Caldwell/Hays Examiner

06/24/2025

BREAKING: Triumphant Lawsuit Kills the $439 Million Hays County Road Bond, Citing Commissioners' Violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act

Ballot measure slated to wreck local ecology while doubling taxpayers' indebtedness – Prop A, the subject of critical Examiner coverage last October & again this April – struck down...

Today, litigation against Hays County leaders resulted in a Summary Judgment Order that nullified last year's election due to illegal actions: inadequate meeting notice and unreasonable restriction on time for public testimony.

Notably, the win marks the first time a Texas Open Meetings Act violation was the basis for voiding a successful election contest.

The victorious plaintiffs are Les Carnes, Jim Camp, Gabrielle Moore & Cathy Ramsey, represented by attorney Bill Aleshire (who, in full transparency, is the Examiner's attorney in our ongoing lawsuit against the Texas State University System over their refusal to comply with the state's Public Information Act).

06/23/2025

We've been getting a slew of credible, fascinating pitches lately & need more investigative reporters.
Could it be you?
DM us!

06/23/2025

A splendid, if unsettling, long read from Texas Monthly on the disturbing disappearance of Jason Landry, including the perplexing incompetence of Caldwell County Sheriff's Office that understandably fuels conspiracies of foul play by local law enforcement...

You may recall our first-ever cover story spotlit the untrustworthiness of Detective Jeff Ferry; it didn't make it into the TM story, but he was briefly suspended from the force due to misconduct as part of this investigation...

https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/jason-landry-missing-person-texas/

06/23/2025

Haters beware…
We just got a positive review on our page — that almost never happens!

06/21/2025

Lockhart: if you have intel on the neo-fascist flyers posted across the Square this morning, DM us

06/19/2025

EXCLUSIVE: While Unconstitutional Threats by Caldwell County Judge Against "No Kings" Made the New York Times Last Week, Not a Peep from the Cowardly Hometown Paper This Week

Signifying to readership their unreliability in reporting the news – instead functioning to protect the reputation of local people in power – Lockhart Post-Register declined to say a word about the anti-free-speech controversy that sparked regional & indeed national media attention...

However, the paper did find time to support a comment on Judge Haden's FB page that proposed vigilantism against those who might exercise their First Amendment rights...

06/19/2025

So grateful to Myrna, B&A, Max & Mary for signing up as monthly sustainers to fuel our work!

Care to join 'em? bit.ly/3Dp5dOt

06/18/2025

Democracy Now on San Marcos airwaves is an excellent prospect — way to go KZSM.org True Community Radio in San Marcos TX!

KZSM fans may hear some new sounds at 104.1 as we experiment. These include the news show Democracy Now with Amy Goodman on weekday mornings; and PRX Remix, featuring indie audio productions from Public Radio Exchange.

06/14/2025

EXCLUSIVE: Despite Efforts by City of Lockhart & County Judge to Mislead Public on Threat of Arrest for Display of "No Kings" Materials, Here's the Receipts

The Caldwell County Democratic Party has released emails from their chair's exchange with County Judge Hoppy Haden & Lockhart Mayor Lew White, whereby Alfredo Munoz repeats back what Haden had told him by phone, including the consequence of arrest for residents who dare exercise free-speech rights...

"I was crystal clear about that," the Judge responds, clarifying a few other parts of their conversation but in no way contesting the threat-of-arrest portion.

The Mayor replies all, unbothered by the illegal demand.

06/14/2025

BREAKING: KXAN News Affirms Caldwell County Democratic Party Version of Events in Unconstitutional Effort to Shut Down Anti-Trump Free Speech

Dems brought the receipts, with email from County Judge...

"The city said it “did not state that it would instruct police officers to arrest protesters for exercising their constitutionally protected rights.”

After the city’s statement, the CCDP sent KXAN a pair of emails to support their version of events.

The first of the emails was sent on Thursday night from Munoz to White and Haden... “No Kings are not to hand out literature at any part of CTR not just the parade. I was crystal clear about that,” [Haden] said.

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/no-kings-protests-lockhart-free-speech/amp/

06/14/2025

BREAKING: New York Times Spotlights Caldwell County Judge's Illegal Pledge to Have Protestors Arrested Tomorrow if they Dare Bring a "No Kings" Sign to Parade

"In an email on Thursday that Mr. Muñoz shared with The New York Times, Mr. Haden reiterated his stance: Anyone associated with the anti-Trump protests “are not to hand out literature,” during the festival.

Mr. Haden added in the note to Mr. Muñoz: “I was crystal clear about that.”

Mr. Muñoz said the judge also told him anyone seen with a sign would be arrested. 'I kept telling him, ‘These are elderly people, and they’re going to be arrested?’”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/13/us/la-protests-trump-ice?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare -democrat-in-texas-says-he-was-warned-against-displaying-no-kings-signs-at-a-local-parade