News

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Horseshoe Bay is now the only city in either Llano or Burnet counties to hold the prestigious Gold Scenic City certification, it was announced at Tuesday's regular city council meeting.

Assistant city planner Nathalie Kip said the Scenic City Certification Program just this month informed the city of Horseshoe Bay it had been ranked up from Bronze to Gold after the city had submitted its recertification application in March.

“We've been with Scenic Cities program since 2010 and in 2015 were recertified as Bronze,” Kip said. “The way the program works, it is a five-year certification and at the two-year mark, cities have a chance to rank up. That's what we did this year, really highlighting the city's participation in the International Dark-Sky Association and the Mayor's Monarch Pledge.”

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

A new trustee took his seat on the Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) Board of Trustees on Monday, July 17, while the trustees voted for a student drug-testing plan that will save the district almost $3,000.

A business office employee also received special recognition at the meeting.

Drug-testing program

The trustees approved using Southwest Consortium as Marble Falls ISD’s drug testing provider for both the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years. It was one of two companies that submitted bids.

SWC’s cost of $41,840 is almost $3,000 less than the current provider, Forward Edge, which would’ve cost $44,560.

Marble Falls ISD officials contacted officials at Lake Travis ISD and Dripping Springs ISD and (which were not on Southwest Consortium’s reference list) but still received “glowing references.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for the Highland Lakes Area will bid farewell to executive director Kristen Harris with a come-as-you-are goodbye party from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3.

But until her departure, Harris knows just what she will be doing for the organization she has directed for the last three years.

“We have another advocate volunteer training class beginning Tuesday, Aug. 1,” said Harris. “Until my last day here, I will be doing all I can to spread the CASA mission.”

Four officers of the Marble Falls High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter and Bruce Peckover, the director of career and technology education at the Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) received state FFA Lone Star degrees during the Texas FFA’s 89th state convention, held July 10-14 in Corpus Christi.

FFA students are eligible to earn a Lone Star degree after completing agricultural instruction requirements, recognition at the chapter level, investment goals and community service. The state Lone Star honorary degree, awarded to individuals who work to help advance production agriculture and agribusiness education, is the highest degree of honorary FFA membership which can be bestowed at the state level.

The City of Marble Falls soon will extend its treated wastewater lines in a move that will save millions of gallons of water annually, thanks to a $58,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The grant, part of LCRA’s Firm Water Conservation Cost-share Program, will allow Marble Falls to extend its existing treated effluent lines to the City of Meadowlakes to irrigate a planned 39-acre expansion of the Hidden Falls Golf Course. This will allow the golf course to be completely maintained with treated effluent instead of potable water.

SPICEWOOD ─ The Spicewood Community Library has announced completion of testing an all-new, high-speed broadband Internet capability and is now making it available for all patrons.

In addition, new patron computers and monitors have been purchased, with everything available free for use to the community.

Free library Internet use is an important, essential asset for community residents who do not have their own Internet access and for those who have unreliable Internet service. Internet access is now one of the most used library services in the country.

Horseshoe Bay citizens who are interested in running for the Horseshoe Bay City Council began to file for a place on the ballot on July 22.

Up for grabs this year are the mayor position currently held by Steve Jordan and City Council slots currently held by Cynthia Clinesmith and Reagan Lambert. The municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 7.

Candidates may file an application for a place on the ballot for either the mayor or council member place; applications from the same candidate cannot be filed for both the mayor and council member places.

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

The Texas Education Agency recently released State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for public schools state wide, and Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) Superintendent Chris Allen, PhD, believes the results are misleading if taken out of context.

“In some ways we exceeded the state averages, some ways exceeded and some ways finished below,” Allen said. “I don’t let STAAR shape my opinion overall, since I don’t believe it’s accurate.”

Results released for Spring 2017 are for grades three through eight. Reading and mathematics were assessed for grades three through eight, writing for grades four and seven, science for five and eight, then social studies for grade eight.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

“I've been poisoned! Who? Why?”

So reads a sign posted by a critically ill Live Oak tree in front of Blair's Western Wear at 2501 US 281 in Marble Falls.

In mid-June the tree was encircled at its base with what police are calling a “toxic substance” and they hope a tip from the public can solve the crime of who has poisoned the tree.

The leaves are beginning to turn brown and the prognosis is not good for survival of the arboreal patient. Since the tree is only about five inches in diameter, it may no sound like much of a loss, but it is.

“The estimated value of replacing the tree is $25,000,” said Marble Falls Police Capt. B.J. Nelson. “The tree itself is worth $10-$15,000, but there will be a site clean-up for the toxic substance.

“The charge is criminal mischief. We welcome information about the perpetrators.”

Burnet's First State Bank will be recognized with a Texas Treasure Business Award from the Texas Historical Commission (THC) during the July 25 regular Burnet County Commissioners Court meeting.

The Texas Treasure Business Award program pays tribute to businesses that have provided employment opportunities and support to the state's economy for 50 years or more.

Created in 2005 through legislation authored by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) and sponsored by Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson (R-Waco), the program recognizes well-established Texas businesses and their exceptional historical contributions to the state's economic growth and prosperity.