Two teenagers were killed and two people were incapacitated in a two-vehicle crash on Feb. 1 in Llano County.
According to statements from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Sunrise Beach Fire Department, SBFD personnel and DPS troopers were sent to the scene of a fatal accident on RM 2900 at around 11:47 a.m.
A DPS investigation concluded that a northbound Toyota Camry left the roadway for an unknown reason, driving onto the grass shoulder. The driver of the Camry overcorrected when reentering the road and was struck on the right passenger side by a southbound GMC Canyon. SBFD personnel were able to stabilize the two vehicles and rescue the occupants of the GMC pickup.
The occupants of the Camry, Zackary Frischmann, 18, and Danielle Rushton, 17, of Burnet County, were pronounced dead at the scene by a Llano County Justice of the Peace.
SBFD and Hamilton EMS provided emergency support to the driver and passenger of the pickup, who were transported to a nearby hospital by CareFlight with incapacitating injuries.
The Llano County Sheriff’s Office and DPS were still investigating the crash for causation as of this article’s publication.
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Marble Falls officials moved forward Tuesday, Feb. 3, with a key land transfer and right-of-way dedication that will allow a long-planned traffic improvement project at the intersection of RR 1431 and U.S. 281 to proceed, setting the stage for construction as early as 2027.
The City Council approved resolutions at its Tuesday meeting authorizing the transfer of about 0.466 acres at 1001 Main Street from the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation to the city, along with the dedication of a small portion of the property to the Texas Department of Transportation. The actions clear a key administrative hurdle for what city staff described as a substantial infrastructure project aimed at easing congestion.
“The city is dedicating this portion of property so a dual turn lane can be added for traffic headed eastbound onto FM 1431,” Marble Falls Engineer Jeff Prato told DailyTrib.
The property at 1001 Main Street, once home to Thomas’ Bait Shop, which has since been demolished, sits at a strategic corner near the intersection. City leaders previously opposed plans for a car wash at the site, prompting the Economic Development Corporation to purchase the land to prevent a use they believed was incompatible with the area and future transportation needs.
With the land now under city ownership, Marble Falls can dedicate a portion of it to TxDOT and finalize right-of-way documents needed to move the project forward. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027 and last six to eight months.
To minimize disruption, the project will use prefabricated concrete panels that fit together “like Legos,” allowing crews to install roadway sections more quickly than traditional poured concrete. While drivers should expect temporary lane closures, the intersection is not expected to be fully shut down during construction.
City officials have not yet determined what will ultimately be built on the remaining portion of the 1001 Main Street property.
“The city has the desire for the property to be developed into the right thing at the right time,” Pratos said.
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Llano is holding its annual rainbow trout release party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Grenwelge Park.
The park, located at 103 E. Haynie Street, is just a stone’s throw from Llano’s historic downtown. The event will see 2,000 rainbow trout released into the Llano River, opening opportunities for anglers to catch the fish, which are normally not found in Texas.
Aside from the trout, expect fly fishing demonstrations, free hot dogs, and a question-and-answer session with representatives from the TPWD Angler Education Program.
Anglers 17 years and older will need a valid freshwater fishing license to drop a line. There is no minimum length for caught fish. The daily bag limit is five per angler.
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The University Interscholastic League has released its new reclassifications and realignments, shifting the athletic landscape for Marble Falls Independent School District, Burnet Consolidated Independent School District, and Llano Independent School District.
The UIL released its new official alignments for the next two years on Monday, Feb. 2, revealing new opponents, districts, divisions, regions, and schedules for football, volleyball, and basketball teams across the state.
The realignment process takes place every two years, with the UIL assessing the population and location of every school district in Texas, then assigning them ranks by size, division, region, and district. These changes can mean new opponents, drive times, and playoff brackets.
Highland Lakes schools have many of the same opponents as they did in their previous alignments, but there are a few notable changes.
Marble Falls ISD and Burnet CISD
Mustang and Bulldog football
For 2026-28, Marble Falls and Burnet are in Conference 4A-Division 1-Region 3-District 12. This is a shift from their last alignment, 2024-26, when they were in Conference 4A- Division 1-Region 1-District 4.
It should be noted that the change from Region 1 to Region 3 means that playoff games could mean long drives, as many of the schools are farther east, including school districts in cities like Orange, Lumberton, Liberty, Fort Bend, El Campo, Sealy, and Navasota.
Mustang and Bulldog basketball
For 2026-27, Marble Falls and Burnet are in Conference 4A-Region 4-District 25. This is a shift from their last alignment, 2025-26, when they were in Conference 4A-Region 3-District 24.
For 2026-27, Marble Falls and Burnet are in Conference 4A-Region 4-District 25. This is a shift from their last alignment, 2025-26, when they were in Conference 4A-Region 3-District 24.
For 2026-28, Llano is in Conference 3A-Division 1-Region 1-District 3. This is a shift from its last alignment, 2024-26, when it was in Conference 3A-Division 1-Region 4-District 13.
For 2026-27, Llano is in Conference 3A-Region 4-District 25. This is a shift from its last alignment, 2025-26, when it was in Conference 3A-Region 1-District 5.
For 2026-27, Llano is in Conference 3A-Region 4-District 25. This is a shift from its last alignment, 2025-26, when it was in Conference 3A-Region 1-District 5.
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Members of the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District School Board of Trustees will hold a final special meeting on Monday, Feb. 9, to discuss whether or not to call a bond election on a previously recommended $141 million bond package. The deadline for the bond to appear on the May 2 ballot is Friday, Feb. 13.
The board agreed to have its Feb. 9 meeting at 6 p.m. in the BCISD Board Room, 208 E. Briar Street in Burnet. The agenda had not yet been posted by the time of this article’s publication. Keep up with the budget and schedule on the district’s website.
The BCISD Board of Trustees called two special meetings following the Jan. 19 BCISD Facilities Advisory Committee’s $141 million bond package recommendation. One on Feb. 2 and the other on Feb. 9.
While no action has been taken by the BCISD Board of Trustees yet, Superintendent Dr. Aaron Peña told DailyTrib that the bond would not cause a tax increase.
“If the Board calls a bond election, it would likely be structured without a tax rate increase, meaning the proposed projects could be funded using the district’s existing Interest and Sinking (I and S) tax rate of $0.195,” Dr. Peña said.
During the board’s Feb. 2 special meeting, it appeared that not all members were fully ready to commit to the bond.
Amongst hesitations were the price tag of the bond, which is nearly triple the district’s previous $52.5 million bond in 2021, and concerns about other glaring projects in the district not being addressed by the bond.
Board Secretary Mark Kincaid pointed to needed upgrades at Bertram and Shady Grove elementaries, which would not be included in the bond package as currently presented.
“If we were leaving that out,” he said. “That would worry me down the road.”
Board Vice President Angela Moore had similar concerns surrounding the RJ Richey renovations that were part of the bond, which would leave out key upgrades to the library.
“If we’re going to bring up capacity (of RJ Richey) to 750, and it still has the smallest library (in the district) to service 750 students, that concerns me a great deal,” Moore said.
The recommended $141 million bond package was originally brought forth by the Facilities Advisory Committee to address major campus improvements and district-wide work.
The proposal was split into three sections, addressing major renovations of Burnet Middle School, classroom additions at RJ Richey Elementary, and various maintenance improvements throughout the district, but left out other projects like those at Bertram and Shady Grove Elementary in order to tackle the most pressing needs.
With the board unwilling to take action on the bond at the first special meeting, the decision was deferred to the second on Feb. 9, which will be the last chance for the board to have the bond appear on the next election ballot.
What to know about the bond
BCISD began the bond process in the fall of 2025 and formed a Facilities Advisory Committee comprised of parents, staff, students, and community members. The committee met six times following its formation, evaluating the district’s facility and campus needs and discussing possible solutions.
The $141 million price tag on the full bond package would cover district-wide improvements and upgrades to RJ Richey Elementary School, but the bulk of the bonds, $110 million, would be used for a complete overhaul of Burnet Middle School.
The committee’s $110 million recommendation for the middle school is split between $95 million for a combination of new construction and significant renovations to existing structures-aside from athletics and fine arts-and $15 million for the construction of a new auditorium.
The final recommendations were chosen from multiple options presented to members of the Facility Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee ultimately selected option C.1 for the middle school renovations and option C for the auditorium. Below is a breakdown of the options presented:
Burnet Middle School Renovations
Option B.1- $110,000,000: New Middle School at 900 student capacity; possible expansion to 1,200 student capacity in the future
Option C.1- $95,000,000: New academics at 900 student capacity, plus renovation of the existing fine arts and athletics building; possible expansion to 1,200 student capacity in the future
Auditorium Renovations For Burnet Middle School
Option A- $5,500,000: Enhanced cafeteria space that supports performances and assemblies
Option B- $12,300,000: Large area connected to cafeteria that supports performances and assemblies with the capability to be closed off from cafeteria
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The build will take place at Sharing the Harvest in Kingsland, located at 2430 Rose Hill Drive, where volunteers will construct 15 new beds for donation. No experience is required to participate, and each bed will be built to national Sleep in Heavenly Peace standards.
“We have delivered 404 beds to date. Of those, 125, or 31 percent, were in Kingsland, 20 percent in Marble Falls, and 18 percent in Burnet,” Janelle Boutte, Sharing the Harvest delivery manager for the area, said in a media release. “There was a surge in online requests several months ago, which has depleted our inventory.”
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a local chapter of a national nonprofit. It is one of 444 chapters across the United States. The organization provides children ages 3 to 17 with a brand-new twin sized bed or a bunk bed, along with bedding, ensuring that they have a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
Sharing the Harvest Executive Director Cynthia Green emphasized the importance of the collaboration.
“Sharing the Harvest is so grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Sleep in Heavenly Peace for our Hill Country region,” Green said. “Come out to Sharing the Harvest and lend a hand for a child’s good night sleep.”
To donate or volunteer with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, visit the organization’s website and specify the local “TX Hill Country” chapter. To volunteer with Sharing the Harvest, visit its website.
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It is important to note that the Republican nominees in the Burnet County judge and Precinct 2 commissioner races will almost certainly take office in 2027 due to the complete lack of Democratic challengers for the November general elections.
The last day to register to vote is Feb. 2. Check your registration status here.
Early voting runs Feb. 17-27
Election Day is March 3
See a list of Burnet County polling locations on the Burnet County Elections website here and a breakdown of the election schedule here.
Forum structure
The DailyTrib forum is built around offering candidates equal time and opportunities to introduce themselves, answer questions, and provide closing remarks.
The forum will be moderated by DailyTrib Editor Dakota Morrissiey. While the event is open to the public, audience participation is not part of the forum’s structure, and the moderator will be the sole speaker aside from the candidates.
DailyTrib staff have developed the five questions for the forum. These questions will not be shared with the candidates prior to the event.
Candidates running for the same office will be asked the same questions. The order in which candidates respond will be determined at random prior to the start of the forum, then the order will shift after all responses have been given to each question, allowing each candidate an opportunity to speak first or last on a subject at least once.
The forum will be structured as follows:
5-6 p.m. candidate meet-and-greet opportunities
6 p.m. forum begins
Brief introduction to the event from moderator
Candidates introduce themselves: 2 minutes each
Question one: 2 minutes each
Question two: 2 minutes each
Question three: 2 minutes each
Question four: 2 minutes each
Question five: 2 minutes each
Candidates make closing remarks: 2 minutes each
Following the forum, more candidate meet-and-greet opportunities
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A structure fire in Horseshoe Bay on Sunday, Feb. 1, resulted in the death of one individual, according to local officials.
The Horseshoe Bay Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at a residence in the 300 block of Lucy Lane at approximately 5:30 p.m. Firefighters found one individual deceased inside the home.
The victim’s identity has not been released as authorities work to notify next of kin. Following standard procedure, the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office has been contacted, and the fire’s cause is under investigation.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim during this incredibly difficult time,” Fire Chief Doug Fowler said in a media release. “This is a tragic loss for our close-knit community.”
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Bertram’s own weather whiz, Pawnee the Donkey, has directly challenged nationally-known groundhog Punxsutawney Phil after predicting an early spring at this year’s Donkey Day on Monday, Feb. 2. This comes only hours after the famous groundhog saw his shadow and called for six more weeks of winter.
Pawnee, a 22-year-old miniature donkey, chose to snack on oats over sweet feed at the annual event. As the Donkey Day tradition goes, his pick signifies a forecast for an early spring rather than a longer winter.
Pawnee was cheered on by the students and faculty of Bertram Elementary at a special ceremony before the school day began.
Pawnee partakes in a bowl of oats, predicting the close of the winter season. Pawnee has been said to have nearly 80 percent accuracy. Staff photo by Caden Senn
Pawnee has been the area’s trusted forecaster for 17 years and has proven to have roughly 80 percent accuracy in his weather predictions. By comparison, the Pennsylvania-native groundhog has recorded less than 40 percent accuracy in his supposed 140 years of life.
“(Pawnee) loves coming up here every year,” owner Patsy Oertli told DailyTrib. “We just go grab him, blow the hay off a bit, put him in the trailer, and he just has lots of fun.”
Bertram Elementary Principal Christine Hoffman gives Pawnee a customary kiss after his prediction. Staff photo by Caden Senn
Bertram Elementary Principal Christine Hoffman echoed Oertli’s sentiments, praising the donkey’s work for the community. As tradition, Hoffman also gave Pawnee a customary kiss to seal the prediction.
“It’s a fun way to build not just tradition, but something special and unique to our community,” Hoffman told DailyTrib. “We always have a good turnout, and our kids look forward to it every year.”
For his gracious performance and continued efforts in giving the Burnet County community the right weather predictions, Pawnee was given a peppermint before returning to home.
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