By Megan Wehring HAYS COUNTY -- The Hays County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is hosting its annual Emergency Preparedness Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. at the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center. This event is geared toward offering the community an opportunity to learn about...

If you’re old enough, most of us remember where we were twenty years ago on Sept. 11 when two jets were taken hostage and flown into New York City’s Twin Towers. We asked some of our local readers for their memories of 9-11 and here’s what they shared. Kristen McDaniel I was starting my sophomore ye...

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 No ICU beds remain available in Trauma Service Area O (TSA-O), which treats patients in 11 counties, including Hays and Travis. COVID-19 conditions have strained emergency room services, and doctors want residents to know where to go when in need of medical attention. COVID-19 has be...

(All photos are courtesy of Hays CISD) By Megan Wehring HAYS CISD -- The Kyle Elementary School community threw a surprise retirement party on Tuesday, Aug. 31 for longtime head custodian Julia Martinez. She decided to retire after 32 years as a Hays CISD custodian. Well wishes were given by current...

By Sahar Chmais  A bipartisan bill that would give school districts the option to mandate masks is in the works, after discussion by members of the Committee on Public Education. State Representative Jeff Leech (R) introduced House Bill 141 , which would prohibit the mandate of masks in school, and ...

By Sahar Chmais   A water treatment facility that will extend services to Buda, Kyle and San Marcos broke ground on Aug. 19.   Hays County has more than doubled in population since 2010, now home to more than 241,000 residents. With expansion of Hays County comes a greater need for water, which is w...

Sponsorship deadline for Empty Bowls project Sept. 7 Show your pride in supporting a 23-year tradition that brings together chefs, potters, musicians and neighbors who provide relief to other neighbors in need through the Empty Bowls Project. The annual event is scheduled to take place Nov. 7, 2021 ...

By Brittany Anderson More than 25,000 Hays County residents did not have access to nutritious food in 2019. One in eight individuals were considered food insecure, according to Feeding America. And with recent job losses since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, that number is rising. In the ...

By Sahar Chmais The hospital entrance is deceptive; aside from COVID screening questions, everything is normal and calm. But behind the main doors, especially where COVID-19 patients stay, there is tension, tables outside rooms holding special equipment and air purifiers, according to Teri, a regist...