Local government, read closely and explained plainly
Henderson, TX News is an independent public records project. We read the agendas, packets, budgets and minutes that local public bodies publish, explain what they mean for the people who pay for them, and point out what the record leaves out. The goal is simple: residents should be able to see how their money is spent and whether the rules are followed.
What we do
Four ways we cover HendersonFollowing the public’s money
Case files on specific governance problems, the records behind them, and a practical fix for each one.
See open casesEvery item, explained before the vote
Before meetings with money or policy on the agenda, we say how we would vote and why. Afterward, we compare our calls with what happened.
Read the guidesOne page for each public body
The City of Henderson, HEDCO, city boards, Henderson ISD, Rusk County and the Rail District: who serves, when they meet and where the records are.
Browse topicsMeetings and community events
Upcoming public meetings and the events that bring Henderson together, in one place.
View the calendarOur standards
How we work- Public records first. Every finding points to the document it comes from, with page numbers where we have them.
- Confirmed is kept apart from unconfirmed. If something comes from one source and we cannot verify it, we wait or we say so plainly.
- Institutions, not individuals. We focus on how the process works and how to fix it. We are not accusing anyone of wrongdoing.
- Every criticism comes with a fix. A missing contract, a blank amount or an unposted set of minutes is a problem with a practical answer, and we name it.
- We support the people who serve. Police, firefighters, EMS and other first responders keep this town safe. Our questions are about budgets and records, never about their work.
- Students and teams are never the subject. School coverage is about budgets, tax rates and governance.
- Corrections are made openly. When we get something wrong, we fix it and note the change on the story.
Independence
Who we are notNot affiliated with any public body
This site is not operated by, affiliated with or endorsed by the City of Henderson, Henderson ISD, Rusk County, the Henderson Economic Development Corporation or any other governmental body. The official City of Henderson website is hendersontx.us.
No public, vendor or campaign money
We accept no money from any governmental body, vendor, candidate or political committee, and we do not run advertising for any of them.
When officials respond
Our promiseIf an official or agency answers one of our questions, in public or in writing, we update the story, link the response and change the case status on the Investigations page. A good answer is a good outcome, and we will say so.
Disclaimer
Please readContent on this site is commentary and analysis of public records. It is not legal advice. Readers should consult the original documents, which are cited in each story.