The Bastrop Advertiser

Vandals mar city park

terryhagerty — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:45:48 +0000

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

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

Nettie Frances Hodge (Wilcoxen) West

Bastrop Advertiser — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:31:33 +0000

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

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

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

Lady Bears deserve credit for persevering through obstacles

Michael Adams — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:47:27 +0000

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

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

Candidates for city, school

Bastrop Advertiser — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:56:42 +0000

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

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

McKenna Grace Dodd

Bastrop Advertiser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:07:13 +0000

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

Joan Russell – Mockingbirds and their habitat

Bastrop Advertiser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:59:46 +0000

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

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

Jo Watts – Watts New in the Arts

Bastrop Advertiser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:56:16 +0000

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

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

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

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

Free spring break fishing camps

Bastrop Advertiser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:54:34 +0000

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

NSDAR meeting March 20

Bastrop Advertiser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:53:11 +0000

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

Red Rock community fish fry

Bastrop Advertiser — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:44:34 +0000

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