Lou Antonelli joined the staff of the Malakoff News as reporter and writer. He founded the Cedar Hill Sentinel in 1995 and owned and operated it until it folded this January. He also edited the Cedar Hill Chronicle from 1987-91.

Dusty Brittain joined the staff of The Gatesville Messenger as sports editor. He is a 1998 graduate of Gatesville High School where he played baseball and basketball and ran cross country.

Wilbur Callaway is the new editor and assistant publisher of the Grand Saline Sun and assistant publisher of the Edgewood Enterprise. He has worked for newspapers for 40 years, including 25 years as editor or managing editor.

Alison Cook joined the Houston Chronicle as restaurant critic. Her first review appeared in the Chronicle’s Feb. 8 Dining Guide. Cook travels the country writing restaurant reviews for Gourmet. From 1995-99, Cook was the food writer for Conde Nast’s House and Garden magazine. She also has contributed articles to Esquire, GQ, The New York Times Magazine, Texas Monthly, Travel & Leisure, Vogue, Self, Lear’s, HG and Business Week and previously reviewed the Houston restaurant scene for the Houston Press and Sidewalk’s Houston web site (now Citysearch).

Stuart Cunyus took on the dual role of sports and lifestyles editor at The Mountain Sun in Kerrville. He plans to expand the sports coverage into a B section of the newspaper. He has covered sports for the Sun and Kerrville Daily Times for six years.

The Elgin Courier announced the addition of two new employees. DB Bearden brings three decades of news experience to the newspaper as a part-time reporter covering the county. He also is a school official at an Austin performing arts academy. Deborah Alley will shoot local sports action on a part-time basis. She has worked for 23 years for Southwestern Bell.

Four San Antonio Express-News staff members received the 2001 Philip True Awards. Recipients included staff photographer Edward Ornelas, lead designer Todd Stewart and newsroom veterans Joyce Hotchkiss and Bill Hendricks. The award is named for True, the Express-News Mexico City bureau chief who was killed in December 1998 while studying the Huichol Indians. Funding for the award comes from the newspaper and True’s widow.

Phillip L. Hamilton is the new managing editor of The Paris News. He replaced Steve Brigman who left for a position at another newspaper. Hamilton came from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal where he edited LubbockOnline.com and RedRaiders.com, the newspaper’s online news and sports editions. He also has worked at the Plainview Daily Herald and Suburban Publishers, now known as Today Newspapers.

Tess Mallory joined The Wimberley View as a writer. She spent the last year and a half as lifestyles editor of the San Marcos Daily Record. She has authored five novels and has taught writing workshops.

Ken Martin is the new production manager for the Port Arthur News. He came from Bear River Publishing Co. in Idaho where he was production operations manager.

Juan A. Navejar Jr. is the new editor of the Duval County Picture. He spent four years as sports editor of the Alice Echo-News and eight years with the United States Air Force.

Jim Robertson was named vice president of acquisitions for Hartman Newspapers Inc. in Rosenberg. He had been publisher of the McKinney Courier-Gazette since 1990. Jim Moser, who was assistant publisher for the past two years, was named general manager and interim publisher.

Rita Rogers joined The Pilot Point Post-Signal as the Aubrey correspondent. She also will represent the newspaper in advertising sales in that area.

The Sealy News announced two promotions. Teresa Parsons, a writer for two years, was named managing editor. She will cover the city and school district. Lori Ann Speegle Lilley, a four-year staff member at the newspaper, was promoted to advertising director from advertising sales representative.

George Aaron Seguin joined The Panola Watchman as reporter/photographer. He is a graduate of the University of Texas-Austin.

The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise announced two staff changes. Wayne Frazer joined the staff as sports editor but was promoted a month later to managing editor. He took over the sports desk from Jesse Maldonado who moved to the sports department at the Midland Reporter-Telegram. Frazer worked for newspapers and a radio station in Illinois before coming to Seguin. Valerie Coronado also joined the staff to take over the features and lifestyles position previously held by Robin Blackburn-Jerkins. Coronado interned with the Williamson County Sun in Georgetown last summer.

The Silsbee Bee welcomed two new newsroom employees. Dwayne Davis, a former correctional officer and substitute teacher, and Stacy Henry, a December graduate from Texas A&M, joined the staff as writers.

Doyle Slaton was promoted to distribution manager of the Jacksonville Daily Progress. He had been assistant circulation manager prior to accepting the newly created position.

Richard and Tia Rae Stone took over operations of the Thorndale Champion on March 1. Stone, who serves as TPA’s Contest Committee chairman, is editor and publisher of The Cameron Herald. Both newspapers are part of Granite Publications, which owns 14 publications in Texas.

Keith Tanoos is the new circulation director of the Port Arthur News. He came from the Bremerton (Wash.) Sun where he also was circulation director. His other stints have included single copy sales manager at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver and positions at two Texas publishing companies.

The Waxahachie Daily Light named Neal White interim publisher. He has been editor since December 1997 and will retain that title and remain active in the newsroom operations during the interim. News editor JoAnn Livingston will assume leadership of day-to-day operations of the newsroom. Connie Poirier was promoted to general manager. She served as advertising manager since November 1998.