Aaron Garcia (right) was sworn in as mayor of Granite Shoals by Municipal Court Judge Frank Reilly on Oct. 11, 2022, after the City Council accepted the resignation of Mayor Will Skinner. Garcia was mayor pro tem, a position that automatically assumes the role of mayor if vacated. Although only elected as a councilor in May 2022, he will be back on the ballot in 2023 because of his move to mayor. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Interested candidates for the Granite Shoals City Council can file to run from Jan. 18 through Feb. 17. The election is May 6.
To qualify for an elected position in Granite Shoals, you must be a registered voter in the city, pass a criminal background check, have no debts to the city, and have resided within the city limits for at least a year.
Pick up an application packet starting Jan. 18 at Granite Shoals City Hall, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road.
“This is a means to serve your city and volunteer your time,” said Interim City Manager Peggy Smith.
Positions on the council are unpaid.
Five of the seven council spots are up for grabs in the coming election. Usually, places 1, 3, and 5 and mayor would be up for election in an odd-numbered year, as per the city charter. The resignations of former Mayor Will Skinner and Place 5 Councilor Eddie McCoy led to a chain of events that resulted in the Place 2 seat being added to the ballot.
The Place 1 seat is currently held by Mayor Pro-Tem Ron Munos, who is serving his second term. Place 3 Councilor Samantha Ortis is finishing out her first term.
Councilors Steve Hougen of Place 4 and Phil Ort of Place 6 were re-elected in 2022 and will not be on the 2023 ballot. Although Mayor Garcia was also elected in May, his move into that position from Place 2 in October puts him back on the ballot in 2023.
Just as we collectively hoped, COVID-19 (mostly) took a back seat in 2022 as a top news story, making way for rapid growth, drought, public policy, and politics. Dominating DailyTrib.com headlines were water management and drought, growth, the Granite Shoals City Council, the Llano County Library System, and crime.
The most-read online stories were about fatalities, crime, and growth, especially when it concerned new businesses or residential development.
The top five stories accessed by readers in 2022 were:
Not long after, targeted books were removed from library shelves, the Kingsland branch head librarian was fired, and the lawsuit was filed. Currently, only five of 12 positions are filled at the Llano County system’s three libraries, which are no longer open on weekends.
Granite Shoals City Manager Jeff Looney (left) prepares to leave Council Chambers after the City Council voted to terminate his contract at its regular meeting June 14, 2022. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
In November, Councilor Eddie McCoy resigned, and the city had to find another new member, the last it could legally appoint. State law limits the number of appointed members to two in one year.
May 2023 could bring a slate of changes. Five of the seven council positions will be on the ballot: Place 1, Place 2, Place 3, Place 5, and mayor.
TROUBLED WATER AND WEATHER
LEFT: Jay Henderson of Tow took this photo of a favorite fishing spot on Lake Buchanan on Aug. 17, 2021. RIGHT: He returned to the same spot on Aug. 19, 2022, to find nothing but a dry lakebed. Photos by Jay Henderson
Weather and water go hand-in-hand in the Highland Lakes, where five thirsty lakes have been hit hard by drought, especially Buchanan and Travis, the two reservoirs on the Lower Colorado River chain.
The Central Texas Water Coalition asked the Lower Colorado River Authority to reopen its water management plan before 2025, when it is next due an update, to take in new drought-driven data. The LCRA refused and launched a campaign of letters to local officials, ads in local media, a State of the LCRA meeting for officials, and a public water management plan update meeting to show it believes the current plan is working.
The coalition continued with an information campaign of its own, holding town halls. Its next meeting is a Business Water Roundtable on Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Lakeway Activity Center.
GROWTH
An architect’s rendering of The Ophelia Hotel Marble Falls, the name of the hotel-conference center to be built on the corner of Yett and Main streets in downtown. The name is in honor of the city’s first woman mayor, Ophelia ‘Birdie’ Harwood, who was elected three years before women were granted the right to vote. Courtesy image
Plans for and construction of new housing developments shared headline space with other top stories in the Highland Lakes.
Horseshoe Bay is seeing its first new development in years. Monarch Ridge will have single-family housing, townhomes, walking trails, a six-hole golf course, parks, and commercial space just outside of the city limits on Texas 71 West. Two other developments were approved by the City Council despite opposition from neighbors. Thundercloud and Azurite will have 48 single-family homes in west Horseshoe Bay.
In Marble Falls, new development includes:
Hillside Marble Falls on Rocky Road, which is being developed by Lauren and Seth Martin of Burnet, owners of Perissos Vineyard and Winery. It will have restaurants and music and wedding venues, among other features.
Thousand Oak development at the intersection of Texas 71 and U.S. 281, joining Thunder Rock and Gregg Ranch, which are currently under construction at different parts of the same intersection. Both residential and commercial structures are planned for Thunder Oak’s 452 acres.
Legacy Crossing, also at the intersection of U.S. 281 and Texas 71, which includes 100 acres of commercial space, 1,324 single-family homes, 264 multi-family units, 150 mixed-use townhome units, six public parks, and more than 3 miles of interconnected walking trails.
City Hall needs a new home, and the council is on the hunt for a place to build it. While land acquisition talks are carried on in executive sessions, councilors have hired Randall Scott Architects to come up with designs.
Shifts and increases in population caused the Marble Falls Independent School District to move its elementary school boundaries, especially in anticipation of increased growth at the U.S. 281 and Texas 71 intersection. Students in that area are now drawn into the Spicewood Elementary School boundaries, taking pressure off of Colt Elementary, which was at 92 percent capacity.
The Ranches at Blackbuck Ridge also came under scrutiny when homeowners brought road quality concerns to commissioners. The county eventually released an almost $400,000 road bond to Lone Star Land Partners after taking a look at and approving the roadwork.
CRIME
Pictured are some of the cattle owned by Burnet County Precinct 3 Commissioner Billy Wall that were seized by the Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 8, 2022. This photo was taken on Sept. 16 after a week of the animals being fed and cared for at the Burnet County fairgrounds in Burnet. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Several elected officials found themselves on the other side of the law during a year that also saw a spate of murders, police chases, and sexual assaults.
Burnet County Precinct 3 Commissioner Billy Wall was charged with animal cruelty and turned himself in to law enforcement in November. He had already settled a civil suit after the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office seized a herd of 79 cattle. An investigation revealed the cattle were malnourished. They were taken to the Burnet County Fairgrounds, where they were cared for until well enough to sell. Due to the settlement, the auction money went to the county to pay for expenses in moving and caring for the animals.
Cottonwood Shores Mayor Donald Orr was arrested in the final days of the year on deadly conduct charges. Orr faces two Class A misdemeanor charges for endangering the lives of two first responders while following an ambulance to a hospital on Oct. 4. Orr’s wife, Susan, was in the ambulance, which was allowed through a roadblock set up at an accident scene. Officers tried to stop Orr, who just kept going, striking one of the officers, according to an affidavit.
Several killings were committed in the Highland Lakes in 2022, the most high-profile being a double homicide in Marble Falls in September — the city’s first homicide since 2017. William Allen Rutland was arrested in the Sept. 13 killing of siblings Teresa Gail McDowell, 52, and John Arnold McDowell, 49, in Marble Falls.
In October, Dennis Wayne Price II of Kingsland was charged with killing his wife, Carrie Ann Price, who died from injuries in a domestic violence incident, according to law enforcement.
Other cases received justice or got a little closer to resolution.
Other major crimes include:
Game rooms have been popping up in Marble Falls, Burnet, Buchanan Dam, Kingsland, and Llano. Game rooms fall in a gray area of the law, with game room operators claiming they are legal and many law enforcement officials saying they are not.
Llano County commissioners passed an ordinance regulating the hours, locations, and physical setup of game rooms, even hiring a game room administrator. Game room operators must pay $1,000 a year for a permit. Despite urgings by District Attorney Sonny McAfee and the proliferation of game rooms in Burnet County, commissioners have yet to take up the issue. Officials have said, however, they are interested in discussing whether or not to join Blanco and Llano counties in regulating game rooms in the 33rd and 424th judicial districts, which include San Saba, Blanco, Llano, and Burnet counties.
County regulations would not affect game rooms operating in municipalities. So far in Burnet County, only Granite Shoals has a game room ordinance.
PANDEMIC
A sign outside of the Marble Falls Development Services Department building, 801 Fourth St., informed visitors of temporary lobby closures due to COVID-19-related staffing shortages in January 2022. Staff photo by Brigid Cooley
The pandemic affected hiring, especially in schools and law enforcement as people retired, changed jobs, or just stayed home. Local governments also felt the strains of losing employees to higher wages in surrounding counties. Commissioners in Burnet and Llano counties, local school boards, and city councils approved raises in their 2022-23 budgets in an attempt to retain employees and draw new hires.
Although COVID numbers were dropping through the summer and early fall, the winter season brought a new onslaught of flu, RSV, and COVID in what experts called a “tripledemic.” The uptick in the three respiratory diseases is attributed to the past few years of COVID precautions. Without exposure to viruses, people didn’t build up their usual antibodies to common illnesses. Precautions include hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and vaccinations.
The following people were arrested and booked into the Burnet County Jail during the period of Dec. 16-29, 2022, according to Burnet County Sheriff’s Office logs. City of residence and release information are listed when available. This list does not constitute an official court document, and all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Colin Davis Biarum, 27, of Lampasas was arrested Dec. 16 by the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO): assault by contact-family violence. Released same day on $500 in bonds.
Maralee Marie Davis, 32, of Holland, Texas, was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: possession of a controlled substance.
John Donley Douglas, 37, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: possession of marijuana. Released same day on $1,500 bond.
Cade Gabriel Groeneveld, 20, of Liberty Hill was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: bond forfeiture-terroristic threat of family/household member. Released Dec. 21 on $70,000 in bonds.
Damon Lee Holloman, 23, of Copperas Cove was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: driving while license is invalid, expired driver’s license, failure to appear. Released same day on $3,000 in bonds.
Emily Noel Lindsey, 37, of Granite Shoals was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: resisting arrest/search/transport, fleeing a police officer.
Jacob Matthew Mullikin, 19, of Liberty Hill was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: credit/debit card abuse, bond surrender-burglary of vehicles.
Paul David Pierce Jr., 49, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: driving while intoxicated. Released same day on $2,500 bond.
Floyd Earl Simpson Jr., 64, of Briggs was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: theft of property. Released same day on $1,500 bond.
Christian Adam Valdez, 26, of Granite Shoals was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: commitment-aggravated assault. Released Dec. 18 with credit for time served.
Dayton Cordell Williams, 22, of Spicewood was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: commitment-aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Released Dec. 18 with credit for time served.
Dallas Storm Wood, 27, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 16 by BCSO: public intoxication. Released Dec. 20 on $500 bond.
Reyes Noel Cabrera-Banegas, 32, of Austin was arrested Dec. 17 by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS): tampering with government record, no driver’s license. Released Dec. 19 on $13,000 in bonds.
Daniel Ross Fortenberry, 42, of Smithwick was arrested Dec. 17 by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA): possession of a controlled substance.
Julian Mancha, 36, of Blanco was arrested Dec. 17 by the Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD): driving while license is invalid. Released same day on $1,500 bond.
Kelly Kae Miller, 60, of Granite Shoals was arrested Dec. 17 by BCSO: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Released Dec. 19 on $75,000 bond.
Hanne Kristin Palmer, 56, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 17 by LCRA: possession of a controlled substance.
Michele Annette Cody, 47, of Spicewood was arrested Dec. 18 by MFPD: burglary of a building, credit/debit card abuse. Released Dec. 19 on personal recognizance.
Samantha Ashley Freitag, 35, of Spicewood was arrested Dec. 18 by BCSO: commitment-driving while intoxicated. Released Dec. 28 on probation.
Jose Pablo Hernandez, 50, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 18 by the Burnet Police Department (BPD): speeding, no driver’s license when unlicensed, no driver’s license, fraud-check. Released Dec. 19 on $1,500 in bonds.
David Karl Linville, 33, of Spicewood was arrested Dec. 18 by MFPD: evading arrest/detention, possession for sales-narcotic.
Hanne Kristin Palmer, 56, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 18 by BCSO: bond revocation-possession of a controlled substance.
Ryan Keith Untermeyer, 40, of Horseshoe Bay was arrested Dec. 18 by the Horseshoe Bay Police Department (HBPD): assault on a family/household member, terroristic threat against a peace officer. Released Dec. 19 on $60,000 in bonds.
Oryan Lamar Vasquez, 20, of Midland was arrested Dec. 18 by BCSO: manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance.
Walter Garrett Ackerson, 32, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 19 by BCSO: motion to revoke probation-burglary of a building.
Andrea Selena Hernandez, 26, of Bastrop was arrested Dec. 19 by BPD: possession of marijuana. Released Dec. 20 on $1,500 bond.
Allyson Marie Jennings, 21, of Cottonwood Shores was arrested Dec. 19 by MFPD: possession of a controlled substance, unlawfully carrying a weapon.
Byron Joseph McGrough, 39, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 19 by BPD: commitment-burglary of a habitation.
Nelson Kaine Williams, 27, of Round Rock was arrested Dec. 19 by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO): bench warrant.
Yolanda Brown, 46, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 20 by MFPD: possession of a controlled substance. Released same day on $75,000 bond.
Lindzey Jane Gulliver, 37, of Cuero was arrested Dec. 20 by BCSO: SRA-possession of a controlled substance. Released Dec. 22 on $15,000 bond.
Timothy David Jobe, 37, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 20 by the Bertram Police Department (BTPD): assault causing bodily injury-family violence. Released Dec. 23 on $7,500 bond.
Roxanna Salas, 30, of Del Valle was arrested Dec. 20 by BCSO: failure to appear-fraudulent use/possession of identifying information. Released Dec. 29 to an outside agency.
Michael Allen Volz, 51, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 20 by BCSO: driving while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana.
Christopher Cody White, 39, of Brownwood was arrested Dec. 20 by BPD: possession of marijuana. Released Dec. 21 on $1,500 bond.
Jennifer Leigh Williams, 38, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 20 by BPD: driving while license is invalid. Released same day on $1,500 bond.
David Daniel Wishert, 46, of Kingsland was arrested Dec. 20 by BCSO: criminal trespass. Released Dec. 29 on personal recognizance.
Jose Santos Zamora, 62, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 20 by BPD: driving while license is invalid. Released same day on $2,500 bond.
Leonal Burgos-Chavez, 39, was arrested Dec. 21 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): detainer. Released Dec. 22 to ICE.
Tarry Beck Hewitt, 22, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 21 by BTPD: driving while license is invalid. Released Dec. 22 on personal recognizance.
Jason Patrick Smith, 30, of Granite Shoals was arrested Dec. 21 by GSPD: failure to provide proof of financial responsibility, failure to appear, no valid driver’s license.
Jason Patrick Smith, 30, of Granite Shoals was arrested Dec. 21 by BCSO: driving while license is invalid. Released Dec. 22 on $1,000 in bonds.
Robert Ty Anderson, 32, of Center Point was arrested Dec. 22 by MFPD: theft of property. Released same day on $2,000 bond.
Alexandria Marie Craig, 19, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 22 by MFPD: speeding, violation of promise to appear, capias pro fine-speeding. Released same day on $500 in bonds.
Joshua Howard White, 38, of Lago Vista was arrested Dec. 22 by MFPD: driving while license is invalid. Released same day on personal recognizance.
Thomas Eugene Cargill, 47, of Leander was arrested Dec. 23 by BTPD: unlawfully carrying a weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia. Released same day on $3,000 in bonds.
Dimitri Joseph Clifton, 29, of Meadowlakes was arrested Dec. 23 by MFPD: public intoxication. Released Dec. 24 on $500 bond.
Madison Paige Jacobs, 18, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 23 by GSPD: capias pro fine-minor in possession of e-cigarettes. Released Dec. 25 after laying out a fine.
Royce Neal Owens, 50, of Llano was arrested Dec. 23 by MFPD: possession of a controlled substance, displaying expired license plates, resisting arrest/search/transport.
Misty Renea Price, 37, of Temple was arrested Dec. 23 by BPD: public intoxication. Released Dec. 27 on personal recognizance.
Jose Vidal Rivas, 30, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 23 by BPD: failure to appear-assault causing bodily injury, failure to appear-criminal mischief, driving while intoxicated.
Cody Allan Smith, 32, of Florence was arrested Dec. 23 by MFPD: possession of a controlled substance, abandoning/endangering a child-criminal neglect.
Jonathan Roy Maynard, 32, of Granite Shoals was arrested Dec. 24 by GSPD: interfering with an emergency request for assistance, assault causing bodily injury-family violence. Released Dec. 25 on $5,000 in bonds.
Elizabeth Molina, 54, of Austin was arrested Dec. 24 by BCSO: driving while license is invalid, driving while intoxicated. Released Dec. 26 on $8,500 in bonds.
Francis Donald Orr Jr., 82, of Cottonwood Shores was arrested Dec. 24 by BCSO: deadly conduct. Released same day on $8,000 in bonds.
Jose Antonio Palomino-Cruz, 22, of Austin was arrested Dec. 24 by MFPD: criminal mischief. Released Dec. 26 on $1,500 bond.
Francisco Patino-Parez, 27, of Moody was arrested Dec. 24 by BCSO: driving while intoxicated.
Jose Vidal Rivas, 30, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 24 by ICE: detainer.
James Henry Steaples, 50, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 24 by BCSO: commitment-driving while intoxicated.
Andrea Lynn Workman, 28, of Spicewood was arrested Dec. 24 by DPS: driving while license is invalid, possession of marijuana. Released same day on $3,000 in bonds.
Daniel Thomas Barner, 34, of Kingsland was arrested Dec. 25 by BPD: driving while intoxicated. Released same day on $25,000 bond.
Ire Briones-Rodriguez, 40, of Austin was arrested Dec. 25 by ICE: detainer. Released Dec. 26 to ICE.
Alejandro Fernandez-Lopez, 25, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 25 by MFPD: criminal mischief, resisting arrest/search/transport, possession of a controlled substance.
Collin Louis Graeter, 24, of Tom Green was arrested Dec. 25 by BCSO: assault causing bodily injury-family violence, assault by contact-family violence. Released same day on $3,500 in bonds.
Francisco Nunez-Alonzo, 53, of Austin was arrested Dec. 25 by ICE: detainer. Released Dec. 26 to ICE.
Francisco Patino-Parez, 27, of Moody was arrested Dec. 25 by ICE: detainer.
Carl Wayne Scott, 48, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 25 by MFPD: burglary of a habitation, possession of a controlled substance.
Jose Vargas-Aguilar, 37, was arrested Dec. 25 by ICE: detainer. Released Dec. 26 to ICE.
Robert Louis Defelice, 21, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 26 by BCSO: insufficient bond-possession of a controlled substance.
Brandy Ann Henry, 50, of Burnet was arrested Dec. 26 by BPD: driving while license is invalid.
Conner Dylan Smith, 19, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 26 by BCSO: driving while intoxicated. Released same day on $1,500 bond.
Chance Dewayne Grantham, 35, of Kingsland was arrested Dec. 27 by BPD: driving while license is invalid. Released Dec. 28 on $1,500 bond.
Jessica Nicole Harris, 35, of Kingsland was arrested Dec. 27 by BPD: issuance of a bad check. Released Dec. 28 on $250 bond.
Cheryl Smith Lucker, 66, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 27 by BCSO: bond forfeiture-possession of a controlled substance.
Jorge Jerry Luevanos, 60, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 27 by WCSO: failure to appear-possession of a controlled substance.
Cecil Wayne Splater, 51, of Florence was arrested Dec. 27 by BPD: possession of a controlled substance. Released Dec. 29 on $7,500 bond.
Daniel Ray Baker, 28, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 28 by BCSO: assault by contact-family violence. Released Dec. 29 on $500 bond.
Dwayne Danton Ellis, 40, of Wichita, Kansas, was arrested Dec. 28 by BCSO: possession of a controlled substance.
Cheryl Smith Lucker, 66, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 28 by BCSO: bail jumping/failure to appear.
Macy Pehl Lunsford, 29, of Leander was arrested Dec. 28 by BCSO: surety surrender-possession of a controlled substance, bail jumping/failure to appear.
Kenneth Ardell Wrubel Jr., 56, of Bertram was arrested Dec. 28 by BCSO: possession of a controlled substance.
Amanda Ann Hiesler, 47, of Kingsland was arrested Dec. 29 by BCSO: parole violation.
Leonard Francois Leitgib, 21, of Austin was arrested Dec. 29 by ICE: detainer.
Joseph Leland Miller, 34, of Kingsland was arrested Dec. 29 by BCSO: driving while license is invalid.
Judy Gayle Miller, 57, of Marble Falls was arrested Dec. 29 by DPS: driving while intoxicated.
Blazedon Cole Smith, 25, of Richland Springs was arrested Dec. 29 by GSPD: driving while intoxicated/open alcohol container.
Garrett Christopher Tarwater, 26, of Houston was arrested Dec. 29 by MFPD: theft of property, speeding.
Betty Dalton Vargo, 65, of Lago Vista was arrested Dec. 29 by BPD: possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, unlawfully carrying a weapon. Released same day on $15,000 in bonds.
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-100.png150150lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-31 13:13:422022-12-31 13:13:42Burnet County Jail bookings for Dec. 16-29, 2022
Check agendas and websites to see if the following government meetings are in person, virtual, or both. Agendas are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this list is published. Check links for more information.
public hearing on new subdivision north of Yett Street between Main Street and Avenue H
public hearing on right-of-way abandonment around original Bella Sera Italian restaurant location at 12th Street and U.S. 281
discussion of plat for new Cefco convenience store planned for U.S. 281 across from Pedernales Electric Cooperative
update from Parks and Recreation Department on Christmas events
appointments to Parks and Recreation Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Planning and Zoning Commission, TIRZ Board, and Capital Improvement Plan Committee
discussion and action on professional services agreement for architectural services for Fire Station #1 renovations
quarterly update from City Manager Mike Hodge on city operations
executive session on economic development prospects, Ophelia Hotel and Conference Center, consultation with board’s attorney on EDC grant programs, and Business and Technology Park’s Property Letter of Intent
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-99.png150150lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-31 09:04:182022-12-31 09:04:18GOVERNMENT MEETINGS: For the week of Jan. 2, 2023
Tennis and pickleball courts at Meadowlakes were resurfaced during the summer of 2022. After signing a lease with L&A Cowart Enterprises, the city will no longer pay for the courts’ upkeep. It will also receive a small amount of profits generated by pickleball and tennis lessons at the facility. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The Meadowlakes City Council agreed to lease its tennis and pickleball courts to L&A Cowart Enterprises during a regular meeting on Dec. 20. The agreement takes effect Jan. 1, 2023. The company’s owner, Lance Cowart, is a Meadowlakes resident.
“The lessee actually came to us and asked us if we could,” Meadowlakes Mayor Mark Bentley said. “They brought us the proposal, and everything seemed to look good to us.”
With the agreement in place, the city will no longer pay for the courts’ upkeep. It will also receive a small amount of profits generated by pickleball and tennis lessons at the facility.
“It seemed to be better than doing nothing,” Bentley said. “You have the do-nothing case, and then you have the case where an outsider is leasing the court, paying you money, and responsible for the upkeep. It seemed like a no-brainer, really.”
The agreement also includes a new reservation system that gives priority to Meadowlakes residents. Reservations will need to be made a week in advance.
“As the sport (pickleball) gets more popular, the courts get tight,” Bentley said. “Right now, without the lease, we can’t restrict outsiders from coming and playing.”
While tennis lessons have always been offered on the courts, the new agreement paves the way for pickleball lessons.
“That was arranged by the lessee, not the city,” Bentley said. “I guess that’s another favorable impact of the lease.”
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-98.png5761024lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-31 01:46:392022-12-31 01:46:39Meadowlakes inks new lease for tennis and pickleball courts
The Texas White House at Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch in Stonewall, part of LBJ National Historical Park. Photo from the park’s website
Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch in Stonewall will begin preparations from Jan. 2-4, 2023, for the Texas White House rehabilitation project to correct structural issues. The building, part of the LBJ National Historical Park, has been closed to visitors for all of 2022 due to health and safety concerns.
A crew from the engineering and architecture firm of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. will investigate the site to determine conditions above and below ground of the Texas White House and other historic buildings at the ranch.
Workers will dig exploratory test pits as large as 6 feet by 6 feet wide and up to 3.5 feet deep and also remove and replace portions of the building’s exterior boards and siding, according to a LBJ park media release.
During work, the Lady Bird Johnson exhibit room in the Hangar Visitor Center will be closed as well as part of the restroom facilities. All other points of interest, including the driving tour of LBJ Ranch, will maintain normal hours of operation, the park announced. Both the national park and LBJ State Park and Historic Site will be closed Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day.
The historic building is called the Texas White House because President Johnson would often conduct some of the nation’s business there, hosting world dignitaries and the White House Press Corps under its spreading oak trees. (Read “Walk in the footsteps of President LBJ” for more on Johnson’s connection to the Texas Hill Country.)
The rehab project, which is expected to last through 2023, is funded by the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act. It is currently in the design phase.
The GAOA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other construction funding sources are part of a concerted effort to address the large maintenance backlog in national parks, according to the media release. Supported by revenue from energy development, the act’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-97.png6781024lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-30 23:54:142022-12-30 23:54:14Structure work starting on Texas White House at LBJ Ranch
The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality issued a boil water notice during the early morning hours of Friday, Dec. 30, to parts of Horseshoe Bay after a busted pipe caused water pressure to plummet.
Per the warning, residents of Cross Bow, Broken Arrow, and all adjoining side streets as well as No Return and Lighthouse Drive are advised to boil their water before brushing their teeth, washing their hands, or any other means of consumption as TCEQ officials test water samples for harmful bacteria resulting from the low pressure.
The incident began on Thursday night, when an old pipe at Ferguson Drive and Hi Circle North burst and began to gush water.
“Those original pipes that were laid weren’t insulated,” Horseshoe Bay Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith said. “They’re just sitting on top of that bedrock, and whenever it’s cold and then it gets hot again, the pipe sort of shifts. Over time, if it shifts too much and rubs against that old rock, it will cause a leak. In this case, it actually broke.”
Public works officials worked through Thursday night to fix the pipe.
“It took them until 3 a.m. (Friday) to get it fixed,” Clinesmith said. “It was a big, main pipe, and they had to dig up that whole area.”
Although the pipe is fixed, TCEQ will continue to monitor bacterial levels in the water for the next 24 hours as a precautionary measure.
“Any time you have to shut off water for more than two hours, you have to issue a boil water notice,” Clinesmith said. “You never know if a little dirt or fertilizer got into the water upstream, so they just want to make sure.”
The boil water notice should be lifted by New Year’s Eve night, Clinesmith said.
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-96.png150150lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-30 16:26:112022-12-30 16:26:11Boil water notice issued for parts of Horseshoe Bay after pipe bursts
Fireworks are allowed within the Granite Shoals city limits on New Year’s Eve, the police department reminded residents Friday, Dec. 30. The department hopes to ward off calls about any celebrations, which can overload its communications system.
An ordinance approved by the City Council last year allows for fireworks to be set off within the city from 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, to 1 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1. Fireworks are not allowed within city limits without a permit except on New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July.
Other municipalities in Burnet and Llano counties do not allow the use of fireworks within city limits. People in the unincorporated areas of the two counties are allowed to sell and set off fireworks.
Granite Shoals city ordinance 814 was adopted in June 2021 and allows for the legal use of fireworks on designated holidays. Prior to this, all fireworks use was illegal and punishable by a citation. The city made the change because police and emergency dispatchers were swamped with calls on New Year’s Eve and Independence Day, taking resources away from higher-priority issues such as drunken driving and domestic disturbances, which spike during the holidays.
“People were going to (set off fireworks) anyway,” Granite Shoals Councilor Ron Munos told DailyTrib.com. “We were hoping that people would get their firework fix on these two days and hold off the rest of the year.”
After the council voted to change the ordinance, it collaborated with then-Police Chief Gary Boshears to get the word out.
“Since we’ve passed it, (the police have) had great success with these holidays,” Councilor Samantha Ortis said. “I think, for our police department, it has been a positive change.”
Both she and Munos both voted to approve the new fireworks policy, which can be changed again if residents ask for it, Ortis said.
Granite Shoals Police Capt. Chris Decker had some tips for those setting off fireworks on Saturday night.
“Just try to be considerate of your neighbors,” he said, adding that fireworks are sometimes more than an annoyance. The loud noise can negatively affect military veterans as well as children and adults on the autism spectrum.
Decker also suggested keeping pets indoors during the festivities as they often panic and escape when frightened by fireworks.
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Law enforcement is investigating the Dec. 26 deaths of a man and a woman in a suspected domestic dispute in Cottonwood Shores. No information on their identities or details in the case had been released at the time of this story’s publication.
Cottonwood Shores Police Chief John Liendo told DailyTrib.com on Thursday, Dec. 29, that more information would be released in the case in the coming days.
“It’s an ongoing investigation, so, at this point, I really can’t discuss anything about it at all,” he said.
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-94.png150150lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-30 10:47:012022-12-30 10:47:01Two dead in suspected domestic dispute
The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office charged Cottonwood Shores Mayor Donald Orr with two counts of deadly conduct. Police say Orr endangered the lives of two first responders at the scene of an accident on Oct. 4. Burnet County Jail photo
Cottonwood Shores Mayor Donald Orr was arrested Saturday, Dec. 24, on two counts of deadly conduct for an Oct. 4 incident involving two first responders. The 82-year-old turned himself in to the Burnet County Jail on Christmas Eve and was released later that day after posting two $4,000 bonds.
According to two arrest warrant affidavits completed by Burnet County Sheriff’s Deputy William Chandler and signed by Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Lisa Whitehead, Orr faces two Class A misdemeanor charges for endangering the lives of two first responders while following an ambulance transporting his wife, Susan, to a hospital on Oct. 4.
In the affidavits, Chandler outlines the congested nature of the roads following a “significant” accident. At the scene, Michael Hawkins of Marble Falls Fire and Rescue and Thomas Jacobs of the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department were tasked with diverting traffic onto CR 413.
During that time, an ambulance running lights and sirens and transporting a patient requested to continue traveling down Texas 71. Hawkins allowed the emergency vehicle to pass. The affidavits state that Orr was following the ambulance in a white Dodge pickup truck.
According to the affidavits, Jacobs instructed Hawkins to not allow Orr to proceed. Hawkins attempted to stop the truck by stepping in its path; however, Orr continued down the road and accelerated toward Hawkins and Jacobs.
To avoid being hit by Orr, Hawkins stepped toward the driver’s side of the vehicle and then spoke to the mayor, according to one of the two affidavits. A different account of the incident claimed Orr “struck” Hawkins and Jacobs before the two first responders moved out of the truck’s path.
Both affidavits claim that Orr yelled out of his truck window that his wife was in the ambulance before he departed.
Orr has served as mayor of Cottonwood Shores since 2013. His current term runs through May 2023.
If convicted on both charges, he could face up to two years in jail along with fines ranging from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on the determined severity of the offense.
When asked about the incident by DailyTrib.com, Orr said “no comment.”
https://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/wp-header-logo-93.png7521024lukehttps://www.hillcountrycollisiontx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Logo-2.pngluke2022-12-30 07:14:062022-12-30 07:14:06Cottonwood Shores mayor arrested on deadly conduct charges
