MARBLE FALLS — A local tattoo business is hosting ‘Tats for Ta Tas’ to raise funds and awareness about the fight to cure breast cancer.

Through Oct. 28, American Gypsy will offer a pink — or any other color — ribbon tattoo up to the size of a dollar bill for a $50 donation, said David Justice, who opened the business two years ago with wife Camille.

All the funds will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, he added. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“We’ve always wanted to be about community,” David Justice said. “And this is one of the ways we want to bring the tattoo community together and show others the tattoo industry is moving out of the ‘shadows.'”

The business is at 2805 #B U.S. 281. The campaign ends Oct. 28.

“My grandfather died of cancer and I’ve had other relatives also die from the disease,” said business manager Chris Rodgers. “Everybody at some point is affected by cancer. This was a way to help raises funds to fight the disease.”

“There’s a lot of people affected by cancer and one of the ways some cope is through tattoos,” Justice said.

A pool is being offered for donors who give a minimum of $30, with the winner getting a free tattoo valued at double whatever is in the pool.

“So if the we get $1,000 in donations, the winner will get a tattoo worth $2,000,” Justice said. He is donating his time to complete the body art.

All the funds from the pool will also go to the breast cancer foundation.

The shop kicked off the event Oct. 13 with live music, a bounce house and food.

Justice said American Gypsy will wrap things up at the end of the month with a garage sale and silent auction at the store, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with all proceeds going to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

“Our goal is to not only raise funds but also raise awareness of cancer and have a forum where people can come together and support each other and the community,” Justice said.

For more, call (830) 693-1025 or check out the American Gypsy Tattoo Facebook page.

daniel@thepicayune.com

HORSESHOE BAY — There’s an old saying in Texas law enforcement circles — “One riot, one Ranger.” Which, in effect, means a Texas Ranger can handle just about anything.

And while the Highland Lakes might not see too many riots, four lawmen tied to the legendary agency — where officers have transformed from frontier scouts who tamed early Texas to high-tech investigators battling white-collar crime and modern narco-terrorists — have settled into new jobs with local police departments.

Three are working for the Horseshoe Bay Police Department — Jim Denman, Jess Ramos and Rocky Wardlow.

A fourth, former Ranger Sgt. Garth Davis, is at the Burnet Police Department.

The three officers in Horseshoe Bay recently spoke to The Tribune about their decision to come out of retirement and work for the nascent city, which incorporated in 2005.

BURNET — Smoke alarms helped save the lives of a couple and their 18-month-old child when a fire — possibly started by a discarded cigarette — destroyed a manufactured home, officials said.

The episode took place about 3 a.m. Oct. 7 in the 200 block of Burnet Hill Drive after a blaze broke out on the wooden front porch and spread to the rest of the home, fire officials said.

No injuries were reported.

BURNET — A state district judge has voluntarily removed himself from hearing the felony trial of a former GOP leader accused of punching a reporter, and now the defense counsel wants the district attorney to step down from the case as well.

Most participants in the proceedings — which observers describe as “politically charged” — are Republicans.

According to court documents filed Oct. 4, 33rd state District Judge Guilford “Gil” Jones has recused himself from the case, which could go to trial Dec. 10.

MEADOWLAKES — Resident Joe Summers believes the age of cell-phone texting has a downside — especially because using the devices while driving can distract motorists and lead to an accident.

Summers is asking the City Council to approve a ban on texting while operating a motor vehicle. Officials, however, are worried about enforcing such a law and wonder whether a public awareness campaign will work better.

PHOTO: Meadowlakes residents Joe and Sherry Summers, with their dog Sammy, believe the city should crack down on motorists texting while driving through the streets of their community. Staff photo by Connie Swinney

CEDAR PARK — A victory for the Marble Falls High School marching band during a contest Oct. 6 has the student musicians gearing up for another big competition in a week.

The Mustang Marching Band performed as one of the top 10 groups in the Vista Ridge High School Marching Festival  at John Gupton Stadium. While they didn’t earn the festival title, band director Brad Behrens said the experience gives them a big boost as they prepare for the University Interscholastic League Region 26 Contest Oct. 20 at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in Round Rock.

“At (Vista Ridge) we get constructive criticism from the judges which we can use to improve our performance as we get ready for UIL contest,”  he said. “And contests are different than our Friday night (half-time) performances.”

During halftime routines in a football game, Behrens said the crowd is loud, but it’s just the opposite during contests.

“The crowd is quieter,” Behrens said. “So it’s important for the kids to experience that type of setting.”

When the Mustang Marching Band wrapped up its first set during the Oct. 6 contest, senior Carla De La Hoya was bewildered by her fellow musicians’ mood.

“We weren’t as excited as I expected us to be because I felt we had a great performance,” the band president said. “Once the results came out and we found out we were in the finals, the energy really picked up.”

Preparing for the UIL contest started last spring as band directors began selecting music and crafting routines. For most of the students, the work began in the 100-degree days of summer.

Now the band has another week to put polish up its routine “Visionary” before the UIL regional contest.

“We get one shot at it,” De La Hoya said. “So we’ll start feeling the pressure as the contest gets closer. But, we’ll be ready.”

The regional event will culminate the Mustang band’s state contest season this year. They will not advance no matter their score.

The UIL alternates years that school divisions can move up to the state contest with 4A schools such as Marble Falls sitting out this time.

“We’re still competing for pride,” Behrens said. “It’s still a big deal to us.”

daniel@thepicayune.com

MARBLE FALLS — The closure of Johnson Park the weekend of Oct. 12-13, coupled with repairs to Avenue N at the J.M. Huber Corp., means travelers to Meadowlakes will have to use an alternate route.

Johnson Park, 230 Ave. J South, is temporarily off-limits to vehicles because of the annual Scout-A-Rama, which is expected to attract up to 300 Scouts.

Meanwhile, work to Avenue N around the railroad tracks could last through early November, officials said.

The alternate route through the park — which includes Pecan Valley — will reopen after Scout-A-Rama concludes

Meanwhile, detours for the weekend will require motorists to either travel farther along Avenue S using Broadway Avenue and/or Industrial Avenue and RR 1431 West.

Or, drivers can travel along Avenue N to Second Street, detouring to Avenue S as a possible entry and exit point, leading to and from Meadowlakes and Pecan Valley.

Officials said the repairs around the railroad tracks will limit wear and tear on the road while also reducing dust. The plant in the heart of the city is located near two parks and several residences.

Huber, a mining company, is helping foot the bill for the improvements.

Crews will perform the upgrades near and along the railroad lines just north of Meadowlakes.

After the park reopens, detours include:

• Southbound Avenue N traffic detours right along Second Street to Avenue S or left along Second Street to Avenue J through Johnson Park.

• Northbound Avenue N traffic detours left along Johnson Street to Avenue S or right along Johnson Street to Avenue J through Johnson Park.

For more, call (830) 693-3615.

editor@thepicayune.com

BURNET — A state district judge has voluntarily removed himself from hearing the felony trial of a former GOP leader accused of punching a reporter, and now the defense counsel wants the district attorney to step down from the case as well.

Everyone involved in the episode — which observers describe as "politically charged" — are Republicans.

According to court documents filed Oct. 4, 33rd state District Judge Guilford "Gil" Jones has recused himself from the case, which could go to trial Dec. 10.

Administrative Judge Billie Ray Stubblefield of Georgetown on Oct. 10 appointed Judge Robert C. Richardson of the 379th state District Court to oversee the case of Johnnie B. Rogers, officials said.

Rogers, 63, who is a former Burnet County and state Republican Party leader, is charged with injury to the elderly after police said he punched Burnet reporter James Walker, 66, several times outside the Burnet County Republican Headquarters the night of the May 29 party primary.

Meanwhile, defense attorney Richard Davis filed a motion Oct. 3 in the 33rd court requesting that District Attorney Sam Oatman be removed from prosecuting the case.

"The Honorable Sam Oatman has, by his actions in this case, revealed a bias and conflict of interest which impedes his legal duty to see that justice is done rather than serving primarily as an advocate," Davis wrote in the motion.

In the motion to remove Oatman as prosecutor, Rogers notes that as a GOP party official he has "openly sought opponents for the district attorney of the 33rd Judicial District, the Honorable Sam Oatman."

According to local political wags, Rogers had backed Republican district attorney candidate Wiley "Sonny" McAfee. Oatman, who has served since 1984 as the district attorney, announced in September 2011 he would not to seek re-election

McAfee defeated challenger Angela Dowdle — a former employee of Oatman’s — in a  July 31 runoff election.

With no Democratic challenger, McAfee becomes the new district attorney Jan. 1.

Davis claims in the motion that Oatman has made public statements implying "that the character of the accused and the newly elected District Attorney (McAfee) is such than an untoward or improper result will be reached if this matter is not personally prosecuted by Sam Oatman."

Davis also notes that a grand jury, which receives input from the District Attorney’s Office, returned an indictment against Rogers in a week rather than the longer 90 days or more for first- and second-degree "violent felonies" prosecuted by Oatman’s office.

The charge against Rogers is a third-degree felony.

"Such action indicates a lack of dispassionate and objective prosecutorial conduct in this case," Davis states in his motion.

daniel@thepicayune.com

BURNET — A new technology system soon will be in place that allows Burnet students to anonymously post concerns about school or raise warning flags about at-risk classmates, officials said.

Talk About It is an initiative that allows students to email, text or call in a suggestion or a worry without revealing their identity, Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Keith McBurnett said during a community forum Oct. 9. "Students having a voice is such an important thing," he said. "It allows them to have that."

The inspiration came from a mother whose son committed suicide, McBurnett said.

She told McBurnett that many of her son’s friends knew he was struggling but kept silent. If there had been a system that allowed anonymous tips, perhaps someone could have helped her son, he said.

"It’s a cry for help for themselves or someone else," he said.

Each campus will have one staffer designated to process the messages, McBurnett said. Training began Oct. 10.

"It’s a way to connect with a trusted adult," he said. "They’re getting a chance to send it to a specially trained person."

The Leander Independent School District started the program this year, while several Dallas-area school districts have had theirs for some time, said Shelley Reavis, coordinator of elementary curriculum.

Posters will be created and letters will be given to students for parents, she said. The goal is to have the system running by the end of the month.

"We hope they use it for all kinds of things," Reavis said. "If they have questions, we hope for suggestions."

In other news, the School Board during the meeting Oct. 15, which starts at 6 p.m. at Bertram Elementary School, 315 Main St. in Bertram, will give McBurnett an evaluation.

He has been with BCISD for six months. The board plans to evaluate the superintendent each quarter, officials said.

jfierro@thepicayune.com