Last Wednesday many landowners and concerned citizens had a chance to visit with LCRA representatives and gain information from materials presented about the routes under consideration in this region. Important to most of us is the proposed route that would bring Transmission Lines and their 180 foot towers through Mason County.

Poles. Posts. Columns. We run into them. We dig holes for them. We set them. We lean against them. Was a day when we tied our horses to ‘em. Now we string wire and cable from them. Running electricity and telephone service here, there, and yonder. We also wrap posts with barbed wire. Run flags up a pole. Build a porch with columns. (Those always add a touch of ...

N is for neuropathy which is a painful degenerative nerve condition most commonly caused by diabetes. Symptoms may range from mild loss of sensation in the feet to constant pain in various parts of the body. There are several interesting remedies for neuropathy – some of which have had clinical trials conducted with specific usage. The first of these is alpha-lipoic acid, which is a great antioxidant.

Helping Your Children Handle Teasing and Bullying Do you remember the school bully who went around teasing and threatening you or your classmates? Remember how you felt? Remember how you wished he would just go away? Ever wondered what happened to someone who was teased or bullied or what became of the bully himself? Teasing and bullying is an ongoing problem for many of our children.

Prayers Remembered… The importance of prayer is at, or very near, the center of all things Christian. Most of us could recite the "God is great" mealtime prayer, as well as the "Now I lay me down to sleep" beddy-bye petition, before we could count to 10 or say the "A-B-C’s." We’ve pondered the "pray without ceasing"

Every week I’m discovering some project that I bought years ago and never completed. This week were tubes of paint that you paint on T-Shirts! Needless to say, the paint was dried up and unusable! Then again, that fad of painting T-Shirts is way outdated. So, I chunked the paint and stencils. Z wonders why we, two folks have so much garbage?

Teenage boys have a built-in behavioral enzyme in their DNA that keeps them from showing interest in anything. They have to act cool, like they’ve seen it all and done it all, and nothing surprises them. You can take a teenage boy to the Grand Canyon, or Niagara Falls, or Mt.

The Friends of the Library are hosting an Open House to show appreciation for all the library patrons and volunteers and also to show off the library’s recently spruced up walls and floor. The Open House is today at the library from 10:30 – 5:30. Come see the "new" library and enjoy some tasty goodies. NEW ARRIVALS Shadow Tag Ordinary Thunderstorms The Brick Layer Secrets of Eden Murder at Longbourn< ...

Cookbooks, Recipes & Leftovers Years ago I started contemplating about all of the many "Cook Books" that my wife has stored in her "Library of Cooking" which occupies a small nook in our kitchen. I wondered: why would a woman married to a man raised on red beans, cornbread, potatoes, steak and cream gravy need such an extensive amount of material designed to instruct her in cooking things that keep her man well fed and happy? Not being able to figure out the reas ...

We had another beautiful Sunday with warm but windy weather. And now on Monday, it is overcast and the forecast for Tuesday is a high of 35 and a low of 24 with a 70% possibility of rain, snow and sleet. I hope you all survived and kept warm. Be sure to vote in the primary of your choice.

The Mason Lions Club met Tuesday, February 16th, for its regular weekly luncheon meeting. There were 42 members and 5 visitors in attendance. Among the visitors were 2 Mason High School Seniors, Jaci Draper and Courtney Ake. Lion Dane Phillips was responsible for the program and introduced Tom Koepke who spoke about the work at Fort Mason.

The annual Mason County Chamber of Commerce Banquet is this Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. at the Mason I.S.D. cafeteria. This year, in keeping with it being a census year, the theme is, "Mason County - Where Everyone Counts." I've always been a supporter of the Chamber, and try to help them out with their many projects and events throughout the year.

Editor, I, Connie Herrera, just want everyone to be aware of an act of kindness that does not occur everyday. I made a mistake of leaving my purse in the shopping basket at the Super S parking lot. It had all my money and personal belongings in it. An employee at Super S, Gerardo Perez, was kind enough to return my purse with everything in it.

Steady Steps is gearing up for Spring with a host of fundraisers to benefit a non-profit program that serves all of the Mason community. Here’s how you can help children in Mason receive quality childcare and early education: · Play Golf! Sign-up for the Steady Steps Charity Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, March 6th at 1:30 p.m.

Rev. Suzanne Brantley will be holding a Bible Study, "I Want to See Jesus," at the Hilda United Methodist Church beginning this Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the Hilda UMC Fellowship Hall. There will be four lessons and you can attend all or as many as you can. The other three will also be held on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m.

The Order of Saint Luke will be holding a service of anointing for the purpose of healing on Thursday, March 4 All healing is of God. The Church’s healing ministry in no way detracts from the gifts God gives through medicine and psychotherapy. It is no substitute for either medicine or the proper care of one’s health.

The Gooch Cemetery Annual meeting will be held at Mason National Bank on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 pm. Board members encourage all interested parties to attend.

The Riata Community Service Organization will hold its rummage sale on Saturday, March 6 at the American Legion Hall beginning at 8:00 AM. The hall is located on Post Hill Street behind the Mason County Jail. There will be many items offered for sale and all funds received will be channeled back into the community. Riata has provided many projects and services to the community for over fifty years and this sale is one way funds are raised for these projects. Be sure a ...

Pattie Allen holds up a tuxedo cake to be auctioned at last Saturday's Bluebonnet CASA Gala at The Old Peanut Mill.

Steve Dyer of the LCRA (at left) chats with Carol and Eldon Kothmann during last Wednesday's CREZ line hearing in Mason. A large crowd visited with the LCRA personnel to gain additional information about the routing process.

The auction prepares to begin with the bidding during Saturday's Bluebonnet CASA Gala at The Old Peanut Mill. Photo courtesy of Sheryl Burleson.

The crowd at the Bluebonnet CASA Gala on Saturday night at The Old Peanut Mill enjoyed a great meal, fantastic auction items, and the music of Jody Nix. They also enjoyed socializing like this group of, left to right: Laura Keith, Rhona Lemke, Sheryl Burleson, Tana Hofmann, Julie Gillespie, and Melissa Stockbridge.

The Mason County Chamber of Commerce was pleased to have a second ribbon cutting last week, this one on Friday at Cherokee Rose, owned by Carolyn Phillips. The store carries antiques, books, collectibles, and unique treasures, and is conveniently located on Highway 87 North, next door to Capital of Texas Federal Land Bank, in the old Land Bank Building.

Step 2 in Al-Anon: "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." "What does insanity mean? I grew up with the disease of alcoholism, and so insanity boils down to "fear"—an emotion that drives the disease of alcoholism. Fear still has the power to overshadow the simplest activities, and turn them into dreadful events.

Acclaimed author and inspirational speaker Lisa Wingate was special guest speaker at the February 15 meeting of the Mason Bluebonnet Study Club. Mrs. Wingate has thirteen books published with another due to come out in July. She is also much in demand as an ispirational speaker. She lives near Dallas. The author chose as her subject, her book entitled The Summer Kitchen which was published in July 2009.

Dorrett Townsend and Robin E. Clark, both of Mason, recently exhibited their artwork in Brownwood’s "12th Annual Stars of Texas" juried show, February 7-20. The show’s juror, John Hartley, an Assistant Professor of Art at UT Arlington, selected 119 works for the show from the 356 pieces entered. Artists were each allowed to submit three entries.

Participants traveled far and wide( Abilene, Brady, Junction, Mason, Ft. Davis, Houston, Spring Branch and San Angelo) to have the opportunity to be a part of the FAAHC workshop sponsoring Warren Taylor, head of Midland College Art Department. His introduction to water soluble pencils and crayons gave all of us a new way to experience watercolors. The class began with talks, demonstrations and then experiments with the medium.

On Friday February 19th Mason Study Club members sold out of their popular chili and cornbread making this fund raiser another very successful event! All proceeds from "Chili on the Square" go to the Mason County Library.

Tyler Reiley, kneeling, won Reserve Champion Market Barrow Yorkshire at the San Antonio Livestock Junior Show this week. He goes to Sandra Day O’Connor High School in San Antonio where he is a sophomore. In the photo kneeling are Marvin Markham (Ag teacher), Tyler Reiley, and Jerry Montalbo (OHS farm manager).

SAN ANTONIO – The Jr. Market Light Weight Goat show was held on February 12, 2009 at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. T.J. Warren received Grand Champion Jr. Market Light Weight Goat honors. Warren is a junior of Gorman FFA chapter. In his free time, Gorman likes to ride horses and hang out with his friends.

SAN ANTONIO –The calf scramble was held Tuesday, February 16th at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. 4-H and FFA youth competed for $800 certificates to purchase a breeding animal to exhibit in the 2011 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Livestock Show. Twelve certificates were awarded last night to those who caught a calf. One winner was Gabe Jennings of Fredonia, Texas.

The District Academic UIL meet was held in Medina on December 8th. Students in first through fifth grades competed against schools from Center Point, Medina, Hunt, and Harmony (a school in the San Antonio area). The students in first through fourth grades were awarded their medals and ribbons in an assembly on January 27th.

The Mobile Go Center is coming to Mason on March 1st! The Mobil Go Center project is an extension of the College For All Texans Campaign’s broad efforts to achieve the goals of Closing the Gaps by 2015. This is a campaign to draw an additional 630,000 Texans into colleges and universities by the year 2015.

Don Durflinger, Ashley Clement and the volunteers that do Mason’s Apple Festival will take over the production of Mason’s Roundup Arts & Crafts Festival. I know they will do a great job! Ashley was a big help to me all through last year’s festival, so she knows what she’s doing. This organization does a lot to support our community, so please give them your support. Applications will go out later this month.

Emily Ruth Martin O’Donnell passed away on February 17, 2010 at the age of 91. She was born in San Antonio, Texas, to Matilda Krueger Martin and Kurt Martin, and was the great-granddaughter of Mason pioneer and banker, Anna Martin. Emily grew up in Mason, Texas, graduating from school there, and then going on to attend Texas Tech University.

Floyd E. "Ed" Ritter, 77, a long time resident of Odessa passed away Tuesday, February 16, 2010, at his residence. He was born November 20, 1932, in Mason, TX. He graduated from Odessa High School in 1951. He was an U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean Conflict. He married Bobby A.

Sammuel A. Scantlin passed away on Wednesday, February 17, at the age of 68. Sam is survived by two childen; Sam Scantlin Jr. and Johnny Scantlin; a brother Bennie Scantlin of Austin; four sisters, Mildred Watson and husband James of Taylor, Annie Wyatt of Austin, Dorothy Matisi of Austin and Patsy Scantlin of Kerrville; and a granddaughter Casara Scantlin. At his request, his remains were cremated.

Stephen died in Junction, TX, on February 7th . He was 42 years old. Graveside services for Stephen were held at the Gooch Cemetery on Saturday, February 13, at 2:00 p.m. Stephen Danford was born in Borger, TX, on January 21, 1968, and he came to Junction two years ago. Surviving are his two sons Nicholas of Orange City, Iowa, and Tyler of San Angelo, his parents Kenneth and Carolyn Danford of Mason, and older brother Ken Danford and wife Lindy of Bryan, and a sister Shawna Howard an ...

Wanda was born in Mason on June 13, 1938, to Manuel Franklin Beam and Alma Meredith Beam. She attended school in Mason. She married Charles Edward White and he preceded her in death in 1979. For the last eight years Wanda lived in Troy, Texas. She liked to garden and loved to grow roses.

The 8th Boys finished out their basketball season last Monday evening as they took on the visiting boys from Miles. Although they came up short in this game against Miles, the Punchers wrapped up the championship with a 10-4 overall record, and a 8-2 district record. These young men continued to get better everyday.

Four schools turned out for the Cowgirl Invitational Golf Tournament on February 18th. As with the boy’s basketball, the Cowgirls were unable to field team. The morning turned out cold but quickly warmed up by the end of the round. Ingram and Brady both tied with team scores of 487. Ingram won the tie using the 5th players score for a playoff. Jenny Smith of Mason was First medalist with a score of 105.

Six schools turned out on February 15th, for the Mason Puncher Invitational Golf Tournament. Yes, it was a very cold and blustery day. You know when there is ice in the ditches that it is cold outside and not a good day for the faint of heart golfer. Representing the area schools were; Mason, Brady, Ingram, Llano and Menard.