Drivers on a stretch of Texas 29 in Burnet should pay attention to new speed limit signs going up soon. The section of highway between Creekfall Road and CR 250, near the new Tractor Supply Co. and across from the county annex, will soon be 60 mph. The change is to help drivers adjust their speeds between the 55-mph and 65-mph limits entering and exiting the city.

The Burnet City Council approved the new speed limit at its Oct. 22 meeting.

“It will actually reduce the speed in just a very small area, about one-quarter of a mile,” Burnet Police Chief Brian Lee said during the Tuesday meeting. 

For westbound traffic into the city, the speed limit will gradually decrease, dropping from 65 mph to 60 mph and then to 55 mph near Baylor Scott & White Clinic. For eastbound traffic leaving the city, the limit will gradually increase from 55 mph to 60 mph and then to 65 mph.

The change is based on a recent recommendation from a Texas Department of Transportation engineering and traffic study and is aimed at improving road safety.

The new speed limits will go into effect as soon as the signs are up, City Manager David Vaughn said. No date for that has been set. After they are installed, speeders will face a fine of up to $200. 

elizabeth@thepicayune.com

Aspen Park in Cottonwood Shores now has a restroom thanks to dedicated funding from the city. Nearly $30,000 also has been set aside to build restrooms at three other parks in the small, lakeside community.

In 2023, the city installed a large covered playground at Aspen Park, 4101 Lakeview Drive, which resulted in an uptick in visitors and a need for restrooms. The city also allocated enough money for restrooms at Cottonwood Shores Boat Ramp, Noah Thompson Park, and P Squared Skate Park throughout 2024.

“(These restroom additions) are long overdue,” City Administrator J.C. Hughes told DailyTrib.com. 

The Cottonwood Shores City Council on Oct. 17 approved $27,800 to build three new restroom facilities following the completion of the one at Aspen Park.

“Cottonwood Shores is blessed with an abundance of open-space parks, which is unusual for a city our size,” Hughes wrote in a media release. “Four of our heavily visited parks are lacking in basic restroom facilities and with the support of the Parks Committee and the City Council, staff is helping to correct that issue.”

dakota@thepicayune.com

A Facebook post made by a Highland Lakes resident around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, claimed a young woman was missing after being approached by two men at a Marble Falls gas station. The post went viral, shared by thousands of people in Texas and across the country, but according to Marble Falls police, the woman, Olivia Corbin, was never missing or in danger.

The post, made by Casey Blair, was shared over 30,000 times in less than two hours. The entire Marble Falls police force was involved or on standby during an investigation.

“(Corbin) was never missing,” Marble Falls Police Department Capt. Jimmy Cole told DailyTrib.com on Wednesday morning after things had died down.

Blair’s original Facebook post has since been removed from her page, but it read as follows (unedited except for details about Corbin’s car):

“Please HELP!!!!

My friends daughter was headed home from college – got gas in Marble Falls (Round up Valero) approached by two men while one the phone with mom …phone is now turned off, life 360 turned off 

Driving (car make and model omitted)

TX License plates- (license number omitted)

Olivia Corbin

5’7”

Blonde hair

Blue eyes

MF POLICE have been notified”

Corbin was reported home, safe and sound at around 10 p.m., roughly two hours after the post was made, and according to MFPD reports, she was unaware she was “missing.” The woman’s phone had reportedly died while she was driving home from San Marcos to Granbury, and she was unreachable.

According to Capt. Cole, Olivia Corbin’s mother, Tiffany Corbin, became worried when her daughter did not respond to text messages. She noticed that Olivia’s Life 360 app, which shares locations, had stopped functioning at the Valero store at the intersection of Broadway and U.S. 281 in Marble Falls.

The Corbin family was not connected to the viral post in any way, according to the MFPD. Police reports state the family does not know or is even familiar with Blair. Tiffany Corbin responded to the ordeal on Facebook.

Capt. Cole told DailyTrib.com that surveillance footage from the gas station revealed Olivia Corbin stopped there but was not approached by two men. The detail of the two men approaching her appears to have originated in Blair’s post.

Marble Falls officers and detectives were swarmed with requests to investigate and reports of the “missing” Corbin following Blair’s post.

“To say the least, we got ‘bombarded,’” Cole said. 

In the aftermath of the post and investigation, Blair offered an explanation for why she put the word out.

“The information was given to me by a police officer friend that is a mutual friend of the Corbins and myself,” she wrote in a response to questions from DailyTrib.com. “I was asked to make a post with the information sent to me and help get the word out. I did just that: I activated our network of eyes and ears in our very close knit community. There was a sense of urgency as the parents had already reached out to the police and were at that time driving to Marble Falls from Granbury. The best possible outcome has come that she is home safe and sound.”

Blair’s post was liked over 1,000 times, received more than 1,200 comments, and was shared over 37,000 by Wednesday morning before it was removed.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Granite Shoals completed 0.28 miles of waterline upgrades on its east side, increasing water pressure and fire protection to dozens of households. With a revamped budget and more staff in the Utilities Department, the city is tackling its longtime water system issues.

The line upgrade, completed on Aug. 28, stretches from the intersection of Kingswood Drive and Kings Circle Drive to the intersection of Kingswood Drive and Kingdom Drive. The old 2-inch waterline was replaced with a 6-inch line, which boosted water pressure for residents in the area and allowed for the installation of three new fire hydrants.

Water pressure jumped from approximately 44 pounds per square-inch to 62 psi, according to Utilities Superintendent Josh Hisey. He explained that residents had been dealing with poor water pressure for years— seeing significant drops whenever neighbors used water at the same time—due to the minimal flow allowed by the old 2-inch lines. With an increase in line size, residents should now be able to use water concurrently without seeing a drop in pressure.

The three fire hydrants also dramatically increased fire safety in the area, as the nearest hydrant was several blocks away prior to the new installations.

Hisey told DailyTrib.com that more line improvements are in the works thanks to freed-up funds from a $7 million water bond passed in 2019. The city also chose to not supplement the general fund with revenues from the utility fund in the current fiscal year, meaning the Utilities Department has another million dollars at its disposal. 

Two utility worker positions were also added to the city’s roster, further bolstering the capabilities of Hisey’s crew.

“I think (the additional funds and workers) will improve our plight a lot,” Hisey told DailyTrib.com. “We’ve always been held back by our budget. Eventually, we’ll get to a point where we’ll start gaining on the maintenance and repairs.”

Hisey identified the 1000 and 500 blocks of the Northshore area as next in line for waterline repairs and upgrades.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Marble Falls has officially secured permitting from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to move forward with construction of a new water treatment plant that will double the city’s processing capacity.

The One Water Reclamation Facility has an estimated cost of $86 million and a projected 2027 completion date. It will be the largest construction project the city of Marble Falls has ever undertaken.

“We are proud to take this important step forward in securing a sustainable water future for Marble Falls,” Marble Falls Mayor Dave Rhodes wrote in an Oct. 22 media release from the city. “The One Water Reclamation Facility represents a significant investment in our city’s infrastructure, helping us meet the demands of our growing population while safeguarding our water resources.”

The plant is years in the making. Its need became obvious in 2018 after severe flooding of the Colorado River damaged the current treatment facility, located near Johnson Park. The city began acquiring funds in 2020 and making serious plans for construction by 2021.

The One Water Reclamation Facility, to be built on land adjacent to Walmart on U.S. 281, will double the city’s water-processing capacity from 1.5 million gallons a day to 3 million gallons a day, with the possibility of upgrading to 4 million gallons a day in the future.

A major feature of the new plant is the capability to process wastewater for irrigation use and potentially purifying it enough to be recycled as drinking water.

“Future phases of One Water will include piloting and building an advanced purification plant on the site to treat and recycle water to meet drinking water standards,” reads the media release. “This will provide the city with an additional water resource, improving resilience against drought conditions and future water shortages.”

The $86 million in funding comes from multiple sources, broken down as follows:

• $38.5 million in state and federal grants
• $40.9 million in low-interest loans through the Texas Water Development Board
• $4 million from local funds
• $3 million in zero percent interest loans

Marble Falls was required to increase its wastewater-processing capacity by the TCEQ when it reached 75 percent processing capacity for three consecutive months in 2019.

The cost to residents should be minimal, according to the city, which has already factored in repayment of loans into utility rates for the future.

“This state-of-the-art facility is a key part of the city’s long-term strategy to enhance water management, address growing demands, and ensure the sustainability of our water supply for generations to come,” reads the release.

dakota@thepicayune.com

The Burnet Chamber of Commerce is offering a valuable opportunity for small-business owners to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance their operations. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m., AI experts Frank Kenny and Norma Davey will lead a free 90-minute webinar, designed specifically for small businesses looking to save time, boost productivity, and unlock creative potential.

This no-cost event, exclusively for chamber members, will provide practical AI strategies and real-world case studies that participants can immediately implement in their businesses. Attendees will gain insight into how AI can transform everything from marketing to customer service, streamlining workflows and driving growth.

Small-business owners are encouraged to register early online. 

For those who can’t attend live, the webinar will be available on-demand. In addition, attendees will receive Kenny’s “Prompting Framework,” a free guide to mastering AI tools, upon registration.

For more information, contact info@burnetchamber.org or 512-756-4297.

elizabeth@thepicayune.com

Burnet County honored a significant piece of Texas history on Oct. 18 as elected officials and residents gathered at the unveiling of a new monument commemorating Col. William Barrett Travis’ iconic “Victory or Death” letter. The plaque, installed on the south side of the Burnet County Courthouse, is part of a statewide initiative by the Alamo Letter Society to place replicas of Travis’ famous letter in all 254 Texas counties.

Written during the siege of the Alamo in 1836, Travis’ letter rallied defenders to stand their ground against Mexican forces and has since become a symbol of Texan resilience and defiance.

“This is a momentous occasion,” said Burnet County Judge James Oakley, who presided over the ceremony. “We’re really blessed to have this opportunity before us today.”

During the event, Oakley was presented with the Albert Martin Award, which honors people who continue the legacy of Capt. Albert Martin, the courier who delivered Travis’ letter through enemy lines during the siege of the Alamo. The award is a commissioned sculpture of Martin on horseback by renowned Texas artist J. Payne Lara.

Rachel Ann Bryson, chairman of the Burnet County Historical Commission, spoke to the historical significance of the “Victory or Death” monument. 

“The Travis letter is an enduring symbol of the sacrifices made for our state’s freedom. It reminds us of the resolve and courage that defined Texas,” she said.

The monument’s installation was a community-driven effort, with the Burnet County maintenance department preparing the granite slab at no cost to taxpayers. 

“Hats off to the Burnet County maintenance department,” said Oakley, recognizing its role in bringing the project to life.

Rosser Coke Newton Sr., co-founder of the Alamo Letter Society, shared the story behind the initiative’s origins. 

“My co-founder, Bill McNutt, was with his daughter at the Alamo, and she said, ‘Daddy, why do people have to drive all the way to San Antonio to see this letter?’ And so the idea was born,” Newton explained.

The “Victory or Death” letter, written on Feb. 24, 1836, during the siege of the Alamo, is regarded as one of the most powerful pieces of American defiance. In it, the 26-year-old Travis called for reinforcements and vowed, “I shall never surrender or retreat,” rallying his men to defend the Alamo until the end. The letter’s message has continued to inspire generations of Texans.

The Oct. 18 ceremony at the courthouse was attended by several elected officials, including the Burnet County Commissioners Court, the Burnet City Council, and U.S. Rep. John Carter, who spoke at the event about the lasting impact of Travis’ words. 

“When I first came to Congress, they read the letter, and it really is inspirational and an important piece of Texas history. I’m really proud to be here,” Carter said.

For more information about the Alamo Letter Society or questions about the plaque dedication, visit the Burnet County Historical Commission webpage or contact 512- 756-4297 or info@burnetchamber.org. 

elizabeth@thepicayune.com

Residents in two east Horseshoe Bay neighborhoods were given the all-clear at around 1:24 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, after chlorine fumes were released into the air at the city’s Central Water Plant. Around 88 residents were told to remain indoors following the incident.

Police went door to door at around 10 a.m. to notify residents of the hazardous air. 

No injuries were reported. The chlorine irritated eyes and noses but did not cause any serious health problems, according to Horseshoe Bay officials. Six employees and a truck driver who mixed the wrong chemicals in a holding tank at the plant were sent to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center and released without injuries. All are back to work.

City Manager Jeff Koskas said the all-clear came a few hours later than initially expected.

“We wanted to be overly protective,” Koskas said at 1:10 p.m. “The plant is still producing some fumes, and we just want to give it time to slow down some more. It’s only showing up in the immediate area around the plant.” 

City Public Information Officer Dan Herron told DailyTrib.com a delivery truck driver put the wrong chemical in his tank when he loaded it in Austin. The incorrect chemical went into a holding tank at the water plant and interacted with the correct compound, causing a reaction that released chlorine gas from the tank vent. 

“This gas drifted in the south wind to the local area, burning eyes and causing nasal irritation,” read a warning sent to nearby residents via text, email, and phone. “The tank was shut within minutes, but the off-gases continued to create an air exposure issue.” 

Hazmat crews immediately began cleanup. Herron said water at the plant was not affected and is safe to drink. 

Herron praised those responding to the accident, including the Sunrise Beach Volunteer Fire Department and its chief, Patrick Cates. 

“This has been a first-class response,” Herron said. “We have trained for this, and everyone followed the process to make sure the public was not in any danger.”

suzanne@thepicayune.com

Texas Medical Association President Dr. Ray Callas spoke to Highland Lakes-area physicians about pressing issues facing the medical profession on Thursday, Oct. 17, in Marble Falls. 

“Medicine is at a crossroads right now; we’re fighting on many different fronts,” Callas said during his presentation at The Venue on Main, 112 Main St.  

Callas, who has been in private practice for 22 years, highlighted several key areas of concern, including the fentanyl overdose crisis, sex and human trafficking, and the need for Medicare payment reform to better serve the elderly population.

The Texas Medical Association is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 57,000 physicians. The TMA’s mission is to improve the health of all Texans through advocacy, education, and legislative action. The local chapter includes Burnet, Llano, and Lampasas counties.

“Physicians are community leaders—we always have been—and so we need to grasp that power and use it to leverage better care for our patients,” said Dr. Kelly Green, a Marble Falls ophthalmologist and member of the local chapter. “When we hear from the TMA president about what they are doing, it allows us to learn more and get more involved.” 

One of the central themes of Callas’ address was the importance of physician leadership and scope of practice.

“Patients deserve to have physician leadership,” he said during the presentation. “We have to decide, ‘Are we going to be the ones leading medicine? Or are we going to let the nurse practitioners lead and just sign stuff?’”

A key concern raised was Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. 

Callas emphasized the TMA’s efforts to advocate for fair payment policies, warning that without correcting the ongoing reductions in Medicare payments, many physicians could be forced to close their practices.

“If we don’t correct Medicare, you might as well just give up your practice because Medicare affects everyone,” he said.

The discussion also delved into the complex topic of women’s reproductive health, an area that has had significant legislative and political challenges in recent years.

“I’m not talking politics. (Legislation) went too far to where physicians are scared to deliver care for the most vulnerable people,” Callas said.

Throughout his address, Callas stressed the importance of physician unity and engagement in advocacy efforts, recognizing the medical profession must stand together to protect the interests of both physicians and their patients.

“We gotta continue to fight for medicine, and we got to make sure that we’re going to take care of these patients and not put our jobs to the side and just sign paperwork,” he said.

Callas added how members of the public can support TMA initiatives.

“They can talk to their legislators and talk to their physicians to be educated and to make sure that we can make Texas healthier,” he said.

To learn more about the Texas Medical Association or get involved, visit texmed.org.

elizabeth@thepicayune.com