July 8, 2009

Llano County celebrated Independence Day in manner befitting the nation's 223rd birthday with parades, games, shows, races, lots of good food and good music, beauty pageants, fun for the kids, all capped off with spectacular displays of fireworks. Large Crowds braved the heat to attend the Rock'n Riverfest in Llano and the 40th annual Aqua Boom festival in Kingsland.

At its regular meeting Monday night, the city council chose Gordon Hefner to fill the seat vacated by Mike Reagor when he was elected mayor. The former TxDOT supervisor and his wife, Barbara, have lived in Llano since 1972; since his retirement in 1993 he has served the city in several capacities, including a previous term as alderman and mayor pro tem.

The Lake Buchanan conservation Corporation (LBCC), a non-profit 501-C3 corporation, will hold its third annual Casino Night fundraiser on Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 6-10 PM. For a $20 donation each player will receive 2500 in play chips for their enjoyment of Blackjack, Craps, and Texas Hold’em Poker. 8 Liners will also be available for play.

Once you’ve visited Enchanted Rock, you never forget the scenic beauty and power of this natural wonder. What would a farm of 400-foot-tall wind turbines do to the unique vista adorned by the dome profile of this pink granite marvel? Junction is known as the “Land of the Living Waters” and is named for the rivers coming together there: the North and South Llano Rivers.

7-on-7 is gone for another year, and varsity football is gone for either that length of time—or forever—at Mustang Stadium at the Marble Falls middle school. The new stadium on the high school campus opens the team’s 2009 regular season late next month. Llano, June 30, met Lampasas in the first of two games on this fifth and final Tuesday of touch football that permitted the pass, the catch, the run after catch, and pass defense. “I thought the kids got better in the league,” head c ...

You’re watching the Thoroughbred closely, whether it’s Mine that Bird or Big Brown or Seabiscuit in the movies; the jockey also commands your attention, from the legends, Eddie Arcaro and Bill Shoemaker, to Steve Cauthen and Calvin Borel; you might quickly examine the silks, the colors, and the incredibly long and gallant strides the horses make. In a span of two minutes or much less, the race is decided, and the odds are probably 20-1 against that you’ve had any reason to concern yourse ...

The coach is certainly a lot more relaxed, and for the kids who think basketball is for all seasons, summer is definitely one of the Final Four of those, and, hey, practice isn’t followed by homework. For four days last month, Llano High and boys’ head coach, Shannon Taylor, hosted second to sixth graders in the morning and seventh to ninth graders, 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. “It’s a fun time for kids,” Taylor said.

I’m guessing that everyone who is reading this column managed to survive the Fourth of July! I walked (or ran) several miles in the hot sun, and by the time the fireworks were over I was thinking I might have done myself some permanent damage. As I write (on Monday), I’m happy to report that after a very quiet Sunday I am suffering only a minor case of shin splints and a slight sunburn.

PUBLIC NOTICE The owner of part of Lot 153, & all of Lots 154 & 155, Greenwood Acres, according to the map or plat recorded in Volume 95, Page 215, of the Llano County Deed Records will submit an application for a re-plat of said properties to be filed in the office of the Llano County Clerk, in a public hearing on July 13th, 2009 at the regularly scheduled Llano County Commissioners Court Meeting. 39.3 PUBLIC NOTICE The owner of Lot 14, Royal Oaks Estates Country Club Addition ...

Lutie Watkins Memorial United Methodist Church sent 37 members on a mission trip to Costa Rica, June 13-21, 2009. This is the fifth mission trip to Costa Rica since 1996, when the church was supporting missionary Ray Zirkel (brother of local church member Louise Forrister). The church has been involved in building churches, parsonages, children’s centers, and helping in other areas of need to build up the church of God in the country of Costa Rica. The first full day of this trip to Costa R ...

After a slowdown in foreclosure filings during May, when only 16 notices were filed, June heated up with 32 foreclosure notices filed with the Llano County Clerk’s Office. For the first six months of this year, 170 foreclosure notices have been filed on Llano County properties, up from 96 for the same period in 2008, and 46 in 2007. Lenders and borrowers have also dramatically increased the use of Deeds in Lieu of Foreclosure for distressed properties.