TPA to honor seven newspaper veterans

Texas Press Association will honor seven newspaper veterans with the Golden 50 Award during the 2024 TPA Convention and Trade Show June 20-22 in College Station.

Golden 50 Awards recognizing five decades or more of service to the newspaper business will be presented to:

• Gary Borders, former publisher of a number of community newspapers, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park;

• Dan Eakin, whose newspaper career has included stints in Texarkana, Lufkin, Tyler, Wichita Falls, The Dallas Morning News, Pilot Point, Polk County, Carrolton, Red Oak, Coppell, Canton and Whitesboro, to name a few;

• Alvin Hartman, who has worked for the Muenster Enterprise since he graduated high school in 1946;

• Nanalee Nichols, former owner and editor of the Deport Times, Bogata News, Talco Times, Blossom Times and the Detroit Weekly, who is now a columnist for the Paris News;

• Sheila Plagens, co-publisher of the Colorado County Record;

• Maggie Rodriguez, award-winning sportswriter and photographer for the Pleasanton Express; and

• Greg Shrader, retired publisher and manager with daily newspapers in Bryan, Abilene, Galveston, Kerrville and Lufkin, who served as president of both the Texas Daily Newspaper Association and the Texas Press Association.

The awards will be presented during the Texas Newspaper Hall of Fame luncheon Friday, June 21.

The convention kicks off on Thursday, June 20, with the Robert Burns Memorial Golf Tournament, hosted this year by the Golf Club at Texas A&M. Activities open at the Hilton College Station Conference Center and Hotel at 1 p.m. Thursday with the Open Government Seminar. The Trade Show Reception opens at 5:30 p.m., giving attendees their first view of the nearly 40 displays and demonstrations by vendors as well as the many outstanding items up for bid in the silent auction benefiting the Texas Newspaper Foundation.

A full schedule of activities follows on Friday, culminating with a barbecue dinner at the Lucky B Bison Ranch featuring a performance by country music legend and Texas native Michael Martin Murphey. More sessions follow on Saturday morning, including a membership meeting when members will vote on a proposed change in the TPA by-laws. The final event, the contest awards brunch, will feature the passing of the gavel for installation of the new TPA president and awards in the Texas Better Newspaper Contest.