The 53rd annual Howdy-Roo chili cook-off will be held in Granite Shoals rather than Marble Falls for the first time in its history. Organizers hope to revitalize the festival at the new venue after a challenging few years, which included the deaths of longtime chili champions and restrictive accommodations at Lakeside Park in Marble Falls.

Howdy-Roo is May 2-3 at Quarry Park, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road in Granite Shoals. The chili cook-off has been a staple event in Marble Falls since 1972. This year, it will be held in memory of one of its longest-serving members, Ruby Ross, who died in 2024. 

The cook-off is hosted by the Highland Lakes Chili Pod, which is led by Great Pepper Craig Schlicke, who came out of a short retirement in 2025 to take over the reins after stepping away from the role in 2023. 

He explained to DailyTrib.com that Quarry Park solves many of the problems the event faced at Lakeside Park, including a lack of parking and electrical hookups for the dozens of visiting chili cooks who enter the competition every year.

“I think it’s best for Howdy-Roo to move out (to Granite Shoals) right now to draw the cooks and barbecue folks back in,” he said. “The complaints (last year) were about parking large RVs, trucks and trailers, and that it was harder to get around.”

According to Schlicke, Howdy-Roo participation had begun to dwindle in recent years, and the annual barbecue cook-off that accompanied the chili event wasn’t included in the 2024 festivities, leading to even fewer competitors.

The barbecue cook-off is back in 2025, and Schlicke hopes to return Howdy-Roo to its former glory, even if it means taking it away from Marble Falls.

The 131-acre Quarry Park has enough space to accommodate hundreds of vehicles, whether car, RV, or truck and trailer, and it has the electrical and sewer hookups for overnight stays. Also, Granite Shoals Fire Chief Tim Campbell and Police Chief John Ortis have been heavily supportive of Howdy-Roo, Schlicke said, as the event enhances their vision of putting the city on the map as a barbecue cook-off destination.

Howdy-Roo had been held in Marble Falls’ Johnson Park for many years but moved to Lakeside Park in 2022. According to Schlicke, this was due, in part, to increased restrictions imposed by the city regarding damage to grass, landscaping, and utilities.

Despite the switch in cities, Marble Falls leadership is still supportive of Howdy-Roo. The city’s Hotel Motel Tax Advisory Committee agreed during a special meeting Feb. 19 to continue funding the cook-off with a $1,500 allotment.

“I think we would like for you all to grow and get stronger and see you come back to Marble Falls,” said Mike Hodge, Marble Falls city manager and head of the committee, during Wednesday’s meeting after a presentation from Schlicke. “I don’t see a reason why we should change the funding.”

Howdy-Roo was awarded the $1,500 from Marble Falls’ 2024 hotel occupancy tax fund, which collects a small tax from short-term rentals in the city. To receive money, an applicant must prove they will bring visitors who spend dollars to the city. 

In this case, Schlicke asserted that many Howdy-Roo visitors would still sleep, eat, and play in Marble Falls.

“Everybody loves Marble Falls, there is no question. Everybody loves going to (Blue Bonnet Cafe) and eating, but we’ve got to get them back (to the Highland Lakes) somehow,” he told the committee.

He said he was open to the idea of bringing Howdy-Roo back to Marble Falls but made no guarantees to the committee.

“It ain’t like the old days in Johnson Park, where everybody went down there and partied,” he said. “We don’t have that anymore, we don’t have the crowd anymore. We’re trying to build the crowd up. That’s why we’re moving.”

HOWDY-ROO LOSSES

The Howdy-Roo community was hit hard by Ross’ death in 2024 as well as the 2023 death of one of the event’s main supporters, Carrie Kinnison. Carrie and husband Larry, better known as “Doc,” put a lot of heart into Howdy-Roo, according to Schlicke. Doc, who moved away to be closer to his and Carrie’s children, asked Schlicke to step back in and keep Howdy-Roo going.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Cottonwood Shores voters will select a new Place 2 councilor and decide whether or not to re-up a sales tax allocation for city street maintenance in the May 3 election.

Three of six City Council seats are up for election, but two incumbents are running unopposed, including the mayor. 

Candidates who submitted paperwork during the Jan. 15-Feb. 14 filing period were:

Mayor

• Jared Dodd (incumbent)

Dodd is wrapping up his first term in office, having been elected in May 2023. Without a challenger, he will retain his seat for a second term.

Place 2

• Gary Parsons (new candidate)
• Rick Longabaugh (new candidate)

Incumbent Place 2 Councilor Brigitte Thomas did not file for re-election, leaving her seat up for grabs in May.

Parsons is a former member of the City Council, previously serving at Place 1 from 2020-22. Longabaugh is a newcomer to Cottonwood Shores politics.

Place 4

• Laura Hankins (incumbent)

Hankins has held her Place 4 seat since 2023 and, without an opponent, will keep it in May.

STREET MAINTENANCE SALES TAX

A special election will be on the Cottonwood Shores ballot for the reauthorization of a one-fourth of a percent of city sales tax for the exclusive use of street maintenance.

According to City Administrator J.C. Hughes, the tax was first approved by residents in 2017, but, by state law, it must be reauthorized by voters every four years. 

“The bulk of our maintenance budget is from that quarter (of a percent),” Hughes told DailyTrib.com. “Without that, we’d fall back on the ad valorem (property taxes).”

He explained that the quarter of a percent comes from the total 8.5 percent sales tax within city limits and brings in about $83,000 annually. The funds can only be used for the maintenance of existing streets.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE

Election Day is May 3. Early voting runs April 22-29. The last day to register to vote in the Cottonwood Shores city election is April 3. Visit the Burnet County Elections Office webpage for more information.

Cottonwood Shores city councilors serve staggered, two-year terms, and those elected in May will serve from 2025-27.

Council members represent residents in municipal matters and are responsible for setting the city’s budget, developing and amending policies and ordinances, approving or denying major development and contracts, and overseeing the work of the city administrator, who handles the day-to-day operations of Cottonwood Shores.

dakota@thepicayune.com

The Marble Falls City Council on Feb. 18 approved the formation of a public improvement district to support up to $50 million of necessary utilities for a proposed 253-acre development along Manzano Mile. The developer now will be able to break ground on the project in March.

The Manzano Mile project has been on the city’s books since at least December 2024, when the developer applied for the formation of a PID to help fund it. 

The City Council’s approval followed a public hearing on the district during its Tuesday meeting. On Feb. 4, the council approved a development agreement to greenlight the project.

According to Marble Falls legal consultant Gregory Miller of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP, all relevant property owners were mailed notices of the Feb. 18 public hearing and notices were published in the local newspaper of record.

The PID is a collaboration between the city, the developer, and a lender to fund the installation of utilities to service the future properties within the confines of the district. Under this funding model, the developer is lent money to complete the installation of essential infrastructure, like roads, water hookups, drainage, and electricity. A bond company will then take over the loans and be paid back over time by the future property owners who will use the infrastructure. It is then the city’s responsibility to collect the funds and pass them along to the bond company.

With the formation of the Manzano Mile PID complete, the developer can begin construction after 20 days, which lands on March 10. The next step in the process is the creation of a service and assessment plan, which will help determine the exact payment structure to levy payments from future property owners to pay back the initial loans that will be used to install utilities.

The Manzano Mile development will span about 253 acres along roughly 1.8 miles of Manzano Mile, from the intersection of RR 1431 to the end of the road, near Colt Elementary School. The development is approved to contain 1,500 living unit equivalents, or approximately the amount of utilities utilized by a standard single-family home with 3.5 occupants. It is zoned for combined residential and commercial use and will likely have single-family homes, multi-family units, and apartments.

dakota@thepicayune.com

The race for the Place 1 seat on the Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees is contested in the May 3 election. Place 2 has already been decided, with the incumbent trustee the only applicant.

Candidates who filed to run during the Jan. 15-Feb. 14 window were:

Place 1

• Gary Boshears (incumbent, served since 2016)
• Tucker Edwards (challenger)

Place 2

• Crystal Tubig (incumbent, served since 2022)

Without a challenger, Tubig will retain her Place 2 seat in May.

Also on the May 3 ballot is a bond election for district-wide improvements.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE

Election Day is May 3. Early voting runs April 22-29. The last day to register to vote in the MFISD election is April 3. Visit the Burnet County Elections Office webpage for more information. 

MFISD trustees serve staggered, three-year terms. Those elected in May will serve from 2025-28.

Trustees represent the residents of the Marble Falls school district in policy making, forming the district’s budget, approving or denying major developments and projects, and overseeing the work of the superintendent, who handles the district’s day-to-day operations.

The board usually meets on the third Monday of each month.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Burnet County is hosting a town hall to gather public input before officials purchase new election equipment. The meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the AgriLife auditorium, 607 N. Vandereer St. in Burnet. 

Residents may ask questions and voice their opinions on the proposed equipment change. Vendors, representatives from the Texas Secretary of State’s office, and officials from other counties who have implemented different voting systems have been invited to participate.

“We want as many people there as possible,” Burnet County Commissioner Damon Beierle told DailyTrib.com. “We want the machine reps there to talk about all the ins and outs of the machines. We also want Gillespie County there because they hand-counted in the 2024 primary, and we want to hear their opinion on how that went.”

According to Doug Ferguson, Burnet County elections administrator, new voting machines must be purchased before a state-set deadline of Sept. 1, 2026. 

“The equipment that we’ve been using for 20 years is not allowed starting in the November 2026 election by law,” Ferguson said. “It doesn’t have a voter-verifiable paper trail. In other words, when a voter votes, they can’t look at anything on paper to see that their vote is correct before they cast it.” 

The town hall will help the county vet all options before making a decision.

“We’ve researched, had demos over the years … and the equipment that we are looking at (will change) when a voter checks in to vote,” Ferguson said. “They get a choice to either get a printed paper ballot right there on the spot … or they can go sit down at a ballot-marking device.”

Ferguson said getting ahead of the 2026 deadline will be beneficial.

“You don’t wanna try using brand-new equipment in a big election (congressional midterm). You need to get your feet wet with a smaller election (city/school),” he said. “That’s why we have made a decision to try to do it this year because the elections are smaller this year.”

No official votes or decisions will be made at the Tuesday town hall, but Commissioner Beierle said Burnet County has already earmarked money for new equipment.

“If we get to where we’re comfortable with a decision, we’ll put it on the agenda,” he said. “Some purchasing details would have to be ironed out before we could vote on it, but we do know it’s funded. We have the money for almost any decision we make.”

elizabeth@thepicayune.com

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved Air Quality Standard Permit No. 176835 for Asphalt Inc., LLC, on Friday, Feb. 14, granting the Austin-based company authorization to build and operate a rock-crushing facility at 3221 FM 3509, just outside of Burnet city limits.

Despite widespread public opposition and over 4,000 public comments submitted against the project, the TCEQ noted in its approval and response letter that it cannot deny a permit if all legal requirements are met.

The proposed facility, which would use machinery to break down rocks into smaller materials for construction purposes, is permitted to operate up to 2,640 hours per year, processing a maximum of 200 tons of material per hour.

Opponents of the project, including advocacy groups SaveBurnet.com and Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining, are preparing to file a Motion to Overturn the permit approval with the TCEQ.

The proposed quarry is still awaiting a decision from the Lower Colorado River Authority on if it meets the proper standards of the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance before it can move forward. The site is near Inks Lake as well as Longhorn Cavern State Park and Camp Longhorn.

TCEQ response

The permit was approved following the TCEQ’s review process, which requires the state commission to respond to all public comments before finalizing a decision. Concerns included health impacts, environmental risks, and community disruptions. The TCEQ addressed these concerns in its official response, which categorized the objections into key areas:

Health & air quality

Many residents voiced concerns about potential health risks, including exposure to silica dust and other airborne contaminants. In response, TCEQ stated that the rock crusher’s emissions are expected to remain within allowable state and federal limits.

“Based on TCEQ’s conservative modeling analysis, TCEQ is confident that a company operating in compliance with the Standard Permit should not contribute to deterioration of air quality that would cause health effects to the surrounding community,” the commission stated.

Additionally, the TCEQ noted that required dust control measures—such as water spray systems—must be implemented at the quarry to minimize particulate emissions.

The TCEQ also shared an environmental study it conducted measuring the air quality effects of similar operations.

Environmental impact

The site’s proximity to Longhorn Cavern State Park, Inks Lake, Camp Longhorn, and other natural areas has raised concerns about potential environmental harm, including impacts on wildlife and local water resources. The TCEQ responded by stating the rock crusher must comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which it says are sufficient to protect surrounding ecosystems.

“Because the emissions from this facility should not cause an exceedance of the NAAQS, air emissions from this facility are not expected to adversely impact land, livestock, wildlife, crops, or visibility, nor should emissions interfere with the use and enjoyment of surrounding land or water,” the commission stated.

While residents and environmental groups called for additional environmental impact studies, the TCEQ declined, stating that no further analysis is required under existing regulations.

Concerns outside of the TCEQ’s jurisdiction

The TCEQ responded to various environmental and health concerns regarding the proposed rock-crushing facility, but the commission also clarified that certain issues raised by residents fall outside of its regulatory authority. These include water use, zoning, traffic, noise, property values, and mining operations like blasting.

In regards to other concerns, the commission also stated it does not consider financial motives or company violations in other states when considering a permit for approval.

Compliance & enforcement

Under the permit, Asphalt Inc. must maintain operational records and allow inspections by the TCEQ. If violations occur, potential enforcement actions could include fines or legal penalties.

“Individuals are encouraged to report any concerns about nuisance issues or suspected noncompliance with terms of any permit or other environmental regulation,” reads the TCEQ’s response.

The public can report compliance violations through the commission’s regional office at 512-339-2929 and 24-hour Environmental Complaints Hotline at 1-888-777-3186.

Motion to Overturn

A representative of TCEQ told DailyTrib.com that “a person affected by an action of the executive director may appeal to the commission by filing a motion to overturn (MTO) the executive director’s decision.”

However, the filing of an MTO does not affect an action unless decided by the commission. 

An MTO must be filed no later than 23 days after the date of the notice. The due date for Asphalt Inc.’s application is March 10. 

TCEQ rules related to motions to overturn can be found here.

Fermin Ortiz, a representative of SaveBurnet.com and a founding member of Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining, told DailyTrib.com there are plans to file an MTO that will argue TCEQ’s responses to comments. 

“An environmental study was turned in, and (the TCEQ) did not reply to that at all, no comment whatsoever,” Ortiz said. “It would lead one to believe that maybe they didn’t read it all, so those are the kinds of things we want to point out to the commission.”

While the motion represents an official challenge to the permit approval, it can be denied. If the motion is denied, opponents could pursue legal action in court.

For more information on TCEQ, visit its website.

elizabeth@thepicayune.com

Of the four Granite Shoals City Council positions up for election May 3, only the mayor’s seat is contested. The other three positions, Place 1, Place 3, and Place 5, will likely be retained by their incumbents.

Those who submitted paperwork to run during the Jan. 15-Feb. 14 filing period were:

Mayor

• Ron Munos (incumbent)
• Ben Roman Jr. (challenger)

Munos became mayor in October 2023 after Kiel Arnone resigned from the position. At the time, Munos was the Place 1 councilor and mayor pro-tem, a position that fills in for mayor when the mayor is temporarily unavailable or permanently leaves their seat. Prior to taking the mayor’s seat, Munos served as a councilor for two terms and was elected to a third in May 2023 before transitioning to mayor later that year.

Ben Roman Jr. is a newcomer to city politics and will go head to head with Munos at the polls on May 3.

Place 1

• Brian Edwards (incumbent)

Edwards was appointed as Place 1 councilor in October 2023 to replace Munos. Edwards was then officially elected to the position after running unopposed in the May 2024 election to finish out the 2023-25 term.

Place 3

• Judy Salvaggio (incumbent)

Salvaggio was elected to the Place 3 position in May 2023 after running unopposed for the seat when Councilor Samantha Ortis chose not to file for re-election.

Place 5

• Michael Berg (incumbent)

Berg was appointed to the Place 5 seat in November 2022 after Councilor Eddie McCoy resigned. Berg won the seat in the May 2023 election, running unopposed.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE

Election Day is May 3. Early voting runs April 22-29. The last day to register to vote in the Granite Shoals city election is April 3. Visit the Burnet County Elections Office webpage for more information.

Granite Shoals council members serve staggered, two-year terms with a maximum of three terms as a councilor and three terms as mayor, for a total maximum of six consecutive terms on the council. Those elected in May will serve from 2025-27.

City Council members represent residents in municipal matters and are responsible for setting the city’s budget, developing and amending policies and ordinances, approving or denying major development and contracts, and overseeing the work of the city manager, who handles the day-to-day operations of Granite Shoals.

dakota@thepicayune.com

The Burnet election in May features contested races for mayor and three at-large City Council seats.

The candidate filing period ended Feb. 14. Here’s who is on the ballot:

Mayor

• Gary Wideman (Incumbent)
• Anthony Francisco (challenger)
• Cliff Hirneisen (challenger)

City Council

(The top three vote-getters will be seated in the three available at-large seats.)

• Ricky Langley (incumbent)
• Joyce Laudenschlager (incumbent)
• Tres Clinton (incumbent)
• Dennis Langley (challenger)

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE:

Election Day is May 3, 2025. Early voting runs from April 22-29. The deadline to register to vote in the Burnet city election is April 3. More information on voting procedures, including polling locations, can be found on the Burnet County Election webpage.

To register to vote or for more information on voting qualifications and requirements in Texas, visit the Texas Secretary of State Voter Information page.

View the District Voting Map for the city of Burnet here.

Burnet mayor and councilors are elected to two-year terms and may serve no more than three consecutive terms. 

The Burnet City Council acts as the governing authority for the city, establishing policies, approving budgets, and advocating for residents’ needs. 

elizabeth@thepicayune.com

Only one of the four seats up for election on the Marble Falls City Council in May will need to be decided by voters. The other three, including mayor, will be uncontested after candidate filing closed Feb. 14.

Races on the May ballot for the Marble Falls council will be mayor, Place 2, Place 4, and Place 6.

Those submitting the paperwork to run during the Jan. 15-Feb. 14 filing period were:

Mayor

• John Packer

The seat will be vacant after outgoing Mayor Dave Rhodes terms out of his council service in May. 

Packer was previously Marble Falls mayor from 2015-21. Without an opponent, he is guaranteed his spot on the City Council.

Place 2

• Dee Haddock

Current Place 2 Councilor Karlee Hubble chose to not run for her current seat but instead file for the Place 4 seat, leaving Place 2 open.

Without opposition, Haddock, who served on the Marble Falls City Council on and off between 2017 and 2022, will take the Place 2 seat in May.

Place 4

• Karlee Hubble
• Rene Rosales Sr.

Current Place 4 Councilor Bryan Walker chose not to run for re-election. The seat is the only contested race on the ballot.

Hubble is serving her first term on Marble Falls City Council, having been elected to the Place 2 seat in 2023. Her current term is up in 2025.

Rosales Sr. is a former councilor, most recently in the Place 3 seat from 2020-22.

Place 6

• Craig Magerkurth 

Magerkurth filed for re-election to his current Place 6 seat. He was previously the Place 1 councilor from 2016-22 before taking a year off and then running for the Place 6 seat in 2023.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE

Election Day is May 3. Early voting runs April 22-29. The last day to register to vote in the Marble Falls city election is April 3. Visit the Burnet County Elections Office webpage for more information.

Marble Falls mayor and councilors serve staggered, two-year terms with a maximum three total terms as a councilor or mayor or a maximum of four total consecutive terms at any position on the council. Those elected in May will serve from 2025-27.

City Council members represent residents in municipal matters and are responsible for setting the city’s budget, developing and amending policies and ordinances, approving or denying major development and contracts, and overseeing the work of the city manager, who handles the day-to-day operations of Marble Falls.

dakota@thepicayune.com