The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission recognized District Attorney Wiley “Sonny” McAfee on August 22 for his efforts in prosecuting natural and cultural resource violations as well as environmental crimes. The commission named the 33rd and 424th district attorney the 2019 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Prosecutor of the Year. McAfee serves Burnet, Llano, Blanco, […]

Read the full story

Pedernales Electric Cooperative employees stopped by Colt Elementary School on August 19 to drop off school supplies they had collected. Across the PEC service area, cooperative employees donated more than 6,000 items to area school districts. The materials collected at the PEC office in Marble Falls went to Marble Falls Independent School District campuses. Supplies […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON The Rev. Mel Hazlewood had always considered immigration a political issue better left to elected officials. However, after a recent journey to the Texas-Mexico border as part of an ACLU-led group and observing immigration courts, Hazlewood changed his mind. He hopes others will look at the challenges on the border and seek […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON The three Highland Lakes public school districts scored B’s for overall performance in the latest Texas Education Agency accountability ratings.  Ratings are based on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams, college/career/military readiness, and graduation rates from the 2018-19 school year. Districts and campuses earn letter grades from A […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON A Burnet County grand jury indicted an Alabama couple accused of trafficking boys in association with a Bertram-area residential facility. Gary Wiggins, 49, and Meghann Wiggins, 34, face human trafficking charges related to a July 2018 investigation. According to the grand jury indictment, the two knowingly trafficked four boys and made them […]

Read the full story

Former U.S Rep. Allen West is the keynote speaker for the Burnet County Republican Picnic on Sunday, September 8, at Bill’s Burgers in Burnet. West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, will be joined by state Sen. Dawn Buckingham and state Rep. Terry Wilson at the event, which is 4-7 p.m. at the Burnet eatery, 306 […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO The Marble Falls Mustangs football team learned how well they’re progressing on new offensive and defensive schemes. The lessons came in a scrimmage August 16 against the Lampasas Badgers, a squad ranked in the top 10 in many preseason polls. The hosting Badgers outscored the Mustangs 3-2 in the controlled portion […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER SUZANNE FREEMAN Concrete pouring for the new boat ramp and dock began August 15 at Inks Lake State Park. Park Superintendent Corey Evans said the goal is to have both ramp and dock opened this fall. The original timeline scheduled the ramp to open in mid- to late summer. “We’ve been delayed a […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO When Brew Van Gogh rolls by on his Harley-Davidson donned in leather, he demands attention. No ordinary biker, this 7-year-old broken coat Jack Russell terrier mix has logged more than 15,000 miles on the back of owners Diane and Roy Lenoch’s red, black, and silver Harley. On a recent ride near […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO In one play, Faith Academy of Marble Falls head football coach Stephen Shipley got his answer on whether his version of the 11-man spread offense could work in the six-man game. It came August 15 during the Flames’ first scrimmage, which was against Giddings State School. Junior quarterback Grayson Poage found […]

Read the full story

Burnet County law enforcement officers arrested a 45-year-old man who fled Brown County on the last day of his trial before a jury convicted him and recommended a 20-year sentence. Damon Beard was picked up in the Marble Falls area August 12 after he absconded from Brown County five days earlier. Beard was on trial […]

Read the full story

You’re in a hurry when you see the flashing red lights and stop sign on the school bus facing you. The kids are all headed away from the road. What could it hurt to drive past? A lot — especially if a child dashes out across the road at the last minute. The best advice […]

Read the full story

If you plan to hunt or fish in Texas after August 31, you need to purchase the 2019-20 licenses. New licenses go on sale Thursday, August 15, and may be purchased from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department online, by calling 800-895-4248, or in person at 28 law enforcement field offices, more than 50 state […]

Read the full story

For a nonprofit, $5,000 is a big boost for its programs. And thanks to Pedernales Electric Cooperative, it’s not a pipe dream. The cooperative is accepting applications for community grants of up to $5,000 through 5 p.m. October 1. Nonprofits must prove their tax-exempt status with the proper documentation and be located within PEC’s territory […]

Read the full story

According to the state of Texas, the three Highland Lakes school districts are doing a “superior” job at managing taxpayers’ money. The Texas Education Agency released the the preliminary school Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas ratings August 9, and the three area public school districts — Burnet, Llano, and Marble Falls — each earned […]

Read the full story

The Burnet Consolidated Independent School District is eyeing major upgrades and improvements across the district to the tune of about $33 million. On August 12, district trustees voted unanimously to call for a November 5 bond election. And the district won’t have to raise its tax rate this year to support the bond. The bond […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON U.S. Rep. Roger Williams shared what might be a different view than his Washington colleagues on both sides of the aisle when it comes to the most pressing issue facing the country. “My biggest concern for America is our debt,” Williams said during a stop at Numinous Coffee Roasters in Marble Falls […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO After the Burnet High School football team ended its first week of the 2019 training camp, new head coach Jerod Rye was enthusiastic about what he saw, especially following the intersquad scrimmage August 10. Highlights included blocking, especially down field, pursuit to the football, and solo tackling. “What I love is […]

Read the full story

FROM STAFF REPORTS More bad news for the Highland Lakes as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Lower Colorado River Authority confirmed that invasive zebra mussels have been found in Lake LBJ. The species was previously discovered in Lake Travis. “It is disheartening to see zebra mussels spreading higher up the chain of […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON Scorching triple-digit temperatures continue this week with little relief from the heat in sight and an ever-increasing fire danger. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory from noon to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday for portions of the Highland Lakes as temperatures are expected to reach 102-104 degrees. Even as a […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO Kelle Graves summed up the feelings of many homeowners as she settled into her favorite chair with her dogs, Ewok and Panda, to watch TV. “This is my paradise,” said the Baylor Scott and White employee about her 400 square feet of living space in Kingsland. Known as a tiny home, […]

Read the full story

STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO The Faith Academy of Marble Falls football team finished its first full week of fall training camp with an intersquad scrimmage August 9. The Flames offense scored once, but new head coach Stephen Shipley said the objective wasn’t about scoring touchdowns; rather, it was about evaluating the progress of each player. […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON Every Granite Shoals police officer has children, so they know how stressful and costly back-to-school shopping can be for parents. Always looking for ways to help the community, officers are once again holding the Operation Fill the Boat school supplies drive. “This is our second year of doing it,” Sgt. John Ortis […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON You might have heard “music soothes the savage beast” or “music soothes the soul.” It’s a common belief that music is a positive force. Dr. Andrew Shaw of Texas Oncology in Marble Falls also believes it has a place in a patient’s recovery from cancer. Of course, music isn’t a cure for […]

Read the full story

With a $6,050 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority, the city of Granite Shoals can add a customer portal to its smart meter system to help customers more easily monitor their real-time water use. The city matched the grant with a contribution of $6,050. Granite Shoals will add the new portal to its advanced […]

Read the full story

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON The suspect in the stabbing of a mother and son in Cottonwood Shores led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through two counties, but teamwork put him in the Burnet County Jail, where he is facing several felony charges. Cottonwood Shores Police Chief Johnny Liendo said the man entered a Cottonwood Shores […]

Read the full story