Burnet County Texas news

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County commissioners agreed informally Tuesday to establish a committee to draft an ordinance prohibiting solid waste disposal in the county.

The committee will be comprised of Development Services Director Herb Darling, Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr. and County Attorney Eddie Arredondo.

“This order would give us the ability, if a company comes in to purchase a tract of land, to prohibit them from putting in a landfill or put a stop to things if an outside company wants to dispose of hazardous waste in the county,” Darling said.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Once a common fixture across the landscape, there are just two historic iron bridges remaining in Burnet County — the North Fork San Gabriel Bridge on County Road 200, commonly known as the Joppa Bridge, and the Russell Fork San Gabriel Bridge on County Road 272.

With the Burnet County Elections Office, final unofficial election results in, Nov. 7 Election Day voters lifted the totals in support of the $3 million for road improvements in Granite Shoals.
A scant 354 voters cast ballots in the election, but 194 of them, or 54.8 percent, voted for the proposition and 160, or 45.2 percent, against. A no vote would have killed the proposed road rehabilitation project for the three primary, north-south city streets. Approval means that bonds authorized last year can be sold and the project can move forward.
It is believed it is the first time in Texas that a city council asked voters if they were sure of a previous vote.
Of 152 early voters, 53.29 percent had voted against the proposition.

The early voting report from the Burnet County Elections Office, just in did not look promising for supporters of the $3 million for road improvements in Granite Shoals.

Of 152 early voters, it was 47.71 percent to reaffirm the bonds and 53.29 percent against.

In Horseshoe Bay, all 12 who voted for Proposition 1(reauthorization of a local sales and use tax at the rate of one-fourthof one percent to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets) supported it. The candidate count was Reagan Lambert, 11 votes;  Cynthia Clinesmith, 8 votes and Dennis R. Hoover, one vote. When all Burnet and Llano county votes are in, the top two vote getters will take council seats.

Mayor Steve Jordan, unopposed, logged 10 votes.

The American Cancer Society will hold its inaugural Hill Country Golf Classic at Hidden Falls Golf Course in Meadowlakes Saturday, Oct. 28.

“Not only will you have fun and enjoy the health benefits of an exciting round of golf, but you'll also support the American Cancer Society's (ACS) efforts to save lives by helping people stay and get well,” said Jayne Palmer of the ACS.

Tournament check-in and purchase of mulligans will begin at 10 a.m. before the shot-gun start at 11 a.m.

Cost for the four-man scramble is $75 per person. Mulligans are five for $20. Tribute roses will be available in memory of a loved one who lost the battle against cancer or in tribute to a survivor. The bouquet created will be the centerpiece at a taco meal served to golfers after the tournament.

A hole-in-one on hole 6 will win a choice of vacations for four to San Francisco and Sonoma, Palm Springs golfing, a New York City Broadway experience or to Miami Turnberry Isles.

By Jenn Robison

The Highlander

Good news for Burnet County couples and those who plan to get married.

Recent data shows that divorce rates decreased in Burnet County between 2009 and 2015. Overall, the numbers of divorced individuals in the United States have increased by 11.65 percent, but Burnet County experienced a decrease of both divorced males and females over the same six-year period.

The data comes from pansop.com, a community knowledge sharing website built to help people become more knowledgeable about specific topics. In regards to this study, the data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau.

From 2009 to 2015, the numbers for divorced females living in Burnet County decreased by 22.6 percent, while the number of divorced males decreased by 13.2 percent.

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.

Highland Lakes natives and tourists with long memories remember the Burnham Brothers sporting goods store, once found on Avenue H across from the Blue Bonnet Cafe, if only for its window full of rattlesnakes. It was owned by Winston and Murry Burnham, who parlayed the hunting and game calling expertise handed down by their father, J. Morton Burnham, into a successful business of national repute.

In 1961 Roy Rogers invited them to Los Angeles to teach him to hunt and call predators. Their quick success with him led to hunts all over the world. Many thousands of hunters have relied on the game and predator calls they developed.

Saturday, Oct. 21, marks the arrival of the fourth annual Rifles, Racks & Deer Tracks fundraising event, benefitting the Hill Country Children’s Advocacy Center.

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.”