Events

Marble Falls and Burnet again will be sites for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22.

The free no-questions-asked service allows the public to dispose of unused, unwanted prescription medications.

In cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) events are being carried out at 4,700 collection sites nationwide, operated by 3,800 local law enforcement agencies and other community partners.

“America is presently experiencing an epidemic of addiction, overdose and death due to abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers,” reads the DEA announcement of the event. “(More than six million) Americans age 12 and over—2.4 percent of the population—abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last month, more than abuse cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine combined.

Ten of the finest homebuilders throughout the Texas Hill Country are showcasing beautiful, fully furnished, landscaped and decorated custom homes in the final weekend of the 2016 Hill Country Builders Association (HCBA) Parade Home Tour, Friday-Sunday, Oct. 21-23.

The tour opens doors to lakefront, ranch living, historic Fredericksburg remodeling, Classic American Farmhouse and reclaimed timber frame homes.

Six homes in the Fredericksburg and Johnson City area, along with four in the Highland Lakes region, make up this year’s Tour . All Parade Home Tour homes range in cost from $450,000 to $2 million.

“The Parade showcases the premier home builders of the Texas Hill Country,” Jayne Mortensen, executive director of the Hill Country Builders Association, said. “They offer the newest in home design, technology and building trends.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The 15th annual Granite Shoals Christmas Outreach Barbecue Benefit will be sponsored jointly by the Granite Shoals Police Officers Association (POA) and Granite Shoals Fire Department Auxiliary on Saturday, Oct. 22.

Barbecue will be served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Ryder's Grill & Dance Hall building, 7911 West Ranch to Market Road 1431.

Police Chief Gary Boshears, Officer John Ortis, Assistant Fire Chief Tim Campbell and others will be cooking 20 briskets and 12 cases of sausage to go with all the trimmings and one brisket will be give over as a drawing prize.

Anyone bringing a new, unwrapped toy for Christmas Outreach will receive a free desert.

A bake sale will be going on. Any additions to that selection will be welcomed at the Ryder's building after 9 a.m., said Anita Hisey.

This year, Danny Philpott and his band will perform live music.

Hill Country Cats, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to humane control of the free-roaming cat population in Burnet and Llano counties through trap/neuter/return (TNR), is celebrating 10 years of service by participating in National Feral Cat Day on Oct. 16.

The group will have a TNR information table at its booth within resale shop Chique, Unique, and Antique in Marble Falls, and continues with a drive to TNR at least 100 cats in Llano and Burnet counties that month.

According to a magazine article in The Costco Connection, October 2013, estimates of the U.S. feral (free-roaming) cat population range into the tens of millions. While some people may try to approach the problem through eradication, feral cat euthanasia is not only expensive but also ineffective: for every animal that’s put down, half a dozen more are busy reproducing.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Former students of Marble Falls High School are making their reservations for their big MFHS Ex-Students Reunion on Saturday, Oct. 15, but the spotlight will be on the 6'es—every class graduating in a year ending in the number 6.

The graduating class of 1966 will be one of those and they are planning something special for their 50th reunion.

The main event will begin at 10 a.m. in the high school cafeteria, with cookies, coffee, lemonade and old friends and former teachers, sharing pictures and memories and snapping new shots for 21st Century-style sharing.

A catered fajita lunch will be served for $15 and reservations should be placed in advance to guarantee a meal.

Once the ex-students event ends at 1 p.m., the class of 1966 will relocate to the Holiday Inn Express, 714 Corazon Drive, for their 50-year class reunion from 2 -6 p.m.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Granite Shoals residents will find a special feature at the Fall Citywide Clean Up Saturday, Oct. 15.

“We will have a Shred Mobile unit to shred old documents for free,” said City Manager Ken Nickel.

“Shredding documents and even old mail can help fight identity theft,” explained City Secretary Elaine Simpson. “Please remove any binders, notebooks or large fasteners from the material you wish to have shredded.”

The clean up event will take place from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, but the shredding will close down at 11 a.m.

Citywide clean up is conducted twice a year in Granite Shoals through a monthly utility fee and a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

Oct. 14 and

The public is invited again to "have a cup of coffee" with Marble Falls Mayor John Packer at Numinous Coffee Roasters, 714 Ranch to Market Road 1431 in Marble Falls from 7-8 a.m. today, Friday, Oct. 14.

The informal, come-and-go event series does not require an RSVP, just a healthy curiosity about what is going on in the city.

The invitation reads: "come share your thoughts and ideas about your community and hear about some of the new projects in the city."

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to meet one-on-one with our residents and learn about the issues that are important to them,” said Packer.

The Hill Country Humane Society (HCHS) Board of Directors reports being “thrilled” with the success of its inaugural Wags and Whiskers Gala on Sept. 17.

"We reached our goal with the generous support of our members, gala guests and other supporters throughout the community," said vice president Lynn Bishop. "We now have the necessary funds to pursue the creation of our in-house spay and neuter program.

“HCHS wants to publicly thank everyone who lent their support to this effort.”

“Our success is due to the generous involvement of the community,” said gala chairwoman Mitzi Logan, “It truly was a community event.”

All gala proceeds are dedicated to the HCHS spay/neuter program and to equip and staff an on-site operating theater. The shelter is dedicated to spay and neuter as a primary solution to reducing the number of homeless and unwanted animals.

The Burnet County Historical Commission and will partner with the Herman Brown Free Library in Burnet tol celebrate Texas Archeology Month with an Archaeology Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 12, beginning at 2 p.m. at the library.

Presenters associated with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) Nightengale Archaeology Center, the Llano Uplift Archaeological Society (LUAS) and the Texas Archaeology Society (TAS) will include John Boland, Patrick Hatten, Charles “Chuck” Hixon and Glenn Goode. Each presenter will display artifacts to allow participants to experience history “hands-on”. The event is free of charge.

Two last-minute opportunities to take the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Hunter Education course will be presented locally this month on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22.

The general deer hunting season is from Nov. 5- Jan. 1 and new special season is Jan. 2-15. Any hunter born after Sept. 2, 1971 must have successfully completed a mandatory Hunter Education Training Course and have the certification, plus a valid Texas Hunter license and photo ID, with them while hunting. Hunter Safety is not required to buy a hunting license, but it is required for an individual to hunt alone, without the accompaniment of another hunter who is either certified or was born prior to Sept. 2, 2971.