As of April 1, Mid Coast Medical Center-Central is Llano Regional Hospital. The name change came after Llano County assumed control of the healthcare facility following a mutual separation agreement with Mid Coast Health System, which had operated the hospital since 2020.
Llano County and Mid Coast solidified their separation March 10 following months of disputes over the hospital’s financial viability. Llano Regional Hospital, 200 W. Ollie St. in Llano, is owned by Llano County, governed by the Llano County Hospital Authority Board, and managed by CEO Hatch Smith Jr.
“This transition is more than a name change,” said Smith in a Tuesday media release. “We are resetting, reinforcing, and making sure our residents have the best primary, specialty, emergency, inpatient, and post-inpatient care possible, close to family and friends.”
Smith was also CEO of the hospital when it was still Mid Coast Medical Center-Central, but he was furloughed from his position along with 11 other employees in December 2024 in a large, unexpected cut made by Mid Coast to save on costs. Smith reportedly offered to work for no pay after his furlough.
The hospital will maintain its services and likely expand them, according to the media release. It will keep its “critical access” hospital designation, opening up paths to federal funding and support.
“These are challenging times for rural healthcare, but we are committed to making sure our communities have access to local healthcare, when they need it,” said Pat McDowell, president of the Llano County Hospital Authority Board. “We don’t want any of our friends or neighbors to have to travel to Burnet or Fredericksburg or even farther to Austin for a doctor’s visit, physical therapy session, or more intensive inpatient care when we can provide it right here in Llano.”
The Hospital Authority Board is made up of seven volunteers appointed by the Llano County Commissioners Court to oversee hospital operations.
The Llano-area hospital, also known as Llano Memorial Hospital, has existed in some form since 1957 and serves residents of Llano, San Saba, Mason, Cherokee, Kingsland, and the unincorporated areas in and surrounding Llano County.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
An accident involving three vehicles, one of which was cut in half, shut down traffic at the intersection of Burnet County Road 401 and Texas 71 in Spicewood on Monday, March 31. Emergency crews responded just after 4 p.m. to the scene, where two people had to be extricated and one person airlifted by helicopter to a hospital. No deaths were reported.
The crash added renewed urgency to a long-awaited road improvement project slated for the intersection.
“This was just another example of someone trying to make a left-hand turn and having to sit dead still in a 70-mile-per-hour zone,” Burnet County Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery, who arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, told DailyTrib.com. “It’s a recipe for disaster. That’s why we’ve been advocating for this project for years, and it’s finally about to come to fruition.”
Dockery said the $7 million project will add a full traffic signal at the intersection, deceleration lanes, and a continuous 14-foot center turn lane stretching about three-quarters of a mile in both directions. Right-turn lanes will be put on both sides of the highway.
The improvements are being jointly funded by the Texas Department of Transportation and Burnet County, with the county contributing $100,000. Hunter Industries was awarded the construction contract earlier this year, and a pre-construction meeting is expected soon.
“TxDOT told me the contract has been fully executed and they’re pushing to get that pre-construction meeting scheduled,” Dockery said. “I’m hoping work begins next month (May).”
The intersection lies within Dockery’s precinct and has been a trouble spot for years. Monday’s accident is the latest in a string of serious crashes there.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
A state environmental watchdog group has recommended overturning a recently approved air-quality permit for a proposed rock crusher just southwest of Burnet, marking a significant development in the ongoing battle over the controversial quarry.
In a 15-page letter filed March 28, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Office of Public Interest Counsel—a third party tasked with representing the general public—said “issues were incompletely addressed and analyzed” and urged the TCEQ to grant the motions to overturn the permit for Asphalt Inc.’s rock-crushing operation, which would be built at 3221 FM 3509 off of Hoover Valley Road. The site is near two state parks and a children’s summer camp.
“OPIC finds that good cause to overturn the Executive Director’s decision exists, based on substantial evidence provided by the Movants that the emission rates and modeling concerns were not fully addressed,” the agency wrote in its formal filing. “OPIC therefore recommends that the Commission grant the motions to overturn.”
The TCEQ executive director approved Standard Permit No. 176835 on Feb. 14, giving its go-ahead to Asphalt Inc. to build a permanent rock and concrete crusher capable of operating 2,640 hours a year and processing up to 200 tons of material an hour. More than 4,000 public comments were submitted during the application period, and multiple parties—including state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, resident Myra Allen Habbit, and attorney Larry Black, who represents SaveBurnet.com—filed motions to overturn the decision.
Two other responses, one by Asphalt Inc. and the other from TCEQ Executive Director Kelly Keel, were filed in opposition to the motions to overturn.
Keel defended the standard permit, arguing it already includes extensive safeguards.
“Operation of the plant is protective of human health and the environment,” she said, adding that dust-control measures and monitoring equipment will help keep emissions from the quarry within acceptable limits.
The response detailed that the permit meets National Ambient Air Quality Standards as well as those of the TCEQ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Keel also noted that the TCEQ does not have jurisdiction to consider concerns such as location, noise and vibration, or traffic issues.
Austin-based Asphalt Inc. held a similar stance against the filed motions.
“TCEQ should uphold the (executive director’s) approval of Asphalt Inc.’s air quality permit because Asphalt Inc.’s operations at the proposed facility will be protective of human health and the environment,” the company wrote.
The TCEQ now has until May 2 to decide whether to uphold or reverse Asphalt Inc.’s permit at an open meeting. If no action is taken, the motions are automatically denied under commission rules.
“Dr. Mitchell opined that these calculations produce an extremely low modeled concentration … and believes that it is not scientifically realistic that a facility such as the one proposed … would produce such a low concentration,” OPIC wrote. “Therefore, the calculations presented … are not reflective of the proposed facility.”
The watchdog also criticized the state commission’s limited response to those concerns.
“OPIC is persuaded from the record … that concerns about the emission rates used in the application were not suitably addressed in the Executive Director’s Response to Comments,” the filing stated.
OPIC acknowledged that broader issues, such as silica dust exposure, endangered species impacts, and air-quality monitoring, fall under existing agency standards. However, it maintained that the permit application’s modeling and emissions estimates warrant further review.
“A standard permit is not adjustable, and an applicant must meet the requirements … as is, otherwise the applicant does not qualify for authorization,” the counsel wrote.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
If the TCEQ grants the motions to overturn, it could deny the permit outright or remand the application back to staff for further investigation. If the motions are denied, the permit is granted. Opponents have the option to appeal in district court.
A hearing date has not yet been scheduled, but the commission is required to give at least seven days’ public notice prior to any open meeting, which must fall before the May 2 deadline.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Burnet and Llano counties are among 86 counties in Texas that have been designated “natural disaster areas” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to ongoing drought conditions. With the designation, farmers and ranchers are eligible for fast-tracked emergency loans to help them cope with the arid weather and loss of property.
The natural disaster designation was assigned to counties across the Highland Lakes area, including Burnet, Llano, Lampasas, Blanco, Travis, and San Saba counties. To qualify for the definition of a disaster, drought conditions must be recorded as D2, D3, or the most severe rating of D4 on the U.S. Drought Monitor during a region’s growing season.
As of March 27, Burnet and Llano counties are almost completely under D3 drought conditions and their southern portions under D4.
Farmers and ranchers within natural disaster areas may apply for Farm Service Agency emergency farm loans, which can be used to restore or replace essential property like livestock, equipment, and structures. The loans can cover up to $500,000 in production or physical losses and are made at a below-average interest rate set by the FSA.
The application deadline for the emergency farm loans is Nov. 24, 2025.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Victory Media is alerting businesses to phone scammers impersonating The Picayune Magazine and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune in relation to the Locals Love Us awards, a best of the Highland Lakes contest sponsored by the two media outlets.
Callers are reportedly asking recipients to confirm or complete a contract for a trophy or plaque, sometimes requesting payment or sensitive business information.
“If businesses get a call about Locals Love Us, and they have a question or doubts about the authenticity of the caller, hang up and call me at the office,” said Victory Media Publisher Mandi Goldsmith. “Please don’t give out any information, such as credit card numbers, over the phone.”
The Locals Love Us campaign is a legitimate promotion organized annually by The Picayune and KBEY, highlighting community favorites based on the votes by readers and listeners.
“The best thing to do if you get a call about Locals Love Us, and you know it’s not one of the sales staff or you aren’t sure, tell the person you’re going to contact us yourself,” Goldsmith said. “If it’s a Picayune or KBEY salesperson, they’ll understand.”
If you receive a suspicious call about Locals Love Us, or are unsure about the source, hang up and call the media group at 830-693-7152 and ask to speak with Goldsmith.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Extended-stay visitors to Burnet will have a new lodging option sometime in the fall of 2026. Construction has officially begun on a 93-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott location near Burnet Municipal Airport. City, business, and community leaders gathered at the project site, 1750 Cary Johnson Parkway off of U.S. 281, for a groundbreaking ceremony March 26.
“(The hotel is) very beneficial,” Burnet City Manager David Vaughn told DailyTrib.com. “Not only is it a great thing for the community to have another place to stay, but from a hotel occupancy tax standpoint, it’s going to generate a significant amount of tax, which we can then use to help promote eligible events and even promote more stays within the city of Burnet.”
Vaughn estimates the hotel will generate another $60,000 to $120,000 a year in tax revenues.
“That allows us to do a lot of things that right now we simply don’t have the funding to be able to do,” he said.
The extended-stay format caters to business travelers, event participants, and tourists who need accommodations beyond a typical weekend visit. Townplace Suites is a Marriott Bonvoy brand.
The hotel is being developed by TEKMAK Development Co. and ARK Hospitality and Development. The two companies purchased the hotel site’s 2.76 acres from the Burnet Economic Development Corp. for $436,000 in 2023.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Former Kingsland head librarian Suzette Baker reached a $225,000 settlement with Llano County on March 24 in a wrongful termination lawsuit she filed a year ago.
Llano County will pay Baker the money through the Texas Association of Counties litigation assistance program, not county tax dollars. As part of the settlement, the former librarian agreed to never again seek employment with Llano County, including in its library system.
Baker was fired from her Kingsland Library job in 2022 after refusing to remove several books shelves at the request of county and library system leadership. Many of those books contained racial and LGBTQ+ themes and were deemed controversial by the county.
“It’s cathartic in the fact that this part of it is over, but it’s one battle in the war on the ban on books,” Baker told DailyTrib.com following the settlement announcement. “When I first started this, I knew there was a chance they were going to fire me. They chose to ignore the law, and they chose to fire me for standing up for it.”
Baker and her legal defense asserted that her refusal to remove a long list of books from library shelves was protected by the First Amendment, making her 2022 termination a violation of her constitutional right. She filed a lawsuit against the county in March 2024. News of a potential settlement in the case came to light earlier this month.
“The significant financial settlement reflects the unconstitutionality of book segregation and banning efforts and the public’s ongoing displeasure with discrimination committed by government officials,” reads a media release from Rathod Mohamedbhai Attorneys At Law, Baker’s legal defense. “It further serves as a reminder that retaliation against administrators and librarians who speak out and otherwise oppose censorship and prejudice is against the law.”
Llano County leadership remains steadfast that Baker is wrong in her claim, but in partnership with the Texas Association of Counties, chose to move forward with the settlement. TAC represents and protects its members in an array of legal matters.
“The County wholly denies Ms. Baker’s claims about the reasons for her termination and was prepared to prove it in Court,” reads a statement to DailyTrib.com from Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham. “However, the County understands TAC’s decision to resolve the case for this amount in order to avoid the extensive attorney’s fees and expenses of continuing this litigation, which would have exceeded the settlement amount, and avoiding the disruption to County affairs that the ongoing litigation would have caused. We are glad to put this behind us and focus our energy on the important government services that Llano County provides, including but not limited to public and emergency services, maintaining our county road system, and offering vital rural health care to our citizens.”
Baker spoke on her experience during a Highland Lakes Democratic Women meeting Thursday in Marble Falls. She lives in Buchanan Dam and now works in a local hardware store, but is also touring the country with a documentary film crew for “The Librarians,” which features stories of censorship from her and other librarians.
BEYOND BAKER’S SUIT
Another civil lawsuit regarding the library system, Little et al. v. Llano County et al., was filed April 2022 and alleges violations of First and 14th amendment rights with the removal of 17 books from Llano County Library System shelves and its online app. Read the latest on this case and see a list of books central to both cases in this September 2024 story.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Agendas for Highland Lakes government meetings are posted 72 hours before a meeting, so they are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
A new subdivision, Moonlight Bend, is taking shape in Spicewood along Lake Travis and surrounding the future site of Canyon Ranch, a luxury wellness resort currently under construction by the same developer.
Burnet County commissioners on March 25 approved the preliminary plat for Moonlight Bend. The 134-lot gated community will sit on 160 acres out of a 591-acre tract on Flying X Road in Spicewood. The developer for both the subdivision and resort is CR Austin Resort LLC.
“This is the preliminary plat for the residential section,” Burnet County Development Services Director Herb Darling said during Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting. “They’re proposing 134 lots with an average size of 1.96 acres per lot. This will be the extent of the residential section, and there will be some amenity areas and also a resort.”
Before the Moonlight Bend project can move forward, it will need full plat approval, which will be brought before the Commissioners Court at a later date.
Water and wastewater services will be provided through a newly formed municipal utility district named Moonlight Bend MUD. The MUD is expected to use surface water as its primary source and groundwater as a backup.
According to documents filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Canyon Ranch Austin, which began construction in August 2024, is set to open in 2026. The $121.9 million wellness destination will span over 223,000 square-feet and include guest lodging, a spa, fitness facilities, dining areas, a medical clinic, and support operations.
The Canyon Ranch brand is internationally known for its luxury wellness resorts and has locations in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and Fort Worth. The new Hill Country location promises cutting-edge health facilities and personalized wellness programs.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
This Content Submission and License Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Victory Media Marketing LLC (“Company,” “we,” or “us”) and you (“User,” “you,” or “Submitter”) upon your submission of content through our websites’ See it, Share It form.
Submitted Content “Submitted Content” means any news tips, text, descriptions, images, photographs, videos, audio files, recordings, or other materials you upload, submit, or provide to us via the news tips forms on DailyTrib.com, KBEYfm.com, 101highlandlakes.com, or any other websites owned or operated by Victory Media Marketing LLC.
License Grant By submitting any Submitted Content, you hereby grant to Company a worldwide, non- exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, display, and otherwise exploit the Submitted Content in any form or medium (now known or hereafter developed), including but not limited to:
Publishing on DailyTrib.com, KBEYfm.com, 101highlandlakes.com, other Company websites, apps, newsletters, and social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, etc.).
Editing, formatting, or combining with other content for news, promotional, archival, or commercial purposes.
Allowing third parties (e.g., affiliates, syndication partners) to use it under the same terms. You retain ownership of the copyright in your Submitted Content, subject to the license granted above.
User Representations and Warranties You represent and warrant that:
You are at least 18 years old and have the full right and authority to grant the rights in this Agreement.
The Submitted Content is your original work or you have obtained all necessary permissions, consents, and releases (including from any individuals appearing in photos/videos or owners of any third-party materials).
The Submitted Content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or defame any person.
It complies with all applicable laws and does not contain viruses, malware, or prohibited content.
You will not submit false, misleading, or confidential information.
No Compensation You understand and agree that you will receive no compensation for the submission or use of your Submitted Content.
Indemnification You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Company, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, liabilities, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your breach of this Agreement or any third-party claims related to your Submitted Content.
Moral Rights and Publicity You waive any moral rights or rights of attribution in the Submitted Content to the extent permitted by law. Company may use your name, username, or likeness in connection with the Submitted Content if applicable.
Termination and Removal Company may, in its sole discretion, edit, refuse to post, or remove any Submitted Content at any time without notice. This Agreement survives any termination.
Governing Law This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the courts located in Burnet County, Texas.
Entire Agreement This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements. Modifications must be in writing. By submitting content, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Agreement.
