Newsmakers

The Bay City Tribune welcomed two new editors. Brooke Saucier was promoted to managing editor. She has been on staff since July 2001 as reporter and took over as acting ME in August. Justin Daily was promoted to sports editor. He began as college intern and part-time sports writer in August 2001.

Robert J. Barth, new media director for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, has been named corporate director of employment advertising for Morris Communications, the newspaper’s parent company. He also previously served as classified manager.

Betse Brooks has been named associate publisher of the Alpine Avalanche. She has been with the weekly since 2001 and has a journalism degree from Angelo State University where she graduated in 1997.

The Cleburne Times-Review announced two staff changes. Karisa Brunken was promoted to news editor. She had been county, police and courts reporter at sister newspaper the Weatherford Democrat. Sarah Angle was hired as a reporter. She is a 2002 graduate of Southern Illinois University where she received a bachelor of science in journalism.

Bobbie Cooper moved home to Rusk County to join the staff of the Henderson Daily News as reporter. She came from Arlington where she worked for Verizon Communications after graduating from Baylor University in 2000 with a double-major in journalism and communications.

John Floresis the new editor of The River Cities Tribune in Marble Falls. He has about 10 years in daily newspapers, including The Dallas Morning News’ Arlington edition, Killeen Daily Herald, Corpus Christi Caller-Times and the Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal. Flores is author of two books.

Robin Gooch has returned to Today Newspapers as managing editor to replace Kristi Crooks. She has been associated with the DFW group since 1992 and was managing editor from November 1997 to June 2000.

Herrell Hallmark joined the staff of the Lamesa Press-Reporter as assistant editor. He came from the editor job at the Sweetwater Reporter where he worked for three years. He began his newspaper career in 1971 at the Cisco Press while still in high school and has worked at the Eastland Telegram and Breckenridge American.

Greg Hardin is the new editor of the Lockhart Post-Register. He began in newspapers as a Linotype operator in Oklahoma and had stints at newspapers in Pampa, Paris and Oklahoma and Missouri.

The Houston Chronicle has promoted two managers to director positions. Jerry Ferguson was named director of marketing services and advertising publications. A Chronicle employee for 20 years, Ferguson was manager of marketing services since 1995 and added advertising publications responsibilities in spring 2002. Dan West became director of pressroom operations. West began his newspaper career in 1963 as an apprentice pressman in San Antonio, and joined the Chronicle in 1970.

Jared Judd is the new managing editor of the Burkburnett Informer Star. He brought 10 years of experience to the job.

Martha Jones, the genealogy columnist for the Victoria Advocate, won first place in the Texas State Genealogical Society’s Columnist Award Contest. The award is presented to a TSGC member whose articles are published the preceding year.

Twila Leverton is the new education reporter for The Huntsville Item. She joined the staff as an intern general assignment reporter in June. She also writes the Healthy Huntsville column.

Mark Loyd has been named managing editor of The Katy Times. He replaced Douglas Simpson who became managing editor of the Terrell Tribune. Loyd served two years as editor of the Pflugerville Pflag and reporter for the Kerrville Daily Times.

Laura McWilliams joined the Jacksonville Daily Progress as reporter. She is a 2000 graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler.

Carole Pickett left the Abilene Reporter-News to become vice president of marketing at Sears Methodist Retirement Center. She joined the staff in 1986 and held a string of leadership positions.

Vanessa Sanders is a new reporter for the Azle News and Springtown Epigraph. She graduated last spring from Howard Payne University and immediately left for a job in Beijing as intern with Christian Broadcasting Network. She previously interned at the News in summer 2001.

Allen Taylor, editor of Midlothian Today, won the Dallas Bar Association’s Stephen H. Philbin Award for suburban spot news coverage. His winning story was on a Title IX lawsuit in the city.

Jalna Turner is the new editor at The Area Dispatch in Van. She had been a reporter and journalism student at Trinity Valley Community College.

Pat Welch-Hamilton retired after 30 years as lifestyle editor of the Sherman/Denison Herald Democrat. The newspaper honored her with a retirement party and story with well-wishings from coworkers who said she took a personal approach to her writing.

Dave Wedel was promoted to business manager of the Midland Reporter-Telegram where he is a 13-year veteran.

The Williamson County Sun hired three new employees. Jody Gilliam is the Sun’s new county reporter. She wrote on a freelance basis while attending Southwestern University in Georgetown. Chris Garrick is the Sun’s new associate editor. He has a varied background and recently moved to Texas. Dagmar Ryden is the new advertising representative. She came from the same position at the Round Rock Leader where she had been for 12 years.