The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved increases to hunting and fishing licenses, boat titling and registration fees. Most fees reflect a five percent increase.  The increases take effect with the 2009-2010 license year, starting this fall for recreational hunting and fishing licenses.

Hunting licenses will increase from $23 to $25, while the Super Combo all-inclusive license increases from $64 to $68.

Non-resident hunting licenses increase by $15 from $300 to $315.

Fishing packages will increase by $2. The resident freshwater fishing package increases from $28 to $30; the saltwater fishing package increases from $33 to $35.

The largest increase in license fees affects lifetime licenses. The resident lifetime fishing and hunting licenses will increase to $1,000 and the lifetime combination license increases to $1,800.

Boat owners in Texas will also see increases in boat registration and titling fees. The two year boat registration fees for vessels less than 16 feet in length increase from $30 to $32 and those in the 16-26 foot range go from $50 to $53. Boats 26-40 feet increase from $70 to $110 and boats greater than 40 feet increase from $90 to $150.

The weather is nice today.  It's is a good day to head down to the Houston Street Fair & Market and enjoy ice cream with your children or grandchildren. In the children's activity area kids can also have their faces painted, listen to storytellers or play on rides.

This is a FREE one-day event that takes place on the last Saturday of each month, from Noon to 6 pm. The Houston Street Fair & Market’s mission is “To encourage visitation of downtown to our local citizens and those in the surrounding areas, and to provide a venue for local artisans and entertainers.” Each month the Houston Street Fair has a different theme with special activities and guests.  Live, local entertainers will perform throughout the day so bring your lawn chair and enjoy the day. PARK FREE beginning at noon until 6pm in the city's St. Mary's Street Parking Garage located at 400 N. St. Mary's at Travis Street.

After cow punching for nigh on fifty years, a Texas cowboy went on to his reward. There was considerable excitement in heaven when he reached the pearly gates. The arrival of a real Texan cowboy was considered something of an event in heaven. Saint Peter himself came right over and insisted on giving the cowpoke a tour. Things were right friendly-like until the cowboy spotted half-a-dozen cowpokes staked out like broncos.

"Why are all those men staked out?" he asked Saint Peter.

Saint Peter replied: "Those are cowboys from the Texas Panhandle. Every time we let them loose, they try to go back to Texas!"

I just watched the weather report on a local TV station for San Antonio and for the state of Texas.  I was amazed to see that at 5:15 p.m. this afternoon, the temperature was 99 degrees in Brownsville, 48 degrees in Dallas while the temperature in Amarillo at the same time was 19 degrees and blizzard conditions.  The temperature here in San Antonio at the same time was a very pleasant 79 degrees with low humidity and a gentle breeze.

So that was an 80 degree difference in temperature within the same state at the same time of day.  What was the biggest difference in temperature where you are today?

How nice it is to live in South Texas.

The Alamo Village outside of Brackettville, TX is the site of the making of the famous movie about the seige of the Alamo. The site has been in operation since 1959. The site is Texas' most active and versatile movie set and is one of the largest and most complete backlots in the world.

The Alamo set and surrounding buildings were built for John Wayne's film The Alamo and has played a part in the making of more than 200 major movies for box office and TV as well as music videos, mini-series, and documentaries.

"Folks may stroll through the Alamo compound plus there are over 18 walk-in buildings to see including the John Wayne Museum, wagon room, jail, bank, church, Indian store, Trading post, and Cantina (full service restaurant) where there is cold "root" beer on draught!"

"In the summer, there are four shows daily, kicking off with a music show inside the Cantina followed by a "fun for the whole family" gunfight depicting the Old West. There's something for the movie lover and the movies maker!"

If you are ever down in south Texas near San Antonio be sure to visit the Alamo Village where Legends were made: The Alamo, John Ford's, Two Rode Together, Lonesome Dove and more.

The Alamo Village is located 7 miles north of Brackettville, TX  (ZIP Code78832) on Hwy 674.

Brackettville, TX  is located in south Texas:

☼  120 miles west of San Antono on Hwy 90

☼  30 milea east of Del Rio

☼  40 miles from Mexican border

REMEMBER THE ALAMO

My Dad was a locomotive engineer for a progression of names for the lines that went  thru Ennis, TX between Dallas & Houston. Ennis was a crew hub and workshop/turntable. I grew up in the railroad.
Dad was with the H & T C. (Houston & Texas Central) and later to be Southern Pacific. He was a engineer on the Sunbeams #15 & #16 for years. I have a photo of him leaning out of the cab of #16. The locomotive is SP #650 and is a Pacific P-14 class. Three of these engines #650, # 651, & # 652 were built in 1937.

Of course those were the steam days and nothing can impress a kid like standing beside a operating steam locomotve--of the power and smell..in fact my Dad was the last engineer to shut down the Mikado Type 2-8-2 steam engine #794 parked on display here in San Antonio's Sunset Station (old SP depot) during Christmas and a old stock photo. He was working here in San Antonio when the SP donated the engine to the City in late 1957 and subsequently had the engine parked in a park on Broadway St. north of downtonw. The Sunset Station moved the engine several years ago..actually loaded the engine on a flatbed to move it to its present location east of downtown.

After Pearl Harbor most railways changed the name form Mikado to MacArthur.

                            # 794 THEN                                                   #794  NOW

            SP Sunbeam #16 in Ennis, TX                         Old SP Depot now Sunset Station Venue

Back in the day when I was growing up, I can remember my parents talking about paying their poll tax.  So that meant someone had to be a property owner in order to vote in elections.  People were in general agreement that this wasn't the fair or democratic way and I can also remember hearing people complaining about having to pay a poll tax.  In 1962 a proposed amendment was sent to the states by the eighty seventh congress and the amendment was ratified on January 23, 1964, this day in history. 

The amendment stated in section 1:  The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reasons of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

And in section 2: Congress given power to enforce this article.

IN TEXAS: 

In 1884 -- Mary Louise "Texas" Guinan, the notorious night club performer and star of Broadway and Hollywood, was born in Waco, Texas.

In 1905 Singing cowboy and actor Tex Ritter is born in Murvaul in Panola County.

In 1918 A freak blizzard drops the temperature to zero in North Texas, 7 to12 degrees along the lower Texas coast.

OTHER:

In 1519 Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I died.

In 1773 The first public museum in America was established, in Charleston, S.C.

In 1945 Soviet forces began a huge offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe during World War II.

In 1969 Led Zeppelin's self-titled first album was released.

In 1971 The sitcom "All in the Family" premiered on CBS.

In 1986 Space shuttle Columbia blasted off with a crew that included the first Hispanic-American in space, Dr. Franklin R. Chang-Diaz.

In 1991 A deeply divided Congress gave President George H.W. Bush the authority to use force to expel Iraq from Kuwait. (The Senate vote was 52-47; the House followed suit 250-183.)

In 1998 Linda Tripp provided Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's office with taped conversations between herself and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

In 2000 The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, gave police broad authority to stop and question people who run at the sight of an officer.

On this date:

IN TEXAS:

In 1865, The remaining members of a force of about 500 Confederate soldiers and state militiamen retreat to the Chisum ranch after a brutal defeat at the hands of Kickapoo Indians in the Battle of Dove Creek. The migrating Kickapoo were peaceful, but they were mistaken for hostile Indians and attacked.

In 1911 -- Tommy Duncan was born in Whitney, Texas. He joined bandleader Bob Wills' Light Crust Doughboys and became the most famous singer in western swing.

OTHER:

In 1805, the Michigan Territory was created by an act of Congress.

In 1861, Alabama seceded from the Union.

In 1908, the Grand Canyon National Monument was created with a proclamation by President Theodore Roosevelt. (It became a national park in 1919.)

In 1913, the first sedan-type automobile, a Hudson, went on display at the 13th National Automobile Show in New York.

In 1935, aviator Amelia Earhart began a trip from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Oakland, Calif., that made her the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean.

In 1942, Japan declared war against the Netherlands, the same day that Japanese forces invaded the Dutch East Indies.

In 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issued the first government report saying smoking may be hazardous to one's health.

In 1977, France set off an international uproar by releasing Abu Daoud, a PLO official behind the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

On this date:

IN TEXAS:

1901 -- The Texas oil boom was set off when the Lucas gusher blew 100 feet high at the Spindletop oilfield south of Beaumont, producing 100,000 barrels of oil per day.

 Lucas Gusher           Spindletop Oil Field

OTHER:

1776 Thomas Paine published the pamphlet "Common Sense."

1861 Florida seceded from the Union.

1870 John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil.

1920 The League of Nations was established as the Treaty of Versailles went into effect.

1957 Harold Macmillan became prime minister of Great Britain following the resignation of Anthony Eden.

1964 The Beatles' first album in the United States, "Introducing the Beatles," was released.

1971 "Masterpiece Theatre" premiered on PBS.

2000 America Online agreed to buy Time-Warner for $162 billion.

2005 CBS issued a damning independent review of mistakes related to a "60 Minutes Wednesday" report on President George W. Bush's National Guard service and fired three news executives and a producer for their "myopic zeal" in rushing it to air.