Bertram Texas news

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Early voting in the Saturday, May 5, local elections has begun in Burnet and Llano counties and eligible voters will have extended hours to cast their early ballot both this week and next.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

Burnet Bulletin

Funeral services will be held today, Thursday, Feb. 15 for a young Burnet man killed in a freak accident at his home.

Justin Battles, 26, a graduate of Burnet High School, died at his home Saturday night, Feb. 10, in an accident that left him pinned between his truck and a wall of home in Bertram.

“He had a little fire pit and he liked to cook out there,” said Bertram police chief J.J. Wilson. “He had music playing in his truck and the theory is that he must have reached in to turn the music off and knocked the standard shift into gear.

“He only had a second to respond to try to get it back out of gear when it began to move forward in first gear and pinned him against the house.”

“Bring their sugar” to Bertram for the 40th Annual Oatmeal Festival, is the official invitation for Burnet County fun this Labor Day weekend.

The festival celebrates the historic community of Oatmeal with a line up of free, family events.

There is a reason all times for the festival events begin at three minutes after the hour or half-hour. It's because 3-Minute Brand Oats help keep OatFest alive and vibrant to this day.

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

In his childhood, Elijah Brown lived in Buchanan Dam and Granite Shoals before attending Marble Falls schools. When his father became pastor of First Baptist Church in Bertram, Brown finished his high school education at Burnet High School, where he graduated in 1999.

“It was a joy to grow up in this area,” said Brown, who currently serves in Washington D.C. as the executive vice president of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, which focuses on international religious freedom.

On July 7, the Baptist World Alliance’s general council at a meeting in Bangkok elected him to serve as the next general secretary.

By Glynis Crawford Smith
The Highlander

By Christi Bertelson

Highland Lakes Newspapers

The streets of Bertram and Oatmeal will be buzzing this weekend, as the 39th Annual Oatmeal Festival gets under way.

Kicking off Friday, Sept. 2, arts and craft vendors, barbecue, Mr. Groaty Oats, Music and the Miss Oatmeal Pageant and Auction will take place in the Oatmeal Community Center located at 7324 County Road 336 in Bertram.

“Our final count for Miss Oatmeal Pageant entries is 33,” said April Baladez, member of the Oatmeal Festival association.

“We take entries for the Mr. Groaty Oats Pageant until it’s almost time for them to walk up on stage, so if anyone wants to still join, it is open,”

Saturday gets underway with the Trail Ride from Oatmeal to Bertram and the Run for your Oats 3.3 mile race.

“The Trail ride is a confirmation of the transition from Oatmeal to Bertram for the festival, where the rest of the events will take place,” said Baladez.

Looking for a way to help your community?

Just a few hours a week can make a difference and now is the time to get in on the ground floor with Literacy Highland Lakes (LHL), a non-profit organization dedicated to adult education.

Orientation sessions will take place from 9:30 a.m.-noon on three different Saturdays in three different locations:

Aug. 6, Marble Falls Library, 101 Main Street.

Aug. 13, Herman Brown Free Library in Burnet, 100 East Washington Street.

Aug. 20, Joann Cole Mitte Memorial Library in Bertram, 1701 North Gabriel Street.

Literacy Highland Lakes helps adults ear their High School Equivalency Diploma (formerly called GED), learn basic reading skills and grow in English as a Second Language (ESL) education and prepare for U.S. Citizenship.