BCFNS NEWSLETTER

May 2021

Stat Report

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          * Correction – Should have been 58 not 63

Best Western Lighting Retrofit - Update

Replacement of 80% of the outdoor lights at Blanco’s Best Western Luxury Inn and Suites is set to be completed on May 28th. There are a few things left to do including retrofitting some of the lights with a shield. Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds administered through the Blanco Chamber of Commerce are being used to pay for these upgrades. We are very close to completion of this project! Many “Thanks” to Elizabeth Miller, our BCFNS Board Member who has been working diligently to make this happen.

Blanco Market Day Info Booth and Light Bulb Swap – July 17th

We hope to have a booth at the July 17th Market Day in the Blanco City Square. Continue to check our newsletter and social media for details. We’d love to have you stop by to say “Hello” and swap your old exterior light bulbs for “night sky friendly” blubs!

Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition

BCFNS member, Sandy Switzer, continues to work with the Blanco Chamber of Commerce to recognize businesses with night sky friendly lighting. Thanks to the Blanco County News for keeping our community aware of the effort these businesses go to so that they have night sky friendly lighting!

We’d like to recognize your business as well. If we haven’t made it your way yet, let us know and we’d be glad to work with you to get your business recognized. Email us at newsletter@BlancoCountyNightSky.org

Advertising

Did you happen to see our ad in the Experience Johnson City and/or Explore Blanco County magazines? We are trying to reach more people and help make them aware that our night sky needs protecting. Please let us know if you saw either of the ads by sending an email to newsletter@blancocountynightsky.org

Volunteer Electrical Genius Needed

Are you handy with wires and switches and that kind of stuff? We need a volunteer who can make our Porch Light Demonstration Board easier to use. Right now, we have to plug the lights into an outlet individually as needed which is awkward when you are in front of an audience. We want to be able to just flip a switch to turn on and off each light. Can you do that? If so, please call Wayne Gosnell at (210) 557-6127. Thanks!

Volunteer Needed for this Newsletter

Do you like getting the “news” out to folks? We could use some help putting this newsletter together each month. Members of the group and the Board will “feed” information to you so your job would be to act as “Editor” and perhaps add a creative flare where needed. It is usually a very short 2-3 page newsletter so it won’t take much time. Please send an email to newsletter@BlancoCountyNightSky.org if you are interested.

Membership Sign Promotion

We have had a few folks take advantage of this promotion. Free membership ($20) with the purchase of a sign ($32 tax included). What a deal. Show the world you are proud to help us save our night sky. This is the best advertising the night sky can have! So, if you haven’t ordered your sign, here’s the link: BCFNS Membership Signs

New BCFNS Video – In Case You Missed It Last Month

Thanks to the initiative and support of Park Ranger Cynthia Dorminey of the LBJ National Historical Park in Johnson City and the exceptional videography of BCFNS board member Larry Seiler, we have produced a 30-minute video entitled “Light Pollution: What’s the Big Deal?” It’s not exactly a polished Hollywood production but it does get the message across. You can see it on our website under “Videos.” Light Pollution: What's the Big Deal? 30 minute BCFNS video

Volunteers Needed for Data Base Administration

We are forming a 3-person team of volunteer Data Base Administrators to manage our growing database plus our other data in Excel and Word. Currently, BCFNS has only one person that knows how to use and manipulate our cloud-based system which is Little Green Light (LGL). LGL is powerful but not the most user-friendly system and it does require a fundamental knowledge of how data bases work plus how to manipulate data with Excel. Although we use the terms “Data Base Administrator” and “DBA”, the positions are really power users.

These two additional DBA positions do not require living locally in Blanco County, Texas. You can be anywhere in the world as long as you have access to a Windows PC, Microsoft Word and Excel, the internet, email and Zoom. Good written and verbal English communication skills are required. You would spend 4-6 hours per month helping out. You will:

1. Be a backup to the current DBA just in case he is hit by a Mack truck
2. Help add to and insure the quality of the data in LGL
3. Help extract lists for reports from LGL and format reports for end users
4. Recommend, design, create and maintain analysis charts in Excel
5. Brainstorm and suggest better ways of improving and using the LGL database and Excel spreadsheets
6. Brainstorm and suggest ways of tracking other information through LGL and Excel like inventories, photos, measurements, events, etc.
7. Help find other supporting software

If you are interested in applying for one of these volunteer DBA positions, please contact BCFNS at DBA@BlancoCountyNightSky.org Because of the confidentiality of the data, both a resume and references will be required.