News Briefs

Sulphur Springs daily parent buys weekly in Leonard

LEONARD — Leonard Graphic owners Charles and Bethany Russell have sold the 115-year-old Leonard Graphic to Echo Publishing Company of Sulphur Springs.

Echo Publishing Co. Inc. publishes the daily Sulphur Springs News-Telegram, as well as six weekly publications.

Scott Keys, president of Echo Publishing Co., said there will be no major changes to the newspaper.

Kerry Craig has assumed the duties of managing editor for the Graphic after having served as assistant editor of the News-Telegram for the past five years.

Paula Claborn will remain with the Graphic as office manager.

The Graphic won Texas Press Association’s Division 9 Small Medium Weeklies Sweepstakes award in 2005. The Russells had owned the Graphic for nearly six years. They are expecting the birth of their fourth child this month.

Abernathy gets new owner

ABERNATHY — Eugene Bonds officially took ownership of the Abernathy Weekly Review Sept. 27.

Bonds has more than 30 years of experience in the newspaper business, having worked at The Canyon News, Amarillo Daily News and Odessa American. He was the general manager at Destination Magazine, a publication for the seat pockets of United Airlines. He has owned three weekly newspapers in Texas and New Mexico.

Bonds purchased the Weekly Review from Scott and Judy Luce, who have owned and operated the paper since July 1989 with the exception of a few months.

Morton changes hands

MORTON — Plains Press Inc. has purchased The Morton Tribune.

The purchase became official on Sept. 18 after Jeff Jordan, Plains Press owner, took ownership from Chris Woolam, former publisher of the Tribune.

Reporter and office manager Melissa M. Borrett, columnist Melinda Gandy, and sports writers James Lewis and Jason Fortner will continue with the Tribune. Jonathan Moore has also joined the staff

Woolam is running for the district and county clerk.

Jordan also owns the Knox County News.

18 ex-employees sue daily over layoffs

DALLAS — Eighteen former Dallas Morning News employees sued the newspaper and its parent company, Belo Corp., alleging they were discriminated against when they lost their jobs in a 2004 work reduction.

According to the lawsuit, the News told employees older than 40 that their jobs were being eliminated, but then hired or reassigned younger employees to fill those positions, and stereotyped them as unable to adapt to new technology.

The complaints are without merit, said Russ Coleman, Belo general counsel.

“We intend to defend them vigorously.”