Stephen Collins, veteran sports editor of The Alvin Sun and The Alvin Advertiser, was awarded the Fred Hartman Award by the Texas Press Association. 
Fred Hartman, grandson of the award’s namesake, made the presentation at the Texas Press Association Convention and Trade Show in Denton. He noted that Collins, a long-time employee of the Hartman Newspapers publication The Alvin Sun, was a two-time winner of the award. He was previously honored in 2014.

The 2019 Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame induction ceremonies celebrated generations of service to the newspaper industry and local communities.
Members of the 2019 class of inductees are Bill Cooke of Rockdale, Donnis Baggett of Bryan and the late Barney Hubbs of Pecos. 

Staff changes, additions and promotions at Texas newspapers.

Obituaries published in the February 2019 Messenger

Senate committee starts work on property tax reform
AUSTIN — Voters would have the power to prevent their local governmental bodies from increasing property taxes by more than 2.5 percent per year under legislation introduced in the Texas Senate and House on Jan. 31.

Senate Finance panel starts work on state budget
AUSTIN — Jane Nelson, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, on Jan. 22 said she would follow an aggressive agenda to deliver a budget ready for floor debate by the end of February. 
“There are a lot of things this committee and the full Senate will decide to add, subtract, change, before we actually recommend out of this committee a budget,” she said. At the top of the list are school finance and property tax relief.

State’s top elected officials take oaths of office at inauguration
AUSTIN — Public officials and private citizens gathered at the south steps of the state Capitol on Jan. 15 to for a day’s worth of inaugural events, most notably the administering of oaths of office to Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who were reelected to four-year terms in November.

House elects new speaker as legislative session kicks off
AUSTIN — The 86th Texas Legislature convened on Jan. 8 with all its customary ceremonies and recognitions — chief of which was the unanimous election of a new House speaker — Angleton Republican Dennis Bonnen.

Obituaries published in the January 2019 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

News about and of interest to Texas newspapers.