LEONARD – On Dec. 12, Leonard Graphic Editor and Publisher Betsy Blevins announced the newspaper would close by the end of 2024 unless a buyer was found.

In a second announcement published Dec. 19, she said that edition would be the newspaper’s last.

Blevins has owned and operated the 134 year-old Leonard Graphic for 15 years, purchasing it from Bethany and Charles Russell. During her tenure, the newspaper has earned recognition from the Leonard Chamber of Commerce as the Business of the Year and won awards in the Texas Better Newspaper Contest.

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.

Obituaries published in the January 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

WILLIAM WALLACE

BEAUMONT – Former Wharton County Journal-Spectator publisher William (Bill) Wallace died Dec. 6. He was 72.

Wallace served as publisher of the Wharton County Journal-Spectator and East Bernard Express from May 2009 until January 2023. Following his tenure in the Wharton community, he and his wife Karen moved to Beaumont.

ANALYSIS By DONNIS BAGGETT, Texas Press Association

AUSTIN — It’s a busy season for the newspaper folk who have your back on the battleground of Texas politics. And we need your help.

With the opening gavel of the legislative session still weeks away, we’re already up to our helmet straps from a blizzard of pre-filed legislation. Not surprisingly, several legislators have already filed bills calling for the end of governmental public notices in newspapers.

As the year draws to a close, TPA members are encouraged to start selecting their best work in 2024 to enter in the Texas Better Newspaper Contest.

The contest opens for entries on Jan. 20 on the ACES contest platform, the online system used for the past two years. Entries submitted should have been published during the 2024 calendar year. Deadline for entries is Feb. 18.

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.

KERRVILLE – The Kerrville Daily Times has a new publisher with a small-town upbringing, a love of tight-knit communities and an appreciation for what the Texas Hill Country represents.

John Wells came to Kerrville from Bainbridge, Georgia, where he has served as publisher of The Post-Searchlight newspaper.

“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Wells said. “We really believe Kerrville is a special place. I live in a small town, grew up in a small town — that’s what we were looking for.”

In 2025, the Texas Press Messenger’s volume number rolls to 100 —  10 decades covering Texas newspapers as they dutifully served their communities through the milestones of the 20th Century and continuing challenges of the first two decades of the 21st Century.

As the anniversary year approaches and throughout 2025, the Messenger will showcase some of its coverage from past years.

1944

Bill Quinn publishes Army paper on presses taken from enemy

New hires, promotions and other employment news reported by Texas newspapers and published in the December 2024 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

MARSHALL – Timothy Stuckey has joined the staff of The Marshall News Messenger as a staff reporter.

Stuckey, based in Longview, brings an extensive amount of experience in both photography and journalism, accompanied by his commitment to strong visual storytelling. He covers the schools beat for the newspaper.

By TONY FARKAS, Polk County Publishing Company

He was called a friend, a brother and even a mentor, but one of the highest compliments Greg Peak ever received was that he was a newspaper man, through and through.

Peak, who was a longtime associate of Alvin Holley, owner of Polk County Publishing Company Inc., died recently from complications of diabetes.

Final arrangements are pending.

Holley said Peak was a valuable employee for the company.