We heard some great comments about this session and hope to do it again, said Lisa Potts, OPA Member Services Director.

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1 Official Publication of the Oklahoma Press Association Vol. 82, No Pages February 2011 Download The Oklahoma Publisher in PDF format at THIS MONTH: State Newspapers Find Alternative Delivery Methods During Blizzard Page 4 View front pages of blizzard coverage Page 8 SPECIAL MID-WINTER CONVENTION COVERAGE Beginning on Page BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST WINNERS Page 20 Five of the six members who made presentations at the News Flash session during the OPA Mid-Winter Convention answer questions from the audience. From left, Kim Noe, The Newcastle Pacer; Vickie Foraker, The Purcell Register; Dave Rhea, The Journal Record; Ted Streuli, The Journal Record; and Lynn Martin, Alva Review-Courier. Jeff Shultz, The Garvin County News Star, also presented an idea during the session and emceed the event. Six members, six inventive ideas Quick present your best newspaper idea or topic in five minutes or less at the Mid-Winter Convention. Several members of We heard some great comments about this session and hope to do it again, said Lisa Potts, OPA Member Services Director. Player of the Week Contest. The contest generates a full-page ad in the newspaper, and coaches and players love it, Foraker said. More than 50,000 new blogs are started every day, Noe said, and niche blogs are where the young generation is going for its the Oklahoma Press Association You get to hear a lot of great ideas The newspaper staff selects four information. responded to that challenge and in a short amount of time. Players of the Week offensive, The thing we have to remember is that the need for information prepared presentations for the With a buzzer set in place to defensive, offensive lineman and hour-long session on Feb. 4, time the presenters, News Flash defensive lineman. The players are will always be there, and providing Unfortunately, two presenters began. featured in a full-page sig ad. In information is exactly what newspapers do best, Noe said. What- from northeastern Oklahoma had addition, winners receive a t-shirt to cancel due to blizzard conditions in the state. The remaining DAVE RHEA Rhea was first up with Shooting Quality Reporter Video. with the Player of the Week logo ever the newspapers of tomorrow on the front and contest sponsors are, we have the tools to make six were given an additional minute to make their presentation and Rhea s visual presentation on the back. them succeed. offered tips including: Foraker said gross sales in 2010 News Flash was on. Be aware of light sources; Be were $9,000, with about $1,000 LYNN MARTIN The six presenters, in order of aware of your background; Use a spent on T-shirts and plaques for Martin described how to use presentations, were Dave Rhea, tripod or stand; Zoom with your the Players of the Year. Facebook in the role of a modern multimedia editor at The Journal day country columnist. Each Friday, the Alva Review-Courier fea- feet; Always wear earphones when Record; Vickie Foraker, advertising manager at The Purcell Reg- New Media and the Y Gentures comments from Facebook. KIM NOE shooting video; Try to avoid pan and zoom; Shoot and move; Hold ister; Kim Noe, advertising director at The Newcastle Pacer; Lynn action/reaction. shots for 10 seconds; and Look for eration was Noe s topic. The When Martin sees a comment young generation has moved on, he d like to include, he takes a Martin, publisher of the Alva Noe said. screenshot of the page, opens it in Review-Courier; Ted Streuli, managing editor at The Journal Record; Next on the stage was Foraker, to get our information through ment he wants to publish. VICKIE FORAKER We re over websites. We want Photoshop and crops to the com- and Jeff Shultz, publisher of The who provided a framework for apps, status updates and push notifications, The cropped images are saved Garvin County News Star. The Purcell Register s successful she said. Continued on Page 5

2 2 START THE PRESS Congratulations to all of those who were recognized for excellence during the awards presentations at the Oklahoma Press Association s Mid- Winter Convention. Seeing so much high quality work produced by Oklahoma journalists, photographers, graphic designers, advertising departments, pressmen and web designers should serve notice that the future of newspapers remains strong. I LOOK FORWARD TO MIKE BROWN joining the OPA/OPS board. Mike s knowledge of both daily and weekly newspaper operations will bring a lot to the table. Before coming to Oklahoma, Mike served as a director and as president of the Arkansas Press Association. IT WAS GOOD TO SEE ALL OF THE PEOPLE battle the deep snow in order to attend the Mid-Winter Convention. At the same time, we understand why so many of our friends from eastern Oklahoma were OPA President s Column By ROD SERFOSS Clinton Daily News Publisher unable to make the journey. As one person put it, Eastern Oklahoma was not fit for an Eskimo. On the fact sheet, registration for the convention was up this year, but because of the blizzard attendance was down compared to Also because of the weather, the OPA staff had to scurry to replace panelists and moderators to fill the slots of those unable to make the meeting. They went above and beyond to overcome the adversity and orchestrate another top-notch convention. IT SEEMS LIKE WEATHER is always a dark cloud hanging over the convention. While drinking coffee with Wayne Trotter, he brought up the idea of moving the Mid- Winter to March or April so that weather will be less of a factor. I thought it was a grand idea. Little did I know similar conversations were taking place throughout the convention. One idea was to move the Mid-Winter to an annual convention in June. For many newspapers it is a slow month. There is no basketball to cover, school is over and the things you can do when it is warm far exceeds those things available in the dead of winter. Another suggestion is to keep the same format as the Mid-Winter, but add the annual golf tournament before or after the convention. Others thought combining the best of the Mid-Winter Convention and the Summer Conference would be a good idea. Then there was the idea of making the convention a day of education, awards and business, and a day of social events. I was also reminded that having it in February is still the best option because that is when the state legislature is in session and thus beginning their attacks on issues that are dear to our hearts. This person also pointed out that the Mid-Winter is a great place to rally the troops for the battles to come at 23rd and Lincoln. President-elect Rusty Ferguson says he plans to look at all of the possibilities during the board retreat in late April. Let your OPA board of directors know what you think. After this year, moving the date of the convention to warmer months sounds like a great idea. IT WAS IMPRESSIVE TO HEAR STORIES of how newspapers continued to publish during the recent snowstorms. At the Clinton Daily News we print 14 weekly papers throughout the region and none of them missed a deadline. For the weekly publisher there is nothing worse than a blizzard scheduled for the day they print. For some that print with us, it is a more than 60-mile drive each way to pick up their papers. Getting it produced and printed can often be easier than getting it delivered. Recently these harsh conditions brought out the best in newspaper people. During the Feb. 9 blizzard, papers that were scheduled to print on Wednesday wanted to beat the storm and come in on Tuesday. The problem is that we already have a full schedule of newspapers that normally print on Tuesdays. In typical newspaper fashion everyone came together to make it work. Several of the papers that normally print on Tuesday called and asked if it would help if they printed early so those that come in on Wednesday could get done early. By everyone working together we were able to produce 12 weekly newspapers as well as the Clinton Daily News in a 13-hour period. From the publisher to the pressman, none of this could happen without the neighboring newspapers commitment to get a newspaper out, even if it is not theirs. Rusty Ferguson elected OPA president; members pass OPA By-Laws amendment Rusty Ferguson, publisher of The Cleveland American, was elected as president of the Oklahoma Press Association for the term beginning July 1, 2011, at the OPA Mid- Winter Convention in Midwest City. The election was held during the business meeting, at 5:30 p.m. on Feb 3 in the Reed Center. Other officers elected to a one-year term were Jeff Shultz, publisher of The Garvin County News Star, as vice president; Gracie Montgomery, co-publisher of The Purcell Register, as treasurer; and Rod Serfoss, publisher of the Clinton Daily News, as past president. Newly elected to serve a three-year term as a director was Mike Brown, publisher of Neighbor Newspapers in the Tulsa area. Robby Trammell, news director at The Oklahoman, was re-elected to serve a three-year term as director. Other members serving on the OPA Board of Directors are Jeff Mayo, Sequoyah County Times; Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle; Dayva Spitzer, Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat; and Brian Blansett, Shawnee News-Star. Mark Thomas is the executive vice president of the OPA. Ferguson grew up in the newspaper business. His grandfather, Jo O. Ferguson, bought The Cleveland American in His father, Larry R. Ferguson, published the paper next, and his uncle, D. Jo Ferguson, published The Pawnee Chief for many years. Ferguson graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1984 and returned to Cleveland a year later with his wife, Deana, to become publisher of The Cleveland American. His father had been elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives and passed the paper to Ferguson. Ferguson is active in his community and has served on the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation board of trustees since The Fergusons have four children: Liberty and husband Sol, Lincoln, Landon and Layne. During the business meeting, OPA members unanimously approved a proposed amendment to the OPA By-Laws. The dues sections of the OPA By-Laws now reads as follows: ARTICLE VI Dues SEC. 1. (A) The Board of Directors shall establish annual membership dues. Dues shall be recomputed each July 1. (B) Each business member of this association shall mail or deliver six copies of each issue of its newspaper to the OPA offices. The number of copies required may be decreased but not increased by the Board of Directors. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, and in addition to any required print copies, the association shall also accept electronically delivered copies of the newspaper as dues to the association. SEC. 2. The membership year shall be from July 1 to June 30, both inclusive. Members paused for a moment of silence during the business meeting to honor those individuals, deceased over the last year, who had made newspaper work their principal occupation. In other business, Thomas called attention to the OPA Legislative Report listing the most serious newspaper-related bills that he is currently monitoring for action.

3 Ed Darling named publisher of Duncan Banner Ed Darling, who served as executive editor and general manager of The Duncan Banner for 10 years, was recently named publisher of the daily newspaper. I am very pleased that Ed has decided to return to The Duncan Banner as publisher, said Terry Connor, senior vice president and division manager for Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. (CNHI) Great Plains Division. Connor said Darling s understanding of community journalism and his great leadership will be a plus for The Banner. It s a privilege to be coming back, OKLAHOMA NEWSPAPER DIRECTORY $50 +tax names, s, phone numbers, mailing addresses & much more IN SPREADSHEET FORM INCLUDES MONTHLY UPDATES OKLAHOMA PRESS SERVICE okpress.com/oklahoma-newspaper-directory (405) Darling said. We re excited about renewing friendships, meeting new people, becoming active participants in a terrific community and working with a caring and committed team to ensure The Banner plays a significant role here each day. Darling has published seven other newspapers in a career that has spanned 45 years and on 13 occasions those papers have won general excellence recognition. He was named the outstanding citizen in Cullman, Ala., and was selected Outstanding Alumnus in Journalism by the University of Alabama where he graduated and remains a member of the Board of Visitors for the College of Communication and Information Sciences. Darling has been president of the Associated Press news organizations in Oklahoma and Alabama, was a board member on the 14-state Southern Newspaper Publishers Association and an officer and board member on state press associations in Alabama and Mississippi. A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., he is married to the former Julie Moss of Natchez, Miss. They have one son, Grant, an eight-year-old second grader. Darling has two other sons, Scott and Chris, who live in the Washington, D.C. area. The Banner is owned by CNHI, which is a privately-owned company based in Birmingham, Ala. Examiner-Enterprise names Chris Rush as publisher Chris Rush has been named editor and publisher of the Bartlesville Examimer-Enterprise. Rush was formerly managing editor of the publication. Mike Ferguson, Stephens Media Group President and CEO, made the announcement following the retirement of former publisher Jerry Quinn. Jerry Quinn has announced his retirement after 38 years with Donrey/Stephens Media, Ferguson said. It has been my pleasure to know and work with Jerry for a number of years and the last four years as our publisher in Bartlesville. I thank him for all of his efforts on behalf of the company, and wish him the very best in his retirement. Rush has been serving as editor/publisher of The Daily World in Aberdeen, Wash., as well as several weekly affiliate newspapers serving coastal communities in the Grays Harbor and Willapa Harbor region. Chris will be a great publisher of the Examiner-Enterprise, said Ferguson. Growing up in Oklahoma, serving as managing editor for seven years and then gaining additional experience as editor and publisher in Aberdeen makes him the perfect person to follow Jerry. He did such a good job in Aberdeen that while I hated to lose him there, I know he will be a tremendous addition to our already great team in Bartlesville and Pawhuska. As a media company we are fortunate to have such talented people as Chris. Rush and his wife, Sheryl, have two children, Evan, 16, and Elizabeth, 13. ISSN X Official Publication of the OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK (405) Fax (405) Toll-Free in Oklahoma: (888) Web: news@okpress.com PUBLISHER Mark Thomas mthomas@okpress.com EDITOR Jennifer Gilliland jgilliland@okpress.com OPA OFFICERS Rod Serfoss, President Clinton Daily News Rusty Ferguson, Vice President The Cleveland American Barb Walter, Treasurer The Hennessey Clipper Mark Thomas, Executive Vice President Oklahoma City OPA DIRECTORS Gloria Trotter, Past President The Countywide & Sun Jeff Shultz, The Garvin County News Star Jeff Mayo, Sequoyah County Times Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle Robby Trammell, The Oklahoman Dayva Spitzer, Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat Brian Blansett, Shawnee News-Star SUBSCRIBE TO THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER $12 PER YEAR THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER (USPS ) is published monthly for $12 per year by the Oklahoma Press Association, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, OK. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK

4 4 OPA CALENDAR OF EVENTS Complete Listing of Events at FEB. 23, 25 & 26, 2011 OKLAHOMA CITY OKC GRIDIRON SHOW Tickets can be purchased online at by phone at THURS., FEB. 24 YOUR NEWSPAPER S DESIGN IS LICENSE TO PRINT MONEY Ed Henninger offers 10 no-cost, time-saving, revenue-generating design strategies you can use to generate revenue at your newspaper immediately. This workshop covers creating premium positions for ads, using photos, color and user-created content to sell advertisers on your pages, and more. Registration $35. For more information or to register, go to FRI., MARCH 4 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP & INTERNSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE The Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation awards several internships and three $1,500 scholarships to Oklahoma journalism students each year. Applications for the school year are due by March 4. View eligibility requirements and download application at SAT., MARCH 12 FOI OKLAHOMA SUNSHINE CONFERENCE For more info, go to THURS., MARCH 24 ENERGIZE YOUR AD SALES Peter Wagner can help you enliven your newspaper s ad sales with his informative workshop on reaching advertisers and creating sales promotions for every week of the year. Registration $35. For more information, go to FRI. & SAT., APRIL 8-9 SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS REGIONAL CONFERENCE The SPJ Regional conference for 2011 will be held in Norman at the University of Oklahoma s Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication. For more information on upcoming events, visit the website as noted in the calendar, go to the OPA website at or contact Member Services Director Lisa Potts at (405) , or LPotts@okpress.com. Blizzard conditions cause delivery challenges A major blizzard that swept into Oklahoma on Feb. 1 left in its wake closed roads, closed businesses, stranded motorists and newspapers looking at alternative ways to deliver their product. The Tulsa World halted production of its print edition for three days Feb. 2, 3 and 4 marking the first time in the paper s history an edition was not published. Instead of delivering a print edition, World readers were directed to Tulsa- World.com for breaking news and information, and to the newspaper s e-edition, which was offered free through Feb. 7, on tulsaworld.com. When the World resumed publishing, Tulsa World Publisher Robert E. Lorton III said he was extremely pleased to be back in the business of delivering papers to our loyal subscribers and to our sales outlets. This has been an historic event for us the first time in our 106-year history that we ve been unable to produce and deliver a print edition, he said. Lorton cited the safety of almost 700 haulers and carriers who deliver the daily Tulsa World in Tulsa and throughout northeastern Oklahoma as the reason for suspending the print publication. We had emergency vehicles getting stuck on the roads in addition to the numerous trucks and cars that were stranded, Lorton said. We just felt that it would have been irresponsible to add to the chaos on the roads. Only about a dozen newsroom employees made it into the office on the day after the storm, said Susan Ellerbach, managing editor of the World. That represents less than 10 percent of the staff, she said, adding that four key people stayed in hotel rooms on Jan. 31, which helped considerably. Eventually our 12-page e-edition came out Wednesday morning, she said. After OPUBCO Communications Group recently laid off 46 employees. The layoffs affected most major departments in the organization. David Thompson, president of OCG and publisher of The Oklahoman, cited a difficult economic climate as the reason for the layoffs. A downtown worker makes his way to work in Tulsa on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The Tulsa World ran the photo across six columns on the front page of its Wednesday issue under the headline SNOWED IN. (Photo by Tulsa World photographer Christopher Smith) Tuesday, we had more and more people make it into the office. On Thursday morning (Feb. 3), our e-edition had 24 pages and on Friday we had 28 pages. Ellerbach said the World was extremely pleased with response from readers getting news from the website and e-edition. We got a lot of feedback like this: We really miss holding the paper, but we appreciate the work you re doing online Ellerbach said she did an interview with a radio station in Los Angeles that had seen a lot of online commenters talking about how much they appreciated the World s decision to keep the safety of employees, haulers and carriers at the forefront. They were amazed at how supportive people were, Ellerbach said. The World was much better prepared when the forecast once again called for blizzard-type conditions on Feb. 9. We kept 16 employees downtown The employees affected were offered severance packages as well as outplacement services. Even with cutbacks, Thompson said, positive developments continue at OCG, which is the media division of The Oklahoma Publishing Co. Thompson said the newspaper s home delivery subscriptions and made arrangements for others to get downtown and didn t guess at what the storm would do, she said. Another paper in northern Oklahoma, the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, also was unable to print its Feb. 2 issue. It was the first time in more than a century that the Examiner-Enterprise had missed printing an edition since it began printing in Tom Bradley, the Examiner-Enterprise s advertising director, said grocery ads scheduled to run on Feb. 2 appeared in Friday s paper. We appreciate our readers and advertisers understanding for not putting out a Wednesday paper, Bradley said. Other state newspapers reported delivery delays and offered complimentary issues on their websites until delivery resumed as normal. OPUBCO Communications Group announces reductions in workforce in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area increased in 2010 over the previous year. This reduction takes us to 690 employees while still maintaining the largest news-gathering team in the state, Thompson said. Our commitment to customers remains unchanged.

5 Government account missing Questions have arisen regarding the deletion of state public records in the form of former State School Superintendent Sandy Garrett s account and data. The questions are not about whether the records were destroyed everyone seems to agree that they were but rather whether Garrett ordered their destruction, and, if so, why. Esther Braxton, a state employee charged with maintaining accounts, claims Garrett instructed her to delete the account; Garrett flatly denies doing so. I certainly wouldn t order anybody to delete anything, said Garrett. Garrett maintains she found the account inactive and asked Braxton whether it could be re-activated in order to send out goodbye letters to staff. She said Braxton told her the account and the s with it were gone. Normally, the State of Oklahoma keeps important correspondence until the state Archives and Records Commission gives the go-ahead for deletion. To dispose of those records without permission is a violation of state policy and possibly a breach of the Oklahoma Open Records Act. Bill Young, a spokesman for the Records Commission, said no one consulted the commission before deleting the s. The issue came to light when a number of news agencies, including the Associated Press, asked for copies of Garrett s s and were told that neither the account nor the documents exist. Never miss a sales opportunity AGAIN. Get started for $10 per month per user! Get the co-op info you need to sell your advertiser through your smartphone. Show them the ad dollars and options available to them on the spot! recas@multiad.com multiad.com/recas News Flash offers six ideas Continued from Page 1 according to whether the person has (a) been asked for permission to use the comment or (b) approved publication of their comment. Always request permission, Martin said. The comments are packaged under a header featuring the Facebook logo and the tag line, People are saying this on Facebook It s a quick and easy way to gather comments from your community and keep readers checking to see if their comment has been published. TED STREULI Writers were eager to see Streuli s 10 Rules for Great Columns, Reviews & Editorials presentation. His ten rules: 1. Write an expository essay. 2. Never write about your vacation. 3. Answer the question: Should I? 4. Open a vein. LETTERHEAD ENVELOPES LABELS MULTI-PART FORMS NCR FORMS BUSINESS CARDS 5 5. Stop writing about your kids. 6. Don t confuse emotion with schmaltz. 7. Make me feel something. 8. Never, ever write about writing a column. 9. Have an opinion. 10. One idea, expressed in 500 words. JEFF SHULTZ Shultz, who also emceed the event, was the final presenter with Using Paypal as a Collection Tool. The Garvin County News Star website, gcnews-star.com, allows customers to order subscriptions or pay advertising bills using Paypal. Once the customer makes a selection, he proceeds to checkout on Paypal s secure site where he has the option of paying by credit card or bank account. The fun part is being paid, Shultz said. Once the customer s payment hits your PayPal account, you can transfer the money to your bank account or spend it anywhere PayPal is accepted, he said. The Marlow Review Commercial Printing PROVIDING BOOKLETS BROCHURES 4-COLOR PRINTING NUMBERING PERFORATING HOLE PUNCHING Contact us for your commercial printing needs. The Marlow Review 316 W Main St PO Box 153 Marlow, OK john@marlowreview.com

6 6 Annual Sunshine Week conference scheduled An international expert on government transparency laws will deliver the keynote address at FOI Oklahoma s fourth annual Sunshine Week Conference on March 12 in Oklahoma City. Robert J. Bob Freeman will offer insight on creating a state agency that Oklahomans can go to for help when public officials wrongly withhold records to open meetings. As executive director for the nation s first-such state agency, Freeman is responsible for providing advice about New York s open records and meeting laws to the public, state and local governments and the media. This year s conference theme is Putting Muscle Behind Oklahoma s FOI Laws. The conference, which will be held at The Oklahoman, 9000 N. Broadway in Oklahoma City, also will feature: State representatives discussing bills requiring the Legislature to comply with Oklahoma s Open Meeting and Records laws; A panel of local heroes who have gone to court seeking information under the Open Records Act and challenging the conduct of public bodies under the Open Meeting Act; and A workshop training the public to use the Open Records Act to request records and to spot the most-likely violations of the Open Meeting Act. A luncheon including a tribute to former Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala. Recipients of FOI Oklahoma Inc. s annual awards will be recognized, as will winners of its first FOI essay contest for college students. More information about the conference and a registration form is available at FOI Oklahoma seeking nominations for annual awards Nominations are open for FOI Oklahoma s awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that promoted the First Amendment and the free flow of information to the public in FOI Oklahoma also recognizes those who opposed dissemination of public information with its Black Hole Award. The Ben Blackstock Award is presented to a non-governmental person or organization that has shown a commitment to freedom of information. The Sunshine Award goes to a public official or governmental body that has shown a commitment to open meetings and open records. FOI Oklahoma also recognizes an Oklahoman who has promoted education about or protection of the individual rights guaranteed by the First Amendment with Failure to publish notice puts election on hold North Enid will have to delay elections for three town trustees and a town clerk because the legal notice was not published in the newspaper. The election, originally scheduled for April 5, will have to wait until a later date, possibly in May. Garfield County Election Board secretary Lue Ann Root said the town council will have to pass another resolution authorizing the election and publish a legal notice before any election is conducted. The candidates who previously filed for the election also will have to re-file. Jim Coleman, a North Enid town trustee, said all the paperwork was filed with the election board, but we failed to take a copy of the resolution to the newspaper to be published. The legal notice must be published 10 days prior to the candidate filing period. Root said something like this doesn t happen very often. LEGAL ADVICE is just one of the benefits of being a member of the Oklahoma Press Association s Legal Services Plan. Remove the worry of needing professional advice by enrolling today. For more information contact: OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION S LEGAL SERVICES PLAN or its Marian Opala First Amendment Award. The award is named for the late Oklahoma Supreme Court justice, a Polish immigrant who exemplified a belief in First Amendment rights. This is the fourth year for the open government awards. Last year s winner of the Blackstock Award was the Tulsa World, and the Sunshine Award was presented to Kristy Yager of the city of Oklahoma City. The Opala Award was presented to Lindel Hutson, retired Oklahoma bureau chief for The Associated Press. The Black Hole Award went to Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater and the Oklahoma City attorney s office. All four awards will be presented during the Sunshine Week conference March 12 in Oklahoma City. The local conference CELEBRATING YEARSOFMONEYMAKING CREATIVE CONTENT & INNOVATION is in conjunction with national Sunshine Week, March 13-19, which will highlight Local Heroes across America who have played significant roles in fighting for open government. Deadline for nominations for all awards is Feb. 21. Nominations must include a letter of no more than 250 words justifying why the person or organization is deserving of the award. Nominations may be made via to foiawards@gmail.com or mailed to FOI Awards, PO Box 5315, Edmond, OK FOI Oklahoma is a statewide not-forprofit founded in 1990 to educate the public on the First Amendment and openness in government. WORTH MENTIONING JOY DORMAN, long-time office manager of the Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat, retired on Jan. 15, Dorman began her newspaper career in 1983 at the Sayre Journal. In 1987, she followed Brad and Dayva Spitzer to their new venture, starting the Sayre Record. Since that time, Dorman has been a loyal and invaluable employee. A come-and-go reception was held at the Record-Democrat office on Jan. 13 to honor Dorman. THE COWETA AMERICAN was recently presented with a Business Appreciation Award from the City of Coweta. The award is presented each year to a local business for its local contributions and civic involvement. Coweta Mayor Robbie Morton presented the award to News Editor Christy Wheeland and Account Executive Dana Fransisco at the Jan. 10 Coweta City Council meeting Stillwater NewsPress photographer CHELCEY ADAMI has accepted a position covering Mexican border issues for an El Centro, Calif., newspaper. Adami s work won state recognition for the NewsPress last year from both the Associated Press and the Oklahoma Press Association. D. FORREST CAMERON, editor and publisher of the Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers, recently received the Energy Advocate of the Year for Journalism award from The Energy Advocates. The award is given to individuals and corporations that make a difference in regard to the energy industry and/or energy policy. Mention this ad and get $100 off a new subscription to one of the following Metro services: METRO NEWSPAPER SERVICE CLASSIFIED DYNAMICS SALES SPECTACULARS METRO interactive AD DESIGNER ONLINE SPECIAL SECTIONS MICROSITES MAKE MONEY WITH METRO S FAMILY OF CREATIVE SERVICES & RESOURCES METROCREATIVECONNECTION.COM SERVICE@METRO- .COM

7 Photoshop basics for great photos the eyedropper to clean up overcast colors To lighten the faces in back, circle computer notes from improper lighting while still in color them with the lasso tool, making sure it s plugged IN mode. Lighten the photo to the numbers feathered. Shift adds to a selection and from the road in the info palette that most closely match Alt/Option subtracts from a selection. by WILMA MELOT one of your good photos. Use info palette Lighten the faces using curves or levels. At the OPA Mid-Winter Convention, I numbers to check colors against good photos from the photo folder. important to Photoshop users. It is most Understanding layers and masks is spoke about Photoshop and all the basics staffs should be taught in order to create 2. GO TO IMAGE > MODE > GRAY- often used to create a mask that quickly great photos in every issue of the paper. SCALE and use the Get Info box to see drops the background. Since many of you weren t able to if the photo is light enough for the press. I like using the Lasso Tool to select what attend because of the blizzard, here s how Always look at the flashed out parts of a needs to be cut out, to set standards for photos. Make sure to person s face to see if it is too dark or too and then switching document this for your next new hire. light. to the quick mask 3. GO TO IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE. mode to clean up edges. Start by making Photoshop understand Leave Resample Image unchecked if it Make sure the lasso tool is feathered (in that you are printing on newsprint. To do works for your photo s size. If needed, use the Options Bar at the top of the screen) this, go to EDIT > COLOR SETTINGS. Resample Image: Bicubic Sharper when by at least 2 or 3 pixels. Carefully select In working spaces choose the popup resizing the image. This setting helps with around the art, go to Select, then Inverse button that says CMYK and select Custom from the top of the menu. In the next going from a larger size to a smaller size. background. Save the selection if it s good. the overall sharpness of the photo when and hit the delete key to get rid of the box, choose Ink Colors: SWOP (Newsprint). program. up the selection. Use a soft brush and Always resize in Photoshop, not a layout Now switch to quick mask mode and clean USE A DOT GAIN OF 30% unless your printer tells you differently. Set the Black ink limit to 95% and total ink limit to 285%, then save as and give it a name. Your printer may have a set of numbers that work best for his press. Set all computers in the building to the same settings. Next, look for photos that previously ran well in your newspaper and save them in a folder everyone can access or put a copy on everyone s desktop. Choose the best RGB, CMYK and black-and-white photos you can find. These photos will become the standard you strive for every day or week. When a staff member starts to correct a new photo, have him bring up one of the photos that ran well and put the two side by side. He ll be able to see if the new photo has enough contrast, if the colors are off, or if it is too light or too dark by comparing the two photos. This is a great way to train new people. It also helps when a new monitor is installed or if you change desks or lighting in the office. The next steps allow you to set standards to ensure all photos come out the same no matter who adjusts them. These four steps should be applied to every black-and-white photo you print. 1. USE CURVES to lighten or darken a photo while in RGB color mode. Use 4. USE FILTER > SHARPEN > UNSHARP mask filter to define edges of contrast in the photo. These four steps can be applied to color photos, with a couple of extra steps. Just don t convert the photo to grayscale. Be careful not to overcorrect a photo. One or two trips to IMAGE > ADJUST- MENTS should be sufficient. Use the gray eyedropper (in curves or levels) to color correct overcasts. Choose something gray in the photo, such as concrete or gray hair, to color correct a bad photo. Check to see if any colors are out of range. Out of range colors show up in the info palette with a! and won t print well in CMYK. If it must be color, try desaturating the colors that have the! in them under Adjustments Hue/Saturation. If a photo is very flat in color increase saturation. This can help brighten the photo, but go easy on it; it s easy to over correct. Remember to TURN THE PHOTO TO CMYK FOR EACH COLOR PHOTO. This should be the last step in the color correction. Are you guilty of just correcting the faces in the front of the photo? Spend some time making sure everyone s face looks good. switch between painting with black and white to add or subtract from the selection. This works on most photos, with the exception of those with a lot of red in them. In this case use a soft eraser and carefully erase around the edge after the background is removed. MAKING MASKS: I was recently asked how to create words as a mask over a photo with an older version of Photoshop. It s pretty easy. Start by creating a new layer in the Layers palette to type your words. Use a big, bold font and stretch it with the transform tool to cover the part of the photo you want to show through. Select everything else on the layer with the Magic Wand tool and go to Select > Inverse and delete the interior of the type. Merge the selection with the base layer, inverse once again and then delete. Now the words are made out of the photo. There s a lot to learn in Photoshop, so watch for one of our workshops and plan to attend. OPA COMPUTER CONSULTANT WILMA MELOT S COLUMN BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE OKLAHOMA ADVERTISING NETWORK (OAN). FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE OAN PROGRAM, CONTACT OKLAHOMA PRESS SERVICE AT (405) Carbonite/BackBlaze Clouds I m often asked about cloud backup systems but I m reluctant to recommend just one. I ve heard many horror stories about these kind of systems from our members. Cloud backups are no more failsafe than two external hard drives one on site and one off. Carbonite is used by some of our members and gets high marks from the reviewers. This full feature backup system is easy to use with Macs or PCs. Unlimited backup runs $54.95 per year. BackBlaze offers easy backup online for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Intel Mac 10.4 or higher. It has been rated the leading software for the past three years. BackBlaze only uses one percent of the CPU and memory so it won t slow you down while you re backing up. Cost is $5.00 per month, per computer. These are two good programs. Before signing anything, make sure you learn about cloud backup. Many companies are offering this service and you want to make sure you have a reliable one. Good backup program Platinum Backup for Windows is a full featured program that lets you back up your files in all versions of Windows up to Vista. It writes to CD, DVD or external hard drive and will even let you back up files automatically to secure FTP sites or cloud servers. Price ranges from $39 to $67 depending on the number of users. Fun, useful websites A good place to compare printer specs is at printershowcase.com. This company also sells printers, but it s a great place to compare brands. Need to unwind and show your creativity? Head over to and for some safe fun on your Mac. 7

8 8 SNOW COVERAGE OKLAHOMA STYLE By TERRY CLARK How did you cover the storm? I saw some outstanding journalism in the past two weeks. But rather than talk about it, I figured you d prefer to look, and that s what we ll do in this abbreviated column. First though, a couple of favorite headlines had nothing to do with weather. Probably my favorite was in the Oologah Lake Leader over a John M. Wylie II story: Angry patron cues up trouble at bar. (Pool cue stick involved.) Here is John s terrific lead: A man who wanted a Crown at Pop s Place Bar Monday would end up not getting Jack just jail. Another good head in the Valliant Leader, about vandals who wrecked 80 beehives: A Honey of A Crime. Lots of good storm headlines. I first objected to trite ones, like Snowklahoma, or Snowmaggedon, or Snowpocalypse but some of you pulled them off well. Others were more creative: Marietta Monitor, Ice not so nice ; Sentinel Leader, Big Chill ; Inola Independent: Avalanche, 20 inch snow buries Inola ; Shawnee News-Star, State of Emergency ; Stillwater NewsPress, Minus What? ; The Journal Record, Under the weather ; The Norman Transcript, A drift again ; The Lawton Constitution, The Oklahoma tundra ; Hugo Daily News, Snowklahoma, where the cold front comes sweeping down the plain ; Elk City Daily News, Winter returns with a vengeance ; Rush Springs Gazette, Here we go again ; Purcell Register, Winter storm as advertised ; Stilwell Democrat-Journal, Baby, it s cold outside ; Tuttle Times and others, Blanketed by blizzard ; Piedmont-Surrey Gazette, All snowed in ; Broken Arrow Ledger, Let it stop ; Oologah Lake Leader, Winter piles it on. Some traditional heads told the story well: Prague Times-Herald, Heavy snow shuts down town, state ; Catoosa Times, Blizzard wreaks havoc on city ; Vinita Daily Journal, City struggles to recover from blizzard ; Ponca City News, Blizzard roars through Oklahoma ; Ada Evening News, Arctic weather slams area. Several papers modified their flags. Look at the Mustang News and the Bigheart Times. There were other good headlines and layouts. In all the buzz about online digital stuff, there ain t nothing like a real newspaper people can touch when they re in need. Behold a few. Terry Clark is a journalism professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. He can be reached by at TClark@uco.edu.

9 Google declares war on content farms That InterWeb Thing by KEITH BURGIN, OPA STAFF This morning, I read a month-old article on a news website concerning the death of the famous Marvel Comic character, The Human Torch. The author identified his cohort in The Fantastic Four as Rex Reed. Comic fan or not, most folks know the fellow s name is Reed Richards. Rex Reed was a real-life movie critic. Mistakes happen. In print, you can only issue a retraction or correction; on the Web though, after a month of people complaining about the stumble, it leads one to question whether anyone is at the switch. In this case, no one is. Welcome to the world of content farming. Content farms sift through data to determine what readers are currently searching for and pay freelance writers to hack together a heady mixture of relevant keywords and poorly-researched facts into a stew of steaming worthlessness. These articles are then published on the farm s network of information websites. A content farm has no interest in informing. Rather its goal is to draw visitors away from actual news content like your newspaper website and build commercial traffic for the network through search engines. In some cases, this is known as content spamming. More often than not, writers have little or no experience in or knowledge of their subject and are paid next to nothing. They make money on volume, pumping out article after article without much oversight. Content farms use subterfuge to steal traffic from legitimate sites. They should absolutely be of concern to newspapers with websites. Over the last couple of years, though, it s become a problem for readers as well and by extension, search engines like Google. After months of complaints from users about the junk and low quality sites their searches produce, Google has declared war on content farms. The web s dominant search engine is altering the way it looks at content in an effort to weed out worthless websites and return information readers want: researched, factual, well-written information like your news. And from every indication, Google seems serious about this war. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. No one is sure of the actual origin of that phrase but it s been in use since conflict was invented. Next time you think about Google, you might want to roll it around in the back of your mind. It s just a thought. 9 Accurate report in initial court pleading not basis for libel By ATTORNEY DAVID MCCULLOUGH, Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson, L.L.P. Last month in this column we reported on a Tenth Circuit opinion holding a person cannot be sued for libel for statements made in a judicial proceeding. Since that time, the United States Supreme Court has refused to review a ruling that shields journalists from libel suits when they accurately report from pleadings filed with the court. The central issue in the case decided by the New Jersey Supreme Court was whether there is an initial pleadings exception to the fair report privilege for a published report recounting information found in a complaint filed in a bankruptcy court when there has been no adjudication of claims contained in the complaint. A libel action was brought against a New Jersey newspaper that ran articles under headlines stating Man accused of stealing $500,000 for high living and Argyle residence allegedly bought with stolen funds. The plaintiff alleged the headlines and articles therein constituted libel per se because words like stealing and stolen funds imputed criminal conduct on his part. The trial dismissed the lawsuit based, in part, upon finding that the fair report privilege applied. In reversing the trial court, the New Jersey appeals found that while the report was a full, fair and accurate report of the bankruptcy proceeding, the fair report privilege did not apply to initial pleadings. The appellate court said the privilege only applied when reporting from court decisions not the pleadings. The New Jersey Supreme Court reversed the appellate court decision, holding the fair report privilege extended to defamatory statements contained in filed pleadings that have not yet been considered by a judge. In reversing, the state Supreme Court opined that the press serves an important public interest role by reporting on new filings and developments in court proceedings. The libel plaintiff filed a petition to be heard before the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court declined the appeal without comment.

10 10 THANK YOU for supporting the OKLAHOMA NEWSPAPER FOUNDATION A donation to the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation will support its efforts to improve the state s newspaper industry and quality of journalism. ONF s programs include training and education for professional journalists, scholarship and internship programs for journalism students, and Newspaper in Education efforts. ONF relies on donations and memorial contributions to fund these programs. If you would like to make a donation, please send a check to: OKLAHOMA NEWSPAPER FOUNDATION 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK When you need legal advice THINK LSP When you have legal questions, you need answers. LSP (Legal Services Plan) provides legal assistance, advice and some defense services at a reasonable cost. Between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2010, LSP processed 23 inquiries: 7 were answered immediately, 6 were answered by letter, and 10 were answered by letter after research. Following is one of the questions the Plan received for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2010: NEPOTISM Under Oklahoma law a public employee cannot appoint or vote for the appointment of any person related to him by affinity of consanguinity within the third degree. 21 O.S. 481(A). This nepotism provision does not apply to candidates for the school board who are covered by their own law providing that no person shall be eligible to be a candidate or serve on a board of education if the person is currently employed by the school district governed by that board of education or is related within the second degree by affinity or consanguinity to any other member of the board of education or to any employee of the school district governed by the board of education. The word affinity refers to relationships created by marriage, i.e., in-laws. 70 O.S (A) Don t be left with your questions unanswered. Join the OPA Legal Services Plan today. Call (405) for more information. Information in this advertisement is not a substitute for legal advice provided by a licensed attorney. PLAN A BENEFIT INCLUDES: Legal Newspapers (25 O.S. 106) Sales & Use Tax Exemption Excise Tax Advertising Management Circulation Production Anti-Trust News Open Meeting Law Open Records Law Libel, defamation, slander Honest Mistake Act Minutes Request Law News Reporter, Shield Law Juvenile Names Cameras in Courtroom Copyright First Amendment Subpoenas Invasion of Privacy Internet Law PLAN B BENEFIT INCLUDES: Provides defense of suits and subpoenas. For complete benefits under both Plan A and B, visit the OPA website at For dues and other information about the Legal Services Plan, or to become an LSP member, contact Mark Thomas at the Oklahoma Press Association. OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK Phone: (405) Toll-free in Oklahoma: Fax: (405)

11 OPA MID-WINTER CONVENTION COVERAGE One of the most talked about topics of the 2011 OPA Mid-Winter Convention was the weather. With nearly a foot of snow in the Oklahoma City metro area, and even more in the northeast part of the state, members wondered if there would even be a convention. On Feb. 1, OPA Member Services Director Lisa Potts posted on the OPA website: Mid-Winter Convention is still on! Cancellations were coming in, but not as many as expected. Most of the northeast part of the state had to cancel, Potts said, and that was understandable. They were hit a lot worse than the OKC metro area. As members made their way to Oklahoma City on Feb. 3, most reported improved driving conditions. Attendance was light on Thursday, but it was business as usual. At a session about legal notices, OPA Executive Vice President Mark Thomas spoke about the importance of public notices to keep citizens informed. Thomas covered the history of public notices, the future of public notices and the role newspapers can play in keeping citizens informed. Thursday s Gridiron Dinner was a huge success. There hadn t been a more entertaining show since last summer s OPA Gridiron premiere. A line may have been missed here and there, but thanks to the writing of Wayne Trotter, the laughter never stopped. By Friday, the convention was in full swing. From the morning s fast-paced News Flash session to the afternoon concurrent sessions, it was all systems go. There was the thrill of victory for those winning awards at the Friday Night Awards Banquet, even though some weren t on hand to pick up their plaques. By the way, plaques and other awards are being mailed or delivered to members. The 2011 Mid-Winter Convention will long be remembered not only for the great sessions and events, but for the mammoth snow storm that preceded it.

12 MILT PHILLIPS AWARD WINNER GLORIA TROTTER CO-PUBLISHER OF THE COUNTYWIDE & SUN FIRST WOMAN TO RECEIVE THE OPA MILT PHILLIPS AWARD PAST PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION (2009) FIRST OKLAHOMAN TO RECEIVE THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION S MCKINNEY AWARD (2005) RECIPIENT OF AN OUTSTANDING JOURNALISM ALUMNI AWARD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS JOURNALISM ALUMNI CHAPTER (2004) Journalist Gloria Trotter receives OPA award Gloria Trotter was honored as the recipient of the H. Milt Phillips Award during the Oklahoma Press Association s Mid-Winter Convention. The award was presented at the Reed Center in Midwest City on Feb. 4, Gloria Trotter has been hooked on journalism since putting out a handwritten neighborhood newspaper as a 10-year-old. Her professional journalism career began at a local TV station in her home town, Bristol, Tenn.-Va., after her junior year. Her newspaper career began at the Bristol Herald-Courier and Virginia-Tennessean, where she spent college breaks covering weddings and features. It was there she met Wayne Trotter, the young editorial page editor. They married in 1964, during her junior year at the University of Tennessee. She later finished her journalism degree at Memphis State University. But she had married herself out of a journalism job. Then, spouses weren t allowed to work for the same newspaper, so she worked in college public relations for 20 years. The Trotters came to Oklahoma to buy the Tecumseh Countywide News in They purchased and sold the McLoud News twice and started a weekly, The Shawnee Sun, in Shawnee. At one point they were publishing three weeklies with a staff of five, and still won Sequoyah awards for all three papers the same year. Their newspapers, particularly The Countywide, have collected more than a dozen Sequoyahs since 1983, and The Countywide has won National Newspaper Association awards as well, including the Gloria Trotter, co-publisher of The Countywide & Sun, receives the H. Milt Phillips Award from OPA President Rod Serfoss, publisher of The Clinton Daily News. top three in General Excellence in 2008 and Gloria has won 16 monthly ONG-OPA column awards and two Sweepstakes awards, as well as an SPJ first place in columns. A past president of Oklahoma Press Association s board of directors and of Freedom of Information Oklahoma, she won an Outstanding Journalism Alumni Award by the University of Memphis Journalism Alumni Chapter in In 2005, she received the National Newspaper Association s McKinney award, the association s top honor for a working newspaperwoman who has exhibited distinguished service to the community press. She was the first Oklahoman honored. In April 2009, she and Wayne joined the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. Her community activities serve Tecumseh and the state. She s been a leader in the Tecumseh Business & Professional Women, 1993 Frontier Days chairman, two-time past president of the Tecumseh Business & Professional Women, two-time past president of the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA Board of Directors, the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and many other organizations. She and her husband Wayne have an adult son, Greg. THE MILT PHILLIPS AWARD The H. Milt Phillips Award is the highest honor given by the Oklahoma Press Association. The selection of the award is based on publishing a high-quality newspaper; contribution to the profession and the newspaper industry; years of service to the community, state and nation in a variety of volunteer activities and strong love and dedication to the family. The award was established in 1978 by the OPA Board of Directors to recognize individuals they felt gave the same quality of service to family, community, country and newspapers as had H. Milt Phillips. H. Milt Phillips purchased The Seminole Producer in April In 1950, Phillips and his brother, Tom, purchased the two newspapers in Wewoka and merged them into one publication. The brothers sold the Wewoka paper in H. Milt Phillips and his son, Ted, then consolidated the two Seminole papers to form The Seminole Daily Producer. Phillips was active in the Oklahoma Press Association, holding several offices including president in He was widely known as a civic leader and statewide industrial booster. Phillips was a longtime member of the Oklahoma Historical Society board of directors and was the moving force in the society s efforts to microfilm all Oklahoma newspapers. H. Milt Phillips died on Feb. 27, 1979.

13 2010 BEACHY MUSSELMAN AWARD WINNER NOLAN CLAY REPORTER FOR THE OKLAHOMAN COVERED THE TIM MCVEIGH AND TERRY NICHOLS TRIALS IN DENVER, COLO., IN 1997 EXPOSED THE INTERNAL DISPUTE AT OKLAHOMA CITY S FEED THE CHILDREN The Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation selected Nolan Clay as the winner of the 2010 Beachy Musselman Award. The award was presented on Feb. 4, 2011, at the OPA Mid-Winter Convention in Midwest City. Clay has worked almost 26 years as a reporter for The Oklahoman, doing investigative exposes and covering courthouses. He was the lead reporter on the criminal cases against Oklahoma City bomber Tim McVeigh and accomplice Terry Nichols. He covered their 1997 trials in Denver, spending almost a year away from home. He spent almost four months more away from home in 2004, covering Nichols state trial in McAlester. He was one of only 10 media witnesses to observe firsthand McVeigh s execution in Indiana in Clay has done investigative stories on his own and with others. His work has helped bring about safer day cares, workers comp reforms and tighter controls on lobbyists. 13 ONF selects Nolan Clay as recipient of annual award BEACHY MUSSELMAN AWARD Presented annually by the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation, the Beachy Musselman Award recognizes a journalist for his or her contribution to the field of printed journalism or its related field. The recipient of the award receives a plaque and $1,000. The award, which was established in 1969 His stories on a state House speaker s tax problems led the speaker to give up the position. Clay also wrote stories that brought about the resignations of a crooked insurance commissioner and a crooked appeals judge. In 1999, after learning that a massive tornado blew away his and his neighbors homes, he still dictated a story that night about the tragedy. At the end of a week of digging through debris to salvage some of his belongings, he wrote a first-person account about the experience. He was involved in some of the newspaper s biggest scoops, including 1993 s Governor Secretly Indicted, which revealed a state grand jury had charged a governor with campaign corruption. He was at the side of a judge s bench a week later when the governor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. to recognize and encourage quality journalism in practice, education and research, is named after the late Norman Beachy Musselman. Musselman, the former editor and general manager of the Shawnee News-Star, also served as president of the Oklahoma Press Association. Musselman was editor and general manager of the Shawnee News-Star from 1945 until his death on Aug. 6, A few months after his death, his widow, His work in 2009 revealed a bitter internal dispute at Oklahoma City-based Feed The Children, one of the nation s most widely recognized charities. Clay has a bachelor s degree from the University of Oklahoma and a master s degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia. He spent his final semester at Missouri in the journalism school s Washington, D.C. program. He is proud he went to Missouri because it has one of the best journalism schools, but he always has been a loyal Sooner fan. He and his wife, Diane, met at The Oklahoman and married on the 50-yard line of OU s Owen Field. Clay is a native Oklahoman, spending most of his youth in Ponca City. He previously worked at The Tulsa Tribune and at the Sulphur Times- Democrat. the late Ruth Musselman, asked the OPA to administer a Norman Beachy Musselman Memorial Fund. The memorial contribution proved to be the catalyst needed to establish the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation (ONF). The first contribution to the foundation was the Norman Beachy Musselman Memorial Fund. ONF was established to serve as a trust for donations of money, securities or other property. Three inducted into Oklahoma Press Association Half Century Club Three Oklahoma journalists were inducted into the Oklahoma Press Asociation s Half Century Club on Feb. 4 during the OPA Mid-Winter Convention in Midwest City. The Half Century Club, established in 1956, honors men or women who have dedicated 50 or more years of professional service to the newspaper industry. Following is information on this year s inductees. JERRY L. DENSON: Jerry Denson s memories of working at newspapers start before he was in the third grade. His family printed both the Ellis County Capital and The Gage Record, and Denson remembers the days of hot type clearly. He ran the offset press from his junior year of high school to his first year of college. When his father passed away, he returned to the newspaper when he was a college junior. Denson would drive home from classes at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, print the paper and drive back for morning classes. Denson and his wife, Anita, bought the papers in 1982 and operate them today. Denson is the fourth member of his family to be inducted into the Half Century Club. JOAN GILMORE: Joan Gilmore has been recognized many times for her contributions to Oklahoma journalism. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 1994, and given The Journal Record Lifetime Achievement award in Gilmore worked at The Oklahoman as Metropolitan and Women s News Editor for 28 years, and became a columnist at the Journal Record in Her career at both Oklahoma papers spans 60 years. Gilmore, a native of Waukegan, Ill., has given much of her life to Oklahoma organizations, from the Oklahoma Zoological Society to the Red Tie Night AIDS Care Fund event. Three Oklahoma governors have honored her work in the arts and the state. Gilmore continues to offer her leadership and considerable talents to her adopted state. VIOLET GORE: Rock Springs news has gotten Violet Gore s take on events for the Stilwell Democrat-Journal since She took the job when a neighbor told her she was moving and the Democrat-Journal needed a new correspondent for the town. Gore s payment consists of a free newspaper every week and neighbors telling her how much they enjoy her column. She writes about the important things the birth of a baby, weddings and family gatherings. Gore volunteers at many places, including the Adair County Resource Center Food Pantry, the Stilwell Nursing Home and the Department of Human Services. She has five children and plans to write an autobiography when she finds the time.

14 OGE PHOTOS OF THE YEAR SEPTEMBER 2010 The Lady Panthers celebrate their Class A District 17 championship Sept. 23 at home over Morrison. Photo by LOUISE RED CORN, The Bigheart Times 2010 DAILY PHOTO OF THE YEAR ED BLOCHOWIAK Shawnee News-Star 2010 WEEKLY PHOTO OF THE YEAR LOUISE RED CORN The Bigheart Times Photos of the year are selected from the 12 monthly winners in the Daily and Weekly Division. JULY 2010 Ben Tannehill of Monroe, La., does his best to hang on during bull riding competition at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee. Photo by ED BLOCHOWIAK, Shawnee News-Star Judge for the 2010 Photo of the Year Contest was Tom Gilbert, chief photographer of the Tulsa World Contest rules are available at

15 2011 OPA Mid-Winter Convention 15 Jeff Funk and Rich Macke discuss newspapers. Funk is publisher of the Enid News & Eagle; Macke is publisher of the Woodward News. A birds-eye view of a reception during Mid-Winter. Clockwise: Gloria Trotter, The Countywide & Sun; Kim Noe, The Newcastle Pacer; Wayne Trotter, The Countywide & Sun; Victoria Middleton, The Newcastle Pacer; Brian Blansett, Shawnee News-Star; Steve Coulter and Steve Kizziar, both from the Mustang Times. Victor Hamberlin, Mustang Times, looks at the display of winning entries. Governor Mary Fallin enters the room next to Jeff and Nanette Shultz, Garvin County News Star. Gridiron performers bring down the house at the dinner on Feb. 3. Cast members practicing prior to the show are Kim Noe and Robin Wilson, The Newcastle Pacer; Cindy Allen, Enid News & Eagle; Greg Trotter, The Countywide & Sun; and Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle. Robby Trammell, The Oklahoman, records Governor Mary Fallin on his iphone for a piece on newsok.com. Dayva and Brad Spitzer, Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat, check out a digital photo.

16 16 Oklahoma Press Association Quarter Century Club inducts 11 On Feb. 4, the Oklahoma Press Association inducted 11 new members into its Quarter Century Club. The awards were presented during the OPA Mid-Winter Convention in Midwest City. OPA established the Quarter Century Club in 1998 to honor those men or women who have dedicated 25 or more years of professional service to the newspaper industry. Following is information on this year s inductees. JAMES BEATY: A start in writing as an artist-in-residence in poetry and folk music for the Oklahoma Arts and Humanities Council gave James Beaty valuable experience. Beaty was a stringer for the McAlester News-Capital while attending East Central University and was offered a full-time job after graduation. He graduated from ECU in 1985 and immediately started his full-time job covering courts. Thousands of stories later, Beaty s still writing for the News-Capital, now serving as senior editor. He s written every type of article, from investigative reporting to features. He covered the McAlester trial of Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols in 2004 for the News- Capital and other CNHI newspapers. Beaty also mentors writers at the newspaper. JOHN L. CLARK: Working as state historian and American Legion reporter gave John Clark his beginning in journalism. He got into news full time with a stint at the Poteau News & Sun. Through the years, Clark has been everything from a photographer and rodeo reporter with the Pictorial Press News in Tahlequah to publisher of a weekly. Now editor of the Spiro Graphic, Clark has a combined 38 years of experience in shortterm and full-time writing, broadcasting and research. JOY DORMAN: A life-long accountant and bookkeeper, Joy Dorman began working at the Sayre Journal in 1981 as bookkeeper. Soon, she became office manager. She volunteered for computer training as technology advances began to change newspaper accounting. In 1987, she followed Brad and Dayva Spitzer to their new venture, opening The Sayre Record. At the Record, Dorman was in charge of the legal notices, bookkeeping, circulation, classified advertising, obituaries and various typing assignments. In the early days of the Record, she worked on many holidays to ensure the paper would go out on time. She also helped train high school students who worked in circulation and other areas of the newspaper. Dorman always gave handmade quilts to the students when they graduated from high school. She also served as receptionist and loved to visit with customers and friends. Many would come in simply to sit and visit with her. Dorman decided to retire in January 2011, capping a near 30-year journalism career in Sayre. HELEN L. FERGUSON: Helen Ferguson married into the newspaper business her high school sweetheart, D. Jo Ferguson, was editor and publisher of The Pawnee Chief. In 1959, Ferguson became office manager at The Chief. She became Family Living editor, writing stories and proofreading along with many other duties. She retired in 1985, but came back periodically to help at the paper. Ferguson is now 88 and a partner with Larry Ferguson in The Chief. JAMES F. FIENUP: James Fienup began reporting and editing in 1967 as an intern. He has worked at several Oklahoma newspapers as a news editor and reporter since 1973, including the Poteau News & Sun and Chickasha Star. Over his 43-year career (so far,) Fienup honed his journalism skills across the country, working in New York, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. For 17 years, Fienup has served as a writer and publisher at the Spiro Graphic. PATRICK JORDAN: The Ponca City News hired Patrick Jordan as an advertising representative in 1984, when newspaper production still involved cut-and-paste, rotary phones and typewriters. It was his first job. Jordan has worked with newspapers through the computer revolution and advent of the internet, and in 2008 took over as advertising manager when his supervisor retired. In addition to selling and designing ads, his duties now include scheduling inserts and renewing contracts. In his spare time, Jordan creates crossword puzzles that are published biweekly in the Washington Post. Bookseller Barnes & Noble will publish a collection of his puzzles in April. JERI McENTIRE: Jeri McEntire joined the Shawnee News-Star accounting department in 1984 and became the accounting manager in She said she has seen constant change in the newspaper business, but the biggest changes are going on right now. It s no longer business as usual, she said. SANDRA K. MOORE: The Collinsville News gave Sandra Moore her start as a typesetter in Two years after she started work, the paper was sold to Retherford Publications. Moore then became a proofreader and typesetter for The Tulsa Legal News. She s still a typesetter and copy editor for the Tulsa Daily Commerce and Legal News, and also supervises routing ed publication requests. Her hard work and knowledge of legal notice publications has secured the excellent reputation the Tulsa Daily Commerce and Legal News has in the community. Moore has two sons and four grandsons. TODD SHORT: The Edmond Sun first hired Todd Short as an inserter. He started fulltime in the press room in Working as a carpenter in Logan County and Edmond, Todd came by The Edmond Sun to visit a friend working in the press room. He was looking for a new job and instead found a new career. Since joining The Sun, Todd has worked every position in the press room, including overseeing the camera room, which he said he liked because it allowed him to be creative. He also has served in the positions of jogger, assistant pressman, pressroom manager and production manager overseeing The Sun s Goss Community press. He learned press operations on a Harris V-15A press. Todd now serves as the press room director. He oversees the printing, inserting and delivery of dozens of publications each month to various clients. He supervises seven full-time employees and many part-time employees. BRENDA TOLLETT: Brenda Tollett, associate editor of the Ada Evening News, began her journalism career at the newspaper in Tollett used her degree in home economics and journalism to build a solid foundation for her job as lifestyle editor. She served in that position for 15 years, and saw many changes in that time as the paper went from cut-and-paste to digital, and from typewriters to computers. In 1999, Tollett became city editor, and the next year, managing editor. She returned to the lifestyle editing position in 2007, then became associate editor a few months later. CHRISTY BRUNKEN WHEELAND: The world of journalism opened for Christy Brunken Wheeland at her hometown newspaper, the Garber Free Press. She spent a summer interning at the Henryetta Daily Free-Lance before covering nursing homes for the Stillwater NewsPress while studying journalism at Oklahoma State University. She worked as a general assignment reporter in Guthrie at the Logan County News before joining the staff of the Coweta American in Wheeland was associate editor until 1992, then was named editor of the weekly publication. In her years at the Coweta American, Wheeland has received many honors from the Oklahoma Press Association. HALF CENTURY AND QUARTER CENTURY CLUBS To be eligible for membership in the Half Century Club, nominees must have 50 or more years of service to the newspaper industry, with 20 years of those years at an Oklahoma newspaper. Credit is given for work as a carrier or stringer as well as for wartime service. Selfnominations are acceptable. Inductees receive a distinguished award, recognition at the OPA s annual Mid-Winter Convention and an engraved brick in the OPA s Centennial Plaza. Criteria for the Quarter Century Club requires inductees to have served 25 years in the newspaper industry, with at least 10 years at Oklahoma newspapers. Credit is also given for work as a carrier or stringer as well as for wartime service and selfnominations are acceptable. A nomination form for either club is available on the OPA website at okpress.com/ century-clubs. Nominations must include a biography detailing the nominee s years of service to the newspaper industry.

17 OPA QUARTER AND HALF CENTURY CLUB INDUCTEES 17 Joan Gilmore and Jerry L. Denson are inducted into the OPA Half Century Club on Feb. 4, 2011, during the Mid-Winter Convention. Also inducted, but unable to attend, was Violet Gore. For more information on this year s Half Century Club inductees, see page 15. Inductees into the OPA Quarter Century Club attending the Feb. 4 banquet were Joy Dorman, Todd Short and Jeri McEntire. Also inducted but unable to attend were James Beaty, John L. Clark, Helen L. Ferguson, James F. Fienup, Patrick Jordan, Sandra K. Moore, Brenda Tollett and Christy Brunken Wheeland. Brief biographies of all 2010 Quarter Century Club inductees are on previous page. Six of the ten 2010 Sequoyah Award winners display their plaques following the awards banquet. Blizzard conditions in Oklahoma kept many members from attending. Back: Jeff Funk, Enid News & Eagle; Sean Dyer, El Reno Tribune; and John D. Montgomery, The Purcell Register. Front: Steve Booher, Cherokee Messenger & Republican; Steven Kizziar, Mustang Times; and Ted Streuli, The Journal Record. Sequoyah winners not pictured are the Stillwater NewsPress, Oologah Lake Leader, Catoosa Times, and The Oracle, Oral Roberts University. For a complete list of winners in the contest, see page 20. Print Quality, Outdoor Writer and Website awards presented at luncheon Several awards were presented at an awards luncheon on Friday, Feb. 4, during the OPA Mid-Winter Convention. Winners of the 2010 Print Quality Contest were The Journal Record in the daily division, and the Stigler News-Sentinel in the weekly division. The Print Quality Contest was established in 2008 to reward good presswork. Newspapers were judged on black ink laydown, halftone quality, color registration, page alignment and overall print appearance. Also presented at the luncheon were the 2010 Website Contest winners. The Ardmoreite received first place in the daily division. Taking second place was The Journal Record, third went to the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, and fourth to the Enid News & Eagle. In the weekly division, the Elk Citian placed first. The Countywide & Sun placed second, the Okemah News Leader third and the Oologah Lake Leader fourth. The contest was established in 2005 to honor newspapers with websites. Websites are judged for news content and coverage, visual appeal, navigation, organization, integration of advertising, timeliness and updates to the site. For the second year in a row, Kelly Bostian from Tulsa World was named the 2010 ONF Joseph H. Edwards Outdoor Writer of the Year. In addition to being recognized at the luncheon, Bostian received a $500 cash prize and a plaque. The award is named for Joe Edwards, who was publisher of the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise for 14 years. It honors a writer whose published work exemplifies and captures Edwards passion for the outdoors.

18 18 ERNEST BOB ALBRIGHT, a former photographer for The Oklahoman and Oklahoma City Times, died April 13, He was 87. Albright was born Dec. 11, 1922, in Dos Palos, Calif. He started a 33-year career at The Oklahoma Publishing Co. in He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2002 and was twice named Photographer of the Year by the Oklahoma Press Association. The Oklahoma Historical Society included his work in its 50 Years of Photojournalism exhibit. MARY ELINOR ALEXANDER, a former newspaper publisher and resident of Nowata, died May 12, She was 82. Mrs. Alexander was born March 3, 1928, in Bartlesville. She attended the Ward Belmont Finishing School for Young Ladies in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and then moved to Oklahoma City where she attended Oklahoma City University. She met her husband, Rev. Charles M. Pappy Alexander in Oklahoma City. Mrs. Alexander was a freelance writer, reporter and photographer for The Associated Press. She also spent time as a reporter for the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, the Nowata Star and the Tulsa World. She owned and operated the Barnsdall Times from 1980 until 1990 and also was part owner of the Wild Cat Community newspaper in Tulsa. BILLY FLOYD BILL BROWN, former publisher of the Stroud American, died April 19, 2010, in Tulsa. He was 74. Brown was born Aug. 7, 1935, in Stroud. He graduated from Stroud High School and attended Central State College, now the University of Central Oklahoma, in Edmond. In 1950, Brown took a job with the Stroud American as a pressman. He later began reporting for the newspaper, covering a little bit of In Memoriam January 2010 to December 2010 Commemorated February 3, 2011, at the Oklahoma Press Association Mid-Winter Convention In accordance with membership wishes, this report includes only those who were either longtime newspaper employees still engaged in the trade at the time of death, or those who had, though retired, made newspaper work their principal occupation. everything. He married Alice Faye Weaver on Feb. 27, The Browns purchased the Stroud American in Bill Brown continued to work for the paper after selling it to his son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Alicia Brown, in He retired in 2000, after 50 years of working in the newspaper business. DALE COLBERT, former owner and editor of the Northwest Oklahoman in Shattuck, died June 20, He was 84. Colbert was born on Aug. 25, 1925, and moved with his family to Shattuck in 1931 when his father opened the Northwest Oklahoman and his mother started a Hallmark gift shop. He attended Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore and then West Point Preparatory Academy in Amherst, Mass., before serving during World War II. After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1946, Colbert returned to Shattuck to join the family business. He met his wife, Miriam Ann Bockelman, while working at the newspaper. They were married in Amarillo, Texas, on June 29, Dale and Miriam continued to operate the family business and expand the Hallmark store until retiring in Colbert was active in the Shattuck community, serving many organizations. DAVID JO D. JO FERGUSON, longtime publisher of The Pawnee Chief, died Jan. 4, 2010, in Pawnee. He was 87. Ferguson was born March 7, 1922, in Pawnee. In 1941, Ferguson helped his father, Jo O., and his partner establish the Pawnee Chief. D. Jo worked on the Chief for a few months before joining the Navy in He was sent to San Diego where he was joined by Helen Lyon, his classmate-sweetheart. D. Jo and Helen were married in Glendale, Calif., on April 3, He was discharged in 1945 and returned to Oklahoma to attend the University of Oklahoma. At OU he was involved in both the editorial and advertising departments of the Oklahoma Daily, and was elected to the state legislature. He returned to Pawnee in 1949 to operate the Pawnee Chief while his father campaigned for the office of Governor of Oklahoma. Ferguson was heavily involved with community and state organizations. He served as president of the Oklahoma Press Association in 1972 after serving on the board for 10 years. In 1988, he was inducted into the OPA Half Century Club. The OPA presented D. Jo with the Milt Phillips Award in 1992 and in 1998 he was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. ALAN NICHOLAS NICK FOLTZ, a retired Tulsa World editor, died June 18, He was 78. Foltz was born in Wichita, Kan., and grew up in Oklahoma City. At age 16, he began working as a copyboy with The Associated Press. He went on to earn a journalism degree from Oklahoma City University and then worked as a reporter for The Daily Oklahoman and Oklahoma City Times. Foltz served in the Air Force as a public information officer during the Korean War. In 1960, he joined the Tulsa World as an assistant city editor. In 1978, he became the World s state editor, coordinating activities for three state reporters, one Washington Bureau reporter, two state Capitol correspondents and several parttime correspondents. On June 5, 1968, Foltz ordered the presses stopped and remade the front page to include the story about Sen. Robert Kennedy being mortally wounded in Los Angeles. Foltz later returned to reporting, writing about higher education for the World until he retired in LAWRENCE LINDSAY GIBBS, 67, managing editor of The Perkins Journal, died Aug. 10, 2010, in Tulsa, Okla. Gibbs was born Oct. 21, 1942, in Tulsa. He grew up in Oklahoma City and later attended Oklahoma State University where he received a degree in journalism. He was married on Sept. 8, 1966, to Peggy Leigh. Gibbs had assignments with the Guthrie Daily Leader, Chickasha Star and the Guymon Daily Herald before joining the Stillwater NewsPress in He remained at the NewsPress for 35 years, working as city editor and then managing editor. After leaving the NewsPress, Gibbs joined the staff at The Perkins Journal and was instrumental in helping launch the Stillwater Journal, a weekly section devoted to the Stillwater community. Gibbs also produced several periodicals for groups that shared his interests in Oklahoma railroads. He received the Oklahoma Press Association s Half Century Award in ALEXANDER JOSEPH AL HRUBY, 84, former publisher of The Duncan Banner, died Nov. 14, He was 84. Hruby was born Nov. 12, 1926, in Lincoln, Neb. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served for two years during World War II. In 1950, he graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in geology. Hruby was recalled to active duty in After being discharged, he continued his education at the University of Oklahoma, graduating with a Master of Science degree in geology in While attending OU, he met Janis M. Wimberly. The couple were married June 25, 1955, in Altus. Hruby worked as a geologist for the California Company (now Chevron) for 10 years. On Feb. 13, 1965, he went to work at The Duncan Banner, the newspaper owned by his father-in-law, Harrington Wimberly. During the next 12 years, Hruby worked in the circulation, advertising and business departments at The Banner. He was named associate publisher in When Wimberly died in December 1978, Hruby assumed the role of editor and publisher. He served in that capacity until the family sold the newspaper in August Hruby was involved in numerous organizations over the years. He served as president of the Oklahoma Press Association in He also served as a trustee of the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation. JAMES PARK JIM KIDD, former co-owner of the Poteau News and LeFlore County Sun, died Jan. 14, He was 92. Jim and his brother, Robert, owned and operated the two local weekly newspapers for 30 years. The brothers started the County Sun in 1947 and, in 1955, bought the Poteau News, a newspaper their father once owned. They sold the businesses in Robert Kidd handled the editorial side while Jim ran the paper s business operations and oversaw printing. Jim served in the Army from 1942 to 1945, and was a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. DANA MALONE, who previously worked at the Talihina American and Latimer County Today, died June 28, 2010, in Tulsa. She was 60. Malone was born April 13, 1950, to Jim and Dorothy Nicholson. After graduating from Talihina High School in 1968, she attended the University of Oklahoma and received a degree in marketing/advertising in She moved back to Talihina to work in the family business at the Talihina American. The family later opened the Latimer County Today newspaper and moved to Wilburton.

19 After working in the newspaper business for 20 years, Malone went to work at the Latimer County Library as a librarian. ROB MARTINDALE, a longtime Tulsa World reporter, died April 8, He was 69. In more than 40 years as a reporter, including 32 with the World, Martindale covered manhunts, prison breaks and politicians. He retired in He was born and raised in Blackwell, served four years in the Air Force, and later attended the University of Central Oklahoma. His first newspaper job was in Holdenville, but he soon moved to the Muskogee Daily Phoenix and then, in 1974, to the World. Martindale was assigned to the World s Washington Bureau in He remained in Washington for five years, returning to Tulsa in From then until his retirement, he covered state politics and Indian affairs. MAXWELL MCCURDY, longtime civic leader and former co-publisher of the Purcell Register, died Jan. 6, 2010, at his home in Purcell. He was 97. McCurdy was born March 27, Following graduation from Purcell High School in 1929, he attended the University of Oklahoma and then returned to Purcell where he began working at the Purcell Register. In 1935, the Register sold the newspaper to James C. and Ayleene Nance of Walters. The Nance family became next-door neighbors to the McCurdy family and Max met his wife, Mary Rosamond Rosie McCurdy. They were married June 23, Max served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After being discharged, he returned to Purcell to work at the Register. McCurdy served on various committees of the Oklahoma Press Association. His weekly column at the Register, Hunting & Fishing by Max, won several awards. HERBERT DEAN DUTCH MILLER, longtime publisher of the Taloga Times- Advocate, died May 23, He was 70. Miller was born on March 19, 1940, in Las Animas, Colo. He moved to Oklahoma when he was five years old and graduated from high school at Taloga in He began working at the Taloga Times-Advocate in 1952 and continued working there until he purchased the newspaper in He operated the newspaper until his death. Miller, who started as a printer s devil, worked more than 50 years in the newspaper business. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Press Association s Half-Century Club in PATRICIA ANN PATTI REESE, a former Ada Evening News staff writer and city editor, died July 22, She was 56. Reese was employed by Ada Evening News for more than 20 years during which time she won several journalism awards. After leaving the Ada Evening News in 1992, Reese joined her mother in a ceramics business. She was born March 14, 1954, at Superior, Neb. She and her family moved to Ada in She graduated from Ada High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology and Communications in 1976 from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. Ms. Reese was previously employed with the Corps of Engineers as a Park Ranger. JANICE TAYLOR SINGLETON, who worked at the Vinita Daily Journal, died Feb. 4, 2010, at her home in Grove. She was 54. Janice Ann (Swango) Taylor Singleton was born Aug. 15, 1955, in Bartlesville. She began her journalism career at the Grove Sun, and worked at the Miami News-Record for a time. For more than 10 years, she worked at the Vinita Daily Journal and Afton American. She received numerous awards for her journalism. FRANK LEROY SPENCER, 85, former publisher of the Pawhuska Journal-Capital, died March 21, 2010, in Albuquerque, N.M. Spencer was born in Deadwood, S.D., on Sept. 28, He married Isla Klatka in 1949 in Alliance, Neb. In 1951, the Spencers moved to Pawhuska where Frank worked as editor, general manager and then publisher of the Pawhuska Journal-Capital until He also served as city manager in Cleveland, Okla. ROBERT R. BOB STACY, who worked for the Oklahoma Press Association for many years, died Aug. 19, He was 61. Stacy was born Nov. 22, He graduated from Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor in 1968 with an associate degree in marketing and retailing. His first job in the newspaper business was as classified display salesman at the Palladium Publishing Company in Benton Harbor. Stacy left Michigan in 1971 to accept a position with Sentinel Suburban Newspapers in Denver, Colo. In 1972, he moved to Edmond, Okla., and was named advertising director of the Edmond Sun & Booster. Stacy was named assistant manager of the Oklahoma Press Association and vice president of Oklahoma Press Service in He held those two positions for more than 20 years. After leaving OPA, Stacy worked for Pro Graphics, Inc. and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. JAMES JIM NOEL STANDARD, former top editor of The Oklahoman, died Oct. 12, 2010, in Oklahoma City. He was 70. Standard spent 35 years at The Oklahoman and Oklahoma 19 City Times, starting when he was 20 years old. While there, he earned a reputation as an editor who influenced a generation of young journalists who worked in The Oklahoman s newsroom in the 1970s and 1980s. He also presided over the newsroom s conversion to the computer age. Standard grew up in Little Rock, Ark., starting his newspaper career as a copy boy at the Arkansas Gazette while in high school. He attended the University of Arkansas for a year but left to work in Borger, Texas. In 1960, he was hired as an obituary writer at The Oklahoman and Times. At The Oklahoman, Standard covered all aspects of the criminal justice system and the state Capitol, specializing in investigative reporting. He was selected as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1969, and spent a year with his family in Cambridge, Mass. In 1975, he was named managing editor of The Oklahoman and Times. He became executive editor in March 1984, after the Oklahoma City Times merged with The Oklahoman, and in 1990 he was named editorial page editor and wrote a weekly column, Jim Standard s Oklahoma. Standard was a former Oklahoma Newsman of the Year, was active in journalistic and civic organizations, and was a frequent public speaker and lecturer during his career. After retiring from the newspaper business in 1995, he began a career in the ministry. M. GERALD STONE, former publisher of the Grove Sun, died Aug. 8, 2010, at his home in Northport, Ala. He was 70. Stone was born on Feb. 9, He was the former co-owner of the Enterprise Group chain of newspapers, and published newspapers in Slidell, La., Tahlequah and Grove, Okla. Stone was an award-winning publisher and editorialist who focused on conservative political and fiscal views. He was often controversial with his topics and took on all forms of corruption at the city, county and state levels. BRIAN JAY WALKE, 55, of Norman, Okla., died July 2, Walke, a founding board member of Freedom of Information Oklahoma Inc., was born on June 3, He graduated from Del City High School in He received a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma in He worked in radio for many years, including serving as news director at KTOK-AM, where he directed an investigative series, Secrets of Justice, that won a national Edward R. Murrow Award. LINDA KAY (SPENCE) WOFFORD, 63, former publisher of the Wagoner Tribune, died Nov. 25, 2010, at her home in Wagoner. Wofford was born Feb. 7, 1947, and graduated from Wagoner High School in She attended the University of Oklahoma and Northeastern State University, earning a degree in journalism. Wofford began her career in the newspaper industry at the Wagoner Tribune, which was owned and published by her parents. She worked at the paper and later became publisher before leaving journalism to start a new career as owner of a motor coach tour business. JOE A. WOOLARD, former owner of the Sand Springs Leader, died Nov. 10, He was 86. Woolard was living in Lewisville, Texas, with his wife, Nadine, at the time of his death. He was born in Centralia, Okla., on May 3, 1924, and graduated from Vinita High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17 and served in the Pacific during World War II. After being discharged, he attended and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in advertising. He started in the newspaper business in Alva, worked as the advertising manager for the Miami Herald and later was editor for the Claremore Progress. In 1965, he purchased what was then the Sand Springs Leader Times, working there with his wife and son, Kerry, until he retired. NORMA GENE BUTTERBAUGH YOUNG, former owner of the Boise City News, died May 26, She was 85. Young was born March 26, 1925, in Texhoma, Texas. She soon moved with her family to Boise City, Okla., where she remained until June Young attended what is now West Texas A&M University in Canyon, and then returned home to work for her father, Roy Butterbaugh, who published The Boise City News.She married William Robert (Bob) Young on June 9, The Youngs joined Norma s parents in the newspaper and printing business. Butterbaugh retired in 1966 and the Youngs took over, operating it until 1983 when they sold the business. The Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation offers an appropriate tax-exempt memorial as a tribute to the memory of Oklahoma newspapermen and women. All contributions in memory of an individual are acknowledged and notification is given to the family. The purpose of the Foundation is to advance newspapers, and to provide for journalism education, study and research. As funds are accumulated, the trustees use the earnings to finance activities in these areas. Donations may be mailed to ONF, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK

20 20 CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners in the 2010 OPA Better Newspaper Contest 2010 AWARD WINNING NEWSPAPER OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION 2010 BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST RESULTS DIVISION 1: Dailies circ. 8,000 or more SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER Enid News & Eagle EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 Enid News & Eagle 2 The Lawton Constitution 3 Muskogee Phoenix 4 The Norman Transcript EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Enid News & Eagle 2 The Norman Transcript 3 Muskogee Phoenix 4 McAlester News-Capital BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise 2 Enid News & Eagle 3 The Ponca City News 4 The Norman Transcript EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 The Lawton Constitution 2 Enid News & Eagle 3 Muskogee Phoenix 4 The Ardmoreite EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 The Shawnee News-Star 2 Muskogee Phoenix 3 The Ardmoreite 4 The Lawton Constitution EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 The Shawnee News-Star 2 The Lawton Constitution 3 Enid News & Eagle 4 Muskogee Phoenix EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Norman Transcript 2 The Ardmoreite 3 Muskogee Phoenix 4 The Lawton Constitution EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 The Shawnee News-Star 2 Enid News & Eagle 3 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise 4 The Ardmoreite EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 The Shawnee News-Star 2 The Ponca City News 3 The Ardmoreite 4 The Norman Transcript EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 The Ardmoreite 2 McAlester News-Capital 3 Muskogee Phoenix 4 The Shawnee News-Star EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 The Ponca City News 2 The Norman Transcript 3 Muskogee Phoenix 4 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 McAlester News-Capital 2 The Ardmoreite 3 The Norman Transcript 4 The Shawnee News-Star

21 BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST RESULTS DIVISION 2: Dailies circ. 3,700 to 7,999 SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER Stillwater NewsPress EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 The Express-Star (Chickasha) 2 Stillwater NewsPress 3 Ada Evening News 4 Claremore Daily Progress EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Ada Evening News 2 Stillwater NewsPress 3 The Express-Star (Chickasha) 4 Claremore Daily Progress EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Claremore Daily Progress 2 Stillwater NewsPress 3 Woodward News 4 Ada Evening News EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 Stillwater NewsPress 2 Claremore Daily Progress 3 The Express-Star (Chickasha) 4 Ada Evening News EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Stillwater NewsPress 2 The Duncan Banner 3 Ada Evening News 4 Claremore Daily Progress EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 Stillwater NewsPress 2 Woodward News 3 Vinita Daily Journal 4 Weatherford Daily News EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 Ada Evening News 2 Stillwater NewsPress 3 The Duncan Banner 4 Woodward News EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 Ada Evening News 2 Woodward News 3 Stillwater NewsPress 4 Claremore Daily Progress EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 Weatherford Daily News 2 Woodward News 3 The Duncan Banner 4 Ada Evening News EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Claremore Daily Progress 2 The Duncan Banner 3 Stillwater NewsPress 4 Woodward News EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 Claremore Daily Progress 2 Woodward News 3 The Express-Star (Chickasha) 4 Stillwater NewsPress EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 Stillwater NewsPress 2 Ada Evening News 3 The Duncan Banner 4 Weatherford Daily News DIVISION 3: Dailies circ. less than 3,700 SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER The Journal Record EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 The Edmond Sun 2 The Journal Record (OKC) 3 Tahlequah Daily Press 4 Guymon Daily Herald EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 The Edmond Sun 3 The Daily Times (Pryor) 4 Tahlequah Daily Press EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Tahlequah Daily Press 2 The Edmond Sun 3 The Journal Record (OKC) 4 The Clinton Daily News EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 The Altus Times 3 The Clinton Daily News 4 The Miami News-Record EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 The Daily Times (Pryor) 3 The Edmond Sun 4 The Clinton Daily News EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 The Daily Times (Pryor) 2 The Edmond Sun 3 The Journal Record (OKC) 4 The Clinton Daily News EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Clinton Daily News 2 The Edmond Sun 3 The Miami News-Record 4 The Journal Record (OKC) EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 Tahlequah Daily Press 3 The Edmond Sun 4 The Clinton Daily News EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 The Edmond Sun 2 The Journal Record (OKC) 3 Tahlequah Daily Press 4 The Clinton Daily News EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 The Clinton Daily News 3 The Edmond Sun 4 The Miami News-Record EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 The Daily Times (Pryor) 3 Tahlequah Daily Press 4 The Edmond Sun EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 The Journal Record (OKC) 2 The Edmond Sun 3 Tahlequah Daily Press 4 The Clinton Daily News DIVISION 4: Weeklies circ. 2,600 or more SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER The Purcell Register EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 The Purcell Register 2 Elk Citian 3 The Madill Record 4 Wagoner Tribune EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Elk Citian 2 Oklahoma City Friday 3 The Purcell Register 4 The Madill Record EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 Elk Citian 2 Oklahoma City Friday 3 Stigler News-Sentinel 4 The Madill Record EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Stigler News-Sentinel 2 Oklahoma City Friday 3 The Madill Record 4 Elk Citian EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 The Purcell Register 2 The Madill Record 3 Stilwell Democrat Journal 4 Stigler News-Sentinel EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Wagoner Tribune 2 Elk Citian 3 Johnston County Capital-Democrat 4 The Purcell Register EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Atoka County Times 2 The Madill Record 3 Johnston County Capital-Democrat 4 Stigler News-Sentinel EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 Johnston County Capital-Democrat 2 Nowata Star 3 Elk Citian 4 Oklahoma City Friday EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 Stigler News-Sentinel 2 The Purcell Register 3 The Madill Record 4 Nowata Star EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Purcell Register 2 The Madill Record 3 Stigler News-Sentinel 4 Oklahoma City Friday EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 The Purcell Register 2 Stigler News-Sentinel 3 Elk Citian 4 The Madill Record EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 The Madill Record 2 The Purcell Register 3 Elk Citian 4 Watonga Republican

22 BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST RESULTS DIVISION 5: Dailies circ. 1,600 to 2,599 SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER Oologah Lake Leader DIVISION 6: Weeklies circ. 1,050 to 1,599 SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER Cherokee Messenger & Republican EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 The Cleveland American 2 The Marlow Review 3 The Countywide & Sun 4 Oologah Lake Leader EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Coweta American 2 The Countywide & Sun 3 The Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat 4 Skiatook Journal EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 The Countywide & Sun 2 The Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat 3 Oologah Lake Leader 4 The Cleveland American EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 2 Drumright Gusher 3 Bixby Bulletin 4 McIntosh County Democrat EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Drumright Gusher 2 The Carnegie Herald 3 The Hennessey Clipper 4 The Newcastle Pacer EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 The Carnegie Herald 2 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 3 Bixby Bulletin 4 McIntosh County Democrat EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Coweta American 2 The Marlow Review 3 Vian Tenkiller News 4 Latimer County News-Tribune EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 The Cleveland American 2 Vian Tenkiller News 3 Oologah Lake Leader 4 Latimer County News-Tribune EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Oologah Lake Leader 2 The Cleveland American 3 The Countywide & Sun 4 Skiatook Journal EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 The Newcastle Pacer 2 The Comanche Times 3 McIntosh County Democrat 4 The Hooker Advance EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 The Newcastle Pacer 2 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 3 McIntosh County Democrat 4 Drumright Gusher EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 2 Collinsville News 3 The Newcastle Pacer 4 Mannford Eagle EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Coweta American 2 Oologah Lake Leader 3 The Marlow Review 4 The Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 The Countywide & Sun 2 Oologah Lake Leader 3 Skiatook Journal 4 The Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 The Cleveland American 2 The Indian Journal (Eufaula) 3 Oologah Lake Leader 4 The Marlow Review EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 2 McIntosh County Democrat 3 The Hooker Advance 4 Drumright Gusher EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 2 Drumright Gusher 3 Collinsville News 4 The Carnegie Herald EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 Cherokee Messenger & Republican 2 Mannford Eagle 3 Jenks Journal 4 The Newcastle Pacer EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Indian Journal (Eufaula) 2 The Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat 3 Skiatook Journal 4 Coweta American EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 The Countywide & Sun 2 The Marlow Review 3 Coweta American 4 Skiatook Journal EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 Oologah Lake Leader 2 Vian Tenkiller News 3 The Indian Journal (Eufaula) 4 The Cleveland American EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Newcastle Pacer 2 The Carnegie Herald 3 The Hennessey Clipper 4 Cherokee Messenger & Republican EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 Collinsville News 2 The Carnegie Herald 3 The Comanche Times 4 Bixby Bulletin EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 Drumright Gusher 2 The Hooker Advance 3 Collinsville News 4 The Comanche Times DIVISION 7: Weeklies circ. less than 1,050 SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER Catoosa Times EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 Waurika News-Democrat 2 Catoosa Times 3 Pawhuska Journal-Capital 4 Tulsa County News EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Tulsa County News 2 Pawhuska Journal-Capital 3 Catoosa Times 4 The Granite Enterprise EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 Catoosa Times 2 Pawhuska Journal-Capital 3 The Granite Enterprise 4 Waurika News-Democrat EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Pawhuska Journal-Capital 2 Catoosa Times 3 Waurika News-Democrat 4 For the Record (Yale) EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 Tulsa County News 2 Catoosa Times 3 For the Record (Yale) 4 The Granite Enterprise EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Tulsa County News 2 Catoosa Times 3 For the Record (Yale) 4 The Westville Reporter EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Waurika News-Democrat 2 Glenpool Post 3 For the Record (Yale) 4 Mountain View News EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 Waurika News-Democrat 2 The Westville Reporter 3 The Sentinel Leader 4 Tulsa County News EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 Mountain View News 2 Tulsa County News 3 Catoosa Times 4 Waurika News-Democrat EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Comanche County Chronicle 2 Pawhuska Journal-Capital 3 Catoosa Times 4 Waurika News-Democrat EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 Tulsa County News 2 The Sentinel Leader 3 Catoosa Times 4 The Granite Enterprise EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 For the Record (Yale) 2 Waurika News-Democrat 3 Tulsa County News 4 Catoosa Times

23 BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST RESULTS DIVISION 8: Semi-, Twin or Tri-Weekly SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER El Reno Tribune EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 Sand Springs Leader 2 Yukon Review 3 El Reno Tribune 4 Owasso Reporter EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Owasso Reporter 2 Sand Springs Leader 3 Yukon Review 4 Sequoyah County Times EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Yukon Review 2 El Reno Tribune 3 Sequoyah County Times 4 Mustang News EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 El Reno Tribune 2 Sequoyah County Times 3 Mustang News 4 Owasso Reporter EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Mustang News 2 El Reno Tribune 3 Sand Springs Leader 4 Alva Review-Courier EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 Sand Springs Leader 2 Yukon Review 3 Mustang News 4 El Reno Tribune EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 Mustang News 2 Sequoyah County Times 3 Yukon Review 4 Owasso Reporter EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 Sand Springs Leader 2 El Reno Tribune 3 Owasso Reporter 4 Sequoyah County Times EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 Mustang News 2 El Reno Tribune 3 Yukon Review 4 Sequoyah County Times EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Mustang News 2 Sequoyah County Times 3 El Reno Tribune 4 Owasso Reporter EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 Sand Springs Leader 2 El Reno Tribune 3 Owasso Reporter 4 Mustang News EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 Bristow News & Record-Citizen 2 El Reno Tribune 3 Sequoyah County Times 4 Alva Review-Courier SUSTAINING DIVISION SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER Mustang Times EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 The Moore American 2 Mustang Times 3 Minco-Union City Times 4 Biskinik (Durant) EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 Minco-Union City Times 2 The Moore American 3 Mustang Times 4 Broken Arrow Ledger EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) 2 Mustang Times 3 Union Boundary & Greater Tulsa Reporter 4 Minco-Union City Times EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION 1 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) 2 Union Boundary & Greater Tulsa Reporter 3 Broken Arrow Ledger 4 Minco-Union City Times EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 Mustang Times 2 Union Boundary & Greater Tulsa Reporter 3 Minco-Union City Times 4 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) 2 Broken Arrow Ledger 3 Mustang Times 4 Minco-Union City Times EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 Broken Arrow Ledger 2 Biskinik (Durant) 3 The Moore American 4 Minco-Union City Times EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) 2 Mustang Times 3 Broken Arrow Ledger 4 The Moore American EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) 2 Mustang Times 3 Union Boundary & Greater Tulsa Reporter 4 Minco-Union City Times EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 Mustang Times 2 The Moore American 3 Broken Arrow Ledger 4 Minco-Union City Times EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 Minco-Union City Times 2 Broken Arrow Ledger 3 Mustang Times 4 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 Mustang Times 2 Broken Arrow Ledger 3 Union Boundary & Greater Tulsa Reporter 4 Oklahoma Gazette (OKC) COLLEGE DIVISION SEQUOYAH AWARD WINNER The Oracle, Oral Roberts University EVENT 1: NEWS CONTENT 1 The Daily O Collegian, Oklahoma State University 2 The Oracle, Oral Roberts University 3 Northwestern News, Northwestern Oklahoma St. Univ. 4 15th Street News, Rose State College EVENT 2: LAYOUT & DESIGN 1 The Oracle 2 The Connection, Tulsa Community College 3 The Vista, University of Central Oklahoma 4 The Daily O Collegian EVENT 3: ADVERTISING 1 The Oracle 2 Northwestern News EVENT 4: SALES PROMOTION No Entries EVENT 5: IN-DEPTH ENTERPRISE 1 The Oklahoma Daily, University of Oklahoma 2 The Oracle 3 The Daily O Collegian EVENT 6: EDITORIAL COMMENT 1 15th Street News 2 The Campus 3 Northwestern News 4 The Connection EVENT 7: PERSONAL COLUMNS 1 The Campus 2 The Oracle 3 The Daily O Collegian 4 Northwestern News EVENT 8: NEWS WRITING 1 The Daily O Collegian 2 The Campus 3 The Oracle 4 The Vista EVENT 9: FEATURE WRITING 1 The Daily O Collegian 2 The Oracle 3 The Oklahoma Daily 4 The Campus EVENT 10: SPORTS COVERAGE 1 The Daily O Collegian 2 The Oracle 3 The Vista 4 The Connection EVENT 11: PHOTOGRAPHY 1 The Campus 2 The Vista 3 The Daily O Collegian 4 The Oracle EVENT 12: COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 1 The Campus

24 24 Oklahoma congressmen say country must address nation s debt U.S. Reps. James Lankford and Tom Cole speak at the OPA Mid-Winter Convention in Midwest City on Feb. 5. By M. SCOTT CARTER, for the Oklahoma Publisher Even though only two of Oklahoma s five-member Congressional delegation attended the Oklahoma Press Association meeting on Feb. 5, the message would have been the same had every member been present: the national debt is a serious problem and Congress needs a bipartisan way to solve the problem. In a speech delivered at the OPA s Mid-Winter Convention in Midwest City, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, and James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, both said the country must address the nation s debt. Cole said the country s budget is about $3.8 trillion, with more than half that figure about $2.8 trillion going to programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Currently, the United States is running a $1.8 trillion deficit. The American people demand more in the way of services than they re willing to pay for right now, Cole said. And once spending is reduced, he said, I don t think there will be any American that s not touched in some form or fashion. The fiscal crisis we face is that great. Echoing an earlier speech before the Oklahoma Banker s Association, Cole said the large number of military installations located here help insulate Oklahoma from spending cuts. While you re fighting the good fight, overall, you want to be able to protect things that you think are good for the country and that are good for Oklahoma, he said. However, while Cole said many in Congress will work to protect military installations and services for military personnel, GOP members of Congress will not vote to raise the country s debt ceiling. Lankford, speaking after Cole, said U.S. President Barack Obama needs to take a leadership role in reforming the country s entitlement programs. The executive branch (needs) to engage in this, Lankford said. Not just say we need it but to actually engage in that as well. Additionally, Lankford said GOP lawmakers would work to reduce waste, fraud and abuse. Anyone who would say that everything in government is completely efficient hasn t spent any time around government, he said. The way to make government more efficient is, typically, to make it smaller. Many business owners, he said, were concerned by the country s regulatory environment. People are worried by how fast the regulations are coming and how preferential those regulations are, he said. And while people can make public comments it doesn t seem like anyone is listening. People don t know who to hold accountable, he said. They don t know who to vote against, he said. There s no one to vote against. It s a regulator and people don t know who they are. That area, Lankford said, would be examined. That s one of the areas we re going to be looking at, to examine how people can deal with the regulatory environment. Citing problems with the winter storm, other members of the state s congressional delegation were unable to travel to the event. The show Oklahoma Politicians LOVE to hate FEBRUARY 23, 25 & 26 LYRIC AT THE PLAZA in the renovated Plaza District located at 1727 NW 16th St., Oklahoma City, OK ALL SHOWS START AT 7:30 PM TICKETS: $30 EACH. To purchase, visit okcgridiron.org or phone Ticketstorm at Friend...Breathe This Bit of Aroma: Something Always Happens in Oklahoma! - Ancient Gridiron Proverb Don t miss this year s lively show entited One Lump or Two? Or: Oklahoma is Now Mary Land. The Oklahoma City Gridiron Club was founded in 1928 and has performed annual political satire for Oklahoma City audiences for 70 years. The club did not perform during the war years, 1942 through 1946, but has staged the annual show in various sites in Oklahoma City ever since. Proceeds from the show fund scholarships and grants for Oklahoma student journalists. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOW OR TO PURCHASE TICKETS, VISIT

25 THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, February ry 2011 OUR THANKS TO THE SPONSORS OF THE 2011 OPA MID-WINTER CONVENTION 25 Associated Press We appreciate your continued support of Oklahoma newspapers

26 26

27 Fallin discusses budget cuts at press convention By M. SCOTT CARTER, for the Oklahoma Publisher Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said she would ask the legislature to approve a 3 percent budget reduction for core state agencies and a 5 percent cut for the remainder of state government during a speech at the Oklahoma Press Association s Midwinter Convention. Speaking Feb. 4 in Midwest City, Fallin said she would use her State-of-the-State address on Feb. 7 to announce a plan to promote jobs and strengthen the state s still-ailing economy. There will be cuts in spending, Fallin said, because we can t spend money we don t have. The bottom line is if we don t have the money, we can t spend the money. We re not going to grow government faster than our economy; if we do that our economy will tank. Fallin said she would ask for 3 percent spending cuts in the areas of public safety, education and health and human services. She said some agencies including the Department of Public Safety also would get supplemental funds. Other areas of government would have their budgets cut by about 5 percent. There will be some entities that will be receiving some supplementals to deal with some of their challenges with the services that they must deliver, the governor said. I believe that moving forward with budget cuts, along with various efficiencies in state government operation, will lead us to create a stronger, more prosperous Oklahoma. In the long run that will help us create a more pro-business Oklahoma. Fallin s call for spending cuts follows predictions by some lawmakers of a $600 million hole in the state budget. In January, Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, and House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, both predicted large, multi-million budget gaps. Fallin said she would not raise taxes to balance the budget. This budget will reflect my priorities for spending, the governor said. Public safety, education and areas of government that address the health and welfare of our citizens. This budget will reflect shared sacrifices of our different agencies. Fallin, the state s first female governor, also hinted that she would seek to consolidate some state agencies and eliminate what she described as a duplication of services in state government. Returning to her campaign theme of making the state more business friendly, she said she would push for additional changes in the state s workers compensation and torts systems. I believe we can be the state where people want to bring jobs and where they want to raise their families, she said. In order to create that better business climate I ll be asking the legislature to work with me on further workers compensation reform and we ll also be looking at ways to reduce our legal costs in the state of Oklahoma on business and individuals. Speaking about the Jan. 31 blizzard, which dumped more than a foot of snow on the state, Fallin said she met with state emergency management director Albert Ashwood in preparation for the storm. We decided we would get ahead of the curve and do an emergency declaration in all 77 counties, she said. It s a little bit risky, but we wanted to protect our state and be prepared for what we were told would be a tremendous storm. Fallin said her emergency declaration had been approved by the White House, allowing the state to qualify for federal disaster aid funds. Those funds will cover 75 percent of the cost of the state s disaster cleanup effort. State and municipal government funds will cover the remaining 25 percent. Hopefully we ll be able to get reimbursed for some of the cost that has been incurred for our state, she said. Fallin said she would work to provide some additional funds for previous disaster recovery efforts. At present, state government owes many cities and towns several million dollars in disaster recovery funds. Fallin said those bills were about two years behind and said she would work to begin repaying the money. It s not something we can do at once, but we will work to repay some of those funds, she said. Last year several state lawmakers 27 including Rush Springs Democrat Joe Dorman called on officials to repay the disaster funds. Many communities, Dorman said, continue to struggle to cover the cost of disasters that happened several years before. There will be numbers in my budget to help the cities and counties get whole again, Fallin said. It may take us a while, because they are two years behind. We do need to work toward making them whole as soon as we can, but it s not going to be an overnight process. NEWSPAPER & PUBLICATION BINDING Before you have your next issue bound, give us a call. We offer exceptional quality, competitive pricing and fast turnaround times. With three generations of experience, we have the knowledge and skill to get your job done. Other services include Bible binding and restoration, embossing and much more. ACE BOOKBINDING CO. 825 N. Classen Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK (405) or Toll-Free at AL@AceBookbinding.com OPA STAFF DIRECTORY ADMINISTRATION MARK THOMAS, Executive Vice President mthomas@okpress.com (405) ROBERT WALLAR, Accounting Manager rwallar@okpress.com (405) SCOTT WILKERSON, Front Office/Building Mgr. swilkerson@okpress.com (405) MEMBER SERVICES LISA POTTS, Member Services Director lpotts@okpress.com (405) ELI NICHOLS, Member Services Coordinator enichols@okpress.com (405) ADVERTISING CINDY SHEA, Media Manager cshea@okpress.com (405) LANDON COBB, Account Executive lcobb@okpress.com (405) COURTNI SPOON, Advertising Assistant & OCAN/2X2 Contact cspoon@okpress.com (405) CREATIVE SERVICES JENNIFER GILLILAND, Creative Services Director jgilliland@okpress.com (405) MORGAN BROWNE, Creative Assistant mbrowne@okpress.com (405) COMPUTER ADVICE WILMA MELOT, Computer Consultant wmelot@okpress.com (405) POSTAL ADVICE BILL NEWELL, Postal Consultant bnewell@okpress.com (405) OPEN (DIGITAL CLIPPING) KEITH BURGIN, OPEN Manager kburgin@okpress.com (405) KYLE GRANT, Clipping Dept. kgrant@okpress.com (405) BRENDA SUMMIT, Clipping Dept. bsummit@okpress.com (405) GENERAL INQUIRIES (405) Fax (405) Toll-Free in Oklahoma:

28 28 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2010 SWEEPSTAKES CONTEST WINNERS 2010 Column Winner: TED STREULI The Journal Record (OKC) 2010 Editorial Winner: KIM POINDEXTER Tahlequah Daily Press 2010 COLUMN SWEEPSTAKES WINNER TED STREULI, The Journal Record (December 2010) EXCERPTS FROM Unanswered cries for help In the silence of the cellblock, you hear the screaming of tortured souls. A pair of ghostly eyes peered through a narrow window in the cell s steel door, vanished, then reappeared. Whatever he was thinking while looking at our group of 49 Leadership Oklahoma participants remains as mysterious as the look in his eyes: partly bafflement, partly anger, primarily vacant. The Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester is the maximum-security home of 977 offenders who spend 23 hours per day in cells. Each gets one hour, alone in a cage, for exercising. Half suffer from serious mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or multiple personalities. The most disturbed are housed in a unit that allows doctors, guards and visitors to stand alone on a polished cement floor and catch glimpses of abandoned eyes that randomly appear in the 12- by 24-inch windows. There is an antiseptic, fearful smell, and the voices muffled behind the steel are nothing more than sporadic, unintelligible moans. Standing there, watching the eyes come and go, I was overwhelmed with dread because the boy I adopted 20 years ago is likely to end up here, or a place like it, peering out a slit of reinforced glass. Four psychiatrists have diagnosed him and prescribed psychotropic medications. Two diagnosed him with bipolar disorder; the other two said he was schizophrenic. All agreed he was paranoid. I asked one of the doctors how people with severe mental illnesses like Colby s fare in the world, what a parent should expect. Dante s last three circles of Hell were violence, fraud and treachery. They exist at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in every cell, the modern asylum where illness and evil co-mingle. I cannot abandon hope for Colby. But after a few hours in the cellblock, I am terrified for him EDITORIAL SWEEPSTAKES WINNER KIM POINDEXTER, Tahlequah Daily Press (April 2010) EXCERPTS FROM Elected officials should suffer, too For anyone who s up to snuff on current events, it s a real challenge to deny the hypocrisy running rampant at the Oklahoma statehouse. This week, officials announced that Cherokee County, among others, will be losing a valuable asset with the closure of its Child Guidance Center. Furloughs are being taken left and right, and many of the same Oklahomans who last month were rallying for tax cuts are now realizing some cherished service or another their families depended on is being eliminated or slashed. About the only thing to be said in this regard: Be careful what you wish for, you might get it. The state Senate earlier this week finally offered its own version of sacrifice, by announcing its employees will be taking 12 unpaid furlough days between July and December. Considering that furloughs have become commonplace in the public sector, this is not unusual, and given the current circumstances, it s not unfair. What s repulsive in the extreme is the fact that the senators themselves, and other elected officials, will not suffer one iota during the economic crisis that has plagued the rest of us. Though Senate leaders were all too willing to slice into the pay of their employees, they have not volunteered to cut their own salaries. Oklahomans didn t feel the pain of the economic meltdown as quickly as their counterparts in other parts of the country, but now the hurt is upon us, full-bore and across the board. We ve said it before, and we ll say it again. Cherokee County s legislative contingent is a diamond in the rough. We only wish voters in the rest of the counties would wise up and plant welldeserved boots in the posteriors of the greedy, out-of-touch representatives they ve foisted upon the rest of us. We need people at the statehouse who are like us, and who share our pain as well as our hopes and dreams. And with a few notable exceptions, we ain t got that. Enter and Win a $100 Check from ONG! Judge for the 2010 Sweepstakes Contest was Jack Willis, journalism instructor at Oklahoma State University 1. Each month, send a tear sheet or photocopy of your best column and/or editorial to ONG Contest, c/o OPA, 3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK Include the author s name, name of publication, date of publication and category entered (column or editorial). 3. Only ONE editorial and/or ONE column per writer per month will be accepted. 4. All entries for the previous month must be at the OPA office by the 15th of the current month. 5. Winning entries will be reproduced on the OPA Web site at Entries must have been previously published. Contest open to all OPA member newspapers. Although Oklahoma Natural Gas Company selects representative contest winners work for use in this monthly ad, the views expressed in winning columns and editorials are those of the writers and don t necessarily reflect the Company s opinions. Thank you for continued support of Share The Warmth Read the Winning Columns and Editorials on the OPA Web site: (Under Contests)