A former Llano Independent School District substitute teacher was arrested on Wednesday, April 22, on a second-degree felony charge of “improper relationship between educator and student” stemming from her time working at Llano High School.
The Bell County Sheriff’s Office arrested the ex-sub – Angela Louise Palmares, 27, of Temple – on Wednesday following a joint investigation with the Llano County County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety that began on Tuesday, April 21.
“Investigators conducted interviews and collected evidence, which led to the issuance of an arrest warrant for Palmares,” reads a media release issued by the LCSO on Thursday, April 23. “The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who believes they may be a victim or has information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Llano County Sheriff’s Office and request to speak with an investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division.”
Palmares has a Temple address according to Bell County Jail records. But, she seems to have Llano connections, having reportedly attended Llano High School as a student and graduating in 2017.
LISD response
Prior to the LCSO media release issued at around 3:54 p.m. on Thursday, LISD Superintendent Mac Edwards released his own statement at 8:07 a.m. that same day, laying out the circumstances surrounding the situation.
While he did not name the accused teacher, he explained that the school district was made aware of the incident on Tuesday, April 21, and that district leadership quickly informed the Sheriff’s Office of the alleged incident(s).
Edwards wrote that the teacher, now known to be Palmares, had not worked for LISD since April 2 and that her name was removed from the list of available substitutes.
“At this time, we are unable to provide additional details due to personnel and student privacy considerations,” reads the superintendent’s closing remarks. “We appreciate your understanding as the investigation proceeds and ask that you respect the privacy of those involved, especially our students.”
The charge
In the initial statement issued by Superintendent Edwards on the morning of April 23, it was shared that the teacher involved in the incident(s) had been allegedly inappropriately communicating with a Llano High School student on social media.
According to Bell County Jail records, Palmares was booked at around 11:53 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22.
The charge against Palmares was for “improper relationship between educator and student,” which is a second-degree felony, and is primarily defined in the Texas Penal Code as:
“An employee of a public or private primary or secondary school commits an offense if the employee:
“(1) engages in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a public or private primary or secondary school at which the employee works;…”
Read the entire definition of the statute at this link.
Palmares is being held on a $150,000 bond. A second-degree felony conviction comes with 2-20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
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On March 26, a Llano County jury sentenced Jordan Eric Ostrander, 23, one of two men arrested in the 2023 Tow shooting deaths of a father and his son, to a total of 145 years in prison for two counts of murder.
33rd/424th District Attorney Perry Thomas told DailyTrib that Ostrander was put on trial on March 23 and pleaded guilty to both counts of murder soon after.
The jury assessed a sentence of 75 years for the murder of 14-year-old Evan Wessling, and a sentence of 70 years for the murder of 38-year-old Preston Wessling. These sentences will run concurrently, which means that Ostrander will serve a maximum of 75 years, the equivalent of a life sentence in Texas law, as both sentences will be served at the same time.
DA Thomas told DailyTrib that he was relieved to see the Wessling’s family receive the justice they deserved.
“I’m pleased with the jury’s verdict,” DA Thomas said. “Those numbers are the equivalent of a life sentence in Texas law. I’m pleased and happy for the victims’ family, and hopefully this brings some justice and closure to them.”
DA Thomas also mentioned that the second suspect of the double homicides, Kyler Nathaniel Allen, 22, is set to be placed on the Burnet County docket at the end of the month, around April 30.
Background
Ostrander and Allen were each charged with capital murder of multiple persons for their alleged involvement in the Jan. 14, 2023, shooting deaths of 38-year-old Preston Wessling and his 14-year-old son, Evan Wessling, at a home on Airport Road in Tow.
Llano County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call at 4:49 a.m. on Jan. 14 about multiple gunshot victims at a home on Airport Road in Tow. The father and son were found lying in the driveway with gunshot wounds and were declared dead at the scene.
Ostrander and Allen were arrested by Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, and Guadalupe County sheriff’s deputies two days later and were held in multiple county jails without bond while awaiting trial.
Clarification: This article was edited from it’s original version to clarify that Ostrander was sentenced to a total of 145 years in prison, but he will only serve a maximum of 75 years as his 75-year and 70-year sentence will be served concurrently.
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A family-owned restaurant group, La Tequila, is expanding its footprint in the Highland Lakes area, with plans to open a new location at the former site of Doc’s Fish Camp & Grill, near the southwest corner of the U.S. 281-RR 1431 intersection in Marble Falls.
A La Tequila banner appeared on the facade of the old Doc’s building in mid-April, announcing the new occupant’s impending arrival. Doc’s, an old Marble Falls staple, officially closed in January after serving the community for decades.
The restaurant group already has a location in Kingsland, at 14124 RR 1431. The other sites are all in Texas cities, including Fredericksburg, San Antonio, Beeville, Rockport, and Corpus Christi.
The Kingsland location will remain open and the new Marble Falls location will offer its own unique menu – including breakfast, lunch, and dinner– according to co-owner Fernando Melendez, who explained that he runs La Tequila alongside his family.
“It’s not really a chain, it’s just a few of us brothers,” Melendez told DailyTrib.
He added that they have extensive renovations to make in the old Doc’s building and that the new La Tequila location could be opened by August if everything goes according to plan.
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After months of construction and traffic disruptions, a major Horseshoe Bay water line project is entering its final phase, with crews set to begin rebuilding damaged roads starting Thursday, April 23, weather permitting.
The work will focus on restoring streets impacted during construction, including laying new pavement, installing curbs and replacing signage, and reseeding disturbed areas. Crews are expected to be on site daily from 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. throughout the construction window, with the project slated for completion by May 7 if weather allows. Potential traffic delays and lane closures are anticipated.
The reconstruction follows completion of the High Zone Transmission Main project, which added a 16-inch pipeline along Clayton Nolen Drive, Pawnee Trail and Hi Mesa.
The upgraded line should significantly improve water service, according to city officials, by increasing delivery capacity and reducing the time it takes to move water from the Horseshoe Bay Central Water Plant to the Summit Rock water tower, from about eight hours to roughly four.
City Council approved a $190,103.50 contract increase tied to a change order from LJA Engineering, Inc. during its Tuesday, April 21,meeting. The additional cost covers design adjustments, material changes and extra road repairs needed to wrap up the project.
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The Llano County Sheriff’s Office is investigating allegations of “inappropriate communication” between students and a former substitute teacher in the Llano Independent School District.
According to a media release issued by LISD Superintendent Mac Edwards on Thursday, April 23, the district is fully cooperating with the LCSO and the Texas Education Agency as the investigation continues.
“The district takes all allegations of this nature extremely seriously and remains committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for students,” Edwards wrote.
The district was said to have been made aware of the situation by Tuesday, April 21. The issue involved an unnamed former substitute teacher, who hadn’t worked for LISD since April 2, allegedly communicating with Llano High School students inappropriately on an undisclosed social media platform outside of normal school hours.
“Upon receiving this information, district administration, along with Llano ISD Police, promptly contacted the Llano County Sheriff’s Office to report the concern,” Edwards continued.
The LCSO reportedly opened an investigation into the matter on April 21.
That substitute teacher was removed from the list of available substitutes for the district on April 21.
“At this time, we are unable to provide additional details due to personnel and student privacy considerations,” reads Edwards’ closing statement. “We appreciate your understanding as the investigation proceeds and ask that you respect the privacy of those involved, especially our students.”
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The city of Burnet will look to further bolster its flood preparedness in the coming months by participating in a flood management evaluation study to be performed by the Texas Water Development Board.
The study, aimed at providing the state with a closer look at how water moves through cities during major flooding events, will include detailed analysis of flood-prone areas and an evaluation of how to improve infrastructure for flood control.
Hamilton Creek will be at the forefront of the study, and the city’s participation may allow for flood improvement funding from the state in the future. That waterway is normally a tranquil stream that flows through Burnet, but it swelled to destructive proportions during the July 2025 flood event, sweeping away homes, people, and property.
“While the study will not result in immediate construction, this is a critical step forward,” City Manager David Vaughn said. “Completing this work will position the City to be eligible for future state funding to implement flood control projects along Hamilton Creek. For a smaller community like Burnet, this type of support is essential to moving meaningful projects forward.”
The study is part of a larger Texas initiative to create a state flood plan every five years. In 2019, the Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 8 to mandate the first state flood plan, to be directed by the TWDB.
The bill detailed requirements for a comprehensive plan for orderly preparation protecting against the loss of life and property, developing a guide for state and local flood control policy, and contributing to water development.
To cover the many different geographies throughout the state, fifteen planning regions have been created to contribute to the state flood plan. Burnet County is included in the Lower Colorado-Lavaca Regional Flood Planning Group – Region 10, which consists of 43 counties.
According to the Region 10 website, the area has witnessed 110 major flood events in the last 20 years, and 50 major disaster declarations and six emergency declarations from 1953-2020.
Those numbers have only risen, and the damage caused from the July 5 flooding last year has further shown the need for preparedness throughout the state.
“The July 2025 flood highlighted the need for long-term solutions, and this study will help guide those efforts,” Vaughn said.
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The Highland Lakes area has seen an exceptional amount of rainfall this April, and the National Weather Service is predicting a climate shift that could mean more rain throughout the coming summer and beyond.
3.38- 10.7 inches of rainfall across Burnet and Llano counties April 1-22, 2026
1-4 inches of rainfall across Burnet and Llano counties in April 2025
7-14.8 inches of rainfall across Burnet and Llano counties so far in 2026
Marble Falls has received 7.5-9.32 inches of rain in 2026
Burnet has received about 10.7 inches of rain in 2026
Llano has received about 7.2 inches of rain in 2026
This year, some parts of Burnet County received 10-30 percent of the county’s average annual rainfall in April alone. The Highland Lakes area gets about 32 inches of rain per year on average according to Extreme Weather Watch, which uses data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to find its totals.
Lake levels
According to the LCRA current river report, Lake Buchanan is well above its historical April average, but Lake Travis is still lagging.
Lake Buchanan is considered full at 1,020 feet above mean sea level. As of April 22, it is at 1,018.58 ft msl, about 7 feet over its historical April average of 1,011.52 ft msl.
Lake Travis is considered full at 681 ft msl. As of April 22, it is at 663.5 ft msl, about 4.73 feet down from its historical April average of 668.23 ft msl.
As of April 22, the lakes’ combined storage was 84 percent.
Soil moisture
Burnet and Llano counties are fairly wet according to the Keetch Byram Drought Index, which is a Texas standard used to determine drought conditions and potential for wildfires.
The 0-800 scale, with zero being the wettest and 800 being the driest, is based on soil moisture levels and precipitation.
As of April 22:
Burnet County is rated between three and 185 on the KBDI depending on the exact location, with an average overall rating of 29
Llano County is rated between three and 256 on the KBDI depending on the exact location, with an average overall rating of 106
Both counties fall within the lowest range of the scale, 0-200, which is described as: “Soil moisture and large class fuel moistures are high and do not contribute much to fire intensity. Typical of early spring following winter precipitation.”
Groundwater
Despite the recent rainfall, the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District has maintained its Stage 3 drought rating as of April 22.
The CTGCD made the move from a Stage 2 drought rating to Stage 3 on March 18.
Under Stage 3 conditions, groundwater users in Burnet County are asked to voluntarily reduce their usage by 20 percent.
Climate predictions
According to an April 9 update from the National Weather Service Prediction Center, El Niño conditions are likely to emerge between May and July and persist through the remainder of 2026. Currently, the climate is in an ENSO-neutral state, which is a middle ground between El Niño and La Niña conditions.
El Niño, ENSO-neutral, and La Niña are all different states of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation, which is a climate pattern with global impacts based upon the surface temperature of the northern Pacific Ocean.
For Central Texas, El Niño typically means cooler, wetter weather, and La Niña means warmer, drier weather.
The climate patterns are not guarantees of changes in weather, but in recent history, Central Texas saw the full impacts of a three-year La Niña and accompanying drought conditions that lasted 2021-23. The historic flooding of the Llano and Colorado rivers in October 2018 occurred during a particularly intense El Niño that lasted from 2018-19.
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Marble Falls Assistant Police Chief Trisha Ratliff will be promoted to police chief, effective June 29, following the official retirement of current Chief Glenn Hanson.
The decision comes after a unanimous Marble Falls City Council decision during a Tuesday, April 21, meeting.
Ratliff has been with the Marble Falls Police Department since 2005 and has served in multiple leadership roles, including her promotion to criminal investigations captain in 2019 and assistant police chief in 2022. She was the first woman in the department’s history to hold the assistant chief position.
Hanson has been with the department since 2002 and has served as police chief since 2021, following his time as assistant chief. While he has announced his retirement, he will stay on as chief until June.
City Manager Caleb Kraenzel said promoting from within supports long-term stability for the department, serves as a “huge retention tool” for staff, and saves tax dollars.
“Assistant Chief Ratliff is a highly accomplished, highly successful law enforcement officer and leader of the department. She is a prime candidate for continuing the excellence of the department over the next level, and then into the next end of the decade,” Kraenzel said during Tuesday’s meeting.
Hanson also supported the transition and said Ratliff is prepared to lead the department.
“I think this is the greatest honor I will have as your chief of police being able to recommend to you, my successor, whom I believe will exceed expectations,” Hanson said.
Additionally, Hanson said he has no doubts about Ratliff’s ability to take on the role.
“Her career progression has not been without challenges, as some outdated perceptions regarding women in law enforcement still persist. However, Trisha has never allowed such challenges to impede her performance or her personal growth,” he said.
Following the council’s unanimous approval, Ratliff said she was honored by the appointment.
“I’m truly blessed to be here, and I thank you for the confidence in me to give me this opportunity,” Ratliff said.
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Cottonwood Shores will soon host a town hall to update residents on their future fire protection as the city works under a three-year deadline to rebuild its fire department. The update will come following months of struggle between city leaders and the Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, at Trinity Bible Church, 621 Magnolia Lane in Cottonwood Shores.
The city has been under a contract with the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department for fire protection services since March, agreeing to pay $174,000 annually over the next three years as it works to build up its own fire department following a split from the Cottonwood Shores VFD.
The city of Cottonwood Shores and the Cottonwood Shores VFD are separate entities. The VFD is its own nonprofit organization that the city had historically contracted with for fire protection services. Its funding used to come from fundraisers, donations, and a $45,000 annual contract with the city, but that contract was terminated in October 2024 by the city due to perceived negligent services.
The Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department took Cottonwood Shores under its wing in August 2025 and aided with fire protection until Horseshoe Bay took over this past March.
According to city leaders, negotiations with the Cottonwood Shores VFD have recently broken down further, over control of the VFD’s land, buildings, and equipment at 610 Birch Lane.
In April, the city reportedly offered to take over VFD assets and help cover its debts. The VFD was said to have rejected that offer and instead proposed donating the smaller building and forming a new nonprofit to operate from the remaining structure.
City officials told DailyTrib that the land and assets were originally donated by the community through Cottonwood Pride, a 501C3 non-profit, dating back to 1993, for fire service use, and were not owned by the VFD.
“Our responsibility is to make sure our city has a viable fire department and rescue, and we don’t have that with them,” City Manager JC Hughes told DailyTrib.
Council Member Michael Ritchie said the city has run out of time to keep negotiating with the VFD, and must move forward with other viable options.
“We’ve tried to work with them for years. We’ve come in good faith with multiple different offers with their cooperation, and they’ve rejected the plans that they’ve worked with us to create. At this point, we don’t have the luxury of time because of our time limit with Horseshoe Bay,” Ritchie told DailyTrib. “They’ve shown they don’t really seem to be interested in working for the betterment of the community.”
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