70 Years Ago February 15, 1951
The sleet storm which blanketed San Saba County Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning postponed the monthly meeting tonight. Post Commander Sam Connally Wednesday said an effort was being made to contact Legionnaires, informing them of the cancelled meeting.
Ice-skating stars will be featured in a performance of "Icelandia of 1951" at the Goldthwaite school gymnasium on Feb. 19. Two shows will be given, the matinee at 2 p.m. and the night performance at 8 p.m.
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Rodgers announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Maggie Ola, to Thomas Neal Taylor, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Taylor of Richland Springs.
Charles Murray Oliver spent the weekend with his parents, Dr. and Mrs. C. M. Oliver. Recently he has been promoted from Captain to Regimental Adjutant of the Cadet Corps at Tarleton State College.
S. W. Terry of Springer, Okla., who recalls that he read the first San Saba NEWS that came off the press in 1873, last week sent in his annual renewal to the paper. Terry, a native of San Saba county, was 12 years old when the paper was first established.
M. L. Bagley and Dean Bagley have purchased an interest in Cash Feed and Produce Co., it was announced this week by Gene Conner and Florese Anderson, owners of the feed company. It was also announced that Conner and Miss Anderson had purchased an interest in the Bagley Grain Elevator.
San Saba's volunteer firemen had a busy day Monday when they answered two fire alarms. The initial fire was the asphalt truck at the Texas Highway Department warehouse on the Llano highway. When the fire department arrived the asphalt was blazing fiercely and bellows of black smoke arose into the sky. After a 20 minute skirmish with the blaze, the firemen brought the fire under control. During mid-afternoon the department answered an alarm near the Dan Neeper residence. The blaze, however, was a minor one. Trash in the city's garbage truck caught on fire. Firemen flooded the truck bed and extinguished the smouldering trash. Little or no damage was done to the truck.
Pfc. Goob Ellis, who has been stationed at an AFB in New Mexico, spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ward Ellis.
40 Years Ago February 19, 1981
Brantley and Bessie Barker this week sold their Cactus Cafe over to Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Wells. Changeover took place Tuesday, said Mrs. Barker. The Barkers purchased the cafe from the Beards on March 11, 1961. Earlier it was run by "Mom and Pop" Shires. The Barkers invite everyone to continue patronizing the Cactus in San Saba.
Navy Airman Apprentice Randy R. Beard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ted E. Beard of San Saba, Texas, has reported for duty aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, homeported in Norfolk, Va. A 1980 graduate of San Saba High School, he joined the Navy in June 1980.
For Valentine's Day at Eventide Nursing Home in San Saba, several residents were honored on Friday. Crowned queen was Bess Lindsey; crowned king was Walter Shaw. First runners-up were Shorty Davis and Neta Brown; second runners-up were Fred Nicks and Hattie Carter. Happy Spring to you all!
Jan Huffstetler received a "Special Achievement Award" from the U.S. Postal Service. Making the presentation was Jim Riley, officer-in-charge of the local post office in San Saba. Riley noted that Huffstetler was awarded for "good attitude and sustained outstanding performance" with the USPS.
Hundreds of out-of-Town visitors, especially from the Austin, were in town over the weekend for the annual San Saba Rattlesnake Show and Flea Market. Five area snake hunters entered the contests this year. They were Byars Walters from Cherokee, Chris Hempel, San Saba, Sonny Capps from Richland Springs, R. L. Reed from Llano and Bob Popplweel from Azel. Hempel took the largest rattlers prize with his 16 rattle entry. Popplweel took the prize for longest snake, with his entry measuring 63 3/4 inches. Capps brought in the most pounds of rattlesnake meat, with 34 1/2 lbs. Hempel brought in the smallest snake this year, measuing 15 3/4 inches.