May 2007

News Briefs

Legacy changes hands

CASTROVILLE — Legacy Newspapers Inc. has a new owner.

Medina Valley Times and Castroville News-Bulletin publisher Natalie Spencer and her husband, Jerry Spencer, have purchased the newspapers along with its sister publications the County Post Express and Town & Country Properties, from Thomas and Albina Barnes.

The Barnes have elected to retire from the newspaper business and now live in Virginia.

Spencer began her tenure at the News-Bulletin as a reporter in October 1995. She took over newsroom operations in 1998 and was named publisher in 2002.

Olton gets new owner

OLTON — The Olton Enterprise is under new ownership of Plains Press, Inc. owned by Jeff Jordan.

The new editor is Tyler Jameson, who took over from Dana D. Jameson, his mother who moved to sister paper the Castro County News.

Coleman expands ‘family’

COLEMAN — Brett Autry welcomed his new partner Ken Cunningham at the Coleman Chronicle & Democrat Voice.

Brett Autry has been with the newspaper full-time since 1974, and has been a partner since 1984.

Cunningham is purchasing Michael Autry’s interest in the business. Cunningham is Brett Autry’s son-in-law.

Dallas M-News changes death penalty stance

DALLAS — The Dallas Morning News on April 15 ended its century-old support of the Texas death penalty and devoted its editorial section, Points, to establishing its strong opposition.

In doing so, the News became the largest newspaper in the state to call for the abolition of the death penalty. In the April 16 edition, the editorial board outlined steps that Austin should take to reform Texas law in this regard.

Over the past few years, the editorial board increasingly endorsed restrictions to the Texas death penalty, such as in cases involving minors or mental retardation. Recent technology advances regarding the use of DNA and new Texas laws allowing sentences of life without parole also contributed to the evolving criminal justice climate studied by the board as it reviewed its position over the past several months.

“This board has lost confidence that the state of Texas can guarantee that every inmate it executes is truly guilty of murder. We do not believe that any legal system devised by inherently flawed human beings can determine with moral certainty the guilt of every defendant convicted of murder, ” wrote the editorial board.

“That is why we believe the state of Texas should abandon the death penalty - because we cannot reconcile the fact that it is both imperfect and irreversible. ”

Contest garners 1,914 entries

AUSTIN — The 2007 Texas Press Association Better Newspaper Contest netted 1,914 entries from 187 newspapers.

Winners were notified earlier this month and the results will be announced June 23 at the 128th Summer Convention in San Antonio.

The contest entry count was up from last year’s 1,740 due to the reintroduction of the two special sections categories this year, which garnered 179 entries to increase the overall count.

Arkansas Press Association members judged the contest April 26 in Little Rock and TPA members returned the favor, judging APA ’s contests Feb. 16 in Decatur and May 10-11 in Austin.