As part of the celebration of Sunshine Month in March, several Texas organizations joined forces to promote government in the sunshine.

Southern Newspapers Inc. completed its acquisition of the Lawton Constitution, this week, as a new publisher takes charge.
Southern Newspapers, a privately-owned company headquartered in Houston, purchased the paper from local attorneys Bill Burgess Jr. and Brad Burgess, who acquired it in 2012 from longtime local owners Steve and Don Bentley.

Texas Press Association’s final Summer Leadership Retreat is set for June 21-23 at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa on Lake Conroe in Montgomery.
Registration forms are available online at www.texaspress.com.

AUSTIN – The Texas Better Newspaper Contest is now accepting 2018 contest entries from TPA member newspapers. 
Deadline for entries is March 22.

The public’s right to know is the focus of Sunshine Week, March 11-17, a national celebration promoting openness in government.

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.