Juan Castillo
AUSTIN – Juan Castillo, a veteran newsman who has reported and edited at the Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle and McAllen Monitor, is returning to the Statesman to lead editorial and commentary efforts, Editor Debbie Hiott announced in a commentary. 

KATHY LU COOKE MARTIN
ROCKDALE – Kathy Lu Cooke Martin, 57, a lifetime resident of Rockdale and fourth-generation publisher of the Rockdale Reporter, died Feb. 8.
She was born Oct. 28, 1959, in Rockdale, where she grew up, married the love of her life and worked for the newspaper her family has owned and operated since her great grandfather purchased it in 1911.

Q: One of our municipal utility districts posted its meeting agenda on Facebook but not through the county clerk’s office, which is the usual way. What does the law require?

Back in the “olden days” of my childhood I could never wait for “The Wizard of Oz” to come on television. It seems like it came on as a special every year or so in those days before DVR, DVD and VHS. And even on our black-and-white television, the colors of Munchkin City came to life in my childhood imagination.
The Wizard of Oz was a powerful, almost god-like manifestation when first seen in the 1939 classic. Of course, later, little Toto drew back the curtain to expose the man operating the controls.

Sunshine Week, March 12-18, is the perfect time to show support for government transparency issues championed by the Texas Press Association in the 85th session of the Texas Legislature.
Members of the TPA Legislative Advisory Committee (LAC), along with TPA Executive Vice President Donnas Baggett and Member Services Director Ed Sterling, are monitoring bills and meeting with legislators promoting issues related to the three pillars of transparency: open records, open meetings and public notices in newspapers. 

The Texas Better Newspaper Contest online portal opens today, Feb. 15, accepting 2017 contest entries from TPA member newspapers. 

AUSTIN - Combinator-backed OwnLocal announced Feb. 6 they have acquired Print2Web, a pioneering digital service provider for the newspaper industry. 
The acquisition fits into OwnLocal’s strategy to make localized digital marketing accessible to all businesses through traditional media outlets, such as newspapers. 

Lee Hartman, Fort Bend Herald
ROSENBERG – Lee Hartman, a third-generation member of a Texas newspaper family, has been named editor and publisher of the Fort Bend Herald, according to Clyde C. King, Jr., president of Hartman Newspapers, L.P. 
Hartman, 50, is starting his 26th year at The Herald, having worked in the pressroom, as an assistant photographer, an advertising sales representative and as general manager before assuming the editor and publisher’s job. 

Q: The superintendent of a school district I cover sends out a weekly e-mail to school board members. First, do you know where I could find, either in statute or in an attorney general’s decision, whether that e-mail is considered public record? Second, I would like to be included on the list for receiving those e-mails. Do you know of any statute or AG decision that would require the superintendent to include me on the list?

FRISCO – At the 2017 Texas Newspaper Foundation hall of Fame dinner, retired New England Newspaper Association Director Morley Piper brought to life a somber moment in history during the Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame dinner with his recollections of the pivotal World War II battle he and other young men of the 29th Infantry fought on the beaches of Normandy.
On the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014, Piper went back to the scene of the battle to attend commemorative ceremonies hosted by the ten communities on the Normandy coast that were liberated by the invasion.