News

The exhilaration of the Marble Falls Community Fire Works show was shattered at about 10:20 p.m. last night, Tuesday, July 4, when a pedestrian, Cynthia Lee Young, 60, of Spring Branch, was struck and killed as she was leaving the event.

"Traffic leaving the celebration in Lakeside Park was down to not even an a trickle of stragglers when this occurred," said Detective Capt. Tom Dillard, one of a large team of Marble Falls Police Department officers on the scene or on duty until about 4 a.m. Wednesday.  "We had begun our debriefing at the mobile command center when we heard shouts for help.

"We were able to get to the victim quickly and she was still alive when she was transported to the helipad at Marble Falls Fire Rescue. It is unclear to the police department at this time exactly when she passed away."

By Glynis Crawford Smith
The Highlander

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will increase traffic enforcement during the Fourth of July holiday weekend from Saturday, July 1, through Tuesday, July 4. DPS Troopers will be looking for drunk drivers, and speeding, seat belt and other traffic violators.

“Alcohol consumption is always a concern this time of year, and motorists should take this into consideration when driving over the holiday weekend,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw.  “DPS and other law enforcement agencies will be out in force looking for impaired drivers and traffic violators. If you consume alcohol, there is no excuse for not planning ahead for alternate transportation or designating a sober driver.”

The Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) is inviting feedback on its new website before it goes live in July.

A temporary link, http://Preview.MarbleFallsISD.org, has been established to access a red-button guide to the survey, although first-time visitors directly to www.MarbleFallsISD.org may receive the offer of the survey as well.

“Our hope is that users will find that the new website is more user- friendly,” said Jeff Gasaway, assistant superintendent of administrative services. “We will incorporate the survey feedback into the new design to help make the website as easy to navigate as possible.”

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

An accident has claimed the lives of two women on US 281 near Park Road 4 outside Burnet, Texas Department of Safety troopers said.

It was one of a number of serious accidents on Burnet County highways within a 30-hour period, according to DPS troopers.

In March, Wayne Douglas Brunet was forced to land his plane at the Llano Municipal Airport by Department of Homeland Security agents. Soon, the 64-year-old may land in federal prison for up to 20 years after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute between 50 to 100 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana.

Brunet made his plea Wednesday, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

A ban on outdoor burning was instituted by the Burnet County Commissioners Court Tuesday morning, June 27.

Members seriously debated whether to take the action before making their decision to institute the ban.

Most of the county has just seen a quarter to a half inch of rain,” said said Herb Darling, director of Burnet County Environmental Services. “I am aware of two projects that may need to burn. Once we put a ban in effect, I'd expect it to be in until the fall.”

“I think it is time,” said Commissioner Joe Don Dockery, whose Precinct 4, has has had some of the lightest rainfall. “The next two weeks are predicted to be hotter than normal and drier than normal. It is not the time of year to be burning anyway.”

By Phil Reynolds

The Highlander

Facing a hostile, but polite, audience that nearly filled the 500-capacity sanctuary at Kingsland’s First Baptist Church Tuesday evening, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials agreed to reconsider a proposal to restripe Ranch-to-Market Road 1431 in Llano County.

The project would have made the four-lane highway into a two-lane highway with intermittent passing and turning lanes, a change TxDOT engineers said would improve the safety of the road.

CUT:

Brigitte Thomas, left, is sworn in as City of Cottonwood Shores Place 2 City Council Member, by Municipal Judge Don Adams. Thomas was unopposed in the May 6 election and was sworn in June 15.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Cottonwood Shores City Council on June 15 reviewed two items citizens are likely to see again on the agenda of the meeting to follow their July 6 budget workshop—an ordinance to regulate campgrounds and a finalized contract with the Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department.

Ordinance 14021 on the table is designed to facilitate development of recreational vehicle parks (RV parks) and permanent camping sites (PC sites) and to minimize possible impacts of their addition to the city.