Cottonwood Shores City Council has amended an ordinance to prohibit unauthorized parking and the storage of trailers, vehicles, and other items in city parks and boat ramps.
“We’re just closing a loophole,” City Manager J.C. Hughes told DailyTrib.
City Secretary Bobby Herrin said during the Jan. 15 meeting that language written years ago unintentionally allowed trailers to be parked or stored in the city parks and boat ramps.
“Years ago, they wrote the ordinance up and under permitted uses on the park property, it allowed the parking of trailers, any type of trailer, or storing them in the park,” Herrin said.
Under the amended ordinance, vehicles and trailers are still allowed at parks and boat ramps when they are actively being used to launch or retrieve boats. However, they cannot be stored or left in those areas for prolonged periods.
The council approved the measure unanimously.
Although the city has not experienced issues with long-term parking or storage, officials said the amendment is a proactive step to prevent future problems and gives the city clear authority to address violations.
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On Jan. 9, A Burnet County jury found Martin Mendoza-Tovar, 54, of Burnet, guilty on three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
The jury assessed a punishment of 25 years imprisonment on each count. 33rd District Court Judge Allen Garrett determined that Medoza-Tovar would serve two sentences consecutively and one in full, meaning his total sentence is 50 years in the Texas prison system.
According to a media release issued by the 33rd/424th District Attorney’s Office, Mendoza-Tovar was convicted after a week-long trial showed evidence that he had sexually abused his step-granddaughter over a two-year period. Two of his granddaughters also testified that he had sexually abused them when they were children.
The jury also heard testimony from the victim’s family members, including her mother, sister, cousin, aunt, and grandmother. Forensic interviewers from the Hill Country Children’s Advocacy Center also offered expert testimony about the abuse.
Assistant district attorneys Sheri Bloom and Michael Walker prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Texas. Mendoza-Tovar was represented by attorney Richard Davis. The Burnet Police Department and the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation and trial.
“Justice was served because of the courage of the victims, the hard work of law enforcement, and the jury’s diligence and attentiveness,” wrote Assistant District Attorney Bloom in the release. “It’s always a tragedy when a child is betrayed and victimized by a trusted family member, but today’s verdict ensures that this defendant will never be able to harm another child.”
District Attorney Perry Thomas also commented on the outcome.
“Child abuse is an ever-present scourge in our community and throughout the State of Texas, but we’re working every single day, with the help of our tireless law enforcement partners, to hold every child abuser accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.
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Marble Falls will say goodbye to a historic staple of food and fun on Sunday, Jan. 18, after Doc’s Fish Camp & Grill announced its permanent closure on Jan. 14. The restaurant, located near the corner of U.S. 281 and RR 1431, has been serving the community for decades.
The owner, Bradley Lannie, shared a Facebook post thanking the community for their love and support over the last two years, and for allowing him to live his dream.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to have lived my dream as a restaurateur, regardless of the outcome,” Lannie wrote.
Doc’s will go out in style before its closure Sunday night with a few final performances from longtime musicians of the restaurant: Fridayz with Ken & Renee’ from 3-5 p.m., and Jimmy Lee from 6-8:30 p.m.
Lannie became the owner of Doc’s in 2023, and faced an immediate uphill battle. He said that, before taking over, a social media post from an employee criticising the restaurant’s ownership had blown up and damaged its reputation within the community.
“I appreciate the people who gave us a chance after I took over, and who came back,” Lannie told DailyTrib.
Despite controversy, Lannie did his best to restore the public’s view of the historic restaurant, and over the years was able to draw in both locals and tourists to enjoy good music and eats.
“I’m proud of what we did here,” Lannie said. “I can sleep at night knowing I did what I could and that my people will be able to find something after this.”
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Granite Shoals City Council recently approved a $175,000 donation that will fund the design and construction of a new outdoor amphitheater at Quarry Park, a project city officials say will enhance the park as a regional destination for events and recreation.
The council voted on Tuesday, Jan. 13, to accept the donation from the Hudson Family and approved naming rights under the city’s donation policy. The Proton Amphitheater at Quarry Park will be located immediately next to City Hall, located at 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road, on the steep south side of the property.
“The Proton Amphitheater at Quarry Park promises to bring residents and visitors together through shared cultural experiences and community events, honoring our granite and quarrying roots while symbolizing the energy, connection, and forward momentum that continue to shape Granite Shoals,” City Manager Sarah Novo told DailyTrib.
The amphitheater remains in the planning stages, and city officials did not release details regarding construction timelines, design elements, or a projected completion date.
The donation allows the previously unfunded project to move forward without committing additional city dollars at this time. City officials said the donated funds will be deposited into a restricted capital project account within the city’s financial system.
A fiscal year 2026 budget amendment will be requested when the funds are expected to be expended for design or construction, and any future operational or maintenance costs will be incorporated into the Parks Department’s annual budget.
During the meeting, donor Andrew Hudson, a Granite Shoals landowner, said the contribution was intended as an enhancement to the city.
“I wanted to make a donation to the city, an investment in the city,” Hudson said in the meeting.
He also addressed the naming of the amphitheater
“So proton is my hiking name; I’m a huge chemistry nerd,” he said.
The city also shared an official statement on the amphitheater’s title.
“Its name and concept symbolize the city’s connection to both its geological past and its forward momentum,” reads a Granite Shoals city staff report. “Forged from the quarries that built our city, inspired by the elements that shape our world. The name Proton Amphitheater reflects both the natural and elemental foundations of Granite Shoals’ identity and the forward-looking energy of its community.”
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Texas Department of Public Safety officers, as part of a DPS regional tactical strike team, participated in an immigration enforcement operation in Kingsland on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 14. The exact nature of the operation was not shared by DPS, but the agency reported that “no arrests were made” in the event.
Several DPS state trooper vehicles were seen patrolling and stationed along RR 1431 in Kingsland between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
“We can confirm Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers – part of regional tactical strike teams – were in (Kingsland) around (Wednesday morning),” reads an emailed statement from DPS Press Secretary Sheridan Nolan to DailyTrib in a response to questions. “No arrests were made.”
Llano County Sheriff’s Office officials told DailyTrib that the Llano County Jail did not take in any inmates from DPS or ICE following Wednesday’s events.
Sheridan also included background on the state’s “regional tactical strike teams.” The teams consist of state troopers, special agents, and Texas Rangers. They are also supported by DPS’ homeland security and aircraft operations divisions.
The teams were created at the direction of Gov. Gregg Abbott in January 2025 with the intent of assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, with arresting people who have entered the United States illegally and then gone on to commit further crimes.
DailyTrib staff counted at least six Texas Department of Public Safety patrol vehicles in Kingsland on Wednesday morning. Four of them are pictured here. The state troopers were reportedly in the area as part of a “regional tactical strike team” in support of local Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. According to Staff photos by Dakota Morrissiey
DailyTrib reached out to ICE for comment, but received no response by the time of this article’s publication.
The LCSO confirmed with DailyTrib that their agency did make two arrests on Wednesday, but they were for two active felony warrants that were unrelated to immigration offenses and not affiliated with DPS or ICE operation in the area.
According to Sheriff Marquis Cantu, those warrants were for U.S. citizens Hope Eskew, who was arrested on a charge of abusing the elderly or disabled, and Beau Mraz, who was wanted on a warrant out of Hood County.
Cantu also said that LCSO deputies were working in Kingsland on Wednesday, but not actively participating in the DPS/ICE operation.
“We were both working separately (on Wednesday),” he said. “We work in the county together, and had they asked for back up, we would have responded, and if we asked for back up, they would respond. We have a good relationship.”
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In a letter to the city on Wednesday, Jan. 14, Bertram Mayor Michael Dickinson announced that he would be resigning, effective Jan. 21, due to ongoing health problems.
“I am no longer able to fulfill the responsibilities of this office to the standard that the people of our city deserve,” Dickinson wrote. “While it is difficult to step away, I believe this decision is in the best interest of my health and the continued effective leadership of the city.”
His resignation will take effect one week after the opening of City Council election filing on Jan. 14, in which the mayoral seat is up for election.
The Mayoral seat will sit vacant until after Election Day. In the meantime, Mayor Pro-Tem John Baladez will take over duties from Dickinson.
Four seats are on the ballot, including that of mayor, two full-term aldermen seats, and one alderman seat with an unexpired term for one year.
The alderman seats up for election are currently held by Randal Fisher, James Predmore, and Lane Shipp. Candidates may file until Feb. 13, and Election Day will take place on May 2.
Dickinson, a native of Burnet County, was elected to the city council in 2017, and served for four total years as an alderman before he was elected as mayor in 2021.
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In a surprise ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 13, Marble Falls High School counselor Molly Heath was named a finalist in the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards. Heath now has an invitation to the official awards banquet on May 3 in Houston.
Heath was visited in her classroom on Tuesday by H-E-B staff, including the company’s mascot H-E-Buddy, and presented with a check for $1,000, balloons, and cookies. She is eligible for further prizes if she takes home the overall win in May.
“I truly believed I hadn’t been selected as a finalist, so the surprise was overwhelming and still hasn’t fully sunk in,” Heath said in a Marble Falls Independent School District media release. “I am incredibly grateful to H-E-B, my MFHS family for going above and beyond to surprise me, and to my family and friends for their endless love and support.”
The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards has been recognizing and supporting Texas educators for over 20 years, handing out more than $14 million since 2002. Educators are nominated for the award by their coworkers, local H-E-B staff, and other members of their community.
“Ms. Heath is a true Marble Falls High School treasure,” said Marble Falls High School Principal Patrick Hinson. “She is phenomenal with our students and our staff. From her beginning as a teacher/head volleyball coach and head cheer coach, to her time as a counselor, she has poured her heart and soul into our district. She is completely deserving of this award and I consider myself lucky to work alongside her each and every day.”
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There are three open seats on the Granite Shoals City Council, and the window to file for candidacy is open Jan. 15- Feb. 13.
The available seats are:
-Place 2, currently held by Mike Pfister (eligible to rerun)
-Place 4, currently held by Steve Hougen (Mayor Pro Tem, not eligible to rerun)
-Place 6, currently held by Catherine Bell (eligible to rerun)
Council info
The Granite Shoals City Council is made up of seven total members–six councilors and one mayor– who are elected by city residents to represent them at the municipal level.
These are unpaid, volunteer positions. City Council members serve two-year terms and gather for regular meetings monthly.
While the day-to-day operations of the city are handled by a professional city manager, the council is responsible for hiring the city manager, setting policies, guiding the direction of the city, appointing members of various boards and commissioners, creating the city budget, setting the city tax rate, and collaborating with city administration.
Applicant requirements
To be eligible to serve, applicants must:
-Be a qualified voter at the time of the election they are running in
-Have lived within the city limits or recently annexed areas for at least 12 months before their filing date
-Not owe any taxes or other financial obligations to the city
-Not have filed for any other elected office
How to file
Obtain and submit a candidate application at the City Secretary’s Office at City Hall, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road in Granite Shoals. Find a digital, downloadable version of the application at this link. Learn more about the election and filing process on the Granite Shoals website. Contact the City Secretary’s Office with questions at 830-598-2424 or citysecretary@graniteshoals.org.
Election Schedule
-Jan. 14- 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
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Burnet will hold a general election on May 2, 2026, to elect four members to the city council. Candidates may file for election from Jan. 14 through Feb. 13.
The four seats up for election include those held by:
Councilor Tommy Gaut
Councilor Cindia Talamantez
Councilor Philip Thurman
Councilor Tres Clinton (vacant seat, unexpired term)
Of the four seats up for election, three will be elected to serve full two-year terms. The final seat, left vacant after the resignation of Tres Clinton in 2025, will have a partial term, expiring on May 1, 2027. Candidates may only apply for one council position, either a full term or the unexpired term.
Council info
The Burnet Council is made up of seven total members–six councilors and one mayor– who are elected by city residents to represent them at the municipal level.
These are unpaid, volunteer positions. City Council members serve two-year terms and gather for regular meetings twice per month.
While the day-to-day operations of the city are handled by a professional city manager, the council is responsible for hiring the city manager, setting policies, guiding the direction of the city, appointing members of various boards and commissioners, creating the city budget, setting the city tax rate, and collaborating with city administration.
Applicant requirements
To be eligible to run, candidates must fulfil the following requirements:
Must be a U.S. citizen
Must be 21 years of age or older
Must be a registered voter of the city
Must have lived within city limits for at least 12 months
Must not have a felony conviction
Must not be a candidate for any other office in the election
Must not be an employee of the city at time of filing
How to file
Visit the Burnet City Secretary’s Office at City Hall, 301 E. Jackson Street to pick up a candidate packet and to submit your application. Contact the City Secretary’s Office at 512-756-8560 for more information or visit the city of Burnet elections page on its website to learn more.
Election Schedule
-Jan. 14- 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
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
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