SILSBEE – Dennis and Veronica Phillips of Phillips Publishing, LLC, have purchased the Silsbee Bee from Hicks Media.

“The Bee is the historic newspaper of record for Hardin County, and I’ve spent more than 30 years of my career working to preserve and revitalize community newspapers,” Dennis Phillips said. “While The Bee wasn’t in immediate danger, it was clear the paper needed support and direction to transition effectively into the digital age.”

Phillips added that the staff of the Silsbee Bee was an important selling point.

Promotions, new hires and other employment news reported by Texas newspaper and published in the July 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

ALLISON DRINNON

Sealy News, Colorado County Citizen

SEALY – Allison Drinnon has joined the staff of Granite Media Partners I-10 Group as an area reporter.

Drinnon works as a reporter for both the Sealy News and the Colorado County Citizen.

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

ROBERT BORDEN

BRYAN – Former Eagle opinions page editor Robert Borden, who retired last year after being at The Eagle in Bryan for 38 years, died May 25 in Tomball, where he had moved only a few weeks earlier from Bryan. He was 75.

According to an article in The Eagle by Robert Cessna, Borden requested no funeral service nor obituary notice. “Those who encountered him thought differently, reflecting on his impact in the community,” Cessna wrote.

AUSTIN — The Legislature has adjourned, and newspapers represented by the Texas Press Association are legally stronger than they were when it convened.

ANALYSIS By MIKE HODGES and DONNIS BAGGETT, Texas Press Association

The final gavel fell 140 days and 11,503 bills after the 89th session began. When the smoke cleared, TPA’s legislative record showed major wins to help members survive a rapidly evolving political and media environment.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Your Texas Press Association is a founding member of the Texas Sunshine Coalition, as well as a cornerstone of the coalition’s legislative efforts. The following is a report on the 2025 legislative session from Laura Prather of Haynes & Boone, who represents both TPA and the coalition. Please note her comments stressing the importance of shoring up support in the Texas Senate, as well as chronicling troubling trends by government entities to stall public information requests.

SULPHUR SPRINGS - After serving as group manager in South Texas and with a start-up working to revitalize five newspapers in New Mexico, Dave Shabaz has returned to Northeast Texas as group manager for the Sulphur Springs News-Telegram, Mount Pleasant Tribune, The Steel County Bee in Daingerfield and The Pittsburg Gazette.

He announced his return in a column published in the News-Telegram.

GRANBURY - Richard Nelson has joined Hyde Media Group, as executive editor for the hood County News in Granbury.

Publisher Sam Houston announced the appointment, noting Nelson’s experience in publishing newspapers and supervising press rooms “will give us an edge.” He also noted Nelson’s knowledge of “handing hard news, features, sports and every aspect of the newspaper business will make us a stronger, better and more readable paper.”

CLIFTON – A local couple has restored their hometown newspaper in Bosque County with the new Clifton Record Tribune.

According to an article published May 8, under a corporate model for the last 17 years, the Bosque County Record Tribune – the product of a merger between The Clifton Record and Meridian Tribune weekly newspapers almost a year ago – unfortunately continued to struggle financially. To avoid closing the doors on a newspaper that’s been publishing since 1895, Moser Community Media made former publisher Brett Voss and his wife Simone an offer they couldn’t refuse.

The Texas Gulf Coast Press Association and the South Texas Press Association held their 2025 joint convention in New Braunfels. The groups met together in April for industry sessions and meals and held separate officer installations and contest award presentations.

Taking top honors in the TGCPA contest were sweepstakes winners The Flatonia Argus in Division 1, Port Aransas South Jetty in Division 2 and the Fayette County Record in Division 3.

Time is running out — register today for the annual Texas Press Association Convention & Trade Show June 19-21 in Denton.

June 2 is deadline for room reservations at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center, headquarters for the event. Registration forms and more information are available on the TPA website, www.texaspress.com/texas-press-association-convention-trade-show.