Newsmakers

New hires, promotions and other staff changes as reported in Texas newspapers.

TRISH CHOATE

Gannett

WICHITA FALLS – Trish Choate has been named editor of the Gannett newspapers in Wichita Falls, Abilene and San Angelo.

Choate served as interim editor of the publications beginning in March.

“Trish brings a depth of knowledge and vision to our team that is exciting,” said Jill Nevels-Haun, senior director of content, CCJ Gulf Group. “She understands community journalism and the importance of serving a community through content that engages with our readers on a daily basis.”

Choate has lived in Wichita Falls most of her life and received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English from Midwestern State University.

Choate’s news experience has ranged from politics and government, to crime, business, health, investigative reporting and feature writing.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to bring community journalism with impact to the Abilene Reporter-News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Wichita Falls Times Record News,” Choate said, “and I look forward to continuing to work with the outstanding journalists at these longtime publications to offer balanced, accurate, fair reporting to serve these communities.”

She joined the Times Record News first in 1992. Her roles with the newspaper have included regional editor and projects reporter.

She joined the Scripps Bureau in Washington, D.C., for eight years beginning in 2006 as Washington correspondent for that company’s Texas newspapers, which included the Times Record News, the Abilene Reporter-News and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

While there, she was part of a team that won a prestigious Peabody Award in 2015 for “Under the Radar,” a multimedia series that aired in November 2014 and exposed loopholes in registration laws for military sex offenders. A new federal law passed that closed the loophole in 2015.

She has also won awards from the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors, the Associated Press/Oklahoma News Executives and the Mental Health Association in Texas.

She returned to the Times Record News as a freelance writer in August 2017 and became enterprise watchdog reporter in May 2019 before assuming management duties.

MICHAEL S. McCRACKEN

Pittsburg Gazette 

PITTSBURG – Third-generation newspaper veteran Michael S. McCracken has joined the Pittsburg Gazette as advertising manager.

McCracken was born into the business. His late grandfather, Bert West, was a life-long newspaper journalist who once owned and operated the Daingerfield News-Ledger in the late 1970s and early 1980s. McCracken’s mother, Leidon West Eames, has also worked at various newspapers throughout her life. “I guess you can say that I have newspaper ink in my blood,” said McCracken. “I’ve been around it all my life and it’s just something I love to do.”

McCracken, a 1990 graduate of Daingerfield High School and a Marine Corps veteran, officially kicked off his newspaper career in 1993 as a sportswriter in the small south central Texas town of Yoakum, working with his grandfather.

“My grandfather handed me a camera and notepad and told me to go cover a football game,” McCracken recalled. He added that his grandfather continued to support his career and help him learn the business.

For the next 25 years, McCracken worked in all facets of the industry from sweeping the floors to serving as publisher. He worked with newspapers in Edna, Gonzales, Madisonville, Kenedy, Karnes City and Corpus Christi. Prior to relocating back to northeast Texas, McCracken worked in the automotive industry for seven years in Victoria and Cuero.

“We are happy to add an experienced community newspaper professional like Michael to our team. In returning to the area where he was born and raised, we believe he will be an asset to our newspapers, readers, advertisers and communities,” Mark Henry of Northeast Texas Publishing Company, LP, said.

EVAN GRICE

The Paris News

PARIS – Evan Grice is the new managing editor of The Paris News.

He brings 12 years of experience working with newspapers in Texas and Oklahoma. He has covered 99 state tournaments/competitions, along with 17 state championships, among many other sports and news events.

He is a native of Pampa and a 2011 graduate from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, with a bachelor degree in mass communications.

He has been the current assistant managing editor along with being interim sports editor since August 2023.

“Having been here a year covering sports and other areas, I know that the Red River Valley and the people of Paris and the surrounding counties depend on honest and trustworthy news. I plan to lead with my actions and bring the good people of this area a newspaper they can depend on and be proud of in Northeast Texas.”

The Paris News publisher Clay Carsner said he is excited to see Grice at this new position in the newsroom.

“I’m excited for Evan taking on the leadership role of managing editor and look forward to him growing our news staff and focusing on local first content that our readers want,” Carsner said. Grice will be covering sports on an interim basis until a replacement is named to fill the sports editor position at The Paris News, at which time he will be the full time managing editor of the newsroom.

DR. JANET CUNNINGHAM

The Progress

THREE RIVERS – South Texas News has named Dr. Janet Cunningham editor of The Progress.

She joined the staff as a reporter just over a year ago. She has covered local events, community organizations and government meetings while ensuring the newspaper remains a vital source of community-focused news in Live Oak and McMullen counties.

Cunningham brings a wealth of experience to her new role. Before her work in journalism, she retired from a 45-year career in education, during which she served as a teacher, counselor, principal, central office administrator and executive director of Education to Employment Partners, a nonprofit organization connecting education with workforce development.

Her work in education spanned schools across the Coastal Bend, including Sinton, Mathis, Calallen and Corpus Christi. She earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate in Educational Leadership through a joint program offered by Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and Texas A&M University - Kingsville.

Originally from Corpus Christi, Cunningham and her husband Lance moved to a ranch near George West 14 years ago, where they raise cattle and enjoy competitive shooting. 

“We are delighted to have Dr. Janet Cunningham as our new editor,” South Texas News Publisher Dennis Wade said. “She is dedicated, professional and deeply committed.”