Catherine Austin is the newest member staff writer of the Uvalde Leader News. She worked for seven years as lifestyles editor for the Pleasanton Express and was a high school language teacher.

The Austin American-Statesman announced three newsroom appointments. John Bridges became Metro editor. He has been at the newspaper for 13 years. Tony Shuga replaced Bridges as news editor. He had been weekend editor and worked on the newspaper’s Insight section, the Sunday commentary page. Debbie Hiott took over as state editor to replace Carlos Sanchez who joined the Waco Tribune-Herald. She has been with the newspaper for 10 years.

Daron Beckham joined the Jacksonville Daily Progress as sports editor. He came from the copy editor job at The Facts in Clute. He replaced Richard Nelson who was promoted to news editor.

Chuck Bloom, veteran Texas newspaper writer-editor, is expected to return to work with DFW Community Newspapers this month after recovering from triple bypass open-heart surgery in mid-December in Dallas. Bloom was editor of the Plano Star Courier and has been editor of Lancaster Today and many other Texas newspapers. He is a past South Texas Press and Texas Gulf Coast Press association president and a former member of the TPA board of directors.

David Ray Bone is the new sports editor for The Wylie News and sister publications the Princeton Herald and Farmersville Times. He served in the Army Reserves for six years and graduated from Texas A&M University.

Lynn Brisendine, a TPA past president, was appointed publisher and elected president of the Seminole Sentinel. He became interim publisher in January after the retirement of longtime publisher Gene Dow. Brisendine also is publisher of The Brownfield News, a role he has served in for 25 years. Brisendine named Dave Fisher as managing editor. Fisher has been employed at the Sentinel since 1984 and was the editor.

Daphne Brown was named editor of DeSoto Today. She had been a staff and feature writer there for six months. She also worked for a daily in New Mexico.

Mike Burrow was named editor of The Graham Leader replacing Vicki Brown who is moving to Mississippi with her husband. Burrow is a veteran community journalist from Arkansas and has had stints at Texas newspapers, including the Tyler County Booster in Woodville.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has named its officers and directors for 2002. Wanda Garner Cash, publisher of The Baytown Sun and TPA treasurer, has been elected president of FOIFT. Cash served as the vice president in 2001. Other officers are Dionicio "Don" Flores, editor and publisher of the El Paso Times, vice president; Keith Shelton, journalist in residence at the University of North Texas, secretary; and Kathy Vetter, managing editor/enterprise and investigations of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, treasurer. Rhetta Kelley, director of community development and information ventures of the Austin American-Statesman, was appointed as a new director.

Directors re-elected were Daniel Cavazos, publisher of The Brownsville Herald; Tom Leatherbury, Dallas attorney with Vinson & Elkins; John Lumpkin, The Associated Press’ bureau chief for Texas; and Cathy Martindale, executive editor of the Amarillo Globe-News.

Shelia Friedeck is the new reader representative of The Beaumont Enterprise. She will work to improve the newspaper’s communication with readers and response to their requests. She joined the staff in 1979 as food editor and has been assistant managing editor since 1997.

Jay Graham is the new editor of the Lindale News & Times. He has worked at newspapers in Clear Lake and Jacksonville.

Joanie Griffin has added the role of editor and publisher of The Sealy News to her current publisher job at the Colorado County Citizen in Columbus. She first worked for the News in 1991 and became ad sales director after a few years. She left in 1999 to start her own printing business and six months later was offered the opportunity to head up the Citizen. Both newspapers are owned by Granite Publications.

John Hasselmeier is the new managing editor of the Castro County News in Dimmitt. He came from a sports reporter position at the Palestine Herald Press.

Houston Chronicle Chairman Richard J.V. Johnson will retire April 1 after a 46-year career that saw him rise from a promotion department copywriter to the highest positions in the newspaper's organization. Johnson will maintain a consulting relationship with the Chronicle and Hearst Corp., the parent company. In 1955, Johnson joined the Texas Daily Newspaper Association as assistant to the executive director. In 1956, Johnson began his career with the Chronicle as a copywriter. In 1957, he became assistant promotion manager and in 1958 research and promotion manager. In 1965, he was named director of research and promotion. He was named director of sales and marketing in 1971, and the following year he was made an executive vice president. In 1973, following the death of Chronicle President Frank E. Warren, Johnson was appointed to that position.

Kay Ledbetter received the State Friend of Extension Award at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Program Conference in January in College Station. She is assistant regional editor of the Amarillo Globe-News where she has worked for 20 years.

Emily Cates Lee became the fourth generation family member to be involved with the Daily Commercial Record in Dallas. She currently is working in the McKinney office where she is updating the Collin County version of the Record. Her great-grandfather William H. Taliafferro published the Record from 1911-52. His daughter and son-in-law Kathryn Taliafferro Cates and Nuel Cates Sr. ran the paper from 1952-77 until their son, E. Nuel Cates, Emily Cates Lee’s father, took over.

Don McAlister, editor of the Taylor Daily Press, received the Citizen of the Year award, presented by the Taylor Rotary Club. McAlister is a member of the YMCA’s local operations board, a past member of Kiwanis and a member of the Taylor Rotary Club, where he serves as chairman of the public relations committee. He was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship in 2001. He served as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce’s transportation committee, working with the Texas Department of Transportation, and was one of the original organizers of the Taylor Leadership Committee.

Terri McCreary, publisher of The Greenville Herald Banner and The Commerce Journal, has been named to the same post at The Courier News of Elgin, Ill. Chris Voccio was named as her replacement. Voccio came from a two-year stint as advertising director of the Terre Haute (Ind.) Tribune Star. He also has worked for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Gerry Meraz has been named general manager of the Taylor Daily Press. He came from the Natchez (Miss.) Democrat where he was advertising manager. He also has worked for the Houston Chronicle.

Temple Pouncey retired as editor of the Van Alstyne Leader in December. He worked in sports and journalism for many years and in the ‘80s wrote for the Dallas Times Herald.

Jessie Progar is the new staff writer for The Rowlett Lakeshore Times. She is a graduate of the University of North Texas.

Kathy Sarabia was named editor and publisher of the Fort Stockton Pioneer. She began her career with the newspaper in 1996 and was promoted to publisher in 1998 but left a year later to have a baby. She rejoined the staff late last year as creative director. She replaced publisher Steve Van Cleve, who relocated out of state.

The Texas City Sun announced several staff changes.Writer Lora-Marie Bernard was named senior reporter. She has been at the newspaper for three years. Jeff Morris was named as the new city editor. His other newspaper stints included sports editor at the Victoria Advocate Bay City office and the Big Spring Herald. Michael Smith came on board as a reporter. He attends College of the Mainland in Galveston County. Returning to the staff as reporter and lifestyle editor is Clarissa Silva. She had been with the Sun since 1998 but left over the summer to pursue another career.

Betty Wilke was named division controller by the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. She joined the newspaper in 1968, was promoted to assistant accounting manager in 1975 and accounting manager in 1993.

The Williamson County Sun in Georgetown announced several staff changes and appointments. Jeff Dorsch is the new city reporter. He hails from New York where he wrote and edited a print and Internet publication. Aaron Kutzer is the new county and crime reporter. He previously covered education for the Round Rock Leader. Galen Wellnicki is the new sports editor. He brings 40 years experience including stints at the San Marcos Record, San Angelo Standard Times, Bryan College Station Eagle, Austin American-Statesman and Amarillo Globe News. Ginsie Stauss-Doran is the new art department head. She started last March as graphic artist.

Joshua Young joined the Van Alstyne Leader as sports writer. He wrote for the Austin College Observer and became sports editor in 2000.

Gail Diane Yovanovich joined the Alpine Avalanche as news reporter. She came from New Jersey.