Party filings for the 2026 primaries opened on Saturday, Nov. 8, beginning the official races for Republican and Democratic nominations for elected positions in Burnet and Llano counties. The filing window does not close until Dec. 8, but some major races already have multiple runners.
The 2026 primary election is set for March 3. For local races in Burnet and Llano counties, historically, the Republican nominee goes on to win in the general election due to the lack of a Democratic challenger. Party voters will also decide on state and national races at the polls.
The total list of candidates for the upcoming primaries will not be known until the Dec. 8 filing window closes.
Burnet County
Races of note
County judge
As of Monday, Nov. 10, Alan Trevino and Bryan Wilson have publicly filed to run for the Republican nomination in the race for Burnet County judge. This race is months in the making, with both men having competed for the appointment to the judge’s seat in early 2025 after the resignation of former judge James Oakley in December 2024. Wilson ultimately won the appointment in March and Trevino has been lobbying for the job since Oakley’s exit.
At least one challenger is running for the Precinct 2 nomination, Leonard Guenter. He filed campaign treasurer paperwork in July and has been publicly campaigning since January.
All Burnet County races:
County judge
Precinct 2 commissioner
Precinct 4 commissioner
County Court At Law judge
District clerk
County clerk
County treasurer
Precinct 1 justice of the peace
Precinct 2 justice of the peace
Precinct 3 justice of the peace
Precinct 4 justice of the peace
Llano County
Races of note
County judge
At least two runners have appeared for the Llano County judge race since current judge Ron Cunningham announced in September that he would not be running for reelection.
Sunrise Beach Village Mayor Rob Hardy and Llano County resident Richard Kepp are both actively campaigning for the Republican nomination in March.
Precinct 2 commissioner
Incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner Linda Raschke filed her campaign treasurer paperwork with Llano County, indicating a run for reelection.
Raschke may have a challenger as at least one person, Jason Hughes, has filed paperwork for a campaign treasurer for the Precinct 2 commissioner seat.
All Llano County races:
County judge
Precinct 2 commissioner
Precinct 4 commissioner
County Court At Law judge
District clerk
County clerk
County treasurer
Precinct 1 justice of the peace
Precinct 2 justice of the peace
Precinct 3 justice of the peace
Precinct 4 justice of the peace
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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.
discuss and take action on Sheriff’s Office purchasing four new vehicles without decommissioning any existing vehicles
discuss and take action on FY25 budget amendments
discuss and take action on burn bans in unincorporated areas
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After months of searching, Burnet has hired a new police chief.
The city announced on Thursday, Nov. 6 that Tony Hefferin, a U.S. Navy veteran with 26 years of experience in law enforcement, would be taking over the Burnet Police Department on Jan. 1, 2026. He is replacing outgoing Police Chief Brian Lee, who announced his impending retirement in May.
“Chief Hefferin brings the experience, professionalism, and heart for service that reflects Burnet’s values,” City Manager David Vaughn wrote in a media release following Hefferin’s hiring. “He joins an outstanding department shaped by Chief Brian Lee’s leadership, and Tony’s leadership approach–rooted in integrity, accountability, and people– will continue to advance excellence in service and community partnership.”
The city had been on the hunt for a new chief since May, with Lee helping in the search to find his replacement after serving for about four and half years.
Hefferin will officially begin work in December and take up the reins as chief in January.
The new chief served in the U.S. Navy 1993-1998, and worked with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office 1998-2004. He spent over 20 years with the Bellaire Police Department, near Houston, rising through the ranks from a patrol officer to a multi-divisional commander.
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There is a lot of development happening in Marble Falls and the city recently released a new, online “project portal” where residents can keep up with commercial, public, and residential undertakings.
The portal went live on Thursday, Nov. 6 on the Marble Falls city website, offering brief summaries of dozens of projects that include construction timelines, costs, and scale. There is also now an interactive map of the city that shows project locations accompanied by photos of construction progress.
“Our goals are transparency and communication,” Marble Falls Downtown and Marketing Manager Erin Burks told DailyTrib.com. “We know how frustrating it is to see construction and not know what it is, especially if it impacts your day-to-day life. Or even just to satisfy curiosity. We wanted to develop a tool to help.”
The project portal is a collaboration between the Marble Falls Public Relations Office, Marketing Department, City Engineer’s Office, and Development Services.
This is a screenshot of the interactive map that can be found on the new Marble Falls project portal page. Users can click on the project icons to see photos and updates on construction. Marble Falls Project Portal image
The current list of projects on the portal is not all encompassing, but does include most of the high-profile construction sites across the city. The portal will be updated regularly by city staff and evolve depending on feedback from the public.
“The reason we wanted to do this is that we wanted to give residents as much information as we can about these projects and their timelines,” City Engineer Jeff Prato said.
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The 14th annual Picayune-KBEY Food Drive on Nov. 5 brought in $8,700 in monetary donations and tons of food at donation sites in Marble Falls and Burnet.
The drive ran 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, with KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune hosts broadcasting the drive live from the Marble Falls and Burnet fire stations.
“It was heartwarming to see our community come out yesterday to make sure our neighbors are taken care of,” KBEY host Mac McClennahan said. “From the smallest donation to the largest, everyone’s heart shone through and reminded me we live in the best part of Texas. I’d been bugging our listeners for weeks to make it the biggest one ever – and they sure did, with love in their hearts.”
Around 2,254 pounds of food was collected at the Marble Falls Fire Station during the drive. Marble Falls firefighters also picked up a massive donation of 3,400 pounds of food donated by Faith Academy students.
Totals for Burnet’s food donations were not available as of press time, but volunteers reported trailers were filled with food throughout the day.
“The people and businesses of the Highland Lakes are always opening their hearts to help their neighbors,” Victory Media Publisher Mandi Goldsmith said. “When Victory Media puts out a call, local businesses step up to sponsor the day-long food drive — and together, the community lifts up those who need a hand.”
Last year’s drive raised $7,548 in monetary donations and over 10,000 pounds of food.
“The KBEY/Picayune Food Drive never disappoints,” Shields said. “Our listeners and readers showed how generous and compassionate they are for their neighbors in need. The community is blessed to have great food banks like LACare of Burnet and The Helping Center of Marble Falls. We are always appreciative of Marble Falls Fire & Rescue and the Burnet Fire Department for opening up their stations and helping with the food drive.”
Thank you to the Highland Lakes community for participating in the 2025 Picayune-KBEY Food Drive and to the sponsors that helped make it a success.
The drive comes at a critical time. Food pantries across the Highland Lakes continue to struggle to meet increasing demand. LACare in Burnet has seen triple the need over the past 18 months, according to a July report.
The Helping Center of Marble Falls has also experienced record growth, now serving between 2,500 and 3,000 families a day as of 2024 data – a staggering increase from the 300 to 500 families served daily in 2017.
That growing need has only deepened following the recent government shutdown, which has left millions without SNAP benefits. Burnet County currently has 1,672 active SNAP cases and 3,526 eligible residents, while Llano County has 1,019 cases and 2,011 eligible residents.
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The Llano Police Department seized 47 dogs from an “inexcusable” animal hoarding case on Oct. 23. In the aftermath of the seizure, a municipal judge awarded ownership of the canines to the city and many have already found new homes, but the massive operation zapped the resources of the local animal rescue and more still needs to be done.
“I’ve been doing this a long time and (this dog hoarding situation) was the worst I’ve ever seen,” Llano Police Chief John Bauer told DailyTrib.com following the seizure. “It’s not just physical abuse, it’s mental abuse. The shelter they were in was inexcusable. There are different types of cruelty.”
These dogs were all seized from a Llano residence following complaints from neighbors about the noises and smells coming from the property. While the dogs were regularly supplied with food, they were reportedly left largely unattended, living in their own filth for an undetermined amount of time. Llano Animal Rescue photo
Criminal charges against the former owner of the dogs had not been filed as of Thursday, Nov. 6, but Bauer said that a thorough animal cruelty investigation is underway. The identity of the former owner of the dogs will not be released unless criminal charges are filed and entered into the public record.
According to the chief, he and Llano Animal Control Officer Cathryn Ray coordinated with volunteers from Llano Animal Rescue to seize and take custody of the 47 dogs from a Llano residence following complaints from neighbors about the noises and smells coming from the property.
Officers obtained a warrant from the Llano Municipal Court and took the dogs on Oct. 23. The animals were reportedly living in thick layers of filth, unsupervised, and suffering from various diseases, ailments, and infestations due to their poor living conditions.
“When you imagine the worst thing, of how bad it could get, it was about 100 times worse,” Llano Animal Rescue Executive Director Robin Chisea said.
The house was in such a degraded condition that the owners had it demolished following the LPD intervention. Officers had to wear biohazard masks to enter the building, and as the structure was torn down maggots were said to be pouring from the walls.
Bauer explained that the dog hoarder was a family member of the property owners. The property owners were reportedly unaware of the hoarding situation and nobody was actually living at the home full time, but the hoarder was stopping by to feed the dogs regularly.
The home where 47 dogs were being hoarded in Llano was demolished shortly after the animals were seized, as the owners believed the structure was beyond repair due to the “inexcusable” conditions the dogs were kept in. Llano Animal Rescue photo
“Hardly any of the dogs had been socialized with human contact,” Chisea said. “None of them had ever been bathed. They had fleas, skin disorders, eye injuries, nails too long, matted fur, dental issues. Zero care.”
With the dogs seized, the case was brought before Llano Municipal Court on Oct. 30 and Judge Brian Alexander ruled in favor of officially transferring ownership of the animals to the city.
LPD officers and at least 20 volunteers spent nearly two weeks processing all 47 dogs, giving them medical treatment, identifying their weights, ages, and temperaments, and preparing them for potential adoption. Chisea said that the rescue spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of volunteer hours getting the dogs into adoptable condition.
“Most of them we have gotten to the point where we can handle them,” she said. “Most of them are adoptable now.”
As of Thursday, all but 11 of the dogs have either been adopted or transferred to other care facilities across the country. Llano Animal Rescue is taking applications for adoptions and still seeking donations to help recoup the resources expended in the case. Contact the rescue at rescuellano@gmail.com, call 325–247-4963, or visit its website to learn more about how to adopt or give.
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Marble Falls officials are considering a ban or partial ban on “game rooms” and “gaming machines” within city limits, in reference to the gray-area gambling establishments and kiosks that have popped up in recent years. No hard decisions have been made, but local law enforcement believes a ban would reduce crime. Some residents and business owners disagree, believing “gaming” has a legitimate place in the city.
Marble Falls City Council heard on Tuesday, Nov. 4 a proposed ordinance from Marble Falls Police Chief Glenn Hanson that would “prohibit the ownership, display, exhibition, operation and use of redemption machines and game rooms in the city.”
Hanson was tasked by former Mayor Dave Rhodes with exploring a potential ban on gaming machines in the city and the proposed ordinance was the result of a lengthy, thorough investigation into the matter.
Beyond the request of the former mayor, Hanson said that he had his own concerns about gaming operations in Marble Falls.
“These establishments often attract criminal activity, including illegal gambling, narcotics use, and other offenses,” he told the council. “Gamerooms become magnets for crime, drawing individuals who exploit the lack of oversight. Removing these operations will reduce strain on law enforcement resources and create a safer environment for residents and legitimate businesses.”
Hanson backed up his statement with numbers, telling the council that the narcotics division of the Marble Falls Police Department has made 50 arrests in the last year connected to activity surrounding game rooms in the city.
According to Hanson, there are three or four “legitimate” game rooms in Marble Falls and many gaming machines at gas stations, restaurants, liquor stores, and other businesses.
The view through the window of Game Changer shows rows of gaming machines. It is up in the air whether or not these machines, and the cash prizes players can receive for playing on them, are legal in Texas. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Gaming rooms and gaming machines fall into a legal gray area in Texas. Technically, they are illegal according to state law, which forbids gambling devices from awarding cash prizes or prizes of monetary value. Many establishments and game machine owners use legal loopholes and workarounds to do business by using games that require some element of skill or by taking “donations” from customers and then allowing them to redeem vouchers for cash.
“Given the clear violations of state laws, negative social and economic impacts, and demonstrated link to criminal activity, staff recommends the city council act favorably on the proposed ordinance,” Hanson said.
City Council ultimately did not make a decision on whether to pass the ordinance, but asked City Attorney Josh Brockman-Weber to work with Hanson and the city administration to investigate the matter further. The proposed prohibition will be addressed at a yet-to-be-determined future council meeting.
“My personal feeling is that I don’t really want anymore (gaming rooms or machines),” Mayor John Packer said.
He was followed up by Place 1 Councilor Griff Morris, who finished the mayor’s thought.
“But, I also don’t feel good about putting people out of business,” Morris said.
Dennis Stines, of North Carolina, is the owner of Game Changer, a gaming room in Marble Falls. He told DailyTrib.com that he flew to Texas and made the trip to Marble Falls on Tuesday, Nov. 4 to defend his establishment and argue against a ban on gaming rooms in the city. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The council also heard from Dennis Stines, the owner of Game Changer, a gaming room at 1103 RR 1431 in Marble Falls. Stines lives in Madison, North Carolina and told DailyTrib.com that he flew to Texas and made the trip to City Hall on Tuesday just to speak at the council meeting about the proposed ordinance.
“We operate ourselves as a clean operation, we pride ourselves on that,” he told DailyTrib.com. “We’re more of a social club atmosphere than anything.”
He explained that Game Changer is a legitimate business that pays employees above the table and does its best to work within a legal interpretation of Texas state law. He also said that he is willing to work with the city on any proposed changes to city ordinances that would allow him to continue to operate.
“We agree that all game rooms should be regulated,” he told the council. “We try to make all of our stuff compliant, it hasn’t been an issue. We’re compliant with local laws.”
A few members of council asked City Attorney Brockman-Weber if a city ordinance prohibiting gaming rooms was enforceable or within the city’s power.
“It’s not black and white law at this point and there have to be some further cases to see what the boundary is,” he said. “There could be a legal challenge (to the gaming room prohibition) and council has to decide if it’s important enough to take up the challenge.”
Cynthia Outlaw is a regular customer of Game Changer in Marble Falls, and told City Council that she enjoys spending her time there and that she did not see it as a place that fosters criminal activity. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
According to Stines, he believes the city could have a hard time and have to spend considerable resources determining whether or not his or other operations are actually illegal.
“If (the city) said everything (had to be) closed tomorrow, we’d come right back with skill-based games,” he told DailyTrib.com. “That’s going to put extra burden on the city to prove it.”
A Game Changer customer, Cynthia Outlaw, also spoke at the council meeting, defending the establishment and rebuking the accusation that it fostered criminal activity.
“I don’t go in expecting to win,” she said. “I go in to have some fun with my hard-earned money. I invite my friends, we all just gather there, and we’re not looking to have any kind of criminal activity.”
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Marble Falls will celebrate Texas Arbor Day at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7, in Johnson Park with a proclamation and the planting of several new trees in the park.
Observed on the first Friday in November, Texas Arbor Day encourages planting and caring for trees suited to the state’s climate. National Arbor Day is observed April 24, 2026.
Mayor John Packer will read the official Arbor Day proclamation, followed by the planting of bald cypress trees along Backbone Creek at Johnson Park, 230 Avenue J in Marble Falls,.
“Texas Arbor Day is about more than planting trees. It’s about investing in the future of our community and the environment we all share,” Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman said in a recent media release. “As the old adage goes, the best time to plant a tree was yesterday– the next best time is today. We’re proud to bring residents together to celebrate the natural beauty that makes Marble Falls such a special place to live.”
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Voters in Burnet and Llano counties made big decisions on the state and local levels at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Highland Lakes area residents voted in line with Texas residents overall on 17 proposed state constitutional amendments. Many also voted to form or increase funding for emergency services districts across both counties. Sunrise Beach Village voters also chose to reject a proposed switch to a city manager form of government.
The following results are unofficial. Races must be legitimized by election canvassing by each governing body in the near future.
Note: The result above is combined with the result of the vote on the same proposition for Llano County residents in Horseshoe Bay, which can be found below.
Note: The result above is combined with the result of the vote on the same proposition for Burnet County residents in Horseshoe Bay, which can be found below.
Voters in Burnet and Llano counties voted overwhelmingly in favor of all 17 state propositions on the Nov. 4 ballot. Texas residents, overall, approved all 17 measures on Tuesday.
The ballot language of all 17 constitutional amendments can be found at this link.
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