CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF

BURNET — City Council members unanimously passed a 13 percent, $15,000 per year raise for the city manager to keep the position’s pay competitive and to reflect the work of the city’s steward.

David Vaughn

Starting Oct. 1, David Vaughn’s salary will increase from $113,000 per year to $128,000 per year plus benefits.

“In today’s world, there’s not very many big raises being thrown around, but by the same token, you don’t want to lose some talent, not that it’s necessarily a risk,” Mayor Gary Wideman said. “Over the past few years, we have not really done a whole lot with the salaries in that position.”

Vaughn went to work for the City of Burnet in June 2000 in the public works department. He became assistant city manager and eventually was promoted to city manager in April 2011.

“We just felt it was time to sit down and look at his whole body of work he’s done, plus comparing it to other communities in our area based on salary, population and budget to try to get that position to a more competitive level,” Wideman said. “We understand that$15,000 worth of raise is a lot of money, but when we looked at everything that he does, with the LCRA, the water coalitions, the things we’ve been able to do with the YMCA, the fire department, his work ethic, and his contribution to the overall success of the city, he has been tremendous and it’s well worth every penny.”

Along with Vaughn, city employees received an across-the-board raise, based on the Consumer Price Index, which amounted to about 2 percent.

Officials say the stability of budget finances hastened the ability to offer the increases.

“We are so financially healthy,” Wideman said “We have not raised taxes in at least five years since I’ve been mayor.”

Other steps to strengthen the budget in the past couple of years include doubling the city’s net revenue at the end of each year, increasing the city’s contingency funds, and paying off longer term debt, he said.

When considering Vaughn’s salary increase, City Council members compared Burnet to nine other cities, including Bee Cave, Buda, Fredericksburg, Granite Shoals, Lampasas, Llano and Marble Falls.

Council members used Bee Cave and Fredericksburg as the primary considerations.

While Burnet’s budget is approximately $26 million, Bee Cave’s city budget is $8 million.

The Bee Cave city manager makes $144,000 per year, plus benefits. In Fredericksburg, with a budget of $38 million, the city manager salary is $146,000 per year.

“It’s not a competition. It’s not about impressing anybody,” Wideman said. “We just want to make sure the salary is commensurate with the amount of work he puts in.”

connie@thepicayune.com

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CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF

Vanessa Escamilla (left), Brailely Hall and Hannah Smith, all of Burnet, visited little Jordan Johnson at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin on Sept. 14 after they revived her by using CPR in a Burnet convenience store parking lot. The 5-year-old Victoria resident was diagnosed with a heart murmur, according to her mother. Courtesy photo

BURNET — When 14-year-old Brailey Hall and 16-year-old Hannah Smith and Vanessa Escamilla walked into the hospital room, the first thing they saw was a sleeping child and her grateful mother.

“We saw the mom, and tears just came to all of our eyes,” Smith said. ” She just burst out into tears and said, ‘Y’all are my three angels.'”

The trio of Burnet Consolidated Independent School District students visited 5-year-old Jordan, her siblings and her mother, Roshanda Johnson, on the evening of Sept. 7, the day after the teens revived and comforted the child in a parking lot at a convenience store in Burnet.

Smith said, “Going from seeing her there (in the parking lot) and seeing her in the hospital, it was crying not of sadness but crying because we were so happy just to see the mom, knowing that her little girl was alive.”

Roshanda Johnson and her daughter, Jordan, 5, were passing through Burnet when the little girl stopped breathing while sitting in a car seat in the back of their vehicle. Three teens from Burnet came to their aid and revived the girl at a convenience store at the corner of U.S. 281 and Texas 29. Staff photo by Connie Swinney

On Sept. 6, the day of the incident, Escamilla, Hall and Smith were on their way to an outdoor concert at a park in town when they stopped for fuel at the Valero at the intersection of U.S. 281 and Texas 29 in the heart of the city.

The Johnson family, who is from Victoria, was passing through Burnet when they stopped at the store as well.

Hall described what she saw after she paid inside the store and then discovered a woman holding a lifeless girl in her arms in the parking lot.

“I walked out and all I see is Hannah and Vanessa running over there. All I hear is, ‘Help me! Help me! My baby is dead. Help me,'” Hall said. “I go over there and run around the car. She said, ‘Please help me. Don’t let my baby die.'”

The girls said they took the child from the woman and placed her on the ground by the vehicle.

“I said, ‘We’ll help you,’ and the first thing I’m thinking is we need to give her mouth-to-mouth and CPR,” said Hall, who added she mimicked the procedure she recalled seeing on TV shows, including an episode of the soap opera, “Days of Our Lives.”

Smith said she witnessed her friend perform chest compressions and breath into the little girl’s mouth.

“Her eyes started to flutter, so we rolled her over on her side to open up her air valves, and then she did two more, seven total, and then her eyes finally opened,” Smith said.

“First, you see this little girl that’s not breathing,” she added “There’s no pulse and she’s blue and purple, and then you’re holding an alive little girl.”

EMS arrived after several minutes and transported the girl to Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin.

Roshanda Johnson said physicians performed tests and diagnosed little Jordan with a heart murmur. She credited the teens and faith with saving Jordan’s life.

“It’s a beautiful thing to realize that it was only a teenager. She’s just 14,” she said. “It just goes to show you how the Lord is using kids also to save lives. I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.”

Fire, EMS and city officials are expected to honor the teens for their courage in coming to the aid of visitors.

“If you want to have faith in humanity and faith in the younger generation — I know sometimes it gets a little challenging with what we’ve seen in our community as of late — but to me, it really gave me a lot of hope in the younger generation that these kids are good kids,” Burnet Mayor Gary Wideman said. “They’re going to do the things that are necessary, and when they have the opportunity to help somebody, to put yourself out there like that, that’s a scary thing to do when you don’t exactly know how to do it. The value they placed on that little girl’s life was tremendous.”

Escamilla said she swells with pride when she thinks about her friend’s actions.

“She (Brailey) is really courageous,” she said. “Words can’t even describe how brave she was that night. I’m very proud of her.

Hall said, “Jordan is just beautiful and amazing. We got to talk to her (that) Sunday, and she’s just a sweetheart,” Hall said. “It’s really not about me. It’s about the little girl and how she gets to live on.”

connie@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

BURNET — With the November election approaching, Burnet school district officials are hoping to address questions and concerns regarding a proposed $26.75 million bond on the upcoming ballot.

Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Keith McBurnett will be on hand during the presentations to explain the proposed bond package and take questions.

The meetings are:

• Sept. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Hill Country Community Foundation building, 403 E. Jackson St. in Burnet
• Oct. 1 at 7:30 a.m. at the Highlander Restaurant, 401 Buchanan Drive (Texas 29) in Burnet; (there will be a breakfast buffet available for $6.95)
• Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Joann Cole Mitte Library, 1701 N. Gabriel in Bertram
• Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Cassie Homeowners Association’s Community Center, located at RR 690 (next to fire station at Cassie Gate 6) in Cassie
• Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the administrative board room at the BCISD Community Forum, 208 E. Brier St. in Burnet
• Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Briggs Community Center, 215 Loop 308 in Briggs

The BCISD board of trustees called for the bond to be placed on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Leading up to calling the bond, the district conducted a demographic study, a 13-month facility needs assessment study and a financial analysis. The board also approved the formation of a 26-member community advisory committee to look at the district needs and completed a prioritization survey. The district also conducted a community opinion survey.

The $26.75 million bond earmarks 25 percent (estimated) for mechanical improvements such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing. Another 24 percent is for classroom addition at Shady Grove Elementary and a new Career and Technical Education shop at Burnet High School.

Other big chunks go to renovations for the Shady Grove kitchen, replacing the exterior windows at the R.J. Richey campus and upgrading parking and drives (17 percent) with an estimated 14 percent targeting roof repairs at certain campuses.

The district is also looking at $1.8 million worth of improvements to the Burnet High School stadium that includes additional bleachers on the visitors’ side and artificial turf.

The district would also like to purchase 10 new buses with the bond funds.

According to school officials, if the bond is approved, the estimated impact on the tax rate is an additional 7.9 cents. This would be applied to the interest and sinking fund (debt service.) The current rate is $1.2625 per $100 valuation.

The additional 7.9 cents would add about $6.58 per month per $100,000 of taxable property value.

Go to www.bcisdbond.com for a breakdown on the bond, estimated tax rate and other information or attend one of the scheduled meetings.

The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 4 election is Oct. 6.

editor@thepicayune.com

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DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

Lee Hoffpauir started working in his father’s dealership when he was a boy. The Hoffpauir company is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2014. File photo

LAMPASAS — Lee Hoffpauir can’t really nail down from where his penchant for selling came. Sure his father owned a car dealership when Lee was a kid growing up in Lampasas, but the elder Hoffpauir was more into the finance side of the business than the sales portion.

But Lee recalled his early forays into sales as a youth.

“When I was 8 or 10, I had a lemonade stand,” he said. “And then I’d pick mustang grapes and sell them door to door. I’ve been selling as long as I can remember. It’s something I really enjoy doing, still do today.”

Which is a good thing being that he’s the owner of several car dealerships and businesses bearing the Hoffpauir name. The company, started by his father, James Hoffpauir, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The elder Hoffpauir, who passed away in 2007, purchased a Lampasas Chevy dealership on Sept. 25, 1964. After that purchase, James Hoffpauir expanded into Burnet in 1984 (with Dan Shrader), purchased another dealership in in 1989 and added a Marble Falls location in 1989.

In 2005, after growing up in the business, Lee Hoffpauir stepped in and purchased his the Marble Falls dealership of his sister, Sue Harton, and then basically purchased his father’s dealerships as well. The move to owner wasn’t unprecedented since Lee’s first foray into the automotive business started when he was probably still in elementary school.

“I started working in the Lampasas dealership during the summers when I was 10 years old,” he said. “Dad would find the nastiest, dirties jobs he could find for me to do.”

Eventually, Hoffpauir worked his way up through the business with stops in almost every department — if not all of them — on his way to running a dealership in 1997 as a 26-year old.

And while he owns dealerships and businesses bearing his name, Lee Hoffpauir is the first person to tell folks he isn’t a one-man show. In fact, he’s quick to point out an important lesson he learned from his father as a businessman, one he continues to follow.

“I learned from my dad to surround yourself with good people,” he said. “And if you take care of your employees, they’ll take care of you.”

Several of the Hoffpauir’s employees are 20-plus-year veterans, including a few with more than 40 years. Hoffpauir gave a nod to Wayland Weslie, who joined the Lampasas dealership in 1964 and, though in his 80s, still comes in on a part-time basis.

The tenet appears to bear fruit as the business has expanded to not only include car dealerships but also ATV and outdoor sales. Hoffpauir added Polaris sales, and its become the fastest-growing aspect of the business. Last year, Lee Hoffpauir Polaris Ranger was the No. 1 dealer in the nation, and probably the world.

He transformed the Burnet location into an outdoor store specializing in tractors, trailers, mowers and similar equipment.

Along with the great staff, the company remains committed to the communities the dealerships serve, whether it’s through supporting programs and events or simply taking care of customers.

While the heart of the business is sales and service, the industry model has experienced a shake-up or two. One of the biggest game-changers was the advent of the Internet.

“It used to be nobody would drive 100 miles to buy a car. Back in the day, you wouldn’t think of going somewhere other than your local dealer to buy a car. But now with the Internet, you can look at 10 different dealerships and compare,” he said. Instead of watching customers and potential customers head off to other dealers in other cities, Hoffpauir and his staff put the Internet to work for them as well, and now people can “browse the lot” from the comfort of their home.

Hoffpauir said price is only part of the car-buying experience. Customer service still factors as a major player.

“I think what keeps people coming back to us or bringing them to us is customer service,” he said. “We really try to take care of people.”

Sometimes, this means taking a call in the middle of the night from a customer whose car won’t start or has broken down on the side of the road. Or it could even mean a road trip.

“If I have somebody who’s been a customer for a number of years call and say their kid’s car is broke and they’re at college, that may mean loading up a car on a truck and heading for College Station,” Hoffpauir said. “I’ve done that before. People appreciate knowing they can call us or come by, and we’ll take care of them.”

As for the future, Hoffpauir doesn’t have a crystal ball and doesn’t know what it will bring, but he does know one thing he, his staff and his dealerships will do.

“We’ll just roll with it,” he said with a laugh.

Go to www.hautogroup.com for a list of Lee Hoffpauir’s dealerships, locations and services.

daniel@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

JEFFERY GORDON NICKERSON

BURNET — A 44-year-old Burnet man on parole with an extensive jail record found himself once again in custody after authorities charged him with making methamphetamine.

The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit arrested Jeffery Gordon Nickerson on Oct. 1 and charged him with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance.

The investigation began Sept. 22, when the unit and the Burnet Police Department learned of a possible methamphetamine laboratory at a residence near the intersection of FM 963 and U.S. 281 in Burnet. According to a sheriff’s office news release, authorities contacted the owners of the residence in the 1100 block of North Water and obtained voluntary consent to search a shed in the rear of the property. During the search, investigators located what they believed to be drug-making components and ingredients.

Officials said a liquid tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

Investigators sent the evidence to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab for analysis.

Authorities charged the suspect with manufacture and/or delivery of more than 400 grams of the drug.

Nickerson was paroled from the Texas Department of Corrections in March 2013 for a conviction of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance of more than 400 grams. He is on parole for the charge until 2026.

If convicted of the current charge, Nickerson could get up to life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

editor@thepicayune.com

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CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF

The historic Badger building on the courthouse square in Burnet will now house a secondary location of San Saba-based Wedding Oak Winery. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton

BURNET — Since the 1880s, the Badger building has played an important role as the business and social epicenter on the courthouse square.

“The building reflects history. It has been as central location for a lot of activities in the community,”  said Carole Goble, a member of the Burnet County Historical Commission and curator of the Fort Croghan Museum.

The building’s history and potential to stir economic growth once again has inspired the city’s economic development leaders to invest $1.2 million in renovating the inside of the structure as well as three adjacent buildings to launch the wine-making industry in the heart of the community. San Saba-based Wedding Oak Winery wants to bring a new flavor to the historic building.

From a mercantile store and a post office to a telephone company and a bank, the Badger building, 229 S. Pierce St., has become a symbol of the economic progress in Burnet.

“Back in the ’50s and ’60s, it was a teenage canteen. After the Robertsons bought that building, they made it into a teen center. They bought the soda fountain from one of the old drug stores, and then they had dances upstairs,” Goble said. “That building holds a lot of memories for a lot of people. Most people who live in Burnet who are adults now appreciate what the Robertsons did with the building and the fact they have a lot of fond memories about good times there.”

As the structure ages, the white rock facade has maintained the character of the building as its defining architectural feature.

“One of the things we hear from people who come off the train is, ‘What is there to do?’ This an entirely new venture that will compliment many of the existing businesses we have,” Burnet City Manager David Vaughn said. “This will give people an additional reason to come down there. People that might not have had a reason to come to the square.”

To help launch the revitalization project, the Robertson family recently donated the Badger building and two adjacent buildings to the Burnet Economic Development Corp., Vaughn said.

Along with renovating those structures, crews are scheduled to raze two more buildings to the east, which were purchased by a private owner, behind the Badger building.

The plan would involve reconstructing the buildings in keeping with the architectural style of the Badger structure. Features would include an enclosed room for events and an open-air terrace.

Then, EDC officials expect to enter into a lease-purchase option agreement with Wedding Oak Winery with plans for a tasting room and a production facility.

Co-owner Mike McHenry said he would need from four to six full-time employees and some part-time workers.

“It’s the idea of agri-tourism,” he said. “It’s happening in Gillespie County to the tune of $70 (million) to $90 million annually.”

McHenry believes the winery would spur growth in other areas.

“Although offices are needed, they become offices for title companies, lawyers and real estate. It’s a good thing, but it doesn’t necessarily drive traffic,” he said. “(The winery) is going to bring tourists into Burnet which are destination-oriented, which will then spill over into all of the other economic benefits.”

Since Wedding Oak moved just off the San Saba square on East Wallace Street in 2012, McHenry has seen a resurgence in economic growth, including an olive oil company, a mercantile shop and a new pecan store.

“For us, as a winery, it’s also an enormous opportunity to build a secondary location and develop our brand in the Hill Country without leaving,” McHenry said. “It will create a downtown winery destination in the downtown square which I feel like is a critical part of re-development of any of our Texas towns. We think it’s the next frontier, and it’s already started.”

Renovations are scheduled to get underway by January. The winery opening target date is Sept. 1, 2015.

“People have been in and out of those buildings since the 1800s. It’s a marvelous thing to see them being rejuvenated and put to good use again,” Goble said. It’s forward progress, and a boon to the town.”

Go to www.weddingoakwinery.com for more information about the winery.

connie@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

A Mexican free-tailed bat. Photo by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

BURNET — While a bat found on the Burnet courthouse square Oct. 1 tested positive for rabies, officials say no humans came into contact with the infected animal.

But police are asking residents to remain cautious if they come across bats.

“If you see a bat … just leave it alone,” Burnet Police Capt. Jason Davis said. “If they’re there for an extended period of time, (then) feel free to call us, and we’ll look and see if we think that we need to collect it.”

On Oct. 1 about 10:15 a.m., the Burnet Police Animal Control Officer responded to the square after somebody reported finding a bat on the ground. Since it was found in a public location, even though there was no report of human contact, officials sent it off for rabies testing as a precautionary measure.

Davis said the bat tested positive for the virus.

Usually, if animal control or police find a bat in a non-public place, they might let it be in case it’s just resting before flying off.

“Not all bats have rabies. Sometimes, they just get on the side of a house to rest up,” Davis said. But still, he urged caution if anybody comes across a bat found in a place the animals don’t typical roost.

Animal control officer Mike Martin said bats often reside in residential and populated areas because flying insects are attracted to the lights.

These insects, he pointed out, are the main food source for bats.

If somebody finds a bat, he or she shouldn’t attempt to catch or trap it but call the police, animal control or sheriff’s office (depending on the location.) Rabies is a fatal disease if left untreated in humans, Davis said, so it’s important to take necessary precautions to prevent contracting it or allowing it to spread.

Along with human interactions, this means protecting pets by getting them vaccinated, he added.

Burnet residents can call (512) 756-6404 if they have questions or concerns regarding this particular bat, other bats or rabies in general.

editor@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

KINGSLAND — Two people have died within three hours of one another in two separate vehicle accidents, one of them a pedestrian on RR 1431 in Llano County and the other on U.S. 281 in Burnet County on Oct. 8, according to reports from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

In Kingsland, 59-year-old Niruben Bhakta died at the scene just after 8 p.m. adjacent to a bridge crossing on RR 1431, officials said.

The investigator reported that the individual was struck by a 1998 Ford Mustang, traveling eastbound in the inside lane, driven by 21-year-old Justin James of Llano.

Bhakta was pronounced dead at the scene by Llano County Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Calvin Boyd.

Just three hours earlier, a 26-year-old Marble Falls man died at the scene about half a mile south of Burnet after the 1995 BMW he was driving left the roadway and struck a tree, according to the DPS report.

“The driver swerved to keep from being hit by another vehicle that was changing lanes,” the report stated.

Aaron Weems of Marble Falls was pronounced dead by Boyd at Edgar Funeral Home at 5:27 p.m.

editor@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

BURNET — Police responded to a local grocery story after a caller reported a woman in the parking lot waving a gun.

Burnet officials said officers arrived at the H-E-B, 105 S. Broadway, at 4:53 p.m. Oct. 8 in response to a call about a women waving a gun around and putting it in her mouth. Officers secured the parking lot to reduce any danger to the public.

Some H-E-B patrons had to stay inside the store while officers worked to resolve the situation outside.

Burnet police took the woman into custody after about 20 minutes without incidence. Officers recovered two semi-automatic pistols, including one the woman had in her waistband.

Authorities transported her to a hospital for evaluation but did not charge with any crime. Police say the incident is still under investigation.

editor@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

GARRETT JAMES BALLARD

BURNET — State District Judge Allan Garrett set a $2 million bond on Oct. 7 for Garrett James Ballard, 21, who faces a capital murder of multiple persons charge for allegedly gunning down two of his friends in August.

Burnet County investigators have charged Garrett for allegedly murdering Elijah Adam Benson, 17, and Travis Leslie Fox, 26, on Aug. 19 after the three supposedly used hallucinogenic drugs, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Deputies arrested Ballard on Aug. 19 and booked him into the Burnet County Jail, where he’s been since that date without a bond until Oct. 7.

District Attorney Wiley “Sonny” McAfee said the amount of bond was in response to the severity of the alleged crime.

“Safety of the community is always a major concern for the DA’s office as well as the courts for setting bond,” McAfee said. “The bond is to ensure that someone appears in court. It is also to ensure the safety of the community and the judge is to consider the circumstances of the offense.”

The district attorney said several witnesses testified before Garrett to the severity, nature and circumstances of the offense.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Ballard told investigators he and the two other individuals had purchased some “acid’ from another acquaintance and returned to his residence on the 5800 block of CR 340 to celebrate one of the men’s birthdays.

But sometime during the celebration, Ballard told investigators the two alleged victims began demonstrating “strange and disruptive behaviors.” At some point, Ballard obtained a rifle from a relative’s vehicle and shot the other two men, the affidavit stated.

“The judge heard evidence,” McAfee said regarding the bond hearing. “The evidence showed there was proof evident that a capital murder had occurred.”

Ballard has not been indicted for the alleged crimes at this point. McAfee said he and his office are still working on presenting the case to the grand jury.

“Talking about capital murder cases, in general, oftentimes they can be very complicated,” the district attorney said. “There are a lot of things that we need to nail down that investigators have to follow up on, and those things take a considerable amount of time.”

McAfee added that capital murder cases in general tend to require more time and energy because the only punishments available are life without parole or the death penalty.

editor@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

MURL LAMB

CEDAR PARK — Police captured a Burnet County Jail inmate who assaulted a deputy and took his weapon before fleeing on foot Oct. 11.

A Burnet County deputy had transported Murl Lamb, 40, to the Cedar Park Regional Medical Center on Oct. 11. As medical staff was treating the inmate, police say Lamb attacked the deputy, took his weapon and escaped on foot about 6:30 a.m.

Lamb had been in the Burnet County Jail since Aug. 21 on a string of charges, including aggravated robbery, a parole violation, robbery, burglary of building, theft and criminal mischief. He was being held on more than $450,000 in bonds.

Cedar Park police secured a perimeter of the immediate area. Williamson County deputies, Leander police, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and Burnet County deputies assisted in the search for Murl.

Officials asked people to stay away from the area, including the 1890 Ranch shopping center on RR 1431 just east of the U.S. 183 tollway.

Officers apprehended Murl about 11 a.m. behind a theater in the shopping center.

Officials said additional criminal charges are pending against the suspect regarding the Oct. 11 incident.

editor@thepicayune.com

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DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MATTHEW LEWALLEN

MARBLE FALLS — Police charged a 26-year-old Burnet man with intoxication manslaughter for the death of a Granite Shoals woman after tests determined the suspect’s blood-alcohol content was three times over the legal limit.

Matthew Lewallen was booked into the Burnet County Jail on Oct. 15 for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. The charge stems from a deadly accident Sept. 21 in the 1400 block of U.S. 281 about 2:20 a.m. in Marble Falls.

Marble Falls Police Sgt. Barry Greer said Lewallen was driving a 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup heading north on the highway when it crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a Ford Explorer driven by Sandra Hart, 47, of Granite Shoals.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Hart died at the scene.

Emergency crews transported Lewallen to Seton Highland Lakes Hospital in Burnet for evaluation after the accident, but, at the time, officers said they would have to wait until the blood-alcohol test results came back before they made any charges. But soon after the accident, Greer said officers believed alcohol was involved.

In the arrest warrant affidavit filed by Marble Falls Police officer Dorian Turner, Lewallen’s hospital records showed he had a blood-alcohol limit of three times the legal limit, which is .08 blood-alcohol content.

Turner, who was a responding officer to the accident, stated in the affidavit that after fire crews freed Lewallen from the vehicle, the man was conscious “but not aware of how the crashed happened or of his surroundings.”

“During my contact with him, I smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath, his speech was slurred, the whites of his eyes were really red (bloodshot), and he said he had consumed two beers,” the documented continued.

Dorian stated in the affidavit that his belief was the suspect’s intoxication level led to the collision that caused Hart’s death.

Hart was by herself, while Lewallen had a passenger in his pickup. The passenger, Matthew King, 23, of Kyle was arrested at the time of the accident and charged with public intoxication.

Lewallen was released later the same day after posting a $7,500 cash bond.

daniel@thepicayune.com

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JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF

BURNET — D.I.J. Construction has donated more than $12,000 to the Burnet High School science department for the purchase of laptop computers.

The Burnet Consolidate Independent School District board of trustees approved accepting the $12,403.25 donation during its regular board meeting Oct. 20.

Science department chairman Andy McHazlett said the high school is very appreciative of the donation, particularly because the old computers simply could not be upgraded for the new software required for labs and calculations.

“The software is pretty awesome,” he said. “We’ll have them on a cart on wheels so we can transport them.”

McHazlett said he was happiest for the students because he believes the computers will offer them a brighter future.

“Our kids are technology driven,” he said. “Even our laptops were out of date. This solidifies our science department.”

New physics teacher Chris Murrell, who came to Burnet High School from Texas State University, had told colleagues of the technology-focused teaching trends, the chairman said.

“It’s what everyone is using,” McHazlett said. “Everything is technology. Companies are hiring people with science backgrounds and skills, but if you don’t have the technology, you’re behind. Technology makes science easier. It’s how things are going.”

He knows most citizens probably learned science classes with a book and a lab without a computer. It’s simply not the way of the science world today, he said, because of the formulas and calculations.

“We’ll get our kids academically on par with the best schools around,” he said. “We’re excited about it. It’s one of those donations to really help our kids here in Burnet.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

BOBBY EARL MCGRAW

BURNET — Burnet County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested a man Oct. 17 who they believe supplied the majority of methamphetamine to local users.

“For us, he’s a large, significant trafficker,” Capt. Dwight Hardin said. “He was responsible for supplying a majority of the people in Burnet County with methamphetamine.”

Deputies charged Bobby Earl McGraw, 41, with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance (between 200 and 400 grams), a first-degree felony. He also faces six counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to BCSO officials, the Texas Department of Corrections paroled McGraw in June 2011 for a conviction of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance (over 400 grams).

During a search of a residence in the northwestern part of Burnet County off RR 2341, investigators seized more than eight ounces of methamphetamine with a street value of about $250,000 and more than $6,000 in cash. Hardin said they also recovered six stolen firearms and other alleged stolen items.

Burnet County Sheriff Office deputies and several other law enforcement agencies served a search warrant at a residence in northwestern Burnet County that ended up with one man arrested while investigators also seized about $250,000 in methamphetamine, six firearms and approximately $6,000 in cash. Courtesy photo

“We’ve been looking into McGraw’s activities for about a year now,” Hardin said. The captain added the sheriff’s office is still investigating the case and expects more arrests in the future.

Deputies booked McGraw into the Burnet County Jail on Oct. 17 on a bond totaling $190,000. He was released Oct. 19 after posting a surety bond.

The Burnet Police Department, the Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force, the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol and the Texas DPS Aircraft Section assisted with the search and arrest.

editor@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

BURNET — Burnet police and the Burnet school district are investigating a possible sexual assault that occurred Nov. 7 during the final home football game.

According to Burnet Consolidated Independent School District officials, the alleged indecent happened on the practice fields of the Bulldog Stadium complex.

Burnet police informed the district about the alleged incident and the investigation.

“Because this was an isolated incident allegedly involving two teenagers, there is no threat posed to other students or the community,” the police and the school district said in a joint statement.

The school district is cooperating with the police in the investigation, officials said.

The police and the district added that, due to the ages of the youth allegedly involved, they would be maintaining “an appropriate level of confidentiality.”

Anybody with information regarding this alleged incident should call the Burnet Police Department at (512) 756-6404 or the Hill Country Area Crime Stoppers at 1-866-756-TIPS (8477). All tips through the Crime Stoppers are anonymous and can bring a cash reward. Tips also may be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at hcacrimestoppers.com.

editor@thepicayune.com

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Burnet Fire Department firefighters take part in a training exercise Nov. 20 at a vacant house on South Pierce and Elm streets. The structure and an adjacent storage building were donated to the department for training use. For a full story, see the Nov. 26 edition of The Picayune. Staff photo by Jared Fields

Burnet Fire Department firefighters take part in a training exercise Nov. 20 at a vacant house on South Pierce and Elm streets. The structure and an adjacent storage building were donated to the department for training use. For a full story, see the Nov. 26 edition of The Picayune.

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

BURNET — The Burnet Police Department is not filing any charges after an investigation into a possible sexual assault that occurred during a Nov. 7 home high school football game.

According to a previous statement released Nov. 18 by the Burnet Consolidated School District and police, officials were investigating an alleged sexual assault that occurred on the practice fields of the Bulldog Stadium complex. Both individuals allegedly involved were juveniles.

On Nov. 21, Burnet police released a statement that, as a result of the investigation, “it was determined that there was no evidence that a sexual assault occurred.”

Burnet officials reiterated that there never was a threat to the public or any students.

editor@thepicayune.com

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CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF

BURNET — City officials are considering expanding Burnet’s non-smoking regulations from city-owned buildings and facilities into private businesses and other spaces where the public frequents.

The Burnet City Council is scheduled to meet Dec. 9 for a first reading of the proposed new ordinance, which also includes rules to treat “vaping” or electronic or E-cigarettes the same as tobacco smoke and assess fines for businesses as well as patrons who violate the ban.

“Several city council members were approached by business owners who thought it might be good to look into it, so we’ve held public meetings and solicited input and drafted the ordinance based on what other communities in the Austin area are doing as well,” City Manager David Vaughn said. “Certainly, you can accommodate smoking areas, but non-smoking customers and people who didn’t want to be influenced by that shouldn’t have to be as they were visiting the establishment.”

Smoking is prohibited on city-owned property; however, if the ordinance passes, the city would require businesses that offer smoking sections to install a mechanically ventilated system for those areas, according to the ordinance.

The amended rules would direct private establishments to prohibit smoking outdoors within 15 feet of entryways, exits and windows and post signs indicating designated areas.

Exemptions include private residences, private offices not accessible to the public, retail tobacco stores and contained outdoor patios adjacent to restaurants, cafes and bars.

Vaughn said he has received positive feedback from the public so far.

However, one opponent raised concerns about the proposed new regulations.

“Let the owners decide,” said Chuck Vohries, a smoker and chaplain of Burnet VFW Post 6974.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars post prohibits smoking inside its facility but offers an outdoor smoking area, he said.

“We go outside on our patio. It’s right outside our door. We’ll have to put signs up,” he said. “What happens in a private area should be held in private. We shouldn’t have politicians dipping into places they shouldn’t be.”

City officials believe the ordinance would not only minimize the reported risk of second-hand smoke on others but also reduce the potential influences on underage smoking.

One section prohibits the possession and sale of E-cigarettes to anyone under 18.

“Generally, (the proposed ordinance) treats vaping the same way as a cigarette. You could not be in a restaurant vaping,” Vaughn said. “(For youth), E-cigarettes are considered a gateway into smoking and to other drug uses as well and something that we’ve heard that there’s considerable use among teenagers in the area.”

If the city council approves the amended ordinance, violators face penalties, considered a class C misdemeanor, with a $100 fine for a first offense, a $250 fine for the second offense and a $500 fine for subsequent offenses.

“We are hopeful that this is going to be something that is primarily voluntarily compliance,” Vaughn said. “We’re not going to be out there looking to cite people or overly enforce the ordinance but, hopefully, give business owners something that when they do have an issue, it gives a little teeth to it.”

A second reading and possible passage of the amended ordinance is expected in January.

connie@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

Garrett James Ballard

BURNET — County records show 21-year-old Garrett James Ballard, who faces a capital murder of multiple persons charge for allegedly gunning down two of his friends, was released from the Burnet County Jail on Dec. 8 on a $500,000 surety bond.

Burnet County investigators have charged Ballard for allegedly murdering Elijah Adam Benson, 17, and Travis Leslie Fox, 26, on Aug. 19 after the three reportedly used hallucinogenic drugs, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Deputies arrested Ballard on Aug. 19 and booked him into the Burnet County Jail, where he’s been since that date without bond until Oct. 7.

A judge had initially set a $2 million bond on that date, according to jail records.

The $500,000 amount did not list a bond agency.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Ballard told investigators he and the two other individuals had purchased some “acid” from another acquaintance and returned to his parent’s residence in the 5800 block of CR 340 to celebrate one of the men’s birthdays.

But sometime during the celebration, Ballard told investigators the two alleged victims began demonstrating “strange and disruptive behaviors.” At some point, Ballard obtained a rifle from his father’s vehicle and shot the other two men, the affidavit stated.

Ballard’s father is Burnet County Precinct 3 Constable Jimmy Ballard. The constable was not home at the time of the incident.

Capital murder case punishments range from life without parole to the death penalty with a conviction. 33rd/424th Judicial District Attorney Sonny McAfee said he did not expect to seek the death penalty.

editor@thepicayune.com

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FROM STAFF REPORTS

JIMMY MORRISETT

BURNET — An escapee from a Bastrop minimum security federal prison is back in custody after Burnet police located the man in a residence in the 1600 block of West Buchanan Drive (Texas 29) about 11 p.m. Dec. 15.

Several agencies assisted in a standoff, but police were able to take Jimmy Morrisett into custody about 2:30 a.m. Dec. 16 after several hours of negotiations. He was unarmed, officials say.

Morrisett escaped about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 14 from the prison where he had served one year of a nine-year sentence for engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. In March 2013, Morrisett pleaded guilty to what federal prosecutors described as a $6.8 million Ponzi scheme.

The illegal activities took place from November 2004 to March 2008, when the man operated Red Earth Resources Inc. and Alpine Petroleum LLC in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Authorities described Morrisett’s activities as defrauding millions of dollars from countless investors in Texas and Oklahoma, with many losing their life savings.

Prior to his plea, Morrisett was living in Burnet. Authorities said he still has relatives in the Burnet area.

In September 2013, a federal judge sentenced Morrisett to nine years in federal prison.

On Dec. 15, Burnet police, acting on an anonymous tip, located Morrisett in the attic of a vacant house on West Buchanan Drive. Several agencies, including the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol and SWAT Team, the Texas Rangers and the Austin Police Department’s helicopter assisted with the fugitive’s capture. The Burnet Fire and EMS Department also responded to the residence.

“This all came together because all the listed departments worked together as a team and got the job done,” said Burnet Police Chief Paul Nelson. “Our goal was to keep the public safe and take the suspect into custody without anyone getting injured, and we did just that.”

Nelson added that it was a citizen calling in a tip that helped capture the fugitive, highlighting the importance of the community and police working together.

editor@thepicayune.com

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