From Our Mayor
Jay F. Feibelman
As you read this newsletter, I hope it has rained. This area is in the middle of one of the worst droughts in decades with no relief, as I write this, in sight.

If it continues with no significant rainfall, it may come down to water for cooking and hygienic purposes only. Some may have been through this in prior years. My family and I have and it is no fun. While living in Okinawa,the water was actually turned off to homes and businesses two straight summers. The only water, as I recall, was in the mountains at an early warning radar site. We would take our jugs and use the water to wash clothes, drain into a bucket and reuse it to flush toilets. Showers were taken by means of a coffee can with holes punched in the bottom. Obviously there was no landscape watering! I’m not trying to preach doom and gloom, but it is unreasonable not to consider worst case basis.
We hope that never occurs.
Garden Ridge Ordinance #61 requires the city to impose a 100% surcharge during Stage 2 and beyond for monthly usage of 35,000 gallons or more. Please, please be frugal. It will be a shame if some landscaping is lost. Let’s hope it doesn’t get there!

Welcome to Garden Ridge
New Residents:
Those listed and families:

Sylvia Arredondo
Milton Espinoza
Milton & Bertie Fields
Anthony Frasco
James & Barbara Hrbek
Darrel & Donna Humke
Matt & Karen Martin
Joey & Nita McCarty
Jean McPherson
Roberto & Traute Montoya
Balford & Nell Wright
Angela M. Rodriguez
Glen & Robin Snyder
Royce & Debra Simmonds

Note: Newcomers are identified by water service records. Consequently, not all names in the household will appear. Those not appearing are also welcomed! The City of Garden Ridge requires that all dogs and cats be registered. Call 651-6831 for information.

QUICK NOTES
• Fireworks are illegal in Garden Ridge.
• Dumpsters at City Complex 11 - 19 July for brush only
• Help retain moisture in your yard by cutting grass infrequently at a high level
• To enter the Classic Vehicle Display on the 4th, contact Gary Stegman at
651-5528.

Register your Pets
The City of Garden Ridge requires that all dogs and cats be initially registered and each January thereafter.
Online registration form.
Call 651-6831 for more information.

Garden Ridge Women’s ClubAnnual Fall Fashion Show and Luncheon
It will soon be time again for the annual GRWC Member Meeting and Luncheon! So mark your calendars for Thursday, September 17, 2009 from 11 am to
2 pm. again featuring our famous catered luncheon and fashion show.
Make you reservation now for this event!
Location: Garden Ridge Community Center, 9400 Municipal Parkway
Garden Ridge, TX 78266
Cost: Members $28.00 per person and non-members $33.00
Please make your check payable to GRWC and send to:
Diana Scott
21916 Deer Canyon Dr.
Garden Ridge, TX 78266
Questions: Call Diana Scott at 651-3320

Fourth of July

Annual 4th of July
Party and Parade

You are cordially invited to participate and attend the annual City of Garden Ridge Party and Parade at the Paul Davis Park on Saturday, July 4th.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Gather 9:30 am
Flag Raising 10:00 am
Parade 10:30 am
Food 10:45 - 3:00 pm
Activities throughout
This year some of the activities include:
• Pictures on horseback
• Food — Hamburgers, Hot Dogs,
• Sno-cones, roast corn, brownies
• Drinks
• If interested in a softball game, bring equipment.

GRWC Cookbooks Here!
“Amazing Grazing,” our brand new cookbook, is here! Check out 450 terrific recipes contributed by you, your family, friends, neighbors, and even some local restaurants. Only $20!
It is a fact filled, fun, mini bio of our club, including city history and original photographs of our area.
Buy them at: Garden Ridge’s 4th of July Celebration Saturday, July 4 City Park Pavilion and at National Night Out
Tuesday, August 4
7:00 to 9:00 PM
Garden Ridge Community Center
If you can’t make either of the above events, you can still order them by sending your check (payable to GRWC) to:
GRWC Cookbook
9435 Gardenia Bend
Garden Ridge, TX 78266
Future sales sites to be announced in future Grapevine articles. Hurry,
they are selling fast! Questions?
Call Kay Bower 210-650-8881 or
Peggy Campbell 210-651-6065.

Library Footnotes
by Nancy Feibelman
Parents, be sure to sign up for the Story Time to receive an e-mail reminder each week. The Ringling Bros. Reading Program and for Just-a-burgers are also available! Be sure to check at the library for more information about these events.
On the Fourth of July we celebrate our independence from England.
Our main reason was "taxation without representation". The Stamp Act was really the last straw. The Americans also had to contend with allowing the English soldiers boarding at the Americans' private homes without compensation.
Finally a group of men gathered and Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and all the men in this group signed including John Hancock who wrote his name large enough that King George III didn't have to use his glasses to see that name!
With our independence declared the American Revolution began. The English thought that it would be a one or two battle affair, but it wasn't.
Finally George Washington won the victory and we were a free people who didn't miss the British at all.
As the United States began looking westward towards the Mississippi River, the US asked Napoleon if he would like to sell his land there.
Since he was fighting a war with several European countries and needed the money, he agreed and we had brought the Louisiana Purchase.
During this time the British stopped, boarded, and took American sailors off the American merchant ships and pressed the men into service in the British navy. President James Madison requested that the British stop this practice but they refused. We were now involved in what became known as the Second Revolutionary War--The War of 1812. In Louisiana the final battle of this war was fought after the treaty of Ghent was signed and the war was already over.
We continued our march West and had a war with Mexico over the southern boundary of Texas, the Rio Grande River. However we won the war.
Then in 1849 gold was discovered in California and we now had marched from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Our problem with slavery was solved with a long and bitter war and we continued to settle the mid section of the United States. During this time we managed to become embattled with Spain over Cuba and as Spain lost we gained territories in the Pacific Ocean. One of these possessions would become known as Hawaii home of Pearl Harbor. We also gained Guam, Midway, Wake, and the Philippines.
Our time of peace was about to end when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor,our main navy base in the Pacific, on 7 December 1941. Europe was already at war with Germany and Italy and these two countries known as Nazis swarmed over all but England .
We were now at war but in May, 1945, Germany surrendered. Italy had surrendered earlier and finally after dropping two atomic bombs,Japan agreed to the provisions of the Potsdam Conference as the others had and surrendered in 1945.
The United States and the rest of the free world celebrated and the Fourth of July 1946 was unbelievable. The radio stations all played the Star Spangled Banner at noon and all went into the streets and sang and in some areas snake dancing began and lasted through the night!

Reminder: Story Time at the library will be held every Saturday (except the 4th) through July beginning at 10:30 am.

Important Numbers

City Hall 210-651-6632
Lost Pet 210-651-6831
Police Department 210-651-6441

Garden Ridge Women's Club
The GRWC 2009-2010 membership drive continues and, as always, we want to welcome new members and welcome back our current members. Our new year started June 1, 2009 and ends May 31, 2010. We will continue many of our traditional activities and special interest groups but are always seeking fresh input. If you are interested in joining our club or are already a member and have any questions, please contact:
Gloria Porter
7810 Star Circle
San Antonio, TX 78266
Membership renewal forms have been mailed to current GRWC members; please return them to the above address by July 1. We are looking forward to a fun and rewarding year!

NORTHEAST BIBLE CHURCH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
“Fiesta for the King”
July 13-17 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Completed K-6th Grade
Please call Mary Martin at Northeast Bible Church (651-5462) for more
information.

Majestic Theater
Broadway Series 2009-2010 Season Starlight Suite Tickets Available.
If interested in participating with the Garden Ridge Theater Group, please contact Sharon Skrobarcek at 210-651-5767.
Tickets are often available for specific shows. Call for availability.

National Night Out
7th Annual August 4 from 7 - 9pm
Digi Kids sponsored by your local Ameriprise Financial Advisors —
Doris Dollar and Ivan Friend — will again be at our National Night Out on August 4, 2009 from 7 - 9 pm at the Community Center. Digi Kids is an organization that finger prints and photographs children and puts this information into a national data base in case the child is lost. Ameriprise has been sponsoring this organization for the benefit of our children in our area for years. We are very grateful for their continued sponsorship.
Come to National Night Out and avail your children of these services and to also say “Thanks” to Doris and Ivan.
We will have a magician, bounce machine, face painter and other activities as well as free food. The Texas Youth Hunters Program will have a wildlife display. There will also be City and County representatives from many organizations. Come see what is available for you and your family.

QUARRY HAPPENINGS
On June 8, 2009, the Quarry Commission held its monthly meeting. The Commission reviewed and analyzed blasting data from May 2009. There were six blasts in May.
Blasting was conducted on the Blank property northwest of the main pit, in the South Texas Aggregate pit, and in the “New Pit”, which is the main pit, but deeper. None of the blast data in May were significant, but the commission received two complaints about the blast on May 19th. The Quarry Commission will discuss the blasts with the citizens who complained about the blast to better understand their perceptions.
More information about the Quarry Commission meetings is available at the City Municipal Building or on the Quarry Commission’s home page.If you wish to complain about a blast or have comments for the Quarry Commission, contact City Hall at 651-6632 or visit the Citizens’ Blast Report page. Citizens who are interested in having quarry blasts monitored at their residence should contact a member of the Quarry Commission. Citizens are invited to attend the next Quarry Commission meeting on July 13, 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Coming Events
Go to the Calendar.

Significant City Council
Go to Council Actions.

Grapevine Deadline
Grapevine Deadline. Submissions for the August GRAPEVINE need to be turned in no later than July 15th..