News

By Glynis Crawford Smith

Seven new signs mark the way in downtown Marble Falls. See another in the Tuesday, Feb. 23, edition of The Highlander.

The Great Texas Warrant Roundup begins Saturday, March 5, and the cities of Marble Falls and Granite Shoals both will participate.

The roundup targets defendants with outstanding traffic, parking, city ordinance, penal code, and higher charge warrants from participating jurisdictions. But, the focus is to bring them into compliance with court orders and multiple options are available to resolve obligations voluntarily before warrants are served. Because some 300 counties, justices of the peace, constables and municipalities of all sizes are participating, you could find yourself served with an outstanding warrant from any of them.

City council election filing closed Friday, Feb. 19, and today, Feb. 23, is the last day to declare a write-in candidacy. So far, only Granite Shoals and Cottonwood Shores in south Burnet County report contested seats on their councils.

For a roundup of candidates filing in those cities, Marble Falls, Meadowlakes and Highland Haven, see today's edition of The Highlander.

In response to Lake LBJ property owners complaints about nuisance aquatic plants, the Lower Colorado River Authority has streamlined the permit process for treatment and set two open houses—one in Granite Shoals Feb. 24 and another in Horseshoe Bay on March 1--to inform lakefront residents.

Each event will be held 3-6 p.m., with presentations at 3, 4 and 5 p.m. The open house in Granite Shoals will be held at the Granite Shoals Fire Department, 8410 West Ranch to Market Road 1431. In Horseshoe Bay it will be held at Quail Point Community Center, 107 Twilight Lane. Control measures for Eurasian watermilfoil and water hyacinths will be included.

Glynis Crawford Smith

Tickets will be available right up to Sunday for the Caring Aces Charity Dinner to be held 6-10 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21, at On the Rocks Restaurant, 4401 Cottonwood Drive, in Cottonwood Shores. Guest speaker will be Bill Rives, outgoing executive director of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce and Tyler Smith will perform.

Glynis Crawford Smith

The Marble Falls City Council devoted much of their meeting Tuesday night, Feb. 16, to informational presentations.

Jo Karr Tedder, president of Central Texas Water Coalition, reported on work of the LCRA. Mark Mayfield, president and chief executive officer of Texas Housing Foundation (THF) reported on the Marble Falls Housing Authority. And, officers of the Marble Falls Police Department provided the council updates on current topics of interest. MFPD Chief Mark Whitacre, praised the expertise and professionalism of the presenters, Capt. Glenn Hanson, Lt. Steve Eckstein, Lt. Tom Dillard and Sgt. Justin Boucher.

See the full story in the Friday, Feb. 19, edition of The Highlander.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD) will decide this Friday, Feb. 19, whether or not to approve a water well permit requested by Capitol Aggregates for a quarry operation between Marble Falls and Burnet along US 281.

The hearing will be start at 9 a.m. at 225 South Pierce, Suite 104, in Burnet.

The proposed well, located at 6075 U.S. 281, would be capable of pumping 950 gallons per minute (165 million gallons of water annually) out of the Ellenburger aquifer, according to a CTGCD public hearing notice.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

The City of Horseshoe Bay grew by six percent Tuesday, Feb. 16, after it annexed just over 600 acres of land from its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) into its city limits.

The annexed parcels of property represent approximately six percent of the current city, confirmed Stan Farmer, city manager.

Thousands of acres initially considered were not annexed because many property owners with agricultural exemptions signed development agreements, leaving those properties in the city’s ETJ for at least one to three years, depending on the area.

“I want it to be clear that this was a voluntary situation and not initiated by the city,” said Mayor Steve Jordan.

Glynis Crawford Smith

At the Marble Falls City Council Tuesday night, Mayor John Packer proclaimed Feb. 21-27 National Engineers Week.

Mark Mayfield updated the council on the Marble Falls Housing Authority.

The council also received a review of the current state of wildlife ordinances in the surrounding area and on laws regarding drones over city airspace, all provided by the Marble Falls Police Department. For the full story, see the Friday, Feb. 19, edition of The Highlander.

BY CHRISTI BERTELSON/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPER

Burnet High School 2014 graduate Jamal Brown died from injuries sustained in a fiery crash around 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, just south of Park Road 4 on US 281.

“It was a horrible accident and we are thinking about the family and all involved,” said Joey Canady, chief deputy of the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office.

A second driver involved in the incident,identified as Sam Marrs from Faith Academy, was reportedly airlifted from the scene to a Round Rock trauma center for treatment of his injuries.

According to Canady, Brown was driving a Jeep northbound on US 281 when he stopped to turn into a private drive. That’s when a BMW struck Brown’s vehicle from behind, causing it to catch fire and become engulfed in flames, said Justice of the Peace Roxanne Nelson.

She pronounced Brown dead at the scene at 6:17 p.m.