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Brian Brisendine takes helm as publisher of Brownfield News

Brian Brisendine, 38, has succeeded his late father as as editor and publisher of the Brownfield News.
Lynn Brisendine, publisher since April 1977, died Oct. 14. 
The younger Brisendine is a Brownfield native, reared in the community. He graduated from Brownfield High School in 1997.
He is a 2001 graduate of West Texas A&M  University in Canyon with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications/print journalism and a minor in English. While in college, he worked as sports editor, reporter, news editor, and advertising saleperson at the Canyon News.

How the state defines ‘walking quorum’ attempts to avoid TOMA rules

Q: How does the state define walking quorum? I think we’ve got one going with our county commissioners.

Learning, loving the newspaper business

Do you remember your first real assignment? I do.
It was my first day as a summer intern at the old San Antonio Light. Up walked Bend Segal, a gruff, seasoned assistant city editor who had weaned many a cub reporter. He handed me a six-page press release. “Rewrite it,” he said. “And let me know when you’re done.”
Seems like it took me forever to rewrite that press release. But I finally managed to finish it, reducing the six-page release to three. I handed the copy to Ben, who took his red marker and quickly circled a typo and handed it back to me, saying, “Do it again.”

Newspapers are not obligated to publish letters considered inappropriate

Q: We’ve received a letter to the editor and some of the writer’s word play is inappropriate for publication in the newspaper. Please read the letter and give me your reaction.
A: You are under no obligation to publish a letter to the editor, an opinion, an editorial, an advertisement or a photograph that you or your editorial board deem inappropriate. 

The horrible hurricane that was Harvey showed us a lot

Once again, Mother Nature showed us just how brutal and indiscriminate she can be. The storm raked the Texas coast in late August, devastating places like Rockport, Port Aransas and Aransas Pass. And then its leftovers tried to drown cities such as Houston, Beaumont and Port Arthur.
It turned the lives of so many upside down – literally destroyed some. People will be spending the coming months and years trying to put everything back together as best as possible.

Enter TPA's directory cover contest

Photographers at all TPA member newspapers are encouraged to submit their best work in the 2018 Texas Newspaper Directory Cover Photo Contest. Entries are being accepted through Oct. 13.  
Photos should reflect the Texas spirit through landscapes, architecture, festival activities, wildlife and/or nature photography.

Jim Simmon

HOUSTON – Jim Simmon, 63, an editor whose career included stints with four Texas daily newspapers, was among the people lost during Houston area flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
Simmon, who had retired and was coming to terms with early-onset dementia, disappeared from his Montrose home on Aug. 30. He was the subject of an area-wide search for two weeks. His body was found in Fort Bend County. An autopsy was ordered, but law enforcement officials believed the cause of death was drowning.

Patsy Cross Patterson

DENTON – Patsy Cross Patterson, a past co-owner of the Denton Record-Chronicle and an active community leader in Denton, died Aug. 29. She was 88.
Mrs. Patterson was born Oct. 24, 1929, in Paris, Texas. In 1945, her parents, Riley and Vivian Cross, bought the Record-Chronicle and the family moved to Denton. She grew up at the Record-Chronicle, holding many positions and eventually serving as secretary of the Board of Directors. She and her husband, Fred Patterson, were the owners when the newspaper was sold to the A. H. Belo Corp. in June 1999.

Newsmakers

New publishers have taken over at four Texas newspapers

Newsmakers

Promotions, staff additions at Texas newspapers.

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