AUSTIN – The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is accepting entries for the 2017 Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award recognizing outstanding journalism exploring open government and the public’s right to know. The deadline for submission of entries is Thursday, May 18. The contest is open to newspapers, broadcast news organizations and online news media. Nominations must have been published or broadcast in calendar year 2016 and can be a single news story or series, an editorial or series of editorials, a column, an editorial cartoon or a community FOI project.

Donna Burton
GROOM – Donna Burton, publisher of the Groom-McLean-Lefors News, died April 9. She was 61.
She was a member of the Texas Press Association and served as editor of the Groom News from 1990 to 2009, when she became the publisher and owner of the paper. 
A native of the area, she was active with the Girl Scouts as a local troop leader and council president. She also worked with youth as part of the Catholic Christian Mothers group.
She is survived by two daughters, three grandchildren, and other relatives.

Miles Smith
NEW BRAUNFELS – Miles Smith is the new managing editor at the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. 
Smith joins the newspaper after serving as assistant team lead for the commercial dayside division of Gatehouse’s Center for News and Design in Austin.
A 2001 graduate of Texas A&M, Smith began his career in 2002 at the Palestine Herald-Press, where he worked as a sportswriter. After stops in Florida, Louisiana and Indiana, he returned to Texas, taking over as managing editor of Highland Lakes Newspapers in 2010 before joining Gatehouse. 

Writer Dan Wallach retires after 33 years at Beaumont Enterprise 
BEAUMONT – Veteran journalist Dan Wallach, who wrote about Beaumont’s movers and everyman with equal passion and flair, is retiring after more than 33 years at The Enterprise. 

Fenice CEO Coleman takes helm as Hill Country News publisher
CEDAR PARK – Scott Coleman is the new publisher of The Hill Country News and chief operating officer of Fenice Community Media Group. 

Galois Group acquires Burleson Star from Palo Pinto Communications

For years I had an up-close view of the Girl Scout Cookie sales process. As the father of two daughters who were in scouting and the husband of a troop leader, I was often called on to help with cookies sales. I’d take the sales sheet to my office and to meetings I attend. After all, everyone loves Girl Scout Cookies.
I’d come home in the evening proud of myself for selling a half-dozen boxes – and usually brought back to reality by the multiple dozens of boxes Georgiana or Gillian had sold that day. 

Q: When I checked our sheriff’s Facebook page I saw a nice picture of a horse, but I was surprised to see accompanying the photo a Notice of Estray. Our newspaper usually publishes those as a paid public notice. Has the law been changed to allow publication on a social media platform, instead of in the newspaper?

In the spring if the stars align just right, you can cover a lot of sports in Aledo. The way our athletic complex is laid out, if all teams are at home, you can go shoot some soccer, baseball and softball without changing parking spaces.
My mind took me back to such a situation in February of 2008, when I was scurrying between soccer and softball. (I scurried, rather than plodded, back in those days.)

Chronicle, Dallas Morning News cited in 2017 Pulitzer honors