By Brittany Anderson Some Hays County residents — including two members of the commissioners court — are concerned with the new commissioners precinct map passed during the Nov. 9 meeting. Map CC2, proposed by Pct. 3 Commissioner Lon Shell, passed in a 3-2 vote. Judge Ruben Becerra and Pct. 1 Commis...

By Sahar Chmais Strategizing for a mental health center in Hays County is back on track after efforts for the facility were derailed by the pandemic. A year ago, a Mental Health Task Force was assembled by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, and on Tuesday Nov. 2, commissioners court approved funding f...

By Sahar Chmais Inmate population is increasing, jail outsourcing costs are rising, but Hays County plans to hold the line on outsourcing costs during the next fiscal year. In the 2019-2020 budget, $3.8 million was spent on sending Hays County inmates to other county jails, and the hope for this yea...

By Sahar Chmais Hays County commissioners have selected who they want to head the Citizens Advisory Commission on Redistricting and the guidelines to ensure a fair course. The redistricting commission will meet to help redraw the electoral district boundaries in Hays County, according to the latest ...

by Sahar Chmais Activists and Hays County Commissioners celebrated the passage of a resolution to submit a grant application to fund indigent defense in Hays County. “Approving this application will blaze a positive path forward,” Shannon FitzPatrick, former assistant district attorney and practicin...

By Sahar Chmais HAYS COUNTY – To stop or catch the distribution of child pornography, sex trafficking and other crimes, Hays County Commissioners Court approved out-of-state training for Detective Nelson Wray. A resident disapproved. “There’s a shortage of deputies ... they don’t have enough people ...

By Sahar Chmais Hays County Health Department dodged a bullet on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, as federal agencies are calling a temporary halt on the vaccine. Federal health agencies recommend a pause on the use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six women developed rare blood clots. The Hays Coun...

By Sahar Chmais Former Hays County Chief of Staff Alex Villalobos resigned under the pretense of moving on to a better position – but this may not be the full story. Documents show that Villalobos has falsified time sheets and other negligent behavior. Villalobos, who was hired as the Chief of Staff...

By Sahar Chmais Tension filled the air March 9 as Hays County commissioner dove into the problem of unreturned county equipment from former Hays County employee Alex Villalobos. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra (D) had an extensive back-and-forth with Commissioners Lon Shell (R) and Walt Smith (R) ab...

by Sahar Chmais and Cyndy Slovak-Barton Alex Villalobos, Hays County top aide to the commissioners court, resigned this week, according to Pct. 4 County Commissioner Walt Smith. No formal announcement was made, but Smith said Villalobos was pursuing other options. Villalobos told the  Hays Free Pres...