News

By Lew K. Cohn

The Highlander

Managing Editor

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

A vacation home in Windermere Oaks was deemed “a total loss” after it reportedly caught fire by lightening strike.

Spicewood Volunteer Firefighter Craig Schlike said first responders believe the home in the 300 block of Coventry Road was struck by lightening during storms in the early morning hours of Friday, May 27. The home was uninhabited, Schlike said, adding that the owners reside in San Antonio and keep the house as a weekend home.

“It was totally involved when we got there,” Schlike said.

Firefighters arrived at 2:16 a.m. that morning after receiving a call from a homeowner across the lake who saw the flames. Schlicke said the home had been burning for some time before first responders arrived.

“Our first attack was to save the house next door,” which had also caught fire due to proximity, he said.

UPDATE at 9:13 a.m.:

Low water crossings closed in Marble Falls are reported by ATXFloods.com as follows:

• 1400 block of Nature Heights Drive between US 281 and Commerce Street
• 2100 block of Broadway Street between Avenue U and Industrial Blvd
• 800 block of Main Street between Broadway and Ninth Street
• 800 block of Avenue L between Broadway street and Ninth Street
• 400 – 700 block of Avenue T between 4^th Street and 7^th Street

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

As rains douse the Highland Lakes area, the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Thursday, June 2.

Eyewitness reports in the city of Burnet show that the majority of Pecan Street was underwater as of 8:24 a.m. Thursday, and meteorologists are forecasting more rain throughout the day.

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) on Tuesday, May 31, issued temporary closings to recreational boating on Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls.

Specifically the ban refers to portions of each lake because of flooding rains and strong flow of the Colorado River. The partial lake closures will remain in effect until further notice.

The closures includes:

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

Storms on Tuesday afternoon are the first of a series of storms this week, meteorologists said.

The National Weather service has issued multiple hazard statements for the Burnet County area, which a forecast of storms all through the week. The City of Marble Falls issued an alert at 5:24 p.m. today, May 31, that Lake Marble Falls is closed until further notice due to flood gate operations and the City of Horseshoe Bay issued multiple low water crossing closings throughout the afternoon.

A flood advisory was issued at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31 for southwestern Burnet County, southeastern Llano County and surrounding counties, effective until 5:15 p.m.

The City of Horseshoe Bay has issued multiple road closure alerts this afternoon, Tuesday, May 31.

Low water crossing closures include:  Hi Mesa at Camp Grounds; Hi Circle South at Western Bit; Hi Stirrup 800 Blk at Slick Rock; Hi Circle North 700 Blk at Rio; and Pecan Creek, Buntline Special, Apache Tears 600 Block at Eagles Nest, Mountain Dew and Stage Coach, in the 4900 Block of Prong Horn, Dew Drop at Conestoga and at Great Western.

Falls Career High School held a graduation ceremony for the 25 members of its Class of 2016 on Friday night, May 27, at Marble Falls First Baptist Church.

Ten graduates earned scholarships to continue their education.

Six of those were $1,000 Marble Falls Daybreak Rotary Scholarships and four of them will be used by students headed for Central Texas College (CTC) in the fall. They are Alexia Burrage-Difilicia and Devon Jackson, studying culinary arts; Donald Ervi, with sights set on becoming a writer, and Sara Rutland, to become a teacher.

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH

THE HIGHLANDER

The Marble Falls High School Class of 2016 raced for the finish line of graduation Saturday night, May 28, before an electrical storm surrounded Mustang Stadium.

The last graduate, Maycie Zurita, received her diploma from MFHS Principal Manny Lunoff as the last parents were evacuated hurriedly from their seats above the stage. The traditional circle on the field for the school song was foregone and graduates tossed their mortarboards on the count of three to follow.

Valedictorian William "Liam" Baskin and Salutatorian Wylie Baskin had time to address their classmates. Kate McAlpin, class historian, remembered the two classmates lost, Bryce Forsythe (July 3, 1997 ~ March 11, 2011) and Mylie Ferguson (Dec. 4, 1997 ~ Jan. 23, 2013) before leading the class in one last "Stang Gang" cheer. Paxton Oberle, class president, was master of ceremonies.