As municipalities gear up for the Nov. 5 elections, Hays County is offering residents a chance to try out new voting machines before they hit the polls. Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson said in a statement the new Hart Intercivic Verity Duo, a hybrid electronic and paper ballot ...

A five percent salary increase for some elected officials is part of the Fiscal Year 2020 $274 million budget proposed by Hays County. Elected officials, excluding county commissioners and County Judge Ruben Becerra, could receive receive a five-percent raise. Hays County is also proposing a one-per...

By Anita Miller Hays County Commissioners stopped short of naming an “all-inclusive” Community Elections Commission on Tuesday, opting instead for County Judge Ruben Becerra and Pct. 4 Commissioner Walt Smith to develop parameters intended to insure diversity among the group’s membership. An actual ...

The continued practice of outsourcing Hays County inmates to nearby counties will continue even as the county so far has spent $1.5 million this year alone. Approved by the Hays County Commissioners Court on Aug. 6 in a 4-0 vote, a new agreement will now outsource prisoners to neighboring Travis Cou...

While a property tax hike has not been proposed, Hays County’s top elected official warned that residents could still be paying higher taxes due to rising appraisal values. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra issued that caution July 30 during the first draft of the county’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 budget...

In line with efforts to reform the criminal justice system in Hays County, County Commissioners July 30 approved submitting a $342,720 grant application for a pilot program for noncitizens. The grant application will fund a consultation project that will bring assistance to defense attorneys in Hays...

Hays County’s quest for a new voting machine ended Tuesday when commissioners approved Hart Intercivic’s hybrid system, complete with a paper ballot.  County commissioners July 30 approved the Hart system by a 4-1 vote with County Judge Ruben Becerra casting the lone dissenting vote. Council leaders...

A $600,000 donation approved by Hays County Commissioners July 16 provides funding for the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC) over the next two fiscal years. The donation, approved by a 4-0 County Commissioner vote, will increase the HCWC’s operations budget to more than $3 million. County Judge Ru...

Unable to fill two licensed vocational nurse (LVN) positions at the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center caused county leaders to eliminate the positions entirely and contract services to a private company. With the help of Wellpath, LLC, the county will work with the company to provide an LVN, reg...

Despite a new state law allowing for the production, transportation and sale of hemp in Texas, Hays County’s top lawyer still intends to prosecute any and all marijuana cases going forward. On July 11, Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau said in a release that his office will continue to prosecute...