Hooks Bar, a waterfront beach bar and food trailer in Buchanan Dam, has officially reopened for the summer.

The seasonal beach bar is a fully outdoor establishment offering lake views in a family-and-dog-friendly environment. Dogs must remain on leashes, and visitors may enter the water at their own risk. Customers are encouraged to follow Hooks Bar’s social media for weather updates and possible closures.

Located at 140 Pirates Point in Buchanan Dam, Hooks Bar is open Thursdays and Fridays from 4-9 p.m., Saturdays from noon-9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.

The food truck operates Thursdays and Fridays from 4-8:30 p.m., Saturdays from noon-2 p.m. and 4-8:30 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

For more information, email hooksdambar@gmail.com.

maci@thepicayune.com

The Burnet Police Department recently unveiled an autism awareness vehicle to add to its fleet on Tuesday, May 26, with a wrapping designed by nearly 20 children with autism.

The newest addition to the fleet, a sergeant patrol truck, features an infinity symbol synonymous with autism awareness that houses drawings dutifully crafted by the children, along with the words “autism awareness,” and “be kind to all minds.” 

Porter Thompson, one of the several kids involved in designing the truck, was present at the unveiling ceremony with his family. His father, Cory, told DailyTrib that he was proud to see the community support his son.

“We’re excited that we’re getting some kind of attention towards autism,” he said. “You get into these smaller towns, and a lot of times people have no idea what autism is, so just bringing some kind of awareness to it is a great start.”

Another young artist, Josiah Parker, was at the ceremony with his family and shared that he was responsible for the drawing of Darth Vader on both sides of the truck and on its hood.

BPD Chief Tony Hefferin told DailyTrib that the project was started by now-retired Chief Brian Lee, and that he was honored to continue his efforts.

Chief Hefferin shared on Facebook that the project began in 2025 with local families coming together and creating various artworks that formulated three designs. Once Hefferin took over the department in January 2026, the designs were narrowed down and eventually turned into a reality by design partner Onsite Decals.

caden@thepicayune.com

A transformer failure at a Lower Colorado River Authority substation in Llano left thousands of the city’s residents without power for about nine hours during a severe storm on the night of Tuesday, May 26. Llano city crews, LCRA technicians, and Central Texas Electric Cooperative staff worked through the night to restore electricity to the area.

According to the LCRA, the substation failed at around 5:50 p.m. on Tuesday and it was determined that “the equipment could not be restored.” A mobile transformer was brought in and power was eventually back on by around 3:04 a.m. on Wednesday after hours of labor from a joint team of Llano, LCRA, and CTEC personnel.

“The cause of the equipment failure is still under investigation,” reads a statement issued to DailyTrib by the LCRA.

The LCRA substation in Llano is north of the city, on Birmingham Avenue. Llano pulls its power from the substation using its own transformer and transmission lines. 

The outage was all encompassing, leaving traffic lights out, storefronts dark, city facilities closed, residences powerless, and internet absent late into the night. 

“People are used to having very reliable service. These types of outages happen,” Llano City Manager Finley deGraffenried. “At this point we’re just happy that our services are restored.”

According to deGraffenried, the power outage passed without major incident for the city. Generators were used to maintain water and wastewater services and a coalition of Llano police, Llano volunteer fire fighters, and Llano County Sheriff’s deputies managed the town’s larger intersections and checked low water crossings until electricity was restored.

“We are thankful for this LCRA crew who were away from their families last night getting everything back up and running for us here in Llano,” reads a statement issued by the Llano Volunteer Fire Department on Wednesday.

dakota@thepicayune.com 

The spring season brought in more rainy weather to pummel the Highland Lakes area on Tuesday evening, May 26, overflowing several low-water crossings, washing out roads, knocking out power, and tallying up as much as 3.56 inches of rainfall over a 24-hour period.

Local emergency service crews reported several road closures, two washouts, and one swiftwater rescue in the wake of the storm.

The city of Llano was without power for about nine hours after critical infrastructure was severely damaged by lightning, requiring extensive repairs lasting until around 3 a.m. on May 27.

Burnet County Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio told DailyTrib that up to 200 residents experienced fluctuating power outages at one time throughout the evening.

Though the rain has let up for now, more wet weather is ahead next week. Marchio emphasized staying aware and prepared in the wake of continued rainfall.

“As a point of safety, people need to be extremely cautious and can not drive over roads with water over them,” Marchio said. “Always be aware of the forecast and plan accordingly. Remember, turn around, don’t drown.”

Road closures

Several low-water crossings and roads throughout the area were reported closed by local emergency crews due to significant rainfall accumulation. Burnet County Emergency Services District 9, Hoover Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and Lago Vista Police Department were among organizations in the area to report the following closures:

• CR 401 South, between Texas 71 and Summit Springs
• CR 401 South at Double Horn Creek
• FM 2147 East at Flatrock Creek
• CR 408 North
• CR 404 at Krause Springs
• CR 404 at Love Creek
• CR 404 at Double Horn Creek
• CR 406
• FM 2342
• CR 116
• RR 1431

Burnet County ESD 9 and LVPD later indicated that all roads affected had been reopened. At around 8:40 a.m. on May 27, the HVVFD shared that some roads, namely CR 116, remained closed.

In addition to these road closures, Burnet County EMC Marchio told DailyTrib that two low-water crossings– one at Mormon Mill Road near Hairston Creek and one at CR 219 in Briggs– had been washed out and were in the process of being repaired as of Wednesday.

Rain accumulation

As per the Lower Colorado River Authority Hydromet, the total rain accumulation throughout cities in the area over the last 24 hours (from 11:30 a.m. on May 26 to 11:30 a.m. on May 27) ranged between 1.5-3.5 inches.

For reference, Hairston Creek near Burnet experienced the second-largest accumulation of rainfall in the Lower Colorado River Basin over the last day at 3.56 inches. Florence, about 11 miles from Briggs, received the most rainfall at 4.51 inches.

City rain gauges throughout the area:

• Horseshoe Bay–3.2 inches
• Kingsland–3.1 inches
• Marble Falls–2.5 inches
• Burnet–2.56 inches
• Buchanan Dam–1.77 inches
• Llano–1.63 inches

Floodgate operations

The LCRA reportedly opened the floodgates of Starcke Dam late Tuesday evening, releasing storm runoff downstream until 7:45 a.m. the next day. According to the LCRA flood webpage, no further gate operations were expected to occur as of May 27.

Swiftwater rescue

Burnet County EMC Marchio told DailyTrib that one swiftwater rescue took place during the downpour, along with a separate non-rescue incident involving a stuck vehicle.

caden@thepicayune.com

Horseshoe Bay City Council postponed a decision on a proposed amendment to the Silver Rock development following debate over requested changes that they believe could open the door for unwanted construction and land use in the future.

The amendment, discussed during the May 19 council meeting, combines requests from two sections of the planned Silver Rock development, Stillwater and Falcon Senior Living Center. The council’s discussion centered on concerns over how future residents could interpret or potentially misuse the amended regulations, particularly regarding animals, accessory structures and the number of casitas and pool houses allowed.

Council voted to continue the public hearing on zoning changes for Silver Rock until its June 21 meeting to allow for further discussion and additional information.

“I know the original owners will probably be awesome, but down the road we are concerned about who does what,” Mayor Jeff Jones said during the meeting.

The proposed changes for Stillwater, an eight-lot section made up of five-acre tracts, would expand permitted accessory structures to include casitas, pool houses, barns and animal enclosures while prohibiting breeding, kenneling and exotic animals.

An additional change would allow accessory structure size from a minimum of 1,000 square feet to a maximum of 5,000 square feet, with a total aggregate of 10,000 square feet. It would also allow detached garages or barns for tractors and RVs if screened from neighboring properties and roadways. It also prohibits subdivision of the single-family lots.

“Staff feels that this is actually appropriate. On a one acre lot, you don’t have all the room to do this. But on a 5 acre lot, you’ve got room for a barn and some horses. You’ve got room for some accessory structures,” Senior Planner Sandra Nash said.

Requests from Falcon Senior Living Center drew little discussion. The development requested covered parking structures and a taller entryway structure to accommodate emergency vehicles.

Residents also raised concerns about the Texas 71 entrances to the development, traffic impacts and the timeline for planned highway improvements tied to the project.

maci@thepicayune.com

The city of Burnet will further reinforce its emergency preparedness by purchasing two portable generators and upgrading several water facilities using grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

According to the Burnet City Council’s May 12 agenda, the project will cost approximately $751,200 and be fully completed around August 2027. The council accepted a grant totaling $563,400 from FEMA on April 14, leaving the city to cover the remaining $187,800 using budgeted water and wastewater funds.

The portable generators will serve nine facilities throughout the city– eight lift stations and one well– that will receive several upgrades to allow for the quick transfer, connection, and protection of the generators. 

City Engineer Eric Belaj explained to the council during its May 12 meeting that the generators and associated upgrades would be vital to keeping the city’s water and wastewater facilities running in the case of an emergency.

“If the power goes out, we still need lift stations and pump stations to work,” Belaj said. “If you have a portable generator on-site, this will help with that. (The generators) are 100 percent better than what we have right now.”

Councilors approved an engineering award totaling $91,500 for the project on May 12, granted to GLS Engineering Firm, and will look to bid out a construction contract in the coming months.

caden@thepicayune.com

On May 19, a Burnet County jury found Ryan Anthony Marshall, 40, of Granite Shoals, guilty of fleeing from police in a motor vehicle after a trial held in the 33rd Judicial District Court of Texas. Marshall had a lengthy criminal history, and his sentencing was enhanced due to his status as a “habitual offender.”

Marshall was sentenced to 35 years in prison by the jury. During the trial, the court heard that he had nine criminal convictions on his record, seven of which were felonies. He was also on parole for two previous convictions of fleeing from the police in a motor vehicle at the time of his latest arrest. 

According to Burnet County Jail records, Marshall was booked 34 times between 2004-2025.

A media release issued by the 33rd/424th District Attorney’s Office stated that Marshall reportedly fled from Granite Shoals police officers through residential areas of Granite Shoals in October 2025. He pleaded not guilty to the crime, sending the case to trial on May 19.

“Justice was served thanks to the exceptional work of the Granite Shoals Police Department and the diligence of the jury,” said Assistant District Attorney Sheri Bloom following the verdict.

Evading arrest with a motor vehicle is normally a Class A misdemeanor in Texas, that comes with up to one year in jail and up to $4,000 in fines. But, since Marshall had prior evading arrest convictions and several other past felony convictions, he qualified for Texas Penal Code’s definition of a “habitual offender,” which comes with a punishment of 25 years to life in prison.

“A man who posed a serious danger to the community has been taken off the streets,” Assistant District Attorney Anthony Montes said. “The jury reached the right result, and we are proud to help protect the community from dangerous repeat offenders like this man.”

dakota@thepicayune.com 

Nearly 90 students throughout the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District were recognized for their striking successes over the school year on May 18 at the district’s last board meeting before the end of the academic year.

Academic superstars, athletic champions, and extracurricular extraordinaires from several programs were congratulated for achieving Texas High School Coaches Association Academic All-State honors and qualifying for state competitions.

“We are incredibly proud of each and every student recognized,” reads a BCISD Facebook post on the recognitions. “Your commitment to excellence reflects the very best of BCISD, and we are honored to celebrate your achievements alongside your families, teachers, coaches, sponsors, and campuses.”

Programs included basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, track and field, powerlifting, golf, swim, theatre, current issues, social studies, and FFA.

A full list of students recognized and their chosen sport/academic/extracurricular activities can be found below.

Academic All-State

Girls Basketball

• Peyton Allen
• Wrigley Mulhollan
• Sarah Cullison
• Grace Cullison

Girls Track & Field

• Wrigley Mulhollan
• Asah Roy
• Journey Denton
• Josie McDavid
• Carlee Williams
• Kalani Marks
• Lanri Painter-Lewis

Boys Track & Field

• Jordan Heusinkveld

Golf

• Cambria Neenan
• Avery Gowin
• Shane Ikonen
• Kristine Rodriguez

Soccer

• Kaylann Yanez
• Aiden Morris
• Julian Ramirez
• Genesis Ceron

Tennis

• Callen Smith
• Alex Burns

Baseball

• Cason O’Hair
• Cohen Jorpeland
• Charles Edwards

Boys Basketball

• JJ Whigham
• Braven Briant

Softball

• Peyton Allen
• Journey Denton
• Kristine Rodriguez
• Carlee Williams
• Kendall Winkley

State Qualifiers

Powerlifting

• Madeline Cardenas
• Sofia Cardenas
• Adam Heffington
• Adler Goehring
• Nathan Torres

Girls Golf

• Avery Gowin
• Cambria Neenan
• Kristine Rodriguez
• Chloe Shannan

Swim

• Jacob Decker
• Jack Milliorn
• Rhett Eaton
• Aaron Green
• Madison Lawry
• Knylee-Ann Buller
• Sofia Cardenas
• Natalie Kneese

Theatrical Design

• Josslyn Walker Eskola

Current Issues

• Blake Feldt
• Braven Briant
• Wrigley Mulhollan
• Rowyn Mulhollan

Social Studies

• Blake Feldt
• Kayleigh Barnett
• Samuel Howell
• Jarek Ellis

FFA Range Judging

• Hallie Murray
• Hayden McCombs
• Rayna McLaughlin

FFA Wildlife

• Austin Moore
• Luke Rothermel
• Adler Goehring
• Cinch Calvert
• Miley Evans

FFA Agronomy

• Miley Evans
• Briar Lindsay
• Zach Lindsay
• Austin Moore

FFA Meats

• Rhett Blasienz
• Saralys Casas
• Mayson Elliott
• Gatlin Gilmore
• Chloe Nygard
• Lainey Mendoz

FFA BBQ

• Addy Holtzclaw
• Hallie Murray
• Hunter Ringstaff
• Carson Ringstaff
• Luke Rothermel
• Brooks Murray

FFA Star Chapter

• Hannah Brooks

caden@thepicayune.com

Award-winning Marble Falls brewery, Save the World Brewing Co., has partnered with local H-E-B locations to release a special edition lager for the summer.

Save the World and H-E-B’s collaboration was released on Friday, May 22. The new brew is available at H-E-B locations in Marble Falls and Kingsland, but can also be found with other local retailers.

“It’s just a fun thing to do for the community and something that Marble Falls can be proud of, not to sound corny,” Save the World General Manager/owner Evan LeGarde told DailyTrib. “We do a lot of business (with H-E-B) and they wanted to highlight us as a local designer. They just wanted to have something special for the crowd visiting this summer, so we collaborated with the store leadership.”

Save the World’s brewery and beer garden is located at 1510 Resource Parkway in north Marble Falls. The business has been around since 2014, but was purchased by LeGarde and his wife Brittany in 2022. 

The brewery’s H-E-B collaboration can is filled with a “crisp and refreshing” light lager according to LeGarde. Save the World recently won bronze medals in the 2026 and 2025 Texas Craft Brewers Cup for its light lager, Cerveza TX. 

Clarification: The original version of this story stated that the new beer was only available at H-E-B locations in Marble Falls and Kingsland. While those are the only H-E-B locations that sell the new Save the World brew, it can still be purchased at other local retailers.

dakota@thepicayune.com