Marble Falls Police Department

UPDATE: Organizers released a schedule of events as follows: Statement of Purpose ( 9 a.m.); Community Speakers (9:10 a.m.); Unity March Begins in Johnson Park (10 a.m.); "I Can't Breathe" Nine Minutes of Silence (11:15 a.m.); Community Speaker (11:30 a.m.); Prayer of Unit (12:05 p.m.); Breaking of Bread/Lunch (12:15 p.m.); and Event officially ends (1 p.m.).

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Marble Falls police have readied resources and contacted several area agencies to stage at key points around the city in preparation of a Black Lives Matters (BLM) protest planned for Saturday, June 13 in Johnson Park, officials said.

From staff reports

After meeting with city leaders on Friday, June 5, organizers of a Black Lives Matter protest scheduled for next weekend have agreed to move the event to Johnson Park rather than stage it at the intersection of RM 1431 and US 281.

The BLM protest will be held Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will feature guest speakers from the faith community as well as a prayer circle that will begin and end the event fro all who wish to participate.

Organizers of the event, which include recently graduated Marble Falls High School students, have re-iterated to officials this will be a peaceful protest led by local individuals.

CIty officials said Friday they have been in contact with other communities in the area who have held similar events and all were held without incident.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

A series of heated social media exchanges prompted Marble Falls police June 2 to coordinate with organizers of a planned Black Lives Matter (BLM)  protest event in the community, officials said, in an effort to preempt any potential public safety issues.

National BLM organizers have promoted protests aimed at calling attention to the in-custody death of a black man on May 25 in Minnesota.

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Marble Falls city officials denied a special events permit application Feb. 7 based on traffic plan and timeline disagreements for the Adult Soapbox Classic, while planners were in the midst of organizing the 11th annual event scheduled in April.

The denial was given to event organizer Shannon Heep from Marble Falls Police Chief Mark Whitacre in the form of a letter, which included a “right to appeal” process. …

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

A crew, on behalf of a boat owner, towed a vessel Feb. 5 from the shoreline of Lake Marble Falls, after a weekend mishap on the waterway near the waterside of a restaurant, officials said.

The incident occurred during the day Feb. 2 adjacent to Lakeside Park.

“The boat caught fire and sank behind Chili's over the weekend,” Marble Falls Police Capt. Trisha Ratliff said. “Marble Falls Fire Rescue extinguished the fire. …

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Marble Falls police utilized surveillance video and witness accounts to piece together an incident where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in the Walmart parking lot.

The incident occurred at 9:28 a.m. Dec. 24 at the store, located in the 2700 block of U.S. 281 in Marble Falls.

Victoria Leigh Bailey, 34, was the pedestrian struck by a 2015 Chevrolet pickup driven by 82-year-old Mark Eldon Fox of Marble Falls, according to the Marble Falls Police Department report. …

Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Marble Falls police are looking for a possible suspect who left a message on a store phone which resulted in the evacuation of Walmart the day after Christmas.

Officials confirmed that the message may have been left the evening before but was discovered the morning of Dec. 26 by a staff member.

“The threat was extremely vague and not specific to any part of the store or person,” Marble Falls Police Sgt. Barry Greer said. “The building was evacuated out of an abundance of caution. …

By Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

Feral hogs caused thousands of dollars in damage in one night recently at a local school campus, at least two private businesses and a number of residences, resulting in calls to authorities who contract with a trapper to help cull the herds in the northeast sector of Marble Falls.

The incidents were reported Nov. 15 and were believed to have been caused by a roving band of wild pigs possibly traveling in groups of half a dozen or more.

By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor

Sulcata tortoises are not indigenous to the Highland Lakes — they are more common to the southern Sahara desert and the savannas of Africa. However, someone forgot to tell that to one beautiful specimen who paid a visit to The Highlander office Wednesday, Oct. 2.