News

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) has faced considerable pressure from lakeside community leaders and citizens for what some have seen as a lackluster response to treating water milfoil, seen as a nuisance by property owners along lakes Inks, Marble Falls and LBJ.

LCRA representatives announced on Monday, Feb. 16, a plan to simplify the process of seeking permits and approval from LCRA and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). Both agencies review and approve landowners’ treatment plans for water weeds.

“It’s going to streamline the process for residents wanting to take care of their weeds, giving them a systematic way to do it,” said Bryan Cook, LCRA water quality manager, Wednesday, Feb. 18. “It’s protective of the lake and lets citizens be effective in their treatment.”

By Alexandria Randolph

An unidentified man is in custody after a nearly 50-mile, high-speed chase that involved several law enforcement entities and ended in a wreck Thursday morning.

Texas DPS Sgt. Tim Blackburn said the man has been hospitalized and is in police custody after leading law enforcement on a chase Thursday, Feb. 19 at about 9:20 a.m.

Marble Falls Police said the chase began after the suspect stole items from Walmart in Marble Falls, and police issued a watch for the suspect’s vehicle.

“The subject made it to his vehicle and was out on the highway before our officers could respond,” said Marble Falls Police Sgt. Tom Dillard. “Our dispatchers did a good job of relaying the information to Burnet County, and he was spotted nearing Delaware Springs.”

A Texas DPS Trooper traveling on US 281 caught sight of the suspect based on vehicle and license plate description provided to dispatchers by the Walmart Loss Prevention Department.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

Two historical mainstays of Marble Falls will be joining forces to celebrate national “Black History Month,” this Saturday, Feb. 21.

The two 19th century structures might house different people and furniture, but the historical spirit of the places remain strong. Now they are joining to celebrate African-American history and culture.

St. Frederick Baptist Church will get its Texas Historical Marker monument next year and Falls on the Colorado Museum is in the granite stone building that housed the first school in the young city.

The St. Frederick Spiritual Choir, which routinely performs at Granite Mesa (a healthcare and rehabilitation center for seniors in Marble Falls), will sing traditional spirituals at the museum, starting at 2 p.m.

In addition to the “traveling angels” choir performance, the museum will have special displays devoted to black history.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

Some folks in Cottonwood Shores might have noticed the helicopter alighting at the volunteer fire department landing zone Tuesday night, Feb. 17. Don’t worry; it was just a continuation of the department’s training regimen.

CSVFD members receive training from Air Evac Lifeteam representatives periodically, said Fire Chief Travis Hockensmith. The department has seen membership increasing, and some of the new volunteers did not know how to set up a landing zone yet.

“The new guys will be learning how to coordinate a landing zone, such as where to put the trucks to block traffic,” said Captain Adam Hernandez.

Hockensmith added that, when possible, trucks are parked under power lines or near other hazards that can’t be seen easily from the air. “They can’t land on a truck,” so it helps the pilot avoid that hazard.

by Alexandria Randolph

A Houston man was arrested on capias warrant after he was indicted on sexual assault of a child charges in early September.

Michael Anthony McGilvray, 27, was arrested Thursday, Feb. 12 by Burnet County Deputies on capias warrant out of Llano County. He was indicted Sept. 9, 2014 on a sexual assault of a child charge that originated June 16, 2014. The indictment was filed in the 424th District Court by the Honorable Judge Evan Stubbs.

McGilvray was booked in Burnet County Jail Feb. 12 on charges of sexual assault of a child, possession of marijuana under two ounces and a prior charge of abandonment or endangerment of a child/criminal negligence. He remains there on bond of $72,500.

Just as folks were getting used to filling up their vehicles for a song, gas prices are on the upswing again.

Prices fell for 17 weeks in a row, but by the beginning of this month prices began to increase, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Prices rose nine cents in a week, between Feb. 5-12, but it’s still more than a dollar less than this time last year, according to AAA, which monitors gas price trends.

Texans are lucky compared to other parts of the nation: “The statewide average is 16 cents less than the national average of $2.23, which is eight cents more than one week ago,” according to AAA.

One of the reasons for the rise in prices is maintenance schedules at refineries.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

“Anna’s Story” started with a series of Facebook posts late last year: “So, I got a call this week that a girl has been left destitute with 4 children under 6! She has managed to get a small place but has NOTHING to put in the house.”

Just two minutes after that Jan. 30 post, responses started rolling in: “Please let me know what she may still need,” “I have several sets of twin sheets, a bunch of children's books I would gladly donate,” “What ages are [the] kids? [Do] they need toys, clothes...?”

An organizer of the effort, Shelly Callahan of Pro Movers Plus in Marble Falls, thanked friends on Facebook for their “unbelievable” response: “The smile on her face was just priceless! I love my friends and the community...so much! Thank you to everyone who has donated and to all that is still coming in!”

After a New Year’s Eve update post, it took three minutes for more offers of help to appear on her computer screen.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

“Anna’s Story” started with a series of Facebook posts late last year: “So, I got a call this week that a girl has been left destitute with 4 children under 6! She has managed to get a small place but has NOTHING to put in the house.”

Just two minutes after that Jan. 30 post, responses started rolling in: “Please let me know what she may still need,” “I have several sets of twin sheets, a bunch of children's books I would gladly donate,” “What ages are [the] kids? [Do] they need toys, clothes...?”

An organizer of the effort, Shelly Callahan of Pro Movers Plus in Marble Falls, thanked friends on Facebook for their “unbelievable” response: “The smile on her face was just priceless! I love my friends and the community...so much! Thank you to everyone who has donated and to all that is still coming in!”

After a New Year’s Eve update post, it took three minutes for more offers of help to appear on her computer screen.

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

The three-person robotics team from Marble Falls High School, Team 4769, finished in the middle of the pack at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge regional contest Saturday, Jan. 31, in San Antonio.

To their teacher, however, what his students learned is more important than hauling away trophies and awards.

“They had a good time,” said MFHS engineering teacher Randy Guffey Tuesday, Feb. 10. “They all left the contest feeling good about what they’d done and learned, both from their own experiences and by observing other groups.”

Guffey said previously he was hoping students would be challenged by difficulties, and they were.

During an autonomous portion of the contest, in which the robot had to run entirely on students’ programming instead of being controlled manually, a programming glitch caused problems.

by Alexandria Randolph

Lower Colorado River Authority Rangers arrested a Burnet man on a misdemeanor charge Tuesday, Feb. 10 after he allegedly disturbed a historic site near Bluffton.

Ray Alan Pauling, 68, of Burnet, was arrested on charge of removing historical artifacts, a violation of the Natural Resources Code and a Class “B” misdemeanor, after LCRA Rangers discovered him moving stones in his front yard. 

According to a probable cause affidavit report from the LCRA Public Safety Department, two rangers were “dispatched to an area near Lake Buchanan... and on Burnet CR 128 reference to (the defendant) removing or destroying a historical structure.”

For more on the story, see Tuesday's Highlander.