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Five GOP candidates for the U.S. House District 31 seat were represented at a Burnet County Republican Party forum on Feb. 8 at the Burnet Community Center. Four spoke in person and hit upon what they perceived to be key issues facing the country. A representative of incumbent U.S. Rep. John Carter praised his accomplishments while in office.
Early voting in the March 5 primary election is Feb. 20-March 1.
The winner of the District 31 Republican primary will face off against the winner of the Democratic primary, which includes candidates Rick Von Pfeil, Brian Walbridge, and Stuart Whitlow.
District 31 has an estimated population of 766,987 as of the 2021 census and includes all of Burnet, Bosque, Coryell, and Hamilton counties. It also includes large portions of Williamson and Bell counties. Burnet County makes up about 6.5 percent of the district’s population. Carter has held the seat since 2003.
U.S. House representatives serve two-year terms, form legislation and policy at the federal level, and serve on congressional committees.
The introductions are in order of how the candidates were presented during the forum. Each candidate was given three minutes to speak.
Williams grew up in Beaumont, but has lived in Georgetown for 38 years. He was born in Woodbury, New Jersey. He served with the Austin and Beaumont fire departments and worked as a communications officer for the Emergency Operations Center for hurricanes and tropical storms.
“I’m a (member of the Sons) of the American Revolution. I was born when Ike (Dwight D. Eisenhower) was in the White House, and I’ve been supporting Republican causes and candidates all my life.
“I’m an American first, Republican, and a MAGA (Make America Great Again) Texan. If you can tell a cowboy from a cowgirl, you just might be a MAGA Texan as well. I’ve got God in my heart, the constitution in my head, and the courage to fight for ’em. Help me go to Washington and fight for ’em.”
Carter was not present at the forum but was represented by his spokesman, Mike McCloskey.
Carter has represented U.S. District 31 since 2003. He was born in Houston but has been based in Round Rock for decades, serving as the 277th District Court judge for Williamson County from 1981-2001.
McClusky took the three minutes to hit home the advantages of Carter’s long tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives and what he has accomplished in that time.
“Congressman John Carter is the one who has the years of effective elected government experience, getting so much done because of the influence he has, because it takes years to develop relationships and demonstrate capability.”
He said Carter led the charge on border security policy, rejected the gender reassignment surgery policy, invested in military bases and transportation infrastructure, and supported law enforcement throughout his time in the House.
He is endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and Texas District 24 Sen. Pete Flores.
Garapati is on his third run for the District 31 seat. Born and raised in India, he has lived in the United States since 1997. He founded and operates a real estate investment firm in Austin, runs a small ranch in Travis County, and owns commercial real estate in 13 states.
“I’m a businessman, not a politician. I’m the only candidate in the race not taking any campaign contributions, not taking a salary if I go to Congress.
“Texas is the last stand for freedom folks, if we lose Texas to the Democrats, America will become a socialist country.
“Give me a chance to serve you. I promise to work really hard. I promise to fight for you to get our country back on track and get a government that works for the people, by the people, and of the people.”
Latimer is a U.S. Army veteran and a graduate of West Point military academy. He is based in Bell County and is the former chair of the Bell County Republican Party.
He described himself as a small-business owner and a proud Texas conservative.
“Our constitution was designed for separation of powers. We have unelected bureaucrats who have their own opinion of what should happen in mind rather than yours. That’s not OK. That’s called tyranny.
Latimer used his time to assert the importance of sticking to the framework of the constitution and the separation of powers between federal and state governments.
“Let Texas be Texas. Let Texas prove that freedom actually works. That is how we are going to advance as a country.”
Abel is a U.S. Army veteran based out of Bell County. He is from a military family and was born in Bremerhaven Army Airfield in Germany.
He used his time to establish his emphatic support of Second Amendment (gun) rights, U.S. energy independence, medical autonomy, and border security.
“I don’t believe any law-abiding citizen should have their Second Amendment rights restricted in any way.
“We’ve got more recoverable oil in the country than any other country in the world. We need to go ahead and stop putting restrictions and allow us to use the resources we have right here at home.
“I don’t believe anybody should ever be forced to take a vaccine, especially not one that hasn’t had the prior testing.
“The border is a complete disaster. We need to build the wall as a barrier, get more border patrol agents, use the technology available, stop catch-and-release, and go to catch and deport.”
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Two of the three candidates for the Precinct 3 seat on the Llano County Commissioners Court took some tough questions from the audience during a Feb. 13 forum hosted by the Highland Lakes Republican Women in Kingsland.
Candidates Karen Shaw and Brent Richards were asked about economic development, book banning, and past party affiliations. Candidate Bull Guthrie was unable to attend because of a family medical emergency, he told DailyTrib.com after the meeting. He sent DailyTrib.com a statement, which can be found at the end of this story.
HLRW member Bonnie Wallace served as timekeeper. All questions came from audience members.
The first question went to Shaw and questioned her allegiance to the Republican Party, asking if she was a registered Republican. Shaw pointed out that, in Texas, voters don’t register by party.
“One of the nice things about this country is you can vote however you want to vote in the national election regardless of how you vote in the primary,” she answered. “I vote the person, not the party. For this election, I feel like the traditional Republican values are my values, and that’s what’s reflected in Kingsland. And that’s why I’m running as a traditional Republican.”
Shaw and Richards were asked to recount how they have been involved in local politics in the past.
Richards said he and his wife were delegates to state Republican conventions while living in Fort Worth and San Antonio. Locally, they have been delegates to county GOP conventions.
“We’ve been fairly involved with the politics in this area, all of Llano County all of the 14 years we’ve lived here,” he said.
Shaw said she has not been actively involved in local politics.
“It’s really a shame local elections have to have politics involved in it,” she said. “The whole purpose once you get elected is to serve every person in the county. When someone comes up to me with a problem, my first question won’t be, ‘What party are you in?’ It will be, ‘How can I help?’ We aren’t working for a party. We are working for the people.”
Richards commented on a follow-up question about Republican values.
“I’ve always been a Republican,” he said, adding that he is against abortion and “transgenderizing” children. “With that said, as a commissioner, commissioners are kind of neutral on all those issues. They don’t go out and say, ‘We believe in non-binary and whatever you want to call yourself.’ They take care of budgets, they take care of roads, they take care of everyday things. I’m a Republican, but as a commissioner, I’m kind of neutral. I’m here to serve.”
The first question about issues involved the Llano County Library System lawsuit, which is currently before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Shaw and Richards were asked how they would handle the issue of banning library books that the “county commissioners are currently embroiled in.”
Brent said he was against subjecting children to any type of pornography.
Shaw agreed, but said the lawsuit could have been avoided if the commissioners had followed their own current set of rules and regulations.
“They didn’t follow their own policies, and it got blown way out of proportion,” she said. “If you’ve got policies and procedures, you should follow them. If you don’t like the policies, you should change them.”
A question about finances and supporting the Llano County Sheriff’s Office followed.
“We have a small jail with a lot of problems,” said a member of the audience. “Our new sheriff will need all the help he can get. Where are you going to get the money for the Sheriff’s Office?”
Currently, two people are running to replace Sheriff Bill Blackburn, who is retiring after 16 years.
Shaw cited her 44 years with the Houston Independent School District, where she was instrumental in funding and building two new high schools.
“One thing you learn is that there’s never going to be enough,” she said. “You have to know how to best spend the money you’ve got. As a commissioner, you have to look at all the different requests and prioritize.”
Richards pointed to available grant money that can be used to take the pressure off of local taxpayers, specifically citing a $300,000 grant recently awarded to the Sheriff’s Office.
“You look at all the departments and what they submit and what they want, including the Sheriff’s Office,” he said. “The county takes everyone’s requests and works with it. That grant money can be used directly for the Sheriff’s Office.”
Candidates were also asked, “What is the biggest thing you are waiting to get a hold of if elected?”
Richards, who has a background as a civil and traffic engineer, answered with roads.
“Roads are always something that needs taking care of,” he said. “I’m also excited to be able to serve the community. Everything I do is to serve somebody.”
Shaw said she was excited to serve the community in a different way than she has been. She volunteers for her church and at a local food pantry and serves on several boards.
“I want to be able to see the big picture and take the things we see and see what we can accomplish,” she said. “Change is coming, and either Kingsland leads the change or we get steamrolled by it. I want to lead the change.”
In their closing statements, Shaw echoed sentiments from a previous question about serving Kingsland.
“I’m interested in representing the Kingsland I know and love,” she said. “I appreciate how the community has helped Kingsland to grow. We have to grow the community the way we want it to grow. I believe in change, but change at our pace.”
Richards pointed to his 29 years of experience in traffic and civil engineering and working with multi-million-dollar budgets.
“I’m familiar with everything the commissioners work at,” he said before addressing an earlier question about whether or not Kingsland should incorporate.
“You’re looking at two or three years before even voting to become a city,” he said. “Then, it’s two or three years before everything is in place so they can stand on their own.”
After the forum, the third candidate in the race, Bull Guthrie, submitted the following statement to DailyTrib.com
“I am a 4th generation Texan, retired law enforcement, and Kingsland Realtor. A County commissioner has a duty to represent the interests of the residents of the precinct. Those interests include roads and potholes, but so much more as well. In today’s uncertain times, the commissioner must understand and be able to work with the new sheriff as he combats crime in Kingsland. This is paramount for the safety of the citizens of Kingsland.
“Understanding budgeting is also very important. The people of Kingsland and Llano County can’t afford a massive tax hike to pay for golden streets and silver bridges. We must be able to balance needs, wants, and the actual budget. Having created and implemented large governmental budgets, worked as a chief of police, and worked as an appointed officer for a commissioners court sets me apart from the other candidates. I appreciate the huge support I have received from Kingsland leaders, and I hope to represent the precinct to the highest standards.
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The two Republican candidates for Burnet County Precinct 2 constable shared their views on the job and asked for voters’ support during a Feb. 8 forum in Burnet. Incumbent Constable Garry Adams touted his experience, while challenger Donald Brian Knowles promised to be a “driven servant” in office.
The Burnet County Republican Party hosted the event for GOP candidates in several races in the March 5 primary election. Early voting runs Feb. 20-March 1.
With no Democratic challenger, the Republican constable nominee will take office in 2025.
Constables serve court documents such as writs and subpoenas, act as bailiffs in court, and handle civil enforcement. They also have the full powers of a Texas peace officer and the ability to carry out the same duties, including making arrests and writing citations.
Adams and Knowles were both allotted three minutes to introduce themselves, one minute to answer each of five questions, and one minute for a conclusion. The answers are presented below in the order the questions were asked by the moderator during the event.
Knowles shared his 13 years of experience in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and 11 years as an officer with the Round Rock Police Department. He is currently a patrol sergeant with the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office. He is also a hostage negotiator, a mental health officer, and a member of the county’s firearm cadre.
“I moved to Burnet County and decided this is where I wanted to police. I wanted to police in my own community, make it better.
“I’m ready to start building partnerships with communities and local businesses and be visible out there in the community, letting them see me, letting them see my work, and I would appreciate y’all’s support”
Adams has held the office of Precinct 2 constable since 2013 and was named Constable of the Year in 2016 and 2019. He holds a Master Peace Officer Proficiency Certificate, graduated from the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute, served as a reserve deputy under two Burnet County sheriffs, and has lived in Burnet since 1983.
“Loyalty is the foundation of my office. I treat everyone with respect.”
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
QUESTION 1: What are the duties of a Burnet County constable?
Knowles: “There’s a whole lot of civil process, but along with that also comes you’re the chief law enforcement officer of that precinct and there’s a lot more responsibilities than just the court.”
Knowles recounted walking along Hill Street in Burnet and experiencing dangerous traffic conditions. He said he would take it upon himself as constable to spend more time on regular enforcement rather than the core civil work with which the office is tasked.
“There’s a lot more that could be done as a constable, and not just civil paperwork. You’re out there and you need to enforce the law and be visible, and you need to be in the community protecting the community.”
Adams: “We’re mandated by the Texas Constitution to serve papers and bailiff court. Then you’re a Texas peace officer, so you’re entitled to do anything any peace officer can do within the state.
“You can arrest people on warrants, you can write tickets, do stops however you want to do them. As the constable in Precinct 2, sometimes you have more time going to Llano serving truancy papers than you do getting to work elsewhere.”
Adams explained that much of his time could be spent on travel, due to the vast coverage area that comes with the constable job, and he countered Knowles’ assertion that more time could be spent on things like running traffic.
“Working traffic is fun, but you don’t always have time.”
QUESTION 2: Why do you want to serve as constable?
Adams: “I like serving my constituents and my county. My office is primarily in Precinct 2, but we can work the entire county. I like serving my constituents and the people of Burnet County.”
Knowles: “I believe we need a visible constable that is out there for the people by the people and working with the people, not just the community but also local businesses.
“One thing that I live by is that enough is not enough; sometimes we need more. Sure traffic is not going to be your only duty as a constable, but you can be visible and you can let people know that you’re out and about so that they might slow down, they might stop at those stop signs, they might not break into those houses.”
QUESTION 3: How long have you been in law enforcement and what experience do you have?
Knowles reiterated his experience in law enforcement, citing 11 years with the Round Rock Police Department, six of which were spent as a K-9 handler. He also noted his Master Peace Officer Proficiency Certificate and doing drug interdiction work on the Interstate 35 corridor.
He again stated that he is currently a patrol sergeant with the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office and functions as a mental health officer, a hostage negotiator, and a trainer in the firearms cadre.
Adams stated he has worked with or alongside law enforcement for 27 years between reservist roles with the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office and the Burnet Police Department. He also noted he had already been doing the job of Precinct 2 constable for nearly 12 years.
QUESTION 4: What could you do to make the Precinct 2 constable’s office run more efficiently?
Adams: “At this time, I think (the office) runs as efficiently as it can. We receipt all of our papers in when we can do it, and we serve our papers when we can find the people to serve.”
Knowles: “I will never quit learning. One thing that I’ve never done, even starting from my military career, is stop my learning and stop my knowledge. I would also seek those that have the knowledge so that I could better myself.”
QUESTION 5: What management experience do you have?
Knowles: “I would say I have almost zero management experience. What I have is leadership experience, and there is a drastic difference. Leadership is all about training, mentoring, and leading. Managing is just about being able to put in the time clock, watch videos, give people days off, track calendars, and stuff like that.
“But, I also have to manage everything for all of my deputies that are under me on their shift.”
Adams: “Starting in 1983, I ran a business, paid bills, ran employees, and was able to give tasks out that needed to be done, taking care of all the people that came into that business. And then we started another business and then we took care of that.
“I am the constable now, and when we have a budget, you have to work with and you’ve got to stick with what you’ve got. And we don’t have a lot. So that being said, you have to stick within your budget.”
CONCLUSIONS
Knowles: “I’m not a politician, even though I have to be elected for this position.
“I vow to work hard with the community, the businesses, the local law enforcement agencies all in the county and even outside of the county. I vow to uphold and protect the constitution and keep my work ethic that I’ve always had. Enough is never enough for me. I always have to do more.”
Adams: “I’m a professional with a positive attitude, and I’m always real helpful with integrity.
“With pride, I’ve dedicated myself to the community, and I’m compassionate for Burnet and Burnet County. I’d be honored to continue my service for you as the constable for Precinct 2.”
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Highland Lakes residents seeking seats on city councils or school boards have until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, to submit their applications to be on the ballot for the May 4 elections. Early voting is April 22-30.
Call your local city secretary or school district superintendent’s office to receive more information.
Below is a list of every candidate who has filed as of the morning of Feb. 14:
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Four jury trials for four separate murder cases are on the docket in the 424th District Court in Llano County: three potentially starting April 1 and one scheduled for Aug. 26.
Jimmy D. Wolfenbarger, who was released from jail on a $2 million bond in 2021, is set to go to trial in August for the 2006 killing of Holly Marie Simmons in Buchanan Dam. He is charged with “intentionally or knowingly” causing the death of Simmons “by strangulation” on or around Nov. 28, 2006. Divers found her body at the bottom of Inks Lake three years after she was reported missing.
The accused in the other three cases, Dennis Wayne Price II, Jordan Eric Ostrander, and James Mayer Harris Jr., each have until March 18 to negotiate a plea deal, said 33rd/424th District Attorney Wiley “Sonny” McAfee.
If no agreement is reached, the men should prepare for trials by April 1. Whichever case the judge calls on the docket that day, will go to trial first. The others, if any, will follow at a later date.
Price faces three charges, including first-degree murder, in the Oct. 3, 2022, death of wife Carrie Ann Price in Kingsland. He is out on three bonds totaling $1.15 million.
Ostrander is one of two people charged with capital murder in the Jan. 14, 2023, deaths of 38-year-old Preston Wessling and his 14-year-old son, Evan, in Tow. Also charged was Kyler Nathaniel Allen. Both are being held in the Burnet County Jail without bail.
Harris, a Blanco County attorney, faces a murder charge in the Aug. 28, 2021, shooting death of his 25-year-old stepson, Donald Boumans, in Blanco County. He was released under indictment on a $50,000 bond.
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Attorneys Marie Primm and Perry Thomas, who are running for the Republican nomination for 33rd and 424th district attorney, participated in a Feb. 8 forum hosted by the Burnet County Republican Party and the Burnet and Bertram chambers of commerce.
The position is open with the retirement of DA Wiley “Sonny” McAfee, who served 12 years in office.
The March 5 GOP primary will decide who takes office in January 2025 due to no Democratic challenger. Early voting runs Feb. 20-March 1.
Both candidates have decades of experience as attorneys and each voiced concerns for the potential rise in crime that could come with population growth.
The candidates introduced themselves and answered questions in the order of how their names will appear on the March 5 ballot.
The 33rd and 424th Judicial District includes Burnet, Llano, Blanco, and San Saba counties. The district attorney is responsible for managing the prosecution of especially serious crimes within their district and working alongside the courts and law enforcement of their district to promote justice.
Primm is currently a prosecutor for the Texas Attorney General’s Office and a member of its Capital Murder Team, which travels the state to aid in the prosecution of capital murder cases. She has 22 years of experience working in the Harris County DA’s office and was the division chief over five district courts for seven years. She lives in Sunrise Beach Village in Llano County.
“When I was in elementary school, career days happened at my school and the local district attorney came to talk to us. He was very passionate about being able to help people when bad things happened to them, and he always got to do the right thing, which was the best part of his job. That was my inspiration.
“This community is experiencing a lot of growth, and with growth comes crime, unfortunately. There are drug crimes that are going on, and drugs also bring violent crimes and property crimes.
“This community deserves an experienced prosecutor that has been proven.”
Thomas currently operates a law practice in Burnet. Before that, he worked as the lead assistant district attorney for the 33rd and 424th District Courts under the outgoing DA for 4½ years. He has a total 34 years of experience as an attorney, 24 of which were with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
“I have experience working in the courts of this district. I have worked with the district judges. I had the opportunity to work with most of the law enforcement agencies in this district, the court staff, other agencies and departments that touch upon the justice system in Burnet County. So I’m experienced not only in the courts but also in this district and have a good working relationship with all of the people in this district.
“It is my goal to work to keep violent crime under control and keep Burnet County a safe place to live.”
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
QUESTION 1: What is your experience in managing people, including the number of people you have supervised?
Primm: “At one time in my career, I was in charge of managing all the new prosecutors that came to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. I managed 45 of the newest attorneys in the office. I dealt with mentoring and training them and teaching them how to be a prosecutor and what it meant to be a prosecutor.
“Later in my career, I served as the head of a division in Harris County which supervised five district courts, and I supervised 20 attorneys. I oversaw the decisions they were making and assisted them and helped them become better attorneys.”
Thomas: “I have supervised attorneys, investigators, and paralegals in several different positions. The largest number at a time that I think I’ve supervised is when I was the first assistant here in Burnet County working for (DA) Sonny McAfee. I believe there were probably nine attorneys or so under my supervision plus the support staff in the Llano office that I supervised.
“I have a lot of experience in supervising attorneys, mentoring them, working with them, and helping them, particularly younger attorneys and up-and-coming lawyers, and supervising their work.”
QUESTION 2: What is your leadership style and how do you deal with conflict?
Thomas: “My leadership style is to lead by example. I believe in a team approach within an office, particularly when dealing with a group of lawyers. It’s always good to have good lines of communication open.
“If there’s conflict, I always like to visit with the people involved in the conflict, find out what the issue is, and let’s talk it through. I think it is true that when you can talk an issue out and find out what the problem is, most of the time, you can solve it in that manner.”
Primm: “I would say my leadership is leading by example. I think in leading groups of attorneys, investigators, and other support staff you need to show them that you’re not just telling them what to do, but that you can do it yourself and that you’re willing to do it yourself.
“And communication is the key when it comes to conflict. There’s always going to be conflict, especially with prosecutors. People’s emotions sometimes get the best of them, and it’s because they believe in a case. And I think that you have to take the time, take a deep breath, and listen to everybody involved to come up with the right resolution.”
QUESTION 3: What is your budgeting experience and what is the latest budget that you have ever managed?
Primm: “While I was in Harris County and division chief, the budgetary needs for my division, my five district courts, came through me. The majority of that budget related to employees and salaries, and that’s the majority of a district attorney’s budget, is salaries.
“I didn’t have the final say-so in the budget because it was a very large office, but as far as projecting what needs for the division, what supplies were needed, what attorneys were needed, what investigators were needed, that came through me.”
Thomas: “Having worked in this district and worked for the District Attorney’s Office previously, I have had occasions to be part of the budgeting process for the District Attorney’s Office. I know all of the county judges in the four-county distinct that I hope to be able to serve in, and I have a good relationship with all of those individuals. I know most of the commissioners courts of those counties.
“I’ve been through the budget process before with Burnet County. I have good relationships with them, with the Commissioners Court, and I hope to be able to work again and use my relationships, my experience with them to set budgetary issues and goals for the District Attorney’s Office.”
QUESTION 4: How many criminal cases have you prosecuted and what is your conviction rate?
Thomas: “I can’t tell you the numbers. I’ve been in the business 34 years, prosecuting for 29 years. I bet it’s probably 10,000 or more cases, and that’s probably underestimating the number of cases.
“The majority of cases overwhelmingly result in a conviction of some sort. I have a very good success rate in trial.
“I’m not scared of trying a case that’s a tough case to win. If I believe in a victim, if I believe a victim has suffered, even if it’s not a slam-dunk case, I’m still going to take a chance and fight for a victim of crime. I will stand up for them, and I don’t care if I win or lose. I’m going to stand up for a victim of crime.”
Primm: “I know I’ve tried over 100 felony jury trials as a lead attorney. I’m not gonna say I won every case because I didn’t. Sometimes, you take a case knowing it’s difficult, but knowing in your heart of hearts that it’s the right thing to do. So, I have lost some cases. I would say that my conviction rate when I go to trial is over 90 percent.”
“As far as the number of cases that I’ve handled, when I was prosecutor in Harris County, our dockets typically were 500 to 1,000 cases per court. I was a chief in court for seven years, so that’s probably about 7,000 cases. When I was coming up through the office, I can’t tell you how many thousands of cases I had my finger on. I can’t possibly give an exact number of cases.”
QUESTION 5: What is the No. 1 problem facing the district and how would you handle the problem?
Primm: “I think a big issue for this community is the growth that we’re seeing, and with the growth, unfortunately, comes crime. I believe that there is a drug problem in the area. There is a drug problem, and it’s not being helped by the open border. We’re about four hours from the border, and it’s coming directly in this area.
“I believe that all local law enforcement officers need to be able to communicate with each other so that they can accurately show what’s going on in each jurisdiction and be able to handle that.
“I think that a drug task force is in line and necessary in this area to tackle that problem that is facing this county.”
Thomas: “With growth does come additional crime, and I think we will see that. I think we’re seeing additional violent crimes, unfortunately.
“I think we need to be ready to meet that head-on at the District Attorney’s Office, and no matter where I travel in the district, I always hear the same thing: the drug problem.
“In my career, I have supervised and been the chief prosecutor of a drug task force, and I would like to use the duties and powers of the District Attorney’s Office to organize law enforcement agencies in this district to put together another drug task force.
“Because today’s drug dealer in Burnet is tomorrow’s in Llano, and somewhere else, and I would like to coordinate those efforts to go after the number one problem people have in this district, and that’s the drug problem.”
CONCLUSIONS
Primm: “Burnet County deserves a prosecutor that has been proven. Like I said, I have much trial experience, I am very good in a courtroom, and I am very good at working with law enforcement. I think Burnet County needs a leader to take over for Mr. McAfee and lead the county and the office. I have shown that I can lead groups of attorneys and I can mentor and help them develop their skills as a prosecutor.
“I will tell you this. I tell every new prosecutor what is needed in a prosecutor is heart and hard work. It takes up a lot of your heart when you come into contact with the victims, and you have to be willing to give it your all.
“I will work hard. I promise you that no one will care more about these cases and that no one will work harder than I will.”
Thomas: “To serve as your distinct attorney, my goal is to keep you safe because we have a wonderful way of life here in Burnet County. It is a dream to live here. We’re the envy, really, in the state of Texas, and it’s that way in part because we are safe.”
“My goal will be as a district attorney to work to keep you safe. I have the experience of having worked and practiced and tried cases before the judges in this district. To serve as your district attorney from day one, I’m ready to go from the beginning. I’ve worked with the law enforcement agencies, I’ve worked with all the various departments, and so there will be no learning curve. I’m ready to go now.”
“I want to work to keep this the great place it is to live to keep us safe, a great place to raise our children and our grandchildren.”
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The Burnet County Commissioners Court approved a resolution that defines illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border as an “invasion” and lends support to Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to control it. The unanimous decision came during the court’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Burnet County resident Claire Nybro submitted the resolution to commissioners after asking for their support of an “invasion” declaration during the Jan. 30 meeting.
“I’m really glad the commissioners signed (the resolution),” Nybro told DailyTrib.com after Tuesday’s meeting. “We need to have a show of unity, and we need to send a message to the federal government and the Texas Legislature that we need to close the border. This is not sustainable.”
Nybro said she got the resolution from a friend and passed it along to the Commissioners Court.
“In our previous meetings during public comment, there’s been lots of comments made regarding (border security),” County Judge James Oakley told DailyTrib.com after the resolution passed. “While that’s not normally an action item for the Commissioners Court to consider, we still, as a Commissioners Court, can make a statement via a resolution. A resolution was provided, and its wording was such that we agreed with it enough to make a statement regarding what is going on on our border that supports what our governor is doing to address it.”
Gov. Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which began in 2021, has deployed state law enforcement and the Texas National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border to help contain illegal immigration.
The Burnet County resolution states:
“… We express support for Governor Abbott’s efforts to secure the Texas border, defend Texas’ sovereignty, and call on the legislature to also declare an invasion and provide additional legal authorities in support of Operation Lone Star. By counties declaring an invasion we are expressing support for state executive and legislative authorities to secure the Texas border.”
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The Highland Lakes Republican Women are hosting a forum for the three candidates in the Llano County Precinct 3 commissioner race at noon Tuesday, Feb. 13, in the Kingsland Community Park Building, 155 Lions Park Road.
Candidates Karen Shaw, Bull Guthrie, and Brent Richards are vying for the GOP nomination in the March 5 primary election to fill the seat of outgoing Precinct 3 Commissioner Mike Sandoval. Without any Democratic opposition, the primary winner will take office in January 2025.
Early voting runs Feb. 20-March 1.
Llano County’s Precinct 3 mainly consists of Kingsland, a large, unincorporated community with thousands of residents that lies at the convergence of the Llano and Colorado rivers. Tuesday’s forum will officially begin at noon and run until 1 p.m. A $15 lunch will be available starting at 11:30 a.m.
DailyTrib.com covered a similar forum by the Highland Lakes Republican Women on Jan. 9 in which all three candidates introduced themselves and established their positions on key issues.
Shaw has lived in Kingsland for 17 years and has over 40 years of experience in education. She is running on a platform of ensuring that Kingsland receives its fair share of county funding and attention, improving infrastructure, and strengthening community support for children.
Guthrie is a recent Kingsland resident, having lived in the area for about eight months, and touts 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He is running on a platform of banning certain books from the Llano County Library Systems, public safety, and securing and preserving water resources.
Richards has lived in Llano County for 14 years and in Kingsland since 2021. He has over 29 years of experience in civil and traffic engineering. He is running on a platform of faith, Republicanism, and infrastructure improvements.
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