Burnet County

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

A preliminary 2018-19 Burnet County general fund budget would see an increase of just under $1.6 million in expenditures, but those expenses would be offset by taxes and revenues generated by new construction within Burnet County, County Auditor Karen Hardin said.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County Precinct 3 Constable Jimmy Ballard died early Monday, July 2, after losing a two-year fight with cancer and being removed from life support late Sunday. He was 57.

A Granite Shoals man has been found guilty on 12 of 13 charges against him by a Burnet County jury, which now is expected to deliberate on his punishment.

Bryant Edward Dulin, 45, was convicted on a first-degree felony charge of super aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 6 as well as nine counts of aggravated sexual assault, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a young child and one count of indecency with a child.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

On Monday, May 14, Kingsland resident Shaun Daughtry — fed up with the presence of methamphetamine dealers and users in his neighborhood off Lover's Laner — put up a sign on his property declaring the area to be a “meth-free zone.”

Former Granite Shoals Police Chief J.P. Wilson

Former Granite Shoals police chief Joshua Patrick “J.P.” Wilson has been indicted on a charge of aggravated perjury, a third-degree felony, by a Burnet County grand jury — nearly two years to the date after he stepped down from his job.

Wilson, who turned himself in May 9 to Bee County Jail officials, was released on $15,000 bond the same day. He is scheduled to be arraigned June 15 before Judge Allan Garrett in Burnet County on Case Number 48099 and a status hearing is scheduled for July 27. He is being represented by attorney Charles Baird.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Damon Beierle and Jane Marie Hurst will take office in January after winning the Republican primary runoff for their respective races Tuesday night in final but unofficial results.

By Savanna Gregg

The Highlander

A years-long dream will finally come to fruition for the community of Joppa and the whole of Burnet County on Saturday, May 12. The Russell Fork and North Fork bridges in Joppa will receive their well-deserved Texas Historical Registry recognition at two dedication ceremonies which will be held at the bridges' locations.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

A project to reconstruct the intersection of US 281 and Ranch to Market Road 1431 has been added to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for 2019-2022, CAMPO officials said this week.

There will be May 22 runoffs in the two contested races in the Burnet County Republican County primary after final but unofficial results were announced Tuesday night.

In the Precinct 2 Commissioner race, Tom Stephens and Damon Beierle have advanced to a runoff election. Stephens had a plurality of votes with 703, or 45.21 percent, while Beierle had 616 votes, or 39.61 percent. Ryan Rowney received 236 votes, or 15.18 percent.

In the Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace race, Jane Marie Hurst led the votegetters with 401 votes, or 39.74 percent, while Jeff Sellers had 365, or 36.17 percent. Carey Headrick had 243 votes, or 24.08 percent.

There are still 30 provisional ballots and one overseas ballot which has not been received so far, according to Elections Administrator Doug Ferguson.

As a service to our readers, we have loaded the TCEQ Response to Comments regarding Asphalt Inc.'s air quality permit 148112 on our website in its entirety. This is available for free as an e-edition to our readers. This is the official 58-page TCEQ response to public comments made about the air quality permit for the proposed rock crushing plant to be located south of Marble Falls off US 281.

To read the document, go to http://bit.ly/2Aeg8cm and click on "TCEQ Response to Comments Asphalt Inc 148112"