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Driftwood – The landscape of west Texas can be pretty darn desolate. With the Chihuahuan Desert sprawling across this part of our state, it’s hard to imagine being able to harvest something out here. But if you learn about the natives that lived here thousands of years ago, you’d realize that there is substance all around you. “This plant has been here for 10,000 years,” said Brent Looby. “Think about all of the atmospherics that it has gone through in its life, and it is still here to this day.”

The family of Malachi Williams is holding a candlelight vigil to honor his life on Thursday evening. Williams died after being shot by San Marcos Police on April 11. Multiple investigations are ongoing into the shooting at this time. (Editor’s Note: For more information from the San Marcos Police Department on the investigation, see the article ‘Police issue statement, say man killed was armed’ in today’s paper.) “My son was intelligent and a free spirit,” Shanta Miller, mother of Malachi Williams, said in a press release announcing the vigil. “He loved animals, loved to game, skateboard, read; he was a philosopher, really....

This is the first time in more than 70 years the river otters have been spotted on that river.

KYLE — The Kyle Police Department arrested William Player Conley, 47, on Tuesday, April 23, for driving while intoxicated (a Class B misdemeanor) and unlawful carrying of a weapon (a Class A misdemeanor). Conley serves in the Place 4 seat on the Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees. At 5:19 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, Officer P. Fleming was dispatched to a major accident on Kohler’s Crossing and Sanders; upon arrival, the officer observed three cars in the left-hand lane, according to the arrest affidavit. As assisting officers talked with the other drivers involved, Officer Fleming made contact with the driver of the Jeep SUV, identified as Conley. “[He] said that he was not paying attention and that the other cars were stopped, and he was unable to stop and rear-ended the white Toyota passenger car,” the affidavit stated. The officer observed Conley’s speech was slow and that “his eyes were watery and his eyelids were droopy,” according to the affidavit. Upon further observation, the officer said that Conley seemed nervous and in a hurry to be on his way from the accident. When the officer asked Conley if he had anything to drink that day, he initially stated that he had not had anything to drink. Then, the officer asked Conley to step out of the vehicle, and when he did, the officer observed that he “was staggering a little bit and that his movements were sluggish,” the affidavit stated. The officer asked him if he would be willing to perform the standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs), and he said that he would be willing to. The officer administered the following SFSTs: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn and One Leg Stand Test. The officer then asked Conley again if he had anything to drink and he stated that he had drank one mimosa at lunch, the affidavit stated. The officer also asked if there were any firearms in the vehicle and Conley said there was a firearm “in the safe that is located within the center console.” According to the arrest affidavit, Conley refused to provide a blood specimen, but when he was transported to Ascension Seton Hays Hospital, a blood warrant was issued and completed. He was then transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center. The officer has probable cause to believe Conley “intentionally and knowingly carried a handgun about his person in a motor vehicle while intoxicated,” according to the affidavit. According to Hays County Jail records, Conley was booked into the jail on April 23 and then released the following day, April 24. Each charge had a $2,000 Personal Recognizance Bond, the records stated. The News-Dispatch reached out to Wimberley ISD for a comment, which the district declined.

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos announced its new president Robert “Bob” Honeycutt. Honeycutt comes from Saint Mary’s Regional Health System in Russellville, Arkansas, where he served as chief executive officer. He has over 27 years of hospital and system leadership experience and has a proven record of working with community and hospital teams to enhance patient experience. “I am honored for the opportunity to come to San Marcos,” Honeycutt said. “This community is experiencing tremendous growth and its health care resources are expanding, too. I feel humbled and grateful to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and CHRISTUS Health for entrusting...

, , , The Maxwell Fire Department hosted its inaugural Firecracker Golf Tournament benefiting fallen firefighters and the Maxwell Fire Department. Sixteen teams participated in the competition at the Plum Creek Golf Course in Kyle. Security cadets from the Gary Job Corps Center under Captain Jerrod Haegele assisted with the setup and game monsee itoring.

Amarillo College’s Student Media has been recognized with more than 22 awards over a three-day conference in San Marcos, Texas hosted by the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. TIPA, one of the largest collegiate journalistic organizations in the country, draws its roots from nine students who came together at Baylor...

The city of San Marcos is planning to build its largest regional park on the site of the former Quail Creek Golf Course, following the property’s annexation. At its April 2 meeting, San Marcos City Council approved the second reading of Ordinance 2024-13, a proposal to annex approximately 176 acres of the city-owned, east-side Quail Creek land to turn into a park with amenities.

About 400 dogs are entered to race in the 2-day event in Buda.

Mariah Price, an English graduate student, learned she would potentially lose her housing at Lindsey Oaks on April 14 from a note left on her door by the Tenant Advocacy Group (TAG) due to a city council vote taking place two days later. “I don’t think any of [the tenants]...

, Step into the 21st Century only five minutes away from the sixth stop on the Home Tour in your motorized buggy ride to experience the master- planned community of La Cima in the Texas Hill Country, hailed by Forbes magazine as the “next great metropolis.” Spanning over 2,400 acres, La Cima offers distinct new home designs with Hill Country views by a distinguished line-up of builders. The Perry Home and the Highland Home in La Cima will be the final two homes on the 47th annual Home Tour hosted by the Heritage Association of San Marcos. While the theme...

As remarkable as the Lady Panthers' back-to-back-to-back home runs in the third inning of their 18-6 win over Seguin in Game 1 of the teams' best-of-three opening-round Class 5A state playoff series in San Marcos on Thursday night was, it wasn't even the first time the Purple-and-Gold has turned the hat trick of homers this season in a single inning.