Burnet County

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Working in conjunction with other local agencies, Burnet County Sheriff's deputies in the Special Operations Unit have arrested 17 individuals in Burnet and Llano counties as part of a month-long undercover investigation targeting methamphetamine dealers in the two counties that culminated in a raid Thursday at multiple locations.

Burnet County Sheriff Calvin Boyd said a total of 31 warrants were obtained on the 17 individuals arresed, charging each with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in penalty group 1, more than one gram but less than four grams.

Each charge is a second-degree felony under Texas Penal Code, Chapter 481.112(c), punishable by a prison sentence of two to 20 years and a $10,000 fine.

“This represents a significant impact on the local methamphetamine supply network,” Boyd said.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

A Pedernales Electric Cooperative complaint committee has stopped short of calling for the removal of Burnet County Judge James Oakley from the Board of Directors entirely but has recommended his removal as Vice President of the cooperative's board.

The recommendation of the Complaint Committee will be discussed and action taken during Tuesday's regular Board of Directors meeting at the cooperative's headquarters in Johnson City.

The board will also consider a resolution by Oakley to rescind the bylaws for removal and discipline of a PEC director from bylaw amendments that were put in place just one week before Oakley made a post on Facebook which brought national media spotlight to the PEC and cast Oakley in an unfavorable light.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

You may think of the ukulele with a smile and memory of Arthur Godfrey (1903-1983), with a groan over “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” by Tiny Tim (1938-1996) or a mellow sigh at the memory of that 1990 medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" by “Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (1959 – 1997).

But picture it, now, in your own hands and embrace the motto of the Highland Lakes Ukulele Club: “Changing the world, four strings at a time.”

This band of troubadours meets twice a month to practice together and draw new players into their musical fold.

When Don Crowder, an accomplished musician, began to coax Lisa Miller toward a simple instrument like the ukulele she was dubious.

“Before I could say no, he ordered one for me,” she said. “The premiere benefit of having two people is that you are having a good time.”

Cover those plants and watch out for the pets. The National Weather Service has issued an alert for high winds and freezing temperatures.

An arctic cold front will move through South Central Texas late tonight, Wednesday, Dec. 7. Much colder conditions will occur Thursday through Friday, along with windy conditions Thursday. A freeze is expected across portions of the area Thursday night into Friday morning.

A hard freeze is possible across the Hill Country and portions of Central Texas with a light freeze along the I-35 corridor and east. The winds will make temperatures feel much colder Thursday and Thursday night.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio has issued a short term forecast for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon.

In the forecast issued at 3:02 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, meteorologists said “isolated showers and thunderstorms will move toward the west… These showers will produce light to moderate rain with rainfall totals up to a half an inch.”

The forecast is active through 5 p.m. Wednesday evening. Chance of rain will remain at 20 percent until Thursday at 8 p.m. On Friday, chance of rain increases to 30 percent between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Granite Shoals City Council on Tuesday night, Aug. 9, heard a review of a staff proposed budget and agreed to publish a tax rate they would not exceed: $0.5572 per $100 valuation.

That rate represents a sliver of an increase over the 2015 rate of $0.5207, just about three and a half cents per $100 valuation. But it falls below the rollback rate but above the effective rate, bringing in this year's ad valorem tax revenue to $2.4 million.

The hard decisions on a staff proposed budget of $6.76 million will be on the table at a budget workshop Monday, Aug. 15.

Development slowed in Granite Shoals last year over the previous six percent hike in property valuation. The 2.9 percent increase in valuation would add only $56,000 to revenue if the full 55.72 cents per $100 were instituted.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

Storms on Tuesday afternoon are the first of a series of storms this week, meteorologists said.

The National Weather service has issued multiple hazard statements for the Burnet County area, which a forecast of storms all through the week. The City of Marble Falls issued an alert at 5:24 p.m. today, May 31, that Lake Marble Falls is closed until further notice due to flood gate operations and the City of Horseshoe Bay issued multiple low water crossing closings throughout the afternoon.

A flood advisory was issued at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31 for southwestern Burnet County, southeastern Llano County and surrounding counties, effective until 5:15 p.m.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH/BURNET BULLETIN

The Highland Lakes area is under a flash flood watch until Thursday at 10 p.m.

The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio issued a flash flood watch for Llano, Burnet, Williamson, Blanco, Travis and a number of surrounding counties early Thursday morning.

Meteorologists stated that the watch continues for all of south Central Texas.

“Locally heavy rainfall is expected for much of today and early evening as an upper level disturbance pushes across the area and interact with a surface stationary boundary just to the south of highway 90. One to three inches of rainfall are expected over already saturated grounds due to recent heavy rain episodes. Flash flooding is possible.”

The major concern is runoff from highly saturated ground.

“Soils are already very saturated and most of the rain will runoff into area creeks, streams and low lying areas,” the watch read.