Marble Falls Texas news

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Spring is in the air and coming with it March 13-18 Marble Falls Parks & Recreation Spring Break Program.

Last year, attendance almost doubled and this year one donor more than doubled support in response.

“We received a $2,500 grant from the H-E-B Community Investment Program,” said City Manager Mike Hodge. “Typically the city's budget for spring break is about $2,400.”

Most of the city's largest retailers, some smaller ones and restaurants always contribute in some way but this year H-E-B is the primary sponsor.

“The local H-E-B has always been a Spring Break supporter with volunteers and donations,” said Parks & Recreation Director Robert Moss. “HEB continues to help our community become a better place to live; both at the local and corporate levels.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Paint the Town, this year billed to rise to the top five of plein air exhibits in Texas, is set to open March 27-29.

The event is an invitational for 40 juried, open-air artists to invade Marble Falls and create scenes of the city on site.

“We will see them painting in historic Marble Falls, along the waterfront and on private countryside properties,” said Carolyn Bates, one of the organizers. “A map will be provided of all locations so visitors can watch the artists at work.”

“Eric Rhoads, who is the major U.S. advocate for the plein air movement and also the owner of Streamline Publishing's “Plein Air” and “Fine Art Connoisseur” magazines, is the Paint the Town judge for this year,” said Bates.

Bates will be mentoring the sponsoring organization, Highland Lakes Creative Arts (which members refer to simply as the arts) and Paint the Town in their goal of being one of the top five plein air events

Marble Falls motorists are being cautioned to take caution around new traffic signs.

The City of Marble Falls Traffic Contrtol Committee recommended chanages to traffic devices around the city.

Recent changes include:

• Stop Signs installed to replace Yield Signs in Pecan Valley at Live Oak, Mulberry, Ash, Cedar, Hackberry and McDonald drives, Barrier Lane, Trinity Streets and Pecan Circle.

• Stop Signs installed to replace Yield Signs at Fifth Street and Avenue J.

• No Parking Signs installed on Gateway North at Starbucks.

• One-Way Traffic only was abolished in the 200 Block of Avenue H. Two-Way Traffic is allowed, with however "Right Turn Only" on US 281 going south bound.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

A motorcyclist, Daniel Eletes, 19, of Marble Falls died on the scene of an accident that occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday night, Feb. 15, east of Marble Falls on Ranch to Market Road 1431 near Faith Academy.

Department of Public Safety Sgt. Robbie Barrera confirmed the identity of the victim late Thursday and shared brief details filed by by troopers from the scene.

“A 2006 Suzuki MC, driven by Elites, was traveling eastbound on RM 1431 when the accident occurred,” she reported. “A 2008 Toyota Tundra, driven by Lorri Phelps Buckner, 47, was attempting to turn westbound on RM 1431.

Barrera said Buckner stated that she saw headlights at the top of the hill but thought she had time to successfully complete the turn.

Bond interest rates a finance boon

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

If the mind's eye is still adjusting to a hotel-conference center next to Lakeside Park in Marble Falls, blink again and add a 100-unit apartment complex with ground floor retail stores.

The Marble Falls City Council on Tuesday, Jan 7, approved a zoning change to allow just that. Buck Dubray of Texas General Contractors, which is proposing The Lofts at 99 Main, was present with site plans and architectural concepts to answer questions about the project.

Main Street District (MSD) zoning will be changed to Planned Development District (PPD) with an MSD base zone for 1.99 undeveloped acres, known as Lot 1-B, Block 332, of the Marble Falls Original Township subdivision, municipally addressed as 99 Main Street. That is the long-vacant hillside southeast of the Marble Falls Public Library.

Marble Falls is growing, and that growth is good for business here, with new construction popping up all around town. But for some businesses, that growth can be a challenge.

Recognizing the challenge of too few licensed workers in the construction trades, in 2016 the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) included plumbers and electricians, along with other construction jobs, among those eligible for $1 million in training funds throughout the state. The funds were available to regional workforce boards, provided those funds were matched by local economic development organizations. The training they can provide will begin this month.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Emergency lights filled downtown Marble Falls Saturday night when back-to-back calls were answered on Main Street.

Attempts to revive James Fred Graham Jr. were unsuccessful at Uptown Theatre despite immediate response on the scene, while the victim of a fall down stairs adjoining the R Bar and Grill is still hospitalized in Austin.

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.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Two people arrested with documents that point to identity theft in Texas and states beyond remained in Burnet County Jail Thursday, Feb. 2.

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) have been investigating more than two weeks a case in which Shayne Thomas Negri, 27, of Burnet and Stella Marie Hernandez, 37, of Kingsland were arrested Friday, Jan. 27.

“The management of Hill Country Express contacted us Jan. 13, after people left without paying,” said MFPD Detective Sgt. Trisha Ratliff. “When they went to clean out the room they found what appeared to be drug paraphernalia and wanted it removed safely.

“We did locate paraphernalia along with information identifying multiple victims of identity theft such as ID and credit cards, other forms of ID, personal mail and any number of different documents. They ranged to multiple states.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

When the owner of a local business filed the report of an attempted burglary, he brought his own video of the crime and that led a quick identification of the perpetrator.

“The suspect knows we have identified him and talked with him,” said Detective Sgt. Trisha Ratliff of the Marble Falls Police Department on Thursday, Feb. 2. “We are having a serious discussion with him about whether he will turn himself in or be arrested.”

“It was an attempted burglary of a van, but due to the damage to the vehicle, the higher class charge will be criminal mischief,” the detective said.

Damage estimates now exceed $2,500.

“It happened Friday night (Jan. 27), but I didn't notice it until Sunday (Jan. 29),” said Shawn Wagner, owner of Economy Plumbing Services on Commerce Street in Marble Falls. “We caught him on two different cameras.”