MISSION – Denise M. Rendon, Progress Times director of sales and marketing and owner of Savy Publishing LLC, has purchased the newspaper from Jim Brunson.
Rendon began working for the Progress Times as an advertising account representative in 2012 and was named director of sales and marketing in 2016. She has now assumed the role of publisher.

WHITESBORO – Austin Lewter has returned as publisher of the Whitesboro News-Record.
The appointment was announced by Scott Wood, owner of the newspaper, who noted that Lewter is “a hometown boy with a proven track record in the newspaper industry and a passion for community journalism.” 

PALESTINE – Jake Mienk, publisher of the Palestine Herald-Press and Corsicana Daily Sun, has expanded his publisher responsibilities to The Huntsville Item and the Jacksonville Progress.

LUBBOCK – Robert Granfeldt is the new group publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News and Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Gatehouse Media officials announced Feb. 6.
As publisher, Granfeldt is responsible for operations, readership and both publications’ relationship with their communities.
Granfeldt has worked at the Avalanche-Journal, Florida Times-Union and the Montgomery Advertiser. 

VIRGINIA TURNER BROOKS
ATLANTA – Virginia Turner Brooks, 97, of Atlanta, died Jan. 28, in a Texarkana hospital. 
She was the owner of the Atlanta Times and worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation during World War II.
She attended Hockaday Junior College and graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York.

SAN ANTONIO – The National Press Photographers Association has honored San Antonio Express-News Director of Photography Jose Luis Rios with the Jim Gordon Editor of the Year award.