipment and other expenses for our young athletes. Without the hard work of the BYFL board planning and putting on events like this, the cost for participation in our football and cheer programs would increase each year. Our goal is to make it affordable for every kid to participate.

Hosted at Yett Park, the weekend started with cook teams starting to set up on Thursday, and the first of the competitions, the Margarita and Cook’s Choice. Our judges came prepared to taste some delicious fare, but they were not prepared for the hard task of actually picking out the best team!

For the kids, a movie was shown under the pavilion, with popcorn and snow cones freshly made to order. A bouncy castle kept them entertain until the film started rolling. We also held our first Kid’s Hamburger Competition, and you can ask any of the judges – it was a super close call!

As darkness settled over the park, and cook teams fired up their grills for the competition on Saturday, camps filled and families and friends gathered to enjoy the wonderful breeze that kept extreme temperatures away. One camp, run by the Harvest House team, came ready to entertain, and from what I hear, there were some pretty talented singers who showed up at their camp to karaoke under the stars.

Saturday morning, the rest of the competition began. The judges lined up for the first turn-in, and began their day with the Dutch Oven competition. It was pretty amazing to watch twelve people cutting up and chatting away, turn serious as soon as the first tray was opened, and transform into ‘professional tasters’. Tray after tray was served up, beans, chicken, sauce, ribs, and brisket, and each time the judges were handed their score sheets, they got down to business. There were some outstanding plates served up, and I do believe that each judge said they’d be back next year.

The teams that joined us this year were Butcher’s Pride: Thomas Merritt (Head), Jarrod Jones, Savannah Jones, and Virginia Palos, Drunkin’ Unkels: Frank Hodge(Head), Jeff Murk, Fred Murk, and Keith Lamza, Rolling Smoke: Daniel Ridner, Tanya Cardona, Mando Cardona (Head), Evann Ridner, Laura Mancha, 3 Jokers and a Smoker: Roland Mancha (Head), Stella Mancha, Tom Garcia, and Jennifer Mancha, Booze Hounds: Tommy Burten, Brent Mathis, Booze Hounds #2: JR, Brian Marm, and Harvest House: Jimmy Parks, Paul Meurer, Amanda Meurer, and Stephanie Meurer.

At noon, the Washer Tournament began, with ten teams showing up to compete, some traveling from as far away as Kyle! Once the brackets were figured out, play began, and continued until past 4pm, with one of the teams from Kyle taking first prize – congrats Ray and Ronnie!

Rounding out the weekend and the night, was Southern Mix, an awesome local country band that should really be playing on a much bigger stage, but graciously put on a show for the BYFL. If you haven’t seen them, follow them on Facebook and check out where they are playing. You won’t be disappointed.

We are grateful to the businesses who sponsored the Cook-Off; Lowe’s, Rivalry Screen Printing, Petersen's Tire, Aqua Power Cutting, L5 Ranch, and Dirt Works.

As the season gets closer, we will offer opportunities for parents to volunteer to help make BYFL even better; whether it's working in the concession stand to help raise money for the league, or being the Team Mom, we need you! Visit our website atwww.blancoyouthfootball.com and like our Facebook page!

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