News

By Melissa Kanz

The Highlander

Horseshoe Bay residents will see a slight increase on their property taxes after city council members voted to increase the tax to offset utility costs. Members also approved the 2017 budget.

Increasing from $0.25 per $100 valuation to $0.26 per $100 valuation, the city is expected to use the funds exclusively for its rate stabilization fund, which will then be used to offset some of the utility increase.

“This is something council has been considering. The issue was what we have and what we need to balance the budget. It was inevitable that it could be greater,” Horseshoe Bay Mayor Steve Jordan said.

The increase comes after council members were advised there would be around 9 percent increase in utilities to include water and wastewater.

By Melissa Kanz

The Highlander

It wasn’t what local school officials wanted to hear as the Marble Falls Independent School District fell short of its goal, receiving a 64 percent rating on secondary readiness. 

The high school, however, did gain academic distinctions in ELA/Reading, math, science and social studies.

Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen explained there are only 25 districts, out of thousands in the state, that receive this distinction.

“Am I happy with these results, no, but I believe we are generally on the right track,” he said.

The good news is SAT scores surpassed the statewide average. 

Distinctions awarded to Marble Falls High School were Academic Achievements in ELA/Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Also awarded was Postsecondary Readiness.

Marble Falls Middle School was awarded Academic Achievement in Science.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Reports of telephone outages began rolling in shortly before noon today, Wednesday, Sept. 21., according to Marble Falls Police Chief Mark Whitacre.

The fault lies with a fiber optic line cut between Fredericksburg and Stonewall the chief said. That was confirmed about 4:45 p.m. by Gordon Shattles, the public relations manager of Frontier Communications in the company's Dallas office.

"A construction crew in the area severed a Frontier line," he said. "Our team was out immediately to re-splice and repair the line and now we are bringing everyone back online. If phones are not up yet, they will be very soon."

Chief Whitacre said Marble Falls and Blanco County phones went down, but emergency dispatch calls were routed through Burnet County."

Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Banners are up announcing the arrival of flu vaccine and Burnet County already has seen enough flu-like illness to earn a highlight on the Centers for Disease Control Texas map.

“Doctors report cases and the CDC reports them weekly on the cdc.gov website,” said Juliette Madrigal-Dersch, MD, the Burnet County Health Authority. “They are still sporadic here, but on the East Coast the flu is pretty widespread. Cases won't be counted in the 2016 season until Oct. 4, but they have been confirmed in counties east of us.”

Dr. Madrigal's recommendation is in line with the CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS): Everyone six months old and older should be vaccinated against the flu, especially pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with chronic health conditions. Those people are at a greater risk of severe complications if they do get the flu.

Marble Falls is a month into the football season, and there is plenty of activiity on the high school campus.

Students were painting parking spots on Saturday.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Eric Tanner, first elected to the Granite Shoals City Council in 2011, has resigned with one thing on his mind: the Nov. 8 general election that could fund restoration of the city's major thoroughfares.

With the council set to approve the budget and tax rate tonight, Friday, Sept. 16, the Tuesday session put into motion the process for Tanner's replacement.

The city is seeking a grant for a $6.8 million project to re-work Valley View Lane, Prairie Creek Road and Phillips Ranch Road, not just in part, but from Ranch to Market Road 1431 to end of their lines at Lake LBJ or the city limits. Voters will decide Nov. 8 if they are willing to commit to $3 million in bonds to secure a grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the project. That is what Tanner says he will promote.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Marble Falls Fire Marshal Johnny Caraway will officially retire as of Monday, Sept. 19, and the city will begin immediately looking for his replacement.

“Mr. Caraway was in the office on Friday, Sept. 9,” said City Manager Mike Hodge. “He said he had been considering retirement for a while and had decided to submit his resignation.”

Hodge said that Caraway, who lives in Burnet, had served both as fire chief and, most recently, as interim chief during the search for Fire Chief Russell Sander.

Sander will be part of the review panel for applicants.

“A fire marshal conducts inspections, based on the fire code adopted by the city council,” said Sander. “He also is charged with investigating the causes of fires. We have people in the department that can perform some of those duties.”

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

A Marble Falls resident has been arrested on misdemeanor charges after providing illegal body alteration services – some to minors.

John Michael Castillo, 24, was arrested on two charges of tattoo or body piercing regulation requirements, a Class A misdemeanor, after police said he tattooed several individuals without a license.

Marble Falls Sgt. Trisha Ratliff said police had become aware of the illegal activity in early August when they were contacted by a local parent, who stated her teenage daughter had received a tattoo without permission.

“He (Castillo) has been providing tattoos for numerous people around town,” Ratliff said. “He has given tattoos to juveniles with and without parental consent.”

According to a police affidavit, another parent in Llano County contacted local officials to report that her child had also received a tattoo while in Marble Falls in July.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

A Kingsland man and his pet bird were rescued after the man's truck rolled off highway US 281 on Wednesday afternoon.

Texas DPS Troopers said the man was driving a Chevrolet Colorado southbound to Kingsland hauling a small trailer when his vehicle left the roadway to the left, flipping upside down and landing against an embankment. The truck came to rest in the right-of-way in front of Hill Country Foam Products in the 4200 block of US 281 at about 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 14.

Texas DPS Trooper Andrew Thomas said the driver, William Bilbrey, 66, of Kingsland, was conscious but disoriented when first responders arrived on scene.

“He was heading home to Kingsland. He said he didn't remember anything, and he didn't know why he was upside down,” Thomas said.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The possibility of a Colorado River bridge below Wirtz Dam clearly is gathering a head of steam and John Q. Citizen is about to weigh in on the project.

In a meeting conducted by the Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Friday, Sept. 9, in Marble Falls City Council chambers, Burnet County governmental leaders and first responders were enthusiastic. Now, CAMPO is beginning a campaign to inform the public and gather opinions from residents, owners of property and businesses and from lake users.

A bridge below Wirtz Dam to connect north-south traffic between Ranch to Market Roads (RM) 1431 and 2147 has been a long-held priority of County Judge James Oakley.