Lockhart’s Garrett steps down, appoints Teale as publisher

LOCKHART – After 45 years as publisher of the 152-year-old Lockhart Post-Register, Dana Garrett is stepping down as publisher and naming Leesa Teale to take his place.

Garrett will maintain ownership of the business as well as an office at the LPR. During the next few weeks while Teale is meeting the community, Garrett will be handing over “Publisher” duties to allow him to “semi” retire from the day-to-day grind of the newspaper.

Garrett’s wife, Terri Garrett, who is a partner and business manager for the newspaper, will also continue to have a presence at the newspaper while her main focus is to continue to serve the community soup kitchen at the Little Green Church in Martindale every Wednesday.

The LGC Soup Kitchen just celebrated their 10th anniversary Wednesday in Martindale.

Garrett added, “I have been looking for someone with Leesa’s experience for quite some time, and now is the time. I am not going away, just stepping aside for a younger, more vibrant management style to help bring the Lockhart Post-Register into the second quarter of the 21st century.”

Teale said the new position as publisher and advertising director for the Post-Register “is such an exciting step.”

“Born and raised in east central town of Winchester, Indiana, I literally lived on the same block my entire life. When asked about moving so far away, I realized my kids are grown ... and living their own lives so now it’s time for me to branch out on my own,” Teale said.

Teale said after high school graduation, she remained in her small hometown to raise her family.

“My newspaper career began in December of 1994. Beginning as an advertising representative, I was promoted to advertising manager and then on to publisher in 2004. For five years I learned the ins and outs of running a newspaper, so much so that I could do anything needed to produce the daily paper, but just couldn’t run the printing press,” she said.

“Wanting to be the high school football and golf mom to my kids, in 2009 I made the decision to leave the newspaper industry to open my own print and ad agency. Although the company proved successful, I missed the newspaper industry,” she said.

“Over the years, I was approached about returning to the newspaper, but the time just wasn’t right. But in September of 2017, I did return to the industry....Fast forward to 2024 and here I am in Lockhart, Texas.”

Teale praised the local business community. “I always say it is great to have a big factory come to town and infuse a large investment into the area, but entrepreneurs, the mom and pop shops that dot the main corridors in any community, are the true backbone,” she said.

“This philosophy is never more true than with a local community newspaper. Sure, readers can get the national and state news from other outlets. But the feel-good news, you know the articles that are about your friends, family and neighbors, those you can’t find just anywhere. Those are the ones you read in your local newspaper.”