All Posts

My wife asked me, when I first considered publishing the registered sex offender list from the Texas Department of Public Safety, whether I truly thought it was a good idea. She has a way of making me look at issues from every angle, which usually means I take longer to make decisions — something that often keeps me from reacting too quickly. She said, “You are going to create a controversy with this,” and I assured her she was correct. This would create controversy — but for

Fewer and few of these iconic coins will slowly be removed as the penny has seen it's final days. The United States has officially ended production of the penny, closing more than 230 years of circulation for the one-cent coin that once played a central role in daily commerce but has now become a costly and impractical relic. The final pennies were struck Wednesday at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, bringing to an end a denomination introduced in 1793. Once capable of purchasi

Jerry Angelle About six weeks ago, I proposed adding a new feature to this newspaper: a clear, accessible listing of registered sex offenders living in and around Hardin County. The idea was simple, but important. Yes, most people can go online to the Texas Department of Public Safety website and search the statewide registry. But the reality is that many in our community either do not know how, do not have the access, or never think to check. Newspapers—especially community

It never fails—before every local election, someone will accuse a local newspaper of being biased for one candidate or another. Like clockwork, the accusations start about four weeks before Election Day, and they always sound the same. As a local newspaper publisher, I’ve been accused by entire political parties and by individual candidates. I’ve been told I promote one person more than another, or that I’m targeting someone unfairly. It’s a good thing I’ve developed a thick

With almost 175k Subscribers, The Real Slim Sherri is a YouTube streamer that is now on tour that has been named the “Gen X Takeover.” Sherri has taken the Gen X rhetoric to a new stage, a live stage as a comedian and has audiences rolling in the isles. I do wonder if she has a garden hose on stage or uses bottled water. I’m part of Generation X, and if you spend any time on social media, you know exactly what that means. Our greatest collective pastime seems to be posting vi

Texas registered sex offender, Terrance Kennard Freeman, 31 of Hearne, smiling for the TxDPS cameras as he complies to sex offender...

From 1991, a photo of the I Can’t Believe it’s YOGURT! building as it sat the morning after fire fighters cleared the scene. Inside the...

Political activist, Charlie Kirk "Assassination is the premeditated murder of a person, often a public figure like a political leader,...

A sight that shook Americans to the very core. The South Tower of the World Trade Center just after 8:00 a.m. on September 11, 2001 is...

Business trips aren’t getting any easier the older I get. For years I’ve bounced from one newspaper town to the next, so the travel...

On July 27, 2025, at approximately 4:42 p.m., Jasper County law enforcement rushed to respond to a report of an active shooter in North...

State lawmakers have just 30 days to address 18 agenda items in hopes of aligning with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s priorities. Abbott has...

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it is a present-day tool, already embedded in the workflows of modern...

Do you stand with Silsbee’s Chief of Police, Shawn Blackwell, or do you believe he should be reprimanded? In this case, does the...

Every few months, the familiar scene repeats itself somewhere in Texas: an open pasture or backroad trail draws hundreds—sometimes...

Every year, the Texas Press Association holds its annual Better Newspaper Contest—a tradition in the industry that many community...

What would you do if you were in my position? I’m facing a dilemma—one I’ve dealt with for years. Before I lay it out, I ask you to keep...

It’s amazing to me that this is only week two. The team at The Silsbee Bee has been working so hard to navigate the transfer of ownership...

Some of you may have read the front-page story this week about me — but that was just the canned version. Want the real story? You’re in...

By Dennis Phillips If you’re reading this before June 2, 2025, you’re really on the ball. I’m writing this column for two reasons: first,...