heart of texas today

Heart Of Texas TodaySeptember-October 2014 Free

A Magazine For:Kerrville Bandera Ingram

Center Point Hunt Harper Comfort

Heart of Texas Today | September - October 2014 3

Fall Savings to Hoot about!

Must present coupon at time of order. Coupon will not apply to previously placed orders. No Exceptions! Expires 10-31-14

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To Advertise Call 830-370-9257 The Opinions expressed in Heart Of Texas Today are those of

the advertisers and writers. And not necessarily those of this magazine.

Publisher Alice Sadler

Graphics & Production

Golden Monkey Productions

Head Writer

David Blackburn

Contributing Writers

Kelly Dooley

David LeMeilleur

Denise LeMeilleur

Lainie Johnson

G. Wayne Hacker

Todd E. Peter

Nancy Foster

TD Cooper

Paula Pirone

Cover Photography William Kierce

Kierce Photography

5 A Brief Obamacare Update 6 Negotiating Real Estate Commissions

9 Get In The Game With Your Car!

10 Fall Fun at the Western Museum of Art

12 A Major Cause of Child Abuse

14 Me-Ma and the Devil go Trick or Treating 18 A Texas State of Mind… A Short Story from a Tall Texan: Still Creek Ranch 21 The CCPAL Doggie Mobile 24 Am I Overweight or Obese?

26 Kid’s Fun Pages

28 Autumn Recipes

30 Dia De Muertos

www.heartoftexastoday.com

PICTURE PERFECT HOME IN THE COUNTRY!!!2008 Home with Open Floor Plan on 2 acres.

MLS #84364 – Reduced to $315,000! -- Call Kelly!

HOA LAKE

WIDE OPEN SPACES WITH SOARING CEILINGS!!!Beautiful 3869-sq. ft. home with 3-car garage on large lot in Riverhill

Call Ed or Kelly! – Only $399,500 – MLS #82370

(830) 459-0452

[email protected]

Kelly Dooley(830) 739-0056

[email protected]

Ed Hamilton

SHERMAN & CO., REALTORS ®819 WATER STREET

ONE SCHREINER CENTER

OFFICE: 830-257-7588

www.ShermanCo.com

6 Heart of Texas Today | September - October 2014

Joann Faust(830)-329-2902

[email protected]

2001 FABULOUS ROCK HOME IN NORTHWEST HILLS!!!

Call Joann or Kelly! – Only $395,000 – MLS #83723

Views!!!

AUTHENTICALLY RESTORED HISTORICAL

Call Ed or Kelly! -- $480,000 – MLS #83649

Owner Financing!

ADORABLE “CABIN IN THE WOODS” CLOSE TO TOWN!!!Nicely updated. Fireplaces in & out. Private well.

Call Ed or Kelly! – Only $149,900 – MLS #82525

Lots & Land1.84-ACRE PRIME COMMERCIAL lot with city utili-

ties on Junction Hwy. in Kerrville. $387,000. MLS #82988. Call Kelly or Joann!

considered! Priced at $185,000 for quick sale. MLS #82880. Call Ed or Kelly!4.24-ACRE BUILDING SITE IN HUNT! Area of nice

homes. HOA River park. Only $69,500! MLS #84086. Call Kelly!FOR SALE OR FOR LEASE -- for your MANU-

0.44-acre lot with water,

electric, & septic in Center Point. Septic rated for one

2-bedroom mfg home less than 1500 sq. ft. --OR-- two

RV’s. No deed restrictions! Purchase for only $49,900! Or lease for $300/month. MLS #82721. Call Kelly!COMMERCIAL lot in Kerrville with city utilities available.

App. 50’ X 190’. Priced for quick sale at $31,500. MLS #82894. Call Ed or Kelly!

LOADS OF CHARM!!!

HUGE Kitchen, Fenced yard.

Large 2-car carport. Possible RV storage.

Call Kelly or Joann! -- $129,500 – MLS #84359

New Listing!CUSTOM HOME ON 24+ ACRES!!!

3757-sq. ft. home with workshop & game room.

2-car garage / 2-car carport / Ag exempt

Only $498,500! – Appraised at $500K in Nov, 2013.

Call Kelly! – MLS #84364

Reduced!

Reduced!

Fenced & Cross-Fenced! Minutes to Town!

MLS #84807 -- $199,500 – Call Kelly!

New Listing!


The contents of this article are the opinion of Kelly Dooley, a professional real estate agent with Sherman & Co., Realtors® in

Kerrville, Texas. Other professional real estate brokers and agents may disagree or have other views. Comments and

questions are welcome by email at [email protected]. Your comments and questions and/or Kelly’s response may be

printed in an upcoming issue.

When only the best will do… -

est materials from TOP TO BOTTOM (from the standing seam metal roof & 12-14 ft. ceilings with

iron double doors at the front entry to the large covered back patio overlooking Kerrville), and… only

these rolling green 79.48 ag exempt acres so close to town could be the perfect setting. No lack of

storage with large walk-in closets, walking height attic, many custom alder wood cabinets, Christmas

tree closet, and even a palatial laundry room. Gated private drive to 3-car attached garage. Potential

pond sites. 3 tracts make up the 79.48 acres, so already platted for family compound or for selling a

tract if less acreage is needed. 1600-sq. ft. metal storage barn for livestock or other uses, or workshop

for the hobby enthusiast. Offered at $1,800,000. MLS #82673. Call Kelly Dooley at 830-459-0452

or Joann Faust at 830-329-2902 for more information or to schedule a private showing.

SHERMAN & CO., REALTORS ®819 WATER STREET

ONE SCHREINER CENTER

OFFICE: 830-257-7588

www.ShermanCo.com

Joann FaustKelly Dooley

Email:

[email protected]

Phone #: (830) 459-0452

Email:

[email protected]

Phone #: 830-329-2902

NEGOTIATING REAL ESTATE COMMISSIONS

by Kelly Dooley, Realtor®

Commissions are set by individual real estate brokers, and can be negotiated with sellers and buyers prior to entering into a written listing agreement. While it may work to your advantage to shop on line or at several car lots or with various providers of whatever product you would like to buy, negotiating the commission rate with your broker/agent may not be the best way to increase your bottom line. And choos-ing an agent solely due to commission may lead you to compare apples to oranges. As with other professions, the rate of pay is often commen-surate with the amount of work, expense, experience, and knowledge delivered. For instance, the property that will receive the highest amount of advertising will most likely be the property on which a sale will bring the highest reward (commission) to the listing broker. It is also impor-tant that the portion of the commission offered to the buyers’ agents draw as many agents and thus potential buyers as possible. A property will almost always receive the most activity

rejected by the market due to a high price during this crucial time period, the activity cannot usually be reactivated by a reduction in list price later. Initially listing a property correctly can therefore often bring a higher sale price than a correction later. This is only one reason why it is so important for a knowledgeable and experienced agent to determine the appropriate list price. While sale price is always a top consideration, there are many other variables within a real estate transaction that can also affect a seller’s or buyer’s bottom line. For instance, often a seller can meet a buyer’s needs by decreasing the price of a property, while maintaining the same bottom line at closing by negotiating other terms of the con-tract. A knowledgeable and experienced agent would be better prepared

positive transaction for their client. In short, when considering a broker/agent, we are as different as all others in the human race. Make it clear what you expect, and ask your agent what they intend to do for you. Once you are comparing

discussing your agent’s rate of pay if they successfully serve your real estate needs.

79.48

Acres

SERVICE * MAINTENANCE * ACCESSORIES

CARS, RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, TRUCKS &

EQUIPMENT COME GET FAMILIAR WITH LEMEILLEURS!

We now sell TIRES & do Flat Repairs * MOUNT AND BALANCE TIRES* WHILE YOU WAIT!A LIST OF TIRES

AVAILABLE FOR YOUR

VEHICLE. NO TIRE IS

TOO LARGE! IF IT IS NOT

IN STOCK WE CAN HAVE

IT NEXT DAY!

THE DIESEL DR.

Diesel Injection Fuel Injection

Power Steering Induction Service

Cooling System Flush

Heart of Texas Today | September - October 9

GET IN THE GAME WITH YOUR CAR! David LeMeilleur

With school starting and fall just around the corner, our minds drift to football and tailgate parties and hot chocolate. And, just like every football player who spends the summers gearing up for months of hard work they have to get ready for the game. Any seasoned athlete will tell you, they can’t just wake up one day and “get in the game”. It takes training and a mental and physical preparedness. Our vehicles also need preparation for the upcoming changes in weather, rain, snow, ice, freezing temperatures. What sort of preventive maintenance can get your vehicle ready for the fall season and keep you and your family safe on the road? Some of the most common would be to test your battery, make sure your engine is protected with coolant, check your tires, as well as many more items need to be evaluated with the new season.

Most people can do the easy preventative maintenance checks themselves if they know what they are looking for. Unfortunately, the time to think about doing maintenance often occurs after some major repair has already happened. Do you know where you can go to find a schedule of the maintenance items your vehicle requires? Yes, you are correct if you are thinking owner’s manual. Not only does it give you the mileage time line to follow for maintenance but it will also tell you what type of coolant, the viscosity of the oil, and the quantity your engine needs to keep it running smoothly. Just like you go to the Dr. for an annual checkup or for preventative care, it is important to understand you vehicle has many small items that can become major issues when maintenance is neglected or overlooked. Even the smallest part can significantly impact the use of your vehicle. And neglect is often the cause of most expensive car repairs later.

So what are some ways you can save money with car repairs? Let’s tackle this question with the following ways to save money:

Find the best garage and mechanic near you and stick with them. Consider looking for a Triple AAA facility or mechanics who have ASE certification. Call or visit them before you actually take your vehicle, how clean is the shop and lobby, this is usually an indicator of the work they do. And, always rely on word of mouth, sometimes the cheapest labor isn’t always the best work! The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” goes a long way here.

Get estimates and shop around if you have been hit with a large repair. Ask them where they get their parts and if they will let you see the old parts they replaced. Some shops will allow you to bring your own parts but usually the labor goes up significantly. Most all shops use what is known in the industry as “flat-rate” labor rates. So there should not be a significant difference in the time it takes to do the job, so price shopping needs to be more than just for labor. Take the whole job into consideration and the relationship you want with the shop. You don’t go to a different Dr. every year for your annual and neither should your vehicle.

And finally, what are some preventive maintenance recommendations for your vehicle to get you “in the game” before the fall season starts?

Do your own inspection. Basic enough, give your car a once over so you can catch anything that looks odd. Learn to check your fluids. You need to know what type of oil and weight your car needs. Check your oil and

get it changed regularly, or what your manufacturer recommends. Check your battery or get it checked and clean your battery contacts. Hard start could be a battery issue. Check your belts and hoses, look at your serpentine belt and know when to have your timing belt replaced. Replace your wiper blades; don’t wait until the first rain and streaky windshield to get blades!

These are just a few things that vehicle needs and we cannot stress the importance of checking your owner's manual for anything we may have overlooked here, or anything specific to your vehicle.

10 Heart of Texas Today | May - June 201410 Heart of Texas Today | September - October 2014

Heart of Texas Today | July - August 2014 11 Heart of Texas Today | September - October 11

A Major Cause of Child Abuse

Most people do not want to abuse or harm their children in any way. But it hapens way to

often.

One of the reasons THE Pregnancy Resource Center teaches parenting clases is because we

want to prevent one of the major causes of child abuse.

If parents are taught early how to discipline their children they have a much lower risk of

hurting their child. Parents have a responsibilty to hold their children acountable for obedience.

Without obedience, children can get hurt or they can hurt others. When a child learns at an early

age that there are unwanted consequences to disobedience, they wil folow along a natural path of

obedience. Some unwanted consequences might be taking away their favorite movie for a specific

period of time dependent on the severity of the disobedience. Remember, at certain ages a child

canot be expected to know certain things and that they also make mistakes that are not inten-

tional. Punishment should only be for intentional defiance—not for natural mistakes. Discipline

means “teaching”.

On the other hand, when a child never experiences unwanted consequences to their actions,

they wil be out of control. This causes parents to yel louder and louder expecting the child

to suddenly “get it” and start behaving. If this does not hapen, often times the parent has

become so angry at this defiance that the parent flies of the handle and does something

that is later regreted.

Learning the proper way to hold your child acountable as wel as the proper way to discipline

when necesary wil give your child a secure foundation so that he can grow into a responsible,

upstanding citizen.

To learn more, please contact us at www.thepregnancyresourcecenter.org We offer FREE parent-

ing classes, on an individual basis to address whatever concerns you may have about your child –

from conception to teens.



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16 Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2014

Heart of Texas Today | September - October 2014 17||

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Bandera County Conventionand Visitors Bureau

126 State Highway 16 S, Bandera, TX 78003

1-800-364-3833 [email protected]

Contact us for our current events

The CCPAL Doggie-Mobile

By G. Wayne Hacker

I would venture to say that the CCPAL Doggie-Mobile, with its semi-trailer size and large posters

of kennel dogs adorning its sides, is probably the most recognizable vehicle in town. (Sorry Chicken

Car and Longhorn float.) I’m sure you have all seen it a time or two making its way down Main Street

in one of Bandera’s holiday parades.

If you look real close, you can usually find me riding shogun in the pickup pulling it. My job is really

quite simple. I am there to point out all the children darting out onto the parade route to gather up all

the goodies tossed to them by the preceding floats. That way our driver has plenty of time to brake

and avoid them. The way we see it - forward progress is always secondary to the safety of the

youngsters. There is another purpose for my being tucked away inside the cab. That way I don’t block

anyone’s view of the bevvy of beauties we always have riding in the bed of the pickup waving a big

Bandera “Howdy Y’all” to all you spectators that crowd up along the route.

While it is enjoyable to participate in the parades each year, it is just a sideline to the main function

of the Doggie-Mobile, which is to transport our animals to adoption sites around the area. Thanks to

our mobility, we have been able to place over 500 dogs a year in loving homes.

The Doggie-Mobile is rather unique in nature. I can’t recall ever seeing another one quite like it.

The idea was conceived by Mary Butler, a retired board member and custom built by Cargo Craft in

Corsicana, Texas to the tune of $43,000. It is a 20 foot trailer with built in compartments to house 43

small animals. The inhabitants ride in air conditioned comfort - whether on the move or sitting still –

thanks to a built-in 20 gallon gasoline run generator. The trailer carries 30 Gallons of fresh water for

drinking and 35 Gallons of non-potable water for cleaning purposes. It was paid for with grants given

to us by The Kronkosky Foundation, San Antonio Area Foundation and The Cailloux Foundation. Its

upkeep and maintenance comes solely from the money we receive from good folks like you - either

through purchases at The CCPAL Resale Store and Doggie Boutique at 8469 Highway 16 South or

by cash donations. For adoptions or cash donations you can contact Marlene at 210-867-1769 and to

donate goods or inquire about directions to our retail store, call Margie at 830-688-0635. We are a

501 (c) 3 organization and will gladly give you a receipt for you taxes.



Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau 2108 Sidney Baker, Kerrville TX 78028

800-221-7958or

830-792-3535www.KerrvilleTexasCVB.com

Contact us for our current Events

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“Two things are infinite:The universe and human stupidity;And I’m not sure about the universe.”

Albert Einstein

Día de Muertos

At first glance, the Mexican custom of the Día de Muertos — the Day of the Dead — may sound much like the U.S. custom of Halloween. After all, the celebration traditionally starts at midnight the night of Oct. 31, and the festivities are abundant in images related to death.

But the customs have different origins, and their attitudes toward death are different: In the typical Halloween festivities, death is something to be feared. But in the Día de Muertos, death — or at least the memories of those who have died — is something to be celebrated.

The Día de Muertos, which continues until Nov. 2, has become one of the biggest holidays in Mexico, and celebrations are becoming more common in areas of the United States with a large Hispanic population. Its origins are distinctly Mexican: During the time of the Aztecs, a month long summer celebration was overseen by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. After the Aztecs were conquered by Spain and Catholicism became the dominant religion, the customs became intertwined with the Christian commemoration of All Saints' Day on Nov. 1.

Specifics of the celebration vary with region, but one of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome departed spirits home. Vigils are held, and families often go to cemeteries to fix up the graves of their departed relatives. Festivities also frequently include traditional foods such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead), which can conceal a miniature skeleton.


Kierce PhotographyAward Winning Photography

“From Portraits to Rodeos We Do it all.”Call us for your next event.

(210) 273-4033William Kierce has been approved for PRCA Rodeos.

And tours the PBR events.

“Tuscan Home on 79+ Acres”Contact Kelly Dooley at 830-459-0452

Or Joann Faust at 830-329-2902

Sherman & Co., Realtors®

www.ShermanCo.Com

See page 7 for more photo’s and information

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