Four Austin American-Statesman feature writers won awards from the American Society of Sunday and Feature Editors. First-place winners were Michael Corcoran for arts and entertainment features and Brad Buchholz for commentaries. Denise Gamino won a second place and Kevin Robbins received an honorable mention.

Joe Baker, publisher of The Countywide in Karnes City, and his wife Pamela, a reporter at the newspaper, welcomed a new addition to their family. Their first child Molly Theresa Baker was born on July 11 at 9:51 p.m. In other news, Rachel M. Kibbe is the new reporter/photographer at The Countywide. She joined the staff in May and replaced two part-time reporters.

T.C. Baker, photographer for the Victoria Advocate, was elected secretary of the National Press Photographers Association during the annual board meeting. He will serve as the recording secretary on the executive committee for the organization that represents 10,000 members nationwide.

The Beeville Bee-Picayune announced three staff changes. Cori Longoria Stewart (center) is flanked by the two newest members of the staff, Charles Steward, left, and Austin Kremers. Stewart was previously editor of The Progress, the newspaper serving Live Oak and McMullen counties, which is owned by the Beeville Publishing Co. She recently was promoted to assistant editor of the Bee-Picayune and began her duties in late April. Steward has more than 20 years experience writing and editing newspapers and working in the communications field in the Corpus Christi area. He joins the Bee-Picayune as county/state beat reporter. Kremers, a recent A.C. Jones High School graduate, has rejoined the staff as a summer intern before attending Trinity University where he is interested in pursuing a journalism degree.

Carol Bond was named publisher of the Sweetwater Reporter, replacing her father Hank Bond who moved to the same role at the Big Spring Herald. She has 20 years of experience in newspapers, including the last nine as publisher of the Grayson County (Ky.) News-Gazette. From 1987-92 she worked in the family’s four-weekly group in Kentucky. Hank Bond became publisher to replace Kenneth Dulaney, who died June 9 following a brief illness.

Dorothy Crawford was named classified advertising manager of The Paris News. She started at the newspaper in 1976 as receptionist and two years later moved to the classified department. She left in 1993 but returned in 1998 to retail advertising.

The Dallas Business Journal made two promotions. Tarrant/Denton bureau chief Kerry Curry was named managing editor. She formerly worked for the Austin American-Statesman and Amarillo Globe-News and joined the staff in 1998. Michael Whiteley, who came on board in October 2000, was named her replacement.

DFW Community Newspapers announced a restructuring of company management. New operational directors include Mike Essess, advertising; Linda Amaout, finance; Lee Ann Mitchell, circulation; Jackie Fleming, community relations; Rodger Cramer, news; and Bill Baldwin, production.Other key appointments include Mike Norris as editor of the Plano Star Courier; Leah Shafer as editor of newspapers in Carrollton, Coppell and The Colony; Dave Sorter as editor in Lewisville, Flower Mound and Southlake; and Daren Watkins as editor in Mesquite and Rowlett. Newcomers Esses and Mitchell both came from Montgomery Newspapers in Pennsylvania where Esses was corporate vice president of advertising sales and marketing. Mitchell established the first U.S.-based advertising, marketing and circulation offices for the European and Pacific Stars and Stripes. Armaout had been controller for several months and Fleming was Courier publisher since 2000. Cramer has been editor for several Texas and Illinois newspapers and Baldwin became Plano production director in 1995.

The Fayette County Record added two people to the staff. Carolyn Bartosh took over as the new Ellinger correspondent and Texas A&M graduate Sara Muras rejoined the staff for the summer while working toward graduate school.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas named its new executive director, making permanent the interim position Katherine Garner has held for several months. Garner assumed full responsibility for the daily operation of the foundation, which educates and promotes the rights and responsibilities of access to public records and meetings. She replaces Nancy Monson, who retired last fall as FOIFT’s first executive director. Garner has been with the foundation for eight years, serving in several positions, including assistant executive director and director of special projects.

Melissa Galloway, a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, made national news when she made a unique discovery while walking on the Bolivar Peninsula, near Galveston. She found a bottle with a note written by an Irishman who had thrown the bottle overboard in 1999 while traveling on the Queen Elizabeth II. The man tossed the wine bottle with his note at the exact spot where the Titanic went down in 1912, about 160 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland. The man was so excited that his bottle was found, he sent Galloway a video his wife took of him throwing the bottle overboard.

Darlene Gifford is the first person to serve in the new position of community relations director for the Midland Reporter-Telegram. She worked for Southwestern Bell for more than three decades before retiring in 1990.

Michael Gray took advantage of a state program to land a summer job at the Clarksville Times. A high school student, Gray is participating in the Job Training Program Association through the Texas Workforce Commission. The program helps children ages 14 to 18 get summer employment.

Ronnie Greer stepped down as sports editor of the Ennis Daily News after four years to pursue other interests.

Jennifer Gruber moved to the Jacksonville Daily Progress newsroom as staff writer from a position as graphic artist. Before coming to Jacksonville, she was editor of the Ennis Daily News for one year.

Roy Gutierrez is the new managing editor of The Angleton Times. He came from the Bay City Tribune where he worked several years as lifestyles editor.

The Huntsville Item made one promotion and shifted two staff positions. Emilie Hornak, who has interned at the newspaper for a year, was named as the new education reporter. She will graduate in August from Sam Houston State University. Mark Passwaters, a Texas A&M University graduate, will become the prison reporter. Amy Westerman, a recent University of Texas graduate, will take over the city and county beat.

Longtime Amarillo Globe-News publisher Garet von Netzer announced that he will be stepping down at the end of the year but will remain heavily involved with the paper as a columnist and working with marketing initiatives. Von Netzer, who began work with the Globe-News papers as a sportswriter more than 31 years ago, has been responsible for the entire newspaper operation as either general manager or publisher for the last 15 years. Von Netzer’s career with the Globe-News includes a 10-year stint as a sports editor.

Dave Lieber was named the 2002 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award winner by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He works for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram northeast Tarrant County edition and won for a piece on a local charity.

Gene McDavid, former president and general manager of the Houston Chronicle, was inducted into the Mississippi Press Association’s Hall of Fame. He worked at the Chronicle from 1964-98 and began his career early as a Linotype operator at his father’s newspaper in Mississippi.

David May is the new editor of the Mineral Wells Index. He replaced Arlan Ponder who resigned to pursue other interests. May began his journalism career at the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung before moving to The Paris News. He also worked for Harte-Hanks Community Newspapers in Plano. His most recent position was managing editor of the Marshall News-Messenger.

Roberta Matthews came on board at the Alvin Sun as reporter. She came from a position in the information technology field.

John Melvin was appointed general manager or the Robertson County Group for American Consolidated Media. The newspapers include the Hearne Democrat, Calvert Tribune and Franklin Advocate. For the last five years he has worked in production and digital imaging at The Eagle in Bryan/College Station.

Mark Mulholland is the sales and marketing director for the Victoria Advocate. He was vice president of marketing for a Tampa, Fla. television station.

H.V. O’Brien, publisher of Eastland/Callahan County Newspapers, received the Outstanding Media Volunteer Service Award from the Texas Council of Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Centers in Dallas. O’Brien was honored for his efforts in providing public awareness to families in crisis.

Chris Porter joined The Examiner in Navasota as reporter after 13 years in the military. While in the Army, Porter wrote for the Fort Stewart, Ga. base newspaper, a job that took him as far away as Kuwait and Egypt.

Deirdre Reyna, editor of the Laredo Morning Times’ LMT Business Journal, received the Small Business Journalist of the Year Award from the Laredo Small Business Development Center.

Robert Rivard, editor and senior vice president of the San Antonio Express-News, was named a winner of the 2002 Maria Moors Cabot Prize by Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism.

Agnes and Tom Robertson, longtime society editors for Park Cities People, announced their retirement. Both in their 80s, the Robertsons have covered Dallas area society events for 20 years. More than 200 people attended a retirement send-off party for the couple.

The San Angelo Standard-Times has done it again. Assistant sports editor Terrence Thomas became the third staffer to be named sportswriter of the year by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. He joined the staff in 1991 after three years at the San Antonio Express-News.

Jake Shaw is the new city government reporter for the Bonham Favorite. He is a recent Baylor University graduate.

Richard Townley is leaving his yearlong post as editor of the Malakoff News to retire to Arkansas. He spent 32 years in the news business. Lou Antonelli, former publisher of the Cedar Hill Sentinel, will take his place. Antonelli came on board in January as staff writer.

Tommy Wells has been named sports editor of the Big Spring Herald. He traveled a long way for the job — coming from the Valdez Star in Alaska where he was general manager/ editor and sports editor for The Delta Discovery in Bethel, Alaska.

Bill Whitaker left his longtime post at the Abilene Reporter-News to become city editor at the Waco Tribune Herald. He joined the Reporter-News in 1977 and during the past 25 years has held several positions including entertainment editor, city editor and columnist.

Judy Williams is the new editor of the Cass County Sun. She replaced Elisabeth Finley who left after six years. Williams came from sister newspaper the Atlanta Citizens Journal where she reported on the area for three years.

Jimmy and Rene Wisch, founders of the Texas Jewish Post, will receive the Akiba Academy of Dallas’ Civic Service Award in October. The award, which recognizes people and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the Jewish community, is being presented posthumously to Jimmy Wisch, who died in January.