A Texas Department of Public Safety report said a pickup truck pulling a livestock trailer crossed into oncoming traffic on U.S. 281 near Park Road 4 just before a collision that killed five people on July 25. The deadly incident happened at around 6 p.m. Friday between Marble Falls and Burnet, stalling traffic for over two hours.
The DPS said three vehicles were involved in the collision. According to the report, a 2018 Dodge Ram 4500 truck pulling a trailer northbound on U.S. 281 crossed into southbound traffic and struck a Chevrolet Malibu head on. The initial impact with the Malibu caused the Ram to turn further into an arc and then hit a Mercedes SUV that was traveling behind the Malibu.
The SUV overturned and caught fire. All five occupants of that vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
The occupants of the Ram and Malibu received non-life-threatening injuries. According to the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, the horses in the trailer survived the accident.
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You applied for FEMA disaster assistance and got a decision letter explaining what money you are approved for. You believe you should have received more money to help with your recovery. You have 60 days to ask FEMA to reconsider any decision or award amount.
Under the major presidential declaration for the July 2-18 storms and flooding, six counties were designated for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance: Burnet, Kerr, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson. Whether you’re a homeowner, renter, student, or visitor, here are some suggestions from FEMA on how to appeal its decision on your application.
Carefully read FEMA’s letter
If you disagree or have questions about the amount you received or the types of assistance approved, it could be that something is missing from the documents you provided. Read FEMA’s letter carefully to help you understand what the agency is requesting from you.
How do I appeal FEMA’s decision?
You can appeal any FEMA decision or award amount by sending documents that show you qualify for assistance and need more help. You may send estimates for repairs, receipts, bills, etc. Each decision letter you receive from FEMA explains which documents may help you appeal FEMA’s decision.
Supporting documents may include:
receipts;
bills;
repair estimates;
property titles or deeds;
or any other information that may support your reasons for the appeal.
Do I have to send any other documents?
If you choose to provide additional information to explain why you are appealing, send a signed and completed Appeal Request Form, which is included in your FEMA decision letter.
Appeals must be submitted within 60 days of the date on the FEMA decision letter.
What should I include with documents I send to FEMA?
All documents you send to FEMA as part of your appeal should include your:
full name;
current phone number and address;
disaster number (DR-4879-TX);
FEMA application number written on all pages;
and address of the disaster-damaged home.
Receipts, bills, and estimates must include the business name and contact information to help FEMA verify the information.
Can someone appeal for me?
If you send a written appeal that is prepared by someone other than you, it must include that person’s signature. FEMA will need your written permission to share information about your application. You can do this by completing an Authorization for the Release of Information Under the Privacy Act form and sending it to FEMA.
How do I send documents to FEMA?
There are several ways to send appeals and supporting documents to FEMA:
Visit any Disaster Recovery Center to receive in-person assistance.
The Burnet County recovery center is located in the Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St. It is expected to remain open through Aug. 31.
What you can expect after submitting your appeal
You submitted an appeal to FEMA within 60 days of FEMA’s decision letter or award amount. Now what? Once FEMA receives your appeal, the agency may schedule an inspection of your primary home. At any rate, you can expect a decision from FEMA within 90 days.
Other resources
For answers to your questions about appeals, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone, or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service. Helpline specialists speak many languages. Press 2 for Spanish.
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Lake Marble Falls is open to public use, the city of Marble Falls announced July 28. Access to the lake had been closed since the Fourth of July weekend flood due to health and debris concerns.
“The city of Marble Falls is pleased to announce that Lake Marble Falls has officially reopened for public boating access,” reads a Monday media release from the city. “With improved lake conditions, boat ramps are once again open and available for recreational use.”
“The LCRA is advising people to stay off the Highland Lakes at night to avoid debris, and to steer clear of cloudy, murky, or foul-smelling water, as well as any areas with visible flood debris or disturbed sediment, where bacteria are more likely to be present,” reads the city’s media release.
Lake Marble Falls boat access was reopened just in time for the first-ever Battle on the Colorado, a Formula One Powerboat Championship series event, which takes place Friday-Sunday, Aug. 1-3, at Lakeside Park.
“We encourage everyone to enjoy the lake and weekend festivities safely and respectfully,” the release continued. “Please observe all signage, follow safety guidance, and plan for event-related closures and congestion.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly said the Lower Colorado River Authority temporarily closed the Highland Lakes after the Fourth of July weekend flood. The LCRA never closed access to any of the lakes, just strongly advised caution when getting on them.
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The search for Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips continues, weeks after he was swept away during the Fourth of July weekend flood while responding to a distress call. A memorial service and procession in his honor are Tuesday, July 29, and Gov. Greg Abbott has granted a request to lower U.S. and Texas state flags to half-staff across the Highland Lakes.
“We have done an exhaustive search for our chief,” Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson told DailyTrib.com. “We are not going to close the search. The governor has made it very clear that we are not going to stop until everyone is found.”
Gov. Abbott has repeatedly stated that the search for the missing will go on, including in a July 7 media release just days after the worst of flooding in the Texas Hill Country.
“Texas will remain engaged until every missing person is found and every Texan recovers from this disaster,” he said.
Of the six people reported missing in Burnet County following the flood, the bodies of five have been recovered, making Phillps the final known missing victim in the county.
According to the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, Phillips was caught in the raging waters of Cow Creek on FM 1174 while responding to a distress call in the early morning hours of July 5. His vehicle and some personal effects were found after floodwaters receded, but nothing more has been reported.
The latest major development in the search was the assistance of Texas Task Force 2 from the Texas Division of Emergency Management on July 24-25. They are just one of several teams, agencies, departments, and organizations that have aided in the search for Phillips.
“We are still hoping that we can find Chief Phillips, but as days go on, our hope diminishes,” BCSO Capt. Mike Sorenson told DailyTrib.com. “But we’re not done yet.”
According to Sorenson, hundreds of people have assisted in the search for the chief, supported by a host of drones (airborne and waterborne), cadaver dogs, and aircraft. Local law enforcement is continuing to search on foot, targeting large debris piles along Cow Creek and Lake Travis, as of Monday, July 28.
“There are boulders the size of cars in (the creekbed) that were pushed around by the water and debris piles full of trees,” Sorenson said. “His vehicle was completely buried in rock and rubble (when it was found).”
The Highland Lakes community has openly memorialized Phillips with candlelight vigils at the volunteer fire station, an official “end of watch” announcement July 15, and a flag ceremony at the Marble Falls Rodeo on July 18.
A community-wide memorial service is Tuesday at 3 p.m. in the Marble Falls High School auditorium, 2101 Mustang Drive. It will be preceded by a procession at 1:15 p.m., which will start at the intersection of Thunder Rock Boulevard and Centurion Parkway on the south side of Marble Falls, then head north on U.S. 281 before turning east on RR 1431 toward the high school.
The service will be livestreamed starting at 3 p.m. by the Marble Falls Independent School District. Phillips worked for MFISD for 28 years in its maintenance department.
County Judge Wilson made a formal request to Gov. Abbott on July 24 to lower flags across the county on Tuesday in honor of Phillips, and the request was officially granted on July 25.
“The First Lady and I extend our prayers to the Phillips family during their time of grief and urge all Texans to remember and honor his service as a dedicated volunteer who gave his life for his community,” reads Abbott’s letter to Wilson.
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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.
Monday, July 28
Llano County Commissioners Court
9 a.m. regular meeting
Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 Courtroom, 752 Andy Taylor Drive in Llano
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The building is the old office for the Shell & Shell law firm.
There’s still some fixin’-up to do, but Victory Media is open for business, so swing by to say “howdy” Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The company was founded in 1991 by Lee and Dan Alvey with The Picayune weekly newspaper, which featured people and events in the Highland Lakes. The tourism-minded 101 Fun Things to do in the Highland Lakes magazine and a newspaper covering government, sports, and more followed. The company purchased KBEY 103.9 FM in 2012.
This small display in the lobby of Victory Media’s new office showcases the latest issues of The Picayune Magazine and 101 Fun Things to do in the Highland Lakes as well as the Highland Lakes company’s roots. A framed issue of the April 17, 1991, of The Picayune newspaper announces the arrival of a new grocery store at 2600 U.S. 281, which is where Cinergy Cinemas now stands. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Now, 34 years later, the Alveys’ daughter, Amber Weems, is at the helm, The Picayune is now a monthly magazine, news stories are all online at DailyTrib.com, the 101 magazine has its own website at 101HighlandLakes.com, and KBEY 103.9 FM is still playing country favorites and informing the community about news and events.
Victory Media also produces several special publications, including the Locals Love Us magazine touting residents’ favorite people, places, and events; the Fall Sports Preview highlighting local high school teams; a publication congratulating graduating high school seniors; and the Christmas Lights Guide filled with holiday displays and events.
Victory Media Publisher Mandi Goldsmith had this to say about the company’s continued mission in its new space:
“At Victory Media, we are driven by a shared purpose: uplift our community by championing the people and places that make up the Highland Lakes, report on news important to our readers, and entertain radio listeners through positive programming. Each day, our team walks through the front door ready to support one another in creating the products that bring this mission to life. And now we just happen to have a new front door!”
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.
At around 4 a.m. on July 5, 75-year-old Sue Pratton was awoken by her daughter screaming that they had to leave her home at the Burnet Housing Authority. Pratton and 44 other residents at the public housing project fled their homes that day to escape a raging, flood-fueled Hamilton Creek.
“Somewhere around 3:30 or 4, she come screaming at me, ‘Mama get up, get dressed! Let’s get out of here! (Hamilton Creek) crested,” Pratton told DailyTrib.com.
Pratton, who uses a walker to get around, pushed through calf-deep water in the housing authority’s parking lot to reach her daughter’s vehicle.
Sue Pratton, 75, outside of her room at La Vista Motel in Burnet, where she will stay for the next two or three months until her home at the Burnet Housing Authority is repaired following severe flood damage. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
“We went up to a hilltop church and sat there for a good while,” she said. “The lightning was unreal—I had never seen nothing like that—but the rain was horrible.”
Massive amounts of rain, about 16 inches around Burnet, fell over Fourth of July weekend in the Highland Lakes area, swelling the normally dry Hamilton Creek into a full-blown torrent. The Burnet Housing Authority, 805 U.S. 281 South, is just a few hundred feet from the creek and was one of the hardest-hit properties.
This small puddle in the bed of Hamilton Creek is all that remains of the raging floodwaters that overflowed the tributary’s banks on July 5. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Of its 40 living units, 38 were damaged. The 45 residents occupying them were immediately displaced by the disaster.
The Burnet Housing Authority is federally funded Section 8 public housing, and the people who live there are either elderly, disabled, or eligible low-income families. The residents are on a special payment plan, contributing about 30 percent of their income to rent on a sliding scale.
According to the authority’s director, Billie Sherburn, it could be 60-90 days before her tenants are able to return home.
Burnet Housing Authority Executive Director Billie Sherburn spent July 5 finding temporary housing for 45 flood-displaced residents. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
“A lot of them have lived here with me 20-plus years, so this is their home,” she said. “It’s pretty devastating. Most of them are elderly; it has been hard for them.”
Sherburn jumped into action on the day of the flood, finding accommodations for all of the displaced residents. Some stayed with family, but others were put up in hotels, motels, and apartments around the Burnet area. The housing authority is helping with living expenses.
Several residents, like Pratton, are staying at La Vista Motel on Buchanan Drive, waiting for the news that they can go home.
Hamilton Creek flooded units throughout the Burnet Housing Authority on July 5, causing extensive damage and leaving behind a layer of muck. Courtesy photo by Tanner Swope
Before that can happen, all of the flood-damaged units need to be gutted and rebuilt. Luckily, the units are covered by Texas Municipal League insurance, and work crews are already grinding through the process.
“Once that contaminated water gets on surfaces, it has to be discarded,” said Tanner Swope, project manager with SynergyNDS, which is handling the insurance claim. “As far as severity, it wasn’t as bad as some of the other projects we have been on, but the impact to the residents was very great. The amount of contents and everything inside of their residences was a loss.”
Tanner Swope, the insurance project manager handling the Burnet Housing Authority case, shows the water level in one of the living units. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
While none of the Burnet Housing Authority living units were destroyed, interiors were heavily damaged and need to be almost gutted in most cases.
Swope said material filling 15 dump trucks and 10 dumpsters has been removed from the units since work began July 6.
Work crews cleared literal tons of debris from Burnet Housing Authority units following the Fourth of July weekend flood. Courtesy photo by Tanner Swope
Some units are worse than others, with walls and doors blown out by floodwaters, while others had several feet of water sweep through.
Pratton said her son came to collect all of her salvageable items and put them in storage after the water receded. She has experience with flooding, having seen Jim Ned Creek on Lake Brownwood in Brown County rise into her home at least three times.
“This has been my fourth flood. I hope I don’t ever have another one,” she said.
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.
People with disabilities who were victims of recent severe weather in Central Texas might be eligible for federal disaster assistance to pay for accessiblity improvements to their homes, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Those suffering damages from storms and flooding July 2-18 in the presidential disaster declaration areas of Burnet, Kerr, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties potentially qualify, according to a FEMA media release from Friday, July 25.
Below are FEMA answers to frequently asked questions about accessibilty assistance.
What types of physical accessibility items can FEMA pay for?
FEMA may pay up to the full cost of an exterior ramp, grab bars, or a paved path of travel from your vehicle to your home when needed by you or a member of your household.
The accessibility item must be necessary to make the home safe and functional and meet the accessibility need.
The item must not be covered by insurance or provided by another source.
What are the eligibility requirements?
For homeowners and renters whose homes were damaged, FEMA may pay for accessibility items in the following cases:
You need a damaged accessibility item repaired or replaced.
You need a new accessibility item, even though you didn’t have the item before the disaster.
You were disabled by the disaster and need an accessibility item as a result.
My home was damaged, and I already had accessibility items. How can I get help?
Keep repair receipts and document or photograph the damage whenever possible. After you apply for FEMA disaster assistance, a FEMA inspector will contact you to see the damage to your home. The inspector will record the damage to your accessibility items. If you are eligible, you will receive money for those items.
My home was damaged, but I didn’t have accessibility items. How can I get help?
An inspector will visit your home to see the damage. You should also call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to request more information on accessibility improvements.
You will need to provide receipts or estimates for accessibility items that need to be built or installed.
You will also need a signed statement from your medical provider explaining your need for the items.
My home wasn’t damaged, but the disaster caused a disability. How can I get help?
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for more information.
You will need to provide receipts or estimates for accessibility items that need to be built or installed.
You will need a signed statement from your medical provider explaining your need for the items.
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central Standard Time. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone, or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service. Helpline specialists speak many languages. Press 2 for Spanish.
Visit any Disaster Recovery Center to receive in-person assistance. To find one close to you, use your ZIP code to search FEMA.gov/DRC. (Burnet County’s center is located in the Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St. in Burnet.)
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Investigators have identified the body of a man discovered beneath the Roy B. Inks Bridge over the Llano River in Llano on July 21. A Llano Police Department released new information about the death on Thursday, July 24, implying the cause was suicide.
“In the midst of this tragedy, we are reminded yet again that there are those among our community that are struggling,” reads the LPD media release. “We all struggle at times but sometimes the loads we carry are too heavy for one person to bear. That is why it is important to reach out for help because it is available to you.”
The LPD has not publicly released the man’s identity as it is still attempting to locate and inform family members. DailyTrib.com does not name victims of suicide.
The body of the middle-aged man was found by someone fishing near the Llano Dam on Monday and reported to law enforcement. First responders had a difficult time recovering the body due to recent rains and flooding. Roy B. Inks Bridge is in the heart of Llano, sandwiched between Grenwelge Park on the south bank of the Llano River and Badu Park on the north bank.
“We are here to help you,” the LPD release continued. “If we cannot help, we can find you the help you need in your time of crisis, and we are just a phone call away. Sometimes all we need is someone to listen while we talk through our struggles. We are here to listen when you need us.”
SUICIDE HELP
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or despair, the following resources are available:
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