Burnet County leadership is reaching out to other local governments to investigate the possibility of forming an official regional planning commission, which could potentially offer more power in the ongoing opposition to a state transmission line project that would cut through the north end of the county. A public workshop to provide updates and further discussion on the Bell County East to Big Hill 765 kV Transmission Line Project is scheduled for Feb. 3 in Burnet.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court deliberated the formation of the regional planning commission during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27. The commission would be a state-sanctioned entity, supported by Chapter 391 of the Texas Local Government Code, which allows the formation of a coalition of related governments to cooperate in regional planning efforts. Some believe that such a commission could help Burnet County further advocate for itself in the transmission line talks, but the exact benefits and detriments still need to be determined.
“I’m trying to find out how (a regional planning commission) can help us (with the transmission line negotiations) without creating a whole other level of government,” Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson told DailyTrib.
Ultimately the court took no action on the formation of a commission on Tuesday, but the judge and county’s legal representation committed to reaching out to other local governments– like the cities of Burnet, Marble Falls, and Bertram, and possibly Llano and Williamson counties– to see if there was any interest in partnering for the transmission line fight.
Burnet County will hold a public workshop on the ongoing transmission line opposition talks at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at the Burnet County AgriLife Extension building, 607 N. Vanderveer in Burnet. This will be the second such meeting the county has held in recent weeks.
Background on the Bell County East to Big Hill 765 kV Transmission Line
The Bell County East to Big Hill 765-kV Transmission Project has been on Burnet County’s radar since May 2025. Since then, public opposition and protest has risen and the county has officially taken up opposition to the state project.
The transmission line project’s intention is to bring power to West Texas, but many Burnet County residents believe that it would be at the expense of Hill Country landowners.
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SCHEDULE:Subject to change; additional games may be added.
Home Location: YMCA Burnet
Feb. 16, 4:30 p.m. – Away vs. Manor New Tech
Feb. 27–28, TBD – Away tournament at San Marcos Academy
Mar. 5, 1 p.m. – Home vs. Central Texas Christian School
Mar. 13, 4 p.m. – Away at Central Texas Christian School
Mar. 23, 1 p.m. – Home
Mar. 27, 5 p.m. – Away at San Marcos Academy
Apr. 6, 1 p.m. – Home vs. Lutheran
Apr. 10, 5 p.m. – Away at Lutheran High School, San Antonio
Apr. 13, 1 p.m. – Home vs. Live Oak
Apr. 16, 5 p.m. – Away at Live Oak
TEAM ROSTER:
#1 – Kosoglow, Benjamin Mathew (Junior)
#2 – Little, Nixon Keith (Junior)
#4 – Blair, Braxton Lane (Junior)
#6 – Schore, Chase Samuel (Sophomore)
#7 – Andrews, Austin Lee (Junior)
#8 – Ellis, Austin Cole (Junior)
#9 – Jones, Sawyer Thomas (Senior)
#10 – Frazier, Knox Hutchins (Junior)
#11 – Hansard, Cooper Thomas (Junior)
#12 – Dillard, William Wade (Junior)
#16 – Spence, Joseph Austin (Freshman)
#22 – Zarob, Nicholas Andrew (Sophomore)
#24 – Wetzel, Michael David (Junior)
#28 – Pyle, Coye Scott (Freshman)
#34 – Norton, Logan Michael (Junior)
#35 – Kenney, Spencer Radcliffe (Junior)
#44 – Glenn, Khalil Garrett (Freshman)
#44 – Burns, Ronin Coyer (Junior)
#88 – Russell, Hudson Reid (Junior)
Coming off a difficult 2025 season, Faith Academy’s baseball team enters the spring with renewed confidence.
Last year’s struggles were largely the result of youth, as the roster featured 11 sophomores and just two upperclassmen, making it one of the youngest teams in the district. This season, that same group returns more seasoned and better equipped for varsity competition, with several additional players joining the mix.
“I didn’t really change my approach or try to do anything differently per se,” head coach Robert Ellis told DailyTrib. “We just needed to get older.”
That maturity has shown early. Ellis said the team is far ahead of where it was a year ago and better prepared to handle the demands of district play, which ultimately determines postseason opportunities.
“We’re way ahead of where we were last season,” he said. “We’re not the youngest team in the district anymore.”
The focus this season is steady improvement and consistency throughout the lineup. Ellis plans to use non-district games to give younger players valuable experience and experiment with rotations, while sharpening the team for games that matter most.
“The district games are 10 times more important than non-district games,” Ellis said. “That’s what gets you to the playoffs.”
Sawyer Jones, William Dillard, Spencer Kenney, Knox Frazier and Austin Ellis are among the players expected to lead the team this season, providing stability and setting the tone for a more competitive lineup.
The long-term outlook is just as encouraging. With the majority of the team returning as seniors next season, Ellis believes the foundation is being laid now for sustained success.
“We expect to kill everybody,” Ellis said of his team next season.
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The Burnet City Council voted to remove the local state of disaster following the devastating July 4 floods at a Tuesday, Jan. 27, meeting. Following the floods, the city has worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on reimbursement for reconstruction projects, and will look to continue those efforts throughout 2026.
City officials told the council that Burnet had concluded all work in the emergency response phases of the flood repairs, meaning the state of disaster could be terminated. The city still has significant work to do regarding actual repairs, with 17 open reconstruction projects still active with FEMA.
“All of the emergency response phases have concluded in relation to the flood event,” Assistant City Manager Keith McBurnett said at the meeting. “But we’ll continue through the (reconstruction) process as we recover and request funds through FEMA.”
Burnet’s 17 FEMA projects include efforts to clean up waterways, restore the irrigation systems of the Delaware Springs Golf Course, and repair the Galloway-Hammond ballfields, dugouts and restrooms.
Per FEMA rules, cities that declare a local state of disaster are given up to six months to complete emergency work to receive reimbursement, with all permanent work to be completed within 18 months. Once all work is complete, FEMA may reimburse up to 75 percent of eligible recovery costs through disaster assistance funding.
At a previous council meeting, Assistant City Manager McBurnett was candid about the city facing a lengthy recovery process, as FEMA requires thorough documentation and verification to provide reimbursements, but he assured the council that good progress was being made ahead of the 18-month deadline in January 2027.
“I can’t stand here today and tell you that every project will be completed by the (January 2027) deadline, but FEMA understands that this process takes time,” McBurnett said. “But, we do have some projects in which we have already finished the construction, repair, and renovation.”
For more information regarding the FEMA disaster declaration and assistance process, visit their website.
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Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham will be stepping down following the 2026 Republican primary election in March. Cunningham accepted a new position with the Texas Association of Counties, and the winner of the primary will likely serve the remaining 10 months of his term.
The outgoing judge announced on Tuesday, Jan. 27, that he would be vacating his seat and taking the County Relations Officer job with TAC on March 16. This comes after he publicly announced in September 2025 that he would not be running again, leaving the county judge’s seat open for the March 3 primary election.
“Llano County is in capable hands, and I remain confident in its bright future,” Cunningham wrote in a Jan. 27 media release. “TAC plays a critical role in strengthening county government in all 254 Texas counties. I look forward to supporting county officials statewide and helping ensure they have the tools they need to serve their communities.”
According to Cunningham, the current plan is to officially resign during the Llano County Commissioners Court meeting following the results of the Republican primary. The remaining members of the court will then vote to appoint the winner of the primary as the new county judge to serve out the remainder of Cunningham’s term, which expires in January 2027.
There are no Democratic challengers in the Llano County judge’s race, so the winner of the Republican primary will almost certainly take office to serve out their own four-year term after Cunningham’s expires.
Cunningham told DailyTrib that he intentionally waited to step down until the results of the primary were official to ensure that there was a transition of power justified by the voice of Llano County voters rather than a decision made solely by the Commissioners Court.
“The reason I waited until March is I didn’t want the court to become a circus,” he said.
There are two candidates running for the Republican nomination for Llano County judge– Rob Hardy and Richard Kepp.
DailyTrib is hosting a Llano County candidate forum featuring both men at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Llano County Community Center. Learn more about the candidates and the forum in this Jan. 9 DailyTrib story.
Cunningham has been in office since 2019. During his tenure, he navigated significant events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the winter storms of 2021, extreme drought and wildfires, the Llano County Library System lawsuit, and the historic flooding of the Llano and Colorado rivers in October 2018.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Llano County,” Cunningham said. “During my two terms, I have had the opportunity to work alongside exceptional individuals and organizations who care deeply about this county and state. Together, we have successfully faced major challenges and achieved meaningful progress that will benefit Llano County for years to come.”
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An 80-acre industrial recycling facility under construction in Briggs will soon see a major operations expansion thanks to an $11.5 million grant recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management.
Construction and the expansion should be completed by mid-2026.
The grant was made out to MELT Technologies, which does business as AMERMIN, an Austin-based industrial firm that specializes in recycling, processing, and reclaiming critical materials.
This particular facility was awarded the grant to support tungsten carbide reclamation and bolster the U.S. national supply. The durable compound is used in key industrial sectors like defense, nuclear power, energy, aerospace, agriculture, construction, healthcare, and technology.
Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle told DailyTrib that he looked into the project after seeing concerns expressed on social media about its potential impacts and purpose.
“Once we heard about this facility coming to the area, we vetted it out,” he said. “It will have a minimal impact on water usage and as it grows we’ll keep an eye on traffic concerns.”
The facility is expected to have about 30 employees at full buildout. According to the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, it has a well certified for a maximum output of 12 gallons per minute, giving it an “exempt” status, meaning it is not capable of producing enough water to require an operating permit through the district.
The project
“We appreciate the (Department of Energy’s) confidence in AMERMIN to establish a reliable domestic source of critical materials and minerals, addressing important supply chain and national security issues,” AMERMIN CEO Ryan McAdams said in a company media release.
According to the DOE, tungsten carbide is essential for U.S. manufacturing and the grant should help secure domestic sources of the material.
“For too long, the United States has relied on foreign nations for the minerals and materials that power our economy,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright wrote in a DOE media release. “We have these resources here at home, but years of complacency ceded America’s mining and industrial base to other nations.”
U.S. Congressional District 31 Rep. John Carter, representing Burnet County, expressed his support for the facility and its purpose.
“This significant $11.5 million federal investment in Texas-born AMERMIN, located in the heart of my district, is a testament to the important work the company is doing to increase American manufacturing independence and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers for critical materials and minerals that are important to nearly every industry,” Carter said.
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It’s softball season in Burnet, which means the Lady Dawgs Softball team is gearing up to hit the fields at full-swing. Scrimmages have already begun, and the Varsity Wimberley Tournament is fast approaching, kicking off on Feb. 12.
The Lady Dawgs come off a 12-14-1 season in 2025, placing third in district after being knocked out of playoff contention in a three-game series against Gatesville. The Lady Dawgs fought hard to win the second game of the series to force a third, but were unable to overcome the Hornets.
With a new season on the horizon, head coach Jayci Craig told DailyTrib that the team’s focus will be growth, teamwork, and representing their school.
“We are looking forward to the upcoming softball season and are excited to continue building a competitive, disciplined program,” Craig said. “Our focus will be on growth, teamwork, and representing our school with spirit, pride, and honor both on and off the field.”
Check out the full season preview below:
TEAM NAME: Burnet High School Lady Dawgs Softball Team
HEAD COACH: Jayci Craig
ASSISTANT COACH: Brent Kelley, Andrew Baker
LAST SEASON RECORD: 12-14-1 (7-5 in district)
SCHEDULE:Subject to change
Jan. 24 – Home vs. Brownwood/Lago Vista (Scrimmage)(Canceled)
Jan. 27, 5 p.m. – Home vs. Stephenville (Scrimmage)
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The window to file for the upcoming Kingsland Municipal Utility District Board of Directors election is open until Feb. 13.
The available seats are:
Place 3, currently held by Ken Black
Place 4, currently held by Kim Delz
Place 5, currently held by Jared Fields
Board of Directors info
The KMUD Board is composed of five members – president, vice president, secretary, and two directors– who are elected by residents to represent them in district decision making.
These are unpaid, volunteer positions. Board members serve staggered four-year terms and meet monthly for regular meetings.
The board is responsible for overseeing the district’s operations, which primarily include providing sewer services, wastewater treatment, and other essential utility work to the greater Kingsland area.
Applicant requirements
To be eligible to serve, applicants must:
Be a qualified voter at the time of the election
Either own land subject to taxation within the district or be a qualified voter residing within the district
Be at least 18 years of age and a resident of Texas
How to file
Obtain and submit a candidate application at the District Administrative Office at 100 Ingram Street in Kingsland. Find a digital, downloadable version of the application at this link. Learn more about the election and filing process on the KMUD website. Contact KMUD with questions at 325-388-4559.
Election Schedule
-Jan. 13- Feb. 13 is the window to file for candidacy
-Feb. 13 is the last day for an election to be ordered
-April 2 is the last day to register to vote in this election
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The Highland Lakes will continue to see sub-freezing lows following a winter storm that recently dumped sleet, snow, and freezing rain on Burnet and Llano counties. While the lows will remain below 32 degrees in the coming days, there is currently no precipitation on the forecast and highs should reach the 40s and 50s deep into the week.
The cold, wet, icy conditions may continue to cause travel delays and impact government and business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Forecast
Monday, Jan. 26- according to the National Weather Service, temperatures will likely drop to 11 degrees on Monday night, but there is no precipitation predicted for the remainder of the week.
Tuesday, Jan. 27- the highs will climb above freezing, reaching an expected 45 degrees. The lows will remain below freezing at, at around 21 degrees.
Wednesday, Jan. 28- the highs will stay in the high 40s and the lows will rise into the high 20s.
Thursday, Jan. 29- highs will break into the high 50s, but the lows may remain just below freezing.
Travel updates
Many roads in the Highland Lakes area were considered hazardous or impassable over the weekend, leading to school closures, moved government meetings, altered business hours, and warnings from local law enforcement about dangerous driving conditions.
As of Monday afternoon, ice and snow have melted, but it could refreeze when temperatures drop again after sunset.
The Marble Falls Police Department is warning drivers about traversing RR 1431.
“East (RR) 1431 going towards Cedar Park has heavy ice on the roads which has resulted in multiple vehicles going off the roadway,” reads a statement from MFPD. “For residents attempting to go West on FM 1431, Lookout Mountain is mostly impassable. There are limited tow trucks for the region resulting in heavy delays to extract vehicles.”
As of Monday afternoon, Lookout Mountain on RR 1431 just east of Kingsland was still considered impassable.
All local agencies are advising to avoid travel or to drive with caution as of Monday.
“Road conditions are as bad or worse than yesterday (Sunday, Jan. 25),” reads a statement from the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management. “We urge everyone to stay off the roads until conditions improve. Road and Bridge crews as well as (Texas Department of Transportation) crews continue to attempt to clear roadways. Be sure to give them space to work safely. If you absolutely have to travel, stay away from bridges and overpasses, and avoid hills that may be troublesome.”
Closures and schedule changes
Some government offices, schools, and businesses could have impacted schedules and hours on Tuesday.
The Llano Independent School District, Marble Falls Independent School District, and Burnet Consolidated Independent School District announced on Monday afternoon that Tuesday classes would be canceled.
Check the school district’s social media pages for updates and changes:
The Llano County Commissioners Court moved its regular meeting from 9 a.m. on Monday to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, at the same location, 752 Andy Taylor Drive in Llano.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court still plans to hold its regular meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at 220 S. Pierce Street.
City of Burnet offices will not open until 1 p.m. on Tuesday to allow for road assessments. Updates will be made on the city’s social media.
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Marble Falls recently received a $750,000 grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for major upgrades to Westside Park. The grant greenlights a host of improvements, including the construction of a long-awaited inclusive playground.
“The investment in Westside Park represents our commitment to creating inclusive, accessible, and sustainable recreational spaces for our community,” Lacey Dingman, director of Marble Falls Parks and Recreation, wrote in a Jan. 23 media release. “This grant allows us to move forward with improvements that will benefit residents of all ages and abilities for generations to come.”
Westside Park is a 13-acre park at the intersection of 2nd Street and Avenue Q. Current features include a dog park, basketball courts, disc golf, playgrounds, a pavilion, hike-and-bike trail, and more.
The improvements are in the design phase according to the city and work will begin once that phase is completed.
The new improvements include:
Construction of an inclusive playground
Parking lot improvements
Interbank trail upgrades and enhancements
Expansion and renovation of restroom facilities
The grant is just one piece of a $3.35 million funding puzzle assembled by the city and its partners to move forward with Westside Park improvements.
$2 million comes from city funding
$600,000 comes from private donors
$750,000 from the TPWD grant
One of the greatest changes to the park will be the inclusive playground, dubbed Wyatt’s Clubhouse. The playscape will be designed to meet the needs of children of all ability levels. The project was spearheaded by the Marble Falls Inclusive Play Group, which has been raising funds and advocating for the playscape since 2022.
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