News

Richard Zowie/The Highlander
At the Marble Falls High School Scholarship Awards Night May 24 for the MFHS Class of 2018, Mark Grubbs was named Valedictorian while Anna Herrington was named Salutatorian. The two won several awards and scholarships. The 2018 graduation ceremony will be at 8 p.m. Friday, June 1, at Mustang Stadium, and will be held rain or shine.

Former Granite Shoals police chief Joshua Patrick “J.P.” Wilson has been indicted on a charge of aggravated perjury, a third-degree felony, by a Burnet County grand jury — nearly two years to the date after he stepped down from his job.

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

Rafael “Raffie” Hernandez is 16 and attends Marble Falls High School. The oldest of five children, he enjoys art and math and playing baseball. He also likes to listen to music and watch movies, which means a lot of time listening to Youtube.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

When Karl Westerman began serving on the Marble Falls Independent School District board, the year was 2001 and society was no longer alarmed about the “Y2K” bug and what problems it might cause to computers.

On May 21, Westerman called it a career as three incumbents took the oath of office to serve on the board.

Kevin Naumann, Alex Payson and Kevin Virdell took the oath to continue serving on the board.

“We have a great administration,” Westerman said.

“I served with a lot of great board members. we have an outstanding team right now. I leave this place in good hands.”

MFISD Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen thanked Westerman’s family for its sacrifice over the years.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

On Monday, May 14, Kingsland resident Shaun Daughtry — fed up with the presence of methamphetamine dealers and users in his neighborhood off Lover's Laner — put up a sign on his property declaring the area to be a “meth-free zone.”

Former Granite Shoals Police Chief J.P. Wilson

Former Granite Shoals police chief Joshua Patrick “J.P.” Wilson has been indicted on a charge of aggravated perjury, a third-degree felony, by a Burnet County grand jury — nearly two years to the date after he stepped down from his job.

Wilson, who turned himself in May 9 to Bee County Jail officials, was released on $15,000 bond the same day. He is scheduled to be arraigned June 15 before Judge Allan Garrett in Burnet County on Case Number 48099 and a status hearing is scheduled for July 27. He is being represented by attorney Charles Baird.

Anthony Leflet

During the District’s May 21 meeting, the Marble Falls Indepentent School District trustees approved Supt. Dr. Chris Allen’s recommendation to name Anthony Leflet as the new head band director for Marble Falls High School.

Leflet replaces retiring band director, Brad Behrens, who served MFISD for 20 years.A band director hiring committee comprised of Fine Arts stakeholders, MFHS staff, and MFISD administrators helped sort and interview finalists for the Band Director position. The top candidates were then forwarded to the superintendent prior to final selection and presentation to the Board.

Leftlet has served Hays High School as the Head Band Director for the last 20 years. In addition to his duties as the head band director for Hays, a 6A program, Leflet was responsible for the Hays High school band feeder program.

Highland Lakes Newspapers office manager Kim Green, a lupus survivor.

By Savanna Gregg

Burnet Bulletin

Every day, more than a million Americans and five million people worldwide spend their lives battling lupus. Lupus, an autoimmune disease that targets men and women from teens to adulthood, leaves its victims with a lifetime of complications many are unaware of until they have walked a mile in the shoes of a “Lupus Warrior.”

Tekecha Milena Quinonce

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

A biological, non-custodial mother who abducted her children from Bertram Elementary School faces felony charges in Burnet County after her May 22 arrest.