Marble Falls Texas news

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Traffic was diverted from US 281,  north and south of Ninth Street, beginning around 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, after a Future Telcomm crew breached a six-inch gas line in front of Burger King construction.

The break was severe enough that gas could be seen bubbling up through a puddle on the street corner and the sent of the gas odorant filled the air for a block around the site.
Marble Falls Fire Marshal Tommy Crane and Fire Chief Russell Sander were on the scene as workmen and emergency personnel cordoned off the site and cleared the area for workers from ATMOS Energy to begin repairs. Officers from the Marble Falls Police Department put up barricades and began directing traffic that included large over-size equipment loads into city street detours.
Emergency notifications began to ring through on city phone lines and cell phone and email notices went out that repairs could take up to two hours.

This week is Marble Falls High School Homecoming week and the Marble Falls Ex-Students Association All School Reunion is set for Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Falls on the Colorado Museum (FOCM), located in the Old Granite School in Marble Falls, has special exhibits in place in the Madolyn Frasier Room to remind former students of their days at Marble Falls High School.

“Museum volunteers have scoured museum archives for old pictures to display,” said museum board chair Darlene Oostermeyer. “In addition, former athletes and coaches have responded to our requests to display their personal sports memorabilia.”

Oostermeyer said that additional items for the Marble Falls Sports Exhibit arrive every week at the museum. The Sports Exhibit will be on display until the end of October.

Marble Falls High School (MFHS) Student Council members are hard at work preparing for this year’s Homecoming scheduled for Sept. 25–29 and MFHS ex-students are planning their own homecoming event Sept. 30--the All School Reunion-- including the 50th Anniversary of the Class of 1967.

High school students will be building the Homecoming excitement with a week of in-school spirit days leading up to the Homecoming ceremonies and the football game against Medina Valley, Friday, Sept. 29.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Homecoming Parade, Bon Fire and Pep Rally on Thursday Sept. 28, and Friday night pre-game and halftime celebrations.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

At 6:30 a.m., when some are just sitting down to breakfast, the Marble Falls Library Thrift Store is buzzing with activity.

Volunteers from Friends of the Marble Falls Library are sorting donations, repairing items and stocking the store at 300 Avenue J. When the doors open at 9:30 a.m., shoppers know they will always find something new-to-them, from clothing and jewelry to furniture and home accessories. The children's area includes an amazing offering of dolls and toys and, of course because readers take a special interesting in supporting the store, there are books, videos and audio selections.

Sales are so brisk the Friends are able to direct about $10,000 a month to the Marble Falls Public Library, now celebrating a Platinum Anniversary at the 101 Main Street facility that Friends helped to build 20 years ago.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The possibility of a new Asphalt, Inc. rock crushing plant on the far southern outskirts of the city brought the largest contingent of visitors to the Marble Falls City Council on Tuesday night, Sept. 19.

In a meeting that opened with proclamations recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Marble Falls Library's Main Street location and hunger awareness, the agenda included a proposed ordinance establishing the intent of the City of Marble Falls to annex into the city limits 1,242 acres of land that would place the proposed plant in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the city.

“Annexation is not a silver bullet,” said Mayor John Packer. “But it could give us some standing.”

The plant opponents seemed gratified, nonetheless, to witness a unanimous council vote in support of the ordinance.

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

Marble Falls Independent School District earned high marks from both the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) and from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) accountability ratings for 2016-2017.

This and the district’s campus improvement plans were also discussed at the Sept. 18 school board regular meeting, highlighting what they’re doing to help students become better learners.

District, campus improvement plans

Wes Cunningham, PhD, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and the various campus principles presented their campus improvement plans for this year.

For 2017-2018, MFISD has 4,142 students (an increase in 1.89 percent) with its type of families described as “lower to middle class.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The very first day of events for the 20th Anniversary of the Marble Falls Library on Main Street, Monday, Oct. 2, will be Children's Day, but then, every day is children's day in a library.

In fact, when former librarians are honored on with an invitation-only luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 3, school librarians are included in the kudos and at least one among them learned to love books under their care.

“I didn't know I would grow up to be a librarian, I just loved to go to the library,” said Amanda Rose, current director of the Marble Falls Library. My best friend and I would get dropped off there and we loved spending hours reading.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Marble Falls Library at 101 Main Street, organizers will be looking even farther back in history almost 70 years.

During a whole week of events, Oct. 1-7, visitors will pass a picture of Mrs. H.R. (Lois) Anderson (June 14, 1884-April, 29,1956).

The year 1948 was is the date historical accounts credit as the beginning of one woman with pushing forward a dream of a library in Marble Falls.

Anderson had already been rallying support with the local Parent Teacher Association when plans were announced that year by the Burnet County Library Board of Directors to incorporate branches in Marble Falls, Bertram and Briggs. The news that PTA, Federated Clubs and Home Demonstration Clubs would get behind the idea of donating books, set Anderson on a search for a location.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Gov. Gregg Abbott, in addition to his proclamation of Oct. 1-7 as Power Up Your Library Week in Texas, officially recognized the 20th Anniversary of the Marble Falls Public Library in its home at 101 Main Street.

The library will be closed Sept. 21-29 for new renovations and it will reopen to the flurry of preparations for a week of 20th anniversary events.

“We are super excited,” said library director Amanda Rose. “Every day from Monday, Oct. 2 through Friday, Oct. 6, something special will be going on inside the library.

That first day will be Children's Day.

“Lollypop the Clown will put on magic shows and lead two parades through the library, one for pre-schoolers, and one after school for older kids,”said Rose.

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

The State of Texas has implemented new laws for public schools — including rules on school buses, bullying and graduation requirements — and area schools are working to get them implemented.

Burnet County is home to two public school districts: Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD) and Burnet Consolidated ISD.

MFISD Superintendent Chris Allen, PhD, provided updates on the different laws implemented:

* New school buses must have shoulder-to-lap seat belts for all riders (SB 693). “We are in the process of gaining approval to purchase four new buses, and they will have the required harnesses,” Allen said.

* With the help of a measure dubbed David’s Law, school officials hope they will have more tools at their disposal to fight cyber bullying (SB 179). The superintendent said they have aligned rules, expectations, documentation, and training to the new requirements.