January 21, 2010

As a Navy Reservist, Randy Buchanan understood he could be called any time to defend his country. Little did he know that call would come so soon after taking a job with Pedernales Electric Cooperative. The lieutenant, who learned last spring that he was bound for Afghanistan, had serious concerns, as most members of the military do.

Recent rains have caused significant drought improvement across the Hill Country with year-to-date rainfall totals near or just slightly below normal. But although pastures have greened up and aquifer levels have been replenished, officials with the Lower Colorado River Authority warn that the hydrologic component to the area’s drought has only shown a slight to moderate improvement. On Tuesday morning, Lake Buchanan was about 50 percent full at 996.67 feet above mean sea level, ...

The City Wide Garage Sale, sponsored by Llano Main Street and the Llano Chamber of Commerce, is just around the corner. This popular community event will be held Saturday, January 30, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on the north side of the Llano River Bridge in the City of Llano.

The Horseshoe Bay Women’s Golf Association has kicked off another great year, carrying forward the best of the past and adding a few changes to make golfing even more fun in the New Year. During January and February, the WGA’s Wednesday playdays will be scheduled for Applerock and Ram Rock Golf Courses with a 12:30 p.m.

The Llano Uplift Chapter of Daughters of American Revolution will meet Friday, January 22nd, at River City Grille in Marble Falls. Guest speaker Martha Hartzog, current Recording Secretary of Texas Society and past Historian of the NSDAR will present a program entitled: “Four Founding Folkways: Puritans, Cavaliers, Scot-Irish, and Quakers.” The program is based on the book, Albion’s Seed, by David H.

Llano Memorial Healthcare System (LMHS) and Scott & White are hosting the first Llano Not So Fun Run on Saturday, February 6 at Badu Park in the City of Llano. “The idea for LMHS to hold a fun run came as a result of the employee wellness initiative kicked off last summer,” according to Mary Rhodes, LMHS Community Relations Director.

The Pedernales Electric Cooperative Board of Directors voted to increase its purchase of renewable wind energy at its meeting on Jan. 19 with the execution of a new contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority for power from a 200 megawatt wind farm near Corpus Christi. PEC Power Supply Manager Dale Jones said the 60 megawatts that will be allocated to PEC from the coastal wind farm will bring the cooperative’s renewable portfolio up to 23 percent from 18 percent in 2009.

A Baseball Player named Mark Grace is credited with having said, “If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.” I think he had it wrong. In golf, a game based on honor, you’re cheating if you aren’t trying. Because golf can be played as an individual, alone or a long way from other folks, on a course that stretches for over a mile through all kinds of terrain, it’s imperative that the rules be followed — no foot wedges, balls dropped from towels ...

Not too long ago, Dan and I were running errands in Marble Falls. The ride on 2147 had been uneventful, but when we reached Marble Falls, the fun began. We sat waiting for the light to change at the intersection of 2147 and Hwy 281. When it turned green, the car ahead of us didn’t move.

Tired of cold, dreary weather and no golf? Are all of your drawers cleaned out, you’ve read your Christmas cards twice, even the Christmas letters? Ditch the rainy day blahs with a visit to area museums. A good place to start is The Falls on the Colorado Museum at 905 Third Street in Marble Falls (next door to Darci’s Deli.) Though this museum is small, there is a wealth of interesting information here to explore concerning Marble Falls’ rich history.

African historian Dr. Carole Buchanan and husband, Dr. Ray Buchanan, presented a history of Uganda to the International Club luncheon on Sunday, January 10. Using slides based on their years of teaching and research in Uganda in the 1960’s, the Buchanans shared their amazing adventures with the over 80 people in attendance. The Buchanans had been recently married and were living in New York City, with Ray attending Union Theological Seminary and Carole teaching and attending Col ...

Two separate teams of volunteers from the Horseshoe Bay area will join others from across the United States to travel to Rio Bravo, Mexico to build small homes known as casitas and to conduct afternoon Mission Bible Schools. The first group is scheduled from February 13 to 20 and the second group from February 21 to 27. The teams stay in a secure, comfortable, heated, and air conditioned facility built by volunteers five years ago located next door to the Mission Juntas Medical facili ...

Are you a member of the “Sandwich Generation”? This designation — which applies to people caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children — may be applicable to you if you’re either a younger Baby Boomer, born in the late 1950s or early 1960s, or an older member of “Generation X,” born in the mid-1960s.

Thursday, January 21 Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber Mixer-5:30 to 7 p.m. Spicewood Vineyards, 1419 CR 4019 off Hwy. 71. 693-5328. Saturday, January 23 Chili Cook off-hosted by the Burnet Republican Club at the Burnet County Fair and Rodeo Grounds, 1301 Houston Clinton Drive, Burnet. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults $7.50. Republican candidates will furnish the Chili.