Bobby Allen was promoted to sports editor of the Snyder Daily News. He had been sports writer since May. He filled the spot vacated by Eric Drennan who moved to the Abilene Reporter-News.

Stephanie Allmon was promoted to editor of the Brazos Living section of the Waco Tribune-Herald. She has worked at the Indianapolis Star and Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Austin American-Statesman staff writers Denise Gamino and David Hafetz won first place awards for distinguished coverage of children and family from the Casey Journalism Center at University of Maryland. Gamino has been on staff since 1984 and Hafetz for four years.

The Bastrop Advertiser hired several new correspondents to help expand its coverage. They include Melissa Abbey-Duncan, Erin Baker, Charlie Chester and Karol Rice.

Philip Billnitzer is the new managing editor of the Bandera Bulletin. He most recently worked for the Seguin Daily News and KWED radio.

Ed Bishop has been named publisher of Highland Lakes Newspapers, which includes The Highlander in Marble Falls and Burnet Bulletin. Ron Tate will continue as general manager for the newspapers. Since 1999 Bishop has been publisher of four newspapers in Alabama. Before that he was publisher of the Waxahachie Daily Light and worked at the Brownwood Bulletin.

Ted Buss left his post as business editor of the Wichita Falls Times-Record-News for a newly created position at Midwestern State University. He had worked at the newspaper since the 1960s.

Latona Davis joined the Plainview Daily Herald as advertising account executive. She previously was office manager for a local well company.

The Ennis Daily News said goodbye to one managing editor and hello to another.Sarah Stephens resigned to move with her husband to Montgomery, Ala. where he is stationed at Maxwell Air Force base. Alvin Polk replaced her as managing editor.

Brian James Honea joined the Farmersville Times, Princeton Herald and Wylie News as sports editor. He came from two Metroplex newspapers and is working on a degree at Amberton University.

The Houston Chronicle announced three new key positions. Pete McConnell was promoted to suburban editor. He had been deputy national editor and has 27 years experience. Laura Tolley was named state editor. She came from the political editor position at the San Antonio Express-News and has 18 years’ experience with Associated Press and four daily newspapers. John Wilburn was appointed assistant managing editor to oversee the Sunday editions. He came on board from a position with a Houston TV station’s Web site and has 26 years’ media experience.

Beverly Horton is the new sales rep and writer for the Buna Beacon. She grew up in Buna and recently relocated from Ohio.

Betty Humphrey celebrated 50 years on the job at The Herald Coaster in Rosenberg. She has held various positions in the newsroom over the years and has interviewed many celebrities. She also wrote the “Bits from Betty” column.

The Idalou Beacon hired Jennifer Moore as managing editor. Yancy Embry joined the staff as office manager.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is the recipient of the 2002 Philanthropic Award from the Lubbock Area Chapter of the Association of Fund-raising Professionals. Approximately 75 percent of the newspaper’s employees are involved in some sort of charitable activity. In other news, Editor Randy Sanders and editorial writer Joe Gulick were recognized with honorable mentions by Southern Newspaper Publishers Association in the Carmage Walls Commentary Prize Contest.

Marc R. Masferrer, managing editor of The Lufkin Daily News, has been promoted to editor. The previous editor, Gary Borders, was named executive editor. Borders also is editor and publisher of The Daily Sentinel in Nacogdoches.

Cerise Merritt is the newest reporter for The Brownfield News. She moved from San Marcos.

The National Federation of Press Women named four Texans among the winners in its annual communications competition. Patsy Welch-Hamilton of the Sherman Denison Herald-Democrat won third place for photography. Carol Ferguson of the Greenville Herald Banner, also won a third place. Anna Tinsley of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram won a second place. Mary Lou Hazal of Texas A&M-Commerce won a second and third place.

Edwin Newton returned to the Azle News and sister publication Springtown Epigraph as editor after nearly a yearlong absence. He served as news editor in the late ’80s and returned in 1998 as managing editor. In May 2001 he left the to become human resources manager for a local landscaping company.

Bobby Simons succeeded Charity Galan as Hereford Brand sports editor. Galan, the first female sports editor at the newspaper, moved to Monahans. Simons graduated from West Texas A&M University in May.

Chris Smith is the new sports reporter for the Corsicana Daily Sun. He graduated in August from Abilene Christian University.

Mickey Smith joined the Jacksonville Daily Progress as sports editor. He has been a correspondent in East Texas for 16 years.

Elizabeth Ann Stone, editor of The Cooper Review, married Seth Levi Pinson, chief of the Peerless Fire Department on June 8.

Wesley R. Turner, president and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, won the John S. Knight Gold Medal, the highest corporate honor given by the nation’s second largest newspaper group Knight Ridder. More than 19,000 employees at 32 dailies were eligible for the award.

The Weatherford Democrat announced several staff changes. Darren Victory is the new managing editor. He most recently was national reporter at the Dallas bureau of Thomson Financial Media. He also has worked at the Corsicana Daily Sun, Waco Tribune Herald and Waxahachie Daily Light. Kent Mahoney is the new sports editor. He has 21 years’ experience in journalism, primarily in sports. Ann Pinson is a new reporter. She has interned at The Dallas Morning News and an Air Force magazine.

Albert Villegas was hired as news editor for Legacy Newspapers, which owns the Medina Valley Times and Castroville News-Bulletin. He succeeded Natalie Spencer who was named publisher recently. Villegas is an eight-year newspaper veteran and most recently worked as copy editor at the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Shonda Whitworth joined the Del Rio News-Herald as feature writer. She was a free-lance writer and spent four years in the military.

J.L. Werst, father of Big Lake Wildcat publisher David Werst and a former newspaperman, suffered a stroke last month. While he cannot talk, his family said he is alert and loves to read. Cards with well wishes may be sent to Reagon County Care Center, c/o J.L. Werst, 805 N. Main, Big Lake, TX 76932.

Keven Ann Willey is the new editorial page editor of The Dallas Morning News. She will replace Rena Pederson, who had been in the post for 16 years but is taking on an editor-at-large position. Willey came from the Arizona Republic where under her direction the staff was a 2001 Pulitzer Prize finalist for a series of editorials on Arizona redistricting reform.

Brenda Winters is a new reporter at The Bay City Tribune. She graduated this year from the University of Houston with a degree in English.

Lauri Zachry came on board at the Moore County News-Press in Dumas as general assignment reporter. She graduated in December 2001 from West Texas A&M University where she wrote for the college newspaper The Prairie.