Last year, vandals destroyed an iconic statue of a Native American playing a flute on horseback in downtown Marble Falls, but the aptly named “Fluteplayer” recently made a triumphant return, its bronze brighter than ever.
The Fluteplayer had stood on the corner of Main Street and 2nd Street in downtown Marble Falls in front of the Service Title office for 26 years before it was torn down in November 2025.
“You can’t believe just how many people asked me what happened to the Indian,” Service Title co-owner Tammy Whitman told DailyTrib. “They turned the horse over and drug the Indian down the street.”
The Fluteplayer statue was mangled in 2025 by vandals. The culprits were never caught. Courtesy photos from Kaitlyn Williams
Whitman owns Service Title with business partner Kaitlyn Williams. The Marble Falls Police Department contacted them at around 2 a.m. on a morning in November, informing them of the vandalism, but the culprits were never found.
On July 9, the Fluteplayer made its return after an art foundry in Bulverde made the repairs to the statue following months of work. Service Title’s neighbor, Travis Dean with Cactus Construction, helped secure the horse and its rider back in place.
Whitman bought the Fluteplayer at an art auction in Georgia on a trip with her husband Raymond. She told DailyTrib that she got into a heated bidding war with another attendee that ended when she turned around, looked them in the eye, and told them “I need that for my office.”
A good samaritan, also attending the auction, offered to help her ship the statue back to Texas along with art he had won bids on.
A closer look at The Fluteplayer. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The Whitmans installed the Fluteplayer in front of their office after the delivery, where it stood relatively unscathed for years before the 2025 vandalism.
Now, it has been welded together and is under the eyes of ample security cameras to ensure that it stands for decades longer.
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Granite Shoals has reopened its synthetic turf soccer fields at Quarry Park, 2221 N. Phillips Road, after recent damage prompted a temporary closure.
According to City Manager Sarah Novo, the fields have reopened to the public while professional evaluations and repair estimates are completed following paint damage caused during a private rental event. The city anticipates another temporary closure to complete repairs and will provide as much advance notice as possible. The fields were originally closed July 8.
“The city has been in communication with the individual responsible, who has acknowledged responsibility and expressed a commitment to working with the city to resolve the matter,” Novo told DailyTrib.
The city is coordinating with professional synthetic turf specialists to evaluate the extent of the damage and determine the most appropriate repair plan.
“We appreciate the community’s patience, understanding, and support as we work diligently to restore this valued facility to the high standard our residents expect,” she said.
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Burnet and Llano counties will be under a flood watch this coming week as high chances of storms and significant rainfall roll over the area.
According to the National Weather Service, the Highland Lakes will be under a flood watch from 9 p.m. on Monday, July 13, through the evening of Thursday, July 16. Stormwater totals of 2-6 inches are possible over the week, with up to 10 inches in some isolated areas.
Flooding and flash flooding is possible, especially so at low-water crossings in the area.
Monday, July 13: High 91, low 73 with a 70 percent chance of rain and a chance of thunderstorms after 4 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14: High 86, low 70 with a 90 percent chance of rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms
Wednesday, July 15: High 86, low 71 with an 80 percent chance of rain and a chance of thunderstorms after 1 p.m.
Thursday, July 16: High 88, low 73 with a 60 percent chance of rain and a chance of thunderstorms before 7 a.m. and after 1 p.m.
The Highland Lakes have already seen a significant amount of rainfall this year, in part due to El Niño conditions, which typically bring cooler, wetter weather to Central Texas.
According to a July 9 update from the NWS Climate Prediction Center, El Niño conditions are expected to continue to strengthen through the end of the year, with a 97 percent chance that they will continue through spring 2027.
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Marble Falls Parks and Recreation is teaming up with Marble Falls Fire Rescue to provide pop up splash pads at city parks in July.
Marble Falls firefighters will pull up at 11 a.m. on July 15 to Westside Park, 1610 2nd Street, and then at 11 a.m. on July 29 at Lakeside Park. The department’s Fire Engine 1 will extend its ladder and pump out a temporary shower at each of the parks for about an hour.
“It’s like having a big heavy rainfall in a centralized area where the kids can just play and have some fun,” MFFR Captain Rowan Arnold told DailyTrib.
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Agendas for Highland Lakes governments are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
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Sign ups are officially open for mutton busting at the Marble Falls Rodeo, scheduled for July 17-18.
Register in person at Blair’s Western Wear, 2501 U.S. 281, in Marble Falls. The event is open to children 4-7 years old, and they must be under 60 pounds. No prior experience is required.
Entry is free and the winners get a free pair of boots, courtesy of Blair’s. Helmets and vests will be provided for competitors at the rodeo.
The Marble Falls Rodeo runs July 15-18 at the Charley Taylor Arena, 3053 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls.
Mutton busting
Mutton busting has been a staple event at rodeos across Texas for decades, but its origins are in the Great White North. Created by rodeo man Jack Daines in the early 1960s, mutton busting started at the Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo in Alberta, Canada.
Daines created the crowd-favorite event to give young children a safer way to get in on the rodeo action.
“The crowd favorite, Mutton Bustin’, is where aspiring young cowboys and cowgirls get eight seconds of fame by busting out of the chutes aboard a sheep.”
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Marble Falls councilor Lauren Haltom has resigned less than a month after being appointed to fill a vacant seat, citing family priorities as the driving force behind her decision.
“This was not a decision I made lightly. However, with a high-risk pregnancy, my focus and energy needs to be fully dedicated to ensuring a safe and healthy delivery of our baby boy. Right now, that is where I know God is calling me to be,” Haltom wrote in a social media post.
City Council appointed Haltom in June to the Place 4 vacant seat after former councilor Karlee Hubble resigned. The term expires in May 2027.
Before resigning, Haltom recommended retired Police Chief Glenn Hanson to fill the vacant Place 4 seat.
The council will make another appointment to fill the Place 4 seat at a future meeting.
Haltom’s time on council
Haltom previously served two terms representing Place 3 before narrowly losing her re-election bid to former Councilor Dave Rhodes in May by 29 votes. She later returned to the council after being selected to fill the Place 4 vacancy.
During her time on council, Haltom emphasized the importance of having diversity in local government while encouraging residents to become involved in civic service.
“Having families and different generations represented on our City Council is incredibly important, and I encourage anyone who has an interest in serving to take that step,” Haltom told DailyTrib. “If you feel called to serve, be part of the solution. Your voice, perspective, and willingness to contribute truly matter.”
As she stepped away from the council, Haltom expressed appreciation for the city staff and fellow councilors who helped guide her.
“I’ve been fortunate to learn from so many talented and knowledgeable servants who have so graciously welcomed me and helped me develop a deeper understanding of our town and what it takes to serve our community well. Their guidance over the last four years has been invaluable,” Haltom said.
Before resigning, Haltom recommended retired Police Chief Glenn Hanson to fill the vacant Place 4 seat.
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The Marble Falls Summer Concert Series continues with another free night of live music on July 10, starting at 6 p.m., at Johnson Park, 230 S. Avenue J.
The annual summer series brings live entertainment, local vendors and community gatherings to downtown Marble Falls throughout the season. Concerts are free and open to the public.
The event begins at 6 p.m. with food, drinks and snacks available from Southern Snow, Balcones Supply Co., Oh My Pizza Pie and Pham’s Concessions.
Live music begins at 7 p.m. with Daniel Hopkins, followed by Sammy Arriaga at 8:30 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, coolers and any other items needed to enjoy an evening outdoors. Dogs are welcome, but must be leashed.
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With seasonally-high stray animal intakes, the looming threat of the re-emerging New World screwworm, and significant overcrowding, a local animal shelter is facing one of its worst crises in years.
The Hill Country Humane Society, located at 9150 RR 1431 West in Buchanan Dam, currently has over 100 stray animals at its facility, several dozen of which have been taken in over the last week alone.
According to HCHS Executive Director Paighton Corley, the shelter usually sees high intakes during the summer, around the Fourth of July. This year, however, intakes have been exceptionally high due to the potential threat of the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that can rapidly injure or kill warm-blooded animals.
“We have over 100 animals in our care, and over the past week it’s been over 60 animals coming in,” HCHS Executive Director Paighton Corley told DailyTrib on Thursday, July 9. “We’re probably facing the worst capacity issues, mixed with everything else, that we’ve had in years.”
The screwworm, part of the “everything else” that Corley mentioned, made its way to Texas on June 3. Since then, shelters across the country have barred animal transfers from the state due to potential infestations.
“Normally, we send anywhere from 10 to 30 pets to out-of-state partners a month,” Corley said. “But, out of an abundance of caution, these organizations are canceling all transports out of Texas. That creates a major major backlog for not only us, but all of the shelters around.”
In response to the shelter’s unprecedented overcrowding, HCHS is teaming up with the BISSELL Pet Foundation during the month of July to offer reduced, $40 adoptions for cats, kittens, and puppies, as well as free adoptions for all other dogs.
Corley said that the shelter is also calling for local volunteers to step up in this time of need to do anything and everything they can, no matter how small. Hours spent helping at the shelter, out with a dog or cat, or donating supplies can mean another chance for a pet in need.
“We have a super flexible foster program,” she said. “When I say flexible, I mean so flexible. You can come up here, pick up a dog for an hour, take them to get a pup cup, take them on a hike. You can take them for just a night, a weekend, a week–any kennel that we can open up right now opens up space for another.”
HCHS also regularly offers reduced-cost spay or neuter services and vaccinations using its Mobile Adoption & Surgical Hospital (MASH) truck.
Visit the Hill Country Humane Society’s volunteer webpage to learn more about how to get involved, and check out a CAT-alogue of adoptable pets here.
Hill Country Humane Society’s Mobile Adoption & Surgical Hospital (MASH) truck, which offers mobile spay, neuter, and vaccination services.
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