Burnet County Texas news

Jane Knapik, PhD, has been honored with the 2017 Burnet County Historical Commission (BCHC) Distinguished Service Award.

The award was presented in recognition of “consistent and dedicated work with the BCHC," with Burnet County Commissioners Billy Wall, Jim Luther Jr., and Joe Don Dockery in attendance to congratulate her.

“With Dr. Knapik’s body of work in education and her continuing work in preservation of history in our county and others, she has earned yet another title: a Burnet County Woman of Note,” read the announcement of her award.

One could say Knapik has history running through her blood. Born Jane Alexander, a descendant of a Burnet County pioneer founding Alexander family, her ancestors fought in the American Revolution, for the Republic of Texas, and for the Confederacy. Her family moved to Uvalde County when she was three years old, but she came back after a long and satisfying career in education.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County commissioners learned Tuesday that their county ranked second overall in the state of Texas in 2016 for land loans through the Texas General Land Office's Veterans Land Board (VLB).

Ken Wallingford, a former Vietnam prisoner of war and senior advisor to the VLB, visited the court to present a certificate of appreciation and Texas flag to honor the county for having an extremely active veterans' presence, with $4,067,064 in land loans for fiscal year 2016 in Burnet County and to praise Veterans Officer Bill Worley, who was there for the presentation.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

Burnet Bulletin

Burnet County commissioners on Tuesday, March 14, discussed a bill pending before the Texas House of Representatives, House Bill 3677, which would eliminate the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District in Burnet and force the county to consolidate with four other counties into a single Heart of Texas Aquifer District.

Charles Shell, general manager of the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD), told commissioners the bill just filed Friday by state Rep. Jason Isaac is “alarming” as it would dissolve the organization, which was created by the citizens of Burnet County to manage and oversee groundwater within the county.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Three separate and unrelated cases involving the violation of children led to arrests and bookings into the Burnet County Jail already this month.

One of them, Christina Nichole Bruton, now of Clarksville, faces prison immediately through a State Request for Adjudication filed by District Attorney Sonny McAfee.

Two others, Ronald Rambo II of Briarcliff and Austin Slade Jones of Meadowlakes, were arrested on felony indictments handed down by the Burnet County Grand Jury to bring cases to trial.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County commissioners set a historic precedent last year by selling tax notes to raise money for special road improvements in the county. On Tuesday, Feb. 28, commissioners voted how to distribute those funds, choosing a method which splits funds more closely in line with the taxable values of the four precincts, yet also allows for a little more equitable distribution of funds.

Last year, commissioners voted to approve issuance of $5.85 million in bonds to pay for road projects outside the normal scope of the work they do, based on estimates provided to the court by KC Engineering. Burnet County Judge James Oakley said the issuance of these bonds “doesn't affect the tax rate.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County will be the first county in Texas to take advantage of new legislation which allows property tax foreclosure auctions to be held online instead of on the front steps of the courthouse, a tax attorney assisting the county said Feb. 14.

The Burnet County Commissioners Court voted unanimously that morning to adopt a resolution permitting such sales to occur online and approving the setup of an online sales platform with assistance from the law firm of McCreary, Veselka, Bragg & Allen P.C. (MVBA), which performs delinquent property tax collections for Burnet County and other taxing entities.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

On Wednesday the final report of the Wirtz Dam study by the Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) was released online, with tabulations of those 18 community meetings, 848 completed surveys and 812 comments.

“It was a positive, strong response,” said Burnet County Judge James Oakley, a member of the board of directors of CAMPO. “We had a first reading of the report last month and it will come back to the Transportation Policy Board on Feb. 13.

 The National Weather Service in Austin has issued a Red Flag warning in effect through 4 p.m. today, Jan. 25, for the Rio Grande Valley that places all of South Central Texas in a moderate danger zone due to low humidity and strong northwest winds. Low relative humidity values and gusty north to northwest winds behind a dry cold front will produce locally critical fire weather conditions across portions of the Rio Grande Plains, read the early morning alert. Rapid fire growth and spread will likely occur in cured fuels such as dry grasses. Winds initially will be out of the northwest at 10-20 mph with gusts to near 25 mph this morning before becoming more northerly as they weaken this afternoon. Relative humidity values, now around 36 percent, could fall below 20 percent and remain below those levels until around sunset. Winds should weaken to help decrease fire spread concerns by 4 p.m.

By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor

The Highlander

A Burnet man arrested last year for using surveillance equipment to spy on his neighbor getting undressed has now been indicted on child pornography and indecency charges, while his fiancee was indicted on three counts of indecency with a child, including once by sexual contact.

James Williamson, 45, and Fatima Sparks, 35, were booked into the Burnet County Jail on Friday, Jan. 20. Williamson is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond on charges of indecency with a child by exposure, possession with intent to promote child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Sparks is being held in lieu of $75,000 bond, or $25,000 on each of three counts against her, one for indecency with a child by sexual contact and two for indecency with a child by exposure.

A potent weather system to our north is pushing the strong and gusty northwest winds that began late last night and promise to persist through Sunday afternoon. The strongest winds, with gusts to around 45 mph, will occur during the day on Sunday. Along with the wind, relative humidity will drop below 20% out west near the Rio Grande Sunday afternoon and and below 35% elsewhere.  This wind threat alone will be enough to carry fire quickly, especially in wildland grasses that are cured for the winter. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for all of South Central Texas, and some locations could be upgraded to a Red Flag Warning.

The high wind could also result in hazardous driving conditions for high profile vehicles, displace loose objects, result in minor property damage, and cause isolated power outages.

The NWS forecast for Marble Falls and surrounding area: