The Harper News (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, September 9, 2011 Page: 2 of 8
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page 2
From the Editor
New Columnist
With this issue, I welcome
a new columnist, Karen
Vaucher. She is the owner
of Old Stone Market and a
gourmet cook. She and her
husband Jacques moved to
Harper about five years
ago and live out in the
country north of Harper off
of Ranch Road 385. He has
an auto and airplane
showroom of memorabilia
which he auctions online as
well as sells at shows across
the country.
Karen moved to the Hill
Country from East
Hampton, New York where
she owned a catering busi-
ness and gourmet store.
She sells Madagascar pep-
per, several different salts
and rubs and is available to
catering special events.
She is in the process of
moving her store to the
building where the paper is
located and will be avail-
able in town for those who
need her services. I have a
new office-mate as well as
a new columnist.
She and Jacques have
been very supportive of
Harper, donating to both
the Community Park and
the Harper Library. I Wel-
lcome her to downtown
Harper!
Fire Danger
Every day without rain
increases the danger of
wildfire. As we hear the
news tell of the awful fires
around Austin and San
Antonio, we are reminded
to be ever vigilant!! A
careless cigarette, a bar-
becue left unattended, a
fence welder accident—all
these can inadvertently
start a fire. When started,
the fire under the drought
and high wind conditions is
a disaster just waiting to
happen.
Kudos to those volunteer
firefighters and EMTs that
faithfully serve the Harper
area!
Kudos to those twenty-
five persons in the fire
department auxiliary who
are stepping up to meet
the needs of our fine vol-
unteers. We appreciate
all of you!
Notice: fl burn
ban is in
effect, starting
Feb. 14, 2011,
and continuing
until cancelled
in Gillespie
Countg bg
order of the
Countg judge.
Contact Addresses
for Community
Memorials
The Harper Library. P. 0.
Box 74, Harper, TX 78631
The Harper Volunteer Fire
Department and EMS. P. 0.
Box 306, Harper, TX 78631
The Harper Community
Cemetery Fund. % Gene
Bode, P. 0. Box 176,.
Harper, TX 78631
The Harper School Library,
P. 0. Box 68, Harper, TX
78631
The Noxville Cemetery
Fund % of Tony Ackel,
15380 RR 479, Harper, TX
78631
The Harper Historical
Society. % Joan Lennon,
490, S. Ranch Rd. 783,
Harper, TX 78631
Harper Community Park
Board % Joan Lennon, 490,
S. Ranch Rd. 783, Harper, TX
78631
Harper Help Center. % of
Geraldine Skipper,
Treasurer, P.0. Box 97,
Harper, TX 78631
The deadline
for the next issue
is Monday,
Sept. 19,2011.
The Harper News
September 9, 2011
Bode’s Hunting Stories
Ger
Gene Bode
South Texas. 1983
Howdy again, in 1983,
Joe Brown owned Philco
Industries in Center Point.
He offered a three-day hunt
on his ranch in Carrizo
Springs to the business that
sold the most deer feeders
that his company was man-
ufacturing. You know me, if
it is hunting involved, I
could handle this job. No
hill for a climber or step for
a stepper. So I won the
contest and invited Duane
to go with me. We made it
down there after lunch and
unpacked.
Joe had this big lake he
was pumping water into, big
bass everywhere. He had
let another feller go fishing
and he caught this four or
five pound bass and drove
back to the house. Old Joe’s
face turned white and he
made the ambulance run
(you know, lights blinking,
horn blowing) to get the
fish back into the water.
Saved the sucker! He just
wanted you to look only,
not catch and eat.
Anyway, next morning
we crawled up on top of this
pickup and old Albert drove
us around. It was so foggy
you could barely see the
gun barrel. Just after day-
light, we just got a glimpse
of this big-bodied deer. I
did not see horns, but just
knew he had to be purty
good. So I shot and he
went down. Boy, old Joe
flipped out about how I had
killed a little deer, that
there were just droves of
deer better than this one.
Made me feel really bad. He
just went on and on about
it. We dressed and loaded
him and hung him in the
cooler.
Then Albert took Duane
and i driving. Drove up on a
buck standing in the brush.
Could not see him real well.
It was Duane’s shot so I was
watching. Duane kept try-
ing to see what he was.
Well the old buck had
enough and broke and run.
Guess what? He had about
ten points and a drop tine,
baby.
We drove two more days.
Killed a couple of javelina
hogs and a coyote. Never
saw so much pear and
mesquite, probably the
most in the world.
Well, I’ll give you the rest
of the story. Joe had also
invited four DPS officers
down hunting at the same
time. At the end of the
three-day hunt, I was the
only one that killed a buck.
Eleven points, twenty-three
inch spread, one hundred
forty-five pounds, not bad,
not bad. He’s hanging on the
wall. I see him every day. I
always thank the good Lord
for a nice trip and hunt.
See you next time
(Editor’s note: This is a
“vintage” Bode story, origi-
nally published on Sept. 24,
Quote of
the Week
‘“It could probably
he shown hy facts
and figures that
there is no distinct-
fy native
‘American criminal
cfass except for
Congress”
-‘Mark Tiwain
Submitted by
Ojeorgia ‘Redman
(Tiote: You are invited to
submit your javorites.)
Master Naturalists to Hear about
Edwards Plateau Research Projects
Central Texas hosts a
number of wildlife research
projects funded by Texas
Parks and Wildlife (TPWD),
and Justin Foster, the
Research Director of
Division II for TPWD, will
address the September 26th
meeting of the Hill Country
Chapter of the Texas Master
Naturalist. Highlights of
completed, ongoing and
future research will be the
focus of his remarks.
Under the umbrella of
completed projects, Foster
will discuss
• deer population estima-
tors,
• antlers in progeny of
spike white-tailed deer,
• marking techniques for
bats at Old Tunnel Wildlife
Management Area (WMA),
• javelinas at Mason
Mountain WMA,
• feral swine toxicants, and
• habitat, adult behavior
and fledgling survival of
black-capped vireos.
Ongoing and future proj-
ects continue to focus on
various aspects of white-
tailed deer studies at Kerr
WMA, toxicants and baits for
feral pigs, and dietary stud-
ies of javelinas at Mason
Mountain and of white-
tailed deer and coyotes
across the Edwards Plateau.
Justin Foster has a B.S. in
wildlife and fisheries man-
agement from Eastern New
Mexico University and an
M.S. in Range and Wildlife
(Continued on page 4. See
■Research.”)
DOT Backs Down on
Transportation Restrictions
Agricultural producers
in Gillespie County welcome
the recent decision of the
U.S. Department of
Transportation not to
impose restrictions on agri-
cultural transportation.
The proposed rules
would have affected trans-
portation of agricultural
products across state lines.
The issue stemmed from the
difference between
intrastate and interstate
commerce—a discrepancy
already decided by the U. S.
Supreme Court.
For farmers in Gillespie
County though, a bigger
issue was the regulation
that would have required
farm equipment operators
to obtain a commercial dri-
ver’s license.
“Our spouses and children
are a big part of what we do
on a day-to-day basis and
without family support and
help on the farm, we
wouldn’t make it,” said Elgin
Pape, Gillespie County Farm
Bureau president.
Operating and moving
the machinery necessary to
harvest crops and care for
livestock is a vital part of
farming and ranching. Pape
attributes the federal deci-
sion to leave matters up to
the states to American agri-
cultural producers voicing
their opinions.
“American farmers and
ranchers stepped up and
made their voice heard,”
said Pape. “This serves as a
good example of what can
be accomplished when peo-
ple unite.”
U. S. Credit Downgrade Could Impact
Texas Farmers and Ranchers
Many Americans are con-
cerned with Standard &
Poor’s recent downgrading
of the U.S. credit rating from
a risk-free AAA to AA+.
However, farmers and
ranchers here in Texas are
particularly mindful of how
the downgrade will affect
their day-to-day opera-
tions.
“Operating a farm or
ranch is a very expensive
business, and many agricul-
tural producers rely on
credit to run their opera-
tions,” said Elgin Pape, pres-
ident of the Gillespie County
Farm Bureau. “If interest
rates increase, farmers and
ranchers will pay a lot more
than they already do.”
Farmers and ranchers use
credit to purchase fixed-
cost assets like land and
equipment, as well as vari-
able inputs like seed, fertil-
izer and fuel. Traditionally,
banks raise interest rates
with a higher degree of
financial risk, if banks raise
rates due to the federal
credit downgrade, Texas
agricultural producers
could pay more for several
of the operating expenses.
“Most consumers won’t
think about how this will
affect them personally, but
higher costs to farmers and
ranchers would cause a rip-
ple effect down to the prices
at your local supermarket
or clothing store,” Pape
said.
A twelve-member biparti-
san congressional “super
committee,” the Joint Select
Committee on Deficit
Reduction, has been created
to get the country's fiscal
house in order. Rep. Jeb
Hensarling of Texas will
serve as co-chairman of the
committee.
Washington leaders hope
the “super committee” will
make swift action to repair
the economy and restore
America's credit rating.
Income tax considerations for drought-
related sales of livestock
By Blair Fannin
August 29, 2011
COLLEGE STATION -
Ranchers across Texas have
been forced to sell cattle at
a historic rate and income
tax implications are a con-
cern, according to Texas
AgriLife Extension Service
economists.
“The historic drought has
forced many more cows
than normal to be sold
throughout Texas,” said Dr.
David Anderson, AgriLife
Extension livestock econo-
mist. “Of the $5.2 billion in
agricultural losses to date,
$2.06 billion has come from
our livestock industry, as
ranchers have sold off cattle
due to lack of forage and
escalating supplemental
feed expenses. This has cre-
ated several financial man-
agement issues for cattle
producers to consider.”
The ongoing drought
has led to many ranchers
selling cattle across Texas.
Producers are advised to
consult their financial pro-
fessional for advice that best
fits their operation and
business plan, said Jose
Pena, AgriLife Extension
economist.
“Everybody’s situation is
different, and it may not be
best practice to do what
your neighbor does,” he
said.
Pena said there are
things to consider looking
ahead for the 2011 tax year.
“If weather-related sales
cause a producer to sell
livestock, the gain on sale
can be postponed,” Pena
said. “There are two differ-
ent tax treatments, both of
which apply only to weath-
er-related sales in excess of
normal business practice.”
The first treatment
applies to draft, breeding or
dairy animals that will be
replaced within a two-year
period, Pena said.
The second applies to
all livestock and allows a
one-year postponement of
the reporting of the sales
proceeds.
“If livestock (other than
poultry) held for any length
of time for draft, breeding,
or dairy purposes is sold
because of weather-related
conditions, the gain realized
on the sale does not have to
be recognized if the pro-
ceeds are used to purchase
replacement livestock with-*
in two years of the end of
the tax year of the sale,”
Pena said.
The replacement live-
stock must be used for the
same purpose as the live-
stock that was sold, he said.
For example, dairy cows
must be replaced with dairy
cows. The taxpayer must
show that the weather-
related conditions caused
the sale of more livestock
than would have been sold
without the drought condi-
tions.
“For example, if the
farmer normally sells one-
fifth of the herd each year,
only the sales in excess of
one-fifth will qualify for this
provision,” he said. “There is
no requirement that the
weather-related conditions
cause an area to be
declared a disaster area by
the federal government.”
Pena said the election to
defer the recognition of
gain is made by not report-
ing the deferred gain on the
tax return.
“A statement should be
attached to the tax return
indicating the existence of
the weather-related condi-
tions, the computation of
the amount of the gain real-
ized on the sale or
exchange, the number and
kind of livestock sold or
exchanged and the number
of livestock each kind that
would have been sold or
exchanged under the usual
business practice in the
absence of the weather-
related condition.”
Another scenario
involves sales of livestock
inventory. Pena said if
inventory of livestock
(calves, stockers, etc.) are
(Continued on page 3. See
-Income Tax>
2004.)
Veterans’ News
New State Law:
“Veteran” Drivers
"License
The new House Bill 1514,
“VETERAN” Drivers License
Designation, by Rep. Jason
Isaac and Sen. Brian
Birdwell, requires the Texas
Department of Public Safety
(DPS) to include a designa-
tion of “VETERAN” on the
driver’s licenses issued to
certain Veterans. The new
state law will be effective
September 1,2011.
The bill will allow any
person who served in a
branch of the U.S. military as
well as members of the
Texas National Guard to
request to have the “VETER-
AN” designation on their
license. The Veteran must
provide proof of their serv-
ice and honorable discharge
to obtain the designation.
The legislation came in
response to Veterans seek-
ing an easier way to verify
their military service to
businesses, organizations
and events that provide
benefits and discounts to
Veterans. The license desig-
nation is a convenient way
to provide such proof with-
out having to produce a
copy of their form DD-214.
Although the new state
law is effective September 1
there may be an additional
time period to implement it.
For additional informa-
tion please contact Tami
Elliott, Gillespie County
Veterans Service Officer at
997-3758.
All Veterans
Encouraged u
to Change to Direct
Deposit for benefits
To provide federal bene-
ficiaries with a safer and
more convenient alterna-
tive to receiving payments
via paper checks, the
Department of Treasury is
encouraging all Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA),
Social Security
Administration, and Railroad
Retirement Board benefici-
aries to change to Direct
Deposit for recurring bene-
fits. Paper checks will be
discontinued as of January
2013.
Beneficiaries are encour-
aged to provide the
Department of Veterans
Affairs or other agency with
their local bank account
information (Account
Number and Routing
Number) in order to enroll
in the Direct Deposit pro-
gram. Veterans and
Surviving Spouses who are
receiving VA benefits should
call 1 -800-827-1000, with
their Direct Deposit Bank
account and routing num-
ber. All new benefit awards j
by the VA for Service
Connected Disability
Compensation and Pensions
have 3 months to set up
their direct deposit, from
the date of the award letter, p
For additional information
please contact Tami Elliott, 5
Gillespie County Veterans
Service Officer at 997-3758.
Letter to
We would like to express
our sincere appreciation to
the Harper, Mountain Home
and Tierra Linda Volunteer
Fire Departments. On the
evening of Aug. 26, light-
ning struck on the back of
our property and started a
very large grass fire.
Before we were even
aware of the fire, the skilled
and efficient Harper fire-
fighters arrived and were
quickly joined by those
from Mountain Home and
Tierra Linda. Access to the
site was extremely difficult.
the Lditor
But, tnat aid not stop tneir
reaching the site and spend-
ing several hours control-
ling the fire.
We would also like to
thank the Treibers, the
Spaeths and others who
spotted and reported the
fire and then came to offer
help. It is great to live in
the Texas Hill Country where
people care about their
neighbors and about the
land.
Sincerely,
Billy and Sue Smith
The Harper News
Policies:
•Letters to the editor must be accompanied by full name, address
and phone number and may be edited for length and clarity.
Letter writers may be limited to one letter every thirty days.
Form letters will not be published.
•Errors and omissions: The advertiser agrees that the Publisher
shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors and adver-
tisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied
by that portion of the advertisement containing the error,
whether the error is due to the negligence of the publisher,
employees or otherwise, and there shall be no liability for non-
insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such
advertisement.
•The Publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates
without notice.
The Harper News
is Owned and Published by Martha Stevens
23586 West U. S. Highway 290
P. 0. Box 418, Harper, TX 78631 -0418
Martha Stevens - Editor/Publisher
email - hnews@ktc.com • Phone/Fax - 830 864-5655
Subscription rates: $25.00 locally (Gillespie Cty. and/or a
Harper address), $27.00 out of county or state.
Published twice a month
A minimum of 1000 copies of this paper are
printed by the Kerrville Daily Times. We have 450 paid
subscriptions and distribute another
100 to local merchants.
USPS Bulk rate Permit #104
(Postmaster: Send address changes to:
The Harper News, P. 0. Box 418,
Harper, Texas 78631 -0577)
Send subscriptions to: The Harper News.
P. 0. Box 418, Harper, TX 78631 -0418
1 year -$25.00 in Gillespie County or with Harper
address, $27.00 out of county or state.
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Stevens, Martha. The Harper News (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, September 9, 2011, newspaper, September 9, 2011; Harper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth844618/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Harper Library.