The Mason Lions Club met Tuesday, February 2nd, for its regular monthly business meeting. There were 35 members and 2 visitors in attendance. "Boss" Lion Chris Dyer was responsible for the program and Secretary/Treasurer Gene Gammill read the minutes and gave the financial report. New members, Will Slaughter and Ken Cordero were installed into the club.

Last week’s newspaper had several articles about the upcoming Open House that LCRA is hosting to inform the public and solicit input regarding the transmission lines and the potential routes that might impact Mason, and I hope you read it and are ready to respond. Next Wednesday, February 17, between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m.

ger/feb 10 col-around the square LEASE HEL KEEP THIS PARK LEAN That’s what the sign says. Exactly. Over there at Comanche Creek Park. It’s a sign worth contemplating as one sits at the picnic table. Eating one’s hamburger from Northside Café. Maybe a cheeseburger. Maybe with fries. Or fried pickles. An interesting sign, to be sur ...

Delicious, Heart- Healthy Valentine Treat! Make this for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day... Chocolate Bliss Marble Cake Prep: 40 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling 5 egg whites 1/4 cup baking cocoa 1/4 cup hot water 1 cup sugar, divided 1 cup fat-free milk 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon almond extract 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons bakin ...

It’s a nice Monday. We had a good rain and now, a prospect for some freezing precipitation on Thursday and cooler days. Thank God for this beautiful weather and be thankful you don’t live in the East part of the country. My daughter Lisa and her husband William had almost 39 inches of snow in Baltimore.

Trouble at the Top… Did you They were, uh, "get well cards," bearing this message: "Stop if you can, or at least slow down." Both brain trusts wish they could. The TV bosses can’t rein in night talk show prima donnas, and the auto people are having trouble reining in certain Toyota models.

If you’ll turn back to page 7A of this paper, you’ll see an article "NATURAL HEALTH FROM A TO Z." It’s just on the flip side of "DOWN THE DRAIN WITH JANE." Now, there is nothing really natural or healthy about "DOWN THE DRAIN WITH JANE." It’s more like "COPING FROM J TO Z!" Just to the left of "NATURAL HEALTH FROM A TO Z,"

Once in a while a situation arises that is so ridiculous, so inane, so totally inconsequential, that it causes a great uproar in America. An example of this kind of thing is the various complaints and discussions over the clothes worn by Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Obama. Nobody cares, but the lamestream news media seems to think it’s a life or death situation. This kind of issue came up recently, when, on 18 January, ABC News reported, somewhat sensationally, th ...

After being closed for the month of January (plus one week) the library renovations are finished and the library is back open. With a fresh coat of paint and new carpet the library looks warm and inviting and we certainly hope you will enjoy it. So many people helped to make this big project possible. Thank you to the Mason County M.

Jenetics or genetics (this is a ‘j’ week) have lots to do with who we are and what our health is like, particularly as we age. We tend to put up with arthritis, high blood pressure, a little weight around the middle, etc. because we see them as symptoms of age as determined by our genes. Scientists are discovering more and more about our genetic makeup – and more importantly, how to control it, or at least limit the worst aspects of it as it applies to our health.

Another Introduction to Bolivar Shagnasty I have a very old friend with whom I have shared the joys the sorrows and philosophies of life; opinions on current events; beliefs in the political arena; on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; thoughts of any nature including religion, gossip and dreams; and to cover all four corners: amusing stories the color of which is of little concern.

01/01/10@0142 - Shots Heard – Sgt. Zapata responded to shots heard on E. Pontotoc Street 01/01/10@0205 01/01/10@0234 01/01/10@1337 01/01/10@1604 01/01/10@2252 01/02/10@0435 01/02/10@0905 01/02/10@1032 01/02/10@1756 01/02/10@1848 01/02/10@1852 01/03/10@0021 01/03/10@1324 01/03/10@1527 01/03/10@1546 01/03/10@1830 01/03/10@2006 01/03/10@1926 ...

Monday was a hectic day. The Commissioners' Court had a three hour meeting in the morning, and the City of Mason had a 1.75 hour meeting that evening. In between, we were working on getting all the stories typeset, getting the pictures ready, and figuring out what all would be in this week's paper. During the early afternoon, I had a surprise visitor drop by, and I must say it was a very pleasant surprise.

Dear Editor, Many of your readers may be unaware that a hard cap on all Medicare beneficiary’s Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy care went into effect on January 1, 2010. I am referring to the financial limit on the amount of therapy care that Medicare will cover in a calendar year, often referred to as the "Medicare Therapy Cap".

In order to be better prepared for the upcoming public open houses, the following information was sent to me from a party involved in a CREZ line issue with ONCOR, and said, if it might help, I could share some of their perspective. Shared perspective below: ONCOR used all the comments at the open houses to their advantage and tried to spin them and cherry pick what they wanted to present in testimony about COMMUNITY VALUES. Community values are one of the factors use ...

Take the A-Train back to the days of Lindy Hopping, Zoot suits and Stompin’ at the Savoy in Matt Davenport Productions’ hit show, AMERICAN BIG BAND. Utilizing many of the original arrangements of the famous swing era orchestras, the American Big Band orchestra employs the breathtaking talents of 11 jazz musicians, most of whom comprise the full-size horn section.

Mason County Cancer Benefit team, Kancer Kickers, are having a bake sale on Feb. 13th, 8 am till sold out in front of Ranchland Western Wear. Please help us by dropping off your bake goods to us that morning or call us. The day of the sale, only we are selling raffle tickets for a Mary Kay Basket donated by Nicole Wright Fuller. We are also selling raffle tickets until the evening of the 24th of April.

Llano, Texas– On Wednesday, February 17th, 2010, a member of Congressman Mike Conaway’s (TX-11) staff will be in Mason to visit personally with constituents. This will allow you to share concerns, request help on a federal issue or to ask any questions you may have. Constituent Outreach Services Where: Mason County Court House 10am – 11 am Wednesday, February 17th

The Mason Study Club will once again be sponsoring a fundraiser for the library with their Chili on the Square. Homemade chili, cornbread and tamales, as well as desserts, will be available on Friday, Feb. 19th on the courthouse lawn. You are welcome to drop by and enjoy your lunch, or you can pre-order by calling ahead to 347-1517. Thanks to the generous support of our community and visitors travelling through Mason in October $1000 was raised for the library!

The First United Pentecostal Church of Brady will be offering Bible study classes in Mason. The classes will be on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Mason National Bank Community Room. The first class is on February 10th. Classes will be conducted by pastor Joe Shaw. The following classes will be on February 17th and 24th. To contact Pastor Shaw, call 325-456-2046 (cell) or 325-597-1693 (home).

The Llano Country Opry will host Grand Ole Opry Stars The Whites for two big shows on Saturday, February 13. The afternoon show begins at 2:30 PM and the evening show begins at 7:30 PM. Admission is $15.00 per person and ticket are now on sale at the Llano Chamber of Commerce, Llano National Bank, Lively Computers in Kingsland or by phoning (325) 247-5354. "There’s nothing like playing music to bring a family together,"

February 21st – February 27th is Texas Severe Weather Awareness Week. Severe weather may strike with only a few minutes of advance warning. Do you have more than one way to receive a warning? At approximately 9:30 a.m., on Thursday, February 25th, the National Weather Service in San Angelo encourages all schools to practice their tornado drills.

Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg and the Hill Country University Center will present an information session on navigating the College Financial Aid process on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Fredericksburg High School Library at 5:30 p.m. Financial aid specialists from Texas Tech University and Austin Community College will be the speakers.

During Monday night's City Commission meeting, John Palacio was officially sworn in as the City Administrator. He arrived and began his first day of work on Monday. His wife and children will be joining him later this spring after the school term finishes. Left to right: Mayor Brent Hinckley and John Palacio.

Melany Canfield was the guest speaker last week at the Mason Study Club meeting. She brought us news from the high school about how we as individuals or as an organization can help the students and teachers. The big buzz at school is that Mason is one of only two high schools to receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award for scholastic excellence and more!

ART AND CONSERVATION: OUR HIDDEN TREASURES promotes conservation through works of art that focus on the Hill Country’s natural resources – land, water, wildlife and native plants. ART AND CONSERVATION also allows artists the unique opportunity to have access to private lands as well as local public lands, such as parks and along Texas back roads. ART AND CONSERVATION began in 2007 as a collaboration between the Cibolo Nature Center, Cibolo Arts Council, and Boerne Area Ar ...

The Mason Community Thrift Store is set up to meet many needs. It is a place to take clothing and other items that you no longer want or need. It is a place to shop locally, saving time and money. By doing these things, it becomes a place where revenue is collected to be used for the good of the community of Mason.

The Riata Service Organization met Jan. 26th at the home of Michelle Smith with Bertha Templeton as co-hostess, for the first meeting of the year with 31 members present. "Photography and You" was the title of the program given by Willeda Rea. She gave information about different camera's, the use of light and how the correct equipment will produce a pleasing photo. Following the program, the business meeting was called to order by President Pat Tucker.

David and Janna Brown of Austin announce the engagement of their daughter, Caitlin, to First Lieutenant Ryan Gavina, son of Lydia Gavina of Chicago, IL. Ryan attended the United States Air Force Academy and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences. After a brief assignment to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, he was sent to Undergraduate Pilot Training in Del Rio, Texas, and received his pilot’s wings in April of 2009.

Samantha Ann Little graduated December 20, 2010 with a Bachelors Degree in Advertising and a minor in Ag Leadership from Texas Tech University.

Gabriel Jennings, a local student, has been selected by the Texas Section of the Society for Range Management (SRM) to participate in the High School Youth Forum (HSYF), an SRM sponsored youth activity held jointly during the 63rd Annual SRM's annual meeting. This year's meeting is being held in Denver, Colorado on February 7 - 11, 2010.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Chama Martin, a 4-H member from Mason, exhibited a First Place Light Weight Hair Sheep Wether Lamb in the Junior Wether Lamb Show at the 2010 legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo January 30-31, 2010. Junior show entries totaled over 10,000 at this year’s show which ends February 7. "One of our Show’s main priorities is our commitment to the livestock industry and the agriculture leaders of tomorrow.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Gabe Jennings, a 4-H member from Fredonia, exhibited the Supreme Champion Ram and the Reserve Champion Southdown Ewe in the Junior Breeding Sheep Show at the 2010 legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on January 25, 2010. Junior show entries totaled over 10,000 at this year’s show which ends February 7. "One of our Show’s main priorities is our commitment to the livestock industry and the agriculture leaders of tomorr ...

At the February 4, 2010, Central Texas Electric Co-op Board meeting, a Mason County Director was recognized for achieving an education certification. Riley Kothmann, Co-op Director since 2009, received the Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate for his commitment to education from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The NRECA Credentialed Cooperative Director program requires attendance and demonstrated understanding of the basic competencies contained ...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Sierra Martin, a 4-H member from Mason, exhibited the Champion Hair Sheep Wether Lamb in the Junior Wether Lamb Show at the 2010 legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo January 30-31, 2010. Junior show entries totaled over 10,000 at this year’s show which ends February 7. "One of our Show’s main priorities is our commitment to the livestock industry and the agriculture leaders of tomorrow.

DENVER--Chama Jade Martin, Mason, TX sold a Reserve Grand Champion Junior Market Goat for $3750 at the National Western Stock Show's Auction of Junior Livestock Champions on Jan. 22. The Winning Bidder of the animal was Basey Family. 97 animals, steers, lambs, hogs and goats, sold for approximately $460,097 at the 2010 auction. Ten percent of each winning bid will be contributed to the National Western Scholarship Trust that supports 74 agribusiness and rural medical scholars ...

Land needed for construction of new regional medical center - TEMPLE, Texas - (February 8, 2010) Scott & White announced today the start of a renewed search for property to build the Lake of the Hills Regional Medical Center after negotiations with Crossroads property owner/developer ended last Friday and terminated a contract offer to acquire 22 acres located south of Marble Falls near the intersection of U.S.

There will NOT be an American Legion meeting on Thursday, Feb. 11th. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 11th, 7:00 p.m., at The American Legion Post Hall, 237 Post Hill Rd. (behind the Jail). For information concerning the programs and/or operation of The American Legion Fort Mason Post #285, please contact Lawrence Spell, 1st Vice Commander, 429-6224.

Are you interested in getting your GED but aren’t sure you’re ready to take the test? Mason ISD, in conjunction with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal grant, will offer a GED preparation course beginning Tuesday, February 16th. Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 and Sundays from 10:30 to 12:30 in the Elementary School computer lab.

Region 4 District 13 Mason Goldthwaite Winters Eldorado Big Lake

The new Mason County Veterans Office is now operational and is a joint venture of the American Legion Fort Mason Post 285 and the VFW Post 8554. The office is located at the American Legion Post Hall, 237 Post Hill Rd (behind the Jail). Lawrence Spell, Commander of the VFW Post 8554 & 1st Vice Commander of the American Legion Post 285, has recently completed his state training and has been officially certified as the Mason County Veterans Service Officer.

Abigail T. Najar, age 94 and lifetime resident of Llano passed away on Friday, February 5, 2010. She was born on March 31, 1915, in Michoacan, Mexico, to Otilia and Jose Talancon. She married Catarino G. Najar, October 5, 1936, in Llano, Texas. She was the oldest member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and former member of the Llano Chamber of Commerce.

Beatrice Holloway, of Mason, passed away on Wednesday, February 3, at the age of 90. Beatrice was born on December 11, 1919, in Llano County to Belton Underwood and Carrie Churchill Underwood. She was raised in the Field Creek area of Llano County. On December 16, 1937, she married Albert J.

Forrestine (Mrs. David) Kothmann, 85, died January 25, 2010. Graveside services are scheduled at 2 p.m., February 18, 2010, at the Premier Ranch, Mason, Texas. She is survived by: Camilla Blain and husband, Jim of Odessa, Texas; Coni Aldridge of Odessa, Texas; Debbie Kothmann of Fredericksburg, Texas; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

The 8th Grade Punchers have been hard at it in the past couple of weeks. After coming off a third place tournament win in Llano, the Punchers hosted their own Invitational with Llano, Nueces Canyon, and Junction with four divisions. In the 8th Boys division, Junction took on Llano in game one and advanced after a 32-12 win.