August 2001, News Briefs |
Lubbock attorney adds publisher to job title
LUBBOCK — Don Richards, an open government attorney, and Ron and Jamey Phillips purchased the Hale Center American from Tommy and Claudia Rambo.
The new owners took over Aug. 10 and published their first edition Aug. 17. The most immediate change they made was to return the weekly to a tabloid format.
An attorney with the Lubbock law firm of McWhorter, Cobb and Johnson, Richards said he was excited about rejoining the ranks of newspaper publishing. Richards comes from a long family history in newspapers and he last served as publisher of The Azle News in 1978 before leaving Texas for Washington D.C.
Richards serves on the board of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and mans its hotline. He will be publisher of the American and will remain active at the law firm.
The Phillips are natives of Hale Center and work with Richards at the law firm. Marilyn Kolder will serve as advertising manager and officer manager.
The Rambo family had owned the newspaper for about 60 years.
Appeals court drops Austin daily from suit
AUSTIN — The 3rd Court of Appeals dropped the Austin American-Statesman from a lawsuit filed by a widower after the newspaper published a picture of his dead wife in spite of his order to the funeral home for a closed casket ceremony, the newspaper reported.
The newspaper asked a state district judge to drop it from the man’s lawsuit, saying he had no claim for damages. The judge refused so the newspaper appealed.
The court said there was “no evidence that the Statesman knew or had reason to know” of the funeral home’s obligation to get the widower’s permission for the picture, which did not show the woman’s face.
“... The court’s decision is an important one because it confirms a newspaper’s ability to avoid trial and the expense of a trial where complaints aren’t founded in law. That protection makes for a more vigorous press,” said managing editor Fred Zipp.
Photo collage did not violate woman’s privacy
SAN ANTONIO — A judge threw out a lawsuit against the San Antonio Express-News in which a woman claimed that a published photo of her residence invaded her privacy and ruined her reputation.
The judge ruled that because the house was on a major thoroughfare in public view and because the photo was taken from public property the publication was not an invasion of privacy.
Odessa NIE raises funds
ODESSA — The Odessa American’s Newspapers In Education program raised more than $4,000 during its third annual fund-raiser last month.
“It was a huge, huge success,” NIE coordinator Patricia Reakes-Collins said.
The July 14 event included a used book sale, silent auction, arts and crafts sale, games and dunking booth.
One of the local Wal-Mart stores matched every dollar raised and donated space and volunteers for the event. Local businesses also donated prizes.
Reakes-Collins said event was even more successful this year than past fund-raisers.