LLANO — A Llano couple accused of bilking their hardware-company employer out of $300,000 worth of merchandise they sold on the Internet have accepted plea deals in the case, officials said.

According to prosecutors, the couple from 2004-2010 sold inventory from the Buttery Co. LLP and pocketed the money themselves.

The case was heard before 424th state District Judge Dan Mills on Aug. 30.

Mary Elizabeth Faircloth, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree aggregated theft of property and accepted a 10-year prison term, according to court records.

Her husband Timothy Lewis Faircloth, 40, accepted a plea deal on the same charge and in exchange received 10 years probation, according to documents.

The plea deal also requires the couple to pay Buttery $5,000 in restitution and Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. of America $329,992.50.

According to a 2010 Llano County indictment, the duo had set up a scam where they took items from the Buttery inventory where they worked and sold them to unsuspecting individuals through an Internet marketing site.

Some of the items included hand tools, hardware, lawn-care items, livestock supplies, cameras, books, fishing and hunting gear, welding supplies and electrical supplies.

The grand jury initially indicted the couple on two other first-degree felonies — misapplication of fiduciary property and organized retail theft of merchandise.

The court dismissed those two indictments with both Faircloths pleading guilty to aggregated theft.

The Faircloths had faced up to 99 years in prison.

daniel@thepicayune.com

COTTONWOOD SHORES — Though the city has started to enforce rules on property upkeep and lot cleanup after sending out 780 letters, not everyone thinks the plan is so rosy.

Councilman Roger Wayson and former Councilman Stephen Sherry both indicated during a Sept. 6 City Council meeting they felt enforcement of the cleanup rules infringes on personal rights and imperils some habitats.

COTTONWOOD SHORES — The city has added another veteran officer to the police force and named him as the assistant chief during the Sept. 6 council meeting.

Gary Olfers, 64, was a 29-year member of the Austin Police Department before retiring in 2003 as a commander.

The city hired Harold Piatt, another former APD commander, in July as the chief of police.

Olfers said a recent chance encounter at a local store led to his new job in Cottonwood Shores.

Piatt told Olfers the city was hiring and that he should apply. “So I said, ‘Why not?’” Olfers said.

During his career at APD, Olfers worked in almost every division of the department, from narcotics to communication, internal affairs and patrol.

Cottonwood Shores names new assistant police chief

SAN ANTONIO — It took only one drive Sept. 8 to signal that the 2012 Faith Academy Flames — a team that just switched to 11-man football from six — are serious about winning.

The Flames played their first game as an 11-man football squad against St. Anthony’s Catholic School of San Antonio at the University of the Incarnate Word and came away with a 16-8 win.

PHOTO 1: Faith Academy of Marble Falls senior Jason Byrd scores the Flames’ first touchdown of their 11-man debut and the 2012 season against St. Anthony’s Catholic High School of San Antonio as Faith senior Seth McAnally signals the score Sept 8 at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

PHOTO 2: Faith Academy of Marble Falls senior Brian Freeman finds a running lane against St. Anthony’s Catholic High School of San Antonio Sept 8 at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

It marked the Flames’ (1-0) first win in 11-man football and head coach Russ Roberts’ 200th career victory.

“All that milestone means is that I’m old,” he joked. “It really means that Faith is in 11-man football for keeps.”

What’s more, other teams of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools  are likely taking notice.

Against St. Anthony, the Flames took their opening drive 64 yards — all on the ground — for the game’s first score.

It came courtesy of senior Jason Byrd, who bowled his way from the two-yard line. Then senior Seth McAnally caught the lateral and crossed the goal line for the two-point run for the 8-0 lead.

That advantage held until the Flames got the ball with three minutes remaining in the half. Faith drove 50 yards in seven plays that ended when Byrd ran in the touchdown from the three-yard line. Senior Brian Freeman wouldn’t be denied for the two-point run either, knocking down and running through four tacklers for the 16-0 lead that took 2:33 to complete.

The second half was about field position as the Flames didn’t allow the Yellow Jackets to get past St. Anthony’s 30-yard line.

So with about three minutes remaining and everything looking great for Faith, Yellow Jacket junior Justin DeLuna recovered the ball and ran it back 90 yards for a touchdown. St. Anthony added the two points to trim the deficit in half.

The Yellow Jackets needed to get the on-side kick but realized Faith was more experienced at handling the football thanks to its time as a six-man team. Instead they kicked it away.

The Flames eventually punted but left 74 seconds on the clock.

Faith junior defensive back Jake Diamond sealed the win with an interception with under a minute left.

Roberts said even when St. Anthony was looking for the equalizer, he never thought the Yellow Jackets would get it.

“I felt like our kids wanted it too much to let it go,” he said.

Faith had 232 yards of total offense, all running plays,

The victory wasn’t lost on the players. Several of them teared up, and most hugged family members, classmates and fans.

“Best birthday present ever,” said junior quarterback Austin Ellis, who was celebrating his birthday. “We were going to keep fighting. I’ve never had more fun in my life.”

Faith was a powerhouse in six-man football and had a chance to make a deep run in the playoffs had it stayed in that category.

But because of the school’s desire to move to 11-man, Roberts said his players put what’s best for the program in front of what they might have accomplished in six-man football.

“I’ve dedicated the season to eight seniors,” he said. “I said to myself they’re still going to play for a state championship. And they’re trying to do it.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com

HORSESHOE BAY — A pilot and his family escaped serious injury after the aircraft’s landing gear collapsed, damaging their plane and causing a fuel spill, officials said.

The episode occurred about 2:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport, according to police. The accident at the airstrip is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

PHOTO: Horseshoe Bay police say a plane accident Sept. 7 at Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. No serious injuries were reported to the pilot, his wife and son after one of the landing gears collapsed. Courtesy photo

Officers said 54-year-old pilot Randell Vinson of Abilene, who is a part-time Horseshoe Bay resident, told investigators he attempted to land and "heard an unusual thump sound leading him to suspect a problem with the gear."

His wife and son also were aboard the 2010 single-engine Socata airplane, according to Police Chief Bill Lane. No injuries were reported.

"(Vinson) said that all of his gauges indicated landing gear lock-down and he proceeded to touch down," Lane added in a prepared release.  "After landing he reversed his propeller as a part of a routine landing procedure to slow the speed of the aircraft and the right side landing gear collapsed."

The pilot told investigators he "immediately locked down the brakes to attempt to

control the speed and to try to control the path of the aircraft to avoid

collision with any ground objects."

The landing caused damage to the gear, and the plane came to rest in a parking area on the west side of the airport, the report stated.

Firefighters rushed to the scene to contain the spilled fuel from the accident, officials said.

The FAA interviewed Vinson by phone, then authorized the pilot to have an aviation repair company make temporary repairs so the plane could be stored in one of the hangers. Federal officials are expected to make an on-site inspection Sept. 10, Lane said.

The small airport is located just off Clayton Nolen Drive.

editor@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — City officials and downtown merchants want to continue exploring a narrowly targeted tax-financing tool that could even be used to help Main Street’s revitalization.

The Economic Development Corp. is looking at a possible tax-increment financing zone, or TIF, that taxes properties in a designated area and spends a portion of those monies on repairing or building infrastructure.

Other Texas cities have used TIFs for years to fund improvements, but the concept is relatively new to Marble Falls.

A presentation on TIFs had to be rescheduled Sept. 5 after a speaker was unable to attend the EDC meeting.

Still, others at the session had some thoughts on the concept. Officials have said in the past one area that could benefit from a TIF would be the city’s Historic Main Street District, which has the potential to draw more visitors.

“One question that we’re trying to grapple with, and where somebody with some expertise in doing TIFs can help, is the ‘blight’ determination, and how substantial that is in factoring in whether you can do a TIF or not,” said Christian Fletcher, the EDC’s executive director.

Fletcher added that “blighted areas” equal a substantial amount of public sidewalks that are in disrepair or undeveloped or under-developed property.

“The blight concern is subject to interpretation,” Fletcher said. “We need to look at the history of TIFs that have been created.”

According to models in other cities, as a site’s value increases, sales taxes and even the availability of jobs may improve.

A couple of merchants who own multiple properties in the Main Street area believe a TIF could give a boost to downtown, but they want more answers about how the money will be spent.

“I think it could be a useful tool. My question would be, how much can be raised through this?” said Russell Buster, who oversees a number of downtown properties including the Uptown Marble Theater at Third and Main streets.  “I have a general curiosity about how we would use the proceeds from a TIF.”

Grant Dean, a commercial business owner whose properties include a strip mall on Third just off Main that includes Darci’s Deli, Restorative Skin Care and A.J.’s Alehouse, said he also wants to know more.

“I’ve re-done a number of buildings down here. I want to follow the progression of it (TIFs),” Dean said. ” I do think it would be beneficial. I do feel like it will be a benefit to downtown businesses.”

Officials said a TIF does not have taxing powers, however, improvements made to a defined area could affect the amount of taxes paid by merchants or residents within the zone.

The next EDC meeting is Oct. 4, on a Thursday. EDC meetings normally are the first Wednesday of the month.

connie@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — Any marketing campaign to describe Marble Falls needs to continue emphasizing the city as a destination hub in the Hill Country, City Council members told an Austin-based advertising firm.

During a Sept. 4 council workshop with Door No. 3, city leaders raised some concerns about the firm’s marketing campaign to sell Marble Falls, which includes the motto, “In the middle of everywhere.”

Mayor George Russell recounted a story that showed how some people can be confused by the slogan.

“I was up at Russo’s (Restaurant) and there was a couple sitting nearby who were talking about Marble Falls and one said, ‘I don’t get this ‘middle of everywhere,'” Russell said.

Door No. 3, an Austin-based advertising and marketing firm, has been working with the city and the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce for about three years to help promote the area and its attractions.

However, according to the mayor,  the couple soon began making connections between Marble Falls and its proximity to other Hill Country attractions.

“Then they pulled out this map and started making lines to all the things they wanted to do,” he said. “The lines all laid over Marble Falls. I think we need to push that concept. (Visitors) can come stay here in Marble Falls and use it as a place to go out and see all the other places and things in the area.”

The motto reflects Marble Falls’ easy access to other areas, Councilman Rich Lewis added.

“We’re a destination hub,” he said.

Also during the presentation, Door No. 3 officials said the firm plans to continue promoting Marble Falls mainly using the Internet and social media.

“This year we took some really good strides. I think we’re going to keep going down that path,” said Suzanne Kyba, vice president and director of account services for Door No. 3.

“I think it’s been a good campaign,” said Chamber Executive Director Bill Rives. “What I see is the big picture. Marble Falls and the surrounding area have some really wonderful attractions and events, but if you don’t have a way to tell that story then it doesn’t go very far.”

The firm will rely on trackable marketing methods including e-blasts — or email notifications of events or deals to viewers who have indicated they want that service — and online advertising, said Zach Cochran, media director of Door No. 3.

Over the past year, Cochran said the firm has seen a 47 percent increase in visitors for Marble Falls-related Web traffic with a 50 percent jump in unique visitors — or those checking out sites for the first time.

“It’s about 34,000 ‘clicks’ or leads,” he said.

Councilwoman Sharon Pittard asked how all those clicks, e-blasts and Web visits translate into actual visits to Marble Falls.

Hotel stays have experienced increases during the last three years, said Christian Fletcher, executive director of the Economic Development Corp.

“That’s during a bad recession,” added City Manager Ralph Hendricks. “That’s more evidence that what Door No. 3 is doing is working.”

daniel@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — The City Council Sept. 4 approved a balanced budget that funds a 3 percent merit raise for municipal employees and levies a slightly higher property tax rate.

The 2012-2013 fiscal year budget is $11.6 million, including the general fund and debit service. The general fund — which pays for day-to-day operations and salaries — accounts for $8.4 million.

The new budget goes into effect Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30, 2013.

The budget approved by council during its regular meeting includes a 3 percent merit raise for staff, who haven’t seen a pay increase in three years, officials said.

“This is a balanced budget,” Finance Director Margie Cardenas told the council.

The council also adopted a tax rate of 64.83 cents per $100 valuation, which is four-tenths of a penny above the previous rate. The rate breaks down to 48.46 cents for the general fund and 16.37 cents for paying off debts.

Though the overall rate is slightly higher for the coming fiscal year, Cardenas said it will generate the same amount of revenue for the city under the previous figure.

Along with the property tax, the city relies on a sales taxes to generate revenue.

The general fund came in less than a percent below the 2011-2012 budget, Cardenas said.

In other business, the council approved a proclamation recognizing 2004 Marble Falls High School graduate Leonel “Leo” Manzano, who won the silver medal in the men’s 1,500-meter race during the 2012 London Summer Olympic games.

Mayor George Russell said plans are under way to honor the former Granite Shoals resident Sept. 30 during a celebration that will likely begin at the high school and conclude in his hometown.

His parents still live in Granite Shoals.

“There are a number of people working on a special event for Leonel,” the mayor said.

The council also appointed Marble Falls native Seth Mayfield to the Parks and Recreation Commission to fill the unexpired term left by Lloyd Larson when he ran for City Council during the May election.

daniel@thepicayune.com

KINGSLAND — A fatal crash on a treacherous stretch of RR 1431 just east of Lookout Mountain and other accidents over time have neighbors pleading with the highway department to add more warning signs and reduce speed limits.

“This is about safety,”  said Julie Printz, who owns and manages The River’s Edge RV Park community, located between Highland Haven and Kingsland. “Nobody ever wants to see anybody get hurt, and nobody ever wants to see an accident before they go off to work.”

PHOTO 1: The owners of the River’s Edge RV Park community erected a sign encouraging visitors and residents to only make right turns due to growing traffic issues at the intersection of a recent fatal crash. Staff photo by Connie Swinney

PHOTO 2: A team of Department of Public Safety investigators Aug. 29 reconstructed the scene of a fatal crash at the center of a debate about more warning signs and speed limits on a curvy stretch of RR 1431 at the foot of Lookout Mountain. Staff photo by Connie Swinney

Despite the concern, crash statistics for 1431, from CR 125  to Mountain View, indicate the number of annual total accidents has decreased from 12 in 2008 to four from January to August of this year.