2-single pages 2-08.indd - Missouri Press Association

February 2008
Newspaper Association
of America has plenty
of material for you to
use to observe National
Sunshine Week, March
16-22.
15
Columbia will be crowded
Sept. 10-13, so get your
hotel room now for the
MPA Convention.
6
Ozark Press Association will meet March
28 at College of the
Ozarks, Point Lookout.
4
Missouri Press / Associated Press Day at the Capitol will be Thursday, Feb. 21.
MPA members are invited to attend a reception from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.
20, in Capitol Plaza Hotel.
4
Regular
Features
President 2
Scrapbook 10
Obituaries 12
On the Move 14
NIE Report 16
Jean Maneke 18
You’re a part of something great!
P
— Get involved and help make it even greater —
eople across the country have contacted me about the University of Missouri system, Gary Forsee, as well as statewide
“splash” in last month’s Missouri Press News. All the officeholders. So mark your calendars and plan to attend this
folderol embarrasses me. I am just not cut out to be expanded event.
a parade leader. Working behind the scenes helping to make
Also coming up before you know it will be the annual Nathings happen is my preferred role. I don’t need, nor do I tional Newspaper Association Government Affairs Conference
desire, lots of attention and/or accolades. So just discard the (GAC) in Washington, D.C. This year’s conference is scheduled
January issue and we will go from there.
for March 5-7. Rumor has it the
Be that as it may, here I am writing another
President (as in “of the
column, and I would like to make a point. If
United States”) may
Day at
you sincerely believe I had good words to say
make an appearance.
Capitol,
last month, then follow through by joining my
As I said last month,
effort to increase involvement in this mighty
we can increase particievening
organization. If you are not aware, we have one
pation in a number of
of the best state press associations in the country,
ways: encouraging you
reception
and I want to keep it that way.
to take advantage of
We will be organizing our committees shortly
services offered, particare great
and will be gearing up for a really busy year.
ipating in advertising
opporWhether your interest lies in legislation that
programs, attending
the General Assembly is considering, or in
meetings, contributing
tunities to
increasing the amount of political advertising
to training sessions,
Jack Whitaker
we can garner, the Missouri Press Foundation,
joining committees
Hannibal Courier-Post
make a
or any of the other areas, take this opportunity
and attending the anMPA President
to volunteer your services and expertise. We
nual convention.
difference.
must have the help of the membership if we are
I suggest, for startto manage these areas properly. So let us know where your ers, that each member newspaper
interests lie.
of the Missouri Press Association
peaking of participating, February is the month we all pick three of the above “Paths to Participation” and agree to
converge on Jeff City for the MPA/AP Day at the Capitol. increase its level of participation in those three areas. That will
This year we will meet on Feb. 21. But this year will also get us off to a good start.
bring some changes. The evening of Wednesday, Feb. 20,
If you think of another way that you can participate other
will feature a reception for elected officials and their staffs. than the above list, just let me know and I’ll add it to the par(Political advertising will be on the top of our topics list.) ticipation selection list. I can’t stress enough how important it
That will be followed Thursday morning with a 7:30-9:30 is to all of us to have a strong state organization representing
breakfast reception in the Capitol.
and supporting us.
It will be a great opportunity to meet and greet representaLet me know what you think and what YOU see as importives and senators prior to the official program later in the tant for the organization to address. I assure you, we will take
morning. That program will feature the new president of the your suggestions to heart and do our best for you.
S
VOL. 76, NO. 2
FEBRUARY 2008
Official Publication of
Missouri Press
Association, Inc.
PRESIDENT: Jack Whitaker,
Hannibal Courier-Post
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: Vicki Russell,
Columbia Daily Tribune
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: Sandy Nelson,
Cass County Democrat-Missourian, Harrisonville
SECRETARY: Brad Gentry, Houston Herald
TREASURER: Kate Martin,
Perry County Republic-Monitor
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Doug Crews
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Greg Baker
EDITOR: Kent M. Ford
DIRECTORS: David Bradley, Jr.,
St. Joseph News-Press
Kevin Jones, St. Louis American
Dan Wehmer, Webster County Citizen, Seymour
Mark Maassen, The Kansas City Star
Joe May, Mexico Ledger
Jon Rust, Cape Girardeau
Southeast Missourian
Dennis Warden, Gasconade County Republican
NNA REPRESENTATIVE: Jeff Schrag,
Springfield Daily Events
MISSOURI PRESS NEWS (ISSN 00266671) is published every month for $7.50 per year by the Missouri Press Association, Inc., 802 Locust St., Columbia, MO
65201-4888; phone (573) 449-4167; fax (573) 874-5894; e-mail [email protected]; website www.mopress.com. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, MO 652014888. (USPS No. 355620). POSTMASTER: Please send changes of address to Missouri Press Association, 802 Locust St., Columbia, MO 65201-4888.
© 2007 AT&T Knowledge Ventures. All rights reserved. AT&T is a registered trademark of AT&T Knowledge Ventures.
thenewatt.com
We’re rolling in Missouri.
At AT&T Labs, we pioneered fiber optic communication. Now we’re
rolling out fiber optics and other advanced technologies to deliver
a new alternative to traditional cable television in Missouri.
With new home entertainment options and more control over
their TV, Missouri families will have the benefit of companies
competing for their business.
We’re ready to deliver.
3
New UM president will speak
Gov. Blunt, Att. Gen. Nixon also on Feb. 21 Day at the Capitol program
A
mong the speakers for the Missouri Press Association and Associated Press Day at the Capitol
on Thursday, Feb. 21, will be Gary
Forsee, the recently appointed University of Missouri system president. UM
system interim president Gordon Lamb
will introduce Forsee.
Other speakers will include Gov. Matt
Blunt and Att. Gen. Jay Nixon. Democrat Nixon and Republican Blunt are
expected to be their parties’ nominees
for governor on the November ballot.
(Consider bringing a camera.)
All members of MPA and AP are
invited to this FREE program in Jefferson City and to a Feb. 20 reception at
Capitol Plaza Hotel (see sidebar).
The registration deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 13. Fill out the form on the
the Capitol.
Lunch with Gov. Blunt will
be at noon in the Governor’s
Mansion, followed by comX
Garage
ments from the governor and
NW
Entrance
from leaders of the House and
Capitol
Basement
Entrance
Senate. The program will end
at 2:30 p.m.
Front Entrance
(Breakfast and lunch are free
under staircase
to guests, but MPA and AP must
pay for them. If you sign up for
facing page and fax or mail it to MPA, or the meals and do not attend, you will
you can email the information to Kristie be billed.)
Williams at [email protected].
Day at the Capitol guests will have Ozark Press will meet
breakfast in House Hearing Room 2 in
the Capitol basement, 7:30-9:30 (see March 28 in Branson
illustration for location). Speakers will
zark Press Association has a full
address guests beginning at 10 a.m. in
day of sessions planned for its
the Senate Lounge on the third floor of Friday, March 28, meeting in the Keeter
Center at College of the Ozarks, Point
Lookout.
A reception is being planned for the
evening before the meeting, but details
of that are not firm.
Here is the agenda:
8 a.m. — Breakfast/Business
andidates, party officials, statewide ballot measure advocates, and
9 a.m. — Dr. Jim Wirth, “Managing
anyone else who will be spending campaign advertising dollars
Stress at Work”
this year have been invited to attend a reception hosted by Missouri
10 a.m. — Missouri Press Association
Press on Feb. 20. We want them to know about the best place to spend
Postal Consultant Ron Cunningham
that money —
10:45 a.m. — Student Journalism
newspapers.
Main St.
Essay Contest Winners
Capitol
Missouri Press
11 a.m. — Tony Messenger, Editoalso invites you
High St.
rial Page editor of the Springfield Newsto attend to help
Leader
Truman
us make our case.
Noon — Lunch with Ozark humorist
Bldg.
Please RSVP by
and author Mitch Jayne, Eminence
McCarty St.
contacting Kristie
1 p.m. — John Schneller, Columbia
Williams at MPA:
Capitol Plaza
Missourian, “Flirting With the Digital
kwilliams@socket.
Frontier”
net.
2 p.m. — Missouri Press Legal HotThe reception
line Counselor Jean Maneke
will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Lincoln Room of the
2:45 p.m. — Missouri Press Ad DirecCapitol Plaza Hotel, West McCarty St.
tor Greg Baker, “How to Avoid No’s”
If you plan to attend the reception and Day at the Capitol on Feb.
Registration details and a form will be
21, you can get a room at the Fairfield Inn-Jefferson City. MPA has
provided soon.
reserved rooms for the night of Feb. 20 for $84. Call 573-761-0400 by
The Keeter Center is on the north
Feb. 15. The rooms are reserved under the name of Kristie Williams,
side of Business Highway 65 just before
MPA’s member services director and meeting planner.
you reach the campus of College of
Please contact Missouri Press with any questions about either event.
the Ozarks, Point Lookout. Its design
reflects a rustic Maine lodge.
House Hearing
Room 2
O
Candidates, campaigners, YOU
invited to Feb. 20 reception
4
Broadway
Missouri Blvd.
C
Missouri Press Association and The Associated Press
Day at the Capitol • Jefferson City • February 21, 2008
The Missouri Press Association and The Associated Press invite
you to be our guests on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at the
Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City for our Day at the Capitol.
Register Today! It’s FREE!
Deadline to Register: February 13, 2008
• Check-In and Breakfast 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. in the Capitol,
House Hearing Room 2 (Capitol Basement)
• Guest Speakers 10 - 11:30 a.m. in the Senate Lounge
(Third Floor)
Speakers will include Gordon Lamb, Interim President of
the University of Missouri System, Gary Forsee, Incoming
President of the University of Missouri System, and
Attorney General Jay Nixon
• Lunch with Governor Matt Blunt 12 Noon in the
Governor’s Mansion, followed by program ending at
2:30 p.m.
Name(s):
How many for breakfast:
How many for lunch:
Newspaper or Organization:
Address:
City:
State:
Phone:
Email:
Zip:
Please send this registration form to Kristie Williams at Missouri Press Association
802 Locust Street • Columbia, MO 65201 • Fax: 573-874-5894 • [email protected]
5
Important to get Convention room now
T
J School Centennial, football game will fill Columbia hotels
his may sound premature, but
it’s not. If you plan to attend the
MPA Convention in September,
make your hotel reservation now. Columbia is going to be crowded, and if
you delay, you won’t get a room.
MPA’s Convention will be Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 11-13. It will run
concurrently with the Missouri School
of Journalism’s Centennial Celebration,
which will
be Wednesday-Friday,
Website has
Sept. 10-12.
Part of that
details of
program will
be the dediJournalism
cation of the
Reynolds
Schools’
Journalism
Institute.
observance of
Schedules
are being
its 100th
arranged so
guests of the
MPA meetanniversary
ing will be
able to parthis fall:
ticipate in
many of the
http://
Journalism
School sesjournalism.
sions.
MPA will
missouri.edu/
be the host
for a golf
e-blast/
outing on
the first day,
Wednesday,
Sept. 10.
Tee-off will be at 10 a.m. at A.L. Gustin Golf Course (the University’s course
in Columbia).
The School of Journalism is expecting a few thousand people to attend its
celebration.
Adding to that number of people in
Columbia will be fans in town for the
Mizzou football game against Nevada on
Saturday, Sept. 13. (Kickoff time for that
game may not be set until several days
before the game.) Mizzou is expected
6
to do very well next season, so there
will be large crowds even at the pre-Big
12 games.
MPA will hold its Convention at
Stoney Creek Inn, which is on Providence Road about a mile south of the
football stadium. Call the hotel at (800)
659-2220 to reserve a room in the Missouri Press Association room block. The
rate is $75.
Make that call now so you’ll have a
room for the meeting in September.
If you expect to attend the Journalism
School activities — including golf on
Wednesday, and the football game on
Saturday, you may want a room from
Tuesday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept.
13. If you plan to attend just the MPA
Convention, you will need a room on
Thursday and Friday nights only, Sept.
11-12.
Brokers
The Convention program will include
forums with candidates for the statewide
offices that will be on the November
ballot. Thursday night is being left open
for guests to attend Columbia’s Twilight
Festival, which is held downtown every
Thursday night during September.
The Newspaper Hall of Fame reception and banquet tentatively will be
Friday evening.
Because of the football game on Saturday, the Newspaper Contest awards
reception and brunch will be held on
Saturday morning.
If you would like to order tickets to
the Sept. 13 football game, call 1-800CAT PAWS (228-7297), 8 a.m.-5 p.m,
Mon-Fri. Reserved seat tickets for the
2007 season’s non-conference games cost
$35. Prices for the 2008 games have not
yet been announced.
Appraisers
Consultants
A tradition of service to community newspapers
If you have been considering a transaction, and would like to achieve
a strong market value, we look forward to an initial conversation with
you. We represent a tradition of serving our clients’ best interests and
the best interests of each community our clients serve.
THOMAS C. BOLITHO
P.O. BOX 849
ADA, OK 74821
(580) 421-9600
[email protected]
EDWARD M. ANDERSON
P.O. Box 2001
BRANSON, MO 65616
(417) 336-3457
[email protected]
nationalmediasales.com
EXPERIENCE
KNOWLEDGE
INTEGRITY
‘Freedom Sings’ concert in Columbia
Y
ou are an exceptional individual
“The First Amendment Center and
if you can name all of the funda- its ongoing program ‘Freedom Sings™’
mental freedoms guaranteed by are pleased to be part of the celebrathe First Amendment to
tion of the Missouri
the U.S. Constitution. A
program, of journal2006 survey found that Twice as many
ism education at its
only three Americans in Americans can
highest level,” said
1,000 could name all five:
Gene Policinski, vice
speech, press, religion, as- name characters
president and execusembly and petition.
from The Simpsons tive director of the
“Freedom Sings™,” a
Center in Nashville,
critically acclaimed mul- cartoon than can
Tenn. “Music and
timedia program of the name two First
musicians are a great
Freedom Forum, hopes
way to remind our
to improve these statistics Amendment
fellow citizens —
when it opens the 2008 freedoms.
particularly young
centennial and dedication
adults — of the powcelebration of the Missouri
er, passion and value
School of Journalism and the Donald W. of free expression.”
Reynolds Journalism Institute. The 90The 2006 “State of the First Amendminute event will be held the evening of ment” poll documents a general lack
Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the University of First Amendment knowledge by
of Missouri.
the public. A recent survey of young
Americans by the McCormick Tribune
Freedom Museum revealed that twice as
many Americans can name characters
from The Simpsons’ cartoon family than
those able to name more than one of the
freedoms.
“Freedom Sings™” presents First
Amendment information within the
context of three centuries of banned or
censored music in America. The program
features live performances by hit songwriters and Grammy Award winners,
along with video and live narration.
Ken Paulson, BJ ’75, now editor of
USA Today, had hundreds of songs with
alleged references to drugs, sexuality,
violence and more to choose from when
he created and wrote the production. He
developed it when he served as executive
director of the First Amendment Center.
Paulson, who began his career as a music
writer and rock critic, will co-narrate the
program in Columbia with Policinski.
With the Creative Tools You Need to Compete —
The Online Libraries of MetroCreativeConnection!
Turn to the Libraries of MetroCreativeConnection, your online gateway
to the moneymaking creative and editorial services of Metro Creative
Graphics, and keep your sales, creative and editorial efforts on course.
Call Lou Ann Sornson for a FREE 30-day trial and see how your sales staff,
production team and special sections editors can benefit from using:
• Metro® Newspaper Service
• Classified Dynamics®
• Sales Spectaculars®
• Metro Editorial Services
• Holiday Advertising Service
• Metro Automotive Photo Library
• Logos & Trademarks Library
• Plus Business Library
Call TODAY!
800-223-1600
Metro Creative Graphics, Inc. • www.metrocreativegraphics.com
7
MPA to host J School golf on Sept. 10
Event will open centennial celebration; register with MPA
G
olfers will tee-off the social
side of the Missouri School
of Journalism Centennial and
Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute Dedication with the Missouri Press
Association’s Centennial Golf Classic.
On Sept. 10-12, 2008, the School will
celebrate its centennial and will look to
the future by officially opening the doors
of the Reynolds Journalism Institute,
the think tank and research operation
for journalism of the 21st century. The
MPA also will hold its annual conference
in conjunction with the event.
The four-person scramble will begin
at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the
University of Missouri’s A.L. Gustin
Golf Course. The $50 early registration
fee, due by May 1, includes cart, greens
fees, lunch and give-a-ways. Registrations received after May 1 will be $60
and will be accepted on a first-come,
Twain letter donated
M
ark Twain wrote a letter to W.H. Powell, editor of the Hannibal
Courier-Post, in 1907. Descendents of Powell donated the letter
to Hannibal’s Mark Twain Museum in November.
Powell apparently had written to Twain asking about his experiences
at the newspaper during the 1840s, said Henry Sweets, museum curator.
Twain’s reply, postmarked Dec. 3, 1907, New York, N.Y., tells about his
beginnings as a printer’s devil in the second-story print shop.
The letter reads:
“To the editor of the Courier-Post.
“Dear Sir:
“Next spring it will be 59 years since I became an apprentice in the
Courier office under Joseph P. Arment, along with William T. League,
Wales McCormick and a Palmyra lad named Russell Dick Rutter … Surreptitiously and uninvited, I helped to edit the paper when no one was
watching; therefore I was a journalist. I have never been wholly disconnected from journalism since; therefore, by my guess, I am dean of the
trade in America.
“I hope the Courier will long survive me and remain always prosperous.”
A closing paragraph was outlined and lightly crossed out. It reads:
“I cannot lawfully say anything in print outside the Harper publications.
In as much as the Harpers have the right to fine me $500 every time I
infringe the agreement, I hope you will keep this present infringement of
it as private as you can in these circumstances, for these be hard times,
dear Sir.”
“Truly yours, Mark Twain.”
Sweets found that the letter was published in the Courier-Post in 1908,
with the crossed out part omitted.
In 1935, as part of Hannibal’s observance of the centennial of Twain’s
birth, a special edition of the Courier-Post was printed on March 6. Stories about Twain, including a photostatic copy of the 1907 letter, filled a
supplement.
Twain’s letter was presented to the museum by editor Powell’s granddaughter from Grand Rapids, Mich., and her daughter. It is on display in
the Mark Twain exhibit in the second floor of the Museum Gallery.
—from the Hannibal Courier-Post
8
first-serve basis.
Space is limited to the first 124 paid
registrations. Those interested in participating should submit the downloadable
registration form and payment to the
MPA as early as possible. Cancellations
received by Aug. 11 will receive a $30
refund; however, no refunds will be
given after Aug. 11. Submission details
are included on the form.
Gustin is an 18-hole regulation length
golf course south of Stadium Boulevard
near the MU campus. With three sets
of tee boxes and watered fairways, it
provides a challenging round of golf for
all levels of players. It is home of the
Phil Cotton Invitational, a prominent
amateur tournament, the Show-Me State
Games and the Missouri State Girls Junior Golf Championship. The course is
also an Audubon International Certified
Cooperative Sanctuary.
Doug Crews, BJ ’73, executive director of the Missouri Press Association, is
chairing the event. Jim Pierobon, BJ ’77,
and his wife, Andrea, are co-chairs.
roceeds from the event will help
refurbish the MPA student lounge
in Lee Hills Hall, which was dedicated
in 1995. Plans include buying new furniture and flooring for the lounge, which
provides down-time space for journalism
students working or going to classes in
Lee Hills Hall.
If you or your company is interested
in sponsoring the event or making a
tax-deductible donation to the refurbishment project, please contact the
Missouri Press Foundation at (573)
449-4167.
The centennial/dedication festivities
officially will kick off on Wednesday
evening, Sept. 10, with a dinner-mixer
on the MU campus followed by a performance of “Freedom Sings™.”
Registration for the three-day event,
which will include interactive roundtables about the future of journalism,
technology demonstrations, tours and
more, will open this spring. Sign up
to receive more information about the
event at http://journalism.missouri.
edu/2008/updates.html.
P
Distant reader lined floor
with Atchison County Mail
T
he Atchison County Mail in Rock
Port recently received a letter
from a man in Yuba City, Calif.,
along with a copy of the weekly from
1927.
Copies of old newspapers were left in
a house the man bought. They had been
used as insulation between the wooden
floor and linoleum that was installed in
1943. The previous owner of the house
had been a resident of Atchison County
and continued to take the paper after
moving to Yuba City.
The Mail ran a story about receiving
the old paper. It reprinted a story from
the paper with the headline “$6,500 Is
CPI changes name
C
Quota Here For War Fund.”
Atchison County was asked to raise
that amount for the National War Fund.
Collections would be distributed among
agencies such as the USO, war prisoners’ aid, refugee relief and assistance to
Belgian, British, French, Greek, Norwegian, Polish, Russian and other relief
organizations.
Every citizen of the county was asked
to contribute.
The story said that during the previous September, residents of Atchison
County had purchased about $476,000
in government bonds.
ommunity Publishers Inc. has
changed the name of its newspaper
group to Neighbor Newspapers, said
Dave Berry of Bolivar, vice president of
the company.
CPI has become a parent company
with separate divisions. Neighbor Newspapers is the newspaper division, with
publications in three states, Berry said.
The printing division is now known
as Nowata Printing, with print centers
in Springfield, Harrison, Ark., and
Nowata, Okla.
The company’s eight papers in Missouri are The Bolivar Herald-Free Press,
Buffalo Reflex, Cedar County Republican
in Stockton, Marshfield Mail, Christian
County Headliner News in Ozark, Nixa
Xpress, South County Mail in Rogersville/
Fordland, and The Republic Monitor.
Recent donations
to Foundation
T
hese individuals and businesses have made recent
contributions to Missouri Press Foundation. Their
generosity will help the Foundation continue its educational programs and its support of projects that promote
Missouri newspapers and newspaper people.
A donation to the Foundation in honor or in memory
of an associate or friend is an eloquent way to recognize the
person’s contributions.
A pledge to the Foundation Builders program, which is a
four-year commitment, helps ensure that Foundation efforts
will continue in the future.
Donations to Newspapers In Education programs are
directed back to the donor’s local newspaper to support its
NIE efforts.
All donations to the Foundation are deeply appreciated.
J.J. Graf, Hermann
Brian Brooks, Columbia
Foundation Builders
Tom and Marilyn Miller
Robert F. Sweeney, Denver Colo.
Doug and Tricia Crews, Columbia
Phil and Cece Leslie, Columbia
Dean and Sue Mills, Columbia
Bill Hankins, Platte City
Print Shop Museum, Arrow Rock,
In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. William Bray
Joyce H. Peerman, Jackson
Press Freedom Club
Mrs. Avis Tucker, Kansas City
Photojournalism Hall of Fame
Duane Dailey, Columbia
Mr. and Mrs. William L. Miller, Washington
Foundation Membership
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blosser, Jefferson City
Edward L. Steele, Columbia
Quill Free Press Co., Frank Martin, West Plains
Bill and Carlene Williams, Thayer
Newspapers In Education
St. Louis Jefferson Solid Waste
for St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Gateway International Raceway
for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
9
Scrapbook
• Stockton — Holiday decorators
had a chance to win prizes in the Cedar
County Republican’s Christmas lighting
competition. A map of all the homes
and businesses that entered and a ballot
were published in the Dec. 19 Christmas
Greetings issue.
Readers voted for their favorite displays. Winners were announced in the
Jan. 3 issue.
The winner in the commercial category received an eighth-page ad from
the Republican. A package of gifts from
area merchants went to the residential
winner.
The Republican also held a Hilarious Happy Holidays Contest for those
who shared a funny holiday story. The
winner got a $30 gift certificate to any
local merchant that advertises with the
weekly.
Also, the Republican produced and
sold over the counter a 2008 pet calendar, featuring a cover photo of the
dachsund that won the pet calendar
contest.
• Kansas City —StorageMart of
Columbia has purchased The Star’s
103,000-square-foot newsprint storage
complex at Grand and Walnut.
StorageMart paid $1.9 million for
the properties, then immediately sold
the smaller of the two buildings to a
developer for $600,000.
• Festus — The Jefferson County
Library now has an index of historic
Jefferson County newspapers available
on its website. Articles of genealogical
interest about local people are included
in the database.
• Odessa — Abby Volmer, literacy facilitator at Odessa Middle School, is now
writing the Kitchen Witchin’ column for
The Odessan. She took over for Leanna
Thompson, who retired after writing the
column for the past 10 years.
The column started in 1975.
• Chillicothe — The late Max Hamilton, outdoors editor for the Constitution-Tribune for 50 years (1944-94), was
10
inducted into the Missouri Conservation Hall of Fame on Dec. 14.
The induction ceremony was held
in conjunction with the Conservation
Commission’s meeting in Jefferson
City.
Hamilton is among 32 Missourians
who have been honored for lifetime
contributions to conservation since the
Hall of Fame was established in 1988.
He received many conservation awards,
among them honors from the National
Wild Turkey Federation, of which he
was president in 1978-80.
• Lebanon — More than 400 children
got toys from Santa and Mrs. Claus at
the Lebanon Daily Record office during
the town’s Enchanted Christmas Village
event on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Rene Barker, Daily Record ad manager,
was the director of Enchanted Christmas
Village. The event included hay rides,
craft sales and other activities.
• Hannibal — The Courier-Post held
a Newspapers In Education Silent Auction on Nov. 27 at the Admiral Coontz
Armory.
All bids for hundreds of items had
to be made in person from 3 to 7 p.m.
Refreshments were served.
• Troy — The Lincoln County Journal sponsored a coloring contest to raise
money for the local D.A.R.E. anti-drug
education program.
Publisher Pat Whiteside presented
a $500 check to the Lincoln County
Sheriff ’s Department. A similar check
was presented earlier to the city of Troy
D.A.R.E. program.
• Portageville — The Portageville Missourian-News held an open house Jan. 11
to show off its remodeleded offices.
• Kansas City — A man helping a
Kansas City Star carrier deliver his route
on Dec. 30 was shot in the leg.
According to the police, three men
walked up to the delivery van about
3:15 a.m. and shot the man as he was
getting out.
• Chillicothe — The ConstitutionTribune raised more than $12,500 worth
of food and cash donations in its 2007
Food for the Needy campaign.
The campaign, started 24 years ago
and held in cooperation with the Salvation Army Christmas appeal, has raised
more than $235,100.
• Kansas City — Michael Bushnell,
publisher of The Northeast News, was a
speaker on Dec. 13 at the First Thursday Northeast Literature & Art Series
program.
Bushnell gave a brief history of the
newspaper and of the Brighton Bugle,
which was published during World
War II. He also talked about his weekly
historic postcard feature, which was the
basis of his 2003 book “Historic Postcards from Old Kansas City.”
• St. Louis — Bob Williams, publisher of the Suburban Journal Newspapers
Missouri Press Association / Missouri Press Service
802 Locust St., Columbia, MO 65201-4888
(573) 449-4167 / Fax: (573) 874-5894 / www.mopress.com
STAFF
Doug Crews: Executive Director, [email protected]
Greg Baker: Advertising Director, [email protected]
Kent M. Ford: Editor, [email protected]
Connie Whitney: [email protected]
and Jennifer Plourde: [email protected]: Advertising Sales & Placement
Karen Philp: Receptionist, Bookkeeping, [email protected]
Kristie Williams: Member Services, Meeting Planning, [email protected]
Beth Ott: Graphic Designer, [email protected]
Michael Daugherty, Advertising, Website Administrator, [email protected]
New center will archive
photojournalists’ work
T
he New Angus and Betty McDougall Center for Photojournalism will be dedicated at the Missouri School of Journalism in
September. It will be part of the dedication program for the Donald
W. Reynolds Journalism Institute during the observance of the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the School of Journalism.
Missouri Press Association will hold its Convention next fall in
conjunction with some of the Journalism School’s program.
Angus McDougall was chairman of the school’s journalism sequence
for several years. The center will be funded by an endowment established by the McDougalls.
“I just wanted my magazine and newspaper photographs to have a
permanent home and access to researchers and students,” McDougall
told the Columbia Missourian.
The gift also will create the Missouri Photojournalism Archive, an
online collection of photojournalistic work. David Rees, photojournalism chairman at the J School, will be the center’s director.
The archive will make available the collections of the Pictures of the
Year International, College Photographer of the Year and the Missouri
Photo Workshop. Work of individual photojournalists also will be
archived, beginning with McDougall.
Space in Lee Hills Hall is being renovated to house the center.
of Greater St. Louis, presented a $10,000
check on Jan. 3 to the De Soto Railroad
Employees Memorial.
De Soto won the grand prize in the
Journals’ Celebrate Your Town Contest
last fall. More than 100 St. Louis area
communities were invited to participate.
Readers voted for the winning community via the Journals’ 31 websites.
The money will be used to landscape
the railroad memorial, which is still
under construction.
• Maryville — Snow-and-ice-covered tree limbs fell across power lines in
Maryville and northwest Missouri on
Dec. 11, resulting in a blackout at area
businesses. Some businesses, including
the Maryville Daily Forum, were without
power the entire day.
• Carthage — The same weather system knocked out power at The Carthage
Press in southwest Missouri. Working
from the home of a staff member, the
news and production crews continued
to produce daily newspapers.
• Versailles — In spite of the blackout
caused by the same storm, the weeklyVersailles Leader-Statesman also published a paper. It purchased a generator
to run a few computers and emailed its
pages to Jefferson City and Lebanon for
printing.
• Excelsior Springs — Excelsior
Springs Standard community page editor
Patty Bouldin will be the victim for the
Kiwanis Club’s 14th annual Celebrity
Roast on Feb. 9.
Bouldin is the wife of publisher Jim
Bouldin, who was the subject of the
roast in 1999.
After being roasted, Bouldin will receive an award for community service.
• Columbia — The Columbia Daily Tribune honored columnist Irene
Haskins with a Jan. 4 reception at a local restaurant in observance of her 80th
birthday.
• St. Louis — The Explore section
of the Post-Dispatch won two first-place
awards in the 2007 competition spon-
sored by the North American Travel
Journalists Association.
Travel editor Jackie Hutcherson tied
for first place in the cruise category.
Travel writer Tom Uhlenbrock tied for
first place in the domestic destination
category.
Explore was named runner-up for
Best Newspaper Travel Section.
Sportswriter Derrick Goold and
Uhlenbrock won an honorable mention
in the category of sports in conjunction
with travel.
• St. Louis — The Suburban Journals,
the Ladue News and KMOX-AM are taking nominations for the annual Women
of Achievement Awards. This program,
established in 1955, honors women
volunteers in the St. Louis region who
positively affect the well-being and welfare of the community and its citizens.
The Women of Achievement Awards
Luncheon will be May 20 at the Ritz
Carlton in Clayton.
• Sedalia — The Sedalia News Journal
has launched an online edition that will
include streaming video: sedalianewsjournal.com.
The newspaper Rules for the
also now can send Missouri
alerts of breaking
Press
news.
Foundation
• Wellsville — Better
Flat Stanley visited Newspaper
the Wellsville Optic Contest will
News in Decem- be distributed
ber.
Stanley Lamb- in February.
chop is a character
in a popular book series that has evolved
into a school project that encourages
children around the world to share a
part of their lives. In the story, a bulletin board falls on Stanley, flattening
him. This leads to new adventures for
Flat Stanley.
Children make pictures of Stanley
and keep journals of his activities. Some
send off their “Flat Stanleys” to friends or
relatives, who are asked to keep a journal
of Stanley’s visit.
The Flat Stanley that visited the Optic
News came from Nashville, Tenn. He arrived in rural Wellsville on a holiday trip
to visit the grandparents of his creator.
11
Obituaries
Clinton
Kathleen White Miles
K
athleen White Miles, 80, Clinton,
publisher of the Clinton Daily
Democrat since 1986, died at her home
on Dec. 22, 2007.
Mrs. Miles attended William Jewell
College for two years and then the Missouri School of Journalism, where she
earned her degree in 1948.
She succeeded her parents, Mahlon
and Kathleen White, as publisher of the
Democrat. They had published the paper
since purchasing it from the Charles
Whittaker family in 1950.
Mrs. Miles was a descendant of a line
of newspaper publishers that dates to the
1820s in Maryland and Pennsylvania
and printers dating to the 1740s.
Mrs. Miles’ daily “Bits & Pieces” column was a popular feature of the newspaper. She and her mother wrote and
published a number of books, including a three-volume history of Benton
County. Mrs. Miles also wrote “Bitter
Ground,” a history of the Civil War in
Henry, Benton and St. Clair counties,
and “Hog Lot Cookbook.”
She leaves a sister, five children, 11
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Her late brother, Mahlon K. “Jab”
White, was the publisher of the Benton
County Enterprise in Warsaw.
St. Louis
C
Clifton W. Gates
olonel Clifton W. Gates, 84, former
co-publisher of the St. Louis American, died Dec. 12, 2007, at his home in
St. Louis.
Mr. Gates was the first African American to be named to the St. Louis City
Board of Police Commissioners. He
was a co-founder of Gateway National
Bank, the first black owned and operated
bank in Missouri. In 1975 he founded
Lismark Distributing Co., and he was
involved in real estate and redevelopment.
Mr. Gates published The American
for several years with current publisher
Donald M. Suggs.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years,
Harriet; a daughter, a son and granddaughter.
Parkville
N
Nancy Jack
ancy Carol Jack, 80, a longtime
Platte County journalist, died in
her home on Dec. 7, 2007.
Ms. Jack was a 1949 graduate of the
William Allen White College of Journalism at the University of Kansas. She began her career as a reporter for the Kansas
City Kansan in the 1950s. Later she
moved to the Parkville area and worked
for and later owned the Platte County
Gazette and Southern Platte Press.
She came out of semi-retirement in
2004 to write news for The Parkville
Luminary.
St. Louis
J
James Bick
ames Patrick Bick, 78, a co-owner of
the company that became part of the
Suburban Journals, died of cancer on
Dec. 5, 2007.
Mr. Bick, along with his brothers,
Call These Organizations for Answers to Your Questions
For information
about public
education, contact
Missouri State
Teachers Association
406 S. Sixth St., P.O. Box 458
Columbia, MO 65205
(573) 442-3127 or (800) 392-0532
The Missouri Bar
Jefferson City
573-635-4128
12
You can’t trust just
anybody when it comes to
good health and
nutrition ... contact the
For information about agriculture or issues
affecting rural Missouri, contact:
(573) 893-1467
M ISSOURI
D IETETIC
A SSOCIATION
and get connected with a Licensed Registered
Dietitian in your area. We are the nutrition experts for you, your family and your organization.
P.O. Box 1225 • Jefferson City, MO 65102
(573) 636-2822 • www.eatrightmissouri.org
Missouri
Farm
Bureau
Call us for one-order,
one-bill newspaper
advertising placement.
573.449.4167
Frank and John, was an equal owner
of the St. Louis Suburban Newspapers,
which became part of the Suburban
Journals. The three brothers sold the
papers to Ingersoll Publishing in 1984.
Mr. Bick also founded the Bick
Group, a builder of data centers, and
co-founded Bick Broadcasting.
Among survivors are his wife, Judy;
five daughters and four sons.
Sedalia
C
Chuck Orman
huck Orman, 66, a retired reporter
and writer for The Sedalia Democrat, died of cancer Dec. 27, 2007, at a
hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla.
He worked for the Democrat from
2000 until he retired in June.
El Dorado Springs
L
Larry Brownlee
arry Gene Brownlee, 64, Osceola,
publisher of the El Dorado Springs
Star and the Cedar County Buyer’s Guide,
died Jan. 6, 2008.
Mr. Brownlee started the St. Clair
Post-Dispatch cartoonist among Time’s best
T
wo cartoons by St. Louis Post-Dispatch political cartoonist R.J. Matson were among Time magazine’s Top 10
cartoons of 2007, including first place.
“Thomas Goes to China” appeared on
the editorial page of the Post-Dispatch on
June 19. Matson drew “Cheney 300” for
a freelance client, the New York Observer.
It appeared on March 14.
Matson, 44, joined the Post-Dispatch
in July 2005. His cartoons have appeared
in publications as diverse as Roll Call,
The New Yorker and MAD.
Matson, a graduate of Columbia University, lives in University City with his
wife, Marie, and their two children.
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Snowbound readers devour unexpected treat
(Letter to the St. Joseph News-Press)
n today’s society, we take so many
things for granted. On Monday, when
we lost power at our house, it was an anxious and helpless feeling — no TV, com-
I
County Buyer’s Guide and combined it
with the St. Clair County Courier in
1982 in partnership with Mary and Jim
Dickerson of Camdenton. He owned a
number of newspapers over the years.
He leaves his wife, Pat; his mother,
Birdie; and two brothers.
puter or phone to connect us with the
outside world. We knew the roads were
too treacherous to expect a newspaper
to be delivered. But when my husband
looked outside at 6:30 a.m., amazingly,
our newspaper sat waiting for us.
In the excited frenzy, we read every
inch of it with our flashlight. So, thank
you, Angela, for the highlight of our
day. We don’t know how you made it
down the icy roads, but we appreciate
you more than ever.
������������������������������������������������������
Missouri Insurance
Information Service
���������������������������
������������������������
(573) 893-4241 - phone
(573) 893-4996 - fax
[email protected] - email
A public information organization of insurance companies.
MPA
Postal Help
Ron Cunningham
(417) 849-9331
[email protected]
Missouri Beef Industry Council
����������������������������
������������������
��������������
It’s What’s For Dinner.
This wa
Th
way to
way
to common sens
ense.
e.
TM
TM
EMBARQ.com
13
On the Move
• Liberty — Amy Neal has been
named managing editor of Sun Tribune
Newspapers and of The Smithville Herald and The Kearney
Courier, replacing
Matt Daugherty.
Daugherty was promoted to publisher
of The Herald and
The Courier.
Neal has been
with Sun Tribune
Ne w s p a p e r s f o r
three years and with
Amy Neal
the group’s parent
company, NewsPress & Gazette Co.,
St. Joseph, for more
than six years.
The others papers
in the Sun Tribune
group are the Liberty Tribune, Sun
Tribune, Sun Gazette
Matt Daugherty
and Raytown Tribune,
all in the Kansas City area.
Daugherty was managing editor of
the group for three years. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a
bachelor’s degree in journalism and a
master’s in business administration.
Kraig Cawley is the general manager of the News-Press & Gazette Co.’s
Kansas City operation: Sun Tribune
Newspapers, Sun Publications in Johnson County, Kan., and three papers in
Miami County, Kan.
• Ozark — Greg White, formerly general manager of the Republic Monitor, has
been named general
manager/advertising manager at Republic and of the
Headliner News in
Ozark and the Nixa
Xpress. He replaced
Chuck Branch, who
left for an advertising position with
Meridian Creative
Greg White
Alliance in Ozark.
The Headliner News held a reception for
Branch on Dec. 14.
14
The Republic, Ozark and Nixa newspapers are part of Neighbor Newspapers.
Dave Berry is the publisher.
• Kansas City — Designer Erica Flanary and editor Mike Ekey have joined
The Northeast News.
Flanary replaced Melissa Healer, Ekey
succeeds Tracey Abeln, both of whom
left the paper.
Flanary is a May graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. She’s a native of Kansas City North and formerly
worked for the Employment Guide, a jobs
publication.
Ekey, a native of Independence, is a
2006 graduate of the School of Journalism. He previously was a reporter for The
Kansas City Star.
• Pa r k H i l l s
— John Robinson, a native of the
Farmington area,
has been named ad
director of the Daily
Journal.
Robinson recently returned to
the area from Phoenix, where he won John Robinson
awards from his employer as a regional
sales manager.
• Huntsville, Texas — Dennis Garrison, a former publisher of the Lamar
Democrat, has been named publisher of
the Huntsville Item in Texas.
Garrison began work with newspapers
as a pressman for the Democrat in 1974.
In 1975 he became editor and publisher
of the Democrat and two nearby weeklies. He joined the advertising staff of the
Pittsburg (Kan.) Morning Sun in 1979.
In 1983 Garrison was appointed ad
manager at the Newton Kansan. He
was in that position for 19 years until
becoming ad director at the Huntsville
paper in 2002.
• Mound City — Brooke Simons and
Carrie Wilson have joined the Mound
City News.
Wilson, who lives in Craig with
her husband and son, is a part-time
reporter.
• Fulton — The Fulton Sun on Dec.
27 held a farewell cake and punch reception for reporter Kimberly Long, who
left the daily after 13 years.
• Republic — Reporter Brady Brite
and ad rep Paul
Johns joined the
Republic Monitor in
January.
Brite is a 2003
graduate of Glendale High School
in Springfield and
Brady Brite
a part-time student
at Ozark Technical
College.
Johns is a native
of Nixa. He worked
for Diversified Plastics Corp. in Nixa
for 28 years, beginning as a designer
and advancing to
become sales coor- Paul Johns
dinator. He was executive director of
the Writers Hall of Fame of America in
Springfield for three years.
Johns and his wife, Regina, have a son
and two grandchildren.
• Belton — Allen Edmonds, sports
editor for The Star Herald in Belton 20
years ago, has returned
to the newspaper as
a reporter.
Edmonds left the
Star Herald after a
couple of years and
entered the corporate world, which
required much travel, but he never left
the area.
Edmonds earned Allen Edmonds
a degree in communications from Pittsburg State University
in Kansas. He served as sports editor
of the Arkansas City Traveler and as a
reporter for The Parsons Sun, both in
Kansas, before joining The Star Herald
the first time.
• Slater — Kalup Shaffer has joined
Get ready to observe Sunshine Week
S
unshine Week — March 16-22
this year — is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the
importance of open government and
freedom of information. Participants
include print, broadcast and online news
media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the
public’s right to know.
Sunshine Week is led by the American
Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE)
and is funded primarily by a challenge
grant from the John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation of Miami.
Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and
empower people to play an active role in
the staff of the Main Street News in Slater.
He’s a 1997 graduate of Slater High
School and attended Missouri Valley
College in Marshall.
Shaffer previously worked in the Main
Street News mailroom, but now he is
writing news and taking pictures.
• St. Charles — Erin Schultz is the
new managing editor of the St. Charles
County and Warrenton Suburban
Journals. She succeeds Mitch Pugh,
who left last year to
become editor of the
Sioux City Journal in
Iowa.
Schultz leads the
editorial staffs of
the Journals in St.
Charles, St. Peters,
O’Fallon, WentzErin Schultz
ville and Warrenton.
A native of University City, Schultz
joined the Journals from the North
County Times, a Lee Enterprises daily in
the San Diego area. (Lee also owns the
St. Louis Suburban Journals.) She was a
reporter for the Times from 2000-2004,
then became regional topics editor. She
also has worked as a reporter for the
Pensacola News Journal in Florida.
Schultz earned a journalism degree
in 1999 from American University in
Washington, D.C.
their government at all levels, and to give
them access to information that makes
their lives better and their communities
stronger.
The Florida Society of Newspaper
Editors launched Sunshine Sunday in
2002 in response to efforts by some
It could be a large public forum or a
classroom discussion, an article or series
of articles about access to important information, or an editorial. The extent to
which you participate is up to you.
To get involved with Sunshine Week,
start at ASNE’s website, asne.org.
Florida legislators to create scores of
new exemptions to the state’s public
records law.
With an inaugural grant from Knight
Foundation, the ASNE Freedom of
Information Committee took up the
challenge and launched Sunshine Week
in March 2005. It continues to be celebrated each year in mid-March, coinciding with National FOI Day and James
Madison’s birthday on March 16.
Anyone can be a part of Sunshine
Week by engaging in a discussion about
the importance of open government.
Examples of the ways journalists,
students, lawmakers and public groups
marked Sunshine Week in 2005 and
2006 are collected in “Bright Ideas for
Sunshine Week 2007” and “Bright Ideas
for Sunshine Week 2006,” which are on
the website.
The Sunshine Week initiative is increasing public awareness, it’s coming
up more often in policy conversations,
and the efforts of participants are being
cited as real forces for moving the public
away from simply accepting excessive
and unwarranted government secrecy.
2nd search reveals hidden treasure
A
fter coming up empty in their first
search, a couple from Allenville
won the $200 prize in the Scott County
Signal’s Quest for Treasure.
The weekly paper printed clues to
the hidden Jolly Roger each week in
the sponsors’ advertisements. One of
the clues directed the couple to General
Watkins Park, but a thorough search of
the area turned up nothing.
A clue published later convinced the
couple that the treasure was hidden
in the park. One of the clues said, “If
it’s loot you want, sit down for some
grub.”
Tammy Whitlock, one of the winners,
said she had looked under the picnic
tables on the first trip to the park. On
the second vist, she looked under the
benches. She found the Jolly Roger under a bench she sat on during the first
treasure hunting trip to the park.
—from the Scott County Signal
St. Louis reporter is AP Staffer of Year
C
hristopher Leonard, a St. Louisbased reporter for The Associated
Press, was named the AP’s Fred Moen
Kansas-Missouri Staffer of the Year in
December.
Leonard, 32, was honored at the
annual meeting of AP’s Missouri and
Kansas publishers in Kansas City.
Leonard joined the AP in 2005 as a
business writer. In 2007 he helped lead
AP’s reporting on stories including the
Michael Devlin kidnapping case, legal
fallout from the Taum Sauk reservoir
collapse and controversy over the deletion of emails within Gov. Matt Blunt’s
office.
—The AP
15
Newspaper In Education Report
Lots of good, free stuff
for your young readers
You still have time to start running “Pressing West”
O
ur latest project, “Pressing provide our newspapers with a version
West,” is going to be a record. correlated to our state learning expectaI’m convinced we’re going tions. To access the guide, visit www.
to have more newspapers publish this mo-nie.com and use download code:
story than any previous effort. And we niewk08.
couldn’t be more proud that the comThe 62-page guide features 14 lesmemoration of Missouri’s first news- son plans, each with a student activpaper, founded 200 years
ity sheet, designed for
ago, is our record-setter!
middle and high school
If your newspaper hasn’t
students. Also included
made plans to publish
in the guide are 14 el“Pressing West: A Page in
ementary-level pages
History,” you still have a
for younger students.
chance to be a part of this
They parallel the lesson
Reading Across Missouri
plans and activities in
campaign. This project
the guide and focus on
offers newspapers the oplocal and community
portunity to download the
news.
story at no cost as long as
Also available from
you publish the first chapNAA are five in-paper
ter on or before Feb. 29.
features. These can also
To access the files, visit
be downloaded from
the Newspaper In Educa- Dawn Kitchell is MPA’s NIE MPA in black and white
tion pages at www.mopress. director. Contact her at (636) or color versions.
com. This year there is no 932-4301; [email protected].
Other resources
paperwork to sign. Simply
available from MPA to
read the contractual agreement posted commemorate Newspaper In Educaon the site and use the download code to tion Week include guest editorials, a
get the package. You’ll get a promotional letter to the editor from MPA president
ad, eight camera-ready chapters created Jack Whitaker, and an editorial cartoon
in 4-column-by-10-inch PASS format, by the Columbia Daily Tribune’s John
a teacher guide with activities correlated Darkow.
to Missouri’s Grade Level Expectations
and Show Me Standards, and a bonus
igital Citizenship Series from
feature on Joseph Charless, the Father
The Missouri Bar
of Missouri Journalism.
The Missouri Bar is partnering with
MPA to bring to newspapers this spring
onnect to the World With News- a series of four features focusing on Digipapers!
tal Citizenship. The topics will include:
Newspaper In Education Week this Rights and Responsibilities, Cyber Bulyear will be celebrated March 3-7. lying, Plagiarism, and Privacy. These
Each year the Newspaper Association features will be available this month at
of America creates a themed teacher www.mopress.com.
guide. This year’s guide is “Connect to
Songbirds of Missouri
the World With Newspapers.”
In March, MPA will release a series
The guide is available to newspapers of 12 features on Songbirds of Missouri.
nationwide, but Missouri Press will The series was generously donated by
D
C
16
The Joplin Globe and is being reformatted from full-page color features to
a smaller size. The features will have
companion teacher activity sheets that
can be distributed to teachers, posted
on your website, or accessed through a
download code from MPA.
“Ramona the Pest” serialized
AA is offering a serialized version of
the Beverly Cleary book, “Ramona
the Pest,” in partnership with Cleary and
HarperCollins Children’s Books.
N
This 62-page NIE Week curriculum
guide and accompanying ads can be
downloaded free from the website
of the Newspaper Association of
America, naa.org. NIE Week will be
observed March 3-7. MPA encourages
all of its member newspapers to
participate. Material relevant to
Missouri can be downloaded from the
NIE pages of mopress.com.
The story has been serialized into 16
chapters, averaging about 1,300 words
per chapter. The timeline for publishing
the story stipulates that one chapter of
the story must be published the week
of April 6-12 in commemoration of national D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything
And Read), April 12. There is no cost for
this serial. It’s available at naafoundation.org.
It’s a new year. If your newspaper does
not have some kind of Newspapers In
Education program, contact me and I
will be happy to help you get started.
Drawing A Blank?
Let a free month of AdBuilder.com erase those blanks*
AdBuilder.com has all the images, ideas and templates newspapers need. Hurry, this offer expires 2/15/08.
*Offer valid for new subscribers/services only.
800-245-9278, ext. 5324 • www.adbuilder.com/ad
17
Dear new UM president:
Please keep system open
Expect constant attention from media
To: Gary Forsee
in your career. The university exists, in a
President
significant part, through public dollars.
University of Missouri System
It was created by state statute. Its govear President Forsee:
erning board is a “public governmental
Welcome to your new posi- body,” a “term of art” under the state
tion as president of the Univer- Sunshine Law. That means that the
sity of Missouri. It’s a fine
records of the University,
system with a wonderful
in addition to the Board
heritage in the field of
of Curators, are public
records. Meetings of the
journalism, as you know.
Board of Curators are
Missouri Press Association
public meetings.
looks forward to working
Simple enough. Should
with you in your new posibe
no problem, right?
tion. As you can imagine,
Unfortunately,
what you
the newspaper publishers
should
know
is
that this
in the state of Missouri
has
not
always
been
the
have many opportunities
case.
The
University,
to be in contact with you,
speaking in the general
including working on stosense, and the media in
ries involving university
Missouri have a long hisinformation, hiring gradu- Jean Maneke, MPA’s Legal
tory of controversy over
ates, and working with the Hotline attorney, can be
reached
at
(816)
753-9000,
access to records and
university to improve life
[email protected].
meetings. There has been
in their communities.
litigation. Attorneys have
You have, unfortunately,
advised
the
University
to dodge giving
gotten into a job where you will find
access
when
requested.
Overall, there
yourself surrounded by the media. Perwas
an
attitude
that
the
University
was
haps you thought things were bad while
above
state
law.
Legislation
was
passed
serving as CEO of Sprint. I imagine the
number of reporters you will deal with in an effort to clarify this issue and to
in this new job may well exceed the make certain that it was clear that the law
number of reporters in your former job.
Columbia is well supplied with journalSuit seeks open Ethics
ists, all needing to make that big story to
add to their resumes. We are all proud
state representative who is a candiof the products of your University, and
date for attorney general has sued
you should just keep in mind that you the Missouri Ethics Commission claimare training sharp young minds there on ing “blatant violation” of the Sunshine
campus and this is part of their develop- Law.
ment process.
Rep. Margaret Donnelly, D-St. Louis,
ut that’s not why I’m writing to sued the commission to prevent it from
you today. I think it is important holding closed hearings about whether
that early in your tenure at the helm of candidates can keep campaign contributhis institution you be sensitized to the tions that exceed state limits.
A law that took effect on Jan. 1, 2007,
history of the University and the open
repealed
limits on how much money
meetings/open records law in the state.
candidates
can receive from individual
I imagine this is a law that you have had
donors.
The
Supreme Court reinstated
little experience with in your earlier jobs
D
A
B
18
applied to the Board of Curators.
Then President Elson Floyd arrived.
One of his first acts was to end the
sunshine law litigation that was pending when he took office. He declared a
new era of openness had arrived at the
University. He hired a longtime and
well-respected reporter, Scott Charton,
formerly with the AP, to assist in handling public affairs for the University.
And while there were some bumps in
the road, in general it was an era of “Yes
You Can.”
N o w i t ’s
Missouri
time for you to
Press looking “Power Up” in
this new enviforward to
ronment. We
are all waiting
working
and watching
to see if this
with new
era of sunshine
president of
over the University continUniversity.
ues or if we find
the mindset of
private corporate business has descended on the University. We hope that’s not the case.
“Sprint Ahead” in your new position
and as you do so, please help us keep the
era of access and openness within the
University system here. We look forward
to working with you, President Forsee, to
continue this great partnership between
the University and the newspapers in the
state in advancing education.
I hope you’ll pardon my use of Sprint
catch phrases. I couldn’t help myself.
Best wishes to you!
Commission hearings
the limits — retroactively — in July.
The Ethics Commission claims that
state law requires hearings to be closed
when an internal audit shows a violation
may have occurred.
Donnelly claims hardship hearings
are an outgrowth of the court ruling and
not of suspected violations, so they are
not subject to the law closing hearings.
She wants a Cole County circuit judge
to enjoin the Commission from holding
secret hearings in “blatant violation” of
the Sunshine Law.
—from the Associated Press
Missouri Newspaper Organizations
NORTHWEST MISSOURI PRESS ASSOCIATION: President, Leslie Speckman, Savannah;
Secretary, Kathy Conger, Bethany; Treasurer, W.C. Farmer, Rock Port. Directors: Dennis Ellsworth,
St. Joseph; Chuck Haney, Chillicothe; Wendell Lenhart, Trenton; Chris Boultinghouse, Mound
City; Steve Tinnen, Plattsburg; Jamey Honeycutt, Cameron; Kay Wilson, Maryville.
SHOW-ME PRESS ASSOCIATION: President, Trevor Vernon, Eldon; First Vice President, John
Spaar, Odessa; Secretary-Treasurer, Sandy Nelson, Harrisonville. Directors: Stacey Rice, Drexel;
Judy Spaar, Odessa; Past President/Director Gary Beissenherz, Concordia.
OZARK PRESS ASSOCIATION: President, Roger Dillon, Eminence; Vice President, Tianna
Brooks, Mountain View; Secretary-Treasurer, Sharon Vaughn, Summersville. Directors: Dala
Whittaker, Cabool; Brad Gentry, Houston; Jeff Schrag, Springfield; David Burton, Springfield;
Keith Moore, Ava; Jim Hamilton, Buffalo; Kimball Long, El Dorado Springs; Past President,
Rosemary Henderson, Mt. Vernon.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI PRESS ASSOCIATION: President, Kate Martin, Perryville; First Vice
President, Elaine Pursell, Dexter; Second Vice President, Gera LeGrand, Cape Girardeau;
Secretary-Treasurer, Michelle Friedrich, Poplar Bluff; Historian, Mrs. Mildred Wallhausen,
Charleston; Executive Secretary, Ann Hayes, Southeast Missouri State University. Directors:
Kim Million-Gipson, Piedmont; Peggy Scott, Festus; Judy Schaaf-Wheeler, Ironton; H. Scott
Seal, Portageville; Diane McClain, Kennett.
DEMOCRATIC EDITORS OF MISSOURI: President, Richard Fredrick, Paris; First Vice
President, Bob Cunningham, Moberly; Secretary, Beth McPherson, Weston; Treasurer, Linda
Geist, Monroe City.
MISSOURI CIRCULATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION: President, Brenda Carney,
Harrisonville; First Vice President, Jack Kaminsky, Joplin; Second Vice President, Steve Edwards,
St. Joseph; Secretary, David Pine, Kansas City; Treasurer, Doug Crews, Columbia. Directors:
Jim Kennedy, Bolivar; Ken Carpenter, Kansas City; Rob Siebeneck, Jefferson City.
MISSOURI ADVERTISING MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION: President, Steve Hutchings,
Gainesville; First Vice President, Trevor Vernon, Eldon; Second Vice President, Bobbie Snodgrass,
Joplin; Secretary, Jim Salzman, Jackson; Treasurer, Doug Crews, Columbia. Directors: Debra
Kiser, Jefferson City; Stacy Rice, Drexel; Dennis Warden, Owensville; Suzie Wilson, Milan. Past
President, Jane Haberberger, Washington.
MISSOURI ASSOCIATED DAILIES: President, Joe May, Mexico; Vice President, Ben Weir, Jr.,
Independence; Secretary, Shelly Arth, Marshall; Treasurer, Doug Crews, Columbia; Past President,
Larry Freels, Kirksville. Directors: Jack Whitaker, Hannibal; Arnie Robbins, St. Louis; Charlie
Fischer, Sedalia; Don Wyatt, Springfield; Dan Potter, Columbia; Randy Cope, Neosho.
MISSOURI PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATORSV: Co-Presidents, Fran Manino, Kirkwood,
and Janice Denham, Kirkwood; Secretary, Peggy Koch, Barnhart; Publicity, Colene McEntee,
St. Peters; Membership, Suzanne Corbett; Treasurer/Archivist, Dee Rabey, Granite City, Ill.;
Contest, Janice Denham, Kirkwood; Quest Awards, Susan Fadem, Olivette; Conference Director,
Michelle Oyola; Newsletter, Karen Glines, Des Peres and Peggy Koch; At Large, Verna Smith,
St. Louis; Mary Kimbrough, St. Louis; Susan Fadem.
MISSOURI PRESS SERVICE: President, Steve Oldfield, Adrian; Vice President, John Spaar,
Odessa; Secretary-Treasurer, Gary Sosniecki, Vandalia. Directors: Dave Berry, Bolivar; Dane
Vernon, Versailles.
MISSOURI PRESS FOUNDATION, INC.: President, Tom Miller, Washington; First Vice President,
David Lipman, St. Louis; Second Vice President, Mrs. Betty Spaar, Odessa; Secretary-Treasurer,
Doug Crews, Columbia. Directors: R.B. Smith III, Lebanon; Wallace Vernon, Eldon; Rogers
Hewitt, Shelbyville; James Sterling, Columbia; Mrs. Wanda Brown, Harrisonville; Mrs. Avis
Tucker, Warrensburg; Edward Steele, Columbia; Robert Wilson, Milan; Kirk Powell, Pleasant
Hill; Wendell Lenhart, Trenton.
MISSOURI-KANSAS AP PUBLISHERS AND EDITORS: Chairman, John Montgomery,
Hutchinson, Kan. Missouri AP Managing Editors: Chairman, Carol Stark, Joplin; Past Chairman,
Oliver Wiest, Sedalia.
MISSOURI SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS: President, Buzz Ball, Carthage; First Vice
President, Cathy Ripley, Chillicothe; Second Vice President, Dale Brendel, Independence;
Secretary-Treasurer, Doug Crews, Columbia. Directors: Chris Wrinkle, Hannibal; Dennis Ellsworth,
St. Joseph; Rob Viehman, Cuba; Jeff Schrag, Springfield; Sam Blackwell, Cape Girardeau; and
Oliver Wiest, Sedalia; Past President, Buck Collier, St. Louis.
MISSOURI COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION: President, Alexandra Nicolas, Missouri Southern
State University; Vice President, Morgan Ryman, Metropolitan Community College, Longview;
Secretary, Jesse Cordova, Missouri Southern State University; MPA Liaison, Pat Sparks, Longview
Community College; Adviser, T.R. Hanrahan, Missouri Southern State University.
CALENDAR
February
21 — MPA/AP Day at the Capitol
March
3-6 — Newspapers In Education
Week
5-7 — NNA Government Affairs
Conference, Washington, D.C.
16-22 — National Sunshine Week
28 — Ozark Press Association,
College of the Ozarks,
Point Lookout
April
11-13 — Missouri College Media
Association Convention, Missouri
Southern State University, Joplin
17 — MPA Past Presidents and
Spouses Dinner, Columbia
May
8-9 — Missouri Advertising Managers’
Association, Hilton Promenade
Hotel, Branson
June
12 — MPA Porter Fisher Golf
Classic
12 — Missouri Press Board of
Directors meeting, Lake Ozark
12-13 — Show-Me Press, MSNE/
APME joint meeting, Resort
at Port Arrowhead, Lake Ozark
13 — Southeast Missouri Press
Association meeting, Southeast
Missouri State University,
Cape Girardeau
July
9-11 — Living Textbook Newspapers
In Education seminar, Columbia
September
10-12 — Missouri School
of Journalism Centennial
Celebration, Columbia
11-13 — 142nd MPA Convention,
Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia
25-28 — NNA Convention and
Trade Show, St. Paul, Minn.
��������������������������������������������
Missouri’s Electric Cooperatives
Touchstone Energy®