The community newspaper that keeps the areas around Bullard,
Flint, Troup, Whitehouse & South Tyler connected & informed.
Am I Crazy for Starting a Newspaper in 2025? By Shawn Larson Let’s be honest—when people hear I’m launching a local newspaper in 2025, the most common response is somewhere between a raised eyebrow and a full-blown chuckle. “A newspaper? Now?” they say. “Isn’t print dead?” But here’s the thing: I get it. On the […]
TROUP, Texas (July 5, 2025) — Troup residents once again have a newspaper that prioritizes their hometown stories. ETX Bell, launched in 2025, is a community newspaper serving Troup, Texas, bringing back consistent local news coverage through both print and digital formats. Each edition of ETX Bell features a dedicated Troup section alongside hyperlocal coverage […]
WHITEHOUSE, Texas (July 5, 2025) — For the first time since the Tri County Leader shut down in 2018, Whitehouse once again has a consistent hometown news source. The ETX Bell, a new community newspaper serving Whitehouse, Texas, launched earlier this year to bring back local reporting with a modern twist. Founded in 2025, ETX […]
BULLARD, Texas (July 5, 2025) — Bullard has a newspaper to call its own again. ETX Bell, a newly launched community newspaper in Bullard, Texas, has stepped up to serve the town and surrounding areas after the closure of the Bullard Banner in 2018 left a noticeable void in local news coverage. Founded in early […]
Shawn Larson We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone in the community for the incredible support you’ve shown. Your encouragement fuels our efforts as we continue building something we believe will become a vital part of local life. While it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges of bringing back […]
Mickey Smith, 68, is a lifelong Tyler resident who recently joined ETX Bell after a five-year hiatus to focus on family and health. Smith has long been a familiar face in the East Texas sports scene. He previously served as a coach and coordinator for several area youth leagues and held two separate terms as […]
We asked ChatGPT what happens when a community loses its local newspaper, like ours did in 2018, and why it’s worth holding on to if you still have one. The answers reminded us exactly why we’re bringing a local paper back in 2025. ChatGPT said: When a community loses its local newspaper, it often faces […]
Why Local Newspapers Still Matter: Inside of what I Hope will be the Revival of a Hometown Tradition By Shawn Larson ETX BELL For those who don’t know a lot about me, won’t know by trade, I am probably more of a social media/web guy than I was a newspaper guy. Don’t get me wrong. […]
A new addition is coming to the pages of ETX Bell, and it’s not just ink—it’s innovation. Starting with the Founders Edition, readers will notice small black-and-white squares throughout the newspaper. These are QR codes—short for Quick Response—and while they may look like a tech gimmick, their purpose is anything but impersonal. They’re here to […]
By Shawn Larson About a year ago, my wife and I began praying and considering how we could move closer to her family and be of help. Her mother had become the full-time caregiver for her elderly grandmother in Bullard, and with two sons managing Type 1 diabetes and our youngest soon attending YWAM Tyler, […]
