Bob Barton

Publisher Emeritus

bob@haysfreepress.com

He’s been enthralled with newspapers since he was in school. At the ripe old age of 25, he bought his first newspaper, and has been breathing printer’s ink ever since.

Bob Barton is a maverick when it comes to newspapers. He does now, and always has, bucked the trends. His newspapers are lively, unafraid to take a stand, and have put him in hot water numerous times, even once with the Ku Klux Klan burning a cross in his front yard.

The newspapers’ names are synonymous with quality –Hays County Citizen, Austin Sun, The Free Press, The Chautauquan.

Barton bought his first newspaper just after he graduated from the San Marcos State Teachers College (now Southwest Texas State University). His wife, Wynette “Tutta” Barton, 20 at the time, was a junior in college and a news editor. Pete Guttery, the managing editor, 21, was a sophomore in college studying journalism. The business administrator was 19, sports editor 17, printer’s devil 16, and Linotype operator was 13. The average age? 19. That newspaper was named the Kyle News, and was eventually turned into the Hays Free Press.

In 2000, the Texas Press Association honored Barton for his 50 years in the newspaper service.

Cyndy Slovak-Barton

Publisher

csb@haysfreepress.com

Cyndy Slovak-Barton has been a journalist since grade school, and she edited her high school paper for two years. All told, that’s more than 30 years total in the business, but we won’t say exactly how many years ago that was.

She is a national award winner for editorial writing, design and more. She is now Publisher of the Hays Free Press, and can been seen on the sidelines at high school games and in meetings – always with a camera in tow. She worked in Washington D.C. for Congressman J.J. “Jake” Pickle, covering health, education and welfare issues.

She and her husband, Jeff, returned to Texas to take over the family businesses, Colloquium Bookstore in San Marcos, and the family newspaper. While the bookstore was sold to a national chain, Slovak-Barton still runs the family business, Barton Publications, Inc., which includes the Hays Free Press and All Around Hays monthly magazine.

Slovak-Barton earned her Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Texas after transferring there as a senior from Baylor University. She worked on the Daily Texan. She is active in various local organizations, including the Hays Education Foundation, Buda Area Chamber of Commerce, Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts, and Hays County Democratic Party. She is past president of the Hays County Women’s Political Caucus and also served on the board of the Hays County Women’s Center. She also serves on committees of the Texas Press Association and the South Texas Press Association.

She and her husband have two children, Zach, who attends the University of Texas, and Bozena, a Hays High student.

Jen Biundo

Managing Editor

news@haysfreepress.com

Jen Biundo, after working as the senior reporter for the Hays Free Press for 5 1/2 years, took over the position of managing editor in the spring of 2009. Biundo is known for her coverage of the city of Buda, and for investigative reporting, especially of PEC, for which she was awarded the Jim Lehrer Award. The winner of numerous statewide journalism awards, Biundo is a graduate of the University of Texas’ Plan II program. Her son, Cyrus, spent the first few months of his life in the newsroom and continues to grow up surrounded by newsprint.

Tracy Cannon

Advertising Director

tracy@haysfreepress.com

Tracy Cannon joined the Hays Free Press team to take over as Advertising Director. She comes to us from other newspapers, both weekly and daily from throughout the state, with more than 22 years of experience. A graduate of Texas Tech University, she has worked in sales since her college years. In addition to newspapers, Cannon has served as a national and major accounts sales manager and  also marketed the Lubbock Online Network.

David White

Production Director

david@haysfreepress.com

David White joined the Free Press crew back in 1993. He stopped in the office only to use the phone, but was instantly hired to fill the position of darkroom tech and Kyle City Council reporter just months before graduating from Southwest Texas State University with a degree in Journalism.

For the past 16 years White has honed his skills in photography, graphic design, journalism and computer networking and he is the closest thing we have to an IT department.

White has lived in Hays and Travis counties since 1985 and is a 1987 graduate of Hays High School.

Connie Brewer

Business Manager

business@haysfreepress.com

My family moved to the area more than 17 years ago and I’ve volunteered with school libraries and Hays Youth Soccer Association before I served my first hitch with the Hays Free Press. After a short sabbatical, I returned full-time at our current location in beautiful downtown Kyle.

I have done a number of different jobs requiring a wide variety of skills which have come in handy in my current position as Office and Business Manager for the Hays Free Press.  A small business requires everyone on the team to do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

The other half of my title, Accounts Receivable, can prove to be more challenging. Making sure billing gets out accurately and on time is important, plus keeping up with payments and those pesky over dues requires patience and persistence.   If you ever have a question or issue with your account please call me; we can work something out to suit both our needs.

I never know when I walk in the door what the next day will bring; I usually have a plan but it seldom goes the way I expect.   It’s always an adventure working for a small town newspaper.

Sandra Grizzle

Buda Office Manager

sandra@haysfreepress.com

Sandra Grizzle, who has lived in the area most of her life, and has children and grandchildren in Buda, serves as our Buda office manager. She came to the Hays Free Press years ago, selling advertising back when Manchaca Road was small and Brodie was little used. She moved on to taking over our accounts receivable, before deciding to cut back on her hours. Sandra has always written her column, Bits of Buda, and keeps track of the goings on and birthday of Buda natives and all the newbies. She is also director of the Onion Creek Senior Citizens Center, which she helped found. She lives with her husband, Butch, in Mountain City and loves taking care of her twin grandsons.

Suzanne Hallam

Circulation Director

paper@haysfreepress.com

My family and I moved to Austin area in 1978. After globe trotting most of my young life with a father who was in the military, we settled in the Buda-Kyle area for the last 19 years.  After many years of commuting to North Austin to work, I decided to set my sight on things of a more local nature.  I substituted for the Hays CISD so I could be more involved with the daily life of my kids and our great community. In July 2008 I had the wonderful opportunity to work for the Hays Free Press. This is a great staff and they add so much for where we work and live. After working in the circulation area, my job expanded to include classifieds and public notices.

I enjoy all the hustle and bustle of working for a small town paper. The greatest of my pleasures derives from meeting and talking with so many of our readers.

So, if you lost your pet, want to have a garage sale or you did not get your paper, please feel free to give me a call or drop by our office.  For your public notices, please feel assured that we will get them published in an accurate, timely manner. I am sure you will enjoy the experience as much as I have!

Jason Gordon

Sports Editor

freepressports@yahoo.com

Hays Free Press Sports Editor Jason Gordon is a Hays High and Texas State University graduate. A former Rebel football player himself, he’s been covering Hays High sports since he was a high school freshman writing for the school newspaper. No local writer knows the Hays CISD sports scene like Gordon. He has written full time at the San Marcos Record, and has freelanced for both the Associated Press and Austin American-Statesman through the years. Gordon has earned several Associated Press Managing Editor’s writing awards, and most recently the Hays Free Press sports section was named the best out of all large weekly newspapers in Texas by the Texas Press Association for 2008. Gordon currently lives in New Braunfels and is also employed full time in the Comal ISD’s public relations department.

Sean Kimmons

Reporter

sean@haysfreepress.com

Sean Kimmons joined the staff as the senior reporter. Kimmons comes to us from Stars and Stripes’ RAF Mildenhall, England office. Kimmons worked as a photojournalist covering military operations in Iraq and covering news throughout the UK. In 2003 he was the winner of the Thomas Jefferson Award for the U.S. military’s best photograph and the U.S. Army Pacific Regional Award for top photojouralist, and in 2005 the 25th Infantry Division Assn.’s  Award for media success.

Brad Rollins

Reporter

brad@haysfreepress.com

Jim Cullen

Education Reporter

jcullen2@austin.rr.com

Retired in 2005 from Hays CISD, Jim Cullen has written for the Free Press ever since, focused for three school years on Education news and occasionally contributing local history features. A native of La Porte, Texas, he’s a U.S. Army veteran and holds degrees  in history from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. A board member of the HCISD Education Foundation and a member of the Hays County Historical Commission, he’s marrried to retired HCISD teacher Luanne Cullen.

Mark Caul

Sports Reporter

freepresssports@yahoo.com

Sports Reporter Mark Caul completed his education at nearby Texas State University majoring in sports broadcasting. Mark served as a morning sports anchor for the now defunct Sportsfan 1490 and has also worked as an on-air personality for several stations (Oldies 103, Magic 95.5, and the old Z-102) under the moniker Mark Casey). In addition, Mark was the “Public Address Voice of the Bobcats” for all Texas State Athletics and also held the same position at the University of Texas for several years. Mark also was the sideline reporter for the AISD Game Of The Week. He has contributed features to the Kyle Eagle, Wimberley View and the Beckley Register Herald. He is single, currently resides in Kyle and works full-time as a voice tracking DJ for several stations in the San Antonio and Austin areas.

Jorge Garcia

Production Designer

jorge@haysfreepress.com

Jorge J. Garcia Jr. serves as a graphic designer at the Hays Free Press, while attending Texas State. He attended San Antonio College in the Radio-TV and Digital Imaging fields, and served at a number of companies as a graphic designer and production artist before deciding to return to school. He resides in San Marcos with his wife and two cats as he attends Texas State University where he plans to get his Master’s Degree in Communication Design.

Brenda Stewart

Proofreader, Columnist

beastewart@austin.rr.com

I got my education in the school of soft knocks. Grew up in the valley and then on the beach and suffered through six or so years at Southwest Texas State University back when shoes were optional and cool teachers actually let you smoke cigarettes in class. I traveled,  got married, got divorced, fell in love, had a couple of kids, married their father. I tended bar and ran the office for a post-doc organic chemistry lab and starved as a telephone solicitor.  I managed a head-shop, copy edited banking manuals and counseled women dealing with surprise pregnancies.  I’ve been an elementary school librarian, sold turquoise jewelry from a wigwam in a shopping mall and taught life skills to schizophrenic women.  All that, I suppose, led me to my current endeavor as manic press proofer and burgeoning columnist.  And I should say, honestly, that reading and writing for the Hays Free Press makes me more content than most sane folks could stand.

Jane Kirkham

Proofreader, well-wisher

ctr01993@CenturyTel.net

Jane Kirkham doesn’t have a choice in the newspaper business; she is kin. Enough said. Jane helps with proofing every Tuesday and has worked in the past taking care of accounts receivable. She has had a lot of odd jobs since she graduated from Baylor University – from parole officer to bookkeeper to grandmothering. A Kyle High graduate, she knows a lot of people here, having grown up in Kyle, the daughter of Lex and Bobby Word. She is married to Calvin Kirkham, and they have two children, Lex and Kimberley, two granddaughters, Madison and Riley, and son-in-law Jason Certain. She stays busy with her many volunteer and civic groups, including the Hays Food Bank, Kyle Cemetery liaison, mentoring at elementary schools and more. She is known to many Kyle children, as she served for years at the assistant librarian at Kyle Elementary School.

Clint Younts

Humor Columnist, Pet consultant

rockytop78640@yahoo.com

Howdy, ya’ll. I’m Clint Younts, the writer of “A View from the Crow’s Nest”, a column that continues to get published despite my lack of formal schooling in journalism or ethics. I have been writing my Crow’s Nest column for a couple of years now, and I have yet to earn a Pulitzer Prize. Those judges must also be on the BCS committee.

I am a graduate of the University of Tennessee, but I am a native Texan as ya’ll probably gather from my vocabulary and an unnatural ability to shoot the bull with the best of them. My roots run deep in this rocky soil, like a mighty live oak, born from a union of my mother, a published writer, and my father, the funniest man I ever knew. I reckon I was destined to become a humorist.

I married my college sweetheart and have two daughters and a son-in-law. We live out near Buda on our family’s ranch with an old cat, a blind dog and some of the prettiest cows you’ve ever seen. It’s also home of deer, antelope and gun-shy armadillos and raccoons. This is also the site of the infamous Crow’s Nest, the wood-planked Petri dish from which many literary inspirations have emerged. When I’m not behind the computer writing crazy stuff that ya’ll apparently read, I am busy working at Dripping Springs Animal Hospital or here on the ranch. Too busy for a real hobby, I enjoy working crossword puzzles and watching football.

Phil Jones

Columnist

djones2032@austin.rr.com

Phil Jones is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, with a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development, who has spent the past 20 years providing educational and computer services to persons with disabilities.  He currently tutors math at the Keep It Simple Education Center in Buda, and teams with his wife Debi to provide original music, comedy, and adult education programs through Sunrise Ministries, Inc.

Donn Brooks

Columnist

dbrooks7@austin.rr.com

Donn Brooks is the dean of the Free Press staff, having gone to work at age 17 for Bob Barton, Jr. as Sports Editor for the Hays County Citizen, the predecessor of the Free Press.  He has served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force and is retired from the Hays CISD as a history teacher and currently teaches college-level history courses for Austin Community College.  He holds the baccalaureate degree in government and journalism from Texas State University as well as two graduate degrees from the same institution with majors in counseling and guidance and history and a minor in government.  He and his wife Betty have two grown children and live in Kyle.

Svea Sauer

Columnist

sveasauer@gmail.com

Svea Sauer has written for the Hays Free Press over the years. She began writing when she lived locally, but has since moved out of state. She continues to follow politics closely, zapping anyone who she deems in need of a few choice words.

Myrtle Heideman

Columnist

Myrtle Heideman lives in Uhland with her husband Raymond on their farm. Myrtle has been active for many years in St. John Church. In years past, she was known around the livestock show barns for the petting zoo, which she and her husband kept stocked for years. When you meet her, ask her about her honeymoon trip to Houston when they took $5 and managed to come back to Uhland with a few bits in their pockets.

Pauline Tom

Columnist

ptom5678@gmail.com

If you want to know about birds, this is the person to call. Pauline Tom served at Mountain City’s secretary for a number of years. She has since taken on the job of informing locals about the bird population. She can be seen putting up and checking bird boxes on FM 2770 and FM 1626.

Ed Cherryholmes

Columnist

Ed Cherryholmes is a huge Ohio State fan, and he certainly loves his football.

A former Methodist minister for the Kyle United Methodist Church, Cherryholmes lives out of state now, but travels through the area to visit old friends. He can be seen at Luviano’s in Kyle for morning coffee when he is in town, wearing his red Ohio State sweatshirt. He doesn’t mind giving fellow coffee drinkers his thoughts on a wide variety of subjects, but he does it in a gentle manner.

Bozena Barton

Photography Assistant

csb@haysfreepress.com

Bozena Barton is a Hays High School student who gets drug to a number of events by her mom, the publisher, so she has picked up a few photo tricks. She can be seen around at various football and soccer games, photographing on the sidelines. When she isn’t going to school or helping around the newspaper with various odd jobs, she spends her time practicing her pole vaulting and singing in the Hays Varsity Choir. She is taking journalism at Hays High School and is working on her photography there, too.