MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls Historic Main Street Association hopes several special upcoming events will help provide an economic spark to local businesses.
As part of several upcoming "downtown Marble Falls revitalization events," the Marble Falls Historic Main Street Association will sponsor an open air festival Saturday.
The event set for 8 a.m.-7 p.m. March 20 throughout the historic Main Street area will include food and merchandise vendors from all over Texas. Free live entertainment and store special sales will be featured during the event, according to organizers.
The Association plans to attract locals and visitors to Main Street with more programs happening the third Saturday of each month during upcoming weeks. One such event is the "Lone Star Adult Soap Box Derby" and street dance set for June 18-20.
Also during upcoming weeks, the Association plans to sponsor the "Meet on Main" event 5-8 p.m. the first Thursday of each month. That will include local artists and farmers during the "Homegrown and Homemade Farmer’s Market."
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MARBLE FALLS — Reports that Highland Lakes-based Ronn Motor Co. owed more than $98,000 in unpaid payroll taxes were — in the words of the company’s founder — an "error."
"We’ve already taken care of it. It was an error," Ronn Motors CEO Ronn Maxwell told The Daily Tribune Tuesday. "That’s all that I’ll have to say about it."
The Internal Revenue Service filing came several months ago, Maxwell said, even as the company prepares to double the amount of money it will spend to remodel a former candle factory in town that will serve as its future headquarters.
IN PHOTO: The Scorpion HX supercar has made appearances at auto shows around the world. Owner Ronn Motor Co. plans to operate a manufacturing plant in Marbel Falls. File photo
Within three years, Marble Falls will take over the site and use it for a vocational-technical training center for adults and younger students. The motor company is expected to stay in Marble Falls, but move to another location.
The company, which makes eco-friendly sports cars powered by a mix of gasoline and hydrogen, was notified of the federal tax lien by the IRS in December 2009, according to records.
Officials with the IRS did not return calls for comment Tuesday. Documents indicating the tax lien had been released were not available, according to officials with the Burnet County Clerk’s office.
According to IRS documents, the company owed a total of $98,025.37 after failing to pay payroll taxes for four consecutive quarters in 2008-2009.
Maxwell said the IRS mistake has already been smoothed over, adding work at a Marble Falls site that’s expected to serve as the company’s temporary home was proceeding on schedule.
Ronn Motors this spring will move into the 76,000-square-foot former candle factory, which now is owned by the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. The building will be the automaker’s world headquarters for about three years before a planned move to a new $3 million facility elsewhere in Marble Falls.
The EDC purchased the building for $1.7 million in 2009 to use as a career classroom, agreeing to lease the facility to Ronn Motors for three years before the school is opened. A $700,000 project by the EDC to bring the building up to code continues.
EDC Special Projects Coordinator Olivia Cribbs said Ronn Motors’ finances — good or bad — wouldn’t affect the building’s future as a regional vo-tech classroom.
"Our plan always was to have the building be a vocational-technology center," Cribbs said Tuesday. "Having Ronn Motors come in was the icing on the cake."
Whether Ronn Motors is successful doesn’t have a bearing on the city’s agreement with the company, she added.
"Our ultimate goal is to get the technical school going," Cribbs said. "Whatever happens to (Ronn Motors) won’t affect that."
As part of the company’s lease agreement with the EDC, Ronn Motors had agreed to create an unspecified number of local jobs, and Maxwell said in December he planned to bring 100 jobs to Marble Falls by the end of 2010.
The company in December announced it had secured $6 million in investor funding, and Cribbs said the EDC was preparing to re-negotiate Ronn Motors’ contract to account for an increase in the company’s spending.
"The original contract stated (Ronn Motors) would spend $250,000 to refurbish the offices," she said. "He indicated they’re going to spend $500,000, so the new contract will reflect that."
Maxwell’s company began trading shares in May 2008, and originally set its sights on opening a production facility near Cottonwood Shores.
Since then, its flagship Scorpion HX supercar has made appearances at auto shows around the world.
The Scorpion uses an onboard system to extract hydrogen from water molecules, injecting the gas into the fuel stream to enhance fuel efficiency while reducing carbon emissions, company officials said.
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MARBLE FALLS — They’re still leaving the light on, but this Motel 6 may even make announcer Tom Bodett speechless.
After almost 18 months of work, the budget hotel opened its doors Tuesday on the north side of town at 1400 Ollie Lane, just off U.S. 281 North.
The Marble Falls Motel 6 is one of the first in the chain to boast the new Phoenix package, General Manager Mance Bowden said.
"It’s a new prototype Motel 6 is using," he said. "It’s more upscale. Every room has hardwood floors. There’s a 32-inch flat-screen TV in each room. We have granite or marble countertops in the bathrooms."
The motel boasts 83 rooms — 43 with queen-size beds and 40 with double beds.
"We got our certificate of occupancy this morning and started taking reservations before noon," Bowden said. "So it’s been a pretty exciting day for us."
Bowden said the new facility offers other features that people may be surprised to see in a Motel 6.
"It’s probably not what most people expect when they think of Motel 6," he said. "There are no ‘outside’ rooms. Everything is inside — all the room entrances. So it’s more secure."
While the hotel includes more amenities, Bowden said it’s still priced for the average person looking to get to the Highland Lakes for a day, a weekend or even longer.
The facility, owned by Rick Patel (who also owns a hotel in Burnet), fits into the Texas landscape quite well with its new features, the general manager said.
And with more people discovering Marble Falls and the Highland Lakes, Bowden said the new hotel makes a great addition to the community.
"Marble Falls is a destination location, and people coming here want a place they can stay that offers them nice features but is still priced within their range," he said. "And here in Marble Falls, through spring, summer and early fall, you know you’re going to be full."
Already customers are finding their way to the new hotel’s reservation line. Bowden said half the rooms are already booked for the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival April 9-11.
"And we just opened today," he said.
For more information on Motel 6, go to www.motel6.com or call (830) 265-6565.
Bodett and his trademark folksy tone helped make the motel chain famous, beginning with commercials in 1986, his official Web site states.
The new Motel 6 is just the latest hotel to open in Marble Falls, which has seen a small boom in overnight-destination construction.
A LaQuinta Inn & Suites opened in July 2008 at U.S. 281 and FM 2147, and a Comfort Suites is under construction just south of the LaQuinta, also on U.S. 281.
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MARBLE FALLS — Family and friends will remember a teen at 6 p.m. Wednesday who died as a result of a car accident.
The Rev. Rodney McGee will conduct the funeral services for 19-year-old Michael Jeffrey Fluty of Horseshoe Bay at the Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 1805 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls.
Fluty, a student at Falls Career High School in Marble Falls, was the passenger in a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier that was involved in a two-vehicle accident with a Marble Falls Independent School bus March 11 on RR 1431 between Marble Falls and Granite Shoals.
Fluty died March 12.
Mark Cooksey, 17, of Granite Shoals was driving the Cavalier east on RR 1431 when it crossed into westbound traffic and struck the bus, law enforcement officers said.
The bus was carrying seven elementary students and a driver. None of the bus occupants were transported to the hospital after being checked out by Marble Falls Area EMS Inc. paramedics.
The students were transferred to another bus and taken home.
Cooksey was transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge in Austin, where he was treated and released.
Fluty was born Aug. 15, 1990, in Orlando, Fla.
He was attending FCHS and was planning to graduate in April.
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.
Visitation was held Tuesday at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home.
In lieu of memorials, the family asked that individuals consider becoming organ donors like Fluty was.
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GRANITE SHOALS — Because the city’s own animal shelter is in such "bad shape," Christ-Yoder Animal Shelter/Adoption Center will now keep strays collected in Granite Shoals.
The City Council Monday night approved the agreement with Christ-Yoder, which is located in Buchanan Dam — about 15 miles northwest of Granite Shoals.
Also, the city authorized the appointment of Roxanne Nelson to provide magistrate services for the Burnet County Jail in Burnet.
Meanwhile, the agreement between Christ Yoder and Granite Shoals calls for the animal shelter to provide housing and adoption services for wayward animals picked up in the city.
Under the terms of the agreement, Christ-Yoder would accept animals brought by city police or animal control officers, according to city documents.
Police Chief J.P. Wilson said the agreement will help the city, considering the state of Granite Shoal’s own animal shelter.
"The facility is in bad shape," he said.
He added that a city animal control officer would be on patrol from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
In other news, Nelson was selected as the associate magistrate judge. She replaces Former Associate Magistrate Judge Gale "Mac" McCurdy, who retired last month to move closer to family.
The associate magistrate judge is the first point of contact for an arrested person brought to the county jail. The magistrate informs suspects of charges brought against them and their right to an attorney, evaluates their mental health, sets jail bonds and officially receives inmates for incarceration.
Unlike city governments, the county cannot directly hire a replacement for McCurdy, officials said.
Technically, Nelson will be an employee of Granite Shoals, since McCurdy was a municipal judge there before his appointment as associate magistrate.
The county will reimburse Granite Shoals for the new associate magistrate’s service, officials said.
As a cost-saving measure, the County Commissioners have recently decided to add the role of indigent defense coordinator to the associate magistrate’s duties. The indigent defense coordinator receives requests from impoverished defendants on public assistance and verifies their eligibility for a court-appointed attorney, officials said.
Before the meeting ended, the council instructed city staff to begin zoning property in newly annexed areas.
City leaders also approved a resolution providing for the adoption of an official seal, logo, flag design and motto.
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MARBLE FALLS — Starting Monday, the weekday Daily Tribune will still be delivered — but online only as part of a move resulting from sheer economic necessity, company officials said.
“We did not make this decision lightly to take The Daily Tribune online. Ink runs in our blood,” said Publisher Amber Alvey Weems. “But we have to do this to continue offering the best stories around while remaining financially viable. We are a business, and anyone who’s run a business and has families counting on them can probably understand why we’re making this transition. Nothing is being shut down, only transformed.”
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MARBLE FALLS — Families hoping to find a new animal friend don’t have to look any farther than the Marble Falls Animal Control Center.
Police Capt. Robert Sooter said the city’s only animal shelter holds regular adoptions 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, adding many residents aren’t aware of the service.
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Crews from Marble Falls Fire Rescue and Marble Falls Area EMS Inc. were called to the 1100 block of Hackberry Street about 1:30 p.m. Monday after an oven fire at the home burned out of control.
There was no serious damage, but firefighters used fans to blow smoke out of the residence while paramedics examined the residents, an elderly couple. Staff photo by Chris Porter
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MARBLE FALLS — Four-year-old Valor Fillingim had his own ideas on how to throw a flying disc — namely, straight up.
Fillingim was one of about 25 participants who went to Westside Park Monday afternoon for a free disc-golf workshop as part of the city’s week-long Spring Break celebration.
The workshop was hosted by world-champion disc-golfer Jay Reading of Dripping Springs, who holds the classes as part of his Educational Disc Golf Experience — or EDGE — program.
IN PHOTO: Valor Fillingim, 4, prepares to toss a flying disc during a free disc-golf clinic at Marble Falls’ Westside Park Monday. The class — dubbed the Educational Disc Golf Experience — was part of the city’s week-long Spring Break Activities. Staff photo by Chris Porter
Disc-golf involves trying to make goals using a Frisbee-like object.
Parks and Recreation Director Robert Moss said the workshop was designed to bring more people to the nine-hole Westside Park disc golf course — the first of its kind in the city.
The park is at 1206 Second St. off of Avenue N.
"Some of the community is aware that we have a disc-golf course here at Westside, and it’s very popular," Moss told The Daily Tribune. "But I thought it would be a very good chance to introduce the sport to the little bit younger generation."
Reading, who’s taken the world disc-golf doubles and putting champion titles multiple times, used the course to teach players the basics of one of the United States’ fastest growing sports.
"It’s really nice to have his expertise to share with the community," Moss said. "The response has been very good. We ended up with about 25 people today, and we had places for 30."
The class began with a video presentation followed by an afternoon of hands-on instruction at Westside Park, which opened last year.
Moss said the event marks the beginning of the city’s free Spring Break activities.
Other Spring Break events include:
• Tuesday, 10 a.m. — Craft activities at Home Depot, 1307 Mormon Mill Road
• Wednesday, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Movie day with free lunch at Lakeside Pavilion, 307 Buena Vista
• Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Bowling for sixth-12th graders at Lake Country Lanes, 112 North Ridge Road
• Thursday, 1 p.m. — Nintendo Wii party, Marble Falls Public Library, 101 S. Main St.
• Thursday, 1 p.m. — Volleyball Tournament, Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes Marble Falls Unit, 1701 Broadway
• Friday, 1-3 p.m. — Ice cream social, Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes Marble Falls Unit, 1701 Broadway.
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