July 2014 - Tennessee Press Association

July 2014
Volume 78
Jason Taylor, Chattanooga publisher, is new
president of Tennessee Press Association
INSIDE
President’s letter
New president wants five for TPA
Page 2
Ideas, presenters
sought for 2015
Winter Convention
Committee is seeking topics
and presenters for sessions for
Friday’s drive-in training
C
Page 3
M
Tracks
Who’s coming and going in the
industry
Page 5
Y
K
No. 1
2014-2015 Directors
Guide
Pages 6-7
Obituaries
Aileen Burnett Lane, Joseph
William Pope, Lois Dillow Hicks,
Cora Lee Durham Tankersley,
Jack T. Harris Sr., Edith Alma
Davis Aytes, Melba Horner
Walton
Page 8
Jason P. Taylor, president and
publisher of the Chattanooga Times
Free Press, is the new president of
the Tennessee Press Association
(TPA). TPA is a trade association
composed of 26 daily newspapers
and 95 non-daily newspapers.
Taylor succeeds Lynn J. Richardson, publisher of the Elizabethton
Star.
Other officers elected at TPA’s
Business Session during the
Summer Convention, June 5-7, in
Gatlinburg are Joel Washburn,
managing editor of The McKenzie
Banner, vice president for non-daily
newspapers; Jack McElroy, editor
of the Knoxville News Sentinel,
vice president for daily newspapers,
and John Finney, vice president of
the Buffalo River Review, Linden,
treasurer. Directors elected for two-year
terms are: Carl Esposito, publisher
of The Daily Times, Maryville,
District 2; Scott Winfree, publisher
of the Carthage Courier, District 4;
Jesse Lindsey, vice president and
publisher of The Lebanon Publishing Company, District 6; Brad
Franklin, vice president of publishing, The Lexington Progress,
District 8; and Eric Barnes, publisher of The Daily News, Memphis,
District 10.
Continuing their term on the
TPA board are: Keith Wilson,
publisher of The Kingsport TimesNews, District 1; Chris Vass,
metro editor of the Chattanooga
Times Free Press, District 3; Hugh
Jones, publisher of the Shelbyville
Times-Gazette, District 5; Mark
Palmer, publisher of The Daily
Herald, Columbia, District 7; and
Daniel Richardson, Regional Manager of Magic Valley Publishing,
District 9.
Lynn Richardson will continue
on the board for one year as immediate past president.
The TPA Board of Directors
appointed trustees to serve on the
Tennessee Press Association Foundation (TPAF) Board of Trustees
for three-year terms. Re-appointed trustees are: Jim Charlet of
Brentwood; John Finney; Jeffrey D.
Fishman, publisher of The Tullahoma News; R. Michael Fishman,
publisher of the Citizen Tribune,
Photo by Amelia Morrison Hipps
New TPA President Jason Taylor
gives his inaugural address to TPA
members at the summer convention.
Photo by Joel Washburn • The McKenzie Banner
New TPA President Jason Taylor, president/publisher of Chattanooga
Times Free Press, right, accepts the gavel from Immediate Past President Lynn Richardson, publisher of Elizabethton Star, at the 2014 TPA
Summer Convention in Gatlinburg June 5.
Morristown; Hershel Lake, Pulaski
Publishing; Victor Parkins, editor
of The Milan Mirror-Exchange; and
Michael Williams, publisher of The
Paris Post-Intelligencer.
Two new trustees were appointed. They are Elenora E. Edwards
of Clinton and Dennis Richardson,
owner of Magic Valley Publishing,
Camden.
TPAF officers elected at the TPAF
Board of Trustees meeting are
Gregg K. Jones, president of Jones
Media Inc., Greeneville, re-elected
president, and Parkins, re-elected
vice president.
Officers and directors of Tennessee Press Service (TPS), business
affiliate of TPA, are Parkins, president, and Taylor, vice president.
Parkins and Jeffrey D. Fishman
were re-elected to the board during
the TPS Stockholders’ Meeting on
June 7. Continuing to serve on the
six-member TPS Board are Ralph
C. Baldwin, chief operating officer
of Jones Media Inc., Greeneville;
David Critchlow Jr., editor of the
Union City Daily Messenger; and
Jana Thomasson, publisher of The
Mountain Press, Sevierville. TPS
will elect officers in November.
About Jason Taylor
Taylor began his professional
career in newspapers at The Daily
News Journal in Murfreesboro,
Tennessee, where he served in
various roles including advertising sales manager and director of
marketing and advertising. In 2003, Morris Multimedia sold
its Tennessee properties, including
the Daily News Journal, to Gannett
Co. At that time, Taylor was named
general manager of the Times in
Gainesville, Georgia, which Morris
Multimedia acquired in the transaction with Gannett.
Six months later, Gannett recruit-
ed Taylor to the Honolulu Advertiser in Honolulu, Hawaii. During his
time in Honolulu, he held various
positions including advertising
director and senior vice president of
sales and marketing for the state’s
largest newspaper before making
the move to Chattanooga in 2007.
During his tenure at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the paper
has been recognized as a topranked newspaper both regionally
and nationally in news, advertising, marketing, circulation and
online performance.
In 2014 alone, the newspaper
topped Editor and Publisher magazine’s Top 10 Papers Doing It Right,
as well as receiving recognition
as a 2014 Pulitzer finalist. At the
end of 2013, the paper hosted
both the International Society of
Environmental Journalists and the
industry’s first-ever Event Revenue
Summit in Chattanooga, playing
host to some of the largest newspapers in the world.
Taylor has received numerous
industry accolades including the
2006 Executive of the Year among
the Gannett Co.’s then 96 daily
newspapers, Gannett Chairman’s
Award, multiple American Advertising Federation Addy Awards
and Newspaper Association of
America’s Athena Awards, Morris
See TAYLOR , Page 2
C
M
Y
K
Page 2 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014
New president wants five for TPA
(USPS 616-460)
Published monthly by the
TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE, INC.
for the
TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION, INC.
435 Montbrook Lane
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Telephone (865) 584-5761/Fax (865) 558-8687/www.tnpress.com
Subscriptions: $6 annually
Periodicals Postage Paid At Knoxville, TN
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tennessee Press,
435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919.
The Tennessee Press is printed by The Standard Banner
in Jefferson City, Tenn.
Greg M. Sherrill ................................................................................................................................. Editor
Amelia Morrison Hipps ...................................................................................... Managing Editor
Robyn Gentile .......................................................................................... Production Coordinator
Angelique Dunn ....................................................................................................................... Assistant
The Tennessee Press
is printed on recycled paper
and is recyclable.
The Tennessee Press can be read on
www.tnpress.com
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION
TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION
Jason P. Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press.....................................................................President
Joel Washburn, The McKenzie Banner ........................................................................ Vice President
Jack McElroy, Knoxville News Sentinel ........................................................................ Vice President
John Finney, Buffalo River Review, Linden ...........................................................................Treasurer
Greg M. Sherrill, Knoxville ...................................................................................... Executive Director
DIRECTORS
Keith Wilson, Kingsport Times-News ................................................................................... District 1
Carl Esposito, The Daily Times, Maryville ............................................................................ District 2
Chris Vass, Chattanooga Times Free Press ........................................................................... District 3
Scott Winfree, Carthage Courier ............................................................................................. District 4
Hugh Jones, Shelbyville Times-Gazette ................................................................................. District 5
Jesse Lindsey, The Lebanon Democrat ................................................................................... District 6
Mark Palmer, The Daily Herald, Columbia .......................................................................... District 7
Brad Franklin, The Lexington Progress ................................................................................. District 8
Daniel Richardson, Magic Valley Publishing, Camden ................................................... District 9
Eric Barnes, The Daily News, Memphis ...............................................................................District 10
Lynn Richardson, Elizabethton Star .......................................................Immediate Past President
TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE
Victor Parkins, The Milan Mirror-Exchange ......................................................................President
Jason P. Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press .......................................................... Vice President
Ralph C. Baldwin, Jones Media Inc., Greeneville ................................................................ Director
David Critchlow Jr., Union City Daily Messenger ............................................................... Director
Jeffrey D. Fishman, Tullahoma News ....................................................................................... Director
Jana Thomasson, The Mountain Press, Sevierville ............................................................. Director
Greg M. Sherrill ............................................................................................... Executive Vice President
TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION
Gregg K. Jones, The Greeneville Sun .......................................................................................President
Victor Parkins, The Milan Mirror-Exchange ............................................................ Vice President
Richard L. Hollow, Knoxville ...................................................................................... General Counsel
Greg M. Sherrill ......................................................................................................... Secretary-Treasurer
CONTACT THE MANAGING EDITOR
TPAers with suggestions, questions or comments about items in The
Tennessee Press are welcome to contact the managing editor. Call Amelia
Morrison Hipps, (615) 442-8667; send a note to 1260 Trousdale Ferry Pike,
Lebanon, TN 37087, or email [email protected]. The deadline for the
August issue is Monday, July 7.
The future of the Tennessee Press
Association can be as bright as our
history, but it’s going to require all
of us to roll up our sleeves, grab
the bull by the horns and make it
happen.
All I ask is that each of you give
TPA FIVE to make it a reality. 1. As an association, we
must FLEX OUR MUSCLES. We
have a powerful story to tell and we must tell it boldly.
We are over 120 member newspapers strong and have
a rich legacy in the state of Tennessee.
Collectively, over five million people each week read
our member newspapers. Our websites dominate in
local readership, interaction and content. Television
and radio pale in comparison throughout the state of
Tennessee.
2. Another key to our future is continuing to build
on our recent successes in PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. Our Winter Institute and Convention chartered
new paths, which added excitement and momentum.
The program engaged conference attendees and guests
like never before. Our attendees left renewed and encouraged about the future.
We need to ensure that our programming going forward continues down this path. We need to expose our
newspapers to training that prepares them better for
the future and offers advice on strategy, technology and
content development in this modern media world.
I am confident that our Vice President of Non-Dailies Joel Washburn and his committee will make this
happen.
3. Next, and maybe even foremost, we must EVALUATE OUR SUSTAINABILITY. I am pleased to announce
the creation of a new committee that is the first of its
kind for our association. In fact, it is the first inter-organizational committee of TPA, Tennessee Press Service
and the Tennessee Press Association Foundation.
This committee will include leadership from each of
the three “legs of the stool” and will immediately begin
looking at the long-term sustainability of each of the
organizations as well as their interdependence, shared
resources, structures, etc.
Just as our membership papers have spent years
changing and evolving, it’s time we look at how we
can best serve our members going forward in the most
efficient way possible.
Before, each of the three organizations’ boards
would discuss things that affected the others respec-
TAYLOR, from Page 1
Multimedia’s Inaugural Leadership
Award, and the 2010 American
Advertising Federation Silver Medal
Award for lifetime achievement (to
which he still claims he was not old
enough to receive.)
Taylor’s unique, high-energy
approach to newspaper management has generated many new
ideas that have been adopted
across the country. He is one of the
industry’s top-rated speakers. He
has addressed over 80 industry
conferences including 38 state, 24
regional, eight national and two
international events. He has served
as an instructor at the American
Press Institute in Washington, D.C.
multiple years as well. Many of
his concepts and ideas have been
implemented across the country and
tively or needed to change, but
momentum slowed through built-in
OUR
delays and unnecessary redundancy
to make needed changes happen..
RESIDING
Hopefully, this new committee can
EPORTER
speed the communication, direction
and needed evolution to ensure longJASON P. TAYLOR
term sustainability of our representative organizations.
4. It is vital that all of us RE-ENGAGE INACTIVE
MEMBERS. From metro newspapers owned by major
corporations to the most rural weeklies in our border
counties, our organization is strongest when we all are
inviolable. Simply paying dues is not enough.
We must reach out to our inactive members inviting
them to the table to meet, to help guide policy, to share
resources. But with that, we must invite change and
accept new ideas.
There are major issues impacting all of our newspapers each and every day. A collective voice is a
powerful one, but it’s even louder when everyone is
represented.
So, do your part. Invite and engage. Our association
will be stronger if you do.
5. And finally, we must RE-EMPHASIZE the importance of RELATIONSHIPS. I am often asked, “How has
Chattanooga weathered the advertising revenue storm
better than most any other newspaper?” My response is
always, “Creativity and relationships.”
Relationships are as important in selling advertising
and subscriptions as they are to the Tennessee Press
Association. There are many great leaders both historic
and current within our Association. Relationships with
these leaders can help us all.
These friendships have helped us tear down walls,
challenge what’s wrong, redefine public policy, grow
our business and cope with difficult times. We must
remind ourselves to invest in these relationships, and
Tennessee Press Association is a great conduit to make
this happen.
Serve on a committee, attend a meeting, or just pick
up the phone. You will see the benefit for both you and
your newspaper.
So, hands up in the air. Five fingers. Five things we
can all do. Let’s make it happen for a stronger Tennessee Press Association.
Jason Taylor is publisher/president of the Chattanooga
Times Free Press.
Y
P
R
internationally at newspapers of all
sizes. Taylor has created, launched and
managed countless products in the
various markets he has worked, including dozens of events, banquets,
expos, magazines, tourist publications, alternative publications,
websites and auxiliary companies. Taylor has also consulted with
12 other media companies and has
served as a mentor to many publishers and advertising directors.
Taylor has served on numerous
civic leadership roles in the greater
Chattanooga community including
being the current Campaign Chair
for the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Mentor for the Principals
Leadership Academy, and PTA
President of Thrasher Elementary
School. He has served on many
community boards including the
Children’s Discovery Museum,
River Rocks festival, Chamber of
Commerce Public Relations and the
Howard School Advisory Board. Taylor is also active in numerous newspaper organizations and
currently serves as the NexGen
program founder and chair for the
Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. This program is designed
to foster future industry leaders
throughout the organizations’
membership.
Taylor is active in his church and
enjoys trail running, rock-climbing
and adventure obstacle races in his
spare time. He and his wife Honey are residents of Signal Mountain and have
three young children, Hope, Haley
and Jackson.
July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 3
Ideas, presenters
sought for 2015
Winter Convention
From Staff Reports
Planning is underway for the
2015 Winter Convention and the
committee is seeking topics and
presenters for sessions for Friday's
drive-in training.
A recent survey of publishers
indicated a need for new and different training classes in addition to
some of the standard courses.
Joel Washburn, TPA Vice President for Non-Dailies and Managing
Editor of The McKenzie Banner, is
chairman of the event.
The 2015 Winter Convention is
scheduled for Wednesday-Friday,
Feb. 4-6, 2015 at the DoubleTree
Nashville Downtown Hotel in
Nashville.
To send ideas, or to volunteer
to be a presenter or to become a
committee member, please contact
Washburn at 731-352-3323 or e-mail
[email protected]
Additionally, the Winter Convention is seeking a "celebrity" to join
TPA members during the Opening
Reception Wednesday evening.
Last year, Charles Esten, who
plays Deacon Claybourne on the
TV series "Nashville," joined the
gathering. Anyone with suggestions of a celebrity, please pass
those along to the committee.
MARKETPLACE
Publisher needed
The Bolivar Bulletin-Times,
(www.bulletintimesnews.com)
based in Bolivar, Tennessee, is
seeking a publisher for both the Bulletin-Times and The Hardeman
County Shopper. Bolivar is located
approximately 70 miles east of
Memphis. The Bulletin-Times has
a staff of four full-time and 11 parttime employees.
The ideal candidate will have
newspaper management experience
along with a vision for how to adapt
to the changing media environment
effectively and the energy and initiative to make that happen.
The successful candidate must be
an aggressive marketer, committed
to driving revenue and improving
existing products while developing
new ones, and will be expected to
be active in the life and leadership
of the community. The candidate
also needs to be skilled at recruiting – particularly sales and editorial
professionals.
The publisher will be expected
to plan, organize, coordinate and
direct all operating activities at the
newspaper. He or she will be responsible for achieving the newspaper’s financial goals and objectives
and will also need to handle key
accounts in the region that the Bulletin-Times serves.
At least 50 percent of the position’s responsibilities include sales
and sales-related activities. This position offers a competitive
salary and benefits package including monthly car allowance, health
benefits plan and 401k.
If you fit the description above
and you are looking for an opportu-
nity to further your career, we want
to hear from you. Please email a
cover letter, resume and references
to [email protected]. The
Bolivar Bulletin-Times is an Equal
Opportunity Employer.
Reporter needed
The Bristol Herald Courier, a
Pulitzer Prize-winning daily in the
mountains of Southwest Virginia, is
seeking an energetic and hardworking reporter to cover government, education, politics, business,
features and life in Sullivan County,
Tenn., along with some general
assignment.
We are looking for an aggressive,
passionate journalist who asks
the tough questions and produces
well-written, compelling stories. He
or she must be willing to work on
deadline and accuracy is a must.
In addition to writing for the
paper, the reporter must tell stories
throughout the day on several platforms, including the newspaper’s
website and social media. Daily
stories will be written, along with
more in-depth pieces.
The position is full-time Monday through Friday, although some
weekend work is required.
Required Skills:
Ability to recognize a good story,
AP style, skilled writer, ability to
work on deadline, social media
knowledge, communication skills
and teamwork. One to two years of
experience preferred, will consider
intern experience
Level of Education: 4-year degree
Contact: Susan Cameron
at [email protected]
or (276) 645-2514.
Richardsons purchase
Lake County Banner
The Lake County Banner, one of the Reelfoot Lake area’s oldest
continually operated businesses, has a new owner.
Dennis and Lisa Richardson, owners of Magic Valley Publishing Co., Inc. purchased the 91-year-old newspaper from Evan
Jones.
The Banner, published in Tiptonville, joins a larger family of
community weekly newspapers which comprise Magic Valley
Publishing Co. Inc (MVP), a Tennessee corporation which also
includes weekly newspapers in Camden, Huntingdon and Alamo,
and four weekly community newspapers just a few miles north
in Kentucky:
The Fulton Leader, Hickman Courier, Hickman County
Gazette (Clinton) and Carlisle Weekly in Bardwell, as well as
the Fulton Shopper and The Marketplace, a free publication in
Carroll and Benton counties in Tennessee.
“The Lake County Banner has a rich tradition of publishing
quality news,” Richardson said. “We want to continue. The Banner’s proximity to Reelfoot Lake is a plus.”
Richardson and his wife Lisa purchased their first newspaper
in 1983.
They have three sons and a daughter. Two of the sons are in
the newspaper business and the youngest son, Daniel, is director
for District 9 of the Tennessee Press Association.
The Banner was established in 1923 and was purchased by
brothers Richard and Howard Jones in 1949 from Jack Haufhaus.
It remained in the Jones family until the purchase by MVP.
Evan Jones went to work full-time at the paper in 1975 as a
See BANNER , Page 11
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
JULY
11: UT-TPA State Press Contests
Awards Luncheon, Nashville
30-Aug. 3: National Association
of Black Journalists
Convention and Career Fair,
Boston
AUGUST
5-8: Newspaper Association
Managers Annual Conference,
Nashville
6-9: Association for Education
in Journalism and Mass
Communication Convention,
Montreal, Canada
SEPTEMBER
4-6: National SPJ Excellence
in Journalism Conference,
Nashville
4-6: The National Federation
of Press Women annual
convention.
13-16: Asian American
Journalism Association 25th
Annual Convention at the
Renaissance Washington, D.C.,
Downtown Hotel.
14-16: SNPA’s Carmage Walls
Leadership Forum, Galveston,
Texas
15-17: American Society of
Newspaper Editors Annual
Conference at Chicago
18: 2nd Annual Kentucky/
Tennessee Border War Golf
Tournament “The Battle at
Crooked Creek,” Crooked
Creek Country Club in
London, Kentucky
OCTOBER
6-8: SNPA 2014 News Industry
Summit, Charlottesville, Va.
16-18: 18th Institute of
Newspaper Technology,
UT campus, Knoxville
29-Nov. 1: College Media
Advisors National Fall College
Media Convention at the
Philadelphia Marriott,
Philadelphia, PA
Page 4 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014
Community events: A great source of potential advertising
What’s going on in your neck of
the woods this summer?
More importantly, how are people
outside of your neck of the woods
finding out about it?
Tennessee has a lot going on from
the Blueberry Festival in Unicoi to
the Citywide Yard Sale in Celina to
the Fiddlers’ Jamboree in Holladay.
These are just a few types of
advertisers that have utilized Tennessee’s Advertising Networks to
promote their events.
How did these events find out
about Tennessee’s Advertising
Networks? Their local participating
newspaper sales rep!
NETWORKS
ADVERTISING
MANAGER
BETH ELLIOTT
The rep told the event planners
about a cost efficient and effective
way to promote their event through
a classified line ad or small display
ad in Tennessee’s Advertising
Networks.
The event planners found out
how easy it is to get their ad in
“
The event planners found out how easy it is to get their ad in
newspapers across the state or in a region of Tennessee through
just one point of contact.
newspapers across the state or in
a region of Tennessee through just
one point of contact.
The reps were able to help the
event planners save time and money, so they could focus on what they
do best – planning the event.
The reps recognized an opportunity to up-sell the Network ads and
gain a new source of revenue for
their respective newspapers.
So, what’s going on in your
county this summer? Is it a festival,
yard sale, jamboree, BBQ, etc. that
wants to bring in crowds outside
your area?
As the trusted local newspaper
sales rep, you have a resource at
your fingertips to offer your local
event planner.
Their classified line ad or small
display ad can appear in your news-
paper, plus newspapers across the
state or region, all through you.
Contact TPS for lists of participating newspapers, rate sheets,
anything you need to up-sell the
TnSCAN, TnDAN and TnNET ads.
TPS is here to help you!
If you would like a refresher on
selling the ads, contact TPS today,
865-584-5761 x 117.
Happy selling!
Tom Bohs takes a look back at 20 years of rewarding experiences
After 20 years at The Jackson
Sun, I’ve decided to hang up my
pencils and pursue other interests
and opportunities
– conservatives,
please hold your
applause.
It has been a
privilege to do
what I do, some
of which I’ll share
later.
Bohs
During those
years, I’ve written
more than 6,000 Jackson Sun editorials, personal columns and feature
stories. I’ve edited more than 12,000
letters to the editor, and read many
more that never made it into print.
I’ve been to about 1,000 Sun editorial board meetings, many with
special guests including governors,
congressmen, business and community leaders, and people who
had special stories and experiences
to share with us.
During my years in the editorial
department, I have interviewed
hundreds of political candidates,
and written hundreds of Jackson
Sun candidate endorsements, ranging from local offices to the president. For 15 years, I have co-hosted
nearly every local election-night TV
coverage with my friends at the old
TRTV station and its successor JEA
E-Plus TV6.
One year, with the help of Union
University broadcast professor and
good friend, Steve Beverly and his
broadcast students, we did the first
Internet video broadcast of election
night coverage. I’ve spent time on
local talk radio with my friends
Bill Way, Keith Sherley and Dan
Reaves. The Sun even did a daily
radio news show on WTJS. I also
had the opportunity to do a series
of TV-interview shows on WLJT
public TV.
During these years, with the help
of my Sun colleagues, I’ve conducted dozens of community forums
“
Navigating politics and public service is a
minefield. It takes courage, smarts,
political savvy and persistence to succeed.
and political debates, including the
first statewide TV broadcast of a
Tennessee U.S. Senate candidate
debate. It was broadcast live via
satellite from Lambuth University
by WLJT, between Lamar Alexander and Bob Clement, and hosted by
The Jackson Sun.
I look back on all this only to
share the richness of the experience. I truly have been fortunate. I
have enjoyed nearly every minute
of the experience, even the Monday
morning phone calls and emails
responding to my Sunday columns
that began: “You idiot!” Tough love,
indeed.
I think it’s fair to ask: What
have I learned in 20 years and all
those amazing opportunities and
experiences?
The answer: Leadership matters.
And by leadership, I mean the ability to get things done.
There is a huge difference
between a good politician, or individual in the community, who can
schmooze, kiss babies and come
across as a hale fellow (or gal) well
met, and one who can actually get
things done.
Good leaders aren’t always
likable, or even friendly, but they
accomplish things and get results.
They have the courage to take risks,
which sometimes don’t turn out as
intended. But these are the folks
who make the hard choices, put
themselves out there, and bear responsibility for the outcomes. Some
leaders are Republicans, others
Democrats, still others are indepen-
dent or even apolitical. Almost all
are smart. Smart matters.
Think about our state and our
local communities. Who has gotten
big and important things done?
Here are a few from the past who
See BOHS, Page 5
Don’t miss
the second round!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Crooked Creek Golf Community
London, Kentucky
A benefit to raise funds for
Kentucky Journalism Foundation
Tennessee Press Association Foundation
July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 5
TRACKS
Hollahan named editor
of Memphis Business
Journal
Terry Hollahan has been named
editor of Memphis Business Journal,
effective immediately.
Hollahan,
53, replaces longtime editor Bill
Wellborn, who
retired in March.
A University of
Memphis graduate, Hollahan
joined MBJ as a
Hollahan
reporter in 1999.
He was promoted
to sections editor in 2000, and was
named managing editor in 2003.
Since he moved into that position,
MBJ has won two awards from
the Tennessee Press Association
for General Excellence, an honor MBJ had achieved only once in
the previous 28 years. He and other MBJ editors hold numerous firstplace awards for editorial writing.
He has worked in the newspaper
business for 25 years.
“We’ve got a great team here and
we are committed to being the go-to
source for Memphis business news,”
Hollahan said. “We want more people to tap into our expertise, both
digitally and in print, because you
can gain insight and learn strategies
on how to run your own business
by following our news organization.”
Joanna Crangle, who was recently named the MBJ’s publisher, said
Hollahan will continue to lead the
newsroom in its conversion to a
digital-first operation.
“Terry brings an incredible
amount of passion to the table for
upholding the editorial standards of
our publication and an enthusiasm
for creating a necessary culture of
excellence in journalism, all with
an invaluable understanding of the
BOHS, from Page 4
come to mind, and whom I have
interviewed and written about: Ned
McWherter, Phil Bredesen, Charles
Farmer, Jim Moss, David Dockery,
Bill Frist, John Tanner, Wesley
McClure, Shirlene Mercer, John
Williams of JEA, Matt Kisber and
Carl Kirkland. Not a dummy in the
bunch. Not all easy to live with or
perfect human beings, either. As my
late friend and UT Martin history
prof, Robert Bolton, used to say:
Many of history’s great men had
feet of clay.
Look at our current state and
local elected officials and high-profile individuals in our communities. Who can get important stuff
done? Navigating politics and
public service is a minefield. It takes
nature of our business and the direction of our industry as a whole,”
Crangle said.
“I hope Terry will have unwavering support from the Memphis
community in this next step of our
transformation, and I look forward
to seeing many great things happen
here in Memphis under his leadership.”
An avid golfer, Hollahan also
enjoys following the stock market
and is a big Memphis Grizzlies and
University of Memphis Tigers basketball fan.
He and his wife, Cathy, have two
sons.
Memphis Business Journal
May 12, 2014
Two hired by Tri-County
Publishing
The Dresden Enterprise and The
McKenzie Banner recently hired
two new staff members.
Gleason, Tennessee, native
Ryan Richardson and his fiancée,
Meghann Anderson of Owensboro,
Kentucky, graduated with degrees
in journalism from Murray State
University on May 10 and began
work on Monday, May 12.
Richardson, son of Ricky and
Janie Richardson of Gleason, is
a 2010 graduate of Gleason High
School.
He worked as a stringer for the
Dresden Enterprise while in high
school and interned at The McKenzie Banner during summers while
in college.
While attending college, Richardson worked for The Murray State
News, the school’s weekly newspaper.
After starting as photographer
in the fall of 2011, he hired as the
Online Editor during his junior year
before taking on the role of Sports
Editor his senior year.
Anderson is the daughter of Steve
and Julee Anderson of Owensboro,
Kentucky, where she graduated
from Apollo High School.
In the summers during college,
she interned at the daily Owensboro
Messenger-Inquirer and the weekly
McLean County News, a community newspaper.
She also worked at the school
newspaper, starting in the fall of
Photo by Joel Washburn • The McKenzie Banner
Meghann Anderson, at left, and Ryan Richardson will make their home
in Gleason.
courage, smarts, political savvy and
persistence to succeed.
The most gratifying experiences
I have had certainly center around
The Jackson Sun’s Jefferson Awards
for Public Service program I was
involved in for a number of years.
We uncovered and celebrated
some of the most remarkable,
selfless, generous and caring
human beings I am likely to ever
know. Most never would have been
known to the general public. But all
were great leaders because they got
things done for others that made a
difference.
I offer sincere thanks to my Sun
colleagues, patient readers, and
good friends who have stuck with
me these 20 years. I don’t have a
plan for what comes next. But I’ll
surely have some time to finish
reading Al Gore’s recent book, “The
Future.”
So, to quote the legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow’s classic
broadcast sign off: Good night, and
good luck.
Oh, one more thing: Where do I
sign up for Obamacare?
Tom Bohs retired as The Jackson
Sun’s editorial page editor after 20
years.
The Jackson Sun
June 5, 2014
Coming in the
August edition of
The Tennessee Press –
The 2014 Summer
Convention
Special Section!
2011 as a news writer. She was
hired as the Assistant News Editor
her junior year, but later took the
job as News Editor, a position she
kept until graduation.
Richardson’s primary responsibilities at the Dresden Enterprise
include news-gathering and graphic
design. Anderson will work in
Dresden and McKenzie, primarily
in graphic design, sales and marketing.
With the addition of staff members, Tri-County Publishing is
expanding its services and product
offerings to its current departments
– newspapers, printing and advertising specialties.
Dresden Enterprise
May 14, 2014
Scott County News
welcomes new sports
editor to staff
Scott County News is pleased
to announce the addition of Tim
Branstetter to the staff as Sports
Editor.
He will be
solely responsible
for reporting on
local sports.
Before coming
to the News, he
was a sports writer in Kentucky
Branstetter
for 15 years. He
started his career at The Times-Tribune, a daily newspaper in Corbin,
Kentucky.
“After a couple of years, I took a
job at the University of the Cumberlands as their campus photographer
and graphic designer,” he wrote in
his introduction column.
Five years later, he started his
own full-color, sports magazine, but
it didn’t take long for the local paper
(The Sentinel-Echo) to offer him a
job, where he worked for a couple
of years before returning to The
Times-Tribune.
He worked as the sports editor at
The Mountain Advocate in Barbourville, Kentucky for almost a year,
but before moving there he lived in
Scott County for a little less than a
year.
“My son, Dawson, played basketball at Fairview two seasons ago.
He loved it here and begged me to
come back when the job became
available, so here we are,” Branstetter wrote.
“I have two sisters and they both
live in Scott County, so when the
Scott County News came calling, I
knew it would be a good fit for me.
It gives me and my son a chance to
be around our family and become
a part of an exciting sports community.”
Scott County News
Oneida, Tennessee
June 5, 2014
What
Award
Will
You
Bring Home?
Who: TPA Members
What: 2014 UT-TPA State Press Contests
When: Friday, July 11, noon
Where: Embassy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel
Why: Because you’re winners!
* Winners were notified of an award, but not placement, by letter from
TPA on May 14.
Page 6 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014
District 9
District 6
District 7
Daniel Richardson
Magic Valley Publishing
Camden
Since June 2013
Jesse Lindsey
The Lebanon Democrat
Since October 2013
Mark Palmer
The Daily Herald
Columbia
Since June 2013
Ashland City Times
The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville
The Dickson Herald
The Stewart-Houston Times, Dover
The Gallatin News
Gallatin News Examiner
The Lebanon Democrat
The Wilson Post, Lebanon
Mt. Juliet News
The Tennessean, Nashville
The Portland Leader
Robertson County Times, Springfield
The News-Democrat, Waverly
Dresden Enterprise
The Tri-City Reporter, Dyer
State Gazette, Dyersburg
The Fulton Leader
The Humboldt Chronicle
Weakley County Press, Martin
The Milan Mirror-Exchange
The Paris Post-Intelligencer
Lake County Banner, Tiptonville
The Gazette, Trenton
Union City Daily Messenger
C
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July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 7
Your Community Shopper, Ardmore
Hickman County Times, Centerville
The Daily Herald, Columbia
The Fairview Observer
Lewis County Herald, Hohenwald
The Democrat-Union, Lawrenceburg
Marshall County Tribune, Lewisburg
Buffalo River Review, Linden
Pulaski Citizen
The Wayne County News, Waynesboro
2014-15
TPA officers, directors, members
PRESIDENT
Jason P. Taylor
Chattanooga Times Free Press
District 10
District 8
Eric Barnes
The Daily News
Memphis
Since July 2008
Brad Franklin
The Lexington Progress
Since June 2006
VICE PRESIDENT
NON-DAILIES
VICE PRESIDENT
DAILIES
Joel Washburn
The McKenzie Banner
Jack McElroy
News Sentinel, Knoxville
TREASURER
IMMEDIATE PAST
PRESIDENT
John Finney
Buffalo River Review, Linden
Lynn J. Richardson
Elizabethton Star
6
Crockett County Times, Alamo
Bartlett Express
Brownsville States Graphic
Collierville Herald
The Leader, Covington
Germantown News
The Commercial Appeal, Memphis
The Daily News, Memphis
Memphis Business Journal
The Millington Star
The Lauderdale County Enterprise, Ripley
The Lauderdale Voice, Ripley
The Fayette Falcon, Somerville
9
Bulletin Times, Bolivar
The Camden Chronicle
Chester County Independent, Henderson
Carroll County News-Leader, Huntingdon
The Jackson Sun
The Lexington Progress
The McKenzie Banner
The News Leader, Parsons
The Courier, Savannah
Independent Appeal, Selmer
10
5
7
TPA officers’ terms are one year; directors’ terms are two years.
Even-numbered districts serve until June 2016.
Odd-numbered districts serve until June 2015.
District 2
District 1
Carl Esposito
The Daily Times
Maryville
Since June 2014
Keith Wilson
Kingsport Times-News
Elected June 2011
and served previously
Pickett County Press, Byrdstown
Carthage Courier
Citizen-Statesman, Celina
Dale Hollow Horizon, Celina
Herald-Citizen, Cookeville
Crossville Chronicle
Jackson County Sentinel, Gainesboro
The Hartsville Vidette
Fentress Courier, Jamestown
Macon County Chronicle, Lafayette
Macon County Times, Lafayette
LaFollette Press
Livingston Enterprise
Overton County News, Livingston
Independent Herald, Oneida
Scott County News, Oneida
The Sparta Expositor
Morgan County News, Wartburg
1
4
8
District 4
Scott Winfree
Carthage Courier
Since June 2014
The Courier News, Clinton
Roane County News, Kingston
News Sentinel, Knoxville
News-Herald, Lenoir City
The Daily Times, Maryville
The Union News Leader, Maynardville
The Oak Ridger, Oak Ridge
Tennessee Star Journal, Pigeon Forge
The Mountain Press, Sevierville
The Claiborne Progress, Tazewell
District 5
District 3
Hugh Jones
Shelbyville
Times-Gazette
Since June 2007
Chris Vass
Chattanooga Times
Free Press
Since November 2008
2
3
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TPAF officers, trustees
TPAF officers’ terms are one year;
trustees’ terms are three years.
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
Victor Parkins
The Milan Mirror-Exchange
Jason P. Taylor
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Ralph C. Baldwin
Jones Media Inc.
Greeneville
David Critchlow Jr.
Union City Daily Messenger
Jeffrey D. Fishman
The Tullahoma News
Jana Thomasson
The Mountain Press
Sevierville
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
GENERAL COUNSEL
Gregg K. Jones
The Greeneville Sun
Victor Parkins
The Milan Mirror-Exchange
Richard L. (Rick) Hollow
Knoxville
Joe Albrecht, Cookeville, trustee emeritus
Bob Atkins, Hendersonville
Eric Barnes, The Daily News, Memphis
Jim Charlet, Brentwood
Nate Crawford, Nashville
David Critchlow Jr., Union City Daily Messenger
Elenora E. Edwards, Clinton
John Finney, Buffalo River Review, Linden
Jeffrey Fishman, The Tullahoma News
R. Jack Fishman, Citizen Tribune, Morristown
R. Michael Fishman, Citizen Tribune, Morristown
Brad Franklin, The Lexington Progress
C
M
The Daily Post-Athenian, Athens
Polk County News, Benton
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Hamilton County Herald, Chattanooga
Cleveland Daily Banner
The Herald-News, Dayton
The Dunlap Tribune
Jasper Journal
The Bledsonian-Banner, Pikeville
South Pittsburg Hustler
The Advocate & Democrat, Sweetwater
Elk Valley Times, Fayetteville
The Moore County News, Lynchburg
Manchester Times
Southern Standard, McMinnville
The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro
Shelbyville Times-Gazette
Smithville Review
Grundy County Herald, Tracy City
The Tullahoma News
The Herald-Chronicle, Winchester
Cannon Courier, Woodbury
TPS officers, directors
TPS officers’ terms are one year;
directors’ terms are three years.
Grainger Today, Bean Station
Bristol Herald Courier
Elizabethton Star
The Erwin Record
The Greeneville Sun
The Standard Banner, Jefferson City
Johnson City Press
Herald & Tribune, Jonesborough
Kingsport Times-News
Citizen Tribune, Morristown
The Tomahawk, Mountain City
The Newport Plain Talk
Rogersville Review
William R. (Ron) Fryar, Cannon Courier, Woodbury
Dale Gentry, The Standard Banner, Jefferson City
Tom Hill, Oak Ridge, trustee emeritus
Doug Horne, Knoxville
John M. Jones Sr., Greeneville, trustee emeritus
John M. Jones Jr., The Greeneville Sun
Sam D. Kennedy, Kennedy Newspapers, Columbia, trustee emeritus
Hershel Lake, Pulaski Publishing
Steve Lake, Pulaski Citizen
Kelly Leiter, Knoxville, trustee emeritus
Vernon McKinney, Knoxville, trustee emeritus
Walter T. Pulliam, Knoxville, trustee emeritus
Janet Rail, Independent Appeal, Selmer
Dennis Richardson, Magic Valley Publishing, Camden
Lynn Richardson, Elizabethton Star
Pauline D. Sherrer, Crossville Chronicle
Larry K. Smith, LaFollette, trustee emeritus
Jason Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press
Joel Washburn, The McKenzie Banner
Bill Williams, Paris
Michael Williams, The Paris Post-Intelligencer
Keith Wilson, Kingsport Times-News
C
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C
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Page 8 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014
OBITUARIES
Aileen Burnett Lane
Aileen Burnett Lane, 88, of Tullahoma died Thursday, May 15, 2014,
at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital
in Murfreesboro.
Mrs. Lane was born in Hillsboro
to the late John Harvey and Marjorie Conry Burnett. In her adult life,
she worked as a bookkeeper for the
Southern Standard newspaper and
WBMC radio.
She married the late Eugene
Lane, and they lived their life in
Hillsboro, but got to see much of the
country after their retirements. She
was an active member in several
clubs, including her Coffee County
High School graduation class of
1944, the Golden Girls and the Dessert and Giggles Group.
She was a member of Hillsboro
First United Methodist Church, but
usually attended Sunday morning
services at Morning Pointe, where
she had been a resident for several
years before her passing.
In addition to her parents and
husband, Mrs. Lane was preceded
in death by her son-in-law, Ricky
Peek, and her sister, Nell Vanatta.
Survivors include: two daughters, Dian Peek Rayfield and her
husband Terry of Tullahoma,
Tennessee, and Gayle Spencer and
her husband of Chattanooga, Tennessee; two sons, Charles P. Sartin
of Murfreesboro and Philip Sartin
and his wife Phyllis of Bell Buckle,
Tennessee; 12 grandchildren, Katie
Peek Smith, Hunter Peek, Kevin
Herndon, Amy Coady, Ashley Sartin, Misti Jackson-Derringer, Nathan
Sartin, Joshua Sartin, Caleb Sartin,
Hannah Sartin, Jill Rayfield and
Natalie Rayfield; six great-grandchildren, Lindsay Herndon, Justin
Herndon, Madelina Coady, Liza
Grace Jackson, Avery Grace Smith
and Hagan Derringer.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, May 18, at 1 p.m. at Kilgore
Funeral Home Chapel in Tullahoma with the Rev. Paul Purdue and
the Rev. Mark Ashley officiating.
Entombment followed at Rose Hill
Memorial Gardens.
Southern Standard
McMinnville, Tennessee
May 18, 2014
Joseph William Pope
Joseph William Pope, 86, of Kingsport, Tennessee, died Saturday,
May 17, 2014, after a long illness.
Col. Pope was one of nine
children and was born in 1927 in
Sabraton, West Virginia, to Hungarian parents who immigrated
through Ellis Island. High school
class president, he left to join the
U.S. Merchant Marines and was
aboard the ship carrying troops for
the invasion of Japan.
Following World War II, he
attended Milligan College on a foot-
ball scholarship,
East Tennessee
State University
and later the University of Tennessee Dental School
at Memphis. He
worked his way
through college at
Pope
the Elizabethton
Star newspaper
and later for the Commercial Appeal
in Memphis.
Upon graduation from dental
school, Col. Pope enlisted in the
U.S. Army and was honorably discharged as a captain and returned
to Elizabethton, Tenn., to practice
general dentistry with Dr. A.E.
Miller Sr. He met and married Leslie
Parks Pope of Johnson City.
Returning to military service,
Capt. Pope headed up the dental
clinic at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and
later retired as a full colonel. He
went on to receive his Masters of
Periodontics from Loyola University
in Chicago.
Again, returning to the mountains of Northeast Tennessee, Col.
Pope practiced periodontics for
34 years in Kingsport. Following
retirement, he become an accomplished landscape artist, was a
lifelong member of the Retired
Officers Association, Rotary Club
where for many years was Sunshine
Chairman, but he was most proud
to be the president of the Parents
Teachers Association for Washington Elementary School in Kingsport.
Survivors include: his wife, Leslie; son, Charles Parks Pope of Johnson City; daughters, Anne Breier
Pope of Nashville, and Sarah Grier
Pope of Houston, Texas; grandchildren, Ansley Elizabeth, Mary Alice,
and William Grier Pope; brother,
Zoltan Pope of New Jersey; along
with several nieces, nephews and
many friends.
A memorial service was held at 4
p.m. Monday, May 19, 2014, at First
Presbyterian Church, Kingsport.
A military graveside service was
held at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, May 20,
2014, at Mountain Home National
Cemetery in Mountain Home, Tennessee. Memorial contributions can
be made to Friends in Need, 1105 W.
Stone Dr., Kingsport, TN 37660 or to
ETSU Foundation, P.O. Box 70712,
Johnson City, TN 37614. Please visit
www.hamlettdobson.com to leave
an on-line condolence for the family.
The Kingsport Times-News
May 19, 2014
Lois Dillow Hicks
Mrs. Lois Dillow Hicks, 82, Jonesborough, passed away Thursday,
May 8, 2014, at her residence.
Mrs. Hicks was born in Washington
County and daughter of the late Jesse Wayne & Rachael Alice Berry Dillow. She was also preceded in death
by her friend
and companion,
George “Chris”
Christensen.
She graduated
from East Tennessee State University with a major in
music.
Hicks
She was a member of the Jonesborough United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Hicks was a journalist/assistant editor for the Jonesborough
Herald and Tribune for 20 years.
She developed and managed the
Jonesborough Days tabloid for over
two decades. She was also a music
teacher.
She served as president of the
Johnson City Junior League for
two terms. She was a prominent
leader and one of the founders of the
Jonesborough Historic Trust, which
led to the historic preservation of
the tow, and also served as president
of the Jonesborough Civic Trust. Mrs. Hicks was a founding member
of the Jonesborough Museum and
Museum Foundation.
She was a political leader and
activist of the Tennessee Republican
Party.
Survivors include: a son, Mark
Clyde Hicks (Carol) Jonesborough;
daughter, Ellen Hicks Register
(Jesse), Nashville, Tennessee; granddaughter, Margaret Alice Hicks,
Jonesborough; and step-granddaughters, Sarah Catherine Brown,
Erwin and Sydney Elizabeth Hester,
Nashville.
Memorial services were conducted
at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 31,
2014, at the Jonesborough United
Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Jonesborough
United Methodist Church, P.O. Box
115, Jonesborough, TN 37659.
Herald & Tribune
Jonesborough, Tennessee
May 20, 2014
Cora Lee Durham
Tankersley
Cora Lee Durham Tankersley, 70,
died Friday, May 16, 2014, at Wexford House Nursing Home.
Mrs. Tankersley was employed
with the Kingsport Times News
for over 20 years
and was of the
Baptist faith. She
had an abundance of special
Tankersley
friends and relatives and was a
“mother” to many of the young ones
throughout the years.
Even though she had no siblings,
her cousins Wanda Burks and
Shelby Roberts were just sisters, and
she always looked up to her cousin,
Larry Winkle.
She was preceded in death by her
parents, Rufus and Mattie Wallen;
and by three special cousins, Clarence “Dal” Wallen, Carlos Wallen
and Leonard Wallen.
Survivors include: her husband
and best friend of 47 years, Truman Tankersley; daughter, Sheryl
Williams of Muncie, Indiana; sons,
Jeff Tankersley and wife Tammy of
Church Hill, Tennessee, and Mike
Tankersley and wife Michelle of
Kingsport; two special granddaughters, Halie Tankersley and Alina
Tankersley; great-grandson, Rhylan
Tankersley; and many special cousins, nieces and nephews.
A funeral service was held at
7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, at
the Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home
in Kingsport with the Rev. Rick
Vannoy and the Rev. Larry Winkle
officiating.
A graveside service was at 11
a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at
Tankersley Cemetery in Blackwater,
Virginia, with brothers-in-law Jerry
Tankersley and Fred Tankersley,
officiating.
The Kingsport Times-News
May 20, 2014
Jack T. Harris Sr.
Jack T. Harris Sr., 87, of Mason,
Tennessee passed away on May 16,
2014.
Mr. Jack was a retired advertising salesman for The Leader and
spent 54 years with the paper. He
was also an Army veteran, member
of Covington Rotary Club, Mason
Lodge #150 and Mason First United
Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by brothers, Dick and J. B. Harris. Survivors include: his wife, Nell
Harden Harris of Mason; sons, Jack
Harris Jr. (Barbara) of Silver Lake,
Wisconsin, and Ricky Harris of
Mason; daughter, Donna Bryant
(Richard) of New Johnsville,
Tennessee; sister Jane Eubanks of
Mason; grandchildren Trey Harris,
Nikki Spray, Nathan Harris and
Britni O’Neal, and great-grandchildren Dalton Newman, Colee Harris,
Dylan Newman and Jessica Spray.
Funeral services were held on Monday, May 19, at Maley-Yarbrough
Chapel with burial in Cedar Hill
Cemetery in Mason. The Rev. Eddie
Martin officiated.
The Leader
Covington, Tenn.
May 22, 2014
Edith Alma Davis Aytes
Edith Alma Davis Aytes, 96, formerly of Lancing, Tennessee, died
Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at the
home she shared with her daughter
Libbie Adams in Wartburg.
Mrs. Aytes was born Feb. 22,
1918 in Lancing. She was the last
surviving child
of both the late
Charles Davis and
Amanda Potter
Davis.
She was
Morgan County’s
longest-running columnist,
Aytes
writing a weekly
column from the
Clear Creek community. She wrote
a column for more than half her life,
with her words appearing regularly
on the pages of the LaFollette Press
for 57 years, starting in 1956.
She was a member of Bethel
Primitive Church in Deer Lodge.
A woman of faith and the heart of
her family, Mrs. Aytes shaped their
spirituality by her tireless Christian
example. Throughout her life, she
maintained a sweet and simple
demeanor that won the trust and
hearts of many who were changed
by her witness of constant faith.
Mrs. Aytes was preceded in death
by her son, Bernard Aytes; sisters,
Verda, Ethel and Charlene; brothers
Clifford and Virgil; sons-in-law,
Douglas Adams and Jay Nelson;
daughter-in-law, Yvonne Davis
Aytes; grandsons, Michael Adams
and Shane Aytes, and very special
friend, Sewell Nelson.
Survivors include: daughters,
Fayne Nelson, Lancing; Pauline McCormick and husband Christopher
of Potters Chapel; Libbie Adams
of Wartburg, and Nadine Hamby
and husband Steve of Lancing;
son, Dwayne Aytes and wife Jan
of Murfreesboro; daughter-in-law,
Faye Aytes; 18 grandchildren,
40 great-grandchildren and 35
great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were at 8 p.m.
on Friday, May 23, with Bro. Joey
Aytes and Bro. Nathan Beasley
officiating. Graveside services were
Saturday, May 24, at 11 a.m. in
Forrester Cemetery in Lancing.
LaFollette Press
May 28, 2014
Melba Horner Walton
Mrs. Melba Horner Walton, 89, of
Franklin, Tennessee, died on June
2, 2014.
Born in Waverly, Tennessee,
to the late Jesse
and Jessie Mae
Morgan Horner,
she married in
1954 to Jack
Douglas Walton.
After completing
Walton
her education,
Mrs. Walton was
employed at the Tennessean newspaper as a bookkeeper.
In 1974, Mrs. Walton opened
Walton’s Antique Jewelry Store in
See OBITUARIES, Page 11
July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 9
Registration still open
FYI - CONTACT INFO
See what you’ll win at the State Press Contests
By ROBYN GENTILE
Member Services Manager
Winners in the 2014 University of Tennessee (UT)-Tennessee
Press Association (TPA) State Press
Contests will be recognized at a
luncheon at noon on Friday, July
11, at the Embassy Suites Nashville
Airport Hotel in east Nashville.
Seventy-three newspapers
won at least one award. Winning
newspapers were notified by letter
on May 14 of the categories in
which they will receive awards.
The contests award five places. A
list of newspapers to receive awards
is posted at www.tnpress.com.
The luncheon cost is $48.
Terri Likens, Roane County
News, Kingston, TPA Contests
Committee chairman, will emcee
the event. An official from UT will
present the awards.
UT has co-sponsored the State
Press Contests since 1940 by
providing the plaques, certificates
and coordination of the awards
presentation.
Details and registration information are available at www.tnpress.
com.
Photographs will be made of
all individual first place winners,
General Excellence winners,
Meeman Award winners and First
Former Salesman Harris Sr. dies
By ECHO DAY
The Leader, Covington, May 22, 2014
In The Leader office, he was
known as “Papa Jack” and, even
though he’d retired nearly a decade
ago, he’d still stop by to say hello.
After all, old habits die hard, and
when you’ve spent more than half a
century working the same company, you often find yourself back in
familiar surroundings.
“Mr. Jack was a treasure and a
friend. He visited the office regularly, and we’d talk fishing for a while
and touch on matters of family and
community,” said Brian Blackley,
publisher of The Leader.
On Friday, May 16, Papa Jack suffered a massive heart attack while
fishing at Pickwick. He died a short
time later.
“As anyone who knew him could
tell you, Mr. Jack loved fishing
almost as much as he loved his family, and those shared interests are
why I felt a bond with him. I took
comfort in knowing he was with his
son with a fishing rod in his hand
when he fell ill. In that way, it was
almost like Mr. Jack wrote his own
ending. I’ll miss our talks and my
thoughts and prayers are with his
wife, his children and their families,
whom he loved dearly.”
He began his long career in 1952,
working in the bindery for 75 cents
an hour.
“I thought I never would get to a
dollar,” he told The Leader in a 2012
interview.
He retired as one of the most wellknown and beloved employees from
the newspaper’s golden age.
Jack worked alongside other
Leader greats, like Billy Terry
Deverell and the late George Whitley, Larry Whitley and Martha Jo
Shelley.
“He and George worked together
for many years,” said Gladys Whitley. “He was very family-oriented
and loved to know what was going
on in the community, which is a
good thing for a newspaper man.”
He was known as someone who
liked to “cut-up,” Deverell said
Wednesday.
Mr. Jack once told the story of
putting ink inside the gloves of John
Click, a supervisor in the pressroom
known to be very tidy.
Click, as the story goes, was not
amused when he put his gloves on
to work.
“He said he was going to whoop
everybody in there,” Papa Jack said.
Eventually, Jack moved on to
photographer and advertising
salesman, roles for which he is best
known.
“He was a good friend and a good
guy to work with over the years,”
said Deverell.
Before joining The Leader, Jack
was employed with the Mason Telephone Company, which was owned
by his father and later became
Millington Telephone.
Please share
this copy of
The
Tennessee
Press with your
colleagues!
Pass it on!
FOR LIST OF
AWARD WINNERS
See letter mailed
May 14 or scan this
QRC with your mobile device.
place, Second Place and Third Place
groups.
Members of the Arkansas Press
Association judged the contests
during March and April. For 2014,
the State Press Contests received
1,577 entries from 80 newspapers. This was an increase of six
newspapers and 92 entries over the
LUNCHEON
REGISTRATION
For details see
letter in May
or scan this
QRC with your mobile device.
previous year.
For reservations at the Embassy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel
contact the hotel directly at (615)
871-0033.
The Embassy Suites is located at
10 Century Boulevard, Nashville,
TN 37214.
Tennessee Press
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Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane,
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Page 10 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014
Aggressive coverage is key to transparency
I use this space every month to
try to help reporters, editors and
other citizens navigate problems
they encounter while trying to get
public records or dealing with open
meetings incidents.
Sometimes it amounts to commentary directed at public officials
for some bone-headed action or
policy even though they are not the
audience The Tennessee Press tries
to reach. Other times it’s anecdotal
telling of stories to explain the law,
court cases and pertinent legal
opinions.
Rarely are the situations resolved
before I write about them, but this
month’s email bag of problems
was different. Most situations had
worked themselves out rather
quickly with the help of some
aggressive news coverage by TPA
newspapers and other news media,
exemplifying again that the best
way to break up some problems is
to publicly expose them.
Never assume readers don’t care
about these issues, and don’t feel
self-conscious that they might think
reporting on open government issues is self-serving. Since we started
the Tennessee Coalition for Open
Government a decade ago, newspaper and TV coverage has increased
exponentially as resources like
TCOG and the state Office of Open
Records Counsel have come on the
scene.
Judicial arrogance
In Chattanooga, two Hamilton
County Chancery Court judges
withheld a list of 17-20 applicants
for the vacant Clerk and Master
position when the Times Free Press
asked to see it. Even though the law
was clearly on the newspaper’s side,
the judges put the list under judicial
seal without a hearing and with no
known court petition to keep the
names secret.
The paper requested the names
to see if an incumbent county commissioner, running for re-election in
August, was on the list.
The Tennessee Public Records
Act (TPRA) states: “All records, employment applications, credentials
and similar documents obtained by
any person in conjunction with an
employment search for a director of
schools or any chief public administrative officer shall at all times,
during business hours, be open for
personal inspection by any citizen
of Tennessee, and those in charge of
such records shall not refuse such
right of inspection to any citizen,
unless otherwise provided by state
law.”
T.C.A. 10-7-503(f) applies to any
“natural person, corporation, firm,
company, association or any other
business entity” – anyone involved
in finding candidates for those
PUBLIC
POLICY
OUTLOOK
FRANK GIBSON
high-ranking jobs. But, the judges’
action wasn’t based on the fact the
legislature left the courts off the list.
Some candidates asked to remain
anonymous until they were selected. The chancellors argued that
candidates for the $103,795-a-year
job had a right to privacy that
“outweigh(ed) the public’s right to
know.”
The TFP reported the judges
coughed up the records after Attorney General Robert Cooper Jr. “told
them he would have a hard time
defending their decision” if anyone
sued.
“Although our opinion concerning the operative law and analysis
differs from that of the attorney general, because the attorney general
would defend us in any lawsuit, we
have agreed to follow his recommendation to make the applications
public,” the chancellors wrote in a
letter to TFP lawyers.
While it is a little disconcerting
when judges think they can undo
the will of the legislature because
they disagree with the law, it is
downright appalling that they
would ignore a Court of Appeals
case in an almost identical circumstance. No party was known to be
officially asking for the judicial seal,
and there was no lawsuit pending
in Chancery Court which could be
used to order the seal.
I’d bet that the AG pointed out
to his “client” a Court of Appeals
decision where a Wilson County
judge messed up by sealing an
out-of-court settlement in a wrongful-death case involving the Lebanon Police Department. No lawsuit
was pending; the city attorney
rushed into court after The Tennessean asked to see the records. Local
taxpayers got stuck with paying the
newspaper’s lawyers over $25,000
in legal fees.
Good news on cameras
Here’s an update on a column
earlier this year about the practice
of school boards across the state
requiring the press to get formal
board permission to carry a camera
into a public meeting.
You’ll recall a Johnson City TV
station’s cameras being banned
from a Greene County board meeting because the chairman and the
director of schools were angry at the
station’s coverage of a school issue.
They didn’t even ask other board
members.
Greene County was using a
model policy recommended by the
Tennessee School Boards Association that stated: “The press shall not
bring a camera, camcorder, or other
photographic equipment to Board
meetings without the consent of the
Board.”
Greene County subsequently
changed its policy away from the
TSBA model (as did boards in
Loudon and Anderson) because it
was based on an out-of-date state
Attorney General opinion from
October 1995. The AG rescinded
that opinion and issued a new one
in late December 1995.
Scott Whaley, publisher of the
Chester County Independent, ran
into the old policy earlier this year
when he sought to videotape school
board meetings. The board insisted
he appear before them and get
permission when they knew their
policy was out of date. Scott had
provided each board member a copy
of the more recent AG opinion.
Now, TSBA has issued new guidance to school boards based on the
December 1995 opinion. It states:
“The Board may restrict the
recording of Board meetings via
camera, camcorder or other photographic equipment when such
recording creates a threat to public
safety and welfare or impedes the
conducting of efficient and orderly
public meetings.”
Greene County amended its
policy almost immediately after
learning about the latter opinion.
The new TSBA recommendation
followed our inquiries about the
situation in Henderson with the
Independent and Scott’s persistence.
Many school boards still have
the old policy on their books, so
beware.
Kudos to TSBA for updating its
guidance.
Party interrupted
The Johnson City Press reported
that a dinner party to bring together
the Kingsport Board of Mayor and
Aldermen and the Johnson City
Commission was canceled after the
news got out. One news account
described it as “invitation only” –
and neither public nor media need
RSVP.
WJHL-TV reported that Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips invited
Johnson City Commission members
via a letter to JC City Manager Pete
Peterson.
“I think the idea of a dinner
meeting between the Kingsport
Board of Mayor and Aldermen and
Johnson City Commissioners is very
intriguing. There will be no formal
agenda and the purpose of the meeting is for board members of sister
cities to become more familiar with
each other as individuals.”
Seems innocuous until you
consider how some local officials
reacted when reporters questioned
the plans. Citing a 2012 Attorney
General opinion, they said the
meeting could be private without
any notice.
“The dinner is simply an opportunity for all of us to get to know
each other better,” Peterson said
through a spokesperson. “There is
no agenda, no business items to be
discussed. It is social in nature, an
opportunity to make new friends,
reacquaint with old friends, have a
nice dinner and relax.”
Kingsport City Manager John
Campbell told WJHL it would be
“mostly social,” but acknowledged
“the two groups” had a lot to talk
about – “things that impact their
taxpayers.” The report didn’t
indicate whether he meant at that
meeting.
“It’s interesting to compare
notes,” Campbell said. “ … Maybe
there are some things we can do
better as a region. All of us are
looking for the same things as far as
trying to provide the best services at
the lowest possible costs.”
Campbell was quoted as saying
some “obvious things that could
be discussed” – recent changes to
state annexation laws and economic
development opportunities.
There was a 2012 AG opinion
about members of a governing body
discussing public business “at a
meal by two or more members of
a governing body,” but it cautioned
that such gathering “could present
the potential issue of whether a
chance meeting, or informal assemblage, was used to decide or deliberate public business in circumvention of the spirit or requirements of
the Open Meetings Act.”
Court decisions have relied on
specific facts, but the AG warned:
“to avoid any violation of the Act
the best advice is that, while two or
more members may share a meal
together in which public business is
discussed, such discussion should
not constitute deliberations, i.e.,
‘examining and consulting in order
to form an opinion . . . weighing arguments for and against a proposed
course of action.’”
A none-of-your-business attitude
by local officials doesn’t inspire a
lot of trust or confidence, regardless of whether there is intent to
“deliberate.” But an attitude of doing
something because you can creates
mistrust. Why can’t those discussions be in the open? A Dutch-treat
dinner with some local media folks
might answer that question – and
build some trust.
Frank Gibson is TPA public policy
director. He can be reached at [email protected] or @ 615-202-2685.
July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 11
Examples of tenacious reporters seeking public records
I wanted to share a few examples
from recent weeks when journalists punched through denials to
their public records requests and
convinced government officials to
change their minds.
These are the victories that the
public doesn’t see. It’s the persistence to question the first “no”
you’re given. And it takes being
armed with information.
These are both related to law
enforcement records, specifically on
cases that were closed.
On Aug. 21, 2013, a Blount County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a
citizen who was in his own garage.
The young sheriff’s deputy was
doing a property check because the
citizen had reported two burglaries
there earlier in the week. He shined
a light into the garage, saw a man
with a gun, and fired multiple shots
in what the sheriff later said was a
“very tragic incident.”
The Daily Times in Maryville
kept tabs on the case, which was
being investigated by the department’s internal affairs as well as the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The deputy was put on administrative leave.
When a reporter noticed the
deputy’s name on some police paperwork, the newspaper realized he
was back on full patrol duty. When
queried about this, the sheriff’s
department told the newspaper that
the district attorney assured them
no charges would be filed against
the deputy, but they would not
release any more details because –
you’ve all heard this – “the case was
still under investigation.”
OBITUARIES, from Page 8
Carter’s Court in Franklin. The store
moved to its current location at 410
Main St. in downtown Franklin in
1985, where it is celebrating its 40th
year in business.
Her son, Michael Walton, and
granddaughter, Julie Walton, continue the legacy Mrs. Walton started
with her passion for antique jewelry
BANNER, from Page 3
sports writer and printer.
He became managing editor in
1983 and became editor/publisher
with the death of his father, Richard, in 1997.
“I am excited about the sale
because Dennis and Magic Valley
have improved every newspaper
they have purchased in quality,
content, local coverage and appearance,” said Jones.
“They will do the same with the
Banner.”
Lake County Banner
April 23, 2014
Realizing that the sheriff’s office
can’t have it both ways, Frank
“Buzz” Trexler, managing editor
of The Daily Times in Maryville,
pushed back and had to show he
knew the case was closed.
In the 1986 case, Memphis
Publishing Co. v. Holt, the Tennessee Supreme Court made clear that
closed investigative files of local
law enforcement are public records
subject to inspection by the public.
Interestingly, that case also
involved a police shooting. The
Commercial Appeal sought records
from the “Shannon Street Incident”
in which police stormed a residence
where a police officer had been taken hostage, and in a shootout killed
seven occupants. The hostage police
officer was also found dead.
It came out in Chancery Court
that the investigation had been completed, and the case was closed.
In considering whether Rule
16(a)(2) of the Tennessee Rules of
Criminal Procedure allowed the
police to keep the file confidential,
the Tennessee Supreme Court said:
“The investigative file sought to be
examined in this case is a closed
file, and is not relevant to any pending or contemplated criminal action.
Rule 16, therefore, does not come
into play in this case.”
Trexler reminded the Blount
County sheriff’s department that
they were on record saying criminal
charges were no longer being contemplated; therefore, Rule 16 was
not applicable.
Faced with this, the sheriff’s
department changed its mind and
agreed to release the investigative
file.
As of this writing, Trexler’s quest
for records is not yet over. In the
letter saying it would fulfill the
request, the county attorney told
him that a request “of this magnitude” will involve expenses related
to gathering, redacting and copying
these records. We’ll have to wait for
chapter two to see the bill and how
long it takes.
In another case, Fox 17 Nashville
sought game footage video from
the Williamson County Sheriff’s
Department in a case in which a
Spring Hill high school girls’ basketball coach and her assistant coach
designed a play for a team member
to throw a ball at a former player
who had been heckling from the
sidelines.
The coaches pled guilty to
contributing to the delinquency of
a minor and the case was over. But
when Fox 17 asked for the video in
the case file, they got a response
from the sheriff’s department that
said the department “will not be
releasing the video from the basketball game because juveniles are
in it. The report will have juvenile
information as well so it’s not likely
to be public record either.”
With some pushing, the sher-
over 40 years ago.
She was preceded in death by her
sister, Mary Ruth Mahaffey.
Survivors include: her husband,
Jack Walton Sr.; sons, County
Commission Chairman Jack Jr. (Patsy) Walton and Michael (Adrian)
Walton; sister, Betsy Beard; grandchildren, Amy (Matt) Phillips, Jack
(Chloe) Walton III, Kellie Walton,
Julie Walton and Katie Walton;
great-grandson, Eli Phillips.
Funeral services were conducted
on 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 5,
at Williamson Memorial Funeral
Home with the Rev. Daly Thompson officiating. Interment was in
Williamson Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Johnson’s
Chapel Methodist Church.
The Tennessean
June 4, 2014
TN COALITION
FOR OPEN
GOVERNMENT
DEBORAH FISHER
iff’s department turned over most
records, but wouldn’t release the
video even though Fox said it would
blur the faces of the players. They
then got a letter from the Williamson County attorney who asserted
that the video was protected under
federal FERPA (Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act) that protects release of student information
in schools.
Bryan McGruder, news director
for Fox 17 who had reached out
to TCOG for some help, penned a
letter back pointing out regulations
regarding FERPA clearly state they
apply only to educational institutions, not law enforcement. These
records had become part of a police
file.
In addition, McGruder noted that
video of high school games (which
was a public event) was routinely
filmed and distributed by Williamson County schools, as well as sent
to college recruiters and broadcast
through their own channels with
no “FERPA” concerns.
By the next day, the Williamson
County attorney conceded: “I have
gotten further clarification from the
school system about the source and
uses of the video and am able to
agree to produce it.”
It should be noted that before
2008 when the public records law
was changed, officials did not have
to give any reason for denying
records unless taken to court.
In both of these cases, the journalists were able to get the reasons
and shoot holes in the official
responses.
While the situations range in
seriousness – a police incident that
resulted in the death of a citizen
is much more grave – they both
deal with consequential actions of
public officials who have been given
power and authority by the people
of Tennessee.
It’s precisely this type of government activity that citizens and media should be allowed to examine,
as uncomfortable as it can be to the
participants. It’s this type of access
that public records law is designed
to protect.
Deborah Fisher is executive director
of the Tennessee Coalition for Open
Government. She can be reached at
[email protected].
Page 12 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014
Five common suggestions for better newspaper layouts
THE
NEWS
GURU
KEVIN SLIMP
You should see the amount
of physical mail that arrives at
my home and at the TPA office.
I’ve been finding packages from
newspapers on a regular basis.
Sometimes these packages contain
a letter with one or two copies of
papers. Other times, they contain
several issues of a paper.
Most often, the senders have one
of two reasons for sending these to
me:
1. To show me how much improvement they’ve made in their
products after attending a training
event, or
2. To ask me to look over their
papers and make any quick suggestions to make them better.
While I’m always happy to take
the time to look over TPA member
papers, I don’t always have time to
look through other papers in detail.
In April, I received an email from
a publisher on the East Coast who
asked what I would charge to look
over 10 of his community newspapers and make suggestions to
improve them.
At first I thought, “It sounds like
an interesting project, but I just
don’t have time.”
But lately, I’ve been trying to
stretch myself and keep work
interesting. It dawned on me that
my friend Ed Henninger might be
interested in working on this project
with me. Sure enough, he was.
Ed is a good friend of Tennessee
newspapers, donating his time
to serve as an instructor at the
C
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Submitted to TPA
K
TPS Technology Director Kevin Slimp, left, and Ed Henninger of Henninger Consulting, which offers newspaper redesign services, critique a
group of 10 community newspapers.
Institute of Newspaper Technology.
I thought it was time I returned the
favor.
So in May, we met halfway
between his home in Charlotte and
my home in Knoxville. For seven
hours we looked through 10 papers
in detail, taking copious notes, after
which I wrote a 22-page report to
send to the client.
Since my column is a bit less than
22 pages, I’ll share just a few of the
most common suggestions we made
for these 10 papers, as well as many
of the other papers I’ve critiqued
through the years:
• Use a different typeface in the
body text. Don’t stick with old
Illustration by Kevin Slimp • TPS Technology Director
TPS Technology Director Kevin Slimp did this illustration to show the
difference larger headlines can make in drawing readers’ attention to
major stories.
standards like Times and Palatino. There are more readable
fonts, and, frankly, Times and
Palatino appear dated to the
reader. We suggested several
better options, including Georgia, which is already available
to most users.
• Use bigger fonts in headlines.
In many of the papers I’ve
critiqued through the years,
typefaces in headlines seem
stuck between 24 and 32
points. It doesn’t cost any more
to use a bigger headline, and it
draws the attention of the reader to more important stories.
And never use Helvetica for
headlines.
• Use dominant photos. Don’t
use a major story with six
small photos when one dominant photo, plus one or two
smaller pictures, would be
much more interesting.
• Do a better job of editing
photos. Reproduction quality in
most papers suffers, not from
the press, but from pre-press
preparation. Toning and adjusting photos correctly, using the
appropriate dot gain and ink
levels for the press, makes all
the difference.
• And whites that are “blown
out” in photos is a definite “no
no.” It seems like we do a lot of
training for our members here
in Tennessee for good reason.
Honing our skills is one of the
best ways to keep our photos
and pages looking sharp.
Frankly, I thoroughly enjoyed my
day critiquing these 10 papers with
Ed. We’ve decided we’re going to do
a lot more of these projects together.
I suspect many of the suggestions
will be similar from paper to paper,
but I bet we find enough peculiarities in each publication to keep the
work interesting.
Kevin Slimp is the Technology
Director of Tennessee Press Service.
C
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K