If you’ve ever driven through Lee County, you know the vibe. It’s that slice of Texas where the air smells like cedar and barbecue, and everyone seems to know whose truck is parked at the City Meat Market. In a place like this, information isn't just data; it's the glue. For over half a century, that glue has been a weekly paper called the Giddings Times & News.
Honestly, in 2026, people keep predicting the death of print. They say social media killed the local reporter. But if you walk into any cafe in Giddings on a Thursday morning, you'll see folks leafing through actual paper pages. It’s kinda wild when you think about it. While big city dailies are shrinking or vanishing behind paywalls, this local staple is still documenting every high school football touchdown and every heated commissioners' court debate.
The Day the "Times" Met the "News"
The story of the Giddings Times & News isn't just about ink; it's about a 19-year-old kid who refused to let his town's voice go corporate. Back in 1961, Mrs. Ida Bloh Bloom hired a teenager named L.M. "Buddy" Preuss as an editor. At the time, he was the youngest editor in the whole state of Texas.
Fast forward a few years. A guy from out of town bought the existing local papers—the Giddings News and the Giddings Star. Locals weren't happy. They felt like the new guy didn't "get" them. So, they basically begged Buddy to come back and start something fresh. In 1966, he and his wife Louise started the Giddings Times out of his dad's dry-cleaning shop.
A year later, in 1967, they bought out the competition and merged everything into what we now know as the Giddings Times & News. It’s been a family affair ever since. Today, you’ll still see the Preuss name on the masthead, with Buddy and Sloan Preuss keeping the gears turning at the office on North Knox Avenue.
Why Do People Still Buy It?
You’ve probably seen "news" on Facebook. It’s usually a mess of rumors, half-truths, and people arguing in the comments. The Giddings Times & News works differently. It’s the "newspaper of record." That sounds fancy, but it basically means if it didn’t happen in the paper, did it even happen?
- Local Governance: They cover the Giddings City Council, the Lexington ISD School Board, and the Lee County Commissioners Court. Not because it’s "exciting" (it usually isn't), but because someone has to watch where the tax money goes.
- The "Whole" County: Unlike papers that only care about the city limits, they serve Lexington, Dime Box, Lincoln, Serbin, Northrup, Paige, Ledbetter, and Fedor.
- The Human Stuff: Obits, weddings, and those "graduation issues" that every grandma in the county clips out and tapes to her fridge.
There’s a reporter there, Paul Schlesinger, who once noted something pretty insightful. He mentioned that in other towns, businesses just use Facebook because it’s free. But in Giddings? The local bank still advertises in the paper. They do it because they know that if the paper dies, the community’s shared history starts to fade. It’s a symbiotic thing.
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Digital vs. Physical: How to Read It Today
Even though they love their 6,580-square-foot building in downtown Giddings, they aren't stuck in the 1960s. You can get an e-Edition that looks exactly like the physical paper but on your tablet.
For the history buffs, there is a literal goldmine online. Through a partnership with the Portal to Texas History (hosted by the University of North Texas), you can search through thousands of old issues. We’re talking over 30,000 pages of Lee County history available for free. It’s a rabbit hole. You start looking for a great-uncle’s name and end up reading about a 1974 cattle auction or a lost recipe from a Serbin church social.
Small Town News in a Big World
What most people get wrong about papers like the Giddings Times & News is thinking they are "quaint." They aren't just a hobby. In a world where "fake news" is a constant headache, having a physical office you can walk into to complain to the editor is a big deal. Accountability is local.
The circulation hovers around 5,000, which is massive for a town this size. It proves that people still crave a curated, edited version of their week. They want to know why the road is closed on Highway 290 or how the Giddings Buffaloes did on Friday night.
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How to Support Local Journalism in Lee County
If you want to keep this institution alive, here’s how you actually do it:
- Get a Subscription: Whether it’s the physical paper or the digital e-Edition, paying for the news is the only way it stays independent.
- Read the Legals: Those boring-looking notices at the back? They tell you about upcoming zoning changes or estate sales.
- Send in Your News: The paper thrives on community input. If your kid won an award or your church is having a bake sale, tell them.
- Visit the Office: Stop by 170 North Knox Avenue. It’s a great way to feel the pulse of the town.
Local news isn't just about reporting; it's about belonging. The Giddings Times & News has survived mergers, the rise of the internet, and a global pandemic. It stays relevant because it doesn't try to be the New York Times. It just tries to be Giddings. And honestly? That’s exactly what the community needs.
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Next time you're in town, grab a copy from the rack at the grocery store. Flip through it while you eat some brisket. You'll realize pretty quickly that the "Times" aren't just changing—they’re being recorded, one page at a time.