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Panhandle Press inducts Hudson, Carr into PPA Hall of Fame

The late Jim Hudson of Perryton, former Panhandle Press Association and Texas Press Association president, and the late Ron Carr, former Friona publisher, were inducted into the Panhandle Press Association Hall of Fame during the group’s 108th annual convention held in Childress.
Thursday’s welcome reception was held at the Childress County Heritage Museum, which prepared a special newspaper exhibit for those attending the convention.
Featured speakers at the convention were photographer Russell Graves and rodeo champion Stran Smith. On Friday, TPA’s Fred Anders presented Photoshop tips, attorney Don Richards spoke on Open Meetings and Open Records, and Laurie Brown shared stories about covering big news in a small town. A revenue idea roundtable and an ethics panel were held on Saturday.
At Saturday’s awards lunch, The Clarendon Enterprise won general excellence honors in Division One, and The Eastern New Mexico News topped Division Two. The Ken Towery Community Service Award was won by the Moore County News-Press of Dumas.
The induction of Hudson and Carr at the PPA Hall of Fame banquet Friday night was among the highlights of the convention.
Hudson assumed the position of publisher of The Perryton Herald after his father’s death in 1991. He began his career at the age of 9, working in the mailroom of The Ochiltree County Herald when the Hudson family purchased control of the newspaper in 1959. When the name changed to The Perryton Herald in 1962, he became one of the first newspaper carriers. He earned a bachelor of business administration in 1973 from the University of Texas at Austin. After a stint in Houston working for Mustang Tractor & Equipment Co, he returned to The Perryton Herald as general manager in 1985. In addition to serving his community, he served the Panhandle Press Association, the West Texas Press Association and the Texas Press Association. He was president of PPA in 1987-88 and served as TPA president in 1993-94. 
He died May 26, 2014 at the age of 63.
Carr was born Oct. 15, 1939, in Hillsboro. He graduated from Hillsboro High School and later served in the U.S. National Guard. 
He had a successful travel agency in Dallas, and worked for Braniff Airlines. However, one of his greatest business achievements was when he purchased the Friona Star from the Ellis family. 
As owner and publisher of the Star, he was a large part of many lives in Friona and Parmer County. He was a dedicated newspaperman and worked hard to cover his community and local school. 
His weekly “Out Here” column, featuring his take on the events of the day, was a PPA award winner. His dry wit, banter and love for Marilyn Monroe are legendary. 
Carr died Nov. 6, 2017, at the age of 78.
The PPA was led this year by Joni Yara of Booker. She was re-elected as president along with Ginger Wilson of Childress, vice president; and Roger Estlack of Clarendon, secretary/treasurer. Directors are Tara Huff of Fritch, Mary Dudley of Perryton, Jeff Blackmon of Shamrock, Rob Langrell of Clovis, and Wes Reeves of Xcel Energy.
Next year’s Panhandle Press convention will be held March 21-23 in Amarillo.