News Briefs

First Amendment session delves into press freedom

The First Amendment Institute May session focused on Freedom of the Press, “an issue near and dear to all of our hearts,” said Jay White, publisher of The Munday Courier and the 2004 TPA First Amendment Institute scholarship winner.

“Susan Ross from Washington State University conducted our class and lead us through a number of complex current issues helping us to identify restraints along the way,” White said.

“Susan was an excellent communicator who provided exercises which drew a group of diverse individuals closer together ultimately leading to a less inhibited, intense discussion of ‘Freedom of the Press.’”

The FAI is conducted by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. TPA provides an annual scholarship to one individual from a member newspaper. The scholarship covers tuition and meals and the selected participant pays travel and hotel room costs.

The FAI scholarship is open to any employee of a TPA member newspaper and individuals from varied backgrounds and departments are encouraged to apply. The 2005 scholarship deadline will be Nov. 1.

2 Hill Country newspapers sell, merge with competitors

BOERNE — Texas Heritage Newspapers, LLC sold the Hill Country Recorder and The Bandera Review to Hill Country Newspapers on June 30.

The two weeklies will merge with their competitors in each town, The Boerne Star and Bandera Bulletin.

The merger means the Recorder and Review will cease to exist as stand-alone publications and the Star and Bulletin names will not change.

The Recorder was founded in 1984 and reported 5,112 circulation on its October postal statement. The Review was founded in 1997 and reported 3,507 on its postal statement.

Dennis Thomas was president of Texas Heritage Newspapers and was represented by Dirks, Van Essen & Murray in the sale.

“Consolidating the ownership of newspapers in communities of this size makes good economic sense and in the long term will better serve the community,” said Hill Country Newspapers president and Star publisher Brian Cartwright.

Hill Country Newspapers is a subsidiary of Granite Publications, which also publishes the Taylor Daily Press and 10 additional weeklies.

 

Crosbyton gets new owner

CROSBYTON — The Crosbyton Review sold to R&S Publishing last month.

New owners are attorney Don Richards and Charles Schovajsa, who will serve as publisher, editor and ad director. Richards also co-owns the Hale Center American.

The previous owner Terry Ervin had been associated with the newspaper since 2001 and was sole owner since September 2003.

Sterling City N-R closes

STERLING CITY — The Sterling City News-Record ceased publication May 14.

Editor and publisher John Wintringham wrote in an April 30 column that advertising sales were down more than 50 percent compared to three years ago when he took over, the San Angelo Standard-Times reported. Wintringham, a local minister, bought the paper with grants and loans from the Sterling City Economic Development Corporation, most of which has been paid back, the Standard-Times reported.

The newspaper was founded in 1890 and claimed 528 circulation on its October 2003 postal statement.

The closure leaves Sterling County without a paid circulation newspaper. Only 12 of Texas’ 254 counties do not have a paid newspaper, Glasscock, Hartley, Irion, Kenedy, Kent, King, Lasalle, Loving, McMullen, Real, Terrell and now Sterling.

Monahans cuts staff

MONAHANS — The Monahans News cut three employees, half of its full-time staff, due to lagging sales, the newspaper’s editor and publisher said.

The employees, which included the managing editor and sports editor, were laid off last month, Smokey Briggs, told the San Angelo Standard Times.

Briggs bought the newspaper in August and changed its frequency to semiweekly from weekly. Briggs named his brother, Brenden Briggs, as news editor and lead reporter for the News.

Sudan owners look for new buyers

SUDAN — Jeff and Monica Procter, publishers of the Sudan Beacon-News, announced they are actively seeking to sell the weekly.

“We’ve enjoyed a good run with the paper,” Jeff Procter said, “but it’s time for us to pass it on.”

The couple has owned the paper for two years. During that time they have increased subscription sales and expanded coverage to include Amherst.

If the paper has not sold by next month, the Procters said they will have to close it.

 

New Spanish daily launches in Valley

McALLEN — On July 1 Freedom Communications Inc. launched a new Spanish-language daily newspaper called La Frontera.

La Frontera will publish Monday through Saturday with the Saturday edition as a weekend package.

La Frontera is planned as a complement to Freedom’s already established Spanish-language daily newspaper, El Nuevo Heraldo, which publishes in Brownsville, and recently became available in the Harlingen area.

Veteran staff member Marcia Caltabiano Ponce, who has worked for The Monitor for almost 23 years, will lead La Frontera.