Peggy Rebecca “Beckie” (Russell) Moore, 84, of Kingsland, Texas, entered her eternal home on Wednesday, December 7, after a yearlong battle with COVID, pneumonia, COPD, and a stroke.  Beckie was born on June 30, 1938 in Liberty Hill, Texas, as the fifth child of Lemuel J. Russell Sr. and Neva Elizabeth (Windsor) Russell.  

She was preceded in death by sisters Martha Mihlberger, Doris Sealey, and Albena Proctor and brother, Lemuel J. “Bud” Russell Jr.

Beckie was a 1956 graduate of Georgetown High School and attended Mary Hardin Baylor University for one year prior to a 64-year marriage to Roland J. Moore. Because the couple enjoyed spending weekends on Lake LBJ, they relocated from Copperas Cove to the Hill Country in 1968. 

With a strong work ethic, she owned and operated a bookkeeping service, a local florist, and assisted her husband in a local auto parts business.

In addition to her husband, Beckie is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Rolenn Turner; two grandchildren Tyler J. Newlin and Tara K. Kilgore (husband Rusty); two great-grandchildren Carter Allen Kilgore and Audrey Tyler Kilgore; lifelong friend Hanes Segler; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Beckie enjoyed floral designing and was a gifted artist. Some of her artwork is displayed here today. She and Roland shared a mutual love for traveling and genealogy. They were blessed to experience and share many travel memories throughout their marriage. She will be greatly missed by the many people she loved and who loved her.

A memorial service was at 11 a.m. Monday, December 12, at Granite Mountain Baptist Church, 500 FM 1980 in Marble Falls.

The parking lot at Childers Park, 1310 Broadway in Marble Falls, is the final step in a year-long renovation project. Staff photo by Nathan Bush

The Marble Falls City Council approved about $220,000 to complete renovations at Childers Park, 1310 Broadway, during a regular meeting on Dec. 6. The money will be used to pave the ballpark’s dirt parking lot, increasing its capacity to 50 cars. Sidewalks and curbs will also be added.

Renovations to Childers Park were first discussed during work on the city’s capital improvement plan in 2019. Initially, improvements included only the parking lot. Then, Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman decided the entire ballpark needed work.

“Access to the facility, as well as the bathroom and concession stand, was not (American Disability Act) compliant,” she said. “And the overall degradation of the facility was making it inefficient and difficult to maintain.”

Park renovations began in January 2022. The lengthy list of improvements include a new irrigation system, renovations to the concession stand and bathrooms, new fencing, and a sidewalk connection to the trail system that leads to The Greens soccer complex. Other components, such as new foul poles, bases, shade structures, and bleachers, were also a part of the park’s improvements. The department plans for new scoreboards to be installed in the near future.

Once fully complete, the ballpark’s sizable makeover should total roughly $700,000.

With the litany of new renovations, Dingman is excited to invite fans to the improved ballpark.

“Childers Park has served the community for many years, and we are extremely happy we were able to invest in a renovation for our families,” she said. “In the past, volunteer groups have taken on the lion’s share of the work for making improvements to the fields, and we hope they are as happy as us to be able to enjoy the park in its restored state.”

Currently, the project is about 3 percent under budget. If the trend holds, the parks department might be able to add amenities, including new fencing, landscaping, park benches, or new appliances inside the concession stand.

As the Childers Park improvements conclude, the Parks and Recreation Department plans to shift its focus in 2023 to new projects such as Park View Park and the sports complex at Thunder Rock, a development underway at the corner of Texas 71 and U.S. 281 in south Marble Falls.

nathan@thepicayune.com

Outgoing Llano County Treasurer Teresa Kassel (center with plaque) and Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Brian Alexander (center with flag) were honored during the regular meeting of the Commissioners Court on Monday, Dec. 12. Also pictured are Precinct 1 Commissioner Peter Jones (left), Congressional District 11 Regional Director Carol Cunningham, County Judge Ron Cunningham, Precinct 2 Commissioner Linda Raschke, and Precinct 3 Commissioner Mike Sandoval. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

The Llano County Commissioners Court and the Congressional District 11 office recognized the outgoing county treasurer and Precinct 4 justice of the peace during the Commissioners Court’s regular meeting Monday, Dec. 12. The court also approved the hiring of an attorney to handle the John L. Kuykendall Event Center and Arena trade as well as funding to upgrade software at the Llano County Jail.

Outgoing County Treasurer Teresa Kassel and Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Brian Alexander were both recognized for their service to the county with honorary plaques from the Commissioners Court and flags flown at the state Capitol from the office of District 11 Rep. August Pfluger. Kassel served as deputy treasurer from 2007-14 and treasurer from 2015-22. Alexander served as a Llano County sheriff’s deputy from 2002-06 and justice of the peace from 2006-22.

“Theresa, this is in sincere appreciation for your outstanding service to Llano County,” said County Judge Ron Cunningham as he presented the plaque. “Thank you so much.”

Kassel will be replaced by newly elected Treasurer Cheryl Regmund, who will be sworn in on Dec. 31.

“I have enjoyed my time here,” Kassel told DailyTrib.com after the meeting. “The county is a very good place to work, and people should appreciate the work that all of these officials do.”

Alexander will be replaced by incoming Justice of the Peace Lisa Simpson, who will also be sworn in on Dec. 31.

TRADE DEAL ATTORNEY

The Commissioners Court also approved hiring an attorney to handle the transfer of properties between the county and the city of Llano in the recently approved John L. Kuykendall Event Center and Arena trade deal. The discussion to hire an attorney took place in executive session and was approved in open meeting. No specific attorney has been named.

“The biggest concern is that we do everything fully transparent,” Judge Cunningham told DailyTrib.com after the meeting. “We want to make sure that we are getting all of the information available on both sides of the property trade so that, when we do the exchange, neither side is caught unaware of anything. It’s really just a matter of doing our final due diligence on this.”

The trade deal was originally expected to be completed by the new year, but Cunningham said it could take longer, at least until the next meeting of the Commissioners Court on Jan. 9, 2023.

Llano City Attorney Luke A. Cochran will handle the city’s side of the trade.

NEW SOFTWARE AT JAIL

The Commissioners Court also approved the allocation of $48,600 to upgrade the software at the Llano County Jail. This comes from a $146,000 funding pool that was approved for jail security systems improvements in October 2021.

Llano County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Manager Doni Whitecotton told the Commissioners Court that the current software was inadequate.

“This upgrade will provide an essential function for jail operations,” she said. “(With the current system), it’s more personnel needed and more time to manually do all the functions that are needed.”

The upgrades are estimated to take up to three months, but Whitecotton is negotiating with the provider, MTI Security, on expediting installation.

dakota@thepicayune.com

The parking lot at Childers Park, 1310 Broadway in Marble Falls, is the final step in a year-long renovation project. Staff photo by Nathan Bush.

The Marble Falls City Council approved around $220,000 to complete renovations at Childers Park, 1310 Broadway, during a regular meeting on Dec. 6.

The money will be used to pave the ballpark’s dirt parking lot, increasing its capacity to 50 cars. Sidewalks and curbs will also be added.

Renovations to Childers Park were first discussed during work on the city’s capital improvement plan in 2019. Initially, improvements included only the parking lot. Then Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman decided the entire ballpark needed work.

“Access to the facility, as well as the bathroom and concession stand was not (American Disability Act) compliant,” she said. “And the overall degradation of the facility was making it inefficient and difficult to maintain.”

Park renovations began in January 2022. The lengthy list of improvements include a new irrigation system, renovations to the concession stand and bathroom facility, new fencing, and a sidewalk connection to the trail system which leads to The Greens soccer complex. Other components such as new foul poles, bases, shade structures, and bleachers were also a part of the park’s improvements. The department also plans for new scoreboards to be installed in the near future.

Once fully complete, the ballpark’s sizable makeover should total roughly $700,000.

With the litany of new renovations, Dingman is excited to invite fans to the new and improved ballpark.

“Childers Park has served the community for many years and we are extremely happy we were able to invest in a renovation for our families,” Dingman said. “In the past, volunteer groups have taken on the lion’s share of the work for making improvements to the fields and we hope they are as happy as us to be able to enjoy the park in its restored state.”

Currently, the project is about 3 percent under budget. If the trend holds, the parks department may be able to add additional amenities such as new fencing, landscaping, park benches, or new appliances inside the concession stand.

As the Childers Park improvements conclude, the parks and recreation department plans to shift its focus in 2023 to new projects including Park View Park and the sports complex at Thunder Rock, a new development underway at the corner of Texas 71 and U.S. 281 in south Marble Falls.

Smart Smiles, a program through Texas Mission of Mercy, visited Marble Falls Elementary School in January 2016 to provide free dental care to students. A $10,000 grant awarded Dec. 7, 2022, by the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. will help pave the way for a similar clinic on Feb. 24-25 at Marble Falls High School. It will be open to the public. File photo

The Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. Board of Directors approved $18,000 for two community leverage grants — one that will provide free dental care and the other an education program to help bring residents out of poverty — during its regular meeting Wednesday, Dec. 7.

Texas Mission of Mercy will receive $10,000 for a free dental clinic for the community.

The Getting Ahead in a “Just Getting-By” World poverty resource program got $8,000 for classes that will teach low-income residents how to gain financial stability.

Marble Falls Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen requested $7,500 for the Texas Mission of Mercy clinic. After learning the group hadn’t raised the necessary funds, the EDC board decided to up the requested grant total to $10,000.

The nonprofit offers thousands of dollars of free dental care to under-resourced patients through impromptu clinics in community centers and schools across the state.

“Texas Mission of Mercy is great because dental health is critical to overall health, and healthier people tend to be happier people,” said EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher. “Removing financial and access barriers to dental care will give a lot of deserving folks a new start.”

The clinic is Feb. 24-25 at Marble Falls High School, 2101 Mustang Drive, and will be open to the public.

The EDC awarded $8,000 to the Getting Ahead in a “Just Getting-By” World program, a creation of Workforce Network Inc. The 20-week course is based on Ruby Payne’s “Bridges out of Poverty.”

“Getting Ahead will help people work through life and employment challenges and will help them become more productive citizens,” Fletcher said. “The relationships that are established through this program will be powerful for all the people involved.”

Classes — one in English and another in Spanish — will begin at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at St. John’s Catholic Church, 105 RR 1431 in Marble Falls. Each class is limited to 12 participants. 

The Marble Falls EDC annually allocates $100,000 through community leverage grants for projects that enhance quality of life for residents and improve the well-being of the city. Since 2013, the EDC has awarded more than $800,000 in community leverage grants.

To apply for a leverage grant for a nonprofit or community event, visit the EDC website.

nathan@thepicayune.com