Cities
Texas communities where Watchtower is actively investigating local government transparency, public expenditures, and leadership conduct.
Italy, Texas
Known locally as The Biggest Little Town in Texas. Our investigation began here, driven by a long history of leadership issues, infrastructure problems, water quality concerns, and a lack of transparency.
- Leadership
- Infrastructure
- Water Quality
- Transparency
- Civil Rights
- Economic Development
Goodlow, Texas
One of the smallest incorporated communities in Navarro County. We started asking questions due to local property disputes and court cases involving public officials. We later discovered that the city has not completed its annual audit obligations since 2001.
- Property Disputes
- Audit Obligations
- Transparency
- Lack of Resources
Hubbard, Texas
Questions about why cameras were not permitted at a Town Hall meeting about the upcoming datacenter project led to our team being blocked from the city's Facebook page. The city has a history of municipal theft and has been under scrutiny for its handling of public funds.
- Municipal Theft
- Datacenter
- Infrastructure
- Civil Rights
Seven Points, Texas
Seven Points caught our attention after a news story about the city failing to pass its budget in 2025. Attending our first council meeting sent us down a rabbit hole we never expected. All of the latest controversy here seems to surround the Police Department.
- Leadership
- Finances
- Transparency
- Bad History
Trinidad, Texas
A small Henderson County city on the western shore of Cedar Creek Reservoir. Eight years of unresolved audit findings, a general fund that collapsed into the negative, five mayors in five years, and a water system drawing TCEQ fines tell a story of systemic financial mismanagement and governance failures.
- Financial Mismanagement
- Water Quality
- Leadership
- Transparency
- Conflicts of Interest
- Economic Development
Kerens, Texas
A Navarro County city that got our attention after a team member was assaulted by a local resident and yelled at by the Chief of Police while attempting to have conversations after a council meeting. That kind of reception tends to make us curious.
- Transparency
- Governance
- Civil Rights
- Police Conduct
Tool, Texas
A Henderson County community of roughly 2,000 residents on Cedar Creek Lake. When the local ESD moved to terminate the volunteer fire department's contract, the community packed the fire station and fought for their department. The ESD and VFD agreed to a 90-day renegotiation. Our coverage is expanding to Tool's city council.
- Emergency Services
- ESD Governance
- Financial Accountability
- Transparency