GRANITE SHOALS — A Granite Shoals man wounded in a weekend knife attack remains in stable condition at an Austin hospital, police said Monday
The attack occurred about 11 p.m. Friday on Prairie Creek Road. No arrests have been reported.
The victim drove to a neighbor’s house for help, police Capt. Royce Graeter said Monday.
"He didn’t know the people, he just stopped at the first house he saw for help," Graeter said.
The victim, who suffered at least three wounds to his left side and upper thigh, couldn’t identify his attacker, Graeter added.
The victim’s identity wasn’t released pending notification of his family.
"He couldn’t give us a really good description," the captain added. "He couldn’t even really tell us where he’d been attacked. He just said it was down the road. I didn’t really have a crime scene to investigate."
Graeter said the man was flown by rescue helicopter to University Medical Center Brackenridge.
Anyone with information is asked to call Granite Shoals police at (830) 598-4818.
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MARBLE FALLS — Though some folks are glum Monday mornings, Sue Kennedy was all smiles as she walked out of the Helping Center and saw the bags of groceries piled in the bed of Al Pawlik’s pickup.
"Oh my, that looks so good," the Helping Center director said with a big grin. She clapped Pawlik on the back. "I’m so grateful for you all."
Pawlik, his wife Marian Pawlik and Bob DeChene dropped off another load of groceries for the food pantry donated by parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.
PHOTO 1: Al Pawlik (left) of the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church’s Knights of Columbus hands over one of several bags of groceries to Sue Kennedy and J.D. Medlock of the Marble Falls Helping Center. The Marble Falls parish collects 70-80 bags of groceries every month and donates them to the food pantry. They visited the facility Monday morning. Staff photos by Daniel Clifton
PHOTO 2: Al Pawlik (left) of the Knights of Columbus from St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Marble Falls, Marian Pawlik of the Lady Knights and J.D. Medlock of the Marble Falls Helping Center unload a pickup laden with groceries Monday morning at the food pantry. The St. John’s parishioners collect an average of $800 worth of groceries every month for the center. The Knights of Columbus serve as the point group for the food drive and make the monthly delivery.
"This is the third year we’ve been doing this," DeChene said.
The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic service organization, helps spearhead the food drive, but Al Pawlik said the church members deserve all the credit.
"It’s a parishwide effort," he said.
DeChene said the Knights and Lady Knights pass out grocery bags the second Sunday of the month to the congregation. Then the parishioners return them the third Sunday filled with groceries. Pawlik or other Knights then deliver the full bags to the Helping Center the third Monday of each month.
"We’re averaging about $850 worth of groceries every month," DeChene said. "Everybody (at St. John’s) chips in. Even the kids help out with this. It’s something we see really helps our community."
The Helping Center, 1315 Broadway, provides food for local residents who are struggling financially.
Officials said the demand on the food pantry has increased over the past year as families ride out the country’s economic crisis. While a lot of attention is focused on holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, officials say food is needed all year.
For more information on the center or to help, call (830) 693-5689.
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MARBLE FALLS — Long-awaited changes to the city’s sign ordinance could be in the cards after a vote by the City Council at Monday’s meeting.
City Manager Ralph Hendricks proposed the formation of a new working group devoted to sign-rule changes at the meeting, where officials also signed off on the purchase of a new mobile-command unit for the Police Department.
The current sign rules don’t cover many types of signs, Hendricks said, adding that lack of oversight has contributed to a confusing corridor for motorists traveling through Marble Falls.
Any changes to the rules would need to come before the economy swings upward, he added.
"That way, when the building does start back up again, we can cover more in a customer-friendly way," Hendricks said.
The current sign ordinance doesn’t cover flags, balloons, inflatable displays or signs for subdivisions, he added.
"What we would like to do is have a group to bring clarity to some very specific areas," Hendricks said. "We’d like to have them look at banners, new signs in newly annexed areas and requirements for replacements of signs when a business is sold or purchased."
Mayor Pro-tem Mike Pilley — who owns a concrete-construction business — said some aspects of the current rules are too restrictive.
"When a person spends $500,000 or $5 million to put a business here, they need to let someone know that they’re there," Pilley said. "(The sign ordinance) shouldn’t be so restrictive, or else why would they come here?"
The committee — composed of local business owners, residents and council members — will likely hold a series of open workshops with council members, Hendricks said.
The work could take several months, Mayor George Russell said.
"We need to get a group to start working on this thing," he said. "Sign ordinances are probably the worst thing a city council touches."
In other action, the council approved spending $125,000 in federal seized funds for a new mobile command center for the Police Department.
Funding for the purchase comes from money seized during investigations and won’t affect the city’s general fund, Police Chief Mark Whitacre said.
According to federal law, the seized money may only be used to purchase law-enforcement equipment, he said. Additional seized funds left over in the account could go toward a new firing range for officers, Whitacre added.
The command unit — purchased from the Round Rock Police Department — will help officers communicate with multiple agencies during emergencies.
"Any operation lasting longer than two hours, it could be utilized for that," Whitacre said.
Finally, the council voted 4-2 against a measure to move the council’s regular monthly meetings to the first and third Tuesday of each month.
Hendricks said the change was needed to give City Hall staffers more time to prepare for the meetings, which are held the second and fourth Mondays of the month.
However, the council voted instead to move meetings to 6 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays due to scheduling conflicts.
The next meeting is 6 p.m. April 12 in council chambers, 800 Third St.
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BURNET — A grant funded by the Texas Lottery Commission could ensure that Burnet County veterans lacking transportation still get to their medical appointments.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court recently approved an application for funding from the Texas Veterans Commission to buy passenger vans and pay drivers.
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FAIRLAND — A man who battled a fire in the kitchen of his manufactured home Friday managed to escape without injury, officials said.
Fire crews from the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department and Granite Shoals Fire Rescue raced to the incident in the 200 block of Winding Way Road about 1 p.m. and soon had it under control.
"It was mostly contained to the kitchen," said Marble Falls Chief Terry White. "There was one man inside at the time it started, but he was able to (get out on his own)."
Photo 1: Members of the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department and Granite Shoals Fire Rescue stand ready to enter a home in the 200 block of Winding Way in Fairland. The two departments, along with the Marble Falls Area EMS Inc. and a deputy from the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a kitchen blaze 1 p.m. Friday. The fire was quickly put out with fire extinguishers. One man was home at the time, but he was able to get out safely. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
Photo 2: Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department and Granite Shoals Fire Rescue crew members stow their gear after a house fire Friday on Winding Way Road in Fairland. The two departments, Marble Falls Area EMS Inc. paramedics and a Burnet County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the fire, which was contained in the home’s kitchen. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
White said the cause of the kitchen fire was unknown.
"The homeowner was able to get some of it out by the time we arrived," White said.
Ten members of Marble Falls VFD and five from Granite Shoals rushed to the emergency, then used fire extinguishers to put out the flames once they arrived.
"We did have a hose ready just outside the home," White said.
After the fire, crews conducted a "mop up" where they removed burned materials, said Marble Falls Assistant Chief Mike Phillips.
"We want to get all the burned materials out of the house so it helps get rid of the smell," Phillips said.
White said no firefighters were injured. A Marble Falls Area EMS Inc. ambulance also responded.
Meanwhile, the firefighters stayed busy Friday.
Thirty minutes after clearing Winding Way, volunteers and paramedics were dispatched to a call in the 7400 block of RR 1431 east of Marble Falls for a possible ATV accident.
Through the months of January and February, the Marble Falls volunteers have responded to 69 calls, they said.
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COTTONWOOD SHORES — Plans for an athletic park on city land off Lakeview Drive were put on hold at Thursday’s City Council meeting, after some residents sought to hang on to the property for future use.
The proposed Aspen Athletic and Recreation Park would have included a soccer practice field and open space for families to enjoy picnics and other activities, Mayor Bentley Martin said.
However, questions about the property’s value and the city’s finances led the council to refrain from dedicating three lots — valued at a combined $90,000 — as parkland.
The city already is engaged in seven grant-funded park projects, including upgrades to Noah Thompson Park, a new boat dock and a skateboarding area. The Aspen park would not have been part of the grant projects, Martin said. The fenced-in land is currently used as a storage area by city Public Works crews.
Former Councilman Roger Wayson said the Lakeview property could better serve the city as collateral for future loans.
“There is no going back once the land is dedicated,” Wayson said at the meeting. “The city has no other major (cash) reserves.”
The area previously served as parkland before the city was incorporated in 1987, and Wayson said the area later earned a reputation for “drug use and a sexual meeting place for teenagers.”
The land was also formerly used a burn site by the city, though Martin said a recent Lower Colorado River Authority environmental survey found no current danger to residents stemming from the fires.
Former councilman Donald Orr sought to have the land reappraised, adding nearby property held more than twice the value.
“The Aspen lots are undervalued at this time,” he said. “They are the last relatively liquid assets for collateral in the event of an emergency loan.”
Wayson said city leaders could still use the land as a park while keeping it on the city rolls.
“We could open it up as an open-use area during daylight hours,” Wayson said. “As a minimum, it could be used as matching funds in future grant applications.”
Public Works Manager George Perry said his crews could convert the open space to a soccer field for about $1,000 in city funds, adding a fence around the property would need to be moved to make room for parking space off Aspen Street.
Councilwoman Janet Taylor-Carusi, who was absent due to illness, said in a statement she hoped to return the land to use as a park.
Councilman Bill Plumley agreed, moving to dedicate the property for use as a park “in perpetuity.”
That motion died due to lack of a second.
Meanwhile, other parks projects are proceeding on schedule, officials said. Plans for a nature preserve off Dogwood Lane were approved at Thursday’s meeting, and grant-funded upgrades to Community Park are expected to begin later this year.
The council will meet in special session 6 p.m. March 25 to discuss proposed increases to city water rates.
That meeting will take place at the Public Library, 4111 Cottonwood Drive.
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HORSESHOE BAY — City leaders are asking for public comments on a proposed $600,000 bridge to span a low-water crossing on Bay West Boulevard that floods often.
The City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to begin a study on building the bridge, which would replace a concrete slab on Bay West with a double-arched span that engineers say could withstand a 100-year flood.
Mayor Bob Lambert said the council is hoping to get input from residents before moving forward with a $1.5 million plan that would include building the bridge and resurfacing more than a mile of pavement on Bay West.
IN PHOTO: A computer-enhanced image shows a proposed bridge on Bay West Boulevard that would replace a low-water crossing that floods often. The road is a primary artery into the Bay West neighborhood. The City Council has asked residents to weigh in with their feelings on the project. Courtesy image
The bridge itself would cost $600,000 and be funded with available cash, officials said.
Councilwoman Claudia Haydon said the bridge is needed to serve the growing population of Bay West.
"The population has increased substantially," she said. "Over this period of time, I’ve seen lots of incidents. I’ve seen moving vans stalled there, I’ve seen motorcycles on their side — and I don’t even live right there. It is dangerous, and the more populated we get, the more dangerous it’s going to be."
If approved, the bridge would be built primarily of prefabricated concrete, and could stand up to a 100-year flood event, Lambert said. The construction project would take about three months, which means temporarily closing Bay West, he added.
Bay West resident Dale Rodman spoke out against the proposal.
"The low-water bridge was there when everyone bought (property) over there," Rodman said. "You know it was there, but you bought anyway."
Rodman said an existing alternate route into the Bay West area off Texas 71 still provides access to the neighborhood during floods, adding he didn’t see a danger to motorists from the low-water crossing.
"It’s only dangerous if you drive into it while the water is high," he said. "Why would you ask the city to spend $600,000 if you’re not willing to drive a couple more miles?"
Lambert asked the council to survey residents to find out their feelings on the issue, including the bridge’s price tag.
"That’s what we hope to do, that’s where we are," Lambert said. "We’re going to proceed on this slowly. If we decide to do it, it can be done six months to a year from now. We’ll get this communicated and see what we hear."
Councilman Steve Spence agreed.
"We need some other opinions," Spence said. "Let’s hear from people on what they want to do."
Residents with comments on the bridge project can contact City Hall at (830) 598-8741.
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At least two people were transported by ambulance just before 7 p.m. Wednesday in this St. Patrick’s Day collision involving a two-door sedan and a sport utility vehicle in the 1600 block of RR 1431, adjacent to an entryway at McDonalds in Marble Falls.
Traffic was temporarily delayed and re-routed, while emergency crews briefly worked on the patients before taking them to Seton Highland Lakes Hospital in Burnet. Staff Photo by Connie Swinney
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MARBLE FALLS — Even in death, Michael Jeffrey Fluty is still sharing his generosity with others, said a minister during a memorial service Wednesday night for the traffic-accident victim.
Dozens of family and friends gathered to mourn the 19-year-old Horseshoe Bay resident, who succumbed March 12 to his injuries a day after the car he was riding in collided with a Marble Falls Independent School District bus.
"His legacy lives on because of his generosity to others," said the Rev. Doug Lindley, who noted Fluty decided to become an organ donor one month before he died.
IN PHOTO: Spicewood resident Debbie Brust (left) comforts granddaughter Jamie Ludwig after the memorial service Wednesday for Michael Jeffrey Fluty in Marble Falls. Ludwig was Fluty’s aunt, and Brust was a friend. The 19-year-old Falls Career High School student died last week from injuries suffered in a traffic accident. Staff photo by Raymond V. Whelan
Several patients have since received his donated organs, including a girl in San Antonio and another person in Wisconsin, the minister said.
"We can be consumed with the way he died, rather than the way he lived. Don’t focus on what we lost, focus on what we had," Lindley said.
In addition to Lindley, a throng of family and friends offered testimony during a service mixed with laughter, tears and several fond memories. It was held in the chapel of Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 1805 U.S. 281.
"He was a son, a friend and someone that is loved by many," the Rev. Rodney McGee said during the service in which Fluty was remembered for his wide smile and love of corn dogs, fishing, marshmallows, Shake ‘N Bake pork chops and skateboarding.
Fluty planned to graduate next month from Falls Career High School.
"Mikey was the kind of dude who could walk into a room and put a smile on everybody’s face," said classmate Dallas Harper. "I am sad to see him go. But he is in a better place now. He is in good hands."
Teacher Emily Patterson remembered as Fluty as a person who "brought joy with him."
"He was so kind of heart to all the other students," Patterson recalled. "I can only remember good things about Mikey."
Randi Born, who works for Falls Career Student Services, remembered Fluty as a "happy soul."
Fluty was born Aug. 15, 1990, in Orlando, Fla.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather Pennie (Wiysel) Ludwig and Josh Ludwig of Horseshoe Bay; his father William Fluty of Melbourne, Fla.; brother Will Fluty II of Marble Falls; sisters Krista Fluty of Marble Falls and Guyla Fluty of Melbourne, Fla.; grandparents Franklin and Cora Wiysel of Vancleave, Miss.; and grandmother Carol Wiysel of Melbourne, Fla.
He is also survived by aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous friends.
Mark Cooksey, 17, of Granite Shoals, was driving a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier east on RR 1431 when it crossed into westbound traffic and was involved in a collision with the eastbound bus, law enforcement officers said.
Fluty was the passenger, Granite Shoals police said.
The bus was carrying seven elementary students and a driver. They were not injured, according to investigators.
Both Fluty and Cooksey were flown by rescue helicopters to University Medical Center Brackenridge in Austin. Cooksey was treated and released.
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