News

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook to warn of storms on Thursday morning.

At 5:09 a.m., the weather service reported for Burnet, Llano and surrounding counties a “chance of thunderstorms today only… Some may be strong with hail and gusty winds.”

A special weather statement that was also issued by the service at 10 a.m. Thursday morning reported that Doppler Radar was tracking a strong line of thunderstorms along a line extending from eight miles northwest of Lampasas to near Blowout.

“Nickel sized hail and winds in excess of 30 miles per hour will be possible with these storms,” the statement read.

Marble Falls, Burnet, Bertram, Round Mountain, Buchanan Dam, Kingsland, Granite Shoals, Horseshoe Bay, Meadowlakes, Spicewood, Oatmeal, Lake Victor, Briggs, and Inks Lake State Park were among the locations listed that may see impact.

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH

THE HIGHLANDER

The Howdy-Roo Lone Star Chili Cookoff was it's annual "big deal" in chili cooking Saturday, May 7.

Cooks and vendors filled Johnson Park beginning Friday and the last of the big chili rigs pulled out Sunday, May 8.

Entries from the Highland Lakes Pod of the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) alone numbered 174 and judges dug in to the offerings of the Lone Star BBQ State Championship as well.

The Marble Falls Post Office is asking the support of Marble Falls and Granite Shoals on May 14, as it joins America’s letter carriers to conduct the nation’s largest single-day food drive—Stamp Out Hunger.

The annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is hosted each year by the National Association of Letter Carriers in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service to support local food banks and the 48 million Americans who struggle with hunger.

BY BILL TEETER/HORSESHOE BAY WATER CONSERVATION SPECIALIST

Homeowners and business operators who want to know more about how to run their landscape sprinkler systems efficiently to save water and hold down billings can get some pointers in a free irrigation workshop at Horseshoe Bay City Hall May 18.

The workshop, hosted by the City and the Lower Colorado River Authority, will run from 10 a.m.-noon in city council chambers. The main speaker, Brett Briant, water conservation coordinator for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), will focus on four topics:

• Efficient irrigation practices

• Irrigation repair

By Bill Teeter

City of Horseshoe Bay water conservation specialist

The City of Horseshoe Bay invites licensed irrigators to seek certification to work with the city and residents in its landscape irrigation assessment rebate program.

Through the program Horseshoe Bay water customers can have an irrigator with a city certification visit their property to look for ways to make their landscape irrigation systems more efficient and reduce water consumption. The city rebates $50 to the customer to cover the cost.

By Alexandria Randolph

Highland Lakes Newspapers

Citizens begged state environmental officials to consider the cumulative effects of air pollutants at an air quality hearing for a local rock quarry Thursday.

Burnet County residents took to the mic to openly oppose the permit amendment, which would authorize modifications to the rock crushing facility at the Oldcastle Materials Texas quarry on US 281, (formerly Capital Aggregates) allowing for an increase in production.

By Lew K. Cohn

The Highlander

Managing Editor

Friends and family are mourning the death of a former Miss Aqua Boom who was gruesomely killed in New Mexico earlier this year – apparently on her birthday.

Two men were arrested last week for their part in the slaying of 36-year-old Naomi Ruth Chaney. New Mexico State Police are still searching for the body of Chaney, a former Horseshoe Bay resident and graduate of Marble Falls High School.

By Lew K. Cohn

The Highlander

Managing Editor

Granite Shoals Police Chief Gary Boshears was elected to Place 1 of the Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees, while Tony Satsky and Cheryl Mott Trinidad won seats on the Cottonwood Shores City Council in today's school board and municipal elections.

 By Lew K. Cohn

The Highlander

Managing Editor

The countdown is on for the annual MayFest, to be held at historic Johnson Park in Marble Falls from May 11-14.

This year's MayFest promises to be better than ever as there are a number of fun events for children and adults alike as well as music, contests and the MayFest carnival.