News

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County and Llano County residents began going to the polls this week as early voting started for the Nov. 7 general election.

Voters in two municipalities — Horseshoe Bay and Granite Shoals — have municipal elections called in addition to the seven constitutional amendments that will be voted on statewide.

CARTS Introduces new buses to Rural Transit Fleet

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

A little ceremony at 5:45 p.m., before the Marble Falls City Council meeting tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 17, will recognize the introduction of new busses to the Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS).

CARTS serves 10-county and urban areas, including Burnet County. The new 22-foot Country Bus vehicles have been rolling out to the areas this month.

Colorful high-back red seating, grab bars and a wheel chair life are features to be enjoyed during CARTS passenger trips for up to 35 people a day, and reaching 4,000 from Marble Falls, in the last year. The Country Bus also provides some 3,000 medical transportation trips and 400 more take the Interurban Coach route.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality officials do not believe a rock-crushing plant south of Marble Falls would have an impact on air quality at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, according to a letter sent to state Sen. Dawn Buckingham Thursday.

However, the letter also states the TCEQ “does not operate an air quality monitor in the immediate area of the proposed facility” with the closest particulate monitoring station some 25 miles east of the proposed plant site.

Earlier this month, Buckingham, R-Austin, had sent a list of questions to TCEQ executive director Richard A. Hyde PE about the impact the proposed Asphalt Inc. facility would have on air and water quality and how its permit would be enforced prior to a scheduled 7 p.m. Oct. 26 informational meeting about the permit at Lakeside Pavilion in Marble Falls.

Before opening its doors the new Burger King will be taking on a good neighbor project through a licensing agreement approved by the Marble Falls City Council Tuesday, Oct. 17.

The project is the rehabilitation of the triangle of city property at the southwest corner of the intersection of Ranch to Market Road 1431 and US 281.

“We have been faced for a number of years with what to do with that corner,” said Robert Moss, director of the Parks & Recreation Department. “When and if we improved it, it woud have taken more maintenance.”

Robes St. Juste of Hill Country Restaurant Services LLC was at the meeting to discuss the proposal and quickly agreed to extend the terms of the agreement to 10 years.

“We want to take care of it for as long as we are here,” he said.

The Texas Fire Marshal's Office has been called in to investigate a fire Tuesday, Oct. 17, in Horseshoe Bay.

A 9-1-1 call at 5:01 a.m. sent emergency services to 2500 Stag Road, according to a press release from Horseshoe Bay Police Chief Rocky Wardlow and Fire Chief Joe Morris.

Horseshoe Bay Fire Engines 11 and 12 and assistance from the Marble Falls Fire Department fought the fire for approximately an hour before it was deemed under control.

Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

A driver reportedly evading police in the pre-dawn hours Thursday, Oct. 19, was killed in a crash in the 1300 Block of Prairie Creek Road in Granite Shoals.

He was identified as Cruz Grimaldo Suarez, 18, of Granite Shoals, in a preliminary crash investigation report from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The DPS said Suarez was not wearing a seat belt. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Judge Roxanne Nelson.

The accident occurred at 3:33 a.m. The Granite Shoals Police Department closed all traffic on the road from Crockett Park to Forest Hills Drive and re-routed school busses.

GSPD Sgt. Chris Decker, department public information officer, said details will not be available until sometime Friday, Oct. 20.

The City of Horseshoe Bay was presented with Scenic City Gold certification Thursday, Oct. 5, in Houston at an event held in conjunction with the Texas Municipal League’s annual conference.

Some 150 city officials and business leaders from across the state were on hand to recognize Horseshoe Bay, which was among 13 cities to earn certification for the 2017-2022 period.

The Scenic City Certification Program is a project of Scenic Texas Inc. and its program partners. Texas cities access this diagnostic program for an objective review of existing municipal infrastructure ordinances as they relate to public roadways and public spaces.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

Burnet Bulletin

Burnet County commissioners may consider seeking reimbursement from automobile liability insurance policies of at-fault drivers for expenses they would not have otherwise incurred.

County Judge James Oakley brought up the issue during the Oct. 10 regular commissioners court meeting. Oakley said the issue came to light after a recent double-fatality traffic accident on Texas 29 earlier this month.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Citizens from all over Burnet County participated in BOPATE Waste Collection Day on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the county fairgrounds in Burnet.

BOPATE (batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, tires and electronics) are items not accepted by most community clean up days, but which are considered a threat to the environment, especially county groundwater.

“Overall a great success,” said County Commissioner Joe Don Dockery on Monday. “We have learned from past collection events and were able to greatly reduce the wait times for citizens. We served 188 vehicles, equating to 199 households from all over the county, since some citizens bring items for more than one household.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

In its final official task, the Granite Shoals Road Bond Education Committee convened a town hall meeting Saturday, Oct. 14, to answer community questions about the Nov. 7 bond re-affirmation election.

Voters will be asked if they continue to support the $3 million in road restoration bonds they approved last November and early voting on the issue will begin Monday, Oct. 23.

When the committee was created, its dissolution was specified for the closing of its second town hall meeting. Information amassed by the committee was presented in detail and it is posted in its entirety on the city website, www.graniteshoals.org, in the “Help Center” under the heading “All About the Town Hall Meetings.”

“If I lived out here permanently, I would be voting for this,” said Tom Griebel, one of the non-resident property owners at the meeting.