News

By Glynis Crawford Smith/The Highlander

Bill Rives, the affable executive director of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce, announced his retirement this week.

“My love for the work and those I work with has made the decision to retire a very difficult one,” said Rives in a formal letter of thanks to the chamber membership. “Difficult as it may be, I feel the time is right to announce my retirement from the Chamber effective Feb. 29, 2016."

by Alexandria Randolph

With a flash flood watch issued this evening, local firefighters remind motorists to “Turn Around, Don't Drown.”

The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio has issued a flood watch for Burnet, Llano, Travis, Williamson, Blanco and other nearby counties beginning at 9 p.m. tonight and lasting through Friday morning. The statement read that two to four inches of rainfall is expected over Wednesday night, but isolated amounts of up to six inches may be possible in this area.

“The heavy rainfall threat will move into the hill country during the overnight hours into Thursday morning and may possibly move into the Interstate 35 corridor,” meteorologists said. “However, the greater heavy rainfall threat for the I-35 corridor will be on Thursday evening into Friday morning as a cold front moves through the area and ends the heavy rainfall threat.”

by Alexandria Randolph

Mixed drinks sales will soon be legal in all unincorporated areas of Burnet County following the passage of local option election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

According to unofficial election results issued by the Burnet County Elections Administration, the alcohol option passed by a landslide with 3,311 votes or 76.3 percent in favor and 1.031 votes, or 23.7 opposed.

This new rule would not change existing alcohol sales ordinances in respective municipalities.

Burnet County Elections Administrator Doug Ferguson said that election results would be official on Tuesday of next week after provisional votes are accounted for, but he doesn't expect the results to change.

“There won't be enough provisional votes that will make a difference to the wins and losses,” he said.

by Alexandria Randolph

UPDATE: As of 2 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service extended at Flash Flood Warning to 4:45 p.m. for Burnet and Llano counties.

The National Weather Service has suggested that central Texas residents avoid traveling overnight, and remind at flooded roadways to “Turn Around, Don't Drown!”

“We have seen another historic October Flood event materialize across portions of South-Central Texas today,” stated a National Weather Service release. “(The) hardest hit areas with heavy rainfall have been Comal, Hays, Travis and eastern Bastrop Counties.”

Flash Flood Emergencies continue for Onion Creek in Travis County until 4:15 p.m. and the Blanco and San Marcos Rivers near San Marcos until 3:30 p.m. Other Flash Flood Warnings continue throughout the eastern Hill Country and along and east of Interstate 35.

GOLFERS BEWARE! The Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center annual golf tournament, originally slated for Saturday, Oct. 31, has been rescheduled for Nov. 14 because of recent and predicted storms.

by Alexandria Randolph

Former Marble Falls ISD employee Deavon Ashley DeLancey has pled guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 28, to 55 years without parole in a child sexual assault case that broke open in June 2014.

DeLancey, a 32-year-old Cottonwood Shores resident and former fire chief for Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department and former member of the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department, pled guilty to child rape and child pornography charges and will face 55 years imprisonment without parole. He will be 87 years old before he has the chance for release.

by Alexandria Randolph

Several weekend events have been rescheduled due to heavy rainfall forecasted over Saturday and Sunday.

Hidden Falls Adventure Park officials said this weekend's Off-road Zomboree will be rescheduled due to forcasted heavy rainfall, as well as the Crazy "R' Ride and Rope planned for Saturday morning at the Burnet Fairgrounds and Rodeo Arena. 

The Off-road Zomboree fundraiser was initially scheduled for Oct. 23-25, but will be rescheduled near to the Thanksgiving weekend, officials said. The off-roading, rock crawling and camping extravaganza will benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of the Highland Lakes. 

For more information about the rescheduling or the event, contact Hidden Falls Adventure Park at 830-798-9820. 

The Crazy "R" Ride and Rope for Ethan Rogers will be rescheduled with a date to be decided. For more information on the event, contact Todd at 512-525-5550. 

by Alexandria Randolph

UPDATE: Burnet County officials have confirmed the burn ban has been lifted as of Friday, Oct. 23. 

With storms looming on the horizon, the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Burnet, Llano and surrounding counties this weekend.

The statement, issued Thursday at 12:02 p.m., said a combination of “deep, low level moisture” from the gulf mixing with moisture from the Pacific and a surface cold front “will bring heavy rainfall to south central Texas.”

“Heavy rain will begin tonight (Thursday) and will continue through Sunday morning,” the statement read.

by Alexandria Randolph

A house fire near Oatmeal left one family homeless and on the search for two missing dogs.

Authorities said the cause of a fire in the 6200 block of Farm to Market 1174 south has yet to be determined.

The fire, which consumed the home on Wednesday morning, was subdued by 11:30 a.m. At that time family members were still searching for an English Bulldog and Chihuahua that had gone missing.

Firefighters said no one was injured, and homeowners were away at the time of the fire.

“We were in Austin for a meeting,” said homeowner Bubba Ferguson. “If we were here, we might have been able to stop it – maybe not.”