News

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH

THE HIGHLANDER

Without fanfare, barricades were moved aside at 8 a.m. this morning Wednesday, June 28, on the new realignment of Avenue N with Bluebonnet Drive at Ranch to Market Road 1431 in Marble Falls.

City of Marble Falls employees washed the entire roadway Monday afternoon and spent the last hour today clearing chinaberry trees for an unobscured sightline to RM 1431 from the new Avenue N stop sign.

"The City is excited about the new road project and redevelopment of the area and would like to thank everyone for their patience during the construction," said Mayor John Packer.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The City of Marble Falls will have to continue to depend on aspects of existing rules that regulate tree removal, following action by the city council Tuesday, June 21.

Council members voted unanimously against a revision of the Landscape Ordinance following a second hearing of the Tree Preservation and Protection ordinance proposal.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

A charred license plate and melted side mirrors are all that remain on County Road 202 of a vehicle that caught fire Monday night with an unidentified man inside.

Burnet County officials said the fire was reported on Monday evening, June 20, in the 3800 block of County Road 202 in Precinct 2.

“It was a car on fire and there was a body in it,” said Lisa Whitehead, Burnet County Justice of the Peace Pct. 2.

By Lew K. Cohn, Managing Editor

The Highlander

Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) trustees have approved a balanced budget of more than $39.5 million for the 2016-17 fiscal year which will include salary increases for all district employees as well as allow the district to hire additional pre-K and secondary teachers to accommodate district population growth.

The board voted to approve the proposed $39,521,100 budget, after holding a public hearing at the regular meeting June 20. The new budget represents a five percent increase above the $37,893,138 budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year, said District Finance Director Lisa LeMon.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

Authorities are still waiting on the results of an autopsy for an unidentified man found in a burned vehicle on County Road 202 last Monday.

Burnet County Chief Sheriff Deputy Joe Canady said the man has still not been identified, and the results of an autopsy performed by the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office has not been returned in full.

“We're still awaiting on some final stuff for that,” he said.

Burnet County Sheriff W.T. Smith said in a press release that “anytime there are unanswered questions surrounding a death, the investigation remains as 'suspicious' until investigators can determine the actual events.”

By Lew K. Cohn, Managing Editor

The Highlander

Two members submitted resignations Monday, June 20, to the Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees, which appointed a familiar face to fill one of the vacancies.

The board accepted the resignations of Dr. Kelly Fox and Larry “Coach” Berkman following a 78-minute executive session in which the board met with its attorney behind closed doors. The board then appointed former Trustee Mike Savage to serve in Berkman's stead for the next 11 months.

by Alexandria Randolph

Highland Lakes Newspapers

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

A Georgetown teen escaped serious injury Monday night, June 20, when his car landed in standing water in a ravine off Ranch to Market Road 1431 east of Marble Falls.

County approves addition to jail workforce, issues debt for maintenance projects

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

Commissioners voted to unfreeze eight Burnet County Jail staff positions and to issue debt for county road maintenance projects during commissioners' court on Tuesday, June 14.

A one-vehicle, 18-wheeler rollover accident on Texas 29 in western Llano County killed one person Sunday, June 19, and shut

down the highway for a large portion of the day.

The accident happened near Little Sandy Creek, just west of Llano County Road 103 at about 9 a.m. Sunday. According to published reports, the 2016 Volvo 18-wheeler from Washington state was traveling east on Texas 29 when the driver of the rig fell asleep and the vehicle left the roadway, overturning. A passenger in the vehicle, 61-year-old Hardev Singh, died at the scene, while the driver was transported to a local hospital for his injuries. There was no word on the condition of the driver.