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Receipt-based investigative journalism covering small-town Texas local government. 28 investigations, 7 cities, zero paywalls.
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Every dollar pays for public records requests, document analysis, interviews, and on-the-ground reporting in small-town Texas. No paywalls. No corporate sponsors. 100% reader-funded.
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By the Numbers
Why Your Support Matters
Investigative journalism covering small-town Texas requires time, money, and persistence. Filing public records requests, attending council meetings, analyzing contracts, and building investigations from primary sources is resource-intensive work. Commercial media rarely covers rural municipal governance because the audience is small and the work is hard.
Your support keeps this work independent and free to read. No paywalls, no corporate sponsors influencing coverage, no advertisers to protect. Just accountability reporting funded by people who believe local government should be transparent.
Ways to Support
One-Time Contribution
A single contribution of any amount. Choose what works for you. Every dollar goes directly toward obtaining public records, analyzing documents, conducting interviews, on-the-ground reporting, and publishing investigations.
ContributeMonthly Support
Recurring monthly support provides predictable funding that allows us to plan investigations, commit to long-term coverage, and file records requests without waiting for resources.
Subscribe MonthlyRecent Reporting Your Support Makes Possible
These are the investigations readers like you have funded. Every story started with a public records request.
Statement From Italy Councilmember Billy Long
Italy Councilmember Billy Long issued a public statement on water infrastructure, road conditions, and public safety, calling for real fixes instead of temporary patches.
What the Records Show: Officer Ochoa and the City of Tool
Official Tool PD records reveal a motorcycle strike with a patrol vehicle, body camera violations, and disciplinary records that raise questions about officer accountability.
Former Officer Sues Seven Points, Mayor Betts, and Chief Katsoulas
Former Seven Points police officer Justin Shaffer has filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against the city, Mayor Keith Betts, and Anthony Katsoulas. Both individual defendants have been served.
Italy's Cleanup Day Locked Families Inside Upchurch Fields. The City Says "No Comment."
On March 14, the City of Italy held a cleanup day at Upchurch Fields, locked the gate with families still inside, trapped a disabled woman on a mobility scooter, and closed the park for spring break weekend. The Mayor was not there. The City Administrator said no comment. The former mayor read my text and never replied.
Where Your Money Goes
- Public records requests -- filing fees, copying costs, and labor charges assessed by government bodies under the Texas Public Information Act
- Document analysis -- tools and time spent reviewing contracts, financial records, meeting minutes, and public filings
- Conducting interviews -- speaking with community members, public officials, witnesses, and subject-matter experts to build complete, accurate accounts of what happened and why
- On-the-ground reporting -- attending city council meetings, documenting conditions in covered communities, and traveling to the places where the stories are
- Infrastructure -- website hosting, email hosting, secure document storage, a dedicated phone line, and the communication tools we rely on to coordinate with sources, officials, and the public
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