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Bandera County Courier is published weekly by Gail S. Joiner, 1210 Hackberry St., Bandera, TX 78003. Subscription price $26 per year in Bandera County, TX; $36 per year for other Texas counties; $40 per year out of Texas. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Bandera County Courier, P.O. Box 1704, Bandera, TX 78003. Periodicals Postage pending in Bandera, Texas.

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Gail Joiner: Publisher
Carl Holt: Sales/Marketing
Staff: Judith Pannebaker, Editor
David Arny, Writer
Dennis Allyn, Political Cartoonist
Linda Reynolds, Classifieds
James Henry Frazar, Composition Editor
Contributors: Stephanie Parker, Marlene Heavner, Doug White, Clare Barnett, Mikie Baker, Doris Doebbler, Jack Finger, Ed Longhurst, Bill Ellis, Bob Jamison and Jim Harris.

The BCC is responsible for its errors in advertising to the limit of the size of the space occupied by the error. Any mistakes will be gladly corrected provided advertiser notifies this office after the first publication. We reserve the right to reject any/all advertising at any time. The taking of an ad by e-mail, clerk, or other BCC personnel does not constitute acceptance of the material for publication.

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The Bandera County Courier
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Items should be typed or printed and should include the name and daytime phone number of a contact person. Items submitted after deadline will be considered for that week's edition but may be held over for later publication. Photos should include information on the time and place of the event, as well as full names of people from left to right, front row to back.

Hamilton Designs welcomes new stylist Published May 8, 2008 Josie Romo joined Trish Hamilton at Hamilton Designs following Romo’s return to Bandera from Boerne.    Trish Hamilton, owner of Hamilton Designs Salon at 504 13th Street, welcomes hair stylist Josie Romo as her new associate.     “I’m so excited to have Josie working here with me,” said Hamilton, adding that she took her time when looking for someone who could meet her professional standards. “Josie isn’t just anyone – she’s really skilled at what she does, and a lot of fun to work with.”     Romo’s work runs the gamut in the beauty biz. She attends seminars and conferences regularly to keep up on the latest styles, innovations and cutting edge techniques. Romo will soon add hair extensions to her catalog of services.     The clients Romo had in Bandera before she took a job offer in Boerne will be glad to hear she’s back and at the top of her game.     Whether its a cut, coloring, highlights, lowlights, perms, up-dos, facial waxing, nose hair removal or eyebrow and eyelash color, Romo and Hamilton have the experience and expertise to make you like what you see in the mirror after a visit to Hamilton Designs. Call for an appointment with Josie at 830-796-3233, or drop by Tuesday through Friday, 9 am until 6 pm, or Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm.

Business articles in the on-line edition of the Courier:

Restaurant profiles	Construction & Remodeling business profiles
Real Estate business profiles	Financial institution profiles
Hamilton Designs welcomes new stylist	Published May 8, 2008
Cabaret’s neon cowboy to dazzle Bandera's night sky again	Published May 1, 2008
McGroarty discusses Spring Fling & beyond - Part 1	Published April 17, 2008
Iron horses become cash cow for Bandera	Published April 10, 2008
BEC elections set for May	Published April 3, 2008
Bandera’s Hy O Silver teams up with CBR & RFD	Published March 27, 2008
BEC Beginning Electric System Inventory	Published March 20, 2008
Lemon Tree earns prestigious award twice	Published March 20, 2008
Gunslinger celebrates grand opening	Published March 20, 2008
Ribbon cutting held at Graphics Solution	Published March 6, 2008
Ribbon cutting held for LH vet	Published March 6, 2008
'The car you can't ignore' debuts in Bandera	Published Feb. 7, 2008
A new door opens in Medina	Published Jan. 24, 2008
Look out, Camry – new Malibu debuts at Bandera Chevrolet	Published Jan. 17, 2008
'New Year, New You'	Published Jan. 10, 2008
BEC's great bulb giveaway	Published Jan. 10, 2008
Pannebaker becomes Courier editor	Published Jan. 3, 2008
BEC begins energy efficiency program	Published Dec. 27, 2007
Merry Christmas from Bandera Electric Co-op to Gifts of Love	Published Dec. 27, 2007
Merry Christmas from Bandera Electric Co-op to Spirits of Christmas Presents	Published Dec. 27, 2007
Courier hosts open house Friday	Published Dec. 27, 2007
Open house set for Bandera Bank's Sylvia Terry	Published Dec. 27, 2007
Courier's 'Cowboy Christmas' tab comin' to a newsstand near you	Published Nov. 22, 2007
Utopia hardware store opens	Published Nov. 15, 2007
Courier partners up with 'Big Daddy' from Hondo's KCWM radio	Published Nov. 8, 2007
Looking for a moving company?	Published Nov. 8, 2007
KidsTopia pre-registration	Published Oct. 25, 2007
Lemon Tree Cleaners celebrates ribbon cutting	Published Oct. 18, 2007
Bandera Gymnastics offers twists & turns to BC kids	Published Sept. 20, 2007
Abba's World in Bandera-- four shops in one location	Published Sept. 13, 2007
Jacobson - two decades at Lakehills Art Gallery	Published Aug. 23, 2007
Critter Care and More ribbon cutting	Published Aug. 9, 2007
Bandera County – a camping destination	Published Aug. 2, 2007
Bandera Paint & Body celebrates opening	Published July 26, 2007
Grimes honored for 50 years of service	Published July 12, 2007
Business articles from earlier in 2007
Business articles from 2006	Business articles from 2005

Cabaret’s neon cowboy to dazzle Bandera's night sky again by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published May 1, 2008 Cabaret to be sold    Apparently Stephen “Steve” Ball must adhere to the adage “In for a ha’ penny, in for a pound.”     Not only did the British entrepreneur purchase Hackberry Lodge, 1005 Hackberry Street, in anticipation of transforming the 1880s mansion into an chic boutique hotel, spa and conference center, he’s now – along with Alexander “Sandy” Borthwick – put a contract on another of Bandera’s iconic structures, The Cabaret Dance Hall, 801 Main Street.     Snapping up the legendary two-steppin’ palace affords Ball and Borthwick the distinction of owning two architectural jewels within the city limits of the Cowboy Capital of the World.     Built in 1936, the once thriving honky-tonk had fallen on hard times in the last couple of years as it passed from owner to owner. Sprawling over two city lots, the cavernous 12,800-square foot building earned a reputation as a “money pit” that ultimately dashed the big dreams and even bigger hopes of each successive proprietor. For the last two years, Bandera’s landmark watering hole has been vacant; the eager neon buckaroo dark; his twirling his lasso stilled. However, the downward spiral has been halted at last.     To save the Cabaret, members of the Bandera Community Foundation (BCF) and other local nonprofit organizations had attempted to raise a reported $315,000 to purchase the historic structure and morph it into a museum and special events venue, using Abilene’s Frontier Texas! as a model.     At a preliminary meeting held last January, it was announced that a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation, entitled Cabaret Museum Inc., had been formed and a board of directors appointed.     At a March 4 town hall meeting, Jeff Salmon, executive director of Frontier Texas!, discussed the impact the high-tech interactive museum has had on downtown Abilene since opening in 2004. He said Frontier Texas! had drawn an average of 4,500 visitors during its first six months of operation.     Visions for Bandera’s counterpart included presentations of Western Swing music by bands such as Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys; a permanent display for the Bandera Music Hall of Fame collection, now housed at the Bandera County Public Library; a low-watt radio station; permanent home for the Bandera Riverside Players, a local repertory theater group; and gift shop featuring western-themed curios and CDs by local musicians, as well as a banquet and catering service.     Cabaret owner Mary Schenk apparently gave the group an option to purchase the building with a proviso that the money be raised within 60 days. At the end of March, however, the group contemplated asking for an extension for additional fund-raising. Before that could happen, however, Ball and Borthwick – in the manner of yesteryear’s cavalry – apparently rode to the rescue.     A prepared statement released Friday, April 25, indicated, “major refurbishment is planned over the coming year to return (one of Texas’ most famous dance halls) to its former glory.”     One of the more exciting innovations planned by Ball and Borthwick will be including a state-of-the-art recording studio within the historic structure to attract first tier recording artists from around the country. It was previously reported plans might also be in the hopper for a “not-so-low-wattage” radio station inside the facility. The Cabaret’s reconfigured interior would also contain a floating stage for performances.     In addition, Ball and Borthwick plan to dedicate a portion of the vast dancehall to local endeavors. Currently, discussions are taking place with members of the BFC to incorporate the Bandera Music Hall of Fame, along with the planned music museum, in the Cabaret to take advantage of the soon-to-be upgraded amenities.     The museum, tentatively named “The Bandera Experience at the Cabaret,” will showcase local music heritage, including the legends that had performed at the dance hall in its heyday – from Bob Wills and Larry Nolan to Willie Nelson and Ray Price. “The Bandera Experience at the Cabaret” will present these country music stars in the latest technological formats such as three-dimensional holograms.     If the work currently progressing on Hackberry Lodge is any indication, the iconic Cabaret will again emerge as the home of Texas music, and ensuring Bandera remain on the map as a tourist destination.

McGroarty discusses Spring Fling & beyond - Part 1 by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published April 17, 2008    James McGroarty, owner of the 11th Street Cowboy Bar, sat down with the Bandera County Courier recently to discuss the fast approaching revival of Spring Fling. In Part II of the interview, to be published on April 24, he’ll offer some tough advice on what it will take for Bandera to survive and thrive in today’s tourism market.     At the outset of the interview, he insisted, “(The 11th Street Cowboy Bar) is not just about selling alcohol. That might be what everybody thinks, but I assure you, it’s much more than that.” In other words, the sum of the Cowboy Bar, according to McGroarty, has become much more than its individual parts.     To underscore his words, he pointed out that, in conjunction with Bandera Real Estate’s first annual Cabrito Cook-Off, the 11th Street Cowboy Bar was sponsoring a reconstituted Spring Fling this weekend, beginning Friday, April 18.     “We wanted something to fill the gap between the (last weekend’s) bike rally and Memorial Day weekend – and Spring Fling will do it,” McGroarty said.     Kenneth Stroud and Joe Reidy, owners of the now-defunct Forge, created the original Spring Fling. “We wanted to hinge an event on that idea and rekindle and enhance their successful weekend,” McGroarty said.     “Last year, we decided to create another venue that would bring visitors to Bandera. It had to be a weekend that wouldn’t compete with the rodeo, RiverFest or Celebrate Bandera,” he explained. Although this year’s Spring Fling and Cabrito Cook-Off are still in their embryonic stages, McGroarty predicted the weekend would become a major part of the area’s entertainment scene.     As an example, he pointed out that attendance at last weekend’s popular Thunder in the Hills Motorcycle Rally and the Cowboy Bar’s 11th annual Chili Cook-Off was double that of last spring.     Describing this weekend’s events, McGroarty continued, “Everyone in Bandera will benefit – the restaurants, motel industry and merchants. Both the city and county will see an increase in sales taxes. We’ll get a good return on our advertising. We put up 700 posters from here to Louisiana. A lot of people will be coming to town this weekend.”     Although the idea of “giving something back” has become a hackneyed phrase in today’s lexicon, it still means something to McGroarty and remains his main focus.     “As much as some people would like, Bandera is never going to what it once was,” he said. “It has changed in the last two or three years.”     Although the number of entertainment centers – McGroarty eschews the word “bar” when referring to his and similar establishments – has increased, the rough and tumble “Stompede” days are gone forever. “That was derived from the 50s. It had an impact on the city, but it got out of hand and had to be stopped. Times have changed,” he recalled. “When I purchased this place two and a half years ago, there were only four bars in Bandera, 11th Street, Arkey Blue’s, the Cabaret and the Saloon. Now six major entertainment centers have regenerated Bandera’s nightlife,” McGroarty said. “People come here to dance and have a good time. That will never change. That’s what Bandera is all about.”     To keep people “in line” during particularly boisterous celebrations, he poses this question to them: Would you feel comfortable acting this way in your own hometown?     “If you wouldn’t do it in your own city, then don’t do it here,” McGroarty advises his customers. “Texas law is Texas law and people must adhere to it.”     Bandera’s visitors, it seems, are increasingly willing to heed his words. “Last weekend, we had 3,000 people throughout the county and up and down 11th Street and not one skirmish, fight or (law) violation,” McGroarty revealed. “We have more trouble with guests on rodeo or hunter’s weekend. Problems have become the exception not the rule.”     The 2008 Spring Fling and Cabrito Cook-Off begins Friday, April 18, and features Jody Nix on the Main Stage, as well as the semi-finals for a western swing dance competition.     Howard Hobson will entertain from 2 pm to 6 pm during the Cabrito Cook-Off Saturday, April 19. Cabrito Cook-Off winners will be announced between 4 pm and 5 pm. That evening, Jake Hooker and the Outsiders take the Main Stage from 9 pm to 1 am. The $15 cover charge also includes the finals of the Texas Swing dance competition.     McGroarty and Linda Stevens, owner of Bandera Real Estate, envision next year’s combo weekend making even more of an economic impact on the city.     “Although this is just the first year, the response has been tremendous,” he said. “Next year, we want an entire package, including a carnival for the kids and vendors on the courthouse lawn.”     [t05]Saturday, May 3     Bandera United United Methodist Church annual auction, craft and rummage sale, 10 am to 2 pm, fellowship hall and pavilion, 11th Street and Hackberry.     Saturday, May 10     Bandera Electric Cooperative members will elect three directors at their annual meeting.     Friday, May 23, and Saturday, May 24     Cowboy Capital Rodeo Association first annual BBQ Cook-off, 830-796-7207, www.banderarodeo.com.

Iron horses become cash cow for Bandera by David Arny BCC Staff Writer Published April 10, 2008 Thunder in the Hill Country came to life over the weekend as motorcycle enthusiasts thronged to the 11th Street Cowboy Bar Saturday, April 5, to meet friends new and old, sip suds and sample fare from an assembly of competing chili chefs. Staff Photo by David Arny    Events surrounding the weekend of Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 6, ran the gamut from routine to tragic. However, Bandera business owners will remember the influx of a reported 5,000 to 6,000 visitors as keeping the merchandise moving and the cash registers ringing.     City sales figure totals for the big Thunder in the Hill Country motorcycle rally won’t be announced until a later date, but Aaron Richter, cashier at the Shell Gas N’ Go at Highway 173 North and Main Street, estimated his convenience store sold “almost double” the amount of gasoline, beer, sodas and other goods as it does on a typical weekend.     Pat Cole of Medina was among the volunteers out in force during the busy weekend, collecting donations from passing two and four-wheeled motorists for the Silver Sage Corral Senior Activity Center’s Meals on Wheels program. Taking advantage of the tremendous amount of traffic at the intersection of Main Street and Cypress, Cole said the donation drive had collected approximately $1,600 by early afternoon.     The culinary competition held Saturday at James McGroarty’s 11th Street Cowboy Bar was a successful money raiser for another local cause. McGroarty said the 11th annual Chili Cook-off – with best Margarita and Bloody Mary categories added this year – produced “between $1,500 and $2,000” for the Bandera County Boys and Girls Club.     McGroarty, who’s already busy planning how to “make the rally even better next year,” said that despite the image some may have of motorcyclists, the thousands of bikers visiting Bandera during the event were a well-behaved bunch.     “For all practical purposes, there were zero problems – here at the bar or out at Mansfield Park,” said McGroarty. “We probably have more trouble on an average Memorial or Labor Day than we did last weekend.”     Bandera Police Chief James Eigner echoed McGroarty’s assessment of the way the city’s weekend guests comported themselves. “The traffic and the noise were the only things we received complaints about,” said Eigner. “I’d say 99.9 percent of the people were law-abiding. We had a good presence out there with reserve officers on mountain bikes, three extra (Texas Department of Public Safety) troopers on patrol, plus a DPS helicopter on standby.”     The only critical incident involving rally participants happened on FM 471, in Medina County, just outside Bandera County. According to a DPS spokesman, two motorcyclists, both 27 years old and from San Antonio, were involved in a head on collision which occurred at a high rate of speed.     In an interview, Eigner said one of the bikers challenged the other to take a curve as fast as possible. After the first man completed the curve at what was described as in excess of 100 mph, he inexplicably reversed course and crashed into the second rider, who was approaching the curve.     Following the collision, Jeremy Brigman and Salvador Saldivar were both pronounced dead at the scene.

BEC elections set for May Published April 3, 2008    Bandera Electric Cooperative members will elect three directors at their annual meeting Saturday, May 10.     Three candidates will vie for position of District 2 Director; however, incumbent District 1 Director Jerry Word and District 3 Director Rob Sandidge are running unopposed.     BEC District 2 Director Margaret Callahan, a director since 1989, will not seek reelection. Candidates for her position include Bandera resident Joe Hearn, Bandera County resident Lee Kneupper and county resident Eddie Smith, who lives near Medina Lake.     In addition, information about all five candidates will be included in the May edition of the Texas Co-op Power. The information is also available on www.banderaelectric.com/news.htm.     A spokesman for BEC urges all members to vote in the upcoming election. Members can vote by either attending the BEC’s annual May meeting or by returning a mail-in ballot, included in the May edition of the Texas Co-Op Power magazine.     A member-owned electric distribution cooperative, BEC serves seven counties in the Texas Hill Country, Through 4,000 miles of line, it supplies power to over 30,000 meters.

Bandera’s Hy O Silver teams up with CBR & RFD by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published March 27, 2008 2007 CBR Championship belt buckle designed by Bandera's Hy O Silver Karen Haile, left, designer of the 2007 CBR official buckles, and Joanne Symons, owner of Bandera’s Hy O Silver, 715 13th Street    The name of Bandera’s Hy O Silver will soon be on everyone’s lips – and not just as the answer to a cultural quiz question, “What did the Lone Ranger say to his horse instead of ‘giddy up’?”     Owner Joanne Symons has just inked a contract to supply the official buckles to Championship Bull Riding, Inc. The competitions, which feature the toughest eight seconds on earth, will be televised coast-to-coast weekly on the cable networks, RFD-TV and RFD HD.     Hy O Silver recently became the newest corporate partner of the CBR family, and Symons couldn’t be more thrilled. “We’re very excited,” she said in an interview. “Tuff Hedeman’s association gives the CBR a gold stamp of approval.”     A four-time world champion bull rider and icon of the sport, Hedeman serves as CBR president. This past January, Symons’s Hy O Silver supplied buckles for the CBR World Finals, held in Las Vegas. “Last year, we made about 20 buckles for them,” she said. “This year, they approached me about being a corporate sponsor. I guess they liked the buckles.”     Additionally, Symons will supply official buckles for the National Bucking Bull Association, an organization that promotes bucking bulls as unique athletes.     Combined, the CBR and NBBA contracts will garner Hy O Silver approximately $100,000 in 2008. That’s in addition to the revenue from the Texas High School regional rodeos, as well as from shipping buckles to Italy, Germany, China, Australia and Canada, among other countries. To finalize the deal, Symons traveled to Waxahachie, the location of the organization’s corporate headquarters, where she met with CBR Chief Operating Officer Rusty Creech and NBBA President Marty Foutch.     “It was a five or six hour drive, but it was well worth the time. I came away feeling good, thinking, ‘We can make a deal happen here’,” Symons said, adding, “It will be fun to grow together.”     Apparently the CBR feels the same way. “This new partnership with Hy O Silver will increase the footprint of our brand through retail sales and allow us to award the finest trophy buckles on the market today,” Creech noted. The partnership also enables the CBR to offer a custom made branded buckle to its bull riding fan base.     A former Miss Rodeo Australia, Symons brings more than 22 years experience to her business, which specializes in western jewelry and custom trophy buckles. In addition to her regular retail line, Symons’s specialized orders are designed to suit a wide range of budgets. In fact, her customers range from tourists seeking stylish mementoes of their trip to the Cowboy Capital of the World to country music superstar, Tanya Tucker. Hy O Silver also supplies buckles for winners of NASCAR’s Texas Motor Speedway. In November 2007, Jimmie Johnson won the event. Symons and her former husband moved to Bandera from “down under” in 1993.     “We were doing a market in Dallas and had set up next to a representative from the Collins Bag Factory in Medina,” Symons recalled. “Bob (Berg) and I had planned to open a business in Fort Worth, but were told to take a ride through the Texas Hill Country before making a decision. I saw Bandera and thought, ‘This is great.’ I’m a small town girl. All I need really is a bank and a post office and an international airport within an hour and a half.” Symons and Bandera were a perfect match.     She continued, “Hy O Silver’s partnership with CBR is sure to create a lot of positive energy to the industry and bull riding fan base. We’re excited to offer our most innovative designs to the CBR and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.”     For more information on Hy O Silver, call 877-796-7961, or visit www.hyosilver.com. The shop is located at 715 13th Street.

Lemon Tree earns prestigious award twice by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published March 20, 2008 Daphane Camden, manager of the Bandera location of Lemon Tree Cleaners, showed off the 2008 Award of Excellence for Quality Garment Cleaning and Customer Service from the Clothing Care Council. Lemon Tree has received the prestigious award for two consecutive years – one of only eight dry cleaning establishments in Texas to be honored.    For the second consecutive year, an area dry cleaning business has received a prestigious international award from Clothing Care Council has awarded.     After passing a rigorous set of industry evaluations, Lemon Tree Cleaners has received the 2008 Award of Excellence for Quality Garment Cleaning and Customer Service. The Kerrville-based dry cleaner has two branches in Bandera for pickup and delivery of dry cleaning and laundry – 902 C 12th Street and in Stein’s Western Store on 11th Street. In Boerne, Lemon Tree Cleaners is located at 430 W. Bandera Road, Ste. 48. Telephone is 830-249-8458.     To date, approximately 140 companies around the world have attained the Award of Excellence, which requires passing separate stain removal and cleaning performance tests, among other criteria. Lemon Tree Cleaners is the only drycleaner in the Hill Country – and one of only eight in Texas – to receive this award.     “With so many cleaners out there, I know it’s tough for consumers to know which cleaners are the good ones who care,” said Denny Foster, owner of Lemon Tree Cleaners. “We are very excited that we surpassed the Award of Excellence’s tough requirements. This award is verification by an independent international organization of our commitment to excellent quality and customer service.” Lemon Tree Cleaners has served clients in the Hill Country since 1985.     Qualifying to compete for the award is just the first step. To remain in the program, Lemon Tree Cleaners must adhere to rules designed to ensure that customers receive the service and quality they deserve – on every trip. Offering money-back service guarantee is one example of this. As a further safeguard, the company’s cleaning performance and stain removal abilities must be reevaluated annually.     “Finding a good cleaner who will consistently treat you like a valued customer shouldn’t be a guessing game,” said Bill Fisher, spokesman for the Clothing Care Council. The 40-year veteran of the cleaning industry continued, “By becoming an Award of Excellence cleaner, Lemon Tree Cleaners is proof that quality cleaners do exist – and now customers know where to look.”     All too often, clients aren’t able to tell what kind of service they will receive from a drycleaner – often encountering missing buttons, bad attitudes at the counter and “sorry” stickers. However, Foster and his dedicated personnel at Lemon Tree Cleaners pledges that will never happen to their customers.     Daphne Camden also adheres to Foster’s philosophy. Along with her assistants, Barbara Bowman and Stephanie Kendrick, she has managed Lemon Tree Cleaners in Bandera for six years.     “One of our new customers came in the other day,” recalled Camden. “I got his clothes and said, ‘Oh, you’re the ‘new,’ Mr. Brown.’ He was very impressed. He said, ‘That hasn’t happened to me in a long time.’ Well, to me, that’s what working in a small town is all about.”     The Bandera branch of Lemon Tree Cleaners can be contacted at 830-796-3811 and service@lemontreecleaners.com.     For additional information on the AOE program, visit www.ifi.org/consumer/AOE.php.

Gunslinger celebrates grand opening Published March 20, 2008 Staff Photo by David Arny    Owner Melissa Benge cut the ribbon at the Grand Opening of her exciting new store Gunslingers Friday, March 15. A large crowd of her fellow Bandera Chamber of Commerce members, as well as friends, family and other guests, nibbled on gourmet vittles while they got a peek at the upscale Southwestern-themed items on display. Gunslingers is located at 1105 Cypress Street, across from Sassafrazz.

BEC Beginning Electric System Inventory Published March 20, 2008    In a continuing effort to improve the efficiency and reliability of your electric system, Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BEC) has contracted with Davey Resource Group to perform a comprehensive field inventory of our electric distribution system.     “The goal of this data collection program is to create geographically accurate information for all BEC electrical facilities, from the substation to the meter.  The data collected will ultimately benefit BEC Members in areas such as: outage restoration, asset management, circuit analysis, joint use auditing, disaster recovery, system maintenance, and financial planning, as well as numerous other benefits.” says GIS Department Supervisor, David Swint.     This effort will require BEC and its contractor to physically visit each pole, meter, and device location that BEC owns.  While at each pole, the field technician will attach a numbered pole tag, record the GPS location, and take inventory of the equipment at the location.     According to Swint, “BEC expects this project to begin in late March 2008 and it should take approximately 18 months to complete.  One of the most challenging aspects of this project will be physically accessing the more than 97,000 poles and more than 35,000 meters in the BEC electric distribution system.”     Swint added, “The Davey field technicians involved in this process will wear an official BEC photo ID badge for verifiable identification.  The technicians will drive a white truck with a sign on the door that reads “Davey Resource Group”.  They will also make use of an ATV (4-wheeler) to help them travel from pole to pole.   The ATV will display the company logo as well.  The most obvious feature you will notice about these technicians is that they will be wearing a yellow backpack with a GPS antenna sticking out of the top.”     “We ask that our BEC Members, and our fellow property owners, respect the difficult task that has been assigned to these field crews.  As these technicians travel through the BEC service areas, please let us know if you have questions or concerns.” says Swint.    Also be aware that these technicians should never ask to enter your home.     The Davey Resource Group has been in business for more than 29 years and we have the utmost confidence that they will represent BEC in a responsible and professional manner.  More information on the Davey Resource Group can be found at www.davey.com/drg .     For more general information on this project, please check the BEC Website at www.banderaelectric.com .  If you have specific concerns or questions related to this project, please call our GIS Department at (830)796-6085.

Ribbon cutting held at Graphics Solution Published March 6, 2008    Karen Mangold of Graphics Solutions cut the ribbon for her new location, 204 12th Street, Suite 1, Feb. 21, with fellow Bandera County Chamber of Commerce member and homebuilder Scott Asher in addition to other local entrepreneurs.

Ribbon cutting held for LH vet Published March 6, 2008    Welcoming Lakehills Animal Hospital to the local business community, the Bandera County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, Feb. 28 with office manager Kim LeStourgeon, owner Stacy Tipton DVM, vet tech B.J. Malone and other members of the BCC in attendance.     Tipton specializes in small animals and previously worked as an associate of Bandera veterinarian Mark Richards as well as the Fredericksburg Road Animal Hospital in San Antonio.     “My clients here have been fabulous,” said Tipton. “They’re a little more laid back, a little more friendly and inviting.”     The Lakehills resident added, ”I’m excited to be back where I call home.”

'The car you can't ignore' debuts in Bandera by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published Feb. 7, 2008 Bandera Chevrolet General manager Tom Barnett and Marcella Hernandez show off the Chevrolet Malibu on Bandera Chevrolet’s showroom floor. Staff Photo by David Arny Ed and Karen Longhurst of Silver Saddle Real Estate checked out the new Malibu at the recent mixer hosted by Bandera Chevrolet. BCC Staff Photo Karen Byrd of Buddy’s Water Well Service let Catherine Hines try on her husband’s hat at the mixer. BCC Staff Photo    A full house turned out recently to inspect the new Chevy Malibu now on display at Bandera Chevrolet on Highway 16 South.     In between gawking at the Malibu LTZ-6, a good portion of the Bandera community spent the evening of Friday, Jan. 25 kibitzing with friends and noshing on great food. The evening proved to be such a success that one of the brand spanking new models – and maybe the other – is already spoken for.     The auto’s unveiling was a first for Bandera County and everyone agreed General Manager Tom Barnett and his wife, Belinda, threw a wing-ding of a party.     Catering for the Detroit-style extravaganza was provided by Brick Gibson of Brick’s River Café. Fifty Dollar Dynasty supplied the distinctly bohemian – for Bandera, at least – sounds underscoring a beach-like atmosphere. Absent Jimmy Buffet, FDD appeared to be the best musicians for the job. A profusion of sand, pastel plastic pails and a beach umbrella transformed the spacious showroom into a set worthy of Padre Island or the California coastline.     “We were very pleased with the turn-out. About 300 people visited us to see the new the Malibu. It was a great opportunity to meet a lot of new people in the community,” Barnett said. He added, “We also want to extend an invitation to those who missed the evening to drop by and introduce themselves.”     Motor Trend magazine billed the new Malibu as “The Car You Can’t Ignore.” And, who would want to given its sleek design, safety features, environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency. The 32 additional horses stabled under the Malibu’s hood allow the car to move from 0 to 60 mph in a zippy 6.5 seconds.     In addition, Motor Trend reviewers unanimously designated the Malibu a finalist for the 2008 Car of the Year. In January, General Motors, parent company of Chevrolet, took home the 2008 North American Car of the Year award for the Chevrolet Malibu from the 2008 North American International Auto Show held in Detroit.     Not content with all the media print hoopla, area residents dropped by Bandera Chevrolet to see for themselves what all the shoutin’ was about – and went away impressed with the Hill Country debut of this fine example of American automotive excellence.     For the record, the new incarnation of the Malibu, bears scant resemblance to the auto featured in the early 1980s indie film and cult classic, “Repo Man.” Still, you might want to check it out – the car, not the film. If you happen to run across a vintage version of the 2008 Malibu, however, whatever you do, “Don’t look in the trunk.”

A new door opens in Medina by Medina Mikie Published Jan. 24, 2008 Jim Flurry of Texas Star Screen Door Factory Photo by Clare Barnett    Medina happily welcomes our newest business in town, Texas Star Screen Door Factory.     Local resident Jim Flurry is both owner and designer of these unique custom screen doors. You might remember Jim selling his wares on the corner of Highway 16 North and FM 337.     "I decided to set up an official shop, so it would be easier for my customers to find the screen door man," remarked Flurry. "Now I'm located in the old Pump House Grill, right next to the post office. Come by and visit anytime."     Texas Star Screen Door Factory offers several types of doors. The classic exterior screen door, kitchen pantry screen doors and the hot-selling toddler door — one made for a toddler's room.     "Parents love the toddler door. Not only can they easily hear in , they know when their little one comes out of the room," explained Flurry.     The doors come in custom wood-stained colors with your choice of either a star or a Texas on the door. They can also be wood burned and handle styles one can choose from include the very popular deer antler handle, star handle and cedar log varieties. Doors can be stained to match the trim of your home.     Jim custom builds the frames to fit your door, offering three sizes, 30 inches, 32 inches and 36 inches. He also offers custom shutters stained to match your screen door. "I can make whatever you'd like right here in the shop. Turnaround time is usually five to seven days. I also deliver and install the door."     Flurry, originally from Clear Lake, chucked it all to move to the beautiful Texas hills in 1996. "I started out in Medina, lived in Bandera a while, but had to move back to Medina because it is so beautiful and the people are so friendly," beamed Jim. He added, "Just recently one of my customers, a local grandmother, remarked, 'When the screen door slams I always know right where the little ones are.' That's why I'm in the business — to bring back the time-honored Texas tradition of the slamming screen door."     Texas Star Screen Door Factory is open most days from 9 am until 2 pm. Flurry can be reached at 830-589-3243.     But as Flurry said, "Why not stop by for a visit. I'd love to meet you."

Look out, Camry – new Malibu debuts at Bandera Chevrolet by David Arny BCC Staff Writer Published Jan. 17, 2008 2008 Chevy Malibu    Bandera Chevrolet will unveil the new Chevy Malibu from 6 pm until 8 pm, Friday, Jan. 25, at the dealership showroom on Highway 16 South. General Manager Tom Barnett invites everyone to attend the celebration for what General Motors Corp. bills as “The Car You Can’t Ignore.”     The automotive world is buzzing about the latest incarnation of the medium-sized family sedan, with some reviewers suggesting it has the potential of giving Toyota, Honda and Nissan a run for their money – and market share.     Originally introduced in 1964 – a golden era for American automakers – the Malibu was designed to fill the gap between the full-sized Impala and the smaller Chevy II. Like most Detroit products turned out in the days of a cheap, seemingly limitless gas supply, the Malibu was a fuel-guzzler, but nonetheless a solid, dependable family car.     Forty-four years later, the Malibu is back – sleeker, safer, less polluting and more fuel-efficient than its original designers could have imagined. The Malibu LTZV-6 has also acquired an additional 32 horses under the hood, moving from 0 to 60 mph in a zippy 6.5 seconds, rather than the 9.7 seconds it took back when Dinah Shore invited car buyers to “ See the USA in your Chevrolet.”     The Feb. 2008 issue of Motor Trend magazine fairly gushes over the new Malibu’s “sleek and spare styling, engine and transmission stats, posh interior trim,” as well as other features it offers. Editors for the respected journal recently drove the Malibu on an 11,306-mile “torture test” across America and rated it superior to both the Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima for performance, luxury and overall quality.     Motor Trend reviewers have unanimously designated the Malibu a Car of the Year finalist for 2008. One editor there wrote, ”Chevy has a reason to be proud. Finally, there’s a genuine alternative to the (Toyota) Camry.”     GMC, parent company of Chevrolet, took home the 2008 North American Car of the Year award for the Chevrolet Malibu from the 2008 North American International Auto Show held in Detroit, Saturday, Jan. 12, and Sunday, Jan. 13.     "The new Malibu is the best mid-sized car we've ever produced," Chevrolet’s General Manager Ed Piper told car enthusiasts attending the show. He accepted the award while standing next to a shiny new Malibu on center stage.     “The Malibu is made in Orion Township, Michigan, and in Fairfax, Kansas. It's a great looking vehicle," Peper added. "It's got great fuel economy and it's the quietest car in its class."     Area residents are invited to come see for themselves what the buzz is all about and be on hand when this example of American automotive excellence makes its Hill Country debut.

'New Year, New You' by David Arny BCC Staff Writer Published Jan. 10, 2008 Mark Bonner hit the treadmill recently at Comprehensive Physical Therapy and Bandera Fitness while Diane Shibert worked the stationary bike. Staff Photo by David Arny    Comprehensive Physical Therapy and Bandera Fitness is offering a new six point program for 2008, one which membership coordinator Liz Wall thinks will reap big dividends for participants. "We're really excited about 2008," Wall said. "We're offering something to the people of Bandera County that they've never had access to before."     Wall's informative weekly columns in The Bandera County Courier reflect her belief in the importance of diet and exercise for maintaining optimum health and wellbeing, so it's no surprise she's all fired up about CPT&BF's all-new plan for those wanting to get the most out of the new year.     "Everyone at CPT&BF, clients and staff alike, is very sincere about why they're here," she added. "Judging from the responses of members, our activities have been really successful in providing better fitness, mobility and an overall improvement in our clients' sense of wellbeing. Our goal is to make Bandera County the fittest in the country."     The "New Year, New You" program consists of full gym membership monthly one-on-one consultation with a personal trainer bi-weekly group sessions with a professional trainer and total body exercise class weekly infra-red treatments designed to increase circulation, boost the immune system and enable the body to burn calories more efficiently teaming up with the Grotto's Jason Boyd for monthly cooking classes which includes tips on preparing healthy, delicious dishes, take-home recipes from Boyd's private collection and a wholesome, tasty meal at his popular restaurant initial consultation and follow-up counseling sessions with CPT&BF's new holistic health counselor, a trained nutritionist who specializes in the broader, more all-inclusive aspects of fitness.     (To learn more about holistic health counseling, see Wall's weekly column in the A section of this week's Courier.)     Wall is a true believer when it comes to better living through regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Speaking of the clients she has been "blessed" to know and work with at CPT&BF during 2007, she said "Every single one of them, every time I see them, is doing a little bit better, whether it's physically, mentally or emotionally.     "I've had so many people — after they've come to the gym a few times — tell me 'I was really putting off doing this. I didn't know what to expect, didn't have the first clue about exercising, didn't even know what to wear. Now, it seems ridiculous I ever felt that way because I feel so at home here and it's so easy and fun'."     Local music icon Lanette Pennell of The Almost Patsy Cline Band has made the "New Year, New You" program a priority for the upcoming year. She will share her experience with readers in future issues of The Courier.     For more information about this exciting and innovative offer, call 830-796-3447 or visit www.banderafitness.com.

BEC's great bulb giveaway by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published Jan. 10, 2008 Tammy Raab, member accounts representative of Bandera Electric Cooperative, offers a free 13-watt compact fluorescent light bulb to each BEC customer. Staff Photo by Judith Pannebaker BEC customers can exchange this coupon, sent out in their January electric statements, at the co-op office, just off Highway 16 North, for a free 13-watt compact fluorescent light bulb.    With the advent of the "greening" of America, Bandera County finds itself in the vanguard of a corporation's effort to be "kinder and gentler to the environment.     Members of Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc (BEC) recently received a coupon in their January electric bills that can be exchanged for a free 13-watt compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb.     "There's no time like the present to redeem them," said Stephen W. Williams, BEC member services and system safety advisor. "Coupons can be exchanged at any of the three BEC offices in Bandera, Comfort or Leakey," he added.     To prove how serious the staff and administrators at BEC are about energy conservation, they plan to give away 20,000 CFL bulbs to customers.     The bulbs produce as much light as a standard 60-watt, but decrease electricity use by 75 percent.     Additionally, they last 10 times longer and operate at a much lower temperature than a standard bulb, reducing the workload on air conditioners during summer months.     To reduce the amount of power that must be generated, the cooperative asks its members to replace their most-used 60-watt light bulb with the 13-watt CFL offered in the giveaway.     According to Williams, approximately 1.3 million kilowatt-hours will be saved in a single year if 20,000 BEC customers participate in the exchange program. The estimate is based on replacing a standard 60-watt bulb used four hours per day.     As part of this CFL giveaway program, BEC will also offer a CFL recycling program.     Because all fluorescent bulbs contain a tiny amount of mercury, burned-out bulbs must be disposed of properly.     The co-op will work with a Touchstone Energy Partner to accept and recycle small, no longer functional CFL bulbs. A specially designed receptacle for CFL recycling collection will be located in each BEC office.     BEC wants to help its members start a better energy buying habit. When it comes time to replace other light bulbs, BEC hopes its members will select a CFL because of the positive experience with the free bulb.

Pannebaker becomes Courier editor Published Jan. 3, 2008 Courier Editor Judith Pannebaker catching you on camera. “If you don’t want to see it in the newspaper, don’t do it,” she advised. Photo by Doug White    Gail Joiner, owner and publisher of the Bandera County Courier, has announced Judith Pannebaker will become editor of the weekly community newspaper, effective immediately. Pannebaker joined the Courier staff in March 2007. Prior to that, she spent five years as staff writer for the Kendall County newspapers, Hill Country Recorder and Hill County View, covering county government and the City of Boerne.     Pannebaker and her husband, Bill, moved to the Hill Country in 2000 from Baltimore, Maryland.     Prior to relocating to Bandera County, Pannebaker was on the faculty of the University of Maryland Dental School for 10 years, serving as clinical coordinator for the PLUS Program, a sub-specialty dental clinic treating HIV+ and AIDS patients.     As clinical coordinator, she wrote grants that garnered over $1 million in funding from Ryan White Titles I, II and III. Pannebaker also published and edited newsletters designed for health care providers for HIV+ and AIDS patients, as well as initiating community outreach programs. In addition, she supervised clinical dental hygiene practitioners and students. Pannebaker also presented at national and international about dental care and nutritional considerations for patients diagnosed with HIV+ and AIDS.     While a freelance writer in Maryland, she contributed regularly to the Maine Antique Digest, Mid-Atlantic Antiques Monthly and Western Horseman.     Pannebaker received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Dental Hygiene from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. While her husband served in the United States Army, the couple lived in the Panama Canal Zone and Germany. Bill Pannebaker retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army reserves in 1997. He currently practices dentistry in San Antonio.     The couple have one son, Lucas James Martin, a graphic artist, who lives with his wife, Leah, and two pit bulls in Los Angeles.     Pannebaker and her husband have one cat they brought from Baltimore, as well as four others plus four dogs, including “Doc the News Hound,” the couple accumulated since moving to the Hill Country.     “Becoming an editor of a viable community newspaper is exciting for me, since I successfully resisted the temptation for so long,” Pannebaker said. She gave high praise to staff writer David Arny. “Dave has been wonderful to work with the past 10 months. He’s an important part of what we’re attempting to do here.”     She also holds Joiner in high regard, offering, “It’s great to be working with Gail again. She’s been a wonderful and supportive boss.”     Pannebaker and Joiner first worked together in 2001, when Joiner was in charge of classified advertisements for the Bandera County Review. At that time, Pannebaker worked part-time for Joiner, in addition to writing feature articles for the Mountain Sun.     “It was such a relief when Judith accepted the position of editor for the Courier position,” Joiner said. “I couldn’t wait to get rid of that title.”     “As this area grows, it becomes increasingly imperative that a newspaper offer effective coverage of the community, particularly the local political scenes,” Pannebaker said. “The Courier will continue to serve as the voice of the people, and, for the rest, my advice is, ‘If you don’t want to see it in the newspaper, don’t do it’.”

BEC begins energy efficiency program Published Dec. 27, 2007 CFL light blub    The Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc. Board of Directors recently approved an energy efficiency program for its customers, portions of which will go into effect Tuesday, Jan. 1.     The new co-op program includes: compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) giveaway. CFL recycling. heating and air conditioning dealer rebate incentives. alignment of BEC with Energy Star and the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. selling a highly-efficient Marathon water heater. enhancing the co-op's energy efficiency education effort.     The 25,000 BEC members will receive information about the CFL giveaway in electric bills delivered the first week in January. Statements will contain a coupon that can be redeemed for a free 13-watt CFL at any of the three BEC offices in Bandera, Comfort or Leakey.     The cooperative encourages its members to replace their most used 60-watt light bulb with the 13-watt CFL offered in the giveaway. The new bulbs are designed to produce the same amount of light, but decrease electricity use by 75 percent.     In addition, the bulbs operate at a lower temperature, reducing the workload on air conditioners.     Each CFL lasts 10 times longer than a conventional bulb.     Along with the CFL giveaway, BEC will offer a CFL recycling program. All fluorescent bulbs contain a tiny amount of mercury, so they must be disposed of properly after burning out. The co-op will work with a Touchstone Energy Partner to accept and recycle small, inoperational CFL bulbs. A specially designed bucket for CFL recycling collection will be located in each BEC office.     If 20,000 BEC members take advantage of the CFL giveaway, an estimated 1,372,400 kilowatt-hours will be saved in a single year. This estimation is based on the CFL's replacing incandescent conventional bulbs in use four hours per day.     Other aspects of the BEC Energy Efficiency Program will be implemented throughout the New Year. Customers are asked to watch for new program announcements in the Texas Co-Op Power magazine and on the BEC website, www.banderaelectric.com.     "At BEC, we are serious about energy efficiency and want to be part of the solution by reshaping energy consumption habits one member at a time," said Brian Bartos, engineering manager and leader of the BEC Energy Efficiency Program team. "The CFL giveaway will begin our new Energy Efficiency Program. Because of our efforts, I hope each BEC member will learn to trim the amount of electricity they use."     While not related, the new BEC program comes on the heels of a national energy policy recently passed by congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush. Bartos added, the nation's energy consumption appetite is under scrutiny as we are forced to scramble to find additional generation resources and reduce emissions produced by burning fossil fuels.

Merry Christmas from Bandera Electric Co-op to Gifts of Love Published Dec. 27, 2007    Bandera Electric Co-op employees Monica De Leon (left) and Kevin Farrell hand Pat D'Spain a big check from the BEC Christmas Angel fund for her "Gifts of Love" project. During the holiday season, the BEC Christmas Angel Fund gives donations to worthy causes throughout its seven-county service area. BEC employees raised the money through fundraisers such as a car and bike wash and annual BEC golf tournament.

Merry Christmas from Bandera Electric Co-op to Spirits of Christmas Presents Published Dec. 27, 2007    BEC employees Jennifer Abbott (left) and Donny Rambin presented a check from BEC's Christmas Angel Fund to Kathy Gardner of Spirits of Christmas.

Courier hosts open house Friday Published Dec. 27, 2007    The Bandera County Courier will hold a holiday open house from 11 am to 2 pm, Friday, Dec. 28, at the newspaper office, 1210 Hackberry Street.     The Bandera County community is invited to meet the staff, help themselves to chili and tamales and get a jump on celebrating the New Year.     We're looking forward to seeing you there.

Open house set for Bandera Bank's Sylvia Terry by Judith Pannebaker BCC Staff Writer Published Dec. 27, 2007 Sylvia Terry    After 10 years on the job, Sylvia Terry has opened her last new account at Bandera Bank — and her friends and colleagues are determined to send her off to retirement in style.     From 9 am until 3 pm, Friday, Dec. 28, bank officers and employees will hold an open house to wish Terry a fond farewell. They're inviting her friends and clients from throughout the county to drop by 207 Main Street, indulge in cake and punch and offer Terry good luck in the next stage of her life, according to Donna Combs-Alexander, bank officer.     Terry reached a decade of employment at Bandera Bank last August, but her final day on the job will be this Friday. However, the first portion of her retirement won't be spent on a plane winging her way to Paris or on a ship cruising the Caribbean. Instead she'll prepare for a knee operation designed to get her back in shape "to do all the other things I have planned," Terry revealed in an interview.     To that end, during an earlier "official" retirement parties, one of her prized gifts was an aluminum walker, complete with a horn, basket and nameplate "in case I forget who I am," she quipped, adding, "That will really come in handy when I'm recuperating from the operation."     After getting back on her feet — literally — Terry intends to get down to the business of indulging in a low-key retirement. "I'm not planning anything really big or elaborate," she said. "I just want to do the things I couldn't do while working full-time."     She wants to spend time puttering around her house and garden in Medina, which, she said, was located about "the next canyon over from Kinky Friedman's place." After becoming a lady of leisure, Terry will also be able "to start and finish" projects that had previously languished indefinitely.     In addition, she will spend more time with her grandchildren, the original impetus for her move from Corpus Christi to Medina. While Amanda, Megan and Tyler Eads — all graduates of Texas A&M — have relocated, Terry still has 10-year-old Brody and 8-year-old Bailey Coombes to spoil.     She began her career in banking 29 years ago in Corpus. Since relocating to Bandera County and Bandera Bank, Terry has worked as a new accounts representative and has been in charge of CDs. Terry also took a stint as administrative assistant to Bandera Bank Vice President Ken Finley, and served as the bank representative to the Bandera Community Foundation and the Bandera Business Association. Terry remains associated with the Lake Medina Conservation Society, the group that sponsors the annual Medina River clean-up event.     For the last several weeks, however, she's been ensconced in the upstairs board room updating insurance information.     Isolation definitely doesn't fit Terry's style. "I've been secluded up here and miss the contact with the public I used to have, but it's a one-person job," she explained.     A self-avowed people person, Terry said, "I will really miss my customers. It was gratifying to get to know the people in Bandera and helping them anyway I could."     The personal contact she relished in Bandera was noticeably absent from her previous job. "Corpus is a very large city and I didn't get to know the people, but Bandera was different. People are friendlier and want to visit with you more," she said.     Her client contact allowed Terry to monitor growth in Bandera County. "We've definitely gotten busier in the last two years. We've had an influx of new people. I told Ken, "You're going to have to hire someone to back me up,' and he did."     Terry will, of course, also miss the affectionate interaction with her coworkers — and they with her.     "I've been here 15 years and worked with Sylvia the last 10," said Combs-Alexander. "It's been fun. She was great to work with and we're really going to miss her."     Wendy Guerra, assistant vice president, echoed her colleague's sentiments. "Sylvia has been a joy and a treasure.     You could always depend on her. No matter what the job or the time, she did everything with a smile on her face. I wish I could be like her."

Courier's 'Cowboy Christmas' tab comin' to a newsstand near you Published Nov. 22, 2007    The Bandera County Courier will unveil its annual "Cowboy Christmas" insert in the Thursday, Dec. 6, edition of the weekly newspaper.     The special pull-out section will list retail merchants participating in the popular Shoppers Jubilee the night of Friday, Dec. 7. In addition, "Cowboy Christmas" will contain a complete listing of all activities slated for the Cowboy Capital Christmas weekend, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7.     Additionally, it will list events scheduled throughout Bandera County for the entire holiday season.     Be sure to pick up a copy of the Dec. 6 edition of the Bandera County Courier, so you won't miss any of the Christmas activities scheduled through December.     The Courier office is located at 1210 Hackberry Street, across from the courthouse. Telephone number is 830-796-9799.

Utopia hardware store opens Published Nov. 15, 2007 Staff Photos by David Arny Manager Chance Brown, assistant manager Kani Darden and loyal customer Bill Watson taking care of business at the Utopia Ranch Outpost.    Residents of Utopia are undoubtedly happy that replacing a broken doorknob or a burnt-out electric drill doesn’t require a 60-plus mile round trip to Uvalde or Bandera anymore. The opening of the new Utopia Ranch Outpost in that pleasant Hill Country community means savings of both time and gasoline, in addition to a great selection of indispensable items tailored to the needs of local customers.     Proprietor Morris Killough, who’s owned the landmark Utopia General Store on Main Street for the past 13 years, decided the time was right for Utopians to have their very own hardware, ranch supply and outdoor equipment store as well.     “Our town has been growing a little and I thought the old place was getting a little too congested,” he said. “So I decided a full service hardware store would work here – sort of a smaller version of Tractor Supply.”     Utopia Ranch Outpost offers Black and Decker, Makita and DeWalt power tools; rugged Echo chainsaws and string trimmers, accompanied by expert repairs and a blade sharpening service; wide selections of plumbing and electrical supplies; a full spectrum of interior and exterior paints, stains and protective finishes; lawn and garden supplies; livestock, pet and wildlife feed, including such well-known brands as Lyssy and Eckel’s, Surefed and West; equine supplements and tack; hunting and fishing licenses and gear for the outdoorsman in need of ammo, camo or treble hooks – not to mention the latest in hunting blinds and automatic game feeders; even an automotive section to keep your car or truck running smoothly.     The 9,500 square feet of combined retail and storage space built by Killough’s brother Travis allows plenty of growing room for future projects, such as expanding the bulk feed operations in the near future.     Not affiliated with any national chain of hardware stores, Killough thinks being an independent retailer has its advantages.     “I don’t believe a big corporation really suits the market here in Utopia,” he said.     Utopia Ranch Outpost is located at 702 North Main St., across from the Utopia school complex. It’s open Monday through Saturday, 7 am until 6 am, and Sundays 8 am until 2 pm during hunting season.

Courier partners up with 'Big Daddy' from Hondo's KCWM radio by Judith Pannebaker BCC Staff Writer Published Nov. 8, 2007 De facto Voice of the Courier, Medina Mikie (Baker), and KCWM's "Big Daddy" Roy Holley did a remote broadcast from the Courier office Thursday, Nov. 1.    Since both entities usually compete for the same advertising revenues, radio stations and newspapers typically avoid working with one another. Luckily for this part of the Hill County, neither Hondo's KCWM nor the Bandera County Courier can be called typical media outlets.     Since both communication sources are in the business of promoting and helping out their communities, it seemed only natural for the radio station and newspaper to partner up with one another.     On Thursday, Nov. 1, KCWM's "Big Daddy" Roy Holley, along with the de facto Voice of the Courier, Medina Mikie (Baker), did a remote broadcast from the Courier office, 1210 Hackberry Street. Beginning at 12:30 pm, the 30-minute live show gave a little information about the Courier ­ and a lot about what was on tap during the Hunters Weekend.     Holley regularly broadcasts from Hill Country communities such as Kerrville, Camp Verde, Uvalde, Devine and Natalia, among others, but he clearly has a soft spot for Bandera.     "Bandera always has so many things going on," he said in an interview. "I try to be politically fair regarding exposures, but no one puts things on like the people in Bandera." As examples, he cited "Celebrate Bandera," the up and coming Christmas shoppers jubilee and last weekend's hunter's extravaganza.     In fact, Holley had ties to the Cowboy Capital during the second incarnation of KBUC when the station originated in Pleasanton. "That was when I first started working in Bandera," he said. "We did benefits after the floods in '02 and were in with 'Celebrate Bandera!' from its beginnings."     The veteran radio personality got his start on the campus airways in 1969 when he had a football scholarship at Texas Arts & Industry University. After sustaining an injury, Holley took stock, deciding, "There's got to be an easier way to go to college than by playing football."     While serving as a sports reporter for the campus radio station, KTAI, he practiced spinning platters at night after the station signed-off.     However, his application for a disk jockey opening was rebuffed by the station manager because Holley wasn't a radio-television major.     Undaunted, the gutsy kid asked his former coach, Gayle Steinke, to call in a favor from the president of the university, who responded by picking up the phone and telling the station manager to "see that this happens."     And how did it happen ­ Holley hit the ground running and hasn't stopped since. Like most radio personalities, Holley station hopped, moving to stations with increasingly larger wattage and audiences, working at both the original KBUC and KKYX in San Antonio.     Now he's found his niche doing' his "thang" at KCWM, AM 1460. Originating in Hondo, the station plays classic country ­ unwatered down with country pop recordings. As the description on www.kcwm.net explained, "If it was recorded after 1985, chances are you won't hear it on this true country radio station." Of course, the General Manager makes exceptions for independent artists such as Billy Mata, Darrell McCall, Justin Trevino, Johnny Bush, Bobby Flores and Ronnie Mason ­ performers familiar to Bandera music lovers.     Legendary artists who still receive more than their share of airplay on KCWM include Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Hank Snow, Kitty Wells, Eddy Arnold, Webb Pierce, Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams and Ray Price.     Throw in a little bluegrass, truck drivin' music and songs of inspiration and the station's play list can be described as "the world's best country." In a shameless bit of self-acknowledged cross-promotion, the Courier will partner up with KCWM once a month to promote going-ons in the Cowboy Capital of the World. Keep an eye peeled in the Courier for information concerning future broadcasts.     And, just for the record, Medina Mikie, who writes a self-described "twisted Erma Bombeck-esque" column for the Courier ­ got her start in radio at KLIF, "the Mighty 1190" in Dallas. Now, if we can only convince "Big Daddy" to concentrate on making Doc the News Hound as famous as Tasha the Psychic Pooch.

Looking for a moving company? Published Nov. 8, 2007    At best, relocating can be a stressful proposition ­ trusting worldly goods with a company about which you may know little to nothing. The following recognition given to a moving company just up the road might ease your mind should it ever be necessary to move from this little slice of heaven called the Hill County.     Browning Transfer and Storage of Kerrville, 1809 Sidney Baker, an agent of United Van Lines, was recently honored by the worldwide household goods transportation company for exceptional professional achievement.     United President Richard H. McClure recognized the local company as part of van line's annual awards program, during United's 2007 Convention. More than 500 United representatives attended the annual event, which was held in Hollywood, Florida.     Browning Transfer & Storage received United's IMPACT Award, which recognized agents who made a positive impact in the area of cargo claims reduction and prevention, as measured by cargo claims liability percentages.     Headquartered in suburban St. Louis, United Van Lines is the nation's largest household goods mover and maintains a network of 1,000 affiliated agencies in 135 countries around the world.     For more information about Browning Transfer and Storage of Kerrville, call 830-257-3122.     Additional information about United and its services is available at www.unitedvanlines.com

KidsTopia pre-registration Published Oct. 25, 2007    Debra Cook Berger, owner and director of the soon-to-open KidsTopia Day Care, is offering a discount rate for parents who register their kids prior to the center's Nov. 5 opening.     KidsTopia is located on Polly Peak Road, off Highway 16 South, just past Papaw's Car Wash.     Berger has ten years' experience in the day care business. KidsTopia will be open from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am until 3 pm Saturdays. To learn more about Bandera's newest day care center, including available financial aid plans, call 830-796-4076 or 210-912-2906.

Lemon Tree Cleaners celebrates ribbon cutting Published Oct. 18, 2007 Denny and Shanna Foster, owners of Lemon Tree Cleaners, along with directors and staff of the Bandera County Chamber of Commerce, celebrated a ribbon cutting for their latest Bandera business Thursday, Oct. 11.    Bandera's Denny and Shanna Foster are keeping busy with their family ­ and their burgeoning dry cleaning empire.     In July 2006, the couple purchased Lemon Tree Cleaners of Kerrville. Last June, they acquired Esquire Cleaners of Boerne and Leslie's Cleaners here in Bandera.     In addition, to Lemon Tree's new location at the intersection of 12th and Mulberry streets, they will still maintain a second clothing drop-off point in the Cowboy Capital at Stein's Clothiers, 306 11th Street.     The Fosters remain committed to providing their customers with the very best clothing care possible.     Lemon Tree Cleaners recently earned the Clothing Care Council's "Award of Excellence for Quality Garment Cleaning and Customer Service" for 2007. The prestigious national honor puts the Fosters' businesses in exclusive company. To date, Lemon Tree Cleaners is one of less than 150 companies throughout the United States and Canada ­ and one of only five dry cleaners in the State of Texas ­ to qualify for the Award of Excellence.     "With so many cleaners out there, I know it's tough for a consumer to know which cleaners are good ones who care," Denny said. "We're very proud to have met the tough requirements of the Award of Excellence."     Prior to pursuing a second career in dry cleaning, Denny spent more than 20 years in the telecommunication industry, serving in both sales and managerial positions.     A native of Comfort, Shanna taught at Alkek Elementary School for eight years and is currently a kindergarten teacher at Medina Elementary School.     The Fosters have lived in Bandera since 1992.     They have two children. A son, Justin, graduated from Medina High School in May. He attends Seguin's Texas Lutheran University, where he is playing football. A six-year-old daughter, Rylie, attends first grade at MES.

Bandera Gymnastics offers twists & turns to BC kids By Hana Manal BCC Staff Writer Published Sept. 20, 2007 Coach Nancy Hulse watches as an advanced student successfully attempts a back tuck. Staff Photos by Hana Manal A student completes a back bend walkover/handstand with the help of Coach John Hulse. Learning to tumble    Owning Bandera Gymnastics for 10 years has only been a little tumble in the career of John Hulse.     Along with coaching and owning private clubs since 1972, Hulse spent the majority of his youth as a competitive gymnast. "I developed a profound interest in the sport while I was in second grade and (kept with it) through college," he said.     After attending San Jacinto College on a gymnastics scholarship and later graduating from the University of Houston, Hulse has channeled his competitive instinct and formal training to offer the children of Bandera County a unique and exhilarating extra-curricular activity.     "We're not involved in competition anymore, but we do train students in the same style as though they were going into competition," Hulse said.     Hulse and his wife, Nancy, a former dancer, moved to the Hill Country 10 years ago, and have simply had fun with Bandera Gymnastics. They generally enroll about 75 students between the ages of three and 16 - although Hulse has also instructed a much older individual during his career.     At his gym in Houston, Hulse taught a couple young children, their mother and their grandmother. The 75-year-old woman set a goal to do a back-flip with coach assistance. She accomplished her dream several times, although Hulse said, "She had to (study) about two years with us."     Through Bandera Gymnastics, students perform two shows per year. During the summer, regular classes are held on Tuesd