Kyle’s 20-Minute Axon Clash: Privacy Fears, Political Rhetoric, and the Reality of Public-Space Cameras
The Kyle City Council’s debate over a new Axon contract was supposed to be routine, but it quickly became a window into how misinformation, campaign rhetoric, and confusion about privacy laws shape public policy. For nearly twenty minutes, Councilwoman Claudia Zapata pressed police officials on artificial intelligence, scanning, surveillance, and liability — only to reveal gaps in understanding that overshadowed the contract’s actual purpose and the legal realities of public-space privacy.
New Braunfels Fire Captain Suspended After Station 7 Confrontation
A New Braunfels Fire Department captain has been suspended for eight days without pay after an internal investigation found he harassed a subordinate and created a hostile environment at the city’s newest $9.7 million fire station. The incident, which began during an EMS call in October, escalated into a heated exchange at Fire Station 7, just months after the facility opened its doors.
From Brunch to Jail: New Braunfels Firefighter Suspended After Wild Off-Duty Night
What began as a casual Sunday brunch with mimosas ended in a shirtless scuffle downtown, a foot chase near Schlitterbahn, and an arrest for public intoxication. City records show firefighter Mark Alan Gonzales drank at bars, snuck alcohol into a city recreation center, fought with a colleague, and hurled profanities at police before being taken to jail. Weeks later, the fire department hit him with a 15-day suspension without pay, raising questions about accountability — and why he was charged only with public intox.
Handcuffed. Pregnant. Injured After SAPD Encounter. Federal Appeal Challenges Dismissal.
After a pregnant, handcuffed woman was knocked unconscious during an SAPD arrest, a judge dismissed her case — saying it wasn’t clear whether she was pushed or tripped. Now, a federal appeal argues the force used was unconstitutional and the case should go to a jury.
SAPD Officer Suspended Indefinitely Over ‘Diversity Hire’ Remarks, Harassment, and Discrimination Allegations
“Diversity hires.” Sexual comments. Offensive personal remarks. SAPD says one officer crossed the line in multiple ways — and now his career may be over.
Laundry, Law, and the First Amendment: A 70-Year-Old Man’s Fight with Temple PD
What started as an ordinary trip to the laundromat turned into a constitutional showdown for 70-year-old David R. Jones, an independent journalist in Temple, Texas. In a newly filed federal lawsuit, Jones accuses local police officers of assaulting and arresting him—twice—for the simple act of filming them in public. The complaint alleges a pattern of retaliation, excessive force, and unlawful detention in what Jones says is a clear attempt to silence protected First Amendment activity. Now, he’s taking the City of Temple to court in a fight over civil rights, public accountability, and the power of a camera.
From Team USA to SAPD Star Recruit — Ravven Brown No Longer a Peace Officer in Texas
Once celebrated as both a national boxing champion and a standout SAPD recruit, Ravven Brown is no longer licensed in Texas law enforcement. From earning a spot on Team USA to being featured as a symbol of community pride by the San Antonio Police Department, her career has now come full circle—ending with a disciplinary case in Bexar County, where her law enforcement journey first began.
FIRE Letter Blasts Kyle Mayor for Silencing Ethics Critic During Public Comment
A national free speech watchdog has called out the City of Kyle for what it says was an unconstitutional act of censorship. In a scathing letter sent Monday, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) accused Mayor Travis Mitchell of violating the First Amendment after he ordered police to cut off Kyle resident Yvonne Flores-Cale during her public comments at a May 27 city council meeting. Flores-Cale was speaking against a proposed ethics code amendment and cited alleged misconduct involving city officials when her microphone was cut and she was escorted out—preventing her from finishing. FIRE says her remarks were protected political speech and is demanding the city revise its public comment rules and respond by August 4.
Records Withheld, Law Changed: Kyle City Attorney Faces Misconduct Allegations
After quietly dismissing ethics complaints without Commission review, the City of Kyle changed its ordinance to authorize the process — but only after it had already happened. Now, with the Texas Attorney General ordering the records released and the city refusing, City Attorney Aimee Alcorn-Reed is at the center of a formal complaint alleging misconduct and potential criminal violations.
Decorum Showdown in Aransas Pass: City Must Defend Meeting Rules
A federal judge has ruled that the City of Aransas Pass must defend its Rules of Decorum in court after a local resident, Jason Followell, was repeatedly removed from city council meetings for using profanity while criticizing public officials. While most of Followell’s claims were dismissed or withdrawn—including those related to alleged retaliation, defamation, and unlawful inspections—the court found the city failed to justify how or why it enforced its decorum policy. The ruling allows a First Amendment challenge to move forward, focusing on whether the city’s rules unlawfully restrict protected speech during public comment in what may be a designated public forum.