Uncategorized

@ijustine welcome to austin!!!!!!!! It's nice here

Breathe Into Your Massage http://bit.ly/2jqDSi

Terry Orr

By Mayor Terry Orr

An outstanding opportunity for the City of Bastrop to build on past successes is the chance to transform that portion of Chestnut Street between Hwy. 95 and Main Street. This part of Bastrop extending from the sites of the new city hall and convention center to the downtown area has the potential to become an important, economically vibrant, blend of office buildings, restaurants, hotels and retail shops that will be a great asset to this city. This commercial corridor is encompassed within and is the east-west center axis of the city’s Main Street Program focus area.
Bastrop’s Main Street Program has been a remarkable success since its inception three years ago. In no small part, this success has been the result of the Main Street board and manager serving as a catalyst to concentrate the efforts of many organizations that strive and work to make Bastrop a better place to visit, work and live. Attention, to date, has centered on the two blocks of Main Street that, for the most part, are recognized as the center of Bastrop’s downtown business district.
As the Main Street Program goes forward, both it and the Historic Landmark Commission’s Design Committee have already begun to look at the potential for the Chestnut corridor, taking on the challenges of blending the historic aspects of our town with the new development that Bastrop will inevitably face during the next decade. I will be looking to important City of Bastrop entities – the Historic Landmark Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission, the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation and the Main Street Program – to work together leading the way in developing a pattern for economic vitality that takes full advantage of the initiatives and vision of other organizations such as the Downtown Business Alliance and chamber of commerce.
As the pedestrian walkways, historic medallions and underground utility improvements along Chestnut Street are completed and the city hall and the convention center come into operation, we will experience a unique opportunity to attract the private capital and investment necessary to guide development of this important commercial corridor within the Main Street Program. We must live into the future, for the future is now.

Smithville guard Jaimie Kadlecek was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 3A All-Region IV team. Kadlecek, the 2009 All-Bastrop County Player of the Year, averaged 11.4 points per game. She had 104 assists and 110 steals and led the Lady Tigers in scoring in 18 games.

Staff photo by Terry Hagerty/ Smithville's Jaimie Kadlecek was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region IV-3A team.

Bastrop, Tx–Voters in the Bastrop school district will select three school trustees May 8 from seven candidates.

Two incumbents will be on the ballot, but one current board member is not seeking another term in office.

For the Place 5 seat, Trustee Glenn Peterson is standing for re-election. He is being challenged by Carol Armstrong.

In Place 6, veteran Board Member Sophia Willisams declined running for another term. Gary Jefferson and Linda Apostalo both want the post.

For the Place 7 seat, incumbent Jim Mills is facing two contenders, Kelly Bender and Jim Clark who has sought election twice in the past.

#southbysowhat I'm comin for chuuuu. (:

Attorneys for an indicted former Pedernales Electric Cooperative executive and a former co-op lawyer are again seeking to keep a State District judge in Blanco County off the case, this time by asking for a ruling from the state’s highest criminal appeals court.

Attorneys for Bennie Fuelberg and Walter Demondthis week filed a petition with the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals to ask that State District Judge Dan Mills be disqualified from the case because he is a co-op member, as are most Johnson City residents. Attorneys for the former PEC officials argued that Mills stands to benefit financially if restitution is ordered in the case.

It’s not the first time they’ve tried this strategy.

Last year, attorneys for the embattled former co-op leaders filed a motion to remove Mills from the case, but a visiting judge, state District Judge Robert “ Bert” Richardson, ruled in December that Mills could stay on. They then asked the 3rd Court of Appeals for to overturn Richardson’s decision, but the court ruled in Mills’ favor last month.

Now, defense attorneys will ask the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals for a ruling.
The move could push the complex trial’s start date back even further. At a hearing in Johnson City on Friday, Mills declined to set a start date pending the appeals’ court’s ruling.

“I would guess the earliest we could go to trial is mid-October,” Roy Minton, an attorney for Demond, said in court.

But Chris Gunter, an attorney for Fuelberg, disagreed, citing the large amount of evidence involved.

“It’s not going to be tried anytime before the end of the year,” he said.

As everyone gives Turner poy – Wall is killing alabama

It may be coming with a hefty price tag, yet according to Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering, the recently approved technology upgrades for his patrol fleet are long overdue.
On Monday, Pickering’s plan to equip all patrol cars in the sheriff’s office with laptop computers and digital cameras was unanimously approved by county commissioners.
The equipment, which will be garnered through a four-year, approximately $678,000 lease agreement with Panasonic Finance Solutions, is expected to be installed in all 45 patrol cars by the end of March.
“It will put a lot of information right at the fingertips of officers and have a significant impact on the amount of radio traffic and some of the functions dispatch personnel are currently having to perform for officers,” Pickering said on Monday.
The sheriff also highlighted the need for cameras in terms of evidence gathering, protecting the county from legal suits and streamlining the transfer of information to the district attorney’s office.
Pickering said he has been eyeing the absence of such technology since taking office in early 2009.
“One of my primary objectives since taking office was to try and upgrade overall technology,” Pickering said. “I really believe we need to work smarter and not necessarily harder.”
Commissioners did not discuss the terms of the lease agreement before voting on its approval Monday. At a county meeting last month when the issue was initially presented, Pickering told the court he expects the approximately $170,000 needed for the first year of the lease could be covered under funds already appropriated for law enforcement for the 2010 budget. The following three years and beyond, however, would likely require an increased allocation to the sheriff’s budget.
• Among other action taken or items discussed Monday, Bastrop County Assistant Planning and Project Management Director Rachel Clampffer and Elizabeth Prestwood of TxDOT outlined a presentation on the final draft of the Bastrop County Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Commissioners approved a time frame for a public comment period March 8 through April 19 on the transportation plan’s final draft. A public hearing will take place April 7 from 4 to 7 p.m.
• The court approved the extension of a lease agreement with Guardian EMS at Cedar Creek Annex.
• A policy regarding the placement of cattle guards across county roads and/or within the county right of way was approved.
• A speed limit of 30 mph for Smith Road and Reids Bend Road in Precinct 1 was approved.
• The court authorized the county judge to approve an annual maintenance contract with Cisco for the county’s IT equipment.

I uploaded a YouTube video — glenn beck.AVI http://youtu.be/XbzSN9KT55w?a

what to do, what to do?

俺、明日こそ本屋と古本屋に行くんだ……

well another day at work and hope everyone have a good friday

good morning everyone

http://twitvid.com/A590D – @james_a_michael "Because you rock" lmao true u do. But uhhmmm no jacoby…no.

Alrighty guys Im out!…hasta manana! (how do i get the 'n' to have the squiggly above it??)

Chillin in dis beautiful place called GOD'S kountry!!!

Dear EarthTalk: I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use…

just joined a video chat with 45 other people at http://tinychat.com/daplaypen #tinychat

If you’ve noticed more veterinary offices in Central Texas than doctors’ offices, you could be on to something.

Honored today to be one of eight recipients of a $1,000 donation from Capital Area Democratic Women. Appreciated! http://www.tdw.org/CADW/

EDGEFEST 20: Limp Bizkit, Three Days Grace, 30 Seconds to Mars, & more Tickets at Ticketmaster.com: http://bit.ly/9uNeXu via @addthis

abradyb posted a photo:

abradyb posted a photo:

abradyb posted a photo:

Juniperus virginiana

abradyb posted a photo:

abradyb posted a photo:

abradyb posted a photo:

abradyb posted a photo:

small stream

The Benefits of Massage http://bit.ly/fupW6

Man, i haven't Tweeted in ages

A picnic bench for the disabled is smashed.
Urinals are torn down off walls.
Trees are smeared with damaging black paint.
Graffiti is sprayed on the old iron bridge supports.
A spate of vandalism reaching into thousands of dollars has aroused the ire of city officials and park board volunteers.
“We had a picnic bench for the handicapped damaged by individuals jumping from the top of a table onto the bench until the seat collapsed,” said Jim Rebecek, the city’s public works director, said of the bench in Fisherman’s Park. “The cost to replace the bench is $3,350 plus three men’s labor.”
The activities of the culprits seem to be increasing, Rebecek said.
“The bigger items that are damaged happen every other month on average,” Rebecek said. “The graffiti problem is at least once to twice a month. It has been a problem in the past, but for the past year it is happening more often.”
It is time consuming, to say the least, for city workers.
“Removal of graffiti on bridge structures in Fisherman Park will take two men 2-3 hours to paint over graffiti,” Rebecek said. “The cost each time it happens is about $100 to $150.00 for labor and supplies.”

Other damages
Damage has also occurred to other benches and a slide in Fisherman Park.
“Individuals took white paint and poured it over a bench and two trash receptacles,” Rebecek said. “Employees had to remove the bench and receptacles to sandblast and repaint for a cost of $450.”
Damage caused by individuals jumping on a slide in the park required the replacement of the tube section of the slide for a cost $615.
The vandalism extends well back into 2009, Rebecek said.
“We had to replace (part of a) wall that was torn down plus replace one urinal (for the disabled) that was beaten with an object to the point where it would leak,” Rebecek said.
Workers also had to replace one stainless steel toilet because shoving sticks and rocks down the toilet till it broke.
“The cost for material was $2,470.91, and again, does not include two men’s time and labor,” Rebecek added.
Can the public help? Definitely, Rebecek said.
“The public can call the Bastrop Police Department at 321-5550, or any city department and report vandalism, and if the individuals are caught and convicted a reward will be given to the individuals reporting the crime,” Rebecek said. The Public Works Department phone number is 321-3957
Judi Hoover, a member of the city’s parks board, was also dismayed by the spate of vandalism.
“This vandalism makes our town look like it is not a clean, safe place to live and work,” Hoover said. “When we work to raise the funds to add new features in the parks and then have to spend a great deal of money on these type repairs, it is disheartening for all of us. And it’s embarrassing for our entire community.”
Hoover said she’s confidant the culprits will eventually be caught. “I believe we have a few people who violate the curfew in the parks and enjoy this juvenile behavior and continue it because they have not been caught. But we will catch them, it’s a matter of time and money,” Hoover said.

Goodbye gymnastics, hello softball. ) The times they are a changin!

RT @EmrgeVictorious: "There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." Edith Wharton

In Loving Memory
Nettie Frances Hodge (Wilcoxen) West
November 18, 1931 – January 7, 2010

Nettie Frances Hodge West, 78, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2010, in Round Rock, Texas, with her family at her side. She was born November 18, 1931, in McDade, Texas, the eldest child of Lucy Mason and Horace Greeley Hodge.
Nettie graduated as Elgin High School’s valedictorian in 1948 and received her bachelor’s degree in English from Mary Hardin-Baylor College in 1952. She was editor of the literary magazine, Baylorian, which featured several of her short stories.
She resided in Bastrop, Texas, from 1972 until 2009, and lived previously in Sutherland Springs, Manchaca, San Gabriel, Oak Hill, Victoria, and Smiley.
A passionate, conscientious educator, she imparted her love of knowledge to hundreds of students during a career that spanned three decades. She began her teaching career in Smiley in 1963, and taught third grade there for nine years. From 1972 until her retirement in 1990, she taught the third and fourth grades at Mina Elementary in Bastrop. She found nothing so rewarding as the light in students’ eyes when they suddenly understood. She loved her job.
Nettie’s other passions included her beloved pet dogs and cats (and all animals, tame and wild); expressing her artistic side in sewing, crafts and oil painting; gardening; reading voraciously; and traveling the great American West with her family.
She was married to Norman “Buddy” Wilcoxen from 1953 to 1976. They had two children, daughter Lucinda Sue Wilcoxen and son David Allen Wilcoxen. From 1983 to 1984, she was married to George West, who died in 2000. Buddy Wilcoxen died in 2007.
She is survived by daughter Lucinda Wilcoxen, Bastrop; son David Wilcoxen and wife Karen LeFevre, Austin; sister Bettye Patton and husband Richard, Dripping Springs; sister Linda Ging and husband Mike, Bay City; brother H.G. Hodge Jr. and wife Gail, Elgin; and brother Larry Hodge and wife Zoe Ann Stinchcomb, Athens.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Lighthouse Hospice in Round Rock for their loving care at the end of Nettie’s life.
A memorial service will be held at the Bastrop State Park Refectory in Bastrop, Texas, on March 21, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., with a reception following.

God understood our thirst for
knowledge, and our need to be led
by someone wiser;
He needed a heart of compassion,
of encouragement, and patience;
Someone who would accept
the challenge regardless of the
opposition;
Someone who could see potential
and believe in the best in others . . .
So He made Teachers.
Anonymous

Is UTEP the next giant to fall in the CUSA tourney? Go HERD! RT @AnnaMegan Go Coogs! They beat Memphis, 66-65.

If you look up the word perseverance, there should be a picture of the Bastrop Lady Bears soccer team.
Perseverance is defined as a steady persistence in a course of action in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.
That’s the Lady Bears in a nutshell.
The girls have shown tenacity as they have fought through constant adversity amidst the controversy that surrounded the team after the dismissal of star player Gracy Mansfield.
The most recent challenge was an anonymous letter sent to the University Interscholastic League accusing Bastrop of playing players not living in the Bastrop Independent School District boundaries — by all rights, a serious violation.
The UIL sent the report to Bastrop athletic director Gerald Perry for a self-investigation, which is normal procedure.
After the in-house investigation, the players in question were determined to have established residencies in the Bastrop school district, therefore not in violation of UIL rules.
Another bullet dodged and the persevering Lady Bears are for sure heading to the playoffs.
You have to give the team a lot of credit, They fought through every barrier and proved a lot to themselves, the community and the rest of District 25-5A.
After Westlake snuck out of Bastrop with a 3-1 shootout win on Feb. 26, Lady Chaps head coach Rennie Rebe, who dubbed Bastrop the district favorite at the beginning of the season, was still impressed with the Lady Bears and told the Westlake Picayune the team got better without Mansfield.
“I expected Bastrop to be a better team without Mansfield,” Rebe told the
Westlake Picayune. “When (a problem) is removed, the whole becomes more dangerous than the individual.”
The Lady Bears haven’t really missed a beat on the field.
In the 11 games prior to the infamous Westlake game on Feb. 2, Bastrop was outscoring its opponents 38-6 and had a record of 9-2 with Mansfield.
In the 10 games after Feb. 2, the Lady Bears are outscoring their opponents 31-17 and are 5-2-3 without her.
And there is one more chance awaiting the Bastrop girls soccer team.
The Lady Bears will take on Bowie Friday night at BISD Memorial Stadium to close out the regular season.
The Lady Bears (14-5-3, 7-3-3 District 25-5A) are currently two points behind second place Bowie and Austin High, who are tied with 27 points.
A win over the Lady Bulldogs, accompanied with a tie or loss by Austin High against Anderson, would put Bastrop in second place for the playoffs.
What would a second place finish mean to the Lady Bears? Everything.
For starters, Bastrop wouldn’t have to play No. 1 San Antonio Reagan — again — or No. 3 Smithson Valley in the first round of the playoffs.
It would also be the perfect ending to a very difficult season off the field for the Bastrop girls soccer program.
Even without a second place finish, to succeed on the field with everything that has happened off the field is a testament to the character of every player on that team and to head coach Angelia Watson, who made one of the gutsiest calls a coach can make and still keep her team focused.
It might not have been the way Bastrop wanted their final season in Class 5A to go, but it is still a success.
And the scary part, this team is loaded with freshmen.
Look out Class 4A.

File photo by Larry Overall/ Kara Edwards, left, is one of six seniors that will play in their final regular season home game Friday night.

It's still winter here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/digsofvaudeville/4423908854/ project365 – day 36

As of Monday, seven candidates – two of them incumbents – have filed to run for the BISD Board of Trustees May 8 election. Bastrop ISD Board Places 5, 6 and 7 are up for grabs this year.
For the Place 5 seat, Carol A. Armstrong will be challenging incumbent Glenn Peterson. In Place 6, Linda Apostalo and Gary A. Jefferson will face off for the seat incumbent Sophia Williams will be vacating. Williams recently announced she will not seek re-election.
For the Place 7 seat, Jim Clark and Kelly Conrad Bender have filed along with incumbent Jim Mills. This Monday was the deadline for candidates wishing to appear on the ballot May 8.

City council
Place 2 incumbent Joe Beal will be challenged by Robert Parmelee in the only contested race for Bastrop City Council after the filing deadline closed on Monday.
Mayor Terry Orr and council member Julie Hart in Place 4 remain unopposed.
April 26 is the first day for early voting by personal appearance.
May 4 is the last day for regular early voting by personal appearance.

Voters should always be given a choice. Competition is healthy for the community and new voices often bring new and better solutions. Go Bob.

ぱたり

And it isn’t just farmers and ranchers who get direct payment subsidies. Check this out, also from the EWG website:
*****
U.S. taxpayers doled out more than $6.4 billion in subsidies to the commercial fishing industry between 1996 and 2004, possibly accelerating the ongoing collapse of fish stocks worldwide and adding to the devastation of large ocean fish species.

U.S. subsidies, calculated for the first time by Renee Sharp, director of Environmental Working Group’s California Office and renowned fisheries economist Ussif Rahid Sumaila, director of the Fisheries Centre at the University of British Columbia, amounted to 21 percent of the $31 billion U.S. commercial fish harvest between 1996 and 2004. Some kinds of subsidies can be good, if they encourage conservation and careful management of fishery stocks or if they equip under-employed fishers for other lines of work, for example. But there is general international consensus that some other kinds of subsidies can contribute significantly to the depletion of ocean fish.

The Sharp-Sumaila study published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management and supported by the Lenfest Ocean Program has determined that direct federal and state subsidies to commercial fishing operations totaled $6.4 billion and averaged $713 million annually (in 2007 dollars) between 1996 to 2004.

*****

Ever wonder who is getting paid by the government to grow/produce your evening meal????

Help find missing adults:March Agency News http://bit.ly/bRxhdy via @AddToAny

ひつじ　は　ホットミルク　を　てに　いれた！

Getting ready for school.

一家に三冊　アンブロークン・アロー

doesn't understand the art of being cryptic with no actual message behind the confusion.

Going to take a nap before I go back to work in a few hours. Paperwork is killing me. God, just let me catch up!

shiva here i come!!!! <insert shiva BLAST!!!!> props if you know what show that's from!

At last … a web site. A few pages, anyway: http://www.patijacobs.org

WELL SAID!
(#KandiOnUstream live at http://ustre.am/5siz)

It is difficult to know exactly what the Extension Service’s figures mean, without knowing how those dollar amounts were determined. I suspect the amounts are estimates, based upon spot prices at one or more auction barns, or upon interviews with some small number of producers as to the sale and/or purchase prices of the commodities.

But, there are some dollar amounts available, through the USDA, upon which some reliance can be placed for their accuracy. Those are the amounts received by agricultural producers in direct payments from the US government.

For instance, in 2007, there were 145 agricultural producers in Bastrop County who received, in total, $188,000.00 in direct subsidy payments. The amounts ranged from $2.00 to $17,541.00.

Texas ranked No. 3 out of fifty states for direct subsidy payments in 2007, with income of $397 million in direct payment agricultural subsidies by the US Government. In 2008, Texas ranked No. 1 in direct subsidy payments to agricultural producers. Although, according to USDA, 82 percent of all farmers and ranchers do not collect government subsidy payments in Texas.

This data, and more detailed information on agricultural subsidies, including the names of Bastrop County farmers receiving subsidies and the amounts they received, can be found at the web site of the Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org. EWG acquired the figures from the USDA via an open records act request.

The irony of the federal crop support and federal direct payment subsidy programs is that they have the strong and everlasting support of those very same Republicans who are forever carrying on about reducing the federal budget and getting government out of the subsidy business. Texas, for instance, was the beneficiary of a massive amount of federal dollars:

• $16.2 billion in subsidies 1995-2006.
• Texas ranking: 1 of 50
• Top Recipients 1995-2006
• Top Recipients in 2006
• 82 percent of all farmers and ranchers do not collect government subsidy payments in Texas, according to USDA.
• Among subsidy recipients, ten percent collected 77 percent of all subsidies amounting to $12.5 billion over 12 years.

Strange, you never see people like Gov. Perry, Congressman John Carter, or State Rep. Kleinschmidt carrying on in a critical manner about this kind of federal program.

If you go to the EWG web site, you can find out the amount of subsidies paid in each and every Congresssional District, and the names of those people who received them. It would worthwhile for someone to compare those names with the names of donors to Republican candidates who rail against government programs handing out cash.

Got a 92 on my passoff for Festivo And band is less annoying for about five minutes.

just joined a video chat with 123 other people at http://tinychat.com/super2 #tinychat

大画面のiMacと雪豹があって写真屋入ってないとか意味わかんない…はう……

dinner with the extra cute leah taylor

McKenna Grace Dodd, seven months old, died Monday, March 1 at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin.
McKenna was born July 26, 2009, the daughter of Jamie and Randy (Sherill) Dodd of Kyle.
Survivors include her parents; brothers and sisters Curtis Dodd, Kyler Hardy, Kaitlyn Dodd, Debbie Dodd, Abigayle Hardy and Loryn Hardy, all of Kyle; grandparents William and Debbie Dodd of Bastrop, Randy Sherrill of Lexington, and Dolores Sherrill and Dennis West of New Mexico.
Funeral services were held Thursday, March 4, 2010 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Giddings. Interment followed at Burns Cemetery in Blue. Donations may be made in the name of McKenna Grace Dodd at Round Top Bank in Lexington by contacting Margaret Newman at the bank at 1-979-773-2221.

Ever wonder where all that money from the government stimulus package is actually going? I caught wind of an interesting Web site that shows exactly who gets what at the county level.

You can see Hays County’s entry here: http://projects.propublica.org/recovery/locale/texas/hays

The highlights: Hays County has a population of nearly 150,000 people, and they’re receiving about $95 million in federal money.

The biggest getters are Texas State University, which is receiving $7.5 million for student financial aid money; followed by TXDOT, which is getting $7 million for road projects; and then recipients of low-to-moderate income housing loans, who are getting about $6.4 million.

Take a look and see what your tax dollars are doing.

The last Bastrop Gardener column was about the state bird of Texas the mockingbird. I have a wonderful little book, “The Mockingbird,” by Robin W. Doughty, published in 1988 and printed at the University of Texas Press in Austin and most of my information came from this book. Mockingbirds are so interesting that there is more to say about them than can fit in just one column.
This is the right time of year to learn about mockingbirds as they are starting to pair up and build nests around here in March. These birds are territorial and vigorously defend their territories but are not what we would call migratory. Both males and females seem to have winter territories and summer nesting territories.
There are no distinguishing markings between males and female mockingbirds and both males and females sing, although some observers think that males sing more during breeding season. It is so difficult to distinguish between males and females that in former years when it was not illegal to keep caged mockingbirds, sometimes bird keepers tried to get two individuals of the same gender to reproduce in captivity. The only way to positively tell the sexes apart is to observe them during nesting and see the females sitting on nests.
In his book, Doughty speculates that males are the best singers and sing the most impressively in spring for several reasons. The first purpose of the spring song is to stake out a nesting territory and proclaim it off limits to other mockingbirds and second purpose is to attract a mate. Doughty speculates that the male’s singing during nest building may “enhance the female’s receptivity to mating.” That is understandable.
Mockingbird nests are usually built rather low to the ground deep inside shrubs or short trees such as crape myrtles, yaupon or cedar trees. The nests can be anywhere from three to 10 feet off the ground. The male builds a platform of twigs with anything that is soft and pliable woven into the inside. The interior of the nest can be moss, cedar bark, hair, pieces of plastic, dryer lint or anything else soft.
According to the research, the males may build several nests and the female then chooses the one she likes best. Urban and suburban neighborhoods are favorite habitat for mockingbirds because they have “edges” – the landscape combination of plant cover in hedges and short trees and open spaces for catching insects.
Berry bushes and home vegetable gardens also provide food sources. Anyone who has ever had a fig tree knows how impossible it is to keep the mockingbirds out of the fruit. Mockingbird wars are waged over this fruit. The fig tree owner has no choice but to share the crop.
Mockingbirds eat horticultural crops such as blackberries, grapes and figs but at least 50 percent of their diet consists of beetles, spiders and grasshoppers. Mockers do not frequent birdseed feeders except out of curiosity. One young bird came to our feeder to see what the big attraction was, cocked his head a few times and then left, not interested. Mockers will become accustomed to a mix of bacon grease, cornmeal, flour and bread crumbs, especially if raisons are added to it. My birdfeed cookbook says to put this on a feeder tray or impale it on branches. The author must not have squirrels where she lives.
Both the male and the female mockingbirds are heavily involved in raising the young. While the female incubates the eggs, the male occupies a singing post nearby. Hatching occurs from 11 to 13 days after the eggs are laid.
Both parents feed the nestlings. If one parent is absent it is very difficult for a single parent to feed the nestlings and they normally don’t survive. Parents feed for about 12 days and the amount of food and speed with which they feed peaks at five or six days after hatching. They continue to feed for about 12 days until the baby birds are ready to fledge.
Fledging is a dangerous time for young mockingbirds. The success rate for raising baby birds to adulthood varies from 40 percent to around 70 percent. Nests are blown down in high winds and rainstorms. Predation by snakes and other birds such as kestrels, owls and bluejays is common. Neighborhood cats, domestic and feral, are an ever present danger, especially for vulnerable fledglings.
It doesn’t take too long for a baby-faced, clueless fledgling to find its wings, but in the meantime the parents are frantically guarding, watching and continuing to feed the young birds. Sometimes a well-meaning onlooker will try to replace a tiny bird back into the nest but this never works. Once they are out, they are out. The best thing to do in this case is to keep cats, dogs and other hazards away so the little bird can figure things out. After the babies are fledged the males do most of the feeding outside the nest until the offspring are totally on their own.
Once, I watched a family of mockingbirds for at least 30 minutes while the parents left in search of food. They would return, looking thin, exhausted and harassed. The young birds would turn into helpless infants instantly, gape their beaks and flutter their wings to be fed. The parents, who were excellent providers and nurturers, would feed them and fly off to bring back even more food. The juveniles would cavort in the trees and the grass again quite capable of feeding themselves but not ready to leave home and the food and the laundry service.

At the time, we had four juveniles of our own. They were also in peak condition, half in and half out of the nest. It was easy to relate.

“Debut” was the catchword in Bastrop County last weekend.
About 40 of Carol Lyon’s new photographs made their debut at the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild gallery. This show, called “Emotions,” is well worth a visit. Friday night was special because the artist was there to share the background on many of the pictures. I particularly enjoyed her description of what she went through to snap a picture of a tiger. She was able to find a gap in the fence that would accommodate her camera lens, but in order to get to it she had to stoop low down. The tiger seemed to take this as an invitation to scoop and sling water on her every time she bent down. At the end of the shoot, they were both soaked. I only wish I had been there to photograph the whole scene. The picture is called “Water Fight” and you’ll love it. The show runs until the end of March at 1009 Main St. in Bastrop.

Lumberyard
Later that same evening, several of us meandered down to the Lumberyard Music Hall and enjoyed the stage debut of little Lily Elzey, a delightful nine-year-old. She studies music with David Anthony and entertained the crowd with both a piano piece and a song. Lily has a gift and we hope to see and hear her again soon. Remember that the Lumberyard, on Main Street across from the Bastrop Post Office, has live music every Friday night. You can find out who is playing by dialing 321-PLAY for a recorded announcement.

Mary Nichols
“A Texas State of Mind,” the new show at the Mary Nichols Gallery, 301 Burleson in Smithville, debuted on Saturday. This show will be there until the end of April and, not surprisingly, is mostly western-style art. You’ll find paintings and sculpture as well as some functional vessels, all having something reminiscent of our great state. There are about a dozen artists represented in this show and you can meet most of them on Friday, April 12. The reception will be from 5-6 p.m. and everyone is invited. The gallery is open on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 1-8 p.m.

LPAA First Saturday
On Saturday, the Lost Pines Artisans’ Alliance debuted its 2010 season of first Saturday Arts Festival in Smithville. What has me most excited about it is that we had five brand new artist/vendors this month. For two of them, it was the first time ever to offer their work for sale.
For an artist to put himself out there for the first time is a big step. It means offering oneself up for criticism and ridicule, as well as for praise and accolades. Selling is important, not so much for the money – which is a good thing because we have to be able to buy more supplies – but because it is tangible, real proof that someone approves of what we have done. Someone appreciates it enough to trade something they value in order to own it.
Justin Kruger has roots in Smithville. His parents, Teri and Ted, live here, as have previous generations. Ted is a talented photographer and has shown his work at First Saturday in the past.
Justin has an ability to make beautiful pencil drawings from photographs. I watched him draw and delicately shade a portrait of children as he sat under the oak tree on Saturday. Even in black, white and shades of grey, the picture was very bright and lifelike. Drawing children is very difficult; take it from someone who knows, but Justin seems to be able to capture the essence and softness of a child’s face and personality. His pencil renderings will make some very nice gifts and rememberances.
Jim Biggs, from Bastrop, has been working with wood for years. On Saturday he brought lots of tree stumps, a chainsaw, drills and sharp things like axes, hatchets, knives and machetes. Unlike many of the chainsaw artists I’ve seen, Jim’s work is a bit more delicate and detailed. He was making wall pieces when I was watching but his portfolio showed quite a variety of decorative work.
Coming all the way from Delhi was Kurtis Bechtel and his Cigar Box Dulcimer Guitars. I know they’ve been around for generations, especially in the jugbands of Appalachia, but I had never seen one nor had I heard one played. These things are so cute. These instruments have only three strings and are made of real cigar boxes and other found objects. One has a sound hole made from a sink strainer. They may have clogged pipes at home, but who cares, the guitar sounds great. Kurtis has been making them for only a short time and realized that he really ought to be able to play them as well, so he taught himself. As one who can barely play a radio, I was impressed.
Lora Lewis and Patsy Caldwell shared a space for their debut into the world of art festivals. Until only a couple of weeks ago, they didn’t even know each other but are learning that they have more in common than being longtime residents of Smithville. A very important trait they share as artists is their ability to “see” things in found objects. They see faces, animals, landscapes and whatever their imaginations call out to them.
Patsy picks up rocks. Just plain old rocks that most of us step on or step over. She looks at a rock and turns it in her hands until she sees something in its shape, its color or its patterns. From there it’s easy for her to bring out the picture with her paints. Several were critters like ladybugs and dinosaurs. They’re great for paperweights, gifts or talismans.
I’ve been suspecting for sometime that Lora Lewis was “out of her gourd.” She grows some gourds herself. They come in all sizes, textures, colors and shapes and they patiently wait on her patio until Lora finds images in them.
For more information on these artists, contact me at 577-5252

For the sixth year, the free 2010 Texas Parks and Wildlife Summer Family Fishing classes are kicking off this spring break.
Parents and kids (six and older) are invited to come out to the Lost Pines state parks to learn and improve their fishing skills. On Saturday, March 13, come to the pond in Bastrop State Park. On Tuesday, March 16, come to the pond in Buescher State Park.
Both events start at 9 a.m. There will be five instruction stations, where participants will learn about fish ecology, tying knots, casting, learning about Texas fishing laws and reviewing water safety skills. The kids get little gifts at every station. After they complete the class, they get a diploma and a cool fish pin. Then they all get to fish.
Bring fishing poles or use the ones TPWD provides. The park will also have a selection of bait. At noon there will be a drawing for the kids for fishing tackle, tackle boxes and rod and reel combos. The event will be over by 12:30 p.m.
There is no advanced registration for this event. Please wear clothing appropriate for the outdoors. Attendees are advised to have hats, closed-toe shoes, sunblock and water. Although this is a free event, regular park entrance fees apply. There will be four more fishing classes this summer, including Bastrop State Park on June 12 and July 10 and Buescher State Park on June 19 and July 17. For more information, contact the park office.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution will meet in the community room at First National Bank on Main Street in Smithville on Saturday, March 20 at 9:30 a.m. The subject of the meeting will be American heritage. Hostesses will be Marjorie Matetzschk and Pat Small and the speaker will be Vice Regent Michelle Kee, who will give a program on lace history.
The public is welcome to attend.
The Lost Pines Chapter NSDAR held its regularly meeting on Saturday, Feb. 20 with TSDAR State Regent Joy Hagg as speaker. She presented an informative and interesting program titled, “Honor the Ladies.” The program was about women who have NSDAR chapters named after them.
Hagg and chapter chaplain Marjorie Matetzschk officially welcomed the group’s newest member, Pat Topping.
Two members were presented with a vase of flowers for their outstanding service in the Lost Pines Chapter NSDAR.
Fran Godwin, chapter treasurer for more than 10 years, has carried on her duties during her own illness and that of her husband. The other honoree, Ella Lee Sheffield, who is most deserving of recognition for what she has done to promote the local chapters of TSDAR and NSDAR, was South Central Division Program committee vice chairman of NSDAR a couple of years ago. She has served as chairman or co-chairman on several TSDAR committees. She has held many chapter offices including regent from 2005-2007 and chaired many committees. Sheffield presents the chapter’s annual genealogy workshop every August and is helpful to anyone who believes they qualify to become a member of NSDAR. She has been a member of NSDAR since 1976 and she has been chapter registrar since 2007. No matter what office or chair she held, she helped the group chapter grow. Sheffield has personally researched and typed 53 DAR applications so others could join NSDAR.
For more information, please call Regent Mary Edith Scott in Smithville at 512-237-5415 or Vice Regent Michelle Kee in Elgin at 512-581-3242.

The Red Rock Community Center All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry and Annual Spring Fundraiser will be Friday, March 26, from 5-7 p.m. All plates are $8 and to-go plates will be available.
Drawing prizes have been greatly increased this year with the first prize being a $250 Visa gift card donated by First National Bank of Bastrop, a $75 gift certificate donated by Bastrop Home Depot, H-E-B and Wal-Mart gift cards, handcrafted items by Gene Hahn, and other valuable prizes. Tickets are on sale for $1 each or a book of 6 for $5, and you do not have to be present to win. Tickets are available at the Red Rock General Store, or from any board member. For more information, contact Linda Janney at 303-9529; Shirlean Petty, 321-5613; Liz Berger, 303-6593; or Wayne Pease, 830-839-4375

What? No figures on the value of hemp grown in Bastrop County during the same periods? Given the unrealistically inflated value assigned to such things by media and law enforcement, the figures would have ameliorated the dismal figures in your post.

I'm listening to The Melvins radio http://bit.ly/9Ud4Pw on #songzaradio #nowplaying

How much is one person worth, in terms of government funding? According to an estimate from the Capital Area Council of Governments, in Hays County, one person is worth about $1,300 in federal funding per year over the 10 years for which the 2010 U.S. Census count will be used.

For this reason, Hays County officials are pushing residents for an accurate census count, which could guarantee the county $70.3 million for the next decade.

According to estimates made by the Capital Area Council of Governments. Hays County’s population is estimated to have grown by roughly 54,000 people since the last census, when only 65 percent of the estimated 35,000-plus occupied households returned their census questionnaires.

“We all stand to gain if we get our fair share of tax dollars back from the federal government,” said Hays County Judge Liz Sumter in a statement. “That’s why it is so important that every household be counted accurately. If we get a count that is lower than the actual number of people, we’ll be short-changing ourselves and have to end needed programs or fund them out of local tax dollars while some of ‘our’ federal funding goes to counties nationwide with accurate population counts.”

Census questionnaires will be mailed out in the next few weeks. On March 2, census workers began hand-delivering forms to households that do not receive their mail at their homes. Census takers will also be sent to hand-count residences that do not respond by mail, causing additional cost.

Yup. That's thunder I hear.

Less than two weeks after being arrested on a charge of sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl, Bastrop County Sheriff‘s Office Lt. Eddie Matthews has resigned.
The 45-year-old Matthews officially tendered his resignation on March 5, according to Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering.
Pickering said an internal investigation into the allegations against the law enforcement officer were under way and that “Eddie resigned before the internal investigation was completed.” Prior to his stepping down, Matthews had been placed on paid administrative leave.
Matthews was arrested on Feb. 26 by Texas Ranger Brent Barina and charged with continuing sexual abuse of a child. Barina was able to obtain an arrest warrant for Matthews from 423rd District Judge Christopher Duggan after a joint investigation was initiated between the sheriff’s office, the Bastrop County District Attorney’s Office and the Children’s Advocacy Center following allegations of the sexual assault from the girl’s family.
According to a complaint affidavit, the mother of the alleged victim noticed Matthews playing inappropriately with her daughter as early as March of 2009. The mother reportedly confronted Matthews who denied any misconduct.
In October of 2009 the mother again observed Matthews sexually assaulting her daughter, according to the affidavit. During subsequent interviews at the Children’s Advocacy Center, it was alleged that Matthews had repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl over the last year and at least twice since last October, according to the complaint affidavit.
In a press conference on Feb. 26, Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering acknowledged Matthews had previously been arrested while employed with the sheriff’s office. Bastrop County District Attorney Brian Goertz subsequently told reporters all records associated with Matthew’s prior arrest(s) have been expunged and are no longer available.
A press release issued from the sheriff’s office the same day said that “it is important for the public to note that this crime appears to have been ‘isolated’ in that it was perpetrated against a single victim, that the victim was not a stranger to Mr. Matthews and that Mr. Matthews did not use his position in law enforcement to assist in perpetrating the crime.”
When asked on Monday if and how investigators are certain the incident allegedly involving Matthews was isolated, Pickering declined to comment and deferred to the Texas Rangers Office. “I am not at liberty to discuss the criminal investigation,” Pickering said.
Lisa Block, a Texas Department of Public Safety public information officer said “the investigation is ongoing so we don’t have any details at this point.”
Continuous sexual assault of a child is a first-degree felony punishable from 25 to 99 years or life in prison.
Matthews is currently free on bond.

SMITHVILLE — Mention Jaimie Kadlecek’s knee pads around the Smithville girls basketball team and you might get a few chuckles.
“Man, those things stink,” said head coach Robin Ramsay. “I have tried every year to get rid of those things, but she won’t let me. It must be a superstition thing.”
All kidding aside, Kadlecek’s knee pads are just an indication of her scrappy style of play.
The black covering on the front of the pads is wearing so thing there is nothing but a white circle.
They are, by all accounts, probably the most worn out knee pads on the team.
Kadlecek said she has had those knee pads for three years and don’t plan on getting new ones.
“I think it looks pretty cool,” she said.
As Ramsay points out, it shows how hard Kadlecek plays on the basketball court.
“She’s a very scrappy player who is not afraid to get physical,” Ramsay said. “She grew up a lot this season and started to use her scrappiness to lead our team.”
Kadlecek emerged as the leader of the Lady Tigers this season, leading the team in scoring in 18 games.
That’s a contrast to last year where Kadlecek and Blakelee Saunders shared leading in scoring.
“Your point guard is like your quarterback and Jaimie was our quarterback this year,” Ramsay said. “She is a quiet kid and doesn’t really like to tell other what to do, but she leads by example and she got better as the season went along.”
Kadlecek was the leading scorer in Bastrop County, averaging 11.4 points per game. She also led the county in steals with 110, which was 37 more than Bastrop’s Chelsea Moore, who was second.
She was second in assists with 104 behind Tiffany Wong, but was one of two guards in Bastrop County to average four rebounds per game or more.
Smithville will only graduate one starter and will return the core of a team that won it’s first playoff game since 2007.
That has Kadlecek really confident with her senior season ahead of her, despite going into a district with four other playoff teams.
“We have a lot of energy going into next season,” she said. “I think all of us are going to get stronger and be more determined.”
Kadlecek hasn’t made a decision on college, but said she does want to continue to play basketball.
“I am going to go wherever God leads me,” she said.
Whether Ramsay lets her get out of Smithville with her knee pads, however, remains to be seen.

Staff photo by Terry Hagerty/ Smithville guard Jaimie Kadlecek did it all from dishing the rock to scoring. Her overall balance on the basketball court makes her the 2010 All-Bastrop County Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Player of the Year
Jaimie Kadlecek, Junior, Smithville

Stats: Bastrop County’s leading scorer, averaging 11.4 points per game. The Smithville point guard was second in the county in total assists with 104 and led the county in steals with 110. Kadlecek led the Lady Tigers in scoring in 18 games this season.

Coach Ramsay: Jaimie grew up a lot this year and used her scrappy style of play to lead this team. She got better as the year went on.

Offensive Player of the Year
Jasmine Simmons, Senior, Elgin

Stats: Simmons was the second leading scorer in Bastrop County with 10.4 points per game and was fifth in rebounding with 5.7 rebounds per game and had 61 assists and 48 steals. Simmons was a 1st team All-Bastrop County selection in 2009.

Coach Bowman:  I don’t know where we would have been this season without Jasmine’s contributions.

Defensive Player of the Year
Syndey Snell, Junior, Elgin

Stats: The two-time All-Bastrop County Defensive Player of the Year was the second leading rebounder in Bastrop County with 7.1 rebounds per game, slightly being edged out of the lead by Shelby McWhorter (7.4 RPG).

Coach Bowman: Sydney is, by far, one of the most underrated players in our district. She is a tireless defender and a tenacious rebounder.

Newcomer of the Year
Shelby McWhorter, Junior, Bastrop

Stats: In her first year on the Bastrop girls basketball team, Shelby McWhorter led Bastrop County in rebounding, averaging 7.4 rebounds per game with 244 total. McWhorter was also the second leading shot blocker with 17 total blocks. She also had 61 steals. McWhorter was an All-District 25-5A honorable mention selection.

Coach Bussinger: Shelby is a tough young lady.  She plays great defense and has great instincts for rebounding the ball. She does not have emotional highs and lows and does a great job of keeping the team focused.

Sixth-Man of the Year
Faith Ralph, Senior, Smithville

Stats: With limited playing time and abilities, due to her ACL injury recovery, Faith Ralph fought her way back onto the basketball court after spending most of the year on the bench cheering on her team. Ralph averaged 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 points per game in just 13 games.

Coach Ramsay: Faith was to us, what the 12th man is to the (Texas A&M) Aggies. She worked hard to get back and I am proud of her for that.

Coach of the Year
Jackie Bowman, Elgin

Stats: When Jackie Bowman took over the Elgin girls basketball team five years ago he had just 14 girls on the roster. In five years, Bowman got the Lady Cats back into the playoffs for the first time in 17 years and things keep looking up for the Elgin basketball program. While the Lady Cats may not have had a winning record (15-17), a trip to the playoffs makes the 2009-2010 girls basketball season a successful one.

FIRST TEAM
Hillari Raemsch, Jr., Bastorp
Led Bastrop with 9.4 points per game and shot 32 percent from the 3-point line

Tiffany Wong, Jr., Elgin
Led Bastrop County with 120 assists to go with her 5.1 points per game

Blakelee Saunders, Jr., Smithville
Averaged 7.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Shot 31 percent from the 3-point line

Ariel Vinklarek, Sr., Smithville
Averaged 4.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per  game to go with 38 steals.

Wilnesha Roberson, Jr., Bastrop
Fifth leading scorer in Bastrop County, averaging 7.3 points per game.

I gots goosebumps in these shorts don't hollaaaa for dual credit pe.

ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS

DISTRICT 25-5A
CO-MVP
Adesuwa Ebomwony, Jr., Pflugerville; Courtney Duever, Sr., Westlake
Newcomer of the Year
Nancy Walling, So., Pflugerville

First team
Vanessa Winston, Jr., Akins; Danielle Lofton, Jr., Akins; Kelly Gramlich, Jr., Anderson; Selena Hernandez, Jr., Austin; Hillari Raemsch, Jr., Bastrop; Kali Jerrell, Sr., Connally; Brittany Roberts, Sr., Connally; Christie Mooney, Sr., Pflugerville; Curteisha Woods, Jr., Pflugerville; Hannah Coley, Jr., Westlake; Cherrell Mays, Jr., Westlake

Second Team
Shante Walker, Jr., Akins; Dezanae Smith, Sr., Akins; Mary Claire Pollard, Anderson, So., Alexis Rendon, Sr., Austin; Chelsea Moore, Jr., Bastorp; Gina King, Sr., Bowie; Genea Rucker, Sr., Connally; Jasmine Dukes, Sr., Connally; Dymesheon Hyder, Jr., Pflugerville; Kayla Ball, Sr., Westlake

Honorable mention: Amber Jackson, Jr., Bastrop; Shelby McWhorter, Jr., Bastrop

DISTRICT 17-4A
CO-MVP
Angeleigh Davis, Sr., Hays; Joslinn Douglas, Sr., Del Valle
Defensive Player of the Year
Chrissy Arias, Sr., Hays
Newcomer of the Year
Keyana Darling, So., Manor

First team
Ashley Crayton, Sr., San Marcos; Kaylin Monroe, Jr., Manor; Isis Johnson, So., Lockhart; Branna Garza, Sr., Lehman; Ashley Rankin, Sr., Hays; Jasmine Simmons, Sr., Elgin; Sydney Snell, Jr., Elgin; Summer Postell, Jr., Del Valle; Jessica Peralez, Sr., Del Valle; Monique McElveen, Jr., Del Valle

Second Team
Madelynn Swinney, So., San Marcos; ALi Gonzales, Jr., San Marcos; Kayrin Monroe, Jr., Manor; Renne Vallejo, So., Manor; Desi Wynn, Sr., Lockhart; Tory Hill, Jr. Lockhart; Kerry Robinson, Sr., Lehman; Ashley Magallanez, Sr., Hays; Desarae Couthren, Sr., Elgin; Jametria Green, Jr., Del Valle

Honroable Mention: Tiffanie Hart, Sr., Elgin; Tiffany Wong, Jr., Elgin

DISTRICT 25-3A
MVP
Kayla Winkfield, So., Giddings
Offensive Player of the Year
Jaimie Kadlecek, Jr., Smithville
Defensive Player of the Year
Valerie Marrs, Sr., La Grange

First team
Jenna Meuth, Sr., Giddings; Jordan Masek, Sr., Giddings; Mariah Scott, Sr., La Grange; Breanna Homer, Fr., La Grange; Blakelee Saunders, Jr., Smithville; Brittney Krchnack, Sr., Sealy; Brandy Hskey, Sr., Columbus

Second team
Sarah Frazier, So., Bellville; Rebecca Allison, So., Columbus; Caroline Owen, Fr., Sealy; Magen Weinheimer, Jr., Smithville; Hallie Garlick, So., La Grange; Meagan Bradley, Sr., Giddings; Cassidy Melcher, Jr., Giddings

Honorable mention: Ariel Vinklarek, Sr., Smithville; Taylor Homuth, Jr., Smithville; Taylor Weldon, Jr., Smithville

@pecomeco ( >_<)っ゛

Hey, the Longhorn Baseball Team won 4 – 3 over Texas State. That's a little hard for us as we have $$ invested in… http://bit.ly/cqAjdf

Godd morning!!

What would you do? http://ning.it/bzuzsq

What would you do? http://ning.it/bzuzsq

What would you do? http://ning.it/bzuzsq

Take the grappling quiz http://ning.it/avPFJE

#WoofWednesday greetings to the fab PugPack & friends! #Pughug to each & all! #pugs #PugPack http://twib.es/t-E7SOQ

Just uploaded a new video on Wing Chun Club Network http://ning.it/9SMetN

Just uploaded a new photo on Wing Chun Club Network http://ning.it/dngfJr

ねーむーいー

@CoreyVidal how's ffxiii?
Any good? Should I spend the money?

Get exclusive access to download the world premiere of @DeftonesBand HD music video "Rocket Skates"

おねむ

ばっちゃに借りた本持って帰るの忘れた…

@nickkiowski let's go see Alice in wonderland, but in 3D this time. (:

Dear diary, FML. Love, Melody.

A&M Consolidated defeated Elgin 15-7.

Finally I'm in bed!! Nighty night world!!! Peace out!!!!

My son was a victim of a murder/suicide. Losing a loved one by murder/suicide is very difficult.

@LaylaGrace rip sweet baby girl. You're home safe now.

No. 3 Elgin made quick work of Manor, winning 11-0 in 4 1/2 innings. Freshman pitcher Lauren Slatten had 12 Ks and gave up 2 hits.

Cody …

As there was no witness, there was nothing to be told. As nothing could be grasped, The story could unfold…

君ってほんと本を読まないよね！ と言われるなどする

Bastrop, Tx–Almost at the last minute March 8, Bastrop City Council Member Joe Beal drew an opponent for re-election to a second two-year term.

The filing deadline was 5 p.m. yesterday, and after 4 p.m. Tahitian Village resident Bob Parmelee appeared at City Hall on Main Street to file for a place on the May council ballot.

Previously only Beal, Mayor Terry Orr and Council Member Julie Hart had filed for places on the ballot. All three were first elected to office in 2008.

Over the past year Parmelee has emerged as an outspoken participant in various so-called Tea Party politicanl events in Bastrop and Travis County. Last fall he was ejected from Kerr Community Center in Bastrop for being disruptive during a gathering which featured US Congressman Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat.

Beal is a former general manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority. Previously he served on Bastrop’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

狐と踊れ新版で収録作かわってトールサイズ化となると表紙も一個さんのあれから変わるのよね、たぶん

Kuntryboy models will meet at 6:45 at pizza hut

Bastrop, Tx–The value of agricultural production in Bastrop County last year fell more than $20 million from 2008, a drop blamed on severe drought conditions which extended back to 2007, according to a report delivered to Bastrop County commissioners on March 8.

The report by Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent Rachel Bauer estimated total production in the county at $46.9 million for 2008. That total fell to $26.2 million in 2009, she said.

In 2006, before the onset of a multi-year drought, the total production was valued at $63.2 million.

Bastrop County’s biggest products, hay and cattle, also took the biggest hits, according to Bauer’s figures. Hay production, valued at $5.7 million in 2006, sank to $2.3 million last year.

Beef cattle production, which reached some $34 million in 2006, fell to an estimated $24.9 million in 2008 and sank to $16.7 million in 2009 as producers thinned or sold off herds while grass and water disappeared during the dry period.

Pecan production, which topped $3 million in 2007, dipped to less than $1 million in 2009. Vegetables were valued at $1.9 million in 2007 but fell to $837,000 last year.

A few minor production categories showed increases, however. Bauer estimated the value of hogs in 2006 at $45,000, a number which had more than doubled to $99,000 by 2009. Hunting, recreation and timber production also either held steady or showed small gains since 2007, according to the report.

@laurizac FYI: your link is broken and doesn't work.

The next time you’re having a stressful day at work, imagine what Staff Sgt. Eric Haussecker’s day is like.

Haussecker, who is from San Marcos, disposes bombs and other explosive devices in Iraq. A member of a bomb disposal team in Baghdad, he lives out the Oscar-winning film “The Hurt Locker” every day.

Haussecker is featured in this short video on the BBC News Web site. He and other soldiers talk about the film and say it’s a pretty accurate representation of their work.
If you haven’t seen “The Hurt Locker” yet, I’d highly recommend it.

You can watch the video here:

BBC News — The real Hurt Locker bomb teams

Haussecker is seen in a hulking kevlar suit and helmet explaining how he and his comrades dispose of bombs — and how they try and keep their cool during such a dangerous task.

“You might rate this as a higher chance of getting injured or killed,” he says. “But I think accidents happen anywhere. And I think that when it’s your time, it’s your time.”

Exercise Myths http://bit.ly/WSX2t

little late but I have a new appreciation for Clint Black and his talent after TX Music Heritage Awards on Sunday.

Expecting Moms Embrace Massage http://bit.ly/2azFRD

@TyWilliamsMusic Only when hair and makeup is done!! LOL

Work on the $1.2 million Chestnut Street Improvement Project is moving along at a good pace, City Manager Mike Talbot said last Tuesday.
“All the water lines, sewer and storm water drainage are complete,” Talbot said of the project that runs from Water Street to the railroad tracks just east of Haysel Street. The project got under way in October 2009 and is expected to be finished this June.
The first phase of installing conduits for electrical, telephone and cable wires is also complete, Talbot said. As part of the overall beautification project of the street, utilities were moved underground and accompanying poles were taken down.
Enough work has also been done on curb/gutters and some sidewalks to allow residential driveways to be reconnected.
Soon to be installed are decorative aspects of sidewalks included implanted medallions that will tell some of the history of the El Camino Real trail.
Construction crews did have an unexpected discovery, Talbot said.
“They found a water line that runs under the new convention center,” Talbot said. “The line was not on our map.”
Talbot said it is not uncommon in older cities for unknown water lines to be discovered. He added that engineers are not sure if the water line is active.
“We will insert a valve that allows us to turn off the water (if it is active), he said. “If somebody is using that line we will probably hear about it.”

Finally got so sleep!!! But I didn't wanna wake up this morning

@ScarletThePug You have good parents! They know how to treat a senior lady Pug! #pughug to you and your good peeps! http://twib.es/t-E58TJ

*Sighh* Another amazing night | it's amazing how one person can change another's life so quickly and drastically. <3

goodnight everyone

@spidermeadows aww yeah!

"my teacher gave me detention today, so I ate the detention slip…detentions don't taste very good." – @nickkiowski

Dinner. It was gooood. Haha. http://twitpic.com/17hiiu

Dang my leg hurts right now cause at softball practice yesterday I pulled a muscle and it hurts really bad. UGHH!!

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

SkinnyOrangeCat posted a photo:

Jeff Lynch posted a photo:

Shot with a Canon Powershot G10.

© 2009 Jeff Lynch Photography, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Available for Licensing and Purchase.

Blog – Serious Amateur Photography

Follow me on Twitter

A few spots still open for the Texas Landscape Safari this Spring. Come to Texas and join us in our wildflower hunt.

be looking for the new single wit lil ru

The Face of Winter http://bit.ly/5ru0O0

雨。雪とかいう話も。さむ

I uploaded a YouTube video — Are you Living Right? http://youtu.be/X6NEoixcbUA?a

just joined a video chat with 46 other people at http://tinychat.com/nastybynature #tinychat

RT @beckymanor: Your Massage Session http://bit.ly/4e9xaF

@estrella me to
HeHaSmEtWiStD

Supreme Court to hear solider funeral protests and whether protected by 1st Amend. http://tinyurl.com/yhqyuwo

Bastrop resident Robert C. Richards went ashore on D-Day on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Medals he earned include the Combat Infantry Badge, Purple Heart and Bronze Star, all with the 2nd Infantry Division in France.

Bastrop resident Robert C. Richards went ashore on one of the most famous beaches in history and has lived to tell about it at age 92.

But his beach wasn’t a beach for surfing or catching rays.
As Richards sat in his living room on Monday afternoon he recounted what happened on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on June 6, 1944 several hours after the historic D-Day invasion assaulted Adolph Hitler’s Third Reich.
Richards survived that day and another seven months of combat, during which he was wounded twice while serving as a Ranger scout with the 2nd Infantry Division.
“I landed around 4 p.m. on June 6 and served as a spotter for LCIs coming in on Omaha Beach,” Richards said, referring to small troop transports called landing craft-infantry.
And if the brunt of casualties were mostly over for that day on the four beaches the Allies landed on, the Germans were still shelling the beach and strafing it with fighter planes, Richards added.
Richards performed his landing duties so well on D-Day he received a special commendation from a colonel supervising the beach landing in his area.

Seeing action
Richards, born and raised in Williamsport, Penn., would soon see enough action away from the beaches.
As a scout he went out in front of advancing infantry units to set up fields of fire – that is, optimal directions for machine guns to fire at the enemy.
Richards also acted as an artillery spotter, calling in map coordinates for the location of German troops sighted.
“I was a corporal and I worked with another man, a private first class,” Richards said. “I was trained at both Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio and Camp McCoy in Wisconsin.”
His training also included a stint in Northern Michigan training on using snow skis in combat. Before landing in France he would undergo further Ranger training in Northern Ireland.
Richards described his German opponents as “damn good soldiers and dedicated.”
He was wounded the first time only 11 days after D-Day.
“I crossed in front of a German machine gun position,” Richards said. He was hit in the upper arm and grazed near his right eye.
“I was airlifted back to England for six weeks and then it was back in combat,” Richards said.
Richards shared a letter from his company commander at the time he was wounded in France, from Thomas Birch of Colorado Springs, Colo.
“I remember Mr. Richards as being one of those selected to constitute an advanced party (for scouting) for our regiment after the D-Day landings,” Birch wrote. “That assignment was an important one and obviously involved extra-hazardous duty.”
Richards was put out of combat action for good, he said, during the Battle of the Bulge in mid-December 1944.
An artillery or mortar shell exploded nearby and although fragments did not hit him he received a severe concussion from the shock wave of the exploding shell.
“It was the first day of the Battle of the Bulge,” Richards said.
He would remain in Europe, assigned to working with the Red Cross in Dijon, France until the end of the European war.
He received the Purple Heart twice and would also wear a Bronze Star, given to the 2nd Infantry Division for its performance under fire.
Richards returned to the U.S. and worked at a silk mill and then for an aircraft manufacturer before becoming a traveling furniture salesman, a job he said he loved.
He would go on to marry a Texas woman, which together with his sales position in the southern U.S., would bring him back to Texas.
“My wife, Gracie, from San Antonio and I had three children,” Richards said proudly. “In 1966, I left Pennsylvania and moved to San Antonio.”
Richards said he would like to return to France to honor his fellow soldiers, but doesn’t know if he’ll make it.
“I would sure like to go back there,” Richards said softly as looked at his military medals on his kitchen table.
And then he held up a photograph of him coming off of Omaha Beach the day after D-Day. An Army photographer had snapped it.
It is one of his prized possessions from the war, he said,

A Cornerstone of Health http://bit.ly/peaOy

Sports Massage a Must for Athletic Performance http://bit.ly/XGIcm

It another work week and hope everyone have a good monday

good morning everyone

マーヤが見たい。冬眠の話と、ミミズ氏が家をつくる話。

Just got back from seeing alice in wonderland. And finishing my portfolio.

The only thing that matters really,is that unjust action violates the rights of others.

Stop chasing the hype!! Come to our site an check out this video, you have nothing to lose!
http://fitmerc.wordpress.com/

@LTVsports wrong on so many levels

Chris Calaprice, a six-year survivor of pancreatic cancer, is traveling one mile on a motorcycle for ever person diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S. this year.

The Dude!!!!! Lebowski wins an Oscar! Total Awesomeness.

watching the #oscars. steve martin is weirdly sexy. great song by NPH <3

Yogurt, the Super Food http://bit.ly/4vg55Z

@GrangerSmith Bastrop, TX… right up the road from Austin

How to Protect Your Skin in the Dry, Cold Months http://bit.ly/7GbhWl

Kuntryboyz ent. In da studio wit lil ru

@aTrubow If you are looking for good sausage, Meyer's is the way to go. If you want good brisket, Southside Market is your best bet.

@IamHi_C http://2dopeboyz.okayplayer.com/2010/03/07/royce-da-59-over-freestyle/

Well I finally figured out how to follow someone on here…. Sad it took so long…LOL

Young team captain plans fundraiser

Relay For Life, the event that started in 1985 with a single man, has grown to being the single largest movement to help in the fight against cancer.
In the Bastrop County area, there are several Relay teams who routinely set records with their fundraising amounts. But there is one team captained by a young man that will capture people’s hearts.

Anthony Harris, a 13-year-old seventh grader at Bastrop Middle School, is on his second year of leading Team Blow Out Cancer, a team he started after his mother, Kelley, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Anthony Harris, right, with his mom Kelley, is fundraising for Relay For Life.

Anthony’s positive attitude is striking for someone so young, but he says when he found out about his mom’s cancer, he stayed upbeat.
“I knew everything was going to be alright,” he said.
Kelley says she knew before she got the formal diagnosis that she had breast cancer. But she also knew that her faith would get her, and her family, through it.
Anthony’s first year as captain of the team saw them raising more than $1,000 through the ‘purple toilet,’ – basically offering people the opportunity to put a large purple toilet in someone else’s front yard for a fee.
And this year the team is doing something similar with a large purple, birthday cake. But Anthony wanted to figure out a way for the team to raise even more money. He has set a goal of $1,500.
During that time the family volunteered to work the annual Pedal Thru the Pines fundraiser for the Family Crisis Center and that’s where Anthony’s father, Mitchell, got an idea.
Since Anthony loves to ride his bicycle, it was a natural fit to partner that love with a fundraiser and the Blowout Ride was born.
Slated for Saturday, April 3, the Blowout Ride is a 23-mile course that runs through both state parks. Registration is $25 before March 27 and $35 afterwards. Riders will get a T-shirt and goodie bag. Everyone is being asked to meet at 8:30 a.m. at the pool area at Bastrop State Park.
Team Blow Out Cancer consists of Anthony, his brother Michael, 15, Bill Stanberry, Pastor Susan Fox and Petra Webb. The seventh-grader explains why Relay For Life is important in the fight against cancer.
“Relay For Life has a lot of stuff that helps with cancer patients,” he said, giving examples of things that Relay funds pay for, including Hope Lodge and Road to Recovery, two programs that help people fighting cancer with lodging and transportation.
“Relay For Life makes people feel honored and happy that so many people care,” he said. “It motivates them.”
Anthony’s mother Kelley is doing well, but Anthony always knew she would.
“She’s a fighter,” he said, adding that his philosophy on life is similar to hers.
“Stay on the happy side,” he said.

r u the same kay byrd that went to paul w horn in 1960 – 65???? This is barbara abbott

…of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2).

“When you honor the birth family, you honor the child. When you don't honor the birth family, the child will… http://fb.me/6Byh0PA

As much as i hate it now, things might be taking a turn for the best. <3

Watching brüno with nick tanner and Megan. Lotsa dramas todays. /:

@Tanner_Johnson said I punch harder than @TRACE_TIROFF. Lol. Idk if that's a compliment or an insult. Haha.

My head fuckin hurts! Someone stepped on my $100 shoes & broke my toe-assssssssss!

Playing gears of war 2 again this game totally rocks!
HeHaSmEtWiStD

Oh by the way, i had to switch back 2 my old phone. The other 1was giving my mom & I 2 much frustration

A man on trial this week in Bastrop County District Court was convicted of tampering with evidence and sentenced to four years probation and a $1,000 fine by a jury of six men and six women.
Daniel Lee Holmes pled not guilty on Monday to a charge of altering or destroying methamphetamine in order to prevent its use in an investigation.
On Thursday afternoon the jury found Holmes guilty and later returned the probation time and fine during the subsequent punishment phase.
The incident which Holmes was convicted of took place on March 16, 2007 when Holmes was pulled over off of Texas 21 by Department of Public Safety officer John Vincent, according to courtroom testimony. During the process of the officer searching Holmes and the truck he was riding in, Holmes put a bag of crystal meth into his own mouth. Vincent then began to struggle with Holmes in order to retrieve the bag. The bag was retrieved and booked into evidence and later identified as containing methamphetamine.
Holmes’s attorney Vann Pressley made the case to jurors that Vincent did not have probable cause to pull Holmes over.
“He (Vincent) stopped Daniel Holmes that night and he started his fishing expedition…pushing around to see what would happen and casting his line to see what would come back,” Pressley said. The defense also made the case that Vincent was unnecessarily rough with Holmes during the arrest.
Prosecutors Phil Hall and Greg Gilleland disagreed and told jurors the facts in the case were clear.
“This (Holmes) is not a man who was beaten down and tortured, yet John Vincent has to hear this over and over again in this trial,” Hall said during closing arguments. “Ignore the rhetoric; ignore the half-truths; go back there and read the law.”
Following the conviction Hall said he was pleased with the results.

@roadace @Jamestexas that sounds terrible….

@garretjiroux why did you buy that book?

RT @H5AB WOW!! Houston just defeatede #3 UT 1-0 at Minute Maid Park.

@tanner_johnson and Megan and Regina left me and @nickkiowski at best buy. )':

To us a Saturday Night Special is a great big Chicken Fried Steak w/ gravy, mashed potatoes and something green – to make it healthy!

The Renaissance festival is full of intersting people to say the least.

Soo tired. Going back to sleep

Hot or Cold for Injuries? http://bit.ly/6shBQ1

Heading out on the Pedal Through The Pines ride. 62 miles. Wearing my CCC jersey in memory of Kathleen Carrico http://twitpic.com/16yfxx

Heading out on the Pedal Through The Pines ride. 62 miles. Wearing my CCC jersey in memory of Kathleen Carrico http://twitpic.com/16yfxx

actually I don't feel like driving into Austin. Truth be told.

Karen Pinard, a member of Bastrop’s Charter Review Committee, would like to see council members and the mayor’s position get a bit more money for their efforts.
Council members now receive $75 per month and Mayor Terry Orr gets $150 for what many agree is a substantial workload.
“I have a real problem with the compensation – it’s a huge responsibility (being on council),” Pinard said during a meeting of the charter committee last Monday.
Committee member Debbie Moore was even more direct.
“It’s crazy,” Moore said about the pay.
On a separate issue, committee member Rev. R.D. Smith raised the question of whether citizens might be better served voting by single-member districts, instead of the at-large procedure now in effect.
These were some of the points of discussion raised by the charter committee during their meeting Monday night, the third since being formed at the end of 2009.
The committee is composed of nine volunteer members from the community, and chaired by council member Ken Kesselus. They are tasked with reviewing and making recommendations for any changes to the city’s current 27-page “Home Rule Charter” which was adopted by citizens in an election held in May 2004.
The charter calls for a review process at intervals not to exceed six years.
“We passed the charter in 2002, so we are a little behind time in doing this review,” Kesselus said. “That’s why I was so eager to get the process rolling as soon as I took office as a council member.”
Kesselus said the mayor asked him to represent the council in the committee.
“The mayor looked at this committee as an extraordinary one requiring special attention,” Kesselus said. “He asked each of the council members to recommend a name and then he nominated whomever we listed and added a couple of others to flesh it out.”
The committee has held three meetings so far and is also seeking citizen input and comments.
Kesselus said after discussions, including citizen input, the committee will try to reach a consensus on any proposed changes to the charter. If a consensus cannot be reached, the committee would work by majority rule under Robert’s Rules of order.
Charter committee members are: Camilo Chavez, Willie DeLaRosa, Kesselus, Moore, Pinard, Brandi Smith, Rev. R.D. Smith, Lias Tantaksinanukij and Jeff Yarbrough.
Kesselus said the committee’s next meeting has not yet been set. Citizens can find out by calling city hall and watch for the listing in The Bastrop Advertiser.

Very fun night. Time to go home and CRASH.

Vegas baby, yeahhhh!!! Port fucking aransas for my last fling before the fucking ring!!!!!!!! 21 days left! Wooooo!-imagine me screaming…

Goin to bed, comment my photos and shit