February 24, 2010

Llano County became a winter wonderland as fluffy snowflakes fell gently from the sky Tuesday morning to wrap the Hill Country in a cozy white blanket. Local schools, governments and businesses remained open as the temperatures stayed above the freezing point, but gazing out the window at Mother Nature’s beauty was unavoidable.

Three positions on the Llano City Council are up for election this spring. The deadline to file an application to run for a council seat is March 8 for the May 8 general election. The positions currently held by Mike Hazel, LaNell McKinney and Gordon Hefner are up for election this year.

The Llano city council moved efficiently through a short agenda last Tuesday night, with repairs to the water filtering system the main topic of conversation. Mayor Reagor also noted that the city has scheduled a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the latest FEMA flood plain map, to be held at the Lantex Theater at 6 p.m.

Voter turnout was been slow during the first week of early voting in the Republican and Democratic primaries in Llano County, according to Candy Kokernot, Llano County Elections Administrator. A total of 897 (approximately 6%) of the county’s 13,936 voters went to the polls between the first day of early voting on Feb.

District Judge Dan Mills upheld a municipality’s sovereign immunity protection from being sued by dismissing a lawsuit filed by two couples against the City of Horseshoe Bay which alleged smoke and soot from burning yard waste at the city’s Reclamation Center harmed their homes. The Plaintiffs’ suit against HSB for damages related to four separate fires — three controlled burns set by the city and one of unknown origin.

In a story last week about the contested local races in the primary, we should have stated that Jesse James served as a Llano County Commissioner from 1990 – 1994. James, Marvin Gray, Paul Green and Linda Raschke are running to become the Republican candidate for Precinct 2 Commissioner, the seat being vacated by retiring Commissioner Henry Parker.

City Manager Finley de Graffenried told the Llano Economic Development Corporation that Zeecon subcontractors need “about twelve good days” to complete the fiber-optic line which will bring high-speed internet to Llano. About four miles of line remain to be run, but line crews have been stuck in the mud several times along the route from Llano to Cherokee.

A speeding pick-up truck ran into Cary Otto’s Farmer’s Insurance office last Sunday night, moving the small building about a foot off its foundation and breaking water and sewer lines under the building. “The truck was coming down Chattanooga Street at a high rate of speed,” Otto reported. It came sliding across the yard, and hit the end of the building sideways.” The impact reportedly broke a wheel off the truck, and several people were apparently trying to rem ...

In some ways, it was a microcosm of the losses in the season—a lead writers use when they can’t come up with anything original. The Llano Lady Jackets, who can make a lot of free throws, had an average night at the line. They can score, but were subpar from the field.

14 signs off. 15 is the nasty number now. The Llano basketball boys had a pair of opportunities to reach the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, but there would be no more wins this season. On February 16, the Jackets could have wrapped up third place in district 8-3A, but Vandegrift posted a monster 25 points in the fourth quarter and downed Llano on the road, 55-42. That set up a three-way play-in among those schools and Rouse.

When all the ballots had been tallied, Llano High School’s Cross Examination (CX) Debate Team of sophomore Kaitlin Hairston and senior Will Cohen topped the teams with a perfect 5-0 total, capturing the gold medal. Burnet’s CX Debate Team finished right behind Llano, as they did a year ago. However, finishing with a 3-2 record was Llano’s novice team, sophomore Tim Hansen and freshman Jacob Beasley, who finished with the bronze.

The strength of the Llano High School boys’ track team in 2010 will be the middle-distance runners and the discus and shot put throwers. The runners, February 20, took their first strides toward what they hope is a lane assignment at Mike Myers Stadium in mid-May. “It was a good day,” Marcos Vallejo reported.

It was like a preseason football scrimmage—no big deal. But to athletes, competition is always a big deal, and the Llano girls ran through the light rain and chill—and tossed those metals—to record an excellent showing in the Marble Falls Daybreak Relays, February 20. Opening Day for Track and Field, 2010. “It was a great start,” head coach Shaun Carter said.

First, the good news: I finally got the Spring 2010 edition of my Texas Hill Country magazine safely to the printers! There are all kinds of good things in it, including quite a few Llano-related items, and we should have actual magazines sometime next week. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I spent almost all my waking hours (and most of my hours were waking hours!) focused on the magazine.

Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission by Lost Creek Vineyard, L.L.C. dba Lost Creek Vineyard for a mixed beverage restaurant permit with food & beverage certificate to be located at 1129 RR 2323, Llano, Llano County, Texas. The limited liability company has no manager, and its sole member is David Wayne Brinkman.

The City Council of Horseshoe Bay will conduct a public hearing on March 16, 2010 as part of its regular city council meeting agenda that will commence at 3:00 p.m. at City Hall, #1 Community Drive, Horseshoe Bay, Texas, to receive public comment on extending the temporary moratorium on new construction in Zone 13, CapRock and for Tract BBB-2A of Zone 14 HSB Boulevard Zone, both as defined in the City’s Comprehensive Development Plan applicable to development of real property for agric ...

Sale is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 12, 2010 at 125 FM 2323 in Llano, Texas. Property will be sold to the highest bidder for cash. Cleanup and removal deposit will be required. Seller reserves the right to withdraw property from sale. Property includes contents of household goods, furniture and miscellaneous of the following tenants and will be sold as units: Gary Maynard, Units #234 & 619.

Sale is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 12, 2010 at 125 FM 2323 in Llano, Texas. Property will be sold to the highest bidder for cash. Cleanup and removal deposit will be required. Seller reserves the right to withdraw property from sale. Property includes contents of household goods, furniture and miscellaneous of the following tenants and will be sold as units: Velma Kelly, Unit #502.

Sale is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 12, 2010 at 125 FM 2323 in Llano, Texas. Property will be sold to the highest bidder for cash. Cleanup and removal deposit will be required. Seller reserves the right to withdraw property from sale. Property includes contents of household goods, furniture and miscellaneous of the following tenants and will be sold as units: Angela Nelson, Unit # 402.

There will be a hearing concerning the Replat of Tracts G & F, Vista Encantada, according to the plat recorded in Volume 16, Page 61, Llano County Plat Records, at the regularly scheduled Commissioners Court meeting on March 8, 2010.

Let it be known that as of today, February 19,2010, notice is being posted to the public that two landowners of Precinct One will petition the Llano Count Commissioner’s Court to accept a petition to discontinue, abandon, and vacate a portion of Granite Loop in Oak Ridge Estates Unit-1. The portion of the street requested to be abandoned and vacated starts at Oak Rock Point and continues west for approximately 145.83 feet. This was a dedicated street in the original plat ...

There will be a public hearing concerning the plat to be known as Horseshoe Bay West, Plat No. W 2.9, a replat of lots W 2068 and W 2069, Horseshoe Bay West Plat No. W 2.2, at the regularly scheduled City of Horseshoe Bay City Council meeting on March 16, 2010 at 3:00 p.m., followed by discussion and action on the same.

There will be a public hearing concerning the replat to be known as Horseshoe Bay Plat No. 43033A, a replat of Lot No. 43032-B, Horseshoe Bay Plat No. 43.2 and Lot No. 43033-C, Horseshoe Bay Plat No. 43.33 at the regularly scheduled City of Horseshoe Bay city council meeting on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 3.00 p.m., followed by discussion and action on the same.

Properties acquired by Llano County, as trustee for itself and other taxing entities in Llano County, through tax foreclosure sales are being offered for resale to the public through a sealed bid auction. A summary list of the properties being auctioned follows. These properties are being offered for sale as is, without warranty of title of any type.

Billy Fred Mitchell, 85, of Temple, formerly of Kingsland and Lockhart, passed at the VA Care Home in Temple on Feb. 10, 2010. He was born to Joseph G. and Abbie W. (Richardson) Mitchell on Sept. 25, 1924 in Irene. Billy earned a BS Degree from Baylor and worked as a production clerk with Mobile Oil for 35 years. Mr.

Bobie Jo Bell, age 75, was called away to be with her Lord on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2010 at her home with her family at her side. She was born Oct. 27, 1934 to Bob and Lorene (Coots) Riley in McCulloch County. On July 9, 1957 she married Bill, the love of her life.

Carmen Pennington, of Llano, passed away at Tristar Care Center on Monday, Feb. 15, at the age of 68. Carmen was born Carmen May Cornelius to Porter and Virgie Cornelius (Lewis) on May 29, 1941 in Llano. She graduated from Llano High School in 1959. Dale picked her out of the school annual when he was at A&M and went to Llano to meet her.

Ella Claire was born in Llano on Oct. 7, 1917 to Luella (Ratliff) Ligon and Walter Hiram Ligon. She passed away Feb. 21, 2010 at the age of 92. She is survived by her two daughters; Barbara Bruhl Doyle and late husband Pat, of Llano and Kenda Bruhl Steubing and husband Garnet, of San Antonio, also six grandchildren: Ken Williamson of Llano, Kasi VanBevers and husband Don of Waxahachie, Kole Steubing and wife Amy of Frisco, Kelli Steen and husband Kevin of Boerne, P.

James Alexander Hall passed away at the age of 65 on Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. He was born on July 26, 1944 in Sweetwater. James was a member of Highland Heights United Methodist Church. He was a 1963 graduate of Sweetwater Newman High School. He worked and retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone Company on June 16, 2000 after working there over 35 years. He lived in Midland several years before moving back to Sweetwater about 10 years ago. Survivors include his two sons: ...

Joe Trotter, Sr., age 80 of Llano formerly of Granbury passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010. He was born on March 8, 1929 in Kaufman to Doris (Srader) Trotter and Wilborn Trotter. Joe and wife, Linda, married Dec. 26, 1980, in Glen Rose moving to Llano in 1994. Joe was a master plumber and pipe fitter for Brown and Root for 16 years.

Mabel Baker, age 76 of Tow formerly of Houston, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. She was born on Sept. 29, 1933 in Salyersville, Ky. to Eliza (McGuire) Arnett & Hargis Arnett. Survivors include four daughters: Brenda Stewart and husband Eddie of Houston, Lynda Harrington and husband Tommy of Tomball; Kay Ruch and husband David of Tomball, Diane Adamson of Tow.

Willis Ray (Rusty) McPherson passed away on Feb. 8, 2010, in Brownwood Regional Medical Center. Rusty McPherson was born in Bell County, to Samuel Grant and Ruby (Cooper) McPherson on March 27, 1933. He married Reba June Brodie on June 24, 1955, in Fort Worth. Rusty joined the Navy in 1951 and served in the Korean War.

O.K. McDonald was born January 31, 1880, in Coryell County. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Tow Valley, near the west bank of the Colorado River, in Llano County. He started a journal in 1964, recording his memories for posterity. His daughter Ida Zula McDonald Faris, who edited the journal, had this disclaimer for readers: “This journal should be read with the knowledge that it is his memories when he was older, and has been published intact with no attempt to verify or ...

On Saturday, March 13, 2010 the 700 Springs Ranch will welcome visitors who want to see the beautiful springs that feed the South Llano River with crystal clear water. Llano City citizens rely on these and other springs in the area as the most improtant source of their municipal water supply. The tour will begin promptly at 10:00am at the Kimble County Courthouse in Junction with a 20 minute motorcade to the ranch.

AARP will be presenting the Driver Safety Classes in the Highland Lakes area during the first two weeks of March. The following is a schedule of the classes and contact information. AARP is pleased to announce the New 4 HOUR version of the Driver Safety Class will be held in the following towns.

Alpha Chi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International met for the February meeting at the Lutheran Church in Burnet. The Alpha Chi chapter includes women educators from Burnet, Llano and Marble Falls. The program Speaking of Lavender was presented by Chelita Riley. Chelita and her husband Tex own a lavender farm near Johnson City.

Ron Stone got a very late start in Art. Born in Austin and raised in San Antonio until he was nine, he lived in Panama during the war and returned to the states in 1945. Flying solo at the age of fifteen, he joined the Navy in 1951 and flew all over Europe, Asia, Africa, Newfoundland, and Korea in a Navy Patrol Airplane.

This year’s Annual Souper Supper hosted by the Friends of the Llano Library turned into a friendly competition for a few and an all out smack down between a couple of Friends members to see whose soup is the best. After a fun evening of guests sampling the soups, the pots were empty and $344 was raised for new furnishings for the Tween Area.

I’m late! I’m late for a very important date. That may have been all right for the White Rabbit, but don’t let lateness keep you from entering the Wonderland of Master Gardening. Starting Wednesday, March 10, 2010 and hopping along to May 19, 2010, the Llano Master Gardener Association and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service will be presenting training leading to certification as a Texas Master Gardener.