Marble Falls Texas news

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program will begin its season helping with Income Tax returns tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 2.

Free preparation and electronic filing will be offered in Marble Falls at the Boys & Girls Club, 1701 Broadway Street, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 2-April 13. The exception will be March 14 and 16.

In Burnet, assistance will be offered 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Mondays, Feb. 6-April 10 at the Hill Country Community Foundation Building, 402 East Jackson Street. The one exception will be Feb. 27 when the service will be open at the Herman Brown Free Library, 100 East Washington Street.

The local program was developed to provide free tax preparation to help anyone over 50 who could no afford help with their Income Tax Return. In practice, the program is open to all ages and backgrounds who need assistance.

An early morning accident on Friday, Jan. 20, claimed the life of a Marble Falls resident.

Brian Michael Young, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which took place on Farm-to-Market Road 1431 near the intersection with FM 1174 in Williamson County at about 7:43 a.m. Friday.

Young was driving a 2015 Nissan Versa and was headed eastbound, about seven miles west of Lago Vista, when it appears his vehicle went into the opposite lane, striking a trailer being pulled by a 2013 Ford F-250 traveling westbound.

A piece of rebar from the trailer dislodged and went into Young's vehicle, fatally injuring him. No information was available immediately on the name of the driver of the Ford F-250 or that driver's condition.

Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) announced the process and timeline for the selection of the new principal for Marble Falls High School (MFHS) during the regular board of trustees meeting Monday, Jan. 16.

That process includes opportunities for community input.

The district will post the MFHS principal position officially on Jan. 23, and Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen expects to make a recommendation of the high school’s new instructional leader for board approval April 17.

To give the Principal Selection Committee time to access top candidates to recommend to Allen this spring, MFHS is being led currently by interim principal Emmett Aubry. Aubry is an experienced educator who served as a superintendent, high school principal, and as an interim secondary principal since his retirement from full time education. Aubry replaced former MFHS Principal Manny Lunoff resigned effective Friday, Oct. 21.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The annual Girl Scout Cookie Sale kicks off in Marble Falls this weekend and, weather permitting, two central outdoor sales points will be offered by Wildflower Trails Service Unit 605.

Local cookie monsters can feed their need with curb service from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at 418 US 281, home of 1st United Bank.

On Sunday, Jan. 22, Girl Scouts will be posted at entrances to the Marble Falls Walmart Supercenter, 2700 US 281.

Even if weather curtails the weekend events, scouts will be selling individually around the area in coming weeks, spreading cooking joy while improving their own communication and marketing skills and earning the money for camp experiences and service projects. A delivery text order can even be placed to 512-586-1534.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The newly refurbished Marble Falls Depot officially became a station for Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) on Friday, Jan. 13.

The Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce was host to officials from around the region, as CARTS will be making the depot at 801 US 281 part of it's Interurban Service, linking passengers to Austin and points beyond.

“We were honored with the local interest and support we received from the community, the Chamber, the City of Marble Falls and elected officials at our Depot opening today,” said CARTS General Manager David L. Marsh. “Today is just a start, but from here we can begin our role as a local partner with the community to meet its transportation needs. We look forward to the opportunity.”

The depot will become a regular stop Jan. 17, but the interior will not be open to the public for just a bit yet.

Highland Lakes Creative Arts (HLCA) has announced the first purchase in the permanent sculpture installation initiative of Sculpture on Main.

Eleven sculptures were introduced at the opening of the 11th annual event Dec. 2. Although entries in the show remain on exhibit along Marble Falls' Main Street, all are for sale.

The colorful set of metal sculptures, “3 Ponies” by Johnny Shipman has been purchased by an anonymous donor who already has named the three to represent family residences. The stallion will be named Kosse for a Limestone County family ranch, the mare will be called Dallas and the colt will be Rocky, for a Rockport residence.

Shipman has exhibited all over the Central Texas Area and several years in the Sculpture on Main event, selling several premier pieces to local patrons.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Because crowd is expected for the next meeting of the Marble Falls City Council, the venue for the meeting Tuesday, Jan. 17, has been changed from city hall to Lakeside Pavilion, 307 Buena Vista Drive.

The regular session, at 6 p.m., will see appointments to committees that are the workhorses of citizen input into city government and the workshop that follows, at 7 p.m., will be about coordination of a project under way concerning land use in the city.

Marble Falls Fire Chief Russell Sander has announced Thomas “Tommy” Crane as the city's new Fire Marshal.

When he reports to Marble Falls Fire Rescue Jan. 17, he will be succeeding Johnny Caraway, who retired officially Sept. 19.

Crane has 29 years in the fire service, with the last 15 years serving as the Assistant Chief of Prevention for Travis County Emergency Service District (ESD) 2 (Pflugerville Fire Department).

“He retired from the ESD in January 2016 and is excited to return to the fire service after a year of traveling with his wife Sharon,” said Sander.

“We are happy to have Tommy join our team,” Sander continued. “His experience in Pflugerville, which experienced significant growth during his tenure, will be a great value to the fire department and city.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Salvation Army is alive and well in Burnet County, evidenced Wednesday, Jan. 11, by the delivery of $26,000 collected by bell ringers in Marble Falls and Burnet.

The idea of ringing bells before kettles to collect money for the disadvantaged at Christmastime began in 1891 in England. Today, you may pass by volunteers at Walmart in Marble Falls and Beall's in Burnet without realizing what represent, but Brooks Blake knows.

“Everyone is so good, so generous, teaching their kids to give,” said Blake. “So many people stop and say how they have been helped. It is heartwarming.”

For some time now, volunteers come from the county's three Rotary Clubs—those that meet at noon in Marble Falls and Burnet and Daybreak Rotary in Marble Falls.