The five congregations of TCCM, affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, include Faith Lutheran Church, Weimar; Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sublime; Evangelical Lutheran Church, Witting; Zion Lutheran Church, Moulton and St. Peter Lutheran Church of Prairie Valley, West Point.  TCCM is the first cooperative ministry with shared staff established in the Southwestern Texas Synod of the ELCA on January 1, 2003.

Pastor Westerfield is a graduate of Texas Lutheran University, Seguin and Pacific Lutheran Seminary, Berkeley, California.  He and his wife Rhonda, a retired teacher and musician, reside in Seguin.

Pastor Westerfield will continue to assist Pastor Herb Beyer and the TCCM ministry on a contractual basis, preaching on Sunday mornings and at other services, and doing other ministry on an as needed basis.   The TCCM ministry also involves assistance from Pastor John Hunsicker and Synodically Authorized Minister John Schroeder.

In appreciation for your ministry of

Word and Sacrament to our congregations

Tri-County Cooperative Ministries

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sublime

Faith Lutheran Church, Weimar

St. Peter Lutheran Church, West Point

Evangelical Lutheran Church, Witting

Zion Lutheran Church, Moulton

2003 – 2012

REV. JOHN RUSSELL WESTERFIELD

“Pastor JR”

Family Man

Pastor

Storyteller

Humorist

Scouter

Dog Lover

Friend

Honored on the day of his retirement

April 15, 2012

The convention will be open to any qualified voter who resides in Bastrop County, registered to vote at least 30 days prior to the convention and who signs an oath of affiliation with the Democratic Party. Because of the changes to the election schedule, the Texas Convention and Delegate Selection process this year will skip precinct conventions and begin at county and senatorial district conventions.

State Senator Kirk Watson will address the convention before attendees elect 29 delegates and 29 alternates to the state convention and conduct other party business

“We encourage all Democrats of Bastrop County to attend the county convention and make their voice heard as part of our nomination process,” said Robert Ryland, the incoming chairman of Bastrop County Democrats. “Individuals who want to represent our area as delegates to the Texas Democratic Party State Convention should attend.”

The delegates and alternates elected at the county/senate district convention then go to the state convention. The state convention is June 7- 9 in Houston.  Delegates and alternates elected at the state convention will go to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. Sept. 3-6. Texas will send 288 delegates to the national convention.

“As one of the largest and most diverse delegations in the country, the TDP will make certain that all voices of our broad constituency are heard at our national convention,” said TDP Chair Boyd Richie.

For more information, voters are encouraged to go to www.bastropdemocrats.org, email chair@bastropdemocrats.org or call 512-609-0336.

The musical had its premiere last summer at Festival Institute in Round Top. Its success resulted in the decision to stage it again this summer, with productions July 27-29 and Aug. 3-5 at the same Concert Hall in Round Top.

Adults/high Schoolers

In Bastrop, acting and singing auditions will be held Thursday, April 26, from 6-8 p.m. at Inspirations Dance Studio, located in Alum Creek in the Twister Cheer Building, 1289 Highway 71 E , Bastrop, TX 78602. Dance auditions will begin at 8 p.m.

In La Grange, auditions for acting and singing will be held from 5-8 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 427 South Washington Street, La Grange. Dance auditions will begin at 8 p.m.

In Brenham, acting and singing auditions will be held from 5-7:30 p.m., Monday, April 23, at the Unity Theatre, 300 Church Street, Brenham. Dance auditions will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Acting and singing auditions at all three locations will be conducted individually. All auditioners should bring a prepared song and monologue, if available, or they will be provided sides from a script for reading. An accompanist will be provided for auditioners with sheet music.  Auditioners may also bring a recording of their accompaniment if sheet music is not available. If music is not brought to the audition, there will be available simple music for the auditioners to sing.

Dance

In Bastrop, dance auditions will follow the acting and singing auditions. Dance auditions begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, at Inspirations Dance Studio, located in Alum Creek in the Twister Cheer Building, 1289 Highway 71 E , Bastrop, TX 78602. In La Grange the dancers will audition from 8-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, at St. Paul Church after the singing and dancing auditions. In Brenham, dancers will audition at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 23, after the singing and dancing auditions in the Unity Theatre.

Dancers should come prepared to move with proper shoes and clothes. Those who consider themselves “movers” and not dancers are still encouraged to attend the dance auditions, as it will be tailored to suit a variety of ability levels. Similarly, all who consider themselves to be “only” dancers are encouraged to take part in the acting/singing portion of the audition.

Children

Children’s auditions for grades 1-8 will be held only in La Grange from 3-5 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 427 South Washington Street, La Grange.

Children will be asked to stay for the full two hours; however, if there is a conflict with school, they may arrive late. The audition will include a group workshop. Children may bring their own script or read sides from a script, which will be provided. They should bring songs of their choice with either sheet music or a recording of the accompaniment. Songs may be sung without music; however, an accompanist will be available. If auditioners have no songs prepared, they will be asked to sing something simple, such as “Happy Birthday.”

Rehearsals

Rehearsals begin Monday, July 2. Most rehearsals will be held in the evening, Monday through Saturday. The scheduling of rehearsals will maximize performers’ use of time; that is, they will be called for rehearsal when their scenes are active.

For the first two weeks, performers will be called upon for two to five rehearsals a week, depending on what scenes are working. By the end of the third week, performers will be expected to be at every rehearsal, which will be at St. Paul Lutheran Church in La Grange.

Rehearsals will move to the theatre (Festival Institute in Round Top) starting on Monday, July 23.

For questions or more information, visit the website www.heartofthetintrunk.com or contact executive director, Mickey Burdick, at mickeyburdick@hotmail.com or 646-382-3039.

The late John Prager, a former BCAS board member, is among the towering conservation figures featured in the 2010 book (Texas A&M Press), Todd co-edited, The Texas Legacy Project: Stories of Courage and Conservation.  You can listen to the Prager interview at texaslegacy.org, an online archive of video, audio, and texts, and other materials Todd collected through interviews and correspondence.  Prager’s legacy of field work in Bastrop County includes locating and describing the Big Trees we have.

Todd worked in hydrology after completing his M.S. in engineering from Rice University.  Since, he has worked as an environmental attorney, conservation donor, and cattle rancher.  He has served on boards of Audubon Texas, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, and the Texas League of Conservation, and others.

BCAS meets every third Tuesday at the First National Bank Building in Bastrop at Hasler Blvd. and H. 71W at 7:00 p.m.  Meetings and program are open to the public.  Refreshments will be served.

The goal of this program is to develop well-informed volunteers who provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of the natural resources in the community.

“Our chapter serves primarily Bastrop and Caldwell counties,” extension agent Rachel Bauer said. “In the Master Naturalist program, you will enhance your love of nature with research-based, scientific knowledge. You will learn about the plants, animals and natural history of Central Texas, meet other people who enjoy nature, find out how to attract wildlife to your property and share your knowledge through volunteer activities in our communities.”

The class includes more than 40 hours of intensive classroom and field based instruction – with an emphasis on local ecosystems – conducted by experts.

Training begins with an orientation class on Feb. 6 and ends with graduation on May 21. Casses are Mondays, 6:30-9 p.m. (two or three times a month). There are also five Saturday morning field trips planned.

A preliminary class schedule and application forms are available at the chapter website http://www.lostpinesmasternaturalist.org.

Return completed applications by Jan. 23 to the Bastrop County Extension Office at 901 Pecan Street in Bastrop or the Caldwell County Extension office at 1403B Blackjack Street in Lockhart.

Electronically-completed applications may be returned by e-mail to abutler@mac.com and the fee of $85 may be brought to the orientation class.

This fee includes a binder containing a comprehensive Texas Master Naturalist Curriculum and other resources and dues for first year membership in the Lost Pines Chapter.

For more information, contact (512) 581-7186.

The IRS also announced a number of improvements to help make this tax season easy for taxpayers. This includes new navigation features and helpful information on IRS.gov and a new pilot to allow taxpayers to use interactive video to get help with tax issues.

“At the IRS, we’re working hard to make the process of filing your taxes as quick and easy as possible,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “Providing quality service is one of our top priorities. It not only reduces the burden on taxpayers, but also helps in filing an accurate return right from the start.”

Taxpayers will have until Tuesday, April 17, to file their 2011 tax returns and pay any tax due because April 15 falls on a Sunday, and Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia, falls this year on Monday, April 16. According to federal law, District of Columbia holidays impact tax deadlines in the same way that federal holidays do; therefore, all taxpayers will have two extra days to file this year. Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Oct. 15 to file their 2012 tax returns.

The IRS expects to receive more than 144 million individual tax returns this year, with most of those being filed by the April 17 deadline.

The IRS will begin accepting e-file and Free File returns on Jan. 17, 2012. Additional details about e-file and Free File will be announced later this month. IRS Free File provides options for free brand-name tax software or online fillable forms plus free electronic filing. Everyone can use Free File to prepare a federal tax return. Taxpayers who make $57,000 or less can choose from approximately 20 commercial software providers. There’s no income limit for Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms, which also includes free e-filing.

The IRS also reminds paid tax return preparers they must have and include a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) on all returns they prepare. All PTINs must be renewed for 2011. Tax return preparers can obtain or renew PTINs online.

Assistance Options

The IRS continues to focus on taxpayer service. The best way for taxpayers to get answers to their questions is by visiting the IRS website at IRS.gov. The IRS has updated the front page of the IRS website to make it easier for taxpayers to get key forms, information and file tax returns. The front page also has links to taxpayer-friendly videos on the IRS YouTube channel. More improvements are planned for IRS.gov in the months ahead.

Last year, the IRS unveiled IRS2Go, its first smartphone application that lets taxpayers check on the status of their tax refund and obtain helpful tax information. The IRS reminds Apple users that they can download the free IRS2Go application by visiting the Apple App Store and Android users can visit the Android Marketplace to download the free IRS2Go app.

Individuals making $50,000 or less can use the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for free tax preparation and, in many cases, free electronic filing. Individuals age 60 and older can take advantage of free tax counseling and basic income tax preparation through Tax Counseling for the Elderly. Information on these programs can be found at IRS.gov.

For tax law questions or account inquiries, taxpayers can also call our toll-free number (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time) or visit a taxpayer assistance center, the locations of which are listed on IRS.gov.

Virtual Service

The IRS has begun a new pilot program where taxpayers can get assistance through two-way video conferencing.  The IRS is conducting a limited roll out of this new video conferencing technology at 10 IRS offices and two other sites, and may expand to further sites in the future. A list of locations is available on IRS.gov.

Check for a Refund

Once taxpayers file their federal return, they can track the status of their refunds by using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool, which taxpayers can get to using the IRS2Go phone app or from the front page of www.IRS.gov.  By providing their Taxpayer Identification Numbers, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of their anticipated refund taxpayers can generally get information about their refund 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of their e-filed returns, or three to four weeks after mailing a paper return.

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Survivors in all 23 counties designated for Individual Assistance under the major disaster declaration are urged to register before it’s too late.

“This is the last call for wildfire survivors,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes of FEMA. “Don’t let Friday come and go without contacting FEMA if you haven’t already done so.”

Hannes said Texans who have already registered with FEMA need not be concerned when the deadline passes because FEMA will remain in Texas and continue to work with applicants until every eligible survivor is assisted.

“Just keep us informed if you change your address, phone number or banking information so any assistance dollars that might be coming to you are not delayed,” he said.

Friday is also the deadline to return applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans for property damage.

To date, more than $13.4 million in grants has been approved for home repairs or replacement, rental assistance and other needs. Another $19.5 million in SBA low-interest disaster loans has been approved for 164 homes and businesses.

Survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov, via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov until midnight Jan. 6. Texans can also register by telephone until 9 p.m. Jan. 6 via FEMA’s toll-free numbers: 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 1-800-621-3362. Recovery assistants remain available from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Texans can follow FEMA tweets about the Texas disaster at www.twitter.com/femaregion6. Other online resources are http://blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.

We welcome discussion on our stories but we will only publish comments that do not violate our Comment Guidelines.

During January the recovery center will continue renovations for expanded services, installing new workstations and full access for people with disabilities.  Initial January hours of the volunteer-run center will be Wednesday – Friday afternoons, 1-4 pm, adding hours as volunteers join the team.

Beginning February 1^st, service hours return to 9am–5pm Monday – Friday as the center adds full time professional staff funded by US Dept of Labor National Emergency Grants.

The Bastrop County Recovery Center provides enhanced programs and services for fire survivors, plus resources and support for long term community recovery.    Special January programs include:

Solving Insurance Problems and    Future Fire Protection for Homes

Check BastropRelief.org or call 512 549-3011 for details.

Bastrop Recovery Information/Services Line:   512 549-3011

Thanks to generous support from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Bastrop Recovery Information hotline is renewing operations (phone volunteers needed).  This Recovery Center service offers information on: relief services, donations, volunteer opportunities, community wildfire recovery.

Similar information services are also available online through BastropRelief.org.

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For additional information, please visit BastropRelief.org

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Information Contact:   gcrick@main.org   512 468 5052

Gene Crick,  Director, Bastrop County Disaster Recovery Center

Communications Chair, Bastrop Long Term Recovery Committee

1091 Hwy. 71 West   /  PO Box 328,  Bastrop, TX 78602

We welcome discussion on our stories but we will only publish comments that do not violate our Comment Guidelines.