UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT: Willow Park Civics has a new publisher, and... !
- Manager
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Summary: Willow Park Civics is getting an upgrade. Willow Park Civics is making a change in publishers and editors. However the pledge of fact-based news is still current. The truth will find the light.
Latest Update: Friay, 01 August, 2025
Willow Park Civics is getting an upgrade. Willow Park Civics is making a change in publishers and editors. However the pledge of fact-based news is still current. The truth will find the light.
And while those very few of us who write for Willow Park Civics will still, write our articles, Willow Park Citizen Spencer Hodge will take news of Willow Park to the next level. So with a few futher words from the old folk... Spencer has penned a letter to Willow Park Citizens and Parker County Citizens about his transition, and posted it on his new website https://www.willowparkcitizen.com/communityletter
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS,
I am the founder and publisher of The Citizen.
This platform exists for you—for your right to know, to question, to decide for yourself what matters, and what it means. In an age of noise, distortion, and half-truths, we stand for clarity, context, and light. We won’t tell you what to think or how to think—but we will give you the pieces, and the stage they’re playing on. The rest is yours.
You’ll see some of our taglines, including: “No Noise. All Signal.” That phrase—borrowed from Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise—reminds us that in a world drowning in data, it’s the meaningful patterns, not the loudest headlines, that help us make sense of the world. We believe the truth needs neither shouting nor sugarcoating—just structure, sunlight, and the freedom to follow the facts.
What to Expect from Us
We will begin as a digital-first publication. You’ll find us on your phones, inboxes, and feeds. Our aim is to publish thoughtful, well-sourced coverage of:
• Local government and policy — Contextualized.
• Economic development
• Hyper-Local real estate analysis and trends
• Science + Technology
• Agriculture + Land use
• Arts, culture, and community stories
By year 2 we aim to provide quarterly print editions—anchored essays and visual journalism on the complex issues shaping our town, county, and state. With exclusive data analysis on business trends in the community and what opportunities are for the taking.
You’ll also begin to see the launch of our Data & Mapping Platform for Premium Subscribers—an open-source, community-driven hub for demographic, infrastructure, and economic data. We’re building tools for entrepreneurs, planners, designers, and decision-makers—tools to help grow businesses, meet needs, and make evidence-based choices.
What We Stand For
I believe deeply in this town. I also know that public trust is fragile. This project and service isn’t built on my name or any others—it’s built on our shared responsibility to one another. We will hold ourselves to the highest standards of accuracy, integrity, and transparency.
That’s why our legal structure, governance policies, and financial model will be public. You will be able to see how we operate and how we are funded. Accountability isn’t a slogan—it’s the scaffolding.
And let me be clear to any and all elected and unelected public officials: We will not give space to those who exploit others, distort facts, or abuse power. We are not in the business of clickbait or outrage. We are in the business of clarity, of civic empowerment, and of standing up for those not usually at the microphone.
We’re Hiring.
We are a few weeks into a 3-month recruitment period. If you’re a journalist, photographer, designer, researcher, production assistant—or simply someone with a fierce eye for the truth—we want to hear from you. Send us a note at careers@willowparkcitizen.com. Around here, we provide mentorship, structure, and resources—but the job demands rigor, discernment, and a nose for facts. If you’ve got the fire, this is your chance to help build something enduring.
Our Broader Vision
Yes—we have aspirations beyond Willow Park. But our focus is right here, right now. We’re committed to building something foundational and lasting at home, first. God willing, we’ll get that part right.
And Finally,
A heartfelt thank you to KJ Hannah, whose stewardship through WillowParkCivics.org has been a gift to this community. Your dedication, your watchful eye, and your unwavering generosity have made you a pillar. I’m honored to call you a friend, and I’m grateful for your path-paving example.
We’re just getting started. I’m excited, I’m proud, and I’m ready to take this journey alongside each of you.
With resolve and respect,
Spencer Hodge
Founder & Publisher
The Citizen.
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