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Newsmakers

Promotions, staff additions at Texas newspapers.

Adrian O’Hanlon III
Herald Democrat
SHERMAN – Texoma native Adrian O’Hanlon III has returned to the Sherman Herald Democrat as executive editor.
The appointment was announced by Texoma Marketing and Media Group, which publishes the Herald Democrat, four weeklies and three magazines, among other publications. 
O’Hanlon, who previously served as a sportswriter for the newspaper from 2014-2015, took over from outgoing Executive Editor and Associate Publisher Jonathan Cannon, who left the publication after nearly a decade.
TMMG Senior Group Publisher Nate Rodriguez said O’Hanlon was hired after a national search.
O’Hanlon attended Texas A&M University, where he graduated from the school’s Agricultural Communications and Journalism Program. While pursuing his master’s degree at the University of North Texas, O’Hanlon began working as a sportswriter for the Herald Democrat. 
After leaving the Herald Democrat in 2015, O’Hanlon joined the McAlester News-Capital as its sports editor. He was he was promoted to news editor in July 2017. The newsroom of the News-Capital was recognized for news coverage with first place for its elections coverage at the 2018 Society of Professional Journalists Oklahoma Awards. O’Hanlon personally won first place in sports reporting and was recognized for his in-depth reporting of a well explosion in Quinton, Oklahoma, this year. 
Cannon started at the Herald Democrat as a reporter in 2009, following a stint as an intern in 2008. Following the resignation of longtime editor Don Eldredge, Cannon was named editor of the newspaper in 2013. He was promoted to executive editor in 2016 and took over management of TMMG’s weekly publications, as well as the annual Best of Texoma magazine. 
Cannon announced his plans to leave the Herald Democrat in the fall as part of a move to the Oklahoma City area with his family.

Doug Hensley
Gatehouse Media West Texas
AMARILLO – Doug Hensley is the new associate regional editor and director of commentary for GateHouse Media West Texas.
In his new role, Hensley manages and writes editorial content for both the Amarillo Globe-News and the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Hensley grew up in Dalhart and worked at the Avalanche-Journal from 1981 through 2007. He started as a part-time sports reporter and left as assistant managing editor.
Group Publisher Robert Granfeldt said he is delighted to welcome Hensley back to the newspaper business. The two previously worked together at the Avalanche-Journal for nearly two decades.
Hensley has more than 35 years of writing and communication experience. He has also worked with United Supermarkets, Texas Tech University System and Reagor-Dykes Auto Group. He has written, co-written, edited or ghost-written nine books, most recently 100-year histories of United Supermarkets and Covenant Health.
Hensley moved to Lubbock from Dalhart in 1980 to attend Texas Texas Tech University, where he earned a bachelor of arts in journalism. He served as an adjunct professor in the College of Media & Communication at his alma mater from 2004-2016. He will return to teach a journalism lab at the college in the spring.
He is also a licensed pastor and currently serves at Forrest Heights United Methodist Church in Lubbock.
Most recently, Hensley served as the chairman of the Lubbock Area United Way’s annual campaign. He has volunteered with the organization for about 25 years. He has also volunteered with Early Learning Centers of Lubbock, Parenting Cottage and the Martin Luther King Commemorative Council of Lubbock.
Hensley and his wife Tammy, have two children, Hayden and Kerrigan. Both attend West Texas A&M University.

Adam Young
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
LUBBOCK – Adam Young has been promoted to managing editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Local news editor since 2013, Young started working at the Avalanche-Journal as the night police and general assignments reporter in 2009, before moving to the government beat. 
He is from Abilene, and graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with honors in 2008. As a student, he worked at The Daily Toreador and La Ventana yearbook. He completed an internship with the Avalanche-Journal in summer 2008.
He has personally earned several company and statewide awards for journalism and reporting during his career at the newspaper and has guided his staff in winning others.
Young has also served as a judge grading University Interscholastic League high school journalism district and regional contests in Lubbock for the past several years.

Ariel Lutnesky
Kerrville Daily Times
KERRVILLE – Ariel Lutnesky is a new general assignment reporter for The Kerrville Daily Times.
She is responsible for covering law enforcement and first responder calls, as well as pitching in for anything else that needs to be covered.
A 2018 graduate of the University of New Mexico, where she majored in English with a minor in communication, Lutnesky worked for the student newspaper, the Daily Lobo, and freelanced for her local paper, the Portales News Tribune. 
After graduation she moved to the San Antonio area to be near family. Lutnesky was with Sea World for about eight months before joining the Times staff.