May 21, 2009

No news may be good news for property tax payers. If you own property in Llano County and did not receive a notice of appraised value from the Llano County Appraisal District (LCAD) last week, then your property has not significantly increased in value, and your tax liability will not increase for 2009.

At the Horseshoe Bay City Council regular meeting Tuesday, City Manager Stan Farmer reported that about half of the 77 tons of asphalt the city has purchased has been utilized to fix pot holes during the last several weeks. Right of way mowing will begin next week, several tree cuttings for safety had been accomplished, and repair and replacement of non-conforming stop and yield signs has begun.

The May 15 bankruptcy auction of Skywater Over Horseshoe Bay drew one bidder. SW Ownership LLC, representing the development’s second lien holder, prevailed at the auction with a credit bid in the amount of $45 million. But a bankruptcy sale is not consummated until the bankruptcy court confirms the auction results and approves the sale to the bidder. The court had set May 20 to hear the debtor’s and creditors’ arguments for and against authorizing the auction sale.

Remember back in time, when a picnic meant hot dogs, potato chips and lemonade? What a treat it was to look forward to apple pie and ice cream, watermelon, popcorn, cotton candy, and sno cones. Well, the Horseshoe Bay POA plans to bring back the flavor of a small town celebration for this year’s 4th of July celebration. Paige Schweizer is heading up a star studded cast of volunteers who are cookin’ up a fantastic community party including Pat Schoch (publicity), Joan Stone and Pat Doerfl ...

Horseshoe Bay’s Ryan Johnson, son of Curt and Sallye Johnson, greets Taylor Hicks and Reese Phillips at Faith Academy’s Prom May 14 at Escondido Country Club. Taylor is the daughter of Horseshoe Bay’s Jeff and Roneen Hicks.

Come on down (or up as the case may be) to the Church at Horseshoe Bay and listen to the music of the Austin City Brass Ensemble on Sunday, May 31st at 3 p.m. It’s another concert that is the Church’s gift to the Highland Lakes Community so no tickets are required and the admission is free. The Austin City Brass Ensemble is one of the most active and innovative brass quintets in Central Texas.

Good Morning Horseshoe Bay – Yesterday was a good day at City Hall, but a better day in the great outdoors. Isn’t spring nice – we seem to have so little of it. Reverend Larry of the Church at Horseshoe Bay prayed, we all pledged and then recognized our outstanding City Secretary Teresa Moore for her 5 years of service to our community. Ryder Warren, Marble Falls School Superintendent, gave us the rundown on the current school year in the Falls.

The Marble Falls Public Library invites area residents to participate in the Adult Summer Reading Program during the month of June. After filling out a simple registration form, patrons will be given a reading log. Keep track of how many minutes you read or listen to audio books during the month of June to earn tickets for prize drawings. Stop by the library to view the special prizes donated by sponsors including Austin Steam Train Association, Blue Bonnet Café, Hill Country Community Theatr ...

The St. Vincent de Paul Society in Central Texas is organized into parish-based volunteer groups, called conferences, representing over 1,000 volunteer members who serve families that are experiencing difficult and heart-breaking struggles. Last fiscal year, the 37 volunteers from the Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay area made home visits to 281 households in the 78654 and 786757 zip codes.

Allan Kettlehut, chair of the 2009 Art & Wine Auction benefiting the Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center, with Sabra McNabb, last year’s benefit chair. Crisis Center Executive Director Alma Lahmon said the event “was a huge success this year” raising about $15,750 before expenses. “We are so thankful for the gracious support offered by artisans who donated their art, donors and attendees, and our hardworking volunteers and staff. ”The event had 103 wine and art auction items donated ...

Marble Falls’ Casis Cleaners won the 2009 Award for Excellence for Quality Garment Cleaning and Customer Service. “With so many cleaners out there, I know it’s tough for a consumer to know which cleaners are the good ones who care,” said Patti Bright, co–owner of Casis Cleaners with husband Dunning Bright.

The upcoming Governor’s race in Texas is sparking a great deal of interest among the citizens. What better than to have the Governor himself to be the guest speaker at the Llano County Republican Club on June 2 at Inman’s Restaurant in Llano. On December 2, 2000, Rick Perry took the oath of office as the 47th Governor of the State of Texas.  He finished out the term for then Governor George W.

Horseshoe Bay Mayor Bob Lambert presented a 5 Year Service Award to City Secretary Teresa Moore on May 19 at the City Council meeting. Outside of work, Moore is active in community affairs and loves spending time with Sid, her husband of 35 years, her son Jeremy and his wife Toni, and her wonderful grandsons Chase and Blake.

This American LaFrance 1,500 gallon per minute fire pumper truck replaces the department’s vintage 1982 1,000 gpm fire pumper, and not only increases the city’s fire fighting capacity, but also helps to maintain favorable fire insurance ratings. Fire Chief Jim Fiero said Texas is looking at continued wildland fire danger throughout the coming months and reminds citizens to take every precaution to avoid igniting a grass or brush fire.

Winning isn’t everything. Just ask Glendine & Jim MacCarty and Walter & Barbara Jones, who were two of the couples who did not win anything at the Couples’ Golf Tournament, but still had a great afternoon of fun on the links and afterwards at the social part of the event.

The success of the recent Sunset in Santa Fe Gala made it possible to by a digital ultrasound system for the Seton Highland Lakes Hospital in Burnet.  If you are interested in joining the HSB Associates call Louraine Robertson at 598-6060 or Membership Chair Winnie Woodruff at 598-2822.

The fab foursome of Linda Rusk, Beryl Ann Owen, Darlene Bowles and Karen Wines won first place in the Women’s Division of the Wharton Boys and Girls Club Charity Golf Tournament. Nice golfing ladies!

Six week old Luke Orlowski and his mother, Bonnie Orlowski of New York City, visited his Horseshoe Bay relatives, grandmother Sabra McNabb (right) and great-grandmother Barbara Williams last week.

Regarding HSB’s real estate market, Jim Rowe and Shelton Thibodeaux, owners of HSB ReMax, advise that HSB real estate has in their opinion not only come off bottom, “it has left the station.” Mike Gordon, who heads HSB Resort Realty advises that from his company’s perspective, “the train is leaving the station.” Sam Tarbet, President of HSB Corp, is currently more conservative.

Three factors normally drive crude oil prices, whether up or down - overall demand, the U.S. dollar’s value, and terrorism. However, a fourth - fear of a worldwide economic collapse - kicked in last July, overriding the normal factors, sending prices spiraling down from $147 to $31 per barrel over the last half of 2008, a 4.7-fold collapse. Since reaching a low of $31 per barrel in January, oil prices recently doubled in the face of diminished demand, the presence of a strong dollar, and the ...

It’s graduation time at colleges across the country. If you have children graduating from college, you’re probably excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for them. But once your last child leaves home, and you become an “empty nester,” you also may find some good opportunities for yourself — opportunities to improve your financial situation. In fact, your empty nester status may help you make progress toward what are likely some key financial goals at this stage of your life: ...