AUSTIN – The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is holding an Open Government Seminar in Denton on Thursday, June 19, 2025, featuring training in state open meetings and public records laws.
The free seminar will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, Denton Convention Center, 3100 Town Centre Trail.
The Robert Burns Memorial Golf Classic returns to the Oakmont Country Club as the kickoff event for the 2025 Texas Press Association Convention and Trade Show June 19-21 in Denton.
The Oakmont Country Club golf course is located minutes north of Lake Lewisville in Corinth. PGA Seniors Champion Don January served as golf course design consultant to Roger Packard, the course architect. They designed a course considered the best combination of natural beauty and challenging play in the area. The 170-acre country club was constructed in 1986.
Texas weather can be vicious. Nobody knows that better than Laurie Brown of the Canadian Record.
Analysis by DONNIS BAGGETT, Texas Press Association
Two years ago, the veteran editor and publisher covered the historic range fire that devastated a huge swath of the Texas Panhandle. Her coverage was timely and comprehensive, as usual, and her readers hung on every solidly reported word she posted on her website and social media sites. They did not read her stories in print, however, because the Canadian Record no longer had a print edition.
CORSICANA – The Corsicana Sun celebrated the newspaper’s 130th anniversary in March, publishing a commemorative edition published March 1.
The Daily Sun published its first edition on March 2, 1895. W.A. McKenna and Associates leased the plant of the Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light to publish the paper, and the Daily Sun began its life under the care of editor Major Henry Burton.
For its 130th anniversary edition, the staff shared archival photos and a historical timeline.
The engineering firm Garver is a new associate member of Texas Press Association, Executive Director Mike Hodges announced.
Previously set for closure, the Tri-County Reporter is not only staying open thanks to new owners, but has returned to its roots.
The announcement came in the Feb. 27 edition of the Reporter, which had been slated to be its last. Bryson and Ashley Burtnett of Springtown purchased the Tri-County Reporter and announced plans to transition the publication back to the original publications that served the communities of Springtown and Azle, the Azle News and Springtown Epigraph. The Tri-County Reporter was formed in June 2023 with the merger of the two newspapers.
Promotions, new hires and other employment news reported by Texas newspapers and reported in the April 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
Brady Standard-Herald staff changes, new hire announced
BRADY – The Brady Standard-Herald announced several organizational changes, including the promotion of Amanda Howell to editor of the family-owned newspaper, the appointment of Holly Stewart as publisher, and the hiring of Charles Hodges as the newspaper’s reporter.
Howell has worked at the newspaper since February 1999.
With bill filing going full-bore for the legislative session, Texas Press Association’s Mike Hodges and Donnis Baggett report that the pace is as brisk it has been in the past. They expect that 8,000-9,000 bills will be filed by the March 14 deadline.
By BILL PATTERSON, TPA President
As youths we all likely tried to hide bad behavior from our parents. The truth inevitably surfaced, and we bore the brunt of punishment. Lesson: Be up front with circumstances and repercussions typically are minimized.
By Jim Pumarlo, consultant
Newspapers should communicate the same lesson to public officials who try to keep secret what they deem sensitive or unwelcome news: Be forthright. Make it standard procedure to volunteer the news and minimize rumors.
America needs its newspapers today more than ever – and I’m not talking about the paper on which they are printed.
By LEONARD WOOLSEY, America’s Newspapers
With Meta (aka Facebook) now declining to vet the content posted on its platforms for truthfulness, social media’s already shaky reputation is poised to take a swan dive off the cliff of credibility.