GATESVILLE – Debbie Day has succeeded her husband, the late Marshall Day, as publisher of The Gatesville Messenger.

“I am honored to have been Marshall’s wife and I am honored to carry on Marshall’s legacy,” Day said. “He taught me this business and I will run the newspaper just like he did – nothing will change.”

Marshall and Debbie Day were married in 1991 while he was publisher of the Jackson County Herald-Tribune in Edna.

They met in Granbury when he worked for the Hood County News and she worked at the Granbury Chamber of Commerce.

GONZALES – Kevin Wright has assumed duties as publisher of the Gonzales Inquirer. 

Wright, who came to Gonzales from Ureka Springs, Arkansas, got his start in newspapers in 1982 with Jim Chionsini, who, at that time, had a newspaper in Ulysses, Kansas. 

From there, Wright went on to publish newspapers in New Mexico and Colorado before moving to California to work for Auto Trader magazine. 

“We’re excited to have Kevin here as part of the Gonzales Inquirer,” General Manager Brandi Chionsini said. 

MARIE HALL WHITEHEAD

RUSK – Marie Hall Whitehead, 88, former owner of the Cherokeean Herald newspaper and radio stations KTLU-AM and KWRW-FM in Rusk and the widow of state Rep. Emmett H. Whitehead, died Nov. 26 at her home in Rusk.

Over a 66-year period, Mrs. Whitehead and her late husband utilized the print and broadcast media platform they built to support causes benefiting Rusk and Cherokee County. 

Stephen Garcia

PLEASANTON – Stephen Garcia is the new sports editor for The Pleasanton Express, which has one of the largest sports sections dedicated to high school and sub-varsity sports in Texas. 

Garcia, who grew up in Corpus Christi, received his bachelor of arts degree in mass communication with a print journalism concentration from Louisiana State University. 

Q: I need campaign finance reports for a couple of contested local races, but I am under the impression that I may not get access to those in time to write a story before the election. What all do campaigns have to keep track of? Is there a way to get this type of information while it’s still extra relevant?

Public notices in newspapers remain a key element of government transparency and accountability, according to an influential legislative committee assigned to study the issue.

The Joint Interim Committee on Advertising Public Notices recommended that newspapers remain the cornerstone of public notice in Texas and called for a “more is better” approach to informing the public.

 The Nov. 1 committee report was the product of an Aug. 18 hearing into the question of whether newspapers are still an appropriate home for public notices.

Retired journalism professor David McHam of Houston was inducted into the Garner-Webb University Gallery of Distinguished Alumni during 2016 homecoming activities at the campus in Boiling Springs, N.C.

McHamm retired in 2015 after teaching journalism in Texas colleges for a record 54 years. 

Q: I need campaign finance reports for a couple of contested local races, but I am under the impression that I may not get access to those in time to write a story before the election. What all do campaigns have to keep track of? Is there a way to get this type of information while it’s still extra relevant?

“But just as I say,

It takes judgment, brains, and maturity to score

In a baulk line game,

I say that any boob can take

And shove a ball in a pocket.”

– Professor Harold Hill, 

The Music Man

By the time you read this I will have traversed my 60th birthday – or at least I hope I will have traversed it. I guess that remains to be seen.

RUBEN CANTU

DEL RIO – Ruben Cantu, a seasoned journalist with over two decades of experience in the newspaper business, has joined the staff of the Del Rio News-Herald as managing editor.