Maurice Barcomb has been named circulation manager of The Paris News. He was zone manager for The Dallas Morning News and has 28 years experience in circulation including jobs at The (Rosenberg) Herald Coaster, The Huntsville Item and The Bryan/College Station Eagle. He replaced Ricky Dority who resigned to begin a real estate management business.

The Buffalo Express welcomed two new employees last month. Rebecca Robinson began working for the newspaper as reporter, photographer and typist in June. She is a senior at Buffalo High School and plans on majoring in broadcast journalism. Larry Dorsett joined the staff as reporter covering schools, commissioners court and other meetings. He previously worked at the Houston Chronicle and was reporter/photographer briefly in Pasadena.

Elmer Cavender, a photographer for the Wharton Journal Spectator, recently won two top awards for fire photographs from the Texas Firemen Magazine. His photos took first place in life saving acts and education and public safety out of 142 entries. One of the photos ran in the Journal Spectator. Cavender’s work also has appeared in the Houston Chronicle and Victoria Advocate.

Stephen Collins, sports editor of the Alvin Sun, has been named Sportswriter of the Year by the Texas Girls’ Coaches Association. The Alvin High School volleyball coach nominated Collins for the statewide award, which he received at a banquet last month in Austin.

The El Campo Leader-News hired two experienced reporters. Bobby Horecka came from the Abilene Reporter-News where he covered the oil and gas and agriculture beats. He previously worked at the Leader-News from October 1997 to April 1999. Lia Martin moved to El Campo from Bremerton, Wash. She worked for newspapers in Florida from 1985-87 then as a free-lance writer and returned in 1996 to a daily in Watsonville, Calif.

Cathy Gillentine retired from the Texas City Sun after 26 years service as columnist, editor and reporter. She worked in the newsroom continuously for 23 years and became a mentor to many young reporters and other staffers. She was one of the newspaper’s key resources on local history. She first started with the Sun in 1971 and then returned in 1978 after a stint at the LaMarque Times.

Danny Hukel is the new publisher of The (Navasota) Examiner. He began his career as ad director in Levelland and later became publisher of the Gatesville Messenger, a position he held for a decade and a half before leaving to pursue a start-up venture. He spent the last two years on staff at The (Brenham) Banner-Press.

Greg Jaklewicz joined the Kerrville Daily Times as managing editor. He came from Bremerton, Wash., where he was acting assistant presentation desk editor and columnist for The Sun. Prior to his two years in the Pacific Northwest he worked 12 years at the Abilene Reporter-News, including 10 as entertainment editor and columnist.

Jake Long joined the Amarillo Globe News as police reporter. He worked for the Belton Journal while attending the University of Texas at Arlington where he graduated in May 2000.

Karma Nurisha Lowe is the new assistant managing editor of The Facts in Clute. She joined the staff in October 1996. In her new role, Lowe will co-supervise content and a staff of six reporters with fellow assistant managing editor Glenn Krampota.

The Plainview Daily Herald announced two staff changes last month. Kevin Lewis, sports editor for the past 13 years, became special projects editor and Jonathan Petty replaced him. Lewis worked three years for The Slaton Slatonite before joining the staff. Petty came from the Hobbs (N.M.) News-Sun where has worked for five years. Both Lewis and Petty will work with editor Doug McDonough on the newspaper’s redesign during the next several months.

Brooke Saucier is the newest reporter on The (Bay City) Daily Tribune staff. She came from a sales and marketing position in Houston and returned to Bay City, her hometown.

The Victoria Advocate announced several staff changes.Sean Bowlin is a new reporter covering general assignments. He worked in various fields and served in the U.S. Marine Corps before turning to journalism. Barry Halvorson is the new reporter covering Lavaca, Jackson, Wharton, Fayette and Colorado counties. He joined the staff after leaving the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise where he worked in several capacities over 12 years. Kelly Prew and Lori Steindorf both came on board as copy editors. Steindorf previously worked at The (McAllen) Monitor, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Alice Echo News. Ann Rundle became the Cuero bureau reporter after leaving the city editor position at The (Mt. Pleasant) Daily Tribune, which she held for nearly six years. Jamey S. Giddens replaced her as city editor in Mt. Pleasant. He came from The Sulphur Springs News Telegram where he was a reporter. He graduated in May 2000 from the University of Arkansas.

The Williamson County Sun hired two new staff members.Chantal Rice is the new associate editor. Her journalism career includes as a stint as reporter at the Northwest Arkansas Times. She has a creative writing degree from the University of Arkansas. Rice replaced Cristina Smith who moved to a Dallas business publication.Amy Cox joined the staff as education reporter. She interned at the semiweekly last summer while attending Southwestern University in Georgetown. Cox replaced Barbara Nordby who returned to Chicago to be closer to family.