News Briefs

Tri County Leader sells to Bluebonnet Publishing

WHITEHOUSE — Bill and Glynda Ellman, owners of the Tri-County Leader since 1990, have sold the newspaper effective April 30 to Bluebonnet Publishing LLC, of Tyler.

Bluebonnet Publishing also owns the Kilgore News Herald, a five-day-a-week newspaper serving parts of Gregg, Rusk and Smith counties.

Ellman, who was with the Overton Press for 24 years, sold the Press in 1987 and later founded the Leader after the Troup Times Banner and Whitehouse Journal folded.

Bluebonnet Publishing is owned by Bill and Nanette Woodall of Tyler and the B. J. Reid Family L.P. of Tulsa, Okla.

“Throughout my 60-year career I often wondered if I would know when it was time to retire and would be able to do it,” Ellman said. “I think the answer is yes and the time is now. The years have taken their toll and I feel that I no longer have the energy and ‘fire in-the-belly’ desire needed to give the growing Whitehouse/Troup area people the newspaper leadership they need and deserve.”

“The Leader represents an exciting opportunity for us,” said Woodall, who will serve as publisher. “Like every publisher in East Texas we’ve watched Whitehouse and Troup grow.

“We know them as two of the fastest-growing communities in this part of the state. Growth makes for good reading and good reading makes for good newspaper subscribers. Bill (Ellman) has done a terrific job with the Leader and we hope just to do as good a job as he has.”

Mary Anne Coney, advertising director, and Jim Brown, reporter-photographer, are expected to remain with the Leader. The newspaper will be printed at the company’s production facility in Kilgore.

Friona, Bovina see 1st owner change in more than 30 years

FRIONA — Carol and Bill Ellis sold the Friona Star and Bovina Blade to longtime employee Vickie Copley.

Bill Ellis, a past president of Panhandle Press Association, had edited and/or published the Star since June 1962 and has owned it since 1968 when they bought it from Joe Osborn. In April 1973 the couple bought the Blade. They plan to retire in Friona and publish family-history books.

Copley has served as production superintendent for nearly 35 years.

The rest of the staff is expected to remain the same — Ron Carr, managing editor since 1995, Marlene Mueller as receptionist/bookkeeper and newcomer Nathan Parson, who came on board in 2002.

Van weekly folds

VAN — The Area Times Dispatch ceased publication in March. The newspaper was published by freshman state Rep. Dan Flynn, whose District 2 covers Rains, Hunt and Van Zandt counties.

In 2001 the newspaper was located in Grand Saline and was called The Times-Dispatch. It received periodical mailing privileges in 2000 and became a TPA member later that year. The newspaper moved to Van in 2001 and was renamed The Area Times Dispatch.

Victoria NIE program tastes great to earn money

VICTORIA — The Victoria Advocate takes part in a unique fund-raiser to generate money for its Newspaper In Education program.

The event is “A Taste of Victoria” where local restaurants offer guests a sampling of their fare to raise money for the Mid-Coast Restaurant Association as well as the Advocate in Education program, the newspaper’s name for its NIE program.

The AIE program spans 14 counties and reaches nearly 3,000 students and 160 teachers.