Editorials

Dear Editor, As you know, the Friends of the Llano Red Top Jail was formed 2 years ago and we have really accomplished a lot. We are working on structural repairs for the old jail, as we pursue fundraising activities and community outreach projects. However, we are in need of some thoughtful insight as to how to further grow our group.

Here I am, back in spite of popular demand! The Fall 2010 issue of the Texas Hill Country magazine is now at the printers, and copies should be available sometime next week. I think everyone in Llano County should enjoy reading it; it has at least passing mentions of Llano County on 28 of the 96 pages, and quite a few more stories from neighboring counties like San Saba, Burnet, Blanco, Gillespie and Mason.

I attended the August 12th meeting at the LanTex regarding the Historical Preservation Zoning Ordinance. My family has owned property on the square for over 70 years. Eight years ago we bought an additional historic building on the square. After listening to the presentation I am in favor of the proposed ordinance.

Dear Editor, My name is Mary and while visiting my daughter and grandchildren in Llano, TX my Pekingese mix dog named Munchee was shot by a neighbor who lives next door from my daughter that afternoon on August 2, 2010. Munchee was scratching the door to go outside not knowing that the front gate was left open, Munchee wandered out the gate.

Dear Editor, We received the letter from the City of Llano regarding the meeting to be held on Thursday, August 12, 2010. Unfortunately, we will not be able to attend the meeting but thought we could supply our support of retaining the Historic District ordinance with this email. We fell in love with Llano a long time ago due to the town’s originality and historic feel.

by John Hallowell I am a very prolific writer; week in and week out (whether or not I have anything to say), I churn out thousands of words. Unfortunately, quantity sometimes comes at the expense of quality; when I wake up Tuesday morning with five stories to write before noon (as I did last week), I leave some things out and phrase other things poorly.

I’m not sure whether to try to blame my magazine, or Hammerfest, the commissioners court, the city council, the school administrators or my daughter, Amanda (they all took quite a bit of my time this past week), but I got a long way behind schedule, and never did find time to do a history column.

I don’t know how many of my readers knew Jason Holbrook. I met him once or twice when he was in high school in Burnet, then did a story for the Burnet Bulletin when he was accepted into West Point. He didn’t have an easy time there, and was seriously considering quitting during his second year there.

It’s been an amazing week for me; the only downside is that I haven’t been able to keep up with everything. Since I wrote my last column, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting two of Texas’ living legends (Ray Price and Red Steagall), re-meeting columnist John Kelso (who got me started in this business 14 years ago) and visiting with several of the inductees of the Frontier Times Museum’s “Texas Heroes Hall of Honor” and quite a few members of the Spoiled ...

Wikipedia says that “bypass of more than four coronary arteries is uncommon.” I know that Wikipedia is not always exactly right, but it knows a whole lot more than I do about heart surgery. That’s why it seems particularly alarming to hear that two people who I consider friends (one is musician Danny Brooks) have had five and six coronary arteries (respectively) bypassed this week. To my relief (although I don’t really understand how it could be true), Wikipedi ...