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Hunters Appreciation Dinner scheduled Nov. 4

The Ballinger Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Hunters Appreciation Dinner from 4-10 p.m. Nov. 4 at the community center on Crosson Avenue.

The Runnels County 4-H will serve a brisket and sausage meal with all the trimmings at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15.

Twenty raffle items will be given away; tickets are $1 each. There also will be a silent auction, vendors, door prizes and more. Complimentary and adult beverages also will be available.

All proceeds benefit the Runnels County 4-H. For more information, call the chamber at 325-365-2333.

Annual game dinner planned at civic center

The Eldorado Game Association will sponsor its annual game dinner at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Schleicher County Civic Center, one mile south of Eldorado on U.S. 277.

A brisket dinner will be served; tickets are $10. Prizes will be given, including firearms, gift cards, coolers, a generator, hunting accessories and more. A grand prize of $2,000 and a Mountain Ascent rifle also will be given.

For more information, visit eldoradogame.org.

Hunter's Blowout Ball includes food, music, raffle

The Menard Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Hunter's Blowout Ball from 7 p.m.-midnight Nov. 4 at the Club Victoria.

Chili, beans and tamales will be served. A raffle will be held for guns, knives and more.

Music will be provided by the Wagon Aces. Coolers are allowed, and ice and water will be provided.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children younger than 10. For more information, call 325-396-2365.

Citywide garage sale planned Nov. 4

A citywide garage sale will be 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 4.

Maps will be available at 8 a.m. at Weatherby Hall on West First Street. A variety of items will be for sale, including jewelry, furniture, books, knickknacks, clothes, antiques, collectibles and crafts.

For more information, search for "Miles citywide garage sale" on Facebook.

First Saturday Trade Day set downtown

The Miles America First Saturday Trade Day will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 4.

Vendors will be on the sidewalk, and downtown businesses will be open. Vendor spots are $20, and pre-payment is required.

For more information, call 325-227-0013 or 325-656-1355.

— Compiled by Jane Jeschke

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has suspended most water rights along the upper San Saba River, where water use has become increasingly contentious as the state's drought has continued.

In Texas, because surface water belongs to the state, rights must be purchased to use the water for irrigation purposes. Those rights are prioritized based on the date each one was granted. However, according to state law, those who do not have water rights but require the water for domestic or livestock use trump the most senior water rights.

Two such domestic and livestock users made calls to TCEQ in mid-August requesting that water be restricted upstream to allow flows to return to their property. On Aug. 26, TCEQ Executive Director Zak Covar issued an order suspending water use with a priority date more recent than 1900.

The order pertains to roughly 80 rights holders, both individuals and organizations, most of whom live in Menard County. A small number of rights holders in McCulloch and Schleicher counties are also affected.

Water use in Menard has been under scrutiny since American Rivers, a national conservation group, cited the town's water management in including the San Saba on its national list of endangered rivers. It was the only Texas entry.

Also, during the regular session, state Rep. J.D. Sheffield, R-Gatesville, filed a bill that would have called for a watermaster to monitor water use in the area. After intense pushback, Sheffield opted not to push the bill. “We found it to be a very volatile issue with a lot of history,” he told the Tribune in July. “We would need a lot of time to look into it thoroughly, and we didn’t have it.”

This is not the first time water rights have been suspended in the area. In early August, Susan Wheless, a Menard resident who is among those affected by the new order, wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper recalling the ramifications of similar restrictions applied in 2011 in response to a priority call downstream.

"I had to sell my stock at a huge loss, since I had nothing for them to eat," she wrote. "It cost me more than twice as much to replace what I had sold, all because someone is unhappy about a drought that none of us has any control over."

This year, Wheless is the president of the Menard Irrigation Company, which is made up of local shareholders and manages an irrigation canal that diverts water from the San Saba and winds through the center of Menard. The company is also subject to the suspension order, and Menard residents told the Tribune that the diversion point for "the ditch," as it is often called, was being cut off on Friday.

The TCEQ will hold a hearing on Oct. 9 to determine whether to "affirm, modify, or set aside" the suspension order.

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ROBERT LEE – The Menard Yellowjackets took a big step toward claiming a district title in their first year transitioning from 11-man to six-man football, but it could have come at a big cost as they beat Robert Lee 64-38 in the District 13-1A Division I opener for both teams Friday at Griffith Stadium.

After scoring five TDs and piling up 249 yards on those five runs and also scoring on a 43-yard fumble recovery, Menard senior running back Joel Guerrero went out of the game just before halftime and it changed the complexion of the game.

Whether it changes the complexion of the Jackets’ season, first-year head coach Bryson Oliver was hopeful his star can bounce back from the knee injury that sidelined him in Menard’s first district game since moving down.

“We ran a little sweep play and he cut wrong,” said Oliver, whose team led 42-8 at the 3:47 mark of the second quarter after Guerrero’s 42-yard TD run and was back on offense for another series before halftime.

“We don’t know a whole lot yet, we’re hoping for the best,” said Oliver, who indicated Guerrero would have his knee assessed Saturday. “The best-case scenario is that he strained something or it’s a bone bruise, so we’re hoping for the best.”

Guerrero was an All-West Texas selection in 11-man and his speed and quickness has transitioned well to the six-man game as the Jackets have climbed to a 5-2 overall record. One of those wins was a forfeit and Oliver was unable to pick up another game, but it’s been a successful transition so far as the Jackets got a road win against a Robert Lee team that is enjoying its best start since 2014.

“We knew we were going to have to pound the rock and run the clock and just play smart football (in the second half),” the Menard coach said. “Most of our running backs are a little banged up, so I had to be real strategic in those last two quarters because they are a talented, talented football team …(with) the ability to rack up plays so I knew we were going to have to control time of possession.”

Because of the forfeit, the Jackets had two weeks to prepare for the Steers, who showed some quick-strike ability in scoring 30 points in the second half.

“We wanted to play another game but because of the forfeit I was able to work on them the last couple of weeks and we were breathing and eating Robert Lee with our cornflakes every morning,” Oliver said.

It was the 28-0 start in the first quarter – when Guerrero scored on runs of 48, 32 and 64 yards which sandwiched his 43-yard return on a fumble recovery – that ultimately doomed the Steers, who fell to 6-1, 0-1.

“We made too many mistakes early and with a team like Menard, that can’t happen,” Robert Lee head coach Lee McCown said. “They got the momentum early and by the time we can get much going, we’re trailing pretty good and started pressing a bit and are forced to do a lot of things we’re not used to doing.

“We threw the ball a whole lot more than what we have all year and when you’re trailing like that, you start having to do that.”

A key turn of events in the first quarter turned the momentum for the visiting team.

Leading 14-0, Guerrero's scoop-and-score pushed the Menard lead to 20-0 with 4:18 still left on the first-quarter clock.

Menard then recovered another Robert Lee fumble deep in its Jacket territory and on the next play, Guerrero took it 64 yards for the score to give the Jackets a 28-0 lead with 2:33 to play in the first quarter.

The Menard defense had a goal-line stand on Robert Lee’s first possession of the second quarter and Guerrero added a 63-yard score to give the Jackets a 36-0 lead before the Steers were finally able to score.

Playing with an early lead, Menard turned up the defensive pressure and was in the Robert Lee backfield disrupting the passing lanes, leaving some wide-open looks for the Steers, who were unable to capitalize until the second half.

Robert Lee put together back-to-back scoring drives to pull within 50-22 with 3:19 in the third quarter. Denver O’Dell got things started with a two-yard run with 4:13 to play in the third and Robert Lee’s Ryan Mendoza recovered a Menard fumble to set up Brayden Sherwood’s 8-yard run a minute later.

Isaiah Stanislawski, who carried the load for Menard in the second half after proving a powerful blocking weapon for Guerrero in the first half, scored on a 2-yard run to give the Jackets a 58-22 lead with 1:30 to play in the third.

Brody Pitcock hit Jaxon Tavarez on a 24-yard TD pass with three tics left on the third-quarter clock to pull Robert Lee within 58-30.

The Menard defense put the game away when John Michael Eggleston returned an interception 25 yards to make the score 64-30 with 7:23 to play.

Sherwood added a 45-yard kickoff return on the next play, but that was the last score for either team.

“This one was huge,” Oliver said. “(Robert Lee) is such a well-run program, and they’ve had a good year. This is a tough place to play and we were nervous rolling into this one.”

For the Steers, their first loss was a chance for McCown to see what his team needs to do to improve.

“We had a lot of missed opportunities and too many mistakes and when it got away from us, we weren’t able to get back,” McCown said. “I told them, sometimes you learn more from a loss than a win. We faced adversity and we kept fighting, but yeah, it’s their first loss so we’ll see how they respond. I told them I’d see them Monday and we’d keep working the way we work. We’ve still got some season ahead of us.”

The Steers (6-1 overall, 1-0 in district) travel to Veribest next Friday. Menard (5-2, 1-0) is open next Friday, returning to action with a home game against Veribest on Oct. 21.

District 13-1A Division I

Menard 64, Robert Lee 38

Score by Quarters

Menard 28 14 16 6—64

Robert Lee 0 8 22 8—38

Scoring Summary

First quarter

M – Joel Guerrero 48-yard run (kick failed), 8:22 remaining

M – Guerrero 32 run (Roy Brown kick), 8:09

M – Guerrero 43 fumble recovery (kick failed), 4:18

M – Guerrero 64 run (Brown kick), 2:33

Second quarter

M – Guerrero 63 run (Brown kick), 6:39

RL – Brayden Sherwood 28 run (Brody Pitcock kick), 4:45

M – Guerrero 42 run (kick failed), 3:47

Third quarter

M – Isaiah Stanislawski 29 fumble recovery (Brown kick), 5:53

RL – Denver O’Dell 3 run (Pitcock kick), 4:13

RL – Sherwood 7 run (kick failed), 3:19

M – Stanislawski 2 run (Brown kick), 1:30

RL – Jaxon Tavarez 36 pass from Anthony Landeros (Pitcock kick), :03

Fourth quarter

M – John Michael Eggleston 25 interception return (kick failed), 7:23

RL – Sherwood 45 kick return (Pitcock kick), 7:15

Here are our top high school football games to watch in West Texas in Week 4 of the 2022 season:

Garden City at May

A matchup of top 5 teams gives this six-man showdown top billing this week. No. 4-ranked Garden City travels to play No. 3 May, which has reached back-to-back state finals and four overall, though the Tigers are still looking for their first state title. Like May, Garden City is typically in the upper echelon of six-man programs, highlighted by the Bearkats' back-to-back state titles in 2009 and '10. Garden City topped No. 9 Valley 30-26 in Week 1, then 45'd Menard and Midland Trinity. May outlasted Knox City 81-58 last week, and Austin St. Stephen's 77-46 two weeks ago. This should be an entertaining game to watch.

The pick: Garden City 50, May 44

Coleman at Llano

Coleman, ranked No. 5 in Class 2A Division I, may see its biggest test so far when it travels to play Llano, an undefeated 3A-DI program. After scraping out a 7-6 win over Mason, Coleman has rolled to wins over Ballinger (48-0) and Brady (56-24). Llano's three wins are over Jarrell (48-26), Burnet (29-21) and Austin Crockett (57-13). The Yellow Jackets are only two years removed from a trip to the state semifinals, and they've won 24 of their last 28 games. Coleman has won 14 of its last 15. You can't ask for a much better game than this on a September evening in the Hill Country.

The pick: Llano 24, Coleman 21

Mason at Christoval

This is an intriguing matchup between two programs that have been among the best in the area in recent years. Both have rebounded with a pair of wins after dropping their season opener. After a 7-6 loss to Coleman, Mason has had big wins over Brady (27-7) and Ozona (42-7). Christoval shook off a 7-0 loss to Eldorado with wins over Grape Creek (30-10) and Colorado City (26-7). What really jumps out from those scores is both of these teams can play some defense. This is their first meeting since 2012, when Mason walloped Christoval 64-7. It seems safe to say this game won't see as many points.

The pick: Mason 14, Christoval 7

Menard at Bronte

Five years ago, this would have been an 11-man football game. But Bronte made the drop to six-man in 2018, and Menard followed this season. The Yellowjackets have quickly found some success, including a 45-point win in their season opener. Menard's Joel Guerrero rushed for 405 yard and six TDs in a 68-57 loss to San Marcos Baptist Academy last week. Bronte is off to a 2-1 start after wins over Zephyr (44-37) and Veribest (35-12). The Longhorns were clipped 43-40 by Rule in their loss. While Menard is the six-man newcomer, the Yellowjackets have the numbers advantage over a Bronte team that moved to 1A Division II this season. Both of these programs seem to be on the rise after 2-8 seasons last year.

The pick: Menard 42, Bronte 38

San Saba at Eldorado

The San Saba Armadillos are off to a 3-0 start, and their defense is allowing less than eight points per game. That could be a problem for an Eldorado offense that has scored a combined 26 points in its first three games. The Eagles won on the strength of their defense in a 7-0 win over Eldorado in Week 1, but their lack of offense bit them in an 18-12 overtime loss to Winters and 24-7 loss to Sonora. San Saba's offense, meanwhile, is averaging 31 points per game. Eldorado won this game 42-20 last year en route to its best season in 71 years. The Eagles will need to find some of that offensive firepower if they want to keep up with the Armadillos.

The pick: San Saba 24, Eldorado 14

Sure, you could drop a few hundred bucks to “camp” in a luxury tree house or air-conditioned yurt, but for many Texans camping still means roughing it outdoors. However, securing a site at a state or national park is no sure bet, particularly on weekends and when many are either closed or operating at reduced capacity to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. If you’re only now planning that autumn campout, you might have missed your weekend window at a popular spot like Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. If so, consider low-budget private campgrounds, which can be found on sites such as Hipcamp. Like an Airbnb for the outdoors, Hipcamp features for-profit campsites across the country, including more than three hundred in Texas, where landowners welcome visitors to their Instagram-friendly personal oases. Rates are usually modest, and properties range from two acres to more than fifty. The terrain, views, and experiences vary widely. Need running water? A flushable toilet? Better double-check the amenities. Hipcamp also includes small cabins, Airstream trailers, and—yes—tree houses and yurts, if those are more your style. Most allow a limited number of guests at a time, ideal for social distancing. Private campgrounds aren’t unique to Hipcamp, of course, but the site makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. Here are three options not far from popular state parks.

Low Gear Farmstead

Menard

When you arrive at this plucky organic farm on the Edwards Plateau, the terrain might seem a little forbidding. Thorny mesquite scrub and prickly pear abound. Geer Gillespie, who runs the operation with his wife, Logan Bell, will probably greet you at the front gate in a pair of knee-high snake boots. However, just past the old home place, where Bell’s great-grandparents once lived, a rutted trail suddenly descends into a lush world straight out of a fairy tale. Here, tall grass grows in the shade of acres of majestic pecan trees, all of it nestled in rich bottomlands along the spring-fed San Saba River. During a reunion with several old friends in the summer of 2019, we pitched our tents, lounged around the firepit, and floated the lazy San Saba in tubes we brought from home. The composting toilets in the outhouses reminded us that we were pretty far off the grid; the property has no showers or picnic tables (although Gillespie helpfully loaned us his charcoal grill). Because we were paying such a low rate, we weren’t about to complain about the spartan amenities. Bell says she keeps costs to a minimum so folks at all income levels can afford to visit her family’s farmstead. “I love that everyone can appreciate the beauty and magic when you pull into that rolling pecan grove,” she says.

Three campsites (for up to six people), $20 a night. Close to South Llano River State Park (44 miles).

Seco Ridge Campground

Utopia

Woody Golden, a sculptor and former art instructor at the University of Houston, wants to make and sell his own beer, so he built a small brewery on the hillside Utopia property he owns with his wife, Elaine. There’s just one problem: the tiny town is in a “dry” area of Uvalde County where alcohol sales aren’t allowed right now. So the Goldens joined Hipcamp last fall, opening their 42 acres of old-growth cedar to tent campers, glampers (with a king bed in a cargo tent), and people looking for unique lodging (a tasteful bunkhouse converted from an old shipping container). Visitors share a centrally located open-air kitchen and a bathroom with hot showers, but the primitive campsites scattered throughout the property can provide more privacy and seclusion than your typical park campground. “Everybody can go their separate ways when they camp here,” says Woody. The place also offers a tree house for children to play in, disc golf, and an easy hike to sweeping views of the Hill Country—and, unlike at state parks, where the consumption of alcohol is against the rules, he doesn’t mind when his guests imbibe. “Everybody who’s come through has been very considerate and respectful,” he says.

Seven campsites, $30 a night; glamping tent, $50; and the “Bunkhaus,” with a queen bed and bunk bed, $75. Close to Garner State Park (17 miles) and Lost Maples State Natural Area (19 miles).

The Honey Hole

Point Blank

Just about six miles west of Lake Livingston, in East Texas, empty nesters Robin and Steve Bumbera offer primitive camping on fifteen acres of oaks and tall pines. Light breezes sweep down from the rolling hills and ripple across a four-acre pond where campers can swim, float on tubes, or fish for largemouth bass and panfish. “The water is really nice because it’s so clear,” Robin says. “It’s not your typical pond. That’s the only bad part of the fishing—the fish can see you, and they’re like, ‘Nope, I’m not falling for that.’ ” There’s also a covered pavilion with a propane-powered kitchen, a hammock stretched between two pine trees, patio chairs encircling a fire ring, and an outhouse with a composting toilet. Another bonus: campers can choose where to pitch their tents. “People are more than welcome to camp in the woods,” Robin says, “but once they see the pond, they really want to stay close to the water.”

Three campsites (for up to four people), $45 a night. Close to Huntsville State Park (29 miles).

This article originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of Texas Monthly. Subscribe today.