Dan Bell is the new criminal justice, police and courts reporter for The Huntsville Item. He came from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Bruce Castelberry joined Van Zandt Newspapers as sports editor. He came from corporate communications but before that covered sports and autos for The Dallas Morning News.

Rodger Cramer is the new managing editor for the Plano Star Courier and senior editor for DFW Community Newspapers Inc., which publishes 14 newspapers in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs. Cramer had been an editor for The Dallas Morning News in its suburban operations for the past 12 years. Since coming to Texas from Illinois in 1981, he had served as editor of the Marshall News Messenger and as city editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

M. Gene Dow retired late last year after 12 years as publisher of the Seminole Sentinel. He had been in newspapers for 50 years and started as editor of his father’s, Melvin N. Dow, newspaper, the Wink Bulletin. He became news editor of the Monahans News in 1956 but after two years he and his new wife, Joyce, bought the Van Horn Advocate, which they published for more than 13 years. He also acquired the Hudspeth County News during that time. He returned to newspapers in the mid ’80s after a stint in computer sales and was managing editor of the Colorado City Record before being selected to head the Sentinel. His daughter Dana Joyce is advertising director for the Mineral Wells Index. Lynn Brisendine, publisher of the fellow Roberts Publishing newspaper the Brownfield News, will oversee the Sentinel in the interim.

Veronica Flores, assistant state editor for the San Antonio Express-News, wed Robert Paniagua, a TV news photographer, Nov. 24.

Otis Francis retired after 20 years in the editorial department of the Sweetwater Reporter. He started as sports editor in December 1981.

Robert Garcia was named city editor of the Laredo Morning Times. He served as entertainment editor for the past year and returned to the Times in 1998. He has 17 years experience as a reporter.

Joanne Gosselin was named advertising director for the Amarillo Globe News. She succeeded Steve Beasley, who was promoted to director of sales. Gosselin had been retail advertising manager since 1990. She joined the newspaper in 1984 and was promoted to assistant retail advertising manager in 1988.

Kymbirlee Jeschke joined The Dublin Citizen as a reporter. She graduated in 1999 from Tarleton State University and is the former editor of an Arabian horse newspaper.

Chris Peck was chosen at the first endowed chairman of the Southern Methodist University journalism department. The Belo Distinguished Chair was made possible by a $5 million gift from the Belo Foundation, which also paid for a new digital facility at the school. Peck was editor of The Spokesman-Review, in Spokanne, Wash.

Jimmy Rainey took over the role of managing editor at The Angleton Times. He came from a Dallas-based entertainment magazine and before that was managing editor at the Wise County Messenger. He started in newspapers in 1985 and has worked at several in Texas and California. He replaced Linda Winder, who will remain associated with the Times.

Dan R. Robertson was named interim oil editor of the Midland Reporter-Telegram. He will take charge of the weekly Permian Basin Oil & Gas Report, which longtime oil editor John Paul Pitts edited until his death in October. Robertson previously worked in public policy issues for Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO) and founded The Robertson Group, a business consulting firm with offices in Austin and Midland.

Margaret Toal began as the new editor of the Orange Leader Dec. 3. She started her career with the Leader while still in high school and went on to work for the Lufkin Daily News, Sherman Democrat and Beaumont Enterprise. She also edited two weekly newspapers, one owned by the Leader and another owned by the Enterprise.