The Marble Falls Police Department has officially issued warrants for, and is working on apprehending, John Paul New, 46, of Leander for his alleged involvement in multiple major motor vehicle accidents on Nov. 19 in Marble Falls.
New is the primary suspect in a spree of collisions on U.S. 281 that put him in the hospital along with a three-year-old child that was in another vehicle damaged in the incident. He was officially charged on Monday, Dec. 1, with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, each being a second-degree felony that comes with two to 20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Law enforcement had not yet arrested New as of Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The MFPD is also looking at a driving while intoxicated charge pending the results of a blood test, but that specific charge had not yet been filed as of Tuesday.
On Nov. 19, New allegedly fled from the scene of a hit-and-run accident near the intersection of Max Starcke Dam Road and U.S. 281.
He is then said to have driven through the La Ventana neighborhood, hitting a stop sign and a light pole, before emerging on to U.S. 281 in south Marble Falls. Once he was on U.S. 281, his 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 collided with a Dodge Journey driven by Burnet resident Brittany Ashlock and her three-year-old daughter.
After that initial collision, a silver Lexus then hit New’s Dodge Ram. New then reportedly attempted to reverse out of the situation, striking a 2017 Ford F-250.
In the aftermath of the collisions, U.S. 281 was shut down to allow for the landing of two helicopters to transport New and Ashlock’s three-year-old daughter to hospitals in Austin.
New was reportedly in stable condition after the wrecks and the three-year-old had to be treated for a major laceration to her forehead.
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The Picayune magazine and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio are asking the Highland Lakes community to give back this holiday season with their annual toy drive on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The drive will collect new, unwrapped toys and financial donations for local children through Burnet County Santa’s Helpers, Christmas is for Kids, and the Granite Shoals Christmas Outreach program. KBEY 103.9 FM Operations Manager Ben Shields will broadcast live from Marble Falls Chevrolet-Buick at 2301 U.S. 281, while KBEY host Mac McClennahan will be at the Burnet Fire Station at 2002 S. Water St.
Reflecting on the importance of the drive this year, McClennahan emphasized the community’s resilience in the face of recent devastation.
“This year feels especially important after all we’ve been through– the floods, the heartbreak, and the people still working to rebuild homes or start over,” McClennahan said. “What really gets me, though, is how even in the middle of their own struggles, so many people still step up to help their neighbors.”
Shields emphasized the importance of sharing the joy of Christmas with local children and making sure every child in the area experiences the magic of the holiday.
“I feel like the toy drive makes our readers and listeners harken back to their childhood. We remember opening up our Christmas gifts and it being so magical,” Shields said. “We all have our favorite toy that we recall receiving. This is an opportunity to make sure that every child in the Highland Lakes gets to experience the joy of Christmas morning.”
Building on that sentiment, Victory Media Publisher Mandi Goldsmith expressed the importance of the generosity of the community over the years as the 14th annual drive approaches.
“They say the greatest joy is in giving– and our listeners and readers prove it year after year. The outpouring of support we see during this drive is one of the most powerful things we do all year. It reminds us how deeply this community cares, and how determined we are to make the holidays brighter for every child.”
In 2024, the toy drive collected hundreds of gifts and $6,524 in donations, and this year, the organizers hope to exceed that generosity.
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Phillips was posthumously awarded his place in the Hall of Honor during the Texas EMS Conference in Fort Worth Nov. 22-25. Placement in the hall is reserved for emergency services workers who have been killed while serving in the line of duty. Phillips is the 83rd honoree since the hall was created in 1981. The list also includes a special place for the EMS personnel who lost their lives while responding to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York.
“(Phillips’ induction) is just amazing,” Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Captain Thomas Jacobs told DailyTrib.
Phillips’ name will be included on a plaque, alongside other Hall of Honor inductees, at the Texas Department of State Health Services headquarters, at 1100 W. 49th Street in Austin.
These plaques bear the names of those inducted into the Texas EMS Hall of Honor, a space reserved for emergency services personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This photo was taken during a special ceremony held recently at the Texas EMS Conference in Fort Worth. Marble Falls Area VFD photo
While still under construction, Marble Falls Area Fire Department Station #2 will also be dedicated in memoriam to Phillips. The new station, at 6423 CR 120 near the Fairland Road-CR 120 intersection, should be completed sometime in 2026.
Phillips was reportedly swept away by flood waters in the early morning hours of July 5 while responding to a distress call east of Marble Falls. It is believed that he and his vehicle were washed downstream when he attempted to cross turbulent waters on Cow Creek. His vehicle was found, but his body was never recovered.
Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Station #2 will serve the community, but also serve as a memorial to fallen Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Chief Michael Phillips. Staff photo by Jennifer Greenwell
Phillips served with the Marble Falls Area VFD for about 30 years and worked for the Marble Falls Independent School District for over 20 years.
A recording from a 2012 interview with Phillips was played during his memorial service. A transcribed excerpt from that recording reads:
“Some people have money, some people have patience, some people have a lot of gifts, but my gift is that I like to work hard, and if something in that work can help somebody else pull through the worst day of their life, that is the reward I get out of that.”
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Residents of the Tres Vistas development in Horseshoe Bay, located at the end of Thataway, will be without water on Wednesday, Dec. 3 for approximately eight hours, according to a social media post from the city of Horseshoe Bay.
An exact timeline for the repairs has not yet been released, but service is expected to be restored “by the end of the day,” on Wednesday.
A water-main connection for the development is scheduled, affecting homes on Hi Mesa, Western Bit, Hart, Buck, and Thataway, resulting in a temporary loss of water service for homes in the area. The developer, Modern Homestead, will notify residents at each impacted home about the temporary shutoff.
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Temperatures could drop to near, at, or below freezing on the night of Monday, Dec. 1, across the Highland Lakes area. Potential rain on Monday afternoon could also mean icy conditions for drivers that night.
According to Monday morning forecasts from the National Weather Service, the expected lows in the area for Monday night are:
Temperatures are expected to rise later in the week, with expected lows back in the 40s by Tuesday and remaining above freezing throughout the current seven-day forecast across the Highland Lakes area.
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.
Two Highland Lakes teams are in the third round of the 2025 playoffs for their respective divisions. Burnet was eliminated in Round 2 against the Randall Raiders; Faith Academy takes on Huntsville Alpha Omega; and Llano battles Goliad.
Here are the matchups for Round 3:
Faith Academy Flames neutral game Alpha Omega Academy Lions
KICKOFF: 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28
WHERE: Bryan Allen Academy, 3201 Boonville Road in Bryan
LAST GAME: Faith Academy 68, Legacy Christian Academy 65
On Friday, Faith Academy (11-1 overall, 3-0 district) faces Alpha Omega Academy (9-1 overall, 2-0 district) for the third round of the 2025 Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools 6 Man II Tournament.
The Flames are already beyond their 2024 performance, when they fell in the first round of the playoffs to Lucas Christian Academy.
The Faith Academy team’s overall record has also improved compared to last year when they went 5-7 overall and 3-0 in district play.
Llano Yellowjackets neutral game Goliad Tigers
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28
WHERE: Bastrop ISD Memorial Stadium, 755 TX 21 in Cedar Creek
LAST GAME: Llano 53, London 12
The Yellowjackets (11-1 overall, 5-0 district) buzz into battle against the Tigers (10-2 overall, 6-1 district) on Friday for the third round of the 2025 3A Division I playoffs.
Llano played Goliad in the third round last year as well, winning a close 30-29 game in the 2024 playoffs.
If Llano wins Friday night’s game, they will go into the fourth round and face the winner of the Edna-Ingram Moore game scheduled for that same day. Llano beat Ingram Moore earlier in the season 34-14.
Llano played the Edna Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2024 playoffs, falling 41-14.
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.
Most local government offices will take a long weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday, closing Thursday and Friday and returning to regular hours on Monday, Dec. 1. The closures include U.S. post offices, most banks, and city offices in the Highland Lakes area.
Shoppers should also expect adjusted hours at businesses across the area. Walmart locations will be closed on Thanksgiving Day and reopen Friday for Black Friday crowds. H-E-B grocery stores will keep limited hours on Thanksgiving, opening from 6 a.m. to noon, although all H-E-B pharmacies will be closed.
The first Thanksgiving parade was not the Macy’s Day Parade. Philadelphia’s 1920 parade, sponsored by Gimbels Department Store, came four years before Macy’s first march.
Pumpkin pie is the holiday favorite, with Americans eating about 50 million pumpkin pies each Thanksgiving.
The original 1621 feast lasted three days, and turkey likely was not served.
Thanksgiving did not become a national holiday until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln made it official during the Civil War.
Americans eat about 46 million turkeys every Thanksgiving.
The first “Turkey Trot” was held in 1896 in Buffalo, New York, with only six runners participating.
Macy’s used to release its parade balloons into the sky until 1932, after safety concerns were cited.
The Detroit Lions have played nearly every Thanksgiving since 1934, and the only break was during World War II.
Only three small U.S. towns are named Turkey, and they are located in Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana.
Thanksgiving ranks as America’s second-favorite holiday, just after Christmas.
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.
Agendas for Highland Lakes governments are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
update on Marble Falls Independent School District
discuss and take action on approving license agreement with Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. to provide an exclusive license for use of the AquaNereda technology
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.
A cyclist was airlifted to Dell Seton Medical Center in Austin on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 26 after being struck by a vehicle while traveling along RR 1431 near the western city limit of Marble Falls.
According to a media release issued by the Marble Falls Police Department on Wednesday morning, Yeidor Gonzoles, 61, of Burnet County was hit by a 2008 Chevy Silverado driven by Manuel Solorzano, 22, of Granite Shoals.
Gonzoles was reportedly traveling eastbound on his bicycle in the outside lane when he was rear-ended by Solorzano, who was traveling in the same direction.
By 6:57 a.m. on Wednesday, several agencies responded to the accident, including MFPD, the Granite Shoals Police Department, Marble Falls Fire Rescue, the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, and Marble Falls Area EMS.
An Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter transported Gonzoles to Dell Seton, where he was said to be in stable condition as of Wednesday morning.
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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