Haslam s second order is on open government

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1 Vol. 74 FEBRUARY 2011 No. 8 ROBYN GENTILE TPA The Futures Committee met Jan. 14 in Nashville. (Left photo) Chairman Gregg K. Jones, Jones Media Inc., Greeneville, fourth from left, and TPA President Art Powers, Johnson City Press, third from left, look at materials. With them, from left, are Michael Williams, The Paris Post-Intelligencer; Frank Gibson, TCOG executive director, Nashville; and Doug Horne, Republic Newspapers, Knoxville. (Right photo) Joel Washburn, The McKenzie Banner, talks to the group, while listening, from left, are Janet Rail, Independent Appeal, Selmer; Jim Charlet, Brentwood; and John Seigenthaler, First Amendment Center, Nashville. Futures Committee begins examination of every aspect of TPA, structure, service Changes have occurred in the industry, and we need to determine where that leaves us as an association, said TPA President Art Powers, Johnson City Press, at the first meeting of the TPA Futures Committee, which was held on Jan. 14 at the Freedom Forum in Nashville. Gregg K. Jones, chief executive officer of Jones Media Inc. of Greeneville, chairs the committee. We got off to a great start with this new committee. I appreciate Chairman Gregg Jones assembling an outstanding group, not the least of whom is John Seigenthaler, our host for the day at the First Amendment Center, Powers said. We covered a lot of ground and interestingly enough, nothing was sacred as it was far more candid than I anticipated. The next meetings should provide some exciting exchange and interplay. When the committee discussed the purposes of TPA, the first response from Jones was, To do collectively what we cannot do, or do as well, individually. Other purposes included public policy, technology and idea exchange. Discussion ranged from TPA s public policy to member needs to public perception of the industry. The last is what the committee will focus on first by designing a set of survey questions that reinforce the message that newspapers are surviving and thriving as the source for local news. The Tennessee Press Association, with roots back to December 1870, serves an industry in Tennessee that has never found itself in such turbulent times. Tennessee s newspapers currently face challenges and opportunities that many of us couldn t have envisioned just a few years ago. It is the role of the TPA Futures Committee to take a close, realistic look at every aspect of the TPA, how it is structured and how it serves its members in the context of this new environment, said Jones. Further, it is the committee s purpose to debate the merits of any area related to TPA where it feels a case for change can be made. President Powers has given us a daunting task: to make sure that the TPA is nimble, strong and positioned to serve its members ably. And, nimble we must be to thrive in the new world in which we find ourselves. Subsequent meetings of the committee will continue to examine all aspects of TPA, and task forces will be assigned to study key topics. Sunshine Week to honor Local Heroes Sunshine Week, March 13-19, will highlight Local Heroes across America who have played significant roles in fighting for open government. Sunshine Week is a national initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Free materials that individuals and organizations can use to participate in Sunshine Week are available on the project s website. As a society, we often associate the word hero with movie stars and athletes, said Tim Franklin, co-chair of the American Society of News Editors Freedom of Information Committee. Franklin is the Louis A. Weil Jr. Endowed Chair and Director of the National Sports Journalism Center at the Indiana University School of Journalism in Bloomington. But in a self-governing democracy like ours, it takes the commitment and passion of average citizens doing extraordinary things to make government more open and more accountable. The ASNE Sunshine Week Local Heroes winners won t be seen on the big screen or on Sports Center highlights. The largely unknown winners in this contest, however, will be heroes to anyone who pays taxes and votes in a local community in other words, to every single resident who lives there. The winner of the Local Heroes contest will receive an expenses-paid SEE SUNSHINE WEEK, PAGE 2 Haslam s second order is on open government First order limits income information BY ELENORA E. EDWARDS Managing editor Gov. Bill Haslam, one day after his inauguration Jan. 15, signed an executive order setting out his commitment to transparency and openness in state government. Government works better when people have input into the process, you are open to alternatives and examine them, and then you explain why the decision was made, Gov. Haslam said, according to a news release from the governor s office. The rule should be the more you can be open, the better, he said. Executive Order No sets out that the policy of the executive branch of government will be to facilitate the right of Tennesseans to know and have access to information with which to hold government accountable. It also requires training for all members and employees of the cabinet and departments of the executive branch relating to open meeting, open records, ethics and disclosure requirements and maintains the state s open government website. Earlier, Jan. 10, an Associated Press story by Eric Schelzig about possible budget cuts noted that Haslam said he planned to hold public budget hearings with each department. Good news. However, another executive order Haslam signed Jan. 16 was to remove the annual requirement that the governor and others in the executive branch disclose sources of income. Executive Order No requires every employee of the Executive Branch to annually disclose the same information as the legislative branch. That actually means less information than before, since Gov. Phil Bredesen required such people to reveal income sources. An editorial in The Jackson Sun on Jan. 18 objected to the executive order on financial disclosure, setting out that It is the wrong decision and sets the wrong tone for an open and transparent administration. Throughout his campaign for SEE HASLAM, PAGE 3 CONVENTION REMINDER TPAers can still register to attend the TPA Winter Convention and Press Institute Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 9-11, in in Nashville. Check to download a form or register online. The deadline for the TPA rate at the Doubletree Hotel Nashville-Downtown has passed, but one can check there at (615) A detailed convention schedule is printed on page 3. TPA member newspapers observed the last week of January as Public Notice Week. Charlie Daniel, editorial cartoonist at the News Sentinel, Knoxville, prepared this cartoon for use statewide. POWERS 2 FORESIGHT 3 NIE FEATURE 4 OBITUARIES 5 TRACKS 6-8 GIBSON 9 STASIOWSKI 10 SLIMP 11 INSIDE IN CONTACT Phone: (865) Fax: (865) Online:

2 2 The Tennessee Press FEBRUARY 2011 (USPS ) Published quarterly by the TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE, INC. for the TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION, INC. 435 Montbrook Lane Knoxville, Tennessee Telephone (865) /Fax (865) / Subscriptions: $6 annually Periodicals Postage Paid At Knoxville,TN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tennessee Press, 435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville,TN The Tennessee Press is printed by The Standard Banner, Jefferson City. Greg M. Sherrill...Editor Elenora E. Edwards...Managing Editor Robyn Gentile...Production Coordinator Angelique Dunn...Assistant The Tennessee Press can be read on The Tennessee Press is printed on recycled paper and is recyclable. OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION Art Powers, Johnson City Press...President Jeffrey Fishman, The Tullahoma News...Vice President Michael Williams, The Paris Post-Intelligencer...Vice President Kevin Burcham, News-Herald, Lenoir City...Treasurer Greg M. Sherrill, Knoxville...Executive Director DIRECTORS Lynn Richardson, Herald and Tribune, Jonesborough...District 1 Jack McElroy, News Sentinel, Knoxville...District 2 Chris Vass, Chattanooga Times Free Press...District 3 Darren Oliver, Overton County News, Livingston...District 4 Hugh Jones, Shelbyville Times-Gazette...District 5 Joe Adams, The Lebanon Democrat...District 6 John Finney, Buffalo River Review, Linden...District 7 Brad Franklin, The Lexington Progress...District 8 Joel Washburn, Dresden Enterprise...District 9 Eric Barnes, The Daily News, Memphis...District 10 Victor Parkins, The Milan Mirror-Exchange...At large TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE Pauline D. Sherrer, Crossville Chronicle...President Michael Williams, The Paris Post-Intelligencer...Vice President Jeff Fishman, The Tullahoma News...Director Victor Parkins, The Milan Mirror-Exchange...Director Art Powers, Johnson City Press...Director Jason Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press...Director Greg M. Sherrill...Executive Vice President TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION W.R. (Ron) Fryar, Cannon Courier, Woodbury...President Gregg K. Jones, The Greeneville Sun...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 Elenora E. Edwards, (865) ; send a note to P.O. Box 502, Clinton, TN ; or ElenoraEdwards@Comcast.net. The deadline for the March issue is Feb. 14. What s in your future? I remember the first time I carried papers with my brother on his route. It was a Sunday morning and I was 10. We picked up the bundles on the corner, burst the wire strapping with a coin that had notches in it, twisting it until the wire got hot and popped. I put the papers in my carrybag but put them in fold-down. What a mistake. When I reached into the bag to get out the first paper all the loose pages were looking up at me. You couldn t tell one paper from the next. I sat down on the corner and cried. A little while later I got my own route. It was definitely a learning experience: rain and snow, hot and cold. We collected weekly in those days and met the district manager on the corner to settle up our bills. This was repeated every Saturday. As I got older I gave up my route and moved on to what I thought were more important things. Coming from a newspaper family my dad was vice president and business manager of the Knoxville News Sentinel I thought I d give newspapering a try. After UT, I received a phone call to affirm my new position with Worrell Newspapers, Inc. They said Fran and I were going to Florence, Ala. I remember driving over to the Shell station nearby to pick up a map to see just where it was Fran and I would be off to. Imagine having to do that nowadays? In the circulation department in Florence I made addressograph plates for our mail subscribers and learned how to run a Mueller-Martini inserting machine and a string tyer to make bundles. After a couple of years there we moved to Indiana, where I almost experienced hot type. They had just renovated an old A&P grocery, installed a Goss Community press, five units, but they left the old Linotype machines in place at the old building. It was amazing to walk around them and think about how the operators produced hot metal type every day. When I talked with some of the older employees, they showed me their scars where hot molten lead splashed on their skin. I always wished I could have worked with them for just a few days, as I feel I really missed something in my career when that generation of printing was put to sleep. While in Indiana, we did experience a new and different weather pattern from what we d grown up with. Snow blew sideways instead of down. It was so flat there and windy that every snow seemed to turn into a blizzard. Ten, 15 inches overnight. We were glad to change to the sunny South a couple of years later when we moved to Kentucky. In Madisonville, I experienced Styrofoam classifieds. We would wax them and cut them apart with a razor blade, one line ad at a time. It seemed to work well, but it was cumbersome. We also had 2961s, 4961s, perforator tape-punch machines, IBM Selectrics, which came a little later, and scanners in the trip in April to San Diego to be honored by the nation s newsroom leaders at the 2011 ASNE convention. Second and third place winners will receive $500 and $250 prizes, respectively. Franklin said regular citizens have had a profound impact in their communities, whether it was changing how their elected officials operate or uncovering mishandling of taxpayer money. These are citizens who deserve our admiration, thanks and the title, Local Hero, he said. Last year s winner was Suzanne Harris of Miramar Beach, Fla. Her lawsuit forced county officials to make significant changes in the way they handle public records. To nominate a 2011 local hero, visit SunshineWeek.org to fill out a nomination form. All nominations YOUR PRESIDING REPORTER Art Powers must be received by Friday, Feb. 18. The winner will be announced by March 1. In addition, two new Sunshine Week 2011 initiatives will premier in the coming weeks: The Ray of Sunshine game on SunshineWeek.org in which players can test their knowledge of open government and the history of FOIA via multiple-choice questions. Sample proclamations that will be available for individuals and organizations to use to urge them to approach their local and state newsroom. What an improvement. And, oh yes, there were the Compugraphic 7200 headliners as well. A few years later we had a Royal Zenith color separator where a transparency was placed on a drum where color negatives were produced for the press plates. Best color I have ever seen! Lots has happened in my career; much has changed. Quarter-folders, pasters for TV books, three-sided trimmers, flying pasters, counter-stackers, gripper conveyors, computerized presses, fabulous inserting machines that can stuff some 20 inserts in a single pass. Oh, what changes have occurred! Who would have ever thought pages would be totally made up in a computer? Who would have thought we would be transmitting pages in just eight to 10 seconds a page with all headlines, photos and text? It was just a few years back, I remember, that using the latest and greatest Trash-80s, our reporters would send their stories to the newspaper from places far away. They were replaced by today s laptops, video cameras, iphones, ipads, Kindles. All of this makes room for free sites, paid walls, digital everything, Facebook and Twitter, and who knows what s next. I guess I m dating myself with this story of remembrances, but all I really mean to say is that everything continues to change. Our industry has been hit from all sides over the past 35 years, but we are resilient against most foes and continue to be a strong and well-respected business. And while these changes occur, surely there will be changes that will impact our Tennessee Press Association. This is why I created TPA s first ever Futures Committee. Gregg K. Jones of Greeneville has agreed to chair this effort to help determine how future changes might impact TPA. Where will our association be in 2012, 2015 and even 2025? How can we prepare the association? Are there things we can do now to help ourselves down the road? How strong will our membership be? What will our rate structures be? How will we be perceived by the legislators in Nashville? What role will our associate members take on? By the time you have read this, Gregg will have held our first meeting in Nashville. I hope we will be gaining insight for the committee s work and the future impact on our association. We can t predict the future, but we can make some assumptions and begin to discuss how we might handle changes as we move forward. I am eager, as I expect you will be, to follow along in upcoming reports from this committee. As always, you are welcome to be a part, and we solicit your input. ART POWERS is publisher of the Johnson City Press. SUNSHINE WEEK: Local heroes again to be cited FROM PAGE ONE government officials to support transparency in government. Participation in Sunshine Week, spearheaded by ASNE in 2005, has quickly grown beyond news and journalism organizations to include students, teachers, private citizens, librarians, civic leaders, public officials, bloggers and a variety of non-profit groups and associations. Many of the Sunshine Week basic materials are available in Spanish. Sunshine Week is funded primarily by grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami and the ASNE Foundation. The project also has received a grant for 2011 from The Gridiron Club and Foundation. For more information about Sunshine Week, visit or contact Cristal Williams Chancellor at cwilliams@asne.org or (703)

3 FEBRUARY 2011 The Tennessee Press 3 Program 2011 TPA Winter Convention & Press Institute Wednesday-Friday, Feb Doubletree Hotel-Downtown, Nashville Wednesday, Feb. 9 1:00 p.m. Government Affairs Committee 2:45 p.m. TPA Board of Directors Meeting (TPA Business Session will immediately follow the board meeting) 5:30 p.m. Opening Reception (all legislators invited) 7:00 p.m. Evening on one s own Thursday, Feb. 10 8:00 a.m. TPA Nominating Committee Meeting 9:00 a.m. AP Newsmakers Session 9:00 a.m. TPA Ad Committee judges the Georgia Press ad contest 10:00 a.m. Technology Committee Meeting Noon Luncheon with Gov. Bill Haslam 2:00 p.m. Doing deep-dive journalism during these difficult economic times 3:00 p.m. Using online journalism to your advantage 4:00 p.m. Your newspaper s design: a license to print money! 5:45 p.m. Bus departs hotel for dinner and performance at Freedom Forum (schedule change 1/17/11) 6:15 p.m. Dinner and Fight The Power performance at the John Seigenthaler Center. 8:30 p.m. Bus will depart the John Seigenthaler Center to return guests to the hotel Friday, Feb. 11 8:15 a.m. Journalism Education Committee Meeting 9:30 a.m. TPAF Board of Trustees Meeting 9:30 a.m. Drive-In Training Concurrent Sessions 1. Photoshop 2. Design Brainshop Part 1 3. Open Meetings/Open Records 4. Editing 10:45 a.m. Drive-In Training Concurrent Sessions 1. Protecting and Enhancing Your (Digital) Brand 2. Design Brainshop Part 2: Critiques 3. Education Reporting 4. Editing R 12 Noon Luncheon 1:30 p.m. Drive-In Training Concurrent Sessions 1. InDesign 2. Visual Storytelling: Audio Slideshows 3. Investigative Reporting 4. Newspaper are full of history, and there is money to be made 2:45 p.m. Drive-In Training Concurrent Sessions 1. Design Tips & Tricks 2. Visual Storytelling: Video 3. Investigative Reporting R 3:45 p.m. Convention adjourns R Repeat session Save the Date! TPA Advertising / Circulation Conference & Ideas Contests Awards Presentation Nashville Friday, April 29 Plan for Ad/Circ Conference Advertising and circulation personnel should plan to attend the TPA Advertising/Circulation Conference on Friday, April 29, in the Nashville area. Programming is developed by the committees. Conference details will be available the first week of March. Awards for the 2011 Ideas Contest will be presented during the conference. The training will take place on Friday, while for those arriving in the capital on Thursday, an evening outing is scheduled. Don Lovelace, circulation director of the Citizen Tribune, Morristown, chairs the Circulation Committee, and Roger Wells, advertising director of The Lebanon Democrat, chairs the Advertising Committee. NNA office moves in Columbia The Columbia, Mo. headquarters of the National Newspaper Association (NNA) has moved from the School of Journalism Annex on the University of Missouri campus to 309 Providence Rd., Columbia, Mo The mailing address is P.O. Box 7540, Columbia, Mo Associate Director Lynn Edinger has been handling NNA business out of the office since the departure of Executive Director Brian Steffans, who has taken a position with the Reynolds Journalism Institute. Other HASLAM: Open government FROM PAGE ONE governor, Haslam, though prodded by his opponents, refused to reveal information about his income. The Jackson Sun editorial continued, Former Gov. Phil Bredesen required his top aides to disclose their total annual earnings to remove any concerns of potential conflicts of interest. We don t recall any top aide having suffered because of this requirement. In fact, what the requirement did was remove public suspicion about top officials. Most Tennesseans accepted the disclosures in good faith and the issues faded away. With everything in the open, everyone could get back to work assured that potential financial shenanigans quickly would be revealed. Haslam s decision casts a cloud of doubt over his administration from day one. It is an unfortunate way to start his governorship. Haslam similarly refused to disclose his personal income during the campaign while other candidates did. Every governor builds a cabinet of top advisors by pulling from prominent and successful people in business and the professions. Many of these people have significant financial holdings, investments and business interests. That is the case with Haslam s appointees. But hiding income amounts READS People who are interested in the history of printing may want to read A Field Guide to North American Hand Presses and Their Manufacturers. The book was designed to help with the identification of hand presses that might be found in museums, printing company lobbies and private NNA staffers in Columbia are special Events Coordinator Sara Dickson and Publishers Auxiliary Managing Editor Stan Schwartz. The second NNA office is at 120A E. Broad St. in Falls Church, Va The mailing address there is P.O. Box 50301, Arlington, Va One can reach Chief Executive Officer Tonda F. Rush at (703) or tonda@ nna.org; Managing Director Carol Pierce, (703) or carol@nna.org; and Associate Director Lynn Edinger at (573) or lynn@nna.org. derived from these sources pulls a veil over potential conflicts of interest. Another disturbing aspect of the governor s early decision to not disclose income amounts for top advisors is that it might set the tone for this administration s attitude toward other open government issues. Already, the 107th General Assembly is looking at a number of measures to dilute open government, open meetings and open records laws. Possible targets include removing the requirement to have public notices run in newspapers of general circulation and allowing mere posting on government websites. Another measure would close emergency 911 call records, and still another would close communications between government officials. How can Haslam defend the public s right to know on these issues if he doesn t subscribe to full disclosure in his administration? The editorial urged the governor to reconsider his position on full disclosure. Those who choose to run for public office and serve in public office have an obligation to be open about their personal lives and their finances. That is what is necessary to develop public trust in government. Those who are uncomfortable about meeting this high standard should find other ways to participate in the political and public service processes. collections. It is also intended to help readers understand more about the history of early printing and their many American manufacturers. It is available by mail from Ad Lib Press, Welling Hall Rd., Doswell, Va The cost of $17.50 includes postage. FORESIGHT 2011 FEBRUARY 4: APME contest entry deadline 4: TPA Ideas Contest entry deadline 9-11: TPA Winter Convention and Press Institute, Nashville 10: TPA judges the Georgia Press Association Advertising Contest, Nashville 18: TPA State Press Contests deadline 24: TPA judges the Georgia Press Association Editorial Contest, Nashville 24: ETSPJ, Reporting on Religion, 7 p.m., Jewish Community Center, Knoxville 24-27: IRE CAR Conference, Raleigh, N.C. 25: TPA judges the Georgia Press Association Editorial Contest, Knoxville MARCH 2: Read Across America Day 7-11: Newspaper in Education Week 13-19: Sunshine Week 16: Freedom of Information Day 16: 13th Annual Freedom of Information Conference, Newseum, Washington, D.C : 15th Annual American Copy Editors Society National Conference, Phoenix, Ariz. APRIL 1: Justice, Media, and the People s Right to Know (a law school for journalists), ETSPJ and Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Baker Center, Knoxville 6-9: ASNE Annual Conference, San Diego, Calif. 29: TPA Advertising/Circulation Conference, Nashville 29: ETSPJ Golden Press Card Awards Banquet, L&N, Knoxville JUNE 16-18: TPA Summer Convention, joint with Kentucky Press Association, The Doubletree/Park Vista Hotel, Gatlinburg JULY 5: International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, Coventry, England 15: State Press Contests Awards Luncheon, Nashville 20-23: 50th Annual Government Affairs Conference, Westin, Washington, D.C. 23: ETSPJ Front Page Follies SEPTEMBER 29-Oct. 1: Society of News Design Annual Workshop and Exhibition, Renaissance Grand Hotel, St. Louis, Mo. Kudos To Shelia Rouse, State Gazette, Dyersburg, for the first 2011 press card order, received Dec. 10. To Union City Daily Messenger for the first Winter Convention and Press Institute registration, received Dec. 31; included David Critchlow Jr., Scott Critchlow and Arthur Melton. To The Herald-Chronicle, Winchester, the first entry for the State Press Contests, received Jan. 17. To the Crossville Chronicle for the first Ideas Contest entry, received Jan. 20.

4 4 The Tennessee Press FEBRUARY 2011 Community newspapers continue to show strong readership, community reliance Communities served by community newspapers continue to demonstrate heavy reliance upon their local papers for news and information. Seventy-three percent say they read a local newspaper at least once a week. Readers also say they read most or all of their community newspapers (78 percent), and of those going online for local news, 55 percent found it on the local newspaper s website, compared to 17 percent for sites such as Yahoo, MSN or Google, and 26 percent for the website of a local TV station. The results are reported by the National Newspaper Association (NNA), which has just completed its fifth readership survey on the patterns of community newspaper readers. Working with the research arm of the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism, NNA tests reactions of people living in smaller communities served by NIE Kid Scoop: A new student activity page BY LU SHEP BALDWIN Director of educational services Jones Media Inc., Greeneville The Newspapers In Education program of The Daily Times, Maryville, a Blount County Publishers newspaper, has begun publication of Kid Scoop, a weekly student activity page. It will be featured every Tuesday. This page is just one of the new features being introduced into The Daily Times NIE program. Clayton Homes of Maryville is sponsoring it. The Kid Scoop page, which targets grade levels two through eight, explores a new subject each week. The page is packed with pencil-grabbing games, puzzles and brain teasers that grab a young reader s attention and keep it. Kid Scoop believes kids want to learn and that learning is fun! The educational page builds reading, writing and critical thinking skills, plus positively engages young people in their communities. The page is also entertaining. The additional learning resources offered by Kid Scoop can be used by both families and schools. Teachers can use the page in the classroom to promote standards-based learning. Each activity on the page is correlated to a national teaching standard. Parents will want to use the Kid Scoop materials to foster academic success, a joy of learning and for family discussions. Kid Scoop is a Sonoma, Calif.-based company that has more than 20 years experience in creating award-winning educational programs for print and the Web. Kid Scoop is an internationally syndicated newspaper feature published in more than 300 local newpapers for an international circulation of 7.5 million and is growing. local newspapers. Since 2005, NNA has done research on how people read and what they think about their local newspapers. Results have been fairly consistent over the years, though the surveys have focused more tightly on small communities during the five years. For the 2010 survey, readership for towns with newspapers that have circulations of 8,000 or less were sampled. The community size has not significantly affected outcomes. The surveys show that community newspapers have remained popular. The early data indicate that the positive findings are consistent with the earlier surveys: 73 percent of those surveyed read a local newspaper each week. Those readers, on average, share their paper with 3.34 persons. They spend about 37.5 minutes reading their local newspapers. An example of a Kid Scoop feature (used with permission) The activity page stimulates children s interests and gets them actively engaged in a subject. This involvement in the text furthers their mastery of an academic skill. When parents read the page with their children, they establish the value of the Kid Scoop page as an educational tool. For more information about the Kid Scoop page, visit The Daily Times Newspapers In Education program is a non-profit literacy program for the schools and the community. Teachers and students receive The Daily Times in the classroom to be used as a teaching tool and as an additional educational resource. Sponsorships for the NIE program, which include local businesses, 78 percent read most or all of their community newspapers. 41 percent keep their community newspapers six or more days (shelf life). 62 percent of readers read local news very often in their community newspapers, while 54 percent say they never read local news online (only 9 percent say they read local news very often online). 39 percent of those surveyed read local education (school) news very often in their newspapers, while 67 percent never read local education news online. 30 percent read local sports news very often in their newspapers, while 67 percent never read local sports online. 35 percent read editorials or letters to the editor very often in their newspapers, while 74 percent (nearly three-quarters) never read editorials industries and individuals, cover the cost of the newspapers. For more information about the NIE program, contact Lu Shep Baldwin at lushep.baldwin@jonesmedia.biz or Bryan Sandmeier, circulation manager and NIE coordinator, at bryan. sandmeier@thedailytimes.com. EDITOR S NOTE: Thanks to Jones Media, Blount County Publishers and Lu Shep Baldwin for sharing articles about NIE activities at various newspapers. We run them hoping they assist other newspapers that are thinking of starting NIE programs or are just beginning them. Elenora E. Edwards Managing editor or letters to the editor online. Governments are debating the best way to transmit public notice; those readers surveyed said newspapers remain the best way to receive such notices: 75 percent think governments should be required to publish public notices in newspapers, with 23 percent reading public notices very often in their newspapers. 71 percent have Internet access in the home, but 66 percent never visit a website of a local government. Of those with Internet access at home, 89 percent have broadband access. The local community newspaper is the primary source of information about the local community for 49.3 percent of respondents. The next best source runs a distant second: friends and relatives for 18 percent of respondents and TV, 16 percent. Readers are nearly seven times more likely to get their local news from their community newspapers than from the Internet (7.7 percent). Less than 6 percent say their primary local news source is radio. Watch for additional information, charts and presentations from the survey in future issues of Publishers Auxiliary and on NNA s USPS sets new rates for April 17; NNA praises modified rate proposal National Newspaper Association President Elizabeth K. Parker, copublisher of Recorder Community Newspapers, Stirling, N.J., praised the decision of new Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and the USPS Board of Governors to present a modified postage increase in USPS on Jan. 13 filed its request for new rates with the Postal Regulatory Commission, saying it would hold average rate increases to around 1.7 percent. No price increase is ever great news, Parker said. This latest announcement by USPS recognizes, however, how critical it is in our recovering economy for the Postal Service to hold the line on postage prices. A modest 1.7 percent increase, within the acceptable consumer price index cap, shows that the new postal administration wants our business and that it plans to exercise cost controls to keep its own ship afloat. We appreciate that, and we want newspapers to bring more business to USPS. NNA protested a USPS plan in the summer of 2010 to raise newspaper periodicals rates as much as 10 percent. That plan was rejected by the PRC and is now being reviewed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. NNA is an intervenor in that proceeding, which will be heard by the court in February. The modified rate increase would pass along an average 1.07 percent increase for Within County Periodicals and a percent increase for Standard ECR mail, used by newspapers for shoppers and Total Market Coverage products. The new rates would go into website. The 2010 survey was based on 670 telephone interviews completed with residents that lived in areas where the local newspapers had a circulation of 8,000 or less in the U.S. in August and October Please note that this sampling methodology differs from the survey conducted in 2009, which was based on 500 telephone interviews completed with residents that lived in areas where the local newspapers had a circulation of 15,000 or less. Because of this new methodology, the 2010 survey had the highest percentage of non-daily newspaper readers (66.2 percent), compared to previous years. This may explain the reduction in the percentage of visits to newspaper websites (from 63 percent to 55 percent) between the two years (2009 and 2010) as the number of non-daily newspapers that have a functional website serving small towns and cities may be lower than that of daily newspapers. Further, in the 2010 survey, cell phone numbers were included in the sample, compared to landline numbers only in the past four years. As a result, the average age of the 2010 respondents (51.2) was younger than those in previous years. effect April 17. NNA Postal Committee Chairman Max Heath noted that USPS was unable to implement a rate increase in 2010 because the inflation price cap constrained increases. The newer proposal, following the Postal Service s unsuccessful attempt at a major increase, is a welcome sign that economic recovery and USPS s fresh look at its relationship with customers will spur growth for mailers. We find this proposal customerfriendly and in tune with the times, said Max Heath, NNA Postal Committee chair. And a welcome added bonus announced by Donahoe is that the socalled POSTNET barcode will continue to be allowed for automation discounts past May Newspapers won t have to convert to the so-called Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) any time soon. Heath continued, At the same time, USPS still faces very serious economic challenges, and Congress has not yet recognized that the law must be changed to ease extraordinary burdens for prefunding retiree health benefits. It also has not decided what should be done about mailers money that was unfairly paid into the civil service retirement fund in excess of USPS s needs. Donahoe has sent us this new year s greeting in the shape of modest increases. NNA will send back its thanks and redouble efforts in Congress to address these critical policy issues. (NNA) Read The Tennessee Press then pass it on!

5 FEBRUARY 2011 The Tennessee Press 5 OBITUARIES Barbara Asbury Former editor BY KRISTI L. NELSON News Sentinel, Knoxville Barbara Ann Asbury was in her 30s before she discovered her passion for the written word. That passion never wavered during a career in journalism that spanned almost four decades. Asbury, 72, died at her home (Jan. 2) from complications of spinal Gerald Largen s remarkable largess By TERRI LIKENS Roane County News, Kingston Santa wasn t good to you this year? Well, hold on a minute you ve got another gift coming. How about 112 beautiful rural acres with about a mile and a quarter of level lakeshore, a couple of quiet coves, woods, open fields and botanical treasures both native and exotic? It s yours or soon will be. Gerald Largen, a lawyer, historian and columnist in Roane County, is transferring his property on Bowman Bend Road to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to be maintained for the enjoyment of Roane County residents and other visitors. He s really a spectacular gentleman and really generous in what he wants to do, said John Mayer, TWRA Region 3 manager. That s a beautiful piece of property, Mayer said. The land transfer is not yet a done deal. Mayer said it must go before the state Building Commission, possibly as early as next month. We just have to make sure it s the right thing for Tennessee, he said, but he expressed little doubt that it would be accepted. It s a really generous gift, Mayer said. Mayer said the public is likely to have access to the land in late summer, after TWRA puts in an access road and a small parking area. Then we can follow up with a formal trail and some fishing platforms, Mayer said. He said TWRA officials may plant some areas to attract small game, such as rabbits and quail, for hunts. It will take year after year after year to develop it to what it could be, Mayer said. It takes money but it won t take a whole lot of money. Why the giveaway? People who have known Largen for a while may have been aware of his desire to eventually turn his land over for public enjoyment. For the past decade or so, he has talked to land conservancies and state parks officials trying to work something out. Land conservancies didn t give degeneration that caused a sudden decline in her health. A reporter and section editor for the News Sentinel from 1977 to 2004, many of those years as an editor of the Neighbors Asbury community-news sections, she was known for her dedication, accuracy and fiercely passionate opinions on everything from Associated Press style to women s rights. Gerald Largen on his lake property him the guarantee of permanence he was seeking, and with the economy in straits, state parks officials didn t have a budget to work with to add the amenities that would be needed to allow public access. They suggested he contact officials at the TWRA, which is funded largely from the sales of fishing and hunting licenses and has weathered budget storms better than many other agencies. Mayer said officials were surprised when they received a letter outlining Largen s offer. Very much so, he said, but added, This one is a good fit with the agency. The property will remain in public for decades and decades and decades. Largen said he just wants to be able to share something he has deeply enjoyed over the years. This has been such a blessing to walk along the river when I wanted to and through the woods when I wanted to, he said. He estimates the value of the property from upward of $3 million to in a good economy about $10 million. I could probably sell it and make more money than most people ever dream of, said Largen, who largely retired from his law career a few years ago but continues to write his weekly A View From Lick Skillet column for the Roane County News. Asbury was 33, with three young children, when she decided to pursue a journalism degree at the University of Tennessee, based solely on her love of writing. She graduated in 1975 and worked a succession of reporter jobs in Georgia before returning to Knoxville, where she worked her way up into management and developed a reputation for nurturing young writers albeit with an iron pen. Barbara Asbury taught me more about journalism than any other single person I ever dealt with, said News TERRI LIKENS ROANE COUNTY NEWS, KINGSTON He has lived on the property since the 1960s, when the development of Interstate 40 through Harriman cut off his family s property in Emory Gap. He and his parents, John Roy and Martha May Largen, decided to shop around for another place to live. They looked at two larger rural tracts and decided on the Bowman Bend land, which includes about 50 acres above the road and about 60 acres on the lower side toward the lake. They made the purchase. Largen s parents have since died. The land includes some old Indian mounds and has many unusual plants many of them added by Largen, who is a collector. Species from around the globe include Arizona cypress, longleaf magnolia and western blackberry. TWRA officials plan to keep his diverse botanicals. I hope everyone enjoys it, Largen said of his property. He will keep about 12 acres to live on, and then give that to the TWRA as part of his estate. Largen talked about increasing crowding in the world. A century from now, he hopes, some youngster may walk the grounds in wonder of the size of the tract and say, Just think, one man lived here. (Dec. 27, 2010) Sentinel Entertainment Writer Wayne Bledsoe. She could be maddening to work for. She d insist you get the answers to questions on a story that you knew would never make it to print, but the end result was it made you ask better questions and get more information in your initial interviews, which would result in better stories. Former reporter Lisa Hood Skinner, now senior vice president at Ackermann Public Relations, called Asbury a mentor. When she was editing my stories, her sharp research and editing skills compelled her to point out my inadequacies but she did it in a way that made you want to get it right, Skinner said. You wanted to see her throw her hands up in the air and delightedly cackle her trademark, That s it! That s what I m talkin about! Her stamp of approval on some of my biggest investigative stories was a treasured badge of honor. Asbury retired from the News Sentinel in 2004 but continued to write a weekly column about South Knoxville. She also taught journalism classes at UT. Whenever I saw her after she retired, she couldn t wait to tell me about a story she was working on as a freelancer, said former News Sentinel associate editor Georgiana Vines. She researched her topic thoroughly and uncovered fresh or new information in just about any assignment. Asbury in a 1994 interview described the calling this way: There is nobody who should ever get into journalism who is not so insatiably curious that they cannot bear to live without knowing everything they can possibly find out, she said. If the things people do bore you do something else. Asbury enjoyed travel and in 2010 got to fulfill two longtime wishes in a trip to the Wimbledon tennis championship in London with her son Matt Hutchinson and an October trip with her daughter, Beth MacDonald, and granddaughter, Audrey, to Falling Water, a Pennsylvania house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built partly over a waterfall. Asbury was devoted to her children, including her other son, Mark Hutchinson, and grandchildren, Audrey and Ryan MacDonald and Riley Leitner-Hutchinson, and to her yellow Lab, Hudson. She was so strong and sacrificed so much to raise her three kids, MacDonald said. She gave up so much that she wanted to do in life to give us what we needed. (Jan. 4, 2011) Daniel Clark Cook Retired outdoor editor BY RON BUSH Chattanooga Times Free Press A good man died Christmas morning. A very good man, an excellent co-worker, an exceptional role model. One of the most decent human beings I ve ever known. Dan Cook, long Cook the outdoors editor of this newspaper and the daily afternoon version that preceded the merger, slipped away a little after 11 a.m. Saturday. Peacefully, his wife said. But not without a fight. When cancer first attacked him, he had his stomach entirely removed. That was in the spring of He mentioned it matter of factly, almost as if he were going to try out a new rod and reel, but those of us who heard that news were very worried. I didn t know anyone could exist without a stomach. But within months Dan was eating regular food and seeming to do just fine. His weight got back up to 170 pounds, and conversations with him were pretty much what they always had been. But the cancer was in his liver, and it wasn t going away. And when it was clear that treatment was no longer effective, Dan and Freda faced the situation the way they always had faced difficulties, with a figurative shrug and a catalog of their blessings. Their pictures could be beside a description of the Serenity Prayer. We re kind of stoics, Freda said on Christmas Eve, as she said her husband of 38 years was down to days now. A licensed clinical social worker with a private counseling business, she stopped working in mid-november, and hospice care was brought in soon after. But Dan was able to accompany Freda on some errands and to a church dinner as recently as a week and a half ago. He was hoping to stay around long enough to see his son, Sam, get married this Thursday in Dahlonega. Sam, who s on the staff at the University of Georgia as a computer tech, has an older brother, Jason, and the Cooks plus Sam s fiancee were all together as Christmas approached. But Dan s health took a downward turn Dec. 18, and it became soon apparent that he wouldn t be able to make the wedding. A longtime deacon and driver in the bus ministry at Poplar Springs Baptist Church, among other roles for the Ringgold congregation, Dan made his passing a special birthday observance for his Lord instead. He was 71. Stories by Dan Cook were published at 400 East 11th St. for 42 years, even after his retirement. The last one ran on Nov. 11, in fact, and he was passing along outdoor notes until just over a week ago. His name was synonymous with our Outdoor Page, and he was known throughout the outdoors community nationwide, Times Free Press Sports Editor Jay Greeson said. He was an SEE OBITUARIES, PAGE 8

6 6 The Tennessee Press FEBRUARY 2011 TRACKS Sun s press foreman, Ottinger, retires after 47 years Jerry Ottinger started the presses of The Greeneville Sun for the last time of his 47-year career as a press operator on Dec. 23. Some 40 staff members and management of the newspaper gathered to witness the event. Ottinger retired in December as the press foreman who has logged in more printed impressions than anyone else of Jones Media Co. He is 64. Ottinger has led the Goss Urbanite press operations in Greeneville, where editions of the Sun, the Rogersville Review and The Newport Plain Talk are printed, in addition to other commercial jobs for other newsprint publishers in Northeast Tennessee. The Sun is a sixday-a-week newspaper with circulation of 14,000, Monday through Saturday/ Sunday. Ottinger started at the Sun during the early days of web-offset printing, which was introduced in Greeneville in the mid-1960s. Ottinger had no formal training in the printing industry, yet was able to acquire and perfect the skills of web-offset printing on newsprint. Ottinger earned the certifications of the Gannett Four-Color printing network in the late 1980s. One of those on hand was Joe Office, pre-print technician who has been with the company for 67 years. Ottinger will continue living in Greeneville with his wife, several children and grandchildren. (Dec. 23, 2010) Dunbar back at paper; Leftwich retired A familiar byline has returned to the Chester County Independent, Henderson. Mary Mount Dunbar, a Chester County native, is back as a staff writer after a short absence. She wrote for the newspaper from 2002 to Before that she presented news from Chester County High School as writer of the CCHS Chatter for three years. J.B. Leftwich has stopped writing his weekly column in The Lebanon Democrat. He was associated with the newspaper for 72 years, as well as other newspapers. He is 91. STEVEN K. HARBISON THE GREENEVILLE SUN Jerry Ottinger, press supervisor, manages the console of the Goss Urbanite press units at The Greeneville Sun Dec. 23 for his last time. John M. Jones Jr., editor, right, Joe Office, pre-press technician for 67 years, Gregg K. Jones, Sun publisher and president of Jones Media Inc., back center, and Dale Long, director of printing, left, were among more than 40 employees of the Sun and Jones Media who observed as the afternoon newspaper went to press. Watson, Sun s managing editor, ends 45-year career Douglas Watson, managing editor of The Greeneville Sun since March 1, 1990, retired Dec. 31 from that position and active professional journalism after a career spanning more than four decades. He served as a reporter and editor in both the United States and the Middle East. Watson, known by colleagues and friends through the years as Doug, closed his almost 21 years of service at the Sun by participating in the editing of the newspaper s Jan. 1 issue. His retirement brought to a close almost 46 years of journalistic work, including decades as a reporter or foreign correspondent covering assignments in locations ranging from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Md. to Beirut, Baghdad, Teheran, Jerusalem and other Middle Eastern cities. During those years, Watson reported for U.S.-based publications including The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun and U.S. News and World Report magazine. In addition, prior to moving to Greeneville, he had served for several years as managing editor of Emirates News, an English language daily newspaper in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He had also worked for shorter periods in California, as foreign news editor of the San Diego Union, and in Florida, on the copyediting staff of The St. JIM FELTMAN THE GREENEVILLE SUN Douglas (Doug) Watson, who retired Dec. 31, is shown in his office at The Greeneville Sun, where he was managing editor. Petersburg Times. He and his wife, Hala Elama Watson, a Palestinian Christian originally from Bethlehem, Jordan, came to Greeneville in early 1990 after making a deliberate decision to seek a journalism position where they could put down long-term roots in a smaller community. Mrs. Watson joined the staff of the Sun in September 1990 and serves as the newspaper s wire editor, handling Associated Press news stories used by the Sun, and as the primary paginator of the news-related and features-related pages and sections. The couple have for years been Greeneville homeowners and active in the life of the community in various ways, including service by Doug Watson as a member of the board of directors of the Greene County Heritage Trust. The Watsons plan to continue to reside in Greeneville, with Mrs. Watson continuing her major newsroom roles at the Sun. Praised highly by editor Editor John M. Jones Jr. praised Watson highly for his service to the Sun. Doug Watson is one of the most professional, capable and hard-working journalists I have known in my life. First of all, he is a person of great character and intellect honest, fair and discerning. But beyond those admirable personal qualities, and many others, he is an excellent and extremely versatile reporter, and a wise and conscientious managing editor. What he has meant during these 21 years to The Greeneville Sun and to me personally in my responsibilities as editor is beyond measure, as any member of the staff would attest. My family and I are deeply grateful that he and his wife decided to shift from metropolitan and international journalism in 1990 and become a part of the Sun and of Greeneville/Greene County itself. We are also very glad that he and Hala will continue to live nearby. In a brief statement, Doug Watson expressed his appreciation for friendly cooperation over the years of hundreds of Greene Countians I have covered. Foreign correspondent A graduate of the University of South Florida and of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Watson was a reporter on the staff of The Washington Post for 12 years beginning in the mid-1960s. His work with the Post was followed by several years as a reporter with The Baltimore Sun and then with U.S. News and World Report. Prior to his undertaking assignments as a foreign correspondent in the Middle East for the Post, The Baltimore Sun or U.S. News and World Report, his reporting duties included at various times coverage of the Baltimore, Md. city government, the Maryland legislature, federal agencies in Washington and a wide range of feature assignments in rural Virginia and other parts of the U.S. As a foreign correspondent based at various times in Cairo, Egypt, Beirut, Lebanon, or Jerusalem, Israel, he covered major Middle East news for eight years in the 1970s and 1980s, including the Iranian revolution, the Egypt-Israel peace treaty after their 1973 war and the fighting in Lebanon, including the period surrounding the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut. Extensive role at Sun At The Greeneville Sun, Watson has played a key role in the news-related SEE WATSON, PAGE 7

7 FEBRUARY 2011 The Tennessee Press 7 TRACKS Stryjewski, longtime employee at The Leaf-Chronicle, retires BY MARIA RICE MCCLURE Features editor The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville It is with a heavy heart that the employees of The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, bid farewell to Ruth Stryjewski, executive assistant to the publisher. After 27 years at The Leaf-Chronicle, Stryjewski decided to retire. She plans to spend much of the next chapter of her life in the company of her husband, Tom, and her grandchildren, Grace and Wyatt. I feel torn, Stryjewski said. I have a Leaf-Chronicle family and a personal family. You can t spend 40 hours a week with people and not consider them family. This was a hard decision for me. Most everyone who has worked with her at the paper or in the community feels that personal interconnection with her. She has always taken care of me, that s what she does. She takes care of everyone, said Ronnie Kendrick, who has worked with Stryjewski for 27 years. She s Momma Ruth and I am sure gonna miss her. A job well done Stryjewski moved to Clarksville in 1972 after her husband was assigned to Fort Campbell. I had to look on the map to see where it was, because I am from Chicago, she said. Her career at The Leaf-Chronicle began in May aspects of the newspaper as both a key editor and a writer. In his editing responsibilities, he has served as the top assistant to Editor Jones, with duties including the daily editing of staff-produced news and feature stories, the oversight and coordination of special news-related sections and the supervision and training of summer interns working with the Sun news staff. For many years, he served as the primary coordinator of The Greeneville Sun s annual Benchmarks edition in March, the Salute to Industry section in May and the Greene County Guidebook in August. In addition, his work with the Sun has involved reporting/writing work, especially on complex stories relating to local business. Watson established the Thursday Business section of the Sun and has served as business editor in addition GREG WILLIAMSON THE LEAF-CHRONICLE, CLARKSVILLE Ruth Stryjewski, executive assistant to the publisher, right, hands papers to Patti Yates. Stryjewski retired after 27 years at the newspaper. I met Ruth the day she interviewed for employment at The Leaf-Chronicle, said Pat Goodwin, former human resources director at the newspaper. After that preliminary interview, I told Gene Washer, who was advertising director at that time, that he should hire her. I can t say her name, he protested. Sure you can her name is Ruth, you can say that just fine, I told him. Once he interviewed her, he was equally convinced that she was the one. Stryjewski went on to work for three publishers and one acting general manager, Luther Thigpen, Gene to his role as managing editor. In that capacity, he has entered complex federal court cases relating to local agencies or companies, as well as the sale of the former Philips Consumer Electronics LLC and its eventual bankruptcy and plant closure and the birth and development of the Greene County Partnership since Every year he has written most of the articles for the Business and Industry section of the Sun s Benchmarks edition. His assignments have also included extensive coverage of Tusculum College since early 1990, the year after the beginning of the college presidency of Robert E. Knott. Has received honors In 2006, Watson was recognized by the Tennessee Press Association (TPA) for his business reporting relating to the legal struggle of Five River Electronic Innovations and two U.S. labor unions against illegal, massive importation of below-cost television sets by foreign Washer, Andrew Oppmann and Richard V. Stevens. Ruth was my right-hand person for what seems a lifetime, said Washer, the newspaper s publisher emeritus. She is one of the most talented, dedicated and smartest people I have worked with. She is just a delightful person to be around, and I wish her all the happiness in her retirement. Oppmann, who served as president and publisher of The Leaf-Chronicle for two years after Washer s retirement, WATSON: Retires after 45 years in journalism FROM PAGE 6 SEE STRYJEWSKI, PAGE 8 countries. He has also written occasional, and popular, personal columns drawn from his extensive reporting background, including some in 1990 relating to the tension and eventual war after then- Iraqi President Saddam Hussein s invasion of Kuwait in August He received a TPA writing award for a June 2005 column in which he described his brief participation in the early stages of the Watergate Scandal coverage when he was a young Washington Post reporter. In October, he was honored by the Tusculum College Board of Trustees for some 20 years of coverage of the college, during several presidents and stages of development. The resolution cited him for balance, fairness and excellence in many years of news coverage and observed that he exemplified the civic arts values subscribed to by Tusculum College. (Adapted, The Greeneville Sun, Jan. 1, 2011) Charlie Massey, left, receives a plaque from Joel Washburn denoting his 51 years service to The McKenzie Banner. Washburn is the paper s managing editor. Massey ends 51-year career at Carroll County newspapers Charlie Massey retired in April 2010 after 51 years in the newspaper industry in Carroll County. He and his associates at The McKenzie Banner celebrated his long service Dec. 9 at a reception at the newspaper. One of those was Kenneth Kee, an employee for 51 years who plans to retire later this year. Massey began working in 1959 as a Linotype operator. His career spanned from the hot lead, raised-type days, through the 1960s and film, to the current direct-to-plate process. Massey joined The McKenzie Banner when J. Frank Barlow was publisher. In Olean Blount kept Carroll County News- Leader, Huntingdon, readers informed of the happenings of the Westport community for more than 30 years. Recently, at the age of 91, she said it was time to put away her pen and paper. I have outlived everybody I wrote about and the ones who gave me news, she said while sitting in her living room in her favorite chair. She gathered news by phone and through conversation. She has written about visitations, who is sick and who is in the hospital, birthdays, new babies and the community events. I would call people and they would call me and sometimes they would write something and leave it with me, she said. It was quite by accident that she began writing the Westport news. Susie Horn was writing it and had to have surgery. Susie asked me write it until she recovered, said Blount. However, when she got well she wanted me to keep writing, and I did. She first wrote for the Tennessee Republican. After four or five years, Dennis and Lisa Richardson bought the DAVID FISHER THE McKENZIE BANNER 1961, Massey relocated to the Tennessee Republican, a Huntingdon newspaper, under the ownership of Bob Greene. He worked for the Greene family until 1988 when the newspaper was sold to Tri-County Publishing, owner of The McKenzie Banner. In 1992, Massey returned to The McKenzie Banner when the Huntingdon newspaper was sold to its across-town competitor. Through the years, Massey was a composer for the newspaper and commercial print shop and performed various other functions. Correspondent lays down pen at 91 newspaper and asked her to write for the Carroll County News-Leader. She says that writing has helped her during some of the difficult times over the years. In 1989 when she had breast cancer surgery, using the pen and exercising her hand served as therapy to speed the use of her arm. It helped me in more ways than one because it kept me in contact with people who gave me encouragement, she said. Her husband, John Blount, was killed Aug. 8, 1984 in an accident when his tractor turned over while bush hogging. Again, her newspaper writing was a savior of sorts because it kept her in contact with people. She has lived on Blount Lane, named for her family, for 72 years. She admits she s a talker and enjoys conversing with people whether in person or on the phone. Blount was born Sept.18,1919 and raised across the Big Sandy River into the Halls School community. (Adapted, story by Shirley Nanney, News-Leader, Nov. 10, 2010)

8 8 The Tennessee Press FEBRUARY 2011 OBITUARIES FROM PAGE 5 accomplished writer, a true professional and a better person. Sam Woolwine, a previous sports editor who came to the News-Free Press within two weeks of Dan in October 1968 and likewise continued to contribute to this sports section for years after retirement, had visited Dan several times in recent months. Dan contributed a subject idea for a devotional book involving sports and athletes that Woolwine is about to compile. The thing I most admired about Dan was that he was dependable, Woolwine said. If he said he was going to do something, you could bank on him doing it. I don t think he ever missed a deadline; he was usually way early. He was a joy to be around and a joy to work with. He had a deep and an abiding faith, and he was a great friend. I ll miss him. Dan won a lot of awards for his stories and photographs, particularly from the Southeastern and national outdoors press associations, but stories involving Dan are pretty good, too. Some of his favorite regular subjects were characters, and in his quiet way Dan was one, too. He was recruited from the Columbus (Ga.) newspaper by the original sports editor of the News-Free Press, E.T. Bales, who specifically wanted Dan to assist him and eventually take over his own outdoors coverage. And through the years Dan enjoyed impersonating Bales with high-pitched observations and requests. As a storyteller, Dan took you on rabbit trails, coming back repeatedly to his main plot and then venturing off again. And he had legendary quickness in getting to the Free Press lunchroom each day when it opened. Despite his genuine humility, he had vanity in one area: He didn t like being bald and went through a series of toupees. One day he wore a black shoe and a brown shoe to work, then could only shake his head when someone wondered if he had a similar pair at home. His geniality made him a common foil, particularly of former sports editor Allan Morris, but no one owed Dan more. Morris didn t drive, and Dan was his most frequent chauffeur. In my early days at the paper, it wasn t uncommon to hear Morris tease Dan all morning about a variety of things, but then as Dan started putting on his coat to leave, Morris would say, Can I catch a ride, Dan? And of course he always could. Cook made his home in Ringgold, Ga. He leaves his wife, Freda Cook, and two sons, Jason Cook, Ringgold, and Sam Cook, Athens, Ga. (Dec. 26, 2010) Lois Munger Journalist s mother Lois Witt Munger, mother of News Sentinel, Knoxville, Senior Writer Frank Munger, died Dec. 11. She was 85. Munger was born in Surgoinsville but grew up in Southeastern Kentucky. She met and married her husband, Dr. Frank Munger, in Oak Ridge during the World War II Manhattan Project. They later settled in Maryville, where he practiced dentistry and oral surgery and she served as his receptionist and assistant. She loved all sports, particularly the Vols and Lady Vols, the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan years. She loved lobster, chili dogs and trips to Neyland Stadium. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and First Baptist Church of Maryville. Munger was preceded in death by her husband; a son, James Austin (Chip) Munger, and several siblings. She leaves a daughter, Marcella Herrin of Oliver Spring; the son, of Knoxville; two grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. (News Sentinel, Dec. 13, 2010) Billy Robinson Publisher s brother Billy Fred Robinson, twin brother of Frank Robinson, owner of the Elizabethton Star, died Dec. 11 after a brief illness. He was 85. Robinson lived in Kingston. He was formerly with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. An Air Force veteran, he served in World War II. Besides his brother, Robinson leaves his wife, Meta, and two sons, Jerry and Billy Fred Jr. On Friday, April 1, East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists will present Justice, Media and the People s Right to Know: InherentTensions and Practical Implications in a Free Society, an all-day conference exploring ways that journalists and public officials can better inform the public to build trust and confidence in two institutions important to a democracy: government and a free press. Journalists, law enforcement officials, court personnel, government records custodians who interact with journalists and other citizens, and the general public are invited to attend the law school at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, 1640 Cumberland Ave., Knoxville, which is co-sponsor. Pulitzer Prize winner Alex Jones, a native East Tennessean and now director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University, will be the keynote speaker. Jones covered the press for The NewYork Times from and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Other speakers and panelists include TRACKS FROM PAGE 7 STRYJEWSKI: Retires from Leaf-Chronicle called Stryjewski the heart of the newspaper. When I took over for Gene, the first question anyone in the community would ask me was, Ruth s still there, right? Publishers may come and go, but everyone knew Ruth was really the person who made things happen, he said. Oppmann, who left the newspaper in November to become associate vice president at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, said Stryjewski s knowledge of the community, its politics and history was priceless to him as publisher. I told her that I d have to leave before she retired, he said. All of us at The Leaf-Chronicle are in her debt. Stevens, now the newspaper s executive editor and acting general manager, said Stryjewski made things comfortable and simple for him from Day One, which happened to be the day that a tornado devastated much of downtown Clarksville in I grew up around strong, practical Midwestern women who kept things on schedule and got the chore done before anybody had to ask them to do it and that s Ruth, he said. She s been our consultant, confidante, adviser and friend for so long that it s hard to imagine a day here without her. We wish her all the best and thank her for her dedicated service on behalf of our staff, our readers and customers and our community. In her capacity as executive assistant experts in law enforcement, criminal and civil court procedures, Tennessee laws on open meetings and records and experienced journalists who cover governmental affairs. The program will do the following: Provide training for journalists who cover police, courts and other government offices or tackle any story that can be enhanced by access to public records and meetings. Promote a discussion among journalists, government officials and other citizens to explore ways to advance the public s understanding of their communities and the respective roles of the media and government. The format for the conference will be a 30- to 45-minute overview about each of four topics: criminal procedure, criminal courts, civil courts and access to meetings and records. Experts in each area will teach these instructional sessions. After each teaching session, two or three panelists will discuss ways that the media and government agencies might work together to improve the quality of information reaching the public. Questions and comments from to the publisher, Stryjewski met with many people in the community, overseeing the newspaper s work with civic and charitable organizations. John McDonald, artistic director of the Roxy Regional Theatre, said he could always find a kind word and a friend at 200 Commerce St., thanks to Stryjewski, whom he called Command Central of The Leaf-Chronicle. I think our relationship with The Leaf-Chronicle is because of Ruth, because of her caring for Clarksville and the arts community, McDonald said. She is a super lady and she has been really kind to us. It s hard to think of The Leaf-Chronicle without her. Happy and sad times As Stryjewski reflects on the 27 years she worked at the newspaper, she is happy with what she has accomplished. I think my greatest accomplishment is being a friend and mentor to all employees, she said. Helping them and guiding them through their employment life. And I really, truly love every employee here present and past, because we have lost so many, I can t forget them. The most challenging times at The Leaf-Chronicle for Stryjewski included the 1999 tornado and the company s downsizing. It s the hardest thing to run a business while trying to recover from a tornado, Stryjewski said. And the downsizing was a difficult and emotional time for everyone. But all in all, Stryjewski said she has loved every minute of her time the audience will be encouraged. Programs like this have been met with great success in Nashville and Memphis, but this is the first time one has been planned for East Tennessee. The program is free, with continental breakfast and lunch provided all at Tennessee s oldest newspaper and wouldn t trade a single moment. I love the excitement of a newspaper, she said. It was an adventure every day. Advisor and friend Whatever the problem, Stryjewski was always ready to lend an ear or offer advice to anyone who stopped by her office. Her years of wisdom, knowledge and experience can never be replaced or equaled, said Mickey Lemothe, Leaf- Chronicle employee. On a personal note, Ruth is one of my two best friends. No one could ever ask for a better friend or confidante. She has been there for me through thick and thin, always with good advice, a pick-me-up word, or by just being there by my side. Although her job kept her busy, Goodwin said Stryjewski always seemed to have time to listen to our joys and troubles, personal and professional. No matter what problem you might have, she was the one who always cared enough to listen and help. I am thankful that I had the privilege of working with Ruth, and even more thankful that she is my friend for life. (Dec. 29, 2010) Details being firmed up for April 1 law school for journalists attendees who register before March 25. If one has questions, he or she can call Elenora E. Edwards, ETSPJ president, (865) or (865) or elenora1971@gmail.com. Tennessee Press Service Advertising Placement Snapshot December 2010: Year* as of Dec. 31: ROP: $ 281,084 $ 281,084 A puzzle Media credibility is under attack... perhaps as never before. And yet, those same critics and the public in general have access to more news and are better informed than at any other time in American history. Helen Thomas Retired columnist, 2006 Network: $ 45,615 $ 45,615 *The Tennessee Press Service Inc. fi scal year runs Dec. 1 through Nov. 30.

9 FEBRUARY 2011 The Tennessee Press 9 Truth is, some politicians place low value on openness A government reform commission in Virginia has recommended abolishing the 10-year-old Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council as a way to streamline government and save money. That office was created to make government more transparent, user-friendly, and accountable and was the model used to create the Office of Open Records Counsel in Tennessee three years ago. The Virginia office, like our own, responds to hundreds of calls every year from government employees and citizens about freedom of information and other open government issues. The Virginia proposal comes from the same sentiment and mindset behind efforts in Tennessee to remove public notices from independent newspapers and shift them to city, county and state government websites. They re talking about changes in public notice laws in Virginia, too. They say it is to save money, but the truth of the matter in both cases is that some politicians place a low value on openness. Transparency to them is a word that looks good on campaign literature and sounds good in speeches. The City of Chattanooga and other Tennessee cities and counties continue to push the General Assembly to let them off the hook on providing public notices despite their own data that show the cost to provide notice where citizens are more likely to look for it is small relative to total government spending. Chattanooga, which is mounting the push, reported to the Chattanooga Times Free Press that public notice spending amounts to less than one-tenth of 1 percent of its total budget. My counterpart at the Virginia Coalition (T)here has been little or no discussion about what citizens, voters and taxpayers think and how the changes might affect them. for Open Government said in a recent column that Cost is always an important factor, but the numbers don t exist in a vacuum. As she correctly noted, cost must be weighed against the public benefit. That s the way Lebanon resident Beverly Sweeton sees it. She sees problems with proposals here. In a recent letter to the editor of The Tennessean in TENNESSEE COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT Frank Gibson Nashville, Sweeton wrote: Many of us have access to PCs, ipads, etc., but not the time, knowledge or inclination to search the state website for important public notices. The expense of this is minuscule compared with the benefit of attempting to keep our government honest. The latest government-sponsored research in Tennessee shows that about 1.5 million Volunteer State residents don t have a computer or access to the Internet. National statistics show that almost 40 percent of seniors over 65 do not go online for their information. Some local government officials have a simple answer. Before the Montgomery County Commission voted in December to ask state lawmakers to support the change, The Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville reported that one county commissioner expressed concern for constituents who don t have a computer. The county mayor suggested residents use the computers down at the public library. That brought to mind one of the bills filed in the legislature last year to move public notice to county government websites. It would have amended Tennessee s open meetings ( sunshine ) law to require local governing bodies to develop a plan and procedures for electronic posting of meeting notices. Here s the kicker: At least thirty (30) days prior to implementing such procedures, the local government shall publish the procedures at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or municipality. I m not sure what to make of that. Our state Supreme Court has held that the press and free speech clause of the state constitution contains a presumed requirement of open government. That was validated by passage of the state sunshine law in 1974 and its requirement that officials provide adequate public notice of meetings and proposed actions. The most troubling part of the local government s rush to remove public notices is the fact there has been little or no discussion about what citizens, voters and taxpayers think and how the changes might affect them. Is it worth the loss of public confidence in government that public opinion polls show is already lacking? FRANK GIBSON is executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. One can reach him at fgibson@tcog.info, (615) or P.O. Box 22248, Nashville, Tenn WORTH REPEATING BY STEPHANY DAVIS Union News Leader, Maynardville The newspaper received some feedback on the relevance of the Edd Daryl Bray story. The question was raised as to why this story is significant. The bottom line as to why this story is significant enough for us to investigate is due to the unavailability of a public record autopsy and because of the fact that the death of a person (occurred) in a public facility funded by taxpaying citizens. This fact makes the autopsy results in any such case one of public interest. Calls were originally made to departments that told us they had no Why access to public records IS a big deal copies themselves, so then the focus shifted away from local agencies to the medical examiner s office. There was recently another case in Monroe County where there was difficulty in retrieving an autopsy report on an election commissioner (who) was murdered. In this case, the election commissioner was burned in the trunk of an automobile. When the results were released, it showed he had been shot. Even in this case, the autopsy was released in month five following the murder. During month four, the district attorney told the media that an autopsy (report) was in his possession, but due to the investigation, would not release it. DEADLINE for the March issue of The Tennessee Press is Feb. 14. Send your news to Elenora E. Edwards, elenoraedwards@comcast.net, or call (865) The Daily Post In such a case, this is understandable. After all, law enforcement agencies would not want anyone who they were investigating to know everything they knew. The relevance of the story is the turn-around time time of a public record autopsy that, according to the state of Tennessee, should take an average of six to eight weeks.the family also should be provided the autopsy so they have answers concerning why this man passed away. Across the state, we are learning that some autopsies take much longer and there are some questionable circumstances in many cases, which Definition Liberty of the press consists in the right to publish, with impunity, truth, with good motives and for justifiable ends, whether it respects government, magistracy or individuals. James Kent New York State Supreme Court justice, 1801 Have questions about the Sunshine Law, Open Meetings Law or other legal matters of concern to newspapers? Member newspapers can call Richard L. (Rick) Hollow on the TPA LEGAL HOTLINE at (865) you will hear more about in the future. It should be noted that forensic departments work with other agencies to get tests and results evaluated, further adding to the turn-around time. While I cannot speak to the details behind the family s pursuit in obtaining the autopsy, I can tell you that time after time, they were given the run-around by various agencies. It was after numerous attempts that research was conducted concerning their rights, and afterwards, they wrote a letter under the Tennessee Open Top 10 Tennessee news stories 0f 2010 as chosen by AP staff Here are the top 10 Tennessee news stories of 2010 as chosen by The Associated Press staff in the state: 1. May floods kill 23 statewide, 10 in Davidson County where downtown Nashville is hard hit. 2. Bill Haslam elected governor; Republicans take three Congressional seats from Democrats. 3. Lane Kiffin abruptly resigns as Tennessee football coach; team rallies under new coach Derek Dooley to win bowl invitation. 4. Tennessee gets $500 million in national competition for Race to the Top education money. 5. Shelbyville woman adopts Russian boy, sends him back on a plane by Records Act requesting the autopsy. By law, the receiving agency must respond in writing even if it is to deny a right to view the autopsy (report) such as in cases where there is a court order. The citizens of the county who pay into the system deserve to know exactly what is taking place in a public facility, especially following any cases that end in a death. In addition, there are family members of Mr. Bray who deserve to know what the truth is as to what occurred; whether it is attributed to natural causes or other reasons. (Jan. 4, 2011) himself. 6. Judge refuses to stop mosque construction in Rutherford County. 7. (Tie) Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl admits giving false information to NCAA. 8. Legislature overrides veto of revised law allowing handgun carry permit holders to be armed in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. 9. Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife separate after 40 years of marriage; he is accused of groping a masseuse, but he is not prosecuted. 10. Former NBA and Memphis player Lorenzen Wright is slain; case remains unsolved.