Austin daily’s parent buys triweekly in Round Rock

ROUND ROCK — Cox Texas Newspapers, publisher of the Austin American-Statesman, will purchase the Round Rock Leader from Todd Publications Inc. before the end of the year.

The Todds bought the newspaper in 1972.

Cox Texas Newspapers already owns six other community newspapers around Austin including semiweekly The Bastrop Advertiser.

Cain sells 3 weeklies to nearby daily owner

SHERMAN — Stephens Media LLC on Sept. 19 acquired three newspapers and a magazine from Cain Communications LLC.

The deal included the weeklies Anna-Melissa Tribune, Van Alstyne Leader and Prosper Press, and seasonal monthly Lake Texoma Life.

Stephens Media owns the daily Sherman-Denison Herald Democrat.

Will Cain, president of Cain Communications, decided to sell the newspapers because he is becoming increasingly involved in his national specialty magazine.

John Wright, publisher of the Herald Democrat, will be publisher and Jeremy A. Corley remains as editor. Wes King, Herald Democrat advertising director, will be advertising director.

Claude returns to local ownership

CLAUDE — After more than two decades, The Claude News is once again under local ownership.

Will and Jessica Montgomery officially took over as the new owners from the Miller family. Jessica Montgomery has been working at the news office since moving back home to Claude in July.

State adds another triweekly newspaper

CENTER — The Light and Champion became a triweekly newspaper Oct. 2.

Issues will be dated each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, arriving to home subscribers on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday according to publisher JoAnna Martin.

The Light and Champion becomes only the fourth triweekly in Texas, joining the Dalhart Texan, Childress Index and Round Rock Leader.

Miami changes hands

MIAMI — The Miami Chief is under new ownership. Leslie Espinosa purchased the newspaper from Sandy Black and will serve as editor, publisher and ad director.

Today groups expands into Grand Prairie

DESOTO — The new owners of Today Newspapers added Grand Prairie Today to their four other newspapers in DeSoto, Duncanville, Cedar Hill and Lancaster.

Robin Gooch and Kim Petty bought the newspaper group this summer. Gooch will serve as publisher and Petty as ad director. Kirk Dickey will be editor in Grand Prairie.

Austin offers audible edition to blind readers

AUSTIN — The Austin American-Statesman joined the state’s four other largest dailies in offering audible newspapers for readers who are blind or visually impaired.

The National Federation of the Blind created a phone number in which a synthetic speech engine called Newsline reads the news over the telephone free of charge to anyone who is unable to read print.  Content is taken electronically from the newspaper through a direct feed.

About 50,000 subscribers across the country listen to their newspapers.

Victoria daily gets 1st redesign in 16 years

VICTORIA — In September The Victoria Advocate unveiled its first redesign in 16 years. The newspaper changed type fonts, page design rules and the flag and added content.

Sweetwater daily adds all-Spanish page

SWEETWATER — The Sweetwater Reporter Oct. 1 began including Spanish language news in its Sunday edition. The special pages will be written in Spanish.