The Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors recently approved a $565,000 land sale for 7.54 acres of property within the Marble Falls Business & Technology Park. The contract, yet to be signed by both parties, would see an undisclosed “national building materials company,” get the property.

The EDC approved the deal during its regular meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Once the buyer signs off they will have 180 days to finalize the purchase, pending the results of a feasibility study and construction design.

“Construction is  a critical industry for the community and accommodating another provider in the area is in alignment with the EDC’s mission,” EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher told DailyTrib following the Board of Director’s decision.

The identity of the building materials company will remain undisclosed until the deal is set in stone and the project moves forward.

The 300-acre Marble Falls Business & Technology Park, located on Innovation Loop on the north end of the city, was acquired by the EDC in the late ‘90s with the idea that it would help attract certain kinds of business to the city, like light manufacturing and assembly facilities; professional offices; and supply depots. 

What is the Marble Falls EDC?

The EDC is a nonprofit, semi-governmental organization tasked with facilitating economic growth and development in the city of Marble Falls. It is led by a board of seven directors, each appointed by City Council to their positions, and managed by an executive director. The board meets on the first Wednesday of each month to deliberate on policy, business deals, and to receive updates on the city’s economic activity. 

The EDC is funded by a half-cent sales tax collected from transactions within Marble Falls city limits. The funds collected can only be used for the retention, expansion, attraction, and development of business and prosperity in the city.

The current Marble Falls EDC Board of Directors is made up of Board President Steve Reitz; Vice President Mark Mayfield; Director Ryan Nash; Director Dave Rhodes; Director Lindsay Plante; Director Judy Miller; and Director John Packer, who is also mayor of Marble Falls.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Granite Shoals is moving forward with a lighted fishing pier at Lakeview Park on Lake LBJ after receiving a $23,370 community grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Pedernales Electric Cooperative. Combined with a $6,500 city match, the funding will allow the city to build a low-profile T-head pier offering convenient walk-out access for anglers.

Lakeview Park, one of Granite Shoals’ 19 public parks, was selected for the new pier to provide easy walk-out access to the lake during regular park hours. The city has 15 waterfront parks, eight of which have boat ramps, but fishing near busy ramps can often be challenging.

City leaders say the project fills a long-standing need at one of Granite Shoals’ most visited lakeside parks and described the pier as a small but meaningful quality-of-life improvement and the first of several planned upgrades for the lakeside park at 2830 Lakeview Lane.

“This project has been years in the making, and it gives Lakeview Park something it’s always lacked – a place to fish off the bank without the hassles of brush, shallow water or nearby boat traffic,” Steve Hougen, Granite Shoals mayor pro tem and parks committee liaison, said in a media release. “Parents and kids will be able to walk out, drop a line and enjoy the simple, timeless experience. Think of that classic ‘Andy Griffith’ moment of Andy and Opie walking home together with fishing poles and fish on a stringer.”

Hougen said the pier will serve as a shared community space.

“We’re grateful for LCRA’s and PEC’s support, which helped move a long-discussed idea into action,” he said. “The pier will be open to everyone, no reservations or fees required. It will be a community spot where families can fish, take photos and connect with the lake.”

The grant is one of 41 recently awarded through the LCRA Community Grants program, which supports projects across the agency’s electric, water, and transmission service areas.

Planning for the pier began earlier this fall when the Granite Shoals Parks Advisory Committee, with staff support, applied for the LCRA grant. Following the award, the City Council on Nov. 17 authorized the city manager to negotiate a contract with one of three bidders – Chapman Docks, Texas Decks and Docks, or Cragen Marine. The contract, capped at $30,000, must comply with LCRA grant requirements and the city’s existing park lease. The pier will include LED lighting and must be completed within one year.

“This project reflects our shared commitment to improving our parks and creating spaces where families and neighbors can come together,” Michele Landfield, the Chair of the Granite Shoals Parks Advisory Committee, told DailyTrib.

maci@thepicayune.com

The Llano Yellowjackets are the final Highland Lakes area high school football team to be playing in the 2025 season. The Jackets take the field on Friday, Dec. 5 for a quarterfinals game against the Edna Cowboys.

Llano Yellowjackets neutral game Edna Cowboys

KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5

WHERE: Dub Farris Stadium, 8400 N. Loop 1604 West in San Antonio

LAST GAME: Llano 31, Goliad 7

Llano (12-1 overall, 5-0 district) has a storied game against Edna (10-3 overall, 6-1 district) on Friday night for the quarterfinals of the 2025 University Interscholastic League Football Conference 3A D1 Championship. 

This will be the third time that the Jackets have taken on the Cowboys in the fourth round of the playoffs. On the previous two occasions, in 2022 and 2024, Edna came away with the win with scores of 40-21 and 41-14 respectively.

Llano head football Coach Matt Green is confident in his team.

“These kids want to leave their mark on the program,” Green told DailyTrib. “They want to be remembered as one of, if not the best Llano teams in the school’s history. This team can do that.”

Llano has only made it to the quarter finals or farther three times in the school’s 115 year history according to Green. Once, in 2020, they made it to the semi finals, and the others were in 2022 and 2024 when they were stopped by Edna.

“You talk about a goal? Beat Edna,” he said. “It pains me to say it, but they have just been better than us in the past. This is absolutely a winnable game, we just have to play our best brand of football.”

The location for the game was changed on Wednesday, Dec. 3 due to lighting issues at the previous venue. The accurate location for the Dec. 5 game is Dub Farris Stadium, as listed in the breakdown. Tickets purchased at the previous location will be honored at the new one.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Marble Falls is considering an official ban on smoking and vaping in city parks. A proposed ordinance would outlaw puffing in parks, but officials say the rules would mostly be enforced through warnings and signage rather than fines.

City Council will consider the passing of the smoking and vaping ban during its regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 6 at Marble Falls City Hall, 800 Third Street in Marble Falls. The meeting is open to the public.

Specifically, the ordinance would make it illegal to smoke or vape in a Marble Falls city park. Violating the ordinance could come with up to $500 in fines, and part of the new law would include the installation of signage in the parks notifying visitors of the prohibition. 

This ban would apply to all current and future public parks in city limits. This includes Lakeside Park, Johnson Park, Falls Creek and Skate Park, Westside Park, and the upcoming Mormon Mill Nature Park. 

According to Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman, the ordinance was developed following several complaints related to secondhand smoke at community events in public parks. 

“We have received multiple comments over the last year from families and park users who were concerned about exposure to smoke in areas where children and large gatherings are common,” Dingman wrote in a response to emailed questions from DailyTrib. “The proposal is part of a broader effort to maintain clean, safe, and welcoming public spaces for everyone.”

She explained that city staff researched a possible ban, finding that other cities like San Marcos, Austin, Boerne, Georgetown, San Antonio, and New Braunfels all have smoking and vaping bans in their public parks. Staff then developed an ordinance and presented it to the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission, which approved it on Nov. 10 to be sent to council for possible adoption.

“The proposed ordinance is intended to be enforced primarily through education and voluntary compliance,” Dingman noted. ”This is similar to how we enforce most quality-of-life ordinances in park settings. Violations would technically be subject to a fine of up to $500, but citations are expected to be rare. The emphasis is on awareness, signage, and respectful conversations, instead of punitive action.”

Dingman also acknowledged the possible public concern of “government overreach” with the proposed ban.

“I understand the sentiment that new regulations can sometimes feel like government overreach,” she wrote. “In this case, the intent is to support a healthy and enjoyable environment in spaces that are shared by thousands of residents and visitors each year. We’re trying to strike a balance that respects individual choice while protecting the overall park experience for families, youth, and vulnerable populations.”

dakota@thepicayune.com

The deadlines to apply for aid from Granite Shoals Christmas Outreach and Highland Lakes Christmas for Kids are approaching. Both organizations are dedicated to supporting families in need during the holidays and ensuring that all children in the Highland Lakes area have presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

Granite Shoals Christmas Outreach

Apply by Friday, Dec. 5

Apply for support from Granite Shoals Christmas Outreach by Friday, Dec. 5. Applications can be picked up and turned in during school hours at Highland Lakes Elementary School, 8200 RR 1431 in Granite Shoals; The Helping Center, 1016 Broadway in Marble Falls; and at the Department of Health and Human Services Commission, 1406 Resource Parkway in Marble Falls.

Highland Lakes Christmas for Kids

Apply by Tuesday, Dec. 9

Apply for support from Highland Lakes Christmas for Kids by noon on Dec. 9. Applications can be picked up and turned in at the Department of Health and Human Services Commission, 1406 Resource Parkway in Marble Falls; at the Community Resource Center, 1016 Broadway in Marble Falls, and The Helping Center, 1016 Broadway in Marble Falls.

editor@thepicayune.com

A $5 million construction contract for a reliable connection between U.S. 281 and Mormon Mill Road on the north end of Marble Falls was recently approved by City Council. Work should begin on the Nature Heights Extension Project in January and be completed before the end of 2026. 

City Council selected the lowest of six bids on Tuesday, Dec. 2, submitted for the project, coming in at $5,043,314 from Packsaddle Management. 

The plans include extending Nature Heights Drive about 3,700 linear feet through undeveloped land and connecting it to the intersection of Mormon Mill Road and Park Ridge Drive. A roundabout will be installed at the new juncture. Currently, Nature Heights Drive is just a small feeder road across the highway from Walmart.

According to Marble Falls City Engineer Jeff Prato, construction should begin in January 2026 and be completed within 325 calendar days. Packsaddle’s bid came in well under the city’s predicted price estimate of $7-8 million. 

The Nature Heights Extension Project is decades in the making and should improve traffic flow between U.S. 281 and Mormon Mill Road. 

“The city doesn’t have a lot of connections between Mormon Mill and (U.S.) 281,” Prato told DailyTrib when the project first went out for bid. “We’re hoping that, by constructing this road, we can alleviate traffic elsewhere.”

While the whole council was in support of the project overall, Place 1 Councilor Griff Morris opposed one aspect of the plan presented on Tuesday.

“I’m not a fan of roundabouts,” he said.

The vote passed 4-1 with Morris as the sole opposer. Councilors Richard Westerman and Karlee Hubble were absent from Tuesday’s meeting. 

Prato addressed Morris’ concerns.

“From a traffic engineering perspective…(a roundabout) reduces conflicts,” he said.

Prato explained that “conflicts” simply referred to the crossings of theoretical lines of traffic, which tend to increase with four-way intersections. The roundabout is also designed to allow for emergency vehicle travel, including fire trucks, and to allow for more efficient traffic flow without the need for a full stop, as is necessary at a four-way intersection.

“I’m not a huge fan of roundabouts, but I think this is a good case for one,” Mayor John Packer said prior to the council’s vote.

dakota@thepicayune.com

The Granite Shoals Deer Management Program is shifting again, this time adding new incentives for participants through the “Earn-a-Buck” system, which rewards harvesters for donating antlerless deer. Under the new incentive structure, harvesters earn one buck tag for every five antlerless deer harvested and donated, with a maximum of 20 donations, or four buck tags, per person.

The revisions mark the newest round of updates since the program launched Sept. 27. Less than a month into harvesting operations, the Granite Shoals City Council approved modifications following complaints raised at the Oct. 14 city council meeting about public safety and unrecovered deer. Those concerns led to weekday-only harvesting, a full ban on hunting when school is not in session, and the recent cancellation of all afternoon slots. 

Harvesting is now restricted to 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.

Under the previous rules, the shooting of bucks was prohibited. Harvesters were only allowed to shoot antlerless deer, referring to does or bucks that did not have visible antlers. Now, bucks are fair game if a harvester meets the five antlerless deer requirement.

Monthly requalification requirements were also added after repeated worries about unrecovered deer that had been found after being shot. Harvesters must now pass an archery skills test each month, placing one shot within a 2-inch circle inside a bullseye and a second within a 4-inch boundary, a change from the previous standard of qualifying only once a year.

“We are roughly two months into the (managed lands deer program) season and have removed approximately 135 deer from the population,” Mark Hendshaw, chair of the city’s Wildlife Advisory Committee, told DailyTrib. “So we are 50 percent complete to our (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department) target of 270 with three months of seasons remaining.”

Henshaw said the program is seeking additional harvesting locations, as deer numbers have decreased in actively used areas. Residents with secluded lots may volunteer land by contacting the Wildlife Advisory Committee at 830-265-1803.

To date, the program has produced 700 pounds of venison, half of which has been donated to Granite Shoals residents and the other half to The Helping Center food pantry in Marble Falls.

The requalification assessments are scheduled for Nov. 22 and Jan. 10 from 8-11 a.m. 

To qualify, harvesters must have passed background checks, demonstrated shooting proficiency, held required hunting licenses, and completed a written exam. Full requirements are available on the WAC website.

All program activities require approval from the City Council and coordination with the city administration and police department.

The Wildlife Advisory Committee is also undergoing internal change. Former Chair Peter Hutnick, serving his second term after a unanimous vote at the City Council’s Jan. 6 meeting, resigned following the committee’s Nov. 4 session. He played a significant role in relaunching the management program and surveying the population after a hiatus, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The city is thankful for (Hutnick’s) contribution,” Mayor Ron Munos told DailyTrib. 

Hutnick offered no comment regarding his resignation.

The program’s development dates back years, involving population counts, rebuilding the advisory committee, and working with TPWD for two full years before harvesting officially began in late September.

maci@thepicayune.com

Texas Cache, an archaeology magazine in circulation for over 30 years, will host one of its arrowhead and artifact “show n’ tell” events in Castell from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. The event is held amid a Texas Cache exhibit that is on display at the Castell Hill Country Gallery through Dec. 31. 

The show n’ tell is free to attend and serves as a venue for artifact enthusiasts and amateur archaeologists to share their collections of arrowheads and other ancient human relics that have been uncovered across the Lone Star State. While guests are encouraged to bring their collections, there will be no buying or selling of artifacts on site.

Find the event in Castell, about 20 miles west of Llano, at 19347 W. RR 152.

“We live in a spot where there has been continuous human habitation for at least 13,000 years, and possibly longer than that,” Texas Cache Publisher Ryan Murray told DailyTrib. “It’s really cool just seeing what people have at these events.”

Murray and Texas Cache periodically hold these show n’ tell events to connect with the artifact-hunting community. Members of Texas Borderland Archaeology will be on hand during the event to help identify and catalogue visitor’s archaic treasures.

A modern day flint knapper will also be demonstrating the ancient art of shaping stones into tools at the show n’ tell. 

The Castell Hill Country Gallery is also showcasing the iconic photos and finds that have been featured in Texas Cache since it was founded in 1994. 

Murray, a Briggs resident and dedicated amateur archaeologist, was featured in The Picayune magazine in 2023. His local claim to fame is that he discovered the remains of a 700-year-old bison embedded in the bank of South Rocky Creek near his home, and donated the skeleton to the Falls on the Colorado Museum, at 2001 Broadway in Marble Falls. The bison, now known as Rockie, can be seen on display during the museum’s normal hours of operation, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Saturday. 

dakota@thepicayune.com

Burnet City Councilor Tres Clinton resigned this week, stating that the rapid growth of his aviation company had created an unavoidable conflict of interest with city ethics rules. His departure leaves an open seat on the council until voters choose a replacement during a May special election.

Clinton, who had served nearly nine years with the city, said his October purchase of an aircraft maintenance business operating in a city-owned hangar at the Burnet airport placed him in violation of the city’s ethics ordinance, which bars councilmembers from leasing or subleasing city property. While state law would have permitted the arrangement, Burnet’s code of ethics did not, forcing Clinton to choose between his public role and the expansion of C3 Air, his aviation company.

Clinton submitted his resignation on Sunday, Nov. 30, sharing his letter to the City Council via a Facebook post, citing that the acquisition of the maintenance business created a clear conflict. He included an excerpt of the city’s ethics code to illustrate the issue.

“I’ve enjoyed about nine years of service to the community and I’m excited about the growth of C3 Air but unfortunately it’s at the expense of my service to the city,” Clinton told DailyTrib.

A fourth-generation Burnet resident, Clinton has professionally flown out of the Burnet airport since 2009. He said his intention is to operate the business transparently and in compliance with city rules.

“I want to rent directly to the city,” he told DailyTrib of his new purchase. “In the process, I want to make sure we’re all square.”

City Manager David Vaughn praised Clinton’s long tenure and community impact.

“Councilmember Clinton has served our community for nearly nine years and during that time has contributed greatly to where we are today as one of the best places to live in the Hill Country,” Vaughn told DailyTrib. “While there have been many significant accomplishments during this time, the most impressive to me has been his willingness and ability to help others in time of need, particularly what he was able to do to help during COVID and more recently, during the July flooding. Even for those that may not know him, everyone’s lives in our community have been impacted in a positive manner by his contributions and willingness to go above and beyond to help those in need.”

maci@thepicayune.com