NETPA members support scholarships, present contest awards

Showing off sweepstakes awards in the North and East Texas Press Association Better Newspaper Contest are (from left) Santana Gallacher accepting for the Longview News Journal in Division 1; Jeff Pownall accepting for the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel in Division 2; Meredith Shamburger accepting for the Kilgore News Herald in Division 3; Abigail Allen, Pilot Point Post Signal in Division 4; and Wyndi Veigel, The Dublin Citizen in Division 5. The awards presentation capped the 96th NETPA convention in Nacogdoches.

NACOGDOCHES – More than $5,500 was raised for scholarships at the North and East Texas Press Association convention in Nacogdoches.

NEPTA members ponied up $3,587 during the annual auction, thanks to the efforts of auctioneers Brad Blakemore and Jim Bardwell. In addition, 20 NETPA attendees pledged $100 each to raise an additional $2,000 for the “Robert Burns Bag of Air.” The combined donation was made in honor of Robert Burns, former Sprint rep and longtime corporate supporter of TPA.

The annual auction was just one highlight of the 96th NETPA convention held at the historic Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches. Informative industry sessions, networking opportunities, NETPA honors and contest awards were all on the agenda.

NETPA honored Dan Moore with the Sam Holloway Award. The award recognizes a member and journalist who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in support of the association while also upholding high standards of journalistic integrity and service to the community.

Due to health concerns, Moore was unable to attend the convention; however, Blakemore and NETPA Secretary-Treasurer Wyndi Veigel presented him the award via Zoom during the awards dinner.

Moore retired from the Henderson News in December 2022 after a career that spanned more than 25 years. Publisher in Henderson since 2017, Moore started his career in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but spent most of his career in Texas, and more specifically East Texas. His experience includes advertising sales, management and publishing groups of newspapers.

Prior to Henderson, Moore was editor and publisher of the Alvin Sun and Advertiser. His career includes serving as group sales manager for Bluebonnet Publishing’s six newspapers. He and his wife Ann previously owned and operated the Grand Saline Sun. He also served as sales manager for the Palestine Herald Press and was publisher of the Lindale News & Times for six years.

The Moores have been active in the communities his newspapers served, in civic clubs such as Rotary and through chamber and economic development groups.

In addition to serving as a director of the Texas Press Association, he has served on the boards of the Gulf Coast Press Association and the North and East Texas Press Association. He is a past president of NETPA and served many years as finance chairman.

“He and Ann are awesome people who have given selflessly everywhere they have worked,” Blakemore said.

Via Zoom, Moore thanked NETPA, noting lifelong friends have been made through his and Ann’s participation in the group.

Texas Center for Community Journalism Director Austin Lewter was presented with the NETPA 2023 Tom Mooney Memorial Friend of the Newspaper Award. The award signifies support of the association at the highest level. It is reserved for persons who faithfully uphold the efforts, goals and ideals of the association.

Lewter was appointed director of the center at Tarleton State University in 2021, and continues to serve as co-publisher of the Jefferson Jimplecute. He is a journalism instructor at Tarleton and serves as the faculty coordinator for the Texan News Service.

His journalism career included leadership posts at numerous community newspapers in North and East Texas. He is a graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Arts and completed a master’s degree at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

Earlier, Lewter presented a session for the convention, discussing “Tech tools and TikTok for Community Newspapers.” Other sessions included “Growing digital customer base and exploring opportunities with eEditions” with Blakemore, who works with The Dallas Morning News, and Thad Swiderski of eType Services; “History of Newspapers” by Scott Sosebee, professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University; a discussion on editorial standards with Yvonne Mintz, publisher of The Facts, Clute, and vice president of content and ethics for Southern Newspapers, Inc.; and Josh Bardwell, who gave his unique perspective of an insider’s look from the outside, giving ideas for community newspapers to glean features and important stories from their local fire departments and emergency services. The son of Jim Bardwell and the late Suzanne Bardwell, Josh holds a forestry degree from SFASU and is a firefighter/EMT with the Smith County ESD 2, fire chief at West Mountain VFD and helibase manager for the Southern Area Type 2 Incident Management Team.

Awards were presented in the annual NETPA Better Newspaper Contest. Sweepstakes winners were the Longview News-Journal in Division 1; the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel in Division 2, the Kilgore News Herald in Division 3; Pilot Point Post Signal in Division 4; and the Dublin Citizen in division 5. Complete contest awards are available online at www.netpa.org.

New officers for 2022-23 include Jake Mienk, outgoing president, as chairman of the board;  President Lange Svehlak, Athens Daily Review; First Vice President Kim Ware, Azle News; Second Vice President Paul Gaudette, Dublin Citizen; Secretary-Treasurer Wyndi Veigel, Dublin Citizen; Finance Chairman Brad Blakemore, The Dallas Morning News; Scholarship/Golf Chairman Jim Bardwell, Gladewater Mirror; and Bingo Chairman Rick Craig, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel. Directors are Richard Nelson, Mexia News; Abigail Allen, Pilot Point Post Signal; Meredith Shamburger, Marshall News Messenger; and Jeff Pownall, Lufkin Daily News.

Plans for the 2024 convention will be announced later.