Maya Fawaz
Hays County ReporterWhat I do at KUT
Where most reporters have a certain beat they focus on, my reporting includes a little bit of everything: education, politics, the environment, business and housing. My coverage area is also vast, I travel frequently across San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Wimberley and Dripping Springs.
I love what I do and the ever-changing nature of my beat, but it frustrates me to know I can’t cover everything. I try my best to bring attention to what’s most important to the communities in Hays County and will always lend an ear to someone willing to chat. I work hard to keep people at the heart of every story I tell, whether it be on the air or on our website.
My experience
I was labeled an “excessive talker” in every classroom growing up, often having to be moved away from friends and exiled to the other side of classrooms — where I inevitably would strike up a new conversation with a stranger. I got accepted into the University of Texas at Austin and didn’t know what would come next. All I knew was I loved telling stories and was obsessed with learning languages. I took a journalism class, which led to another, and yet another.
I graduated with a bachelor’s in Journalism, a minor in French and with a first-level Arabic class under my belt. I produced an investigative podcast under our student-run audio production house called Crooked Power, a five-episode series reported entirely in Spanish. It followed a family of journalists in Ecuador as they fought for a free press amid a national controversy in 2011.
I freelanced for a while, editing and producing podcasts, until I landed an internship at KUT. I was given a chance to stick around as a part-time general assignment reporter and, to my delight and surprise, was hired as the Hays County reporter in January 2023.
Journalistic ethics
I care more about covering the news fairly and with context than to be the first reporter to break the news. I believe in producing accurate stories while treating sources with compassion and care. At the end of the day, reporters are people, with our own opinions and beliefs. I take great care to not let my own experiences and opinions impact my reporting.
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Austin-area animal shelters have been overcrowded for years. Local officials and nonprofits are looking at different ways to alleviate the problem. -
Public school districts across the state have made the switch to a four-day week in an attempt to recruit teachers, boost student attendance and increase overall morale. San Marcos CISD is in the early stages of considering the change. -
The Republican narrowly beat Democrat Alex Villalobos with 52.69% of the vote. -
Results for local elections: the county sheriff's race, a $440 million road bond and more. -
More than half of registered voters in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties have already cast a ballot in the Nov. 5 election. Election officials expect long waits on Election Day. -
This year early voting coincides with Halloween, which means you may see a ghoul or goblin exercising their right to vote. You too can dress up if you wish. -
In a lawsuit filed last week, four residents allege Hays County did not provide key information on a transportation bond currently on the ballot. They also claim local leaders violated state law. -
An ongoing drought in Texas has worsened the condition of the local aquifer and has impacted the river's water levels. Even with some rain on the forecast, Gov. Greg Abbott's disaster declaration for elevated wildfire risk is still in effect. -
Los votantes del condado de Hays decidirán sobre varias contiendas locales esta elección, incluyendo un nuevo sheriff y si se aprueba un importante bono de transporte. -
Hays County voters will decide on several local races this election, including a new sheriff and whether to pass a major transportation bond.
