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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The City of Kyle has paused its annual attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest same-name gathering. The closest the city got was in 2023 with 1,490 people named Kyle in attendance. -
El Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas informó que, junto con varias otras agencias gubernamentales, ha estado investigando a la banda Tren de Aragua durante más de un año. -
The Texas Department of Public Safety said it, along with several other government agencies, has been investigating the Tren de Aragua gang for more than a year.
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The ongoing drought in Central Texas impacted wildflower sprouts through the fall and winter. A different variety of wildflowers could crop up. -
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning from noon to 9 p.m. Friday due to a combination of strong winds, warm temperatures and low humidity in the forecast. Another warning is in effect for most of the day Saturday. -
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the I-35 corridor from 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The warning is for low humidity and strong winds, which could exacerbate fires. -
The center will include interactive exhibits, educational programs and indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Funding for the project comes from the Hays County Parks and Open Space Bond. -
Residents were left to speculate about an "ongoing incident" nearby. At least two wildfires prompted evacuations. -
In Austin, officials say power outages caused by severe winds could last into Wednesday. -
The tree was set to be cut down, but after protests and community feedback, the Kyle City Council decided to reverse its decision and move the live oak to a near by neighborhood.
