November 19, 2009

On Saturday, November 7th, the San Saba County Chamber of Commerce held the drawing for the Polaris Ranger at Hamrick’s Automotive Customer Appreciation Day. Pictured with the Polaris are Chamber Directors T. Noel Wood and Patsy Kirk. The lucky winner was Roy Fischer (not pictured) from Cherokee. The Chamber would like to thank everyone that participated in this fundraiser and to Lee Hoffpauir for his support of this project.

The San Saba City Council held a regular monthly meeting on Monday, November 16th at 6 p.m. Mayor Ken Jordan called the meeting to order and announced a quorum present followed by the invocation and pledges to the American and Texas flags. Buddy Whitley received the Joe Ragsdale Employee of the month award for November.Whitley was nominated by his co-workers and supervisor for this honor.

November 11th is stated to be celebrated as Veterans Day. Federal and State agencys closed and it is a designated day for flags to be flying. For the Veterans, it is a time to remember some things they would rather forget because the memory is terrifying. However, we should not forget their sacrifice as they served their country - some in wartime and others prepared and ready to defend and help. San Saba Elementary School invited Veterans for breakfast at 7am and a progr ...

Billy Graham once said “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” San Sabans recently showed their courage by filing hundreds of protests and comment letters with the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC). The issue that stiffened San Saba’s collective spine is the high-voltage transmission line proposed by Oncor Electric Delivery Company.

Congressman Mike Conaway met with constituents at an open discussion regarding our health care system and other pressing issues facing our country on Friday, November 13th at 1:15 to 2:00 p.m. in the San Saba County Courtroom. Conaway is against Speaker Pelosi’s 1,990 page government takeover of our health care system plan.

A free Community-Wide Thanksgiving Dinner will be held Thanksgiving Day, the 26th, At The Father's House from 11:00 - 1:00. Everyone is invited. Volunteers are greatly needed along with donations of homemade pies. Pies may be dropped off at The Father's House Fellowship Hall Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. Delivery will be available for those without transportation or are unable to come in person.

The Mesquite Cemetery Association gratefully acknowledges the following donations and memorials made from 2006-2009. These gifts are used for the upkeep of the historic Mesquite Cemetery which was established in 1885. Blackwood Family - Cliffair Lummus, James Day Bolinger Family- Robert Bolinger, Christena Bolinger Flannery, Vera & Jim Ralston, Veleta & Charles Mixon, Dwight Bolinger, Flo Atchison Deaver Family- Peggy Smith, Vicky & Jerry Deaver Edmondson Family- R.C.

(Kerrville, TX) – A Christmas Party with lavish holiday costumes at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Stalhbaum will begin the traditional festive journey of the world’s most popular holiday production, The Nutcracker. As the story continues through a battle of soldiers and rats, in which The Nutcracker prevails, snow begins to fall as you are transported to the Land of Sweets, presided over by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

REVELATION: 13:5-8 (Please read from your Bible to save space. These verses describe the coming of the anti-christ, who will come before Jesus Christ, he will blaspheme God and all in heaven, make war against the saints and overcome them, will reign for 42 months, and all will worship him who are not true Christians). The great almighty GOD will permit Satan as an anti-christ to have a short reign at the end of this world age.

Getting kids to eat vegetables and other new foods can be difficult. Research shows that often it takes someone tasting a food 10 to 15 times before they decide they like it. That requires some patience and sometimes being a little sneaky, too. Put new foods together with favorites and keep the portions small.

The Baptist Church will have a Thanksgiving meal following church services on Sunday, November 22. Everyone is invited. Funeral services for Elaine Perry were held in Stephenville last Sunday. Elaine is the Mother of Chris Perry. We extend our sympathy to Charles, Chris and family. Charles Perry had surgery in the Llano Hospital last Friday.

It was tragic. Recently we were all horror-stricken to hear that a gunman was shooting people on an army base. The army base, Fort Hood, is the biggest we have and close to us. Thirteen people died. Thirty were wounded. Families were shattered. Emotions of grief were exhibited by all that heard of it.

25 Years Ago November 15, 1984 The San Saba Ministerial Alliance has set November 20, as the day for the community Thanksgiving Service to be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 7 p.m. The service will include an intercongregational choir directed by Ken Ripley, San Saba High School Band director. 'Bo Brady', Peter Reckell, star of the daytime soap, Days of Our Lives, will make two appearances at the Heartland Mall in Early, Saturday, Nov.

Your son or daughter may be married to one. Your friend or neighbor could be one. That man or woman that works with you may be one. Or, could that man or woman that sits next to you in church be impatiently waiting for the service to end so they can go on with their plans to blow their brains out because they are sick of hurting the people they love?

Sunday was a pretty day, then we woke up Monday to a cold north wind which blew all day. Not a day for outdoor activities as far as I was concerned. We are in a freeze warning tonight. Eight members turned out for the Busy Bee quilters day last Tuesday.

Reading Recommendations: Heart of Dryness, How The Last Bushman Can Help Us Endure the Coming Age of Permanent Drought, James G. Workman "We don't govern water. Water governs us", writes James G. Workman. In Heart of Dryness, he chronicles the memorable saga of the Kalahari Bushmen, remnants of one of the world's most successful civilizations, today at the exact epicenter of Africa's drouth, and their widely publicized recent battle with the government of Botswana.

I would like to introduce myself and tell you what to expect from this column. My name is Cathy Ledbetter and I live on our family’s ranch near the Spring Creek community. The Spring Creek Arts Guild currently exists mostly in my mind and has a membership of between one and four people.

A fellow was leaving a Veterans' Hospital, and a friend said, "I didn't know you were wounded during the war." "I wasn't wounded," he answered. "I was injured." "Which battle?" he asked. "It wasn't in a battle," he said, "I was running from a battle." As it was with him, so it is with the soldiers of the Lord.

Do you experience a lack of self-confidence? A lot of people do. Some folks try to cover it up by acting tough. Others try to compensate by showing off or by wearing flashy clothes. Why is it that people like this, people who have a poor self-image, are too proud to turn to God?

LaFayne Porter reported that her eleven year old great granddaughter Allison Hendrick is developing quite a following. She has been singing the Nation Anthem at the girls volley ball games in Lampasas and at an out of town game at Burnet. Wednesday on Veterans Day she sang at the grand opening at Kempner of the Veterans State Park.

Here we are again, in do or die season. Once again our Coyote players did what they had to do and brought home the win. We thought the score would be 45’d to 0 at the half, but we let our guard down. With little time on the clock, we let them sneak one in for a touchdown.

There’s nothing quite like Texas pride, and there is nothing more Texan than hunting, fishing and the great outdoors. That’s why I am excited to announce the Texas Department of Agriculture’s new GO TEXAN Wildlife Initiative. This new part of the GO TEXAN marketing campaign targets businesses and organizations that focus on wildlife recreation.

As time goes by I think one of the most important things in life is relationships or friends. As one man was describing his two sons he said.“One will make a million dollars and have one friend and the other will make a million friends and have one dollar.” It’s where we put our priorities.

Valerie Cortinovis, Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in San Saba, Texas announced that the 2009 FSA county committee elections have begun as ballots are being mailed to eligible voters. Dec. 7, 2009, is the deadline for eligible voters to return ballots to their local FSA offices. “The FSA county committee system is unique among government agencies, because it allows producers to make important decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm progra ...

Fall is finally getting a bit closer to winter, down in the bottoms around our fair valley. Tues. morning held a forecast of the mid to high 30’s, with that average settling in around 37. Shaw & I had discussed the subject briefly during our Monday afternoon round of checking some of the places out above China Creek, by the Bethel, up through Neal Ridge and on back in by Spring Creek, Buzzard Creek, and Fairview.

Receipts totaled 2724 head for the week. The market was softer after last week’s strong advance. Stocker steers sold steady to $2 to $3 lower and stocker heifers were steady to $2 lower. Feeder steers were $2 to $5 lower with feeder heifers steady to $2 lower. Packer cows and bulls were $2 lower.

Bobby W. Spinks, 80, of San Saba, passed away on Friday, November 13, 2009 in Brownwood, TX. He was born January 23, 1929 in San Saba, Texas, the son of Curry Spinks and Corrine Spinks. Bobby W. Spinks and Peggy Smith were married on October 7, 1948 in San Saba County.

Francesle (Skeets) Woodrow, 77, of San Marcos, passed away on Monday, November 9, 2009 in San Marcos, TX. She was born on October 26, 1932, the daughter of Euell Jett Bishop and Mary Hodges Bishop. Francesle Bishop and Richard Terrell Woodrow were married in Winters, Texas on January 14, 1952.

Kathy McCarty, 60, of Dripping Springs, passed away on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at Brownwood Regional Medical Center. She was born September 26, 1949 in Beaumont, the daughter of Charlie Barton Draper and Ida Durdin Draper. Kathy Draper and Ronnie Clyde McCarty were married in Dripping Springs on March 7, 1970.

Travis Reynolds, 69, of San Saba, passed away on Friday, November 13, 2009 at Abilene Regional Medical Center in Abilene, Texas. He was born February 4, 1940 in San Saba County Texas, the son of Andrew James Reynolds and Bewla Tomlinson Reynolds. Travis Reynolds and Madeleine Hunt were married on June 18, 1988 at the Pecan Grove Baptist Church.

Zak Verette, 17, of San Saba, passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He was born March 26, 1992 in Brownwood, Texas, the son of Bobby Joe Verette and Kristel Hair Verette. He was a student at San Saba High School. Zak is survived by his father, Bobby Joe Verette and his fiancée, Julie Gilger of San Saba; his brothers, B.

Clint Stifflemire (pictured left) of Bangs shot his 12 point white tail in Mills County. This buck scored 166 3/8 Boone & Crockett! His father Mike Stifflemire of Liberty Hill shot his 9x6 mule deer in Nucla, Colorado.

In a packed Longhorn Stadium in Early, the San Saba Armadillos used their ground game to defeat the Wall Hawks, 35-21 last Friday for the first playoff victory since 1987. Trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Dillos amassed 190 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the second half. San Saba won the toss and deferred to give the ball to Wall to start the game.

Richland Springs varsity football wrapped up bi-district play with a 54-6 victory over the Gustine Tigers on Friday, November 13th at 7:30 p.m. at Bangs’ Field. We would like to thank all the Bangs’ personnel who made us feel very welcome. Bangs has great facilities and great hospitality! The Coyotes will play Saint Jo at Hico at 7:30 p.m.

Two local 4-H members from San Saba County were among 31 youth honored during the Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s District 7 4-H Gold Star Banquet. The annual event was held November 2, 2009 in the Cactus Hotel in San Angelo. The honorees were Ron Gerhart of San Saba and Sara Hedley of Richland Springs.

The San Saba Ladies Golf Association met November 12, 2009 for play day with the following members present: Sandee Hartley, Jo Ann Snow, Dorothy Sterner, Hattie Rogers, Becky Hardin, Janet Hoyt, Jo Anne Hardy, Bobbie Churchill, Anita Miles, and one guest, Patsy Teiken from Kimberley, Texas. Such a delightful lady and great golfer!

The San Saba Lady Dillos won their season opener as they downed the Lady Lions from Brownwood by a score of 55-43. Their “matchup” zone gave us some trouble but we settled down and made some plays down the stretch. We had a double digit lead on them a few times but could never really seem to put them away.

If I had to choose one event out of the 4-H year that I like to report about most, it would easily be the San Saba County 4-H Food Show. For the past three years as reporter I have never experienced a “normal” morning the day of the food show.

November 12, 2009 San Saba Comanche 1st 0 11 2nd 5 14 3rd 8 16 4th 12 13 Total 25 54 San Saba Individual Scores: Kelan Verette-12pts; 3FG, 6FT Kolton Ellis-6pts; 1x3FG, 3 FT Gunnar Hibler-2pts; 1FG Cosme Diaz-2pts; 2FT Ruben Aguirre-2pts; 1FG Jordan Watson-1pt; 1FT

The San Saba High School Spanish Club traveled to Coleman on Monday, November 2nd to enjoy a wonderful concert put on by Justo Lamas. Over 70 students attended. After the concert the group enjoyed a mexican lunch at Mi Familia restaurant in Early. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

Monica Meador, age 8, got her first buck ever. Her sister beat her to the punch last week. They are both daughters to Hubert and Jennifer Meador. The deer was shot in San Saba County.

San Saba ISD participates in the National School Lunch Program. As a requirement of this program and the state program called Square Meals, the school district is guided by some very specific rules. For example, the fat content in foods is regimented, as is the amount of sugar products in food and fried food is absolutely forbidden.

On Saturday, October 10, 2009 the Class of 1954 held it's 55th year reunion. We spent time remembering our past and catching up on everything that had happened in our lives since 1954. A delicious meal of catfish, potatoes, and cole slaw was served to class members and their husbands and wives.