No. 1Volume 78 July 2014

INSIDEPresident’s letter

New president wants fi ve for TPA

Page 2

Ideas, presenters

sought for 2015

Winter Convention

Committee is seeking topics

and presenters for sessions for

Friday’s drive-in training

Page 3

Tracks

Who’s coming and going in the

industry

Page 5

2014-2015 Directors

Guide

Pages 6-7

Obituaries

Aileen Burnett Lane, Joseph

William Pope, Lois Dillow Hicks,

Cora Lee Durham Tankersley,

Jack T. Harris Sr., Edith Alma

Davis Aytes, Melba Horner

Walton

Page 8CMYK

C

M

Y

K

Jason P. Taylor, president and publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, is the new president of the Tennessee Press Association (TPA). TPA is a trade association composed of 26 daily newspapers and 95 non-daily newspapers.

Taylor succeeds Lynn J. Richard-son, publisher of the Elizabethton Star.

Other offi cers elected at TPA’s Business Session during the Summer Convention, June 5-7, in Gatlinburg are Joel Washburn, managing editor of The McKenzie Banner, vice president for non-daily newspapers; Jack McElroy, editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel, vice president for daily newspapers, and John Finney, vice president of the Buffalo River Review, Linden, treasurer. 

Directors elected for two-year terms are: Carl Esposito, publisher of The Daily Times, Maryville, District 2; Scott Winfree, publisher of the Carthage Courier, District 4; Jesse Lindsey, vice president and publisher of The Lebanon Pub-lishing Company, District 6; Brad Franklin, vice president of pub-lishing, The Lexington Progress, District 8; and Eric Barnes, publish-er of The Daily News, Memphis, District 10.

Continuing their term on the TPA board are: Keith Wilson, publisher of The Kingsport Times-News, District 1; Chris Vass, metro editor of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, District 3; Hugh Jones, publisher of the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, District 5; Mark Palmer, publisher of The Daily Herald, Columbia, District 7; and Daniel Richardson, Regional Man-ager of Magic Valley Publishing, District 9.

Lynn Richardson will continue on the board for one year as imme-diate past president.

The TPA Board of Directors appointed trustees to serve on the Tennessee Press Association Foun-dation (TPAF) Board of Trustees for three-year terms. Re-appoint-ed trustees are: Jim Charlet of Brentwood; John Finney; Jeffrey D. Fishman, publisher of The Tulla-homa News; R. Michael Fishman, publisher of the Citizen Tribune,

Morristown; Hershel Lake, Pulaski

Publishing; Victor Parkins, editor

of The Milan Mirror-Exchange; and

Michael Williams, publisher of The

Paris Post-Intelligencer.

Two new trustees were appoint-

ed. They are Elenora E. Edwards

of Clinton and Dennis Richardson,

owner of Magic Valley Publishing,

Camden.

TPAF offi cers elected at the TPAF

Board of Trustees meeting are

Gregg K. Jones, president of Jones

Media Inc., Greeneville, re-elected

president, and Parkins, re-elected

vice president.

Offi cers and directors of Tennes-

see Press Service (TPS), business

affi liate of TPA, are Parkins, pres-

ident, and Taylor, vice president.

Parkins and Jeffrey D. Fishman

were re-elected to the board during

the TPS Stockholders’ Meeting on

June 7. Continuing to serve on the

six-member TPS Board are Ralph

C. Baldwin, chief operating offi cer of Jones Media Inc., Greeneville; David Critchlow Jr., editor of the Union City Daily Messenger; and Jana Thomasson, publisher of The Mountain Press, Sevierville. TPS will elect offi cers in November.

About Jason Taylor

Taylor began his professional career in newspapers at The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he served in various roles including advertis-ing sales manager and director of marketing and advertising.  

In 2003, Morris Multimedia sold its Tennessee properties, including the Daily News Journal, to Gannett Co. At that time, Taylor was named general manager of the Times in Gainesville, Georgia, which Morris Multimedia acquired in the trans-action with Gannett.

Six months later, Gannett recruit-

ed Taylor to the Honolulu Advertis-er in Honolulu, Hawaii. During his time in Honolulu, he held various positions including advertising director and senior vice president of sales and marketing for the state’s largest newspaper before making the move to Chattanooga in 2007.

During his tenure at the Chatta-nooga Times Free Press, the paper has been recognized as a top-ranked newspaper both regionally and nationally in news, advertis-ing, marketing, circulation and online performance.

In 2014 alone, the newspaper topped Editor and Publisher maga-zine’s Top 10 Papers Doing It Right, as well as receiving recognition as a 2014 Pulitzer fi nalist. At the end of 2013, the paper hosted both the International Society of Environmental Journalists and the industry’s fi rst-ever Event Revenue Summit in Chattanooga, playing host to some of the largest newspa-pers in the world.

Taylor has received numerous industry accolades including the 2006 Executive of the Year among the Gannett Co.’s then 96 daily newspapers, Gannett Chairman’s Award, multiple American Adver-tising Federation Addy Awards and Newspaper Association of America’s Athena Awards, Morris

Jason Taylor, Chattanooga publisher, is new president of Tennessee Press Association

Photo by Joel Washburn • The McKenzie Banner

New TPA President Jason Taylor, president/publisher of Chattanooga

Times Free Press, right, accepts the gavel from Immediate Past Presi-

dent Lynn Richardson, publisher of Elizabethton Star, at the 2014 TPA

Summer Convention in Gatlinburg June 5.

See TAYLOR, Page 2

Photo by Amelia Morrison Hipps

New TPA President Jason Taylor

gives his inaugural address to TPA

members at the summer conven-

tion.

The Tennessee Press is printed on recycled paper

and is recyclable.

The Tennessee Press can be read on

www.tnpress.comOFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION

(USPS 616-460)Published monthly by the

TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE, INC.for the

TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION, INC.435 Montbrook Lane

Knoxville, Tennessee 37919Telephone (865) 584-5761/Fax (865) 558-8687/www.tnpress.com

Subscriptions: $6 annuallyPeriodicals Postage Paid At Knoxville, TN

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tennessee Press, 435 Montbrook Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919.

The Tennessee Press is printed by The Standard Bannerin Jeff erson City, Tenn.

Greg M. Sherrill ................................................................................................................................. EditorAmelia Morrison Hipps ...................................................................................... Managing EditorRobyn Gentile .......................................................................................... Production CoordinatorAngelique Dunn ....................................................................................................................... Assistant

Page 2 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014

TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION

Jason P. Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press .....................................................................PresidentJoel Washburn, Th e McKenzie Banner ........................................................................Vice PresidentJack McElroy, Knoxville News Sentinel ........................................................................Vice PresidentJohn Finney, Buff alo River Review, Linden ...........................................................................TreasurerGreg M. Sherrill, Knoxville ...................................................................................... Executive Director

DIRECTORS

Keith Wilson, Kingsport Times-News ...................................................................................District 1Carl Esposito, Th e Daily Times, Maryville ............................................................................District 2Chris Vass, Chattanooga Times Free Press ...........................................................................District 3Scott Winfree, Carthage Courier .............................................................................................District 4Hugh Jones, Shelbyville Times-Gazette . ................................................................................District 5Jesse Lindsey, Th e Lebanon Democrat ...................................................................................District 6Mark Palmer, Th e Daily Herald, Columbia ..........................................................................District 7Brad Franklin, Th e Lexington Progress .................................................................................District 8Daniel Richardson, Magic Valley Publishing, Camden ...................................................District 9Eric Barnes, Th e Daily News, Memphis ...............................................................................District 10Lynn Richardson, Elizabethton Star .......................................................Immediate Past President

TENNESSEE PRESS SERVICE

Victor Parkins, Th e Milan Mirror-Exchange ......................................................................President Jason P. Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press ..........................................................Vice PresidentRalph C. Baldwin, Jones Media Inc., Greeneville ................................................................ DirectorDavid Critchlow Jr., Union City Daily Messenger ............................................................... DirectorJeff rey D. Fishman, Tullahoma News ....................................................................................... DirectorJana Th omasson, Th e Mountain Press, Sevierville ............................................................. DirectorGreg M. Sherrill ............................................................................................... Executive Vice President

TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION

Gregg K. Jones, Th e Greeneville Sun .......................................................................................PresidentVictor Parkins, Th e Milan Mirror-Exchange ............................................................Vice PresidentRichard L. Hollow, Knoxville ......................................................................................General CounselGreg M. Sherrill ......................................................................................................... Secretary-Treasurer

CONTACT THE MANAGING EDITOR

TPAers with suggestions, questions or comments about items in The Tennessee Press are welcome to contact the managing editor. Call Amelia Morrison Hipps, (615) 442-8667; send a note to 1260 Trousdale Ferry Pike, Lebanon, TN 37087, or email editor@tnpress.com. The deadline for the August issue is Monday, July 7.

The future of the Tennessee Press Association can be as bright as our history, but it’s going to require all of us to roll up our sleeves, grab the bull by the horns and make it happen.

All I ask is that each of you give TPA FIVE to make it a reality.  

1. As an association, we must FLEX OUR MUSCLES. We have a powerful story to tell and we must tell it boldly. We are over 120 member newspapers strong and have a rich legacy in the state of Tennessee.

Collectively, over fi ve million people each week read our member newspapers. Our websites dominate in local readership, interaction and content. Television and radio pale in comparison throughout the state of Tennessee.

2. Another key to our future is continuing to build on our recent successes in PROGRAM DEVELOP-MENT. Our Winter Institute and Convention chartered new paths, which added excitement and momentum. The program engaged conference attendees and guests like never before. Our attendees left renewed and en-couraged about the future.

We need to ensure that our programming going for-ward continues down this path. We need to expose our newspapers to training that prepares them better for the future and offers advice on strategy, technology and content development in this modern media world.

I am confi dent that our Vice President of Non-Dai-lies Joel Washburn and his committee will make this happen.

3. Next, and maybe even foremost, we must EVALU-ATE OUR SUSTAINABILITY. I am pleased to announce the creation of a new committee that is the fi rst of its kind for our association. In fact, it is the fi rst inter-orga-nizational committee of TPA, Tennessee Press Service and the Tennessee Press Association Foundation.

This committee will include leadership from each of the three “legs of the stool” and will immediately begin looking at the long-term sustainability of each of the organizations as well as their interdependence, shared resources, structures, etc.

Just as our membership papers have spent years changing and evolving, it’s time we look at how we can best serve our members going forward in the most effi cient way possible.

Before, each of the three organizations’ boards would discuss things that affected the others respec-

tively or needed to change, but

momentum slowed through built-in

delays and unnecessary redundancy

to make needed changes happen..

Hopefully, this new committee can

speed the communication, direction

and needed evolution to ensure long-

term sustainability of our representa-

tive organizations.

4. It is vital that all of us RE-ENGAGE INACTIVE MEMBERS. From metro newspapers owned by major

corporations to the most rural weeklies in our border

counties, our organization is strongest when we all are

inviolable. Simply paying dues is not enough.

We must reach out to our inactive members inviting

them to the table to meet, to help guide policy, to share

resources. But with that, we must invite change and

accept new ideas.

There are major issues impacting all of our news-

papers each and every day. A collective voice is a

powerful one, but it’s even louder when everyone is

represented.

So, do your part. Invite and engage. Our association

will be stronger if you do.

5. And fi nally, we must RE-EMPHASIZE the impor-

tance of RELATIONSHIPS. I am often asked, “How has

Chattanooga weathered the advertising revenue storm

better than most any other newspaper?” My response is

always, “Creativity and relationships.”

Relationships are as important in selling advertising

and subscriptions as they are to the Tennessee Press

Association. There are many great leaders both historic

and current within our Association. Relationships with

these leaders can help us all.

These friendships have helped us tear down walls,

challenge what’s wrong, redefi ne public policy, grow

our business and cope with diffi cult times. We must

remind ourselves to invest in these relationships, and

Tennessee Press Association is a great conduit to make

this happen.

Serve on a committee, attend a meeting, or just pick

up the phone. You will see the benefi t for both you and

your newspaper.

So, hands up in the air. Five fi ngers. Five things we

can all do. Let’s make it happen for a stronger Tennes-

see Press Association.

Jason Taylor is publisher/president of the Chattanooga

Times Free Press.

New president wants five for TPAYOUR

PRESIDING

REPORTER

JASON P. TAYLOR

Multimedia’s Inaugural Leadership

Award, and the 2010 American

Advertising Federation Silver Medal

Award for lifetime achievement (to

which he still claims he was not old

enough to receive.)

Taylor’s unique, high-energy

approach to newspaper manage-

ment has generated many new

ideas that have been adopted

across the country. He is one of the

industry’s top-rated speakers. He

has addressed over 80 industry

conferences including 38 state, 24

regional, eight national and two

international events. He has served

as an instructor at the American

Press Institute in Washington, D.C.

multiple years as well. Many of

his concepts and ideas have been

implemented across the country and

internationally at newspapers of all

sizes. 

Taylor has created, launched and

managed countless products in the

various markets he has worked, in-

cluding dozens of events, banquets,

expos, magazines, tourist publi-

cations, alternative publications,

websites and auxiliary companies. 

Taylor has also consulted with

12 other media companies and has

served as a mentor to many publish-

ers and advertising directors.

Taylor has served on numerous

civic leadership roles in the greater

Chattanooga community including

being the current Campaign Chair

for the United Way of Greater Chat-

tanooga, Mentor for the Principals

Leadership Academy, and PTA

President of Thrasher Elementary

School. He has served on many

community boards including the

Children’s Discovery Museum,

River Rocks festival, Chamber of

Commerce Public Relations and the

Howard School Advisory Board. 

Taylor is also active in numer-

ous newspaper organizations and

currently serves as the NexGen

program founder and chair for the

Southern Newspaper Publishers As-

sociation. This program is designed

to foster future industry leaders

throughout the organizations’

membership.

Taylor is active in his church and

enjoys trail running, rock-climbing

and adventure obstacle races in his

spare time. 

He and his wife Honey are resi-

dents of Signal Mountain and have

three young children, Hope, Haley

and Jackson.

TAYLOR, from Page 1

July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 3

JULY

11: UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards Luncheon, Nashville30-Aug. 3: National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair, Boston

AUGUST

5-8: Newspaper Association Managers Annual Conference, Nashville6-9: Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Convention, Montreal, Canada

SEPTEMBER

4-6: National SPJ Excellence in Journalism Conference, Nashville4-6: The National Federation

of Press Women annualconvention.

13-16: Asian AmericanJournalism Association 25th Annual Convention at the Renaissance Washington, D.C., Downtown Hotel.

14-16: SNPA’s Carmage Walls Leadership Forum, Galveston, Texas15-17: American Society of

Newspaper Editors AnnualConference at Chicago

18: 2nd Annual Kentucky/ Tennessee Border War Golf Tournament “The Battle at Crooked Creek,” Crooked Creek Country Club in London, Kentucky

OCTOBER

6-8: SNPA 2014 News Industry Summit, Charlottesville, Va.16-18: 18th Institute of Newspaper Technology, UT campus, Knoxville29-Nov. 1: College Media Advisors National Fall College Media Convention at the Philadelphia Marriott, Philadelphia, PA

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Publisher needed

The Bolivar Bulletin-Times,

(www.bulletintimesnews.com)

based in Bolivar, Tennessee, is

seeking a publisher for both the Bul-

letin-Times and The Hardeman

County Shopper. Bolivar is located

approximately 70 miles east of

Memphis. The Bulletin-Times has

a staff of four full-time and 11 part-

time employees.

The ideal candidate will have

newspaper management experience

along with a vision for how to adapt

to the changing media environment

effectively and the energy and initia-

tive to make that happen.

The successful candidate must be

an aggressive marketer, committed

to driving revenue and improving

existing products while developing

new ones, and will be expected to

be active in the life and leadership

of the community. The candidate

also needs to be skilled at recruit-

ing – particularly sales and editorial

professionals.

The publisher will be expected

to plan, organize, coordinate and

direct all operating activities at the

newspaper. He or she will be re-

sponsible for achieving the newspa-

per’s fi nancial goals and objectives

and will also need to handle key

accounts in the region that the Bul-

letin-Times serves.

At least 50 percent of the posi-

tion’s responsibilities include sales

and sales-related activities. 

This position offers a competitive

salary and benefi ts package includ-

ing monthly car allowance, health

benefi ts plan and 401k.

If you fi t the description above

and you are looking for an opportu-

nity to further your career, we want

to hear from you. Please email a

cover letter, resume and references

to rcohen@delphosherald.com. The

Bolivar Bulletin-Times is an Equal

Opportunity Employer.

Reporter needed

The Bristol Herald Courier, a

Pulitzer Prize-winning daily in the

mountains of Southwest Virginia, is

seeking an energetic and hard-

working reporter to cover govern-

ment, education, politics, business,

features and life in Sullivan County,

Tenn., along with some general

assignment.

We are looking for an aggressive,

passionate journalist who asks

the tough questions and produces

well-written, compelling stories. He

or she must be willing to work on

deadline and accuracy is a must.

In addition to writing for the

paper, the reporter must tell stories

throughout the day on several plat-

forms, including the newspaper’s

website and social media. Daily

stories will be written, along with

more in-depth pieces.

The position is full-time Mon-

day through Friday, although some

weekend work is required.

Required Skills:

Ability to recognize a good story,

AP style, skilled writer, ability to

work on deadline, social media

knowledge, communication skills

and teamwork. One to two years of

experience preferred, will consider

intern experience

Level of Education: 4-year degree

 Contact: Susan Cameron

at scameron@bristolnews.com

or (276) 645-2514.

MARKETPLACE

From Staff Reports

Planning is underway for the 2015 Winter Convention and the committee is seeking topics and presenters for sessions for Friday's drive-in training.

A recent survey of publishers indicated a need for new and differ-ent training classes in addition to some of the standard courses.

Joel Washburn, TPA Vice Presi-dent for Non-Dailies and Managing Editor of The McKenzie Banner, is chairman of the event.

The 2015 Winter Convention is scheduled for Wednesday-Friday, Feb. 4-6, 2015 at the DoubleTree

Nashville Downtown Hotel in Nashville.

To send ideas, or to volunteer to be a presenter or to become a committee member, please contact Washburn at 731-352-3323 or e-mail washburn@mckenziebanner.com

Additionally, the Winter Conven-tion is seeking a "celebrity" to join TPA members during the Opening Reception Wednesday evening.

Last year, Charles Esten, who plays Deacon Claybourne on the TV series "Nashville," joined the gathering. Anyone with sugges-tions of a celebrity, please pass those along to the committee.

Ideas, presenters sought for 2015Winter Convention

Richardsons purchase

Lake County BannerThe Lake County Banner, one of the Reelfoot Lake area’s oldest

continually operated businesses, has a new owner.

Dennis and Lisa Richardson, owners of Magic Valley Publish-

ing Co., Inc. purchased the 91-year-old newspaper from Evan

Jones.

The Banner, published in Tiptonville, joins a larger family of

community weekly newspapers which comprise Magic Valley

Publishing Co. Inc (MVP), a Tennessee corporation which also

includes weekly newspapers in Camden, Huntingdon and Alamo,

and four weekly community newspapers just a few miles north

in Kentucky:

The Fulton Leader, Hickman Courier, Hickman County

Gazette (Clinton) and Carlisle Weekly in Bardwell, as well as

the Fulton Shopper and The Marketplace, a free publication in

Carroll and Benton counties in Tennessee.

“The Lake County Banner has a rich tradition of publishing

quality news,” Richardson said. “We want to continue. The Ban-

ner’s proximity to Reelfoot Lake is a plus.”

Richardson and his wife Lisa purchased their fi rst newspaper

in 1983.

They have three sons and a daughter. Two of the sons are in

the newspaper business and the youngest son, Daniel, is director

for District 9 of the Tennessee Press Association.

The Banner was established in 1923 and was purchased by

brothers Richard and Howard Jones in 1949 from Jack Haufhaus.

It remained in the Jones family until the purchase by MVP.

Evan Jones went to work full-time at the paper in 1975 as a

See BANNER, Page 11

After 20 years at The Jackson

Sun, I’ve decided to hang up my

pencils and pursue other interests

and opportunities

– conservatives,

please hold your

applause.

It has been a

privilege to do

what I do, some

of which I’ll share

later.

During those

years, I’ve written

more than 6,000 Jackson Sun edito-

rials, personal columns and feature

stories. I’ve edited more than 12,000

letters to the editor, and read many

more that never made it into print.

I’ve been to about 1,000 Sun edi-

torial board meetings, many with

special guests including governors,

congressmen, business and com-

munity leaders, and people who

had special stories and experiences

to share with us.

During my years in the editorial

department, I have interviewed

hundreds of political candidates,

and written hundreds of Jackson

Sun candidate endorsements, rang-

ing from local offi ces to the presi-

dent. For 15 years, I have co-hosted

nearly every local election-night TV

coverage with my friends at the old

TRTV station and its successor JEA

E-Plus TV6.

One year, with the help of Union

University broadcast professor and

good friend, Steve Beverly and his

broadcast students, we did the fi rst

Internet video broadcast of election

night coverage. I’ve spent time on

local talk radio with my friends

Bill Way, Keith Sherley and Dan

Reaves. The Sun even did a daily

radio news show on WTJS. I also

had the opportunity to do a series

of TV-interview shows on WLJT

public TV.

During these years, with the help

of my Sun colleagues, I’ve conduct-

ed dozens of community forums

and political debates, including the fi rst statewide TV broadcast of a Tennessee U.S. Senate candidate debate. It was broadcast live via satellite from Lambuth University by WLJT, between Lamar Alexan-der and Bob Clement, and hosted by The Jackson Sun.

I look back on all this only to share the richness of the experi-ence. I truly have been fortunate. I have enjoyed nearly every minute of the experience, even the Monday morning phone calls and emails responding to my Sunday columns that began: “You idiot!” Tough love, indeed.

I think it’s fair to ask: What have I learned in 20 years and all those amazing opportunities and experiences?

The answer: Leadership matters. And by leadership, I mean the abili-ty to get things done.

There is a huge difference between a good politician, or indi-vidual in the community, who can schmooze, kiss babies and come across as a hale fellow (or gal) well met, and one who can actually get things done.

Good leaders aren’t always likable, or even friendly, but they accomplish things and get results.

They have the courage to take risks,

which sometimes don’t turn out as

intended. But these are the folks

who make the hard choices, put

themselves out there, and bear re-

sponsibility for the outcomes. Some

leaders are Republicans, others

Democrats, still others are indepen-

dent or even apolitical. Almost all

are smart. Smart matters.

Think about our state and our

local communities. Who has gotten

big and important things done?

Here are a few from the past who

Page 4 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014

What’s going on in your neck of

the woods this summer?

More importantly, how are people

outside of your neck of the woods

fi nding out about it?

Tennessee has a lot going on from

the Blueberry Festival in Unicoi to

the Citywide Yard Sale in Celina to

the Fiddlers’ Jamboree in Holladay.

These are just a few types of

advertisers that have utilized Ten-

nessee’s Advertising Networks to

promote their events.

How did these events fi nd out

about Tennessee’s Advertising

Networks? Their local participating

newspaper sales rep!

The rep told the event planners

about a cost effi cient and effective

way to promote their event through

a classifi ed line ad or small display

ad in Tennessee’s Advertising

Networks.

The event planners found out

how easy it is to get their ad in

newspapers across the state or in

a region of Tennessee through just

one point of contact.

The reps were able to help the

event planners save time and mon-

ey, so they could focus on what they

do best – planning the event.

The reps recognized an opportu-

nity to up-sell the Network ads and

gain a new source of revenue for

their respective newspapers.

So, what’s going on in your

county this summer? Is it a festival,

yard sale, jamboree, BBQ, etc. that

wants to bring in crowds outside

your area?

As the trusted local newspaper

sales rep, you have a resource at

your fi ngertips to offer your local

event planner.

Their classifi ed line ad or small

display ad can appear in your news-

paper, plus newspapers across the

state or region, all through you.

Contact TPS for lists of partic-

ipating newspapers, rate sheets,

anything you need to up-sell the

TnSCAN, TnDAN and TnNET ads.

TPS is here to help you!

If you would like a refresher on

selling the ads, contact TPS today,

865-584-5761 x 117.

Happy selling!

Community events: A great source of potential advertising

“The event planners found out how easy it is to get their ad in

newspapers across the state or in a region of Tennessee through

just one point of contact.

NETWORKS

ADVERTISING

MANAGER

BETH ELLIOTT

Tom Bohs takes a look back at 20 years of rewarding experiences

Bohs

See BOHS, Page 5

“Navigating politics and public service is a

minefi eld. It takes courage, smarts,

political savvy and persistence to succeed.

Thursday, September 18, 2014Crooked Creek Golf Community

London, Kentucky

Don’t missthe second round!

A benefi t to raise funds for Kentucky Journalism Foundation

Tennessee Press Association Foundation

July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 5

TRACKS

Hollahan named editor of Memphis Business Journal

Terry Hollahan has been named

editor of Memphis Business Journal,

effective immediately.

Hollahan,

53, replaces long-

time editor Bill

Wellborn, who

retired in March.

A University of

Memphis grad-

uate, Hollahan

joined MBJ as a

reporter in 1999.

He was promoted

to sections editor in 2000, and was

named managing editor in 2003.

Since he moved into that position,

MBJ has won two awards from

the Tennessee Press Association

for General Excellence, an hon-

or MBJ had achieved only once in

the previous 28 years. He and oth-

er MBJ editors hold numerous fi rst-

place awards for editorial writing.

He has worked in the newspaper

business for 25 years.

“We’ve got a great team here and

we are committed to being the go-to

source for Memphis business news,”

Hollahan said. “We want more peo-

ple to tap into our expertise, both

digitally and in print, because you

can gain insight and learn strategies

on how to run your own business

by following our news organiza-

tion.”

Joanna Crangle, who was recent-

ly named the MBJ’s publisher, said

Hollahan will continue to lead the

newsroom in its conversion to a

digital-fi rst operation.

“Terry brings an incredible

amount of passion to the table for

upholding the editorial standards of

our publication and an enthusiasm

for creating a necessary culture of

excellence in journalism, all with

an invaluable understanding of the

nature of our business and the di-rection of our industry as a whole,” Crangle said.

“I hope Terry will have unwav-ering support from the Memphis community in this next step of our transformation, and I look forward to seeing many great things happen here in Memphis under his leader-ship.”

An avid golfer, Hollahan also enjoys following the stock market and is a big Memphis Grizzlies and University of Memphis Tigers bas-ketball fan.

He and his wife, Cathy, have two sons.

Memphis Business JournalMay 12, 2014

Two hired by Tri-County Publishing

The Dresden Enterprise and The McKenzie Banner recently hired two new staff members.

Gleason, Tennessee, native Ryan Richardson and his fi ancée, Meghann Anderson of Owensboro, Kentucky, graduated with degrees in journalism from Murray State

University on May 10 and began work on Monday, May 12.

Richardson, son of Ricky and Janie Richardson of Gleason, is a 2010 graduate of Gleason High School.

He worked as a stringer for the Dresden Enterprise while in high school and interned at The McKen-zie Banner during summers while in college.

While attending college, Richard-son worked for The Murray State News, the school’s weekly newspa-per.

After starting as photographer in the fall of 2011, he hired as the Online Editor during his junior year before taking on the role of Sports Editor his senior year.

Anderson is the daughter of Steve and Julee Anderson of Owensboro, Kentucky, where she graduated from Apollo High School.

In the summers during college, she interned at the daily Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer and the weekly McLean County News, a communi-ty newspaper.

She also worked at the school newspaper, starting in the fall of

2011 as a news writer. She was

hired as the Assistant News Editor

her junior year, but later took the

job as News Editor, a position she

kept until graduation.

Richardson’s primary responsi-

bilities at the Dresden Enterprise

include news-gathering and graphic

design. Anderson will work in

Dresden and McKenzie, primarily

in graphic design, sales and mar-

keting.

With the addition of staff mem-

bers, Tri-County Publishing is

expanding its services and product

offerings to its current departments

– newspapers, printing and adver-

tising specialties.

Dresden Enterprise

May 14, 2014

Scott County Newswelcomes new sports editor to staff

Scott County News is pleased

to announce the addition of Tim

Branstetter to the staff as Sports

Editor.

He will be

solely responsible

for reporting on

local sports.

Before coming

to the News, he

was a sports writ-

er in Kentucky

for 15 years. He

started his career at The Times-Tri-

bune, a daily newspaper in Corbin,

Kentucky.

“After a couple of years, I took a

job at the University of the Cumber-

lands as their campus photographer

and graphic designer,” he wrote in

his introduction column.

Five years later, he started his

own full-color, sports magazine, but

it didn’t take long for the local paper

(The Sentinel-Echo) to offer him a

job, where he worked for a couple

of years before returning to The

Times-Tribune.

He worked as the sports editor at

The Mountain Advocate in Barbo-

urville, Kentucky for almost a year,

but before moving there he lived in

Scott County for a little less than a

year.

“My son, Dawson, played basket-

ball at Fairview two seasons ago.

He loved it here and begged me to

come back when the job became

available, so here we are,” Branstet-

ter wrote.

“I have two sisters and they both

live in Scott County, so when the

Scott County News came calling, I

knew it would be a good fi t for me.

It gives me and my son a chance to

be around our family and become

a part of an exciting sports commu-

nity.”

Scott County News

Oneida, Tennessee

June 5, 2014

Photo by Joel Washburn • The McKenzie Banner

Meghann Anderson, at left, and Ryan Richardson will make their home

in Gleason.

Hollahan

Branstetter

Who: TPA MembersWhat: 2014 UT-TPA State Press ContestsWhen: Friday, July 11, noonWhere: Embassy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel Why: Because you’re winners!

* Winners were notifi ed of an award, but not placement, by letter from

TPA on May 14.

WhatAwardWillYouBring Home?

come to mind, and whom I have

interviewed and written about: Ned

McWherter, Phil Bredesen, Charles

Farmer, Jim Moss, David Dockery,

Bill Frist, John Tanner, Wesley

McClure, Shirlene Mercer, John

Williams of JEA, Matt Kisber and

Carl Kirkland. Not a dummy in the

bunch. Not all easy to live with or

perfect human beings, either. As my

late friend and UT Martin history

prof, Robert Bolton, used to say:

Many of history’s great men had

feet of clay.

Look at our current state and

local elected offi cials and high-pro-

fi le individuals in our communi-

ties. Who can get important stuff

done? Navigating politics and

public service is a minefi eld. It takes

courage, smarts, political savvy and

persistence to succeed.

The most gratifying experiences

I have had certainly center around

The Jackson Sun’s Jefferson Awards

for Public Service program I was

involved in for a number of years.

We uncovered and celebrated

some of the most remarkable,

selfl ess, generous and caring

human beings I am likely to ever

know. Most never would have been

known to the general public. But all

were great leaders because they got

things done for others that made a

difference.

I offer sincere thanks to my Sun

colleagues, patient readers, and

good friends who have stuck with

me these 20 years. I don’t have a

plan for what comes next. But I’ll

surely have some time to fi nish

reading Al Gore’s recent book, “The

Future.”

So, to quote the legendary jour-

nalist Edward R. Murrow’s classic

broadcast sign off: Good night, and

good luck.

Oh, one more thing: Where do I

sign up for Obamacare?

Tom Bohs retired as The Jackson

Sun’s editorial page editor after 20

years.

The Jackson Sun

June 5, 2014

BOHS, from Page 4

Coming in the

August edition of

The Tennessee Press –

The 2014 Summer

Convention

Special Section!

IMMEDIATE PAST

PRESIDENT

Lynn J. Richardson

Elizabethton Star

PRESIDENT

Jason P. Taylor

Chattanooga Times Free Press

VICE PRESIDENT

NON-DAILIES

Joel Washburn

The McKenzie Banner

TREASURER

John Finney

Buff alo River Review, Linden

The Daily Post-Athenian, AthensPolk County News, BentonChattanooga Times Free PressHamilton County Herald, ChattanoogaCleveland Daily BannerThe Herald-News, DaytonThe Dunlap TribuneJasper JournalThe Bledsonian-Banner, PikevilleSouth Pittsburg HustlerThe Advocate & Democrat, Sweetwater

District 3

Chris Vass

Chattanooga Times

Free Press

Since November 2008

Bulletin Times, BolivarThe Camden ChronicleChester County Independent, HendersonCarroll County News-Leader, HuntingdonThe Jackson SunThe Lexington ProgressThe McKenzie BannerThe News Leader, ParsonsThe Courier, SavannahIndependent Appeal, Selmer

District 8

Brad Franklin

The Lexington Progress

Since June 2006

Pickett County Press, ByrdstownCarthage CourierCitizen-Statesman, CelinaDale Hollow Horizon, CelinaHerald-Citizen, CookevilleCrossville ChronicleJackson County Sentinel, GainesboroThe Hartsville VidetteFentress Courier, JamestownMacon County Chronicle, LafayetteMacon County Times, LafayetteLaFollette PressLivingston EnterpriseOverton County News, LivingstonIndependent Herald, OneidaScott County News, OneidaThe Sparta ExpositorMorgan County News, Wartburg

District 4

Scott Winfree

Carthage Courier

Since June 2014

2014-15

TPA offi cers, directors, members

Elk Valley Times, FayettevilleThe Moore County News, LynchburgManchester TimesSouthern Standard, McMinnvilleThe Daily News Journal, MurfreesboroShelbyville Times-GazetteSmithville ReviewGrundy County Herald, Tracy CityThe Tullahoma NewsThe Herald-Chronicle, WinchesterCannon Courier, Woodbury

District 5

Hugh Jones

Shelbyville

Times-Gazette

Since June 2007

TPS offi cers, directors

TPAF offi cers, trustees

Crockett County Times, AlamoBartlett ExpressBrownsville States GraphicCollierville HeraldThe Leader, CovingtonGermantown NewsThe Commercial Appeal, MemphisThe Daily News, MemphisMemphis Business JournalThe Millington StarThe Lauderdale County Enterprise, RipleyThe Lauderdale Voice, RipleyThe Fayette Falcon, Somerville

District 10

Eric Barnes

The Daily News

Memphis

Since July 2008

PRESIDENT

Victor Parkins

The Milan Mirror-Exchange

DIRECTOR

Ralph C. Baldwin

Jones Media Inc.

Greeneville

PRESIDENT

Gregg K. Jones

The Greeneville Sun

GENERAL COUNSEL

Richard L. (Rick) Hollow

Knoxville

Joe Albrecht, Cookeville, trustee emeritus

Bob Atkins, Hendersonville

Eric Barnes, The Daily News, Memphis

Jim Charlet, Brentwood

Nate Crawford, Nashville

David Critchlow Jr., Union City Daily Messenger

Elenora E. Edwards, Clinton

John Finney, Buff alo River Review, Linden

Jeff rey Fishman, The Tullahoma News

R. Jack Fishman, Citizen Tribune, Morristown

R. Michael Fishman, Citizen Tribune, Morristown

Brad Franklin, The Lexington Progress

William R. (Ron) Fryar, Cannon Courier, Woodbury

Dale Gentry, The Standard Banner, Jeff erson City

Tom Hill, Oak Ridge, trustee emeritus

Doug Horne, Knoxville

John M. Jones Sr., Greeneville, trustee emeritus

John M. Jones Jr., The Greeneville Sun

Sam D. Kennedy, Kennedy Newspapers, Columbia, trustee emeritus

Hershel Lake, Pulaski Publishing

Steve Lake, Pulaski Citizen

Kelly Leiter, Knoxville, trustee emeritus

Vernon McKinney, Knoxville, trustee emeritus

Walter T. Pulliam, Knoxville, trustee emeritus

Janet Rail, Independent Appeal, Selmer

Dennis Richardson, Magic Valley Publishing, Camden

Lynn Richardson, Elizabethton Star

Pauline D. Sherrer, Crossville Chronicle

Larry K. Smith, LaFollette, trustee emeritus

Jason Taylor, Chattanooga Times Free Press

Joel Washburn, The McKenzie Banner

Bill Williams, Paris

Michael Williams, The Paris Post-Intelligencer

Keith Wilson, Kingsport Times-News

96

42

1

108 7 5

3

VICE PRESIDENT

Victor Parkins

The Milan Mirror-Exchange

VICE PRESIDENT

DAILIES

Jack McElroy

News Sentinel, Knoxville

Grainger Today, Bean StationBristol Herald CourierElizabethton StarThe Erwin RecordThe Greeneville SunThe Standard Banner, Jeff erson CityJohnson City PressHerald & Tribune, JonesboroughKingsport Times-NewsCitizen Tribune, MorristownThe Tomahawk, Mountain CityThe Newport Plain TalkRogersville Review

District 1

Keith Wilson

Kingsport Times-News

Elected June 2011

and served previously

Ashland City TimesThe Leaf-Chronicle, ClarksvilleThe Dickson HeraldThe Stewart-Houston Times, DoverThe Gallatin NewsGallatin News ExaminerThe Lebanon DemocratThe Wilson Post, LebanonMt. Juliet NewsThe Tennessean, NashvilleThe Portland LeaderRobertson County Times, Springfi eldThe News-Democrat, Waverly

District 6

Jesse Lindsey

The Lebanon Democrat

Since October 2013

District 2

Carl Esposito

The Daily Times

Maryville

Since June 2014

The Courier News, ClintonRoane County News, KingstonNews Sentinel, KnoxvilleNews-Herald, Lenoir CityThe Daily Times, MaryvilleThe Union News Leader, MaynardvilleThe Oak Ridger, Oak RidgeTennessee Star Journal, Pigeon ForgeThe Mountain Press, SeviervilleThe Claiborne Progress, Tazewell

TPA offi cers’ terms are one year; directors’ terms are two years.

Even-numbered districts serve until June 2016.

Odd-numbered districts serve until June 2015.

Dresden EnterpriseThe Tri-City Reporter, DyerState Gazette, DyersburgThe Fulton LeaderThe Humboldt ChronicleWeakley County Press, MartinThe Milan Mirror-ExchangeThe Paris Post-IntelligencerLake County Banner, TiptonvilleThe Gazette, TrentonUnion City Daily Messenger

District 9

Daniel Richardson

Magic Valley Publishing

Camden

Since June 2013

Your Community Shopper, ArdmoreHickman County Times, CentervilleThe Daily Herald, ColumbiaThe Fairview ObserverLewis County Herald, HohenwaldThe Democrat-Union, LawrenceburgMarshall County Tribune, LewisburgBuff alo River Review, LindenPulaski CitizenThe Wayne County News, Waynesboro

District 7

Mark Palmer

The Daily Herald

Columbia

Since June 2013

DIRECTOR

David Critchlow Jr.

Union City Daily Messenger

DIRECTOR

Jana Thomasson

The Mountain Press

Sevierville

TPAF offi cers’ terms are one year;

trustees’ terms are three years.TPS offi cers’ terms are one year;

directors’ terms are three years.

DIRECTOR

Jeff rey D. Fishman

The Tullahoma News

VICE PRESIDENT

Jason P. Taylor

Chattanooga Times Free Press

Page 6 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014 July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 7

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Page 8 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014

OBITUARIES

Aileen Burnett Lane

Aileen Burnett Lane, 88, of Tulla-

homa died Thursday, May 15, 2014,

at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital

in Murfreesboro.

Mrs. Lane was born in Hillsboro

to the late John Harvey and Marjo-

rie Conry Burnett. In her adult life,

she worked as a bookkeeper for the

Southern Standard newspaper and

WBMC radio.

She married the late Eugene

Lane, and they lived their life in

Hillsboro, but got to see much of the

country after their retirements. She

was an active member in several

clubs, including her Coffee County

High School graduation class of

1944, the Golden Girls and the Des-

sert and Giggles Group.

She was a member of Hillsboro

First United Methodist Church, but

usually attended Sunday morning

services at Morning Pointe, where

she had been a resident for several

years before her passing.

In addition to her parents and

husband, Mrs. Lane was preceded

in death by her son-in-law, Ricky

Peek, and her sister, Nell Vanatta.

Survivors include: two daugh-

ters, Dian Peek Rayfi eld and her

husband Terry of Tullahoma,

Tennessee, and Gayle Spencer and

her husband of Chattanooga, Ten-

nessee; two sons, Charles P. Sartin

of Murfreesboro and Philip Sartin

and his wife Phyllis of Bell Buckle,

Tennessee; 12 grandchildren, Katie

Peek Smith, Hunter Peek, Kevin

Herndon, Amy Coady, Ashley Sar-

tin, Misti Jackson-Derringer, Nathan

Sartin, Joshua Sartin, Caleb Sartin,

Hannah Sartin, Jill Rayfi eld and

Natalie Rayfi eld; six great-grand-

children, Lindsay Herndon, Justin

Herndon, Madelina Coady, Liza

Grace Jackson, Avery Grace Smith

and Hagan Derringer.

Funeral services were held

Sunday, May 18, at 1 p.m. at Kilgore

Funeral Home Chapel in Tullaho-

ma with the Rev. Paul Purdue and

the Rev. Mark Ashley offi ciating.

Entombment followed at Rose Hill

Memorial Gardens.

Southern Standard

McMinnville, Tennessee

May 18, 2014

Joseph William Pope

Joseph William Pope, 86, of King-

sport, Tennessee, died Saturday,

May 17, 2014, after a long illness.

Col. Pope was one of nine

children and was born in 1927 in

Sabraton, West Virginia, to Hun-

garian parents who immigrated

through Ellis Island. High school

class president, he left to join the

U.S. Merchant Marines and was

aboard the ship carrying troops for

the invasion of Japan.

Following World War II, he

attended Milligan College on a foot-

ball scholarship, East Tennessee State University and later the Uni-versity of Tennes-see Dental School at Memphis. He worked his way through college at the Elizabethton Star newspaper and later for the Commercial Appeal in Memphis.

Upon graduation from dental school, Col. Pope enlisted in the U.S. Army and was honorably dis-charged as a captain and returned to Elizabethton, Tenn., to practice general dentistry with Dr. A.E. Miller Sr. He met and married Leslie Parks Pope of Johnson City.

Returning to military service, Capt. Pope headed up the dental clinic at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and later retired as a full colonel. He went on to receive his Masters of Periodontics from Loyola University in Chicago.

Again, returning to the moun-tains of Northeast Tennessee, Col. Pope practiced periodontics for 34 years in Kingsport. Following retirement, he become an accom-plished landscape artist, was a lifelong member of the Retired Offi cers Association, Rotary Club where for many years was Sunshine Chairman, but he was most proud to be the president of the Parents Teachers Association for Washing-ton Elementary School in Kingsport.

Survivors include: his wife, Les-lie; son, Charles Parks Pope of John-son City; daughters, Anne Breier Pope of Nashville, and Sarah Grier Pope of Houston, Texas; grandchil-dren, Ansley Elizabeth, Mary Alice, and William Grier Pope; brother, Zoltan Pope of New Jersey; along with several nieces, nephews and many friends.

A memorial service was held at 4 p.m. Monday, May 19, 2014, at First Presbyterian Church, Kingsport. A military graveside service was held at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, May 20, 2014, at Mountain Home National Cemetery in Mountain Home, Ten-nessee. Memorial contributions can be made to Friends in Need, 1105 W. Stone Dr., Kingsport, TN 37660 or to ETSU Foundation, P.O. Box 70712, Johnson City, TN 37614. Please visit www.hamlettdobson.com to leave an on-line condolence for the family.

The Kingsport Times-NewsMay 19, 2014

Lois Dillow Hicks

Mrs. Lois Dillow Hicks, 82, Jones-borough, passed away Thursday, May 8, 2014, at her residence.Mrs. Hicks was born in Washington County and daughter of the late Jes-se Wayne & Rachael Alice Berry Dil-low. She was also preceded in death

by her friend and companion, George “Chris” Christensen.She graduated from East Tennes-see State Universi-ty with a major in music.She was a mem-ber of the Jones-borough United Methodist Church.Mrs. Hicks was a journalist/assis-tant editor for the Jonesborough Herald and Tribune for 20 years. She developed and managed the Jonesborough Days tabloid for over two decades. She was also a music teacher.She served as president of the Johnson City Junior League for two terms. She was a prominent leader and one of the founders of the Jonesborough Historic Trust, which led to the historic preservation of the tow, and also served as president of the Jonesborough Civic Trust. Mrs. Hicks was a founding member of the Jonesborough Museum and Museum Foundation.She was a political leader and activist of the Tennessee Republican Party.Survivors include: a son, Mark Clyde Hicks (Carol) Jonesborough; daughter, Ellen Hicks Register (Jesse), Nashville, Tennessee; grand-daughter, Margaret Alice Hicks, Jonesborough; and step-grand-daughters, Sarah Catherine Brown, Erwin and Sydney Elizabeth Hester, Nashville.Memorial services were conducted at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 31, 2014, at the Jonesborough United Methodist Church.In lieu of fl owers, memorial dona-tions may be made to Jonesborough United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 115, Jonesborough, TN 37659.

Herald & TribuneJonesborough, Tennessee

May 20, 2014

Cora Lee DurhamTankersley

Cora Lee Durham Tankersley, 70, died Friday, May 16, 2014, at Wex-ford House Nursing Home.

Mrs. Tankers-ley was employed with the King-sport Times News for over 20 years and was of the Baptist faith. She had an abun-dance of special friends and rela-tives and was a “mother” to many of the young ones throughout the years.

Even though she had no siblings, her cousins Wanda Burks and Shelby Roberts were just sisters, and she always looked up to her cousin,

Larry Winkle.

She was preceded in death by her

parents, Rufus and Mattie Wallen;

and by three special cousins, Clar-

ence “Dal” Wallen, Carlos Wallen

and Leonard Wallen.

Survivors include: her husband

and best friend of 47 years, Tru-

man Tankersley; daughter, Sheryl

Williams of Muncie, Indiana; sons,

Jeff Tankersley and wife Tammy of

Church Hill, Tennessee, and Mike

Tankersley and wife Michelle of

Kingsport; two special granddaugh-

ters, Halie Tankersley and Alina

Tankersley; great-grandson, Rhylan

Tankersley; and many special cous-

ins, nieces and nephews.

A funeral service was held at

7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, at

the Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home

in Kingsport with the Rev. Rick

Vannoy and the Rev. Larry Winkle

offi ciating.

A graveside service was at 11

a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at

Tankersley Cemetery in Blackwater,

Virginia, with brothers-in-law Jerry

Tankersley and Fred Tankersley,

offi ciating.

The Kingsport Times-News

May 20, 2014

Jack T. Harris Sr.

Jack T. Harris Sr., 87, of Mason,

Tennessee passed away on May 16,

2014.

Mr. Jack was a retired advertis-

ing salesman for The Leader and

spent 54 years with the paper. He

was also an Army veteran, member

of Covington Rotary Club, Mason

Lodge #150 and Mason First United

Methodist Church. 

He was preceded in death by broth-

ers, Dick and J. B. Harris. 

Survivors include: his wife, Nell

Harden Harris of Mason; sons, Jack

Harris Jr. (Barbara) of Silver Lake,

Wisconsin, and Ricky Harris of

Mason; daughter, Donna Bryant

(Richard) of New Johnsville,

Tennessee; sister Jane Eubanks of

Mason; grandchildren Trey Harris,

Nikki Spray, Nathan Harris and

Britni O’Neal, and great-grandchil-

dren Dalton Newman, Colee Harris,

Dylan Newman and Jessica Spray.

Funeral services were held on Mon-

day, May 19, at Maley-Yarbrough

Chapel with burial in Cedar Hill

Cemetery in Mason. The Rev. Eddie

Martin offi ciated.

The Leader

Covington, Tenn.

May 22, 2014

Edith Alma Davis Aytes

Edith Alma Davis Aytes, 96, for-

merly of Lancing, Tennessee, died

Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at the

home she shared with her daughter

Libbie Adams in Wartburg.

Mrs. Aytes was born Feb. 22,

1918 in Lancing. She was the last

surviving child of both the late Charles Davis and Amanda Potter Davis.

She was Morgan County’s longest-run-ning columnist, writing a weekly column from the Clear Creek community. She wrote a column for more than half her life, with her words appearing regularly on the pages of the LaFollette Press for 57 years, starting in 1956.

She was a member of Bethel Primitive Church in Deer Lodge. A woman of faith and the heart of her family, Mrs. Aytes shaped their spirituality by her tireless Christian example. Throughout her life, she maintained a sweet and simple demeanor that won the trust and hearts of many who were changed by her witness of constant faith.

Mrs. Aytes was preceded in death by her son, Bernard Aytes; sisters, Verda, Ethel and Charlene; brothers Clifford and Virgil; sons-in-law, Douglas Adams and Jay Nelson; daughter-in-law, Yvonne Davis Aytes; grandsons, Michael Adams and Shane Aytes, and very special friend, Sewell Nelson.

Survivors include: daughters, Fayne Nelson, Lancing; Pauline Mc-Cormick and husband Christopher of Potters Chapel; Libbie Adams of Wartburg, and Nadine Hamby and husband Steve of Lancing; son, Dwayne Aytes and wife Jan of Murfreesboro; daughter-in-law, Faye Aytes; 18 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and 35 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 23, with Bro. Joey Aytes and Bro. Nathan Beasley offi ciating. Graveside services were Saturday, May 24, at 11 a.m. in Forrester Cemetery in Lancing.

LaFollette PressMay 28, 2014

Melba Horner Walton

Mrs. Melba Horner Walton, 89, of Franklin, Tennessee, died on June 2, 2014.

Born in Wa-verly, Tennessee, to the late Jesse and Jessie Mae Morgan Horner, she married in 1954 to Jack Douglas Walton. After completing her education, Mrs. Walton was employed at the Tennessean news-paper as a bookkeeper.

In 1974, Mrs. Walton opened Walton’s Antique Jewelry Store in

Pope Hicks

Tankersley

Aytes

Walton

See OBITUARIES, Page 11

July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 9

Tennessee Press Association

Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane,Knoxville, TN 37919

Phone: (865) 584-5761

Fax: (865) 558-8687

Web: www.tnpress.com

Email: (name)@tnpress.com

Those with boxes, listed alphabetically:

Laurie Alford (lalford)

Pam Corley (pcorley)

Angelique Dunn (adunn)

Beth Elliott (belliott)

Robyn Gentile (rgentile)

Frank Gibson (fgibson)

Earl Goodman (egoodman)

Kathy Hensley (khensley)

Whitney Page (wpage)

Greg Sherrill (gsherrill)

Kevin Slimp (kslimp)

Kayretta Stokes (kstokes)

Alisa Subhakul (asubhakul)

David Wells (dwells)

Tessa Wildsmith (twildsmith)

Heather Wright (hwright)

Advertising email:

knoxads@tnpress.com

Tennessee PressService

Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane,Knoxville, TN 37919

Phone: (865) 584-5761Fax: (865) 558-8687Web: www.tnadvertising.biz

Tennessee PressAssociationFoundation

Mail: 435 Montbrook Lane,Knoxville, TN 37919

Phone: (865) 584-5761

Fax: (865) 558-8687

Web: www.tpafoundation.org

FYI - CONTACT INFORegistration still open

By ROBYN GENTILEMember Services Manager

Winners in the 2014 Universi-

ty of Tennessee (UT)-Tennessee

Press Association (TPA) State Press

Contests will be recognized at a

luncheon at noon on Friday, July

11, at the Embassy Suites Nashville

Airport Hotel in east Nashville.

Seventy-three newspapers

won at least one award. Winning

newspapers were notifi ed by letter

on May 14 of the categories in

which they will receive awards.

The contests award fi ve places. A

list of newspapers to receive awards

is posted at www.tnpress.com.

The luncheon cost is $48.Terri Likens, Roane County

News, Kingston, TPA Contests Committee chairman, will emcee the event. An offi cial from UT will present the awards.

 UT has co-sponsored the State Press Contests since 1940 by providing the plaques, certifi cates and coordination of the awards presentation.

Details and registration informa-tion are available at www.tnpress.com.

Photographs will be made of all individual fi rst place winners, General Excellence winners, Meeman Award winners and First

place, Second Place and Third Place

groups.

 Members of the Arkansas Press

Association judged the contests

during March and April. For 2014,

the State Press Contests received

1,577 entries from 80 newspa-

pers. This was an increase of six

newspapers and 92 entries over the

previous year.

For reservations at the Embas-

sy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel

contact the hotel directly at (615)

871-0033.

The Embassy Suites is located at

10 Century Boulevard, Nashville,

TN 37214.

LUNCHEON

REGISTRATION

For details seeletter in Mayor scan thisQRC with your mobile device.

FOR LIST OF

AWARD WINNERS

See letter mailed

May 14 or scan this

QRC with your mobile device.

By ECHO DAYThe Leader, Covington, May 22, 2014

In The Leader offi ce, he was known as “Papa Jack” and, even though he’d retired nearly a decade ago, he’d still stop by to say hello.

After all, old habits die hard, and when you’ve spent more than half a century working the same compa-ny, you often fi nd yourself back in familiar surroundings.

“Mr. Jack was a treasure and a friend. He visited the offi ce regular-ly, and we’d talk fi shing for a while and touch on matters of family and community,” said Brian Blackley, publisher of The Leader.

On Friday, May 16, Papa Jack suf-fered a massive heart attack while fi shing at Pickwick. He died a short time later.

“As anyone who knew him could tell you, Mr. Jack loved fi shing almost as much as he loved his fam-ily, and those shared interests are why I felt a bond with him. I took comfort in knowing he was with his son with a fi shing rod in his hand when he fell ill. In that way, it was almost like Mr. Jack wrote his own ending. I’ll miss our talks and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife, his children and their families, whom he loved dearly.”

He began his long career in 1952, working in the bindery for 75 cents an hour.

“I thought I never would get to a dollar,” he told The Leader in a 2012 interview.

He retired as one of the most well-known and beloved employees from the newspaper’s golden age.

Jack worked alongside other Leader greats, like Billy Terry Deverell and the late George Whit-ley, Larry Whitley and Martha Jo Shelley.

“He and George worked together

for many years,” said Gladys Whit-ley. “He was very family-oriented and loved to know what was going on in the community, which is a good thing for a newspaper man.”

He was known as someone who liked to “cut-up,” Deverell said Wednesday.

Mr. Jack once told the story of putting ink inside the gloves of John Click, a supervisor in the pressroom known to be very tidy.

Click, as the story goes, was not amused when he put his gloves on to work.

“He said he was going to whoop everybody in there,” Papa Jack said.

Eventually, Jack moved on to photographer and advertising salesman, roles for which he is best known.

“He was a good friend and a good guy to work with over the years,” said Deverell.

Before joining The Leader, Jack was employed with the Mason Tele-phone Company, which was owned by his father and later became Millington Telephone.

Former Salesman Harris Sr. dies

See what you’ll win at the State Press Contests

Please share

this copy of

The

Tennessee

Press with your

colleagues!

Pass it on!

Get in on the ground fl oor of the NEW

Quarter Page Network for Tennessee!

Call 865.584.5761, ext. 117, if you

haven’t received your packet and

for more information.

Page 10 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014

Aggressive coverage is key to transparencyPUBLIC

POLICY

OUTLOOK

FRANK GIBSON

I use this space every month to try to help reporters, editors and other citizens navigate problems they encounter while trying to get public records or dealing with open meetings incidents.

Sometimes it amounts to com-mentary directed at public offi cials for some bone-headed action or policy even though they are not the audience The Tennessee Press tries to reach. Other times it’s anecdotal telling of stories to explain the law, court cases and pertinent legal opinions.

Rarely are the situations resolved before I write about them, but this month’s email bag of problems was different. Most situations had worked themselves out rather quickly with the help of some aggressive news coverage by TPA newspapers and other news media, exemplifying again that the best way to break up some problems is to publicly expose them.

Never assume readers don’t care about these issues, and don’t feel self-conscious that they might think reporting on open government is-sues is self-serving. Since we started the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government a decade ago, newspa-per and TV coverage has increased exponentially as resources like TCOG and the state Offi ce of Open Records Counsel have come on the scene.

Judicial arrogance

In Chattanooga, two Hamilton County Chancery Court judges withheld a list of 17-20 applicants for the vacant Clerk and Master position when the Times Free Press asked to see it. Even though the law was clearly on the newspaper’s side, the judges put the list under judicial seal without a hearing and with no known court petition to keep the names secret.

The paper requested the names to see if an incumbent county com-missioner, running for re-election in August, was on the list.

The Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA) states: “All records, em-ployment applications, credentials and similar documents obtained by any person in conjunction with an employment search for a director of schools or any chief public admin-istrative offi cer shall at all times, during business hours, be open for personal inspection by any citizen of Tennessee, and those in charge of such records shall not refuse such right of inspection to any citizen, unless otherwise provided by state law.”

T.C.A. 10-7-503(f) applies to any “natural person, corporation, fi rm, company, association or any other business entity” – anyone involved in fi nding candidates for those

high-ranking jobs. But, the judges’

action wasn’t based on the fact the

legislature left the courts off the list.

Some candidates asked to remain

anonymous until they were select-

ed. The chancellors argued that

candidates for the $103,795-a-year

job had a right to privacy that

“outweigh(ed) the public’s right to

know.”

The TFP reported the judges

coughed up the records after Attor-

ney General Robert Cooper Jr. “told

them he would have a hard time

defending their decision” if anyone

sued.

“Although our opinion concern-

ing the operative law and analysis

differs from that of the attorney gen-

eral, because the attorney general

would defend us in any lawsuit, we

have agreed to follow his recom-

mendation to make the applications

public,” the chancellors wrote in a

letter to TFP lawyers.

While it is a little disconcerting

when judges think they can undo

the will of the legislature because

they disagree with the law, it is

downright appalling that they

would ignore a Court of Appeals

case in an almost identical circum-

stance. No party was known to be

offi cially asking for the judicial seal,

and there was no lawsuit pending

in Chancery Court which could be

used to order the seal.

I’d bet that the AG pointed out

to his “client” a Court of Appeals

decision where a Wilson County

judge messed up by sealing an

out-of-court settlement in a wrong-

ful-death case involving the Leba-

non Police Department. No lawsuit

was pending; the city attorney

rushed into court after The Tennes-

sean asked to see the records. Local

taxpayers got stuck with paying the

newspaper’s lawyers over $25,000

in legal fees.

Good news on cameras

Here’s an update on a column

earlier this year about the practice

of school boards across the state

requiring the press to get formal

board permission to carry a camera

into a public meeting.

You’ll recall a Johnson City TV

station’s cameras being banned

from a Greene County board meet-

ing because the chairman and the

director of schools were angry at the

station’s coverage of a school issue.

They didn’t even ask other board

members.Greene County was using a

model policy recommended by the Tennessee School Boards Associa-tion that stated: “The press shall not bring a camera, camcorder, or other photographic equipment to Board meetings without the consent of the Board.”

Greene County subsequently changed its policy away from the TSBA model (as did boards in Loudon and Anderson) because it was based on an out-of-date state Attorney General opinion from October 1995. The AG rescinded that opinion and issued a new one in late December 1995.

Scott Whaley, publisher of the Chester County Independent, ran into the old policy earlier this year when he sought to videotape school board meetings. The board insisted he appear before them and get permission when they knew their policy was out of date. Scott had provided each board member a copy of the more recent AG opinion.

Now, TSBA has issued new guid-ance to school boards based on the December 1995 opinion. It states:

“The Board may restrict the recording of Board meetings via camera, camcorder or other pho-tographic equipment when such recording creates a threat to public safety and welfare or impedes the conducting of effi cient and orderly public meetings.”

Greene County amended its policy almost immediately after learning about the latter opinion.

The new TSBA recommendation followed our inquiries about the situation in Henderson with the Independent and Scott’s persistence.

Many school boards still have the old policy on their books, so beware.

Kudos to TSBA for updating its guidance.

Party interrupted

The Johnson City Press reported

that a dinner party to bring together

the Kingsport Board of Mayor and

Aldermen and the Johnson City

Commission was canceled after the

news got out. One news account

described it as “invitation only” –

and neither public nor media need

RSVP.

WJHL-TV reported that King-

sport Mayor Dennis Phillips invited

Johnson City Commission members

via a letter to JC City Manager Pete

Peterson.

“I think the idea of a dinner

meeting between the Kingsport

Board of Mayor and Aldermen and

Johnson City Commissioners is very

intriguing. There will be no formal

agenda and the purpose of the meet-

ing is for board members of sister

cities to become more familiar with

each other as individuals.”

Seems innocuous until you

consider how some local offi cials

reacted when reporters questioned

the plans. Citing a 2012 Attorney

General opinion, they said the

meeting could be private without

any notice.

“The dinner is simply an oppor-

tunity for all of us to get to know

each other better,” Peterson said

through a spokesperson. “There is

no agenda, no business items to be

discussed. It is social in nature, an

opportunity to make new friends,

reacquaint with old friends, have a

nice dinner and relax.”

Kingsport City Manager John

Campbell told WJHL it would be

“mostly social,” but acknowledged

“the two groups” had a lot to talk

about – “things that impact their

taxpayers.”  The report didn’t

indicate whether he meant at that

meeting.

“It’s interesting to compare

notes,” Campbell said. “ … Maybe

there are some things we can do

better as a region. All of us are

looking for the same things as far as

trying to provide the best services at

the lowest possible costs.”

Campbell was quoted as saying

some “obvious things that could

be discussed” – recent changes to

state annexation laws and economic

development opportunities.

There was a 2012 AG opinion

about members of a governing body

discussing public business “at a

meal by two or more members of

a governing body,” but it cautioned

that such gathering “could present

the potential issue of whether a

chance meeting, or informal assem-

blage, was used to decide or delib-

erate public business in circumven-

tion of the spirit or requirements of

the Open Meetings Act.”

Court decisions have relied on

specifi c facts, but the AG warned:

“to avoid any violation of the Act

the best advice is that, while two or

more members may share a meal

together in which public business is

discussed, such discussion should

not constitute deliberations, i.e.,

‘examining and consulting in order

to form an opinion . . . weighing ar-

guments for and against a proposed

course of action.’”

A none-of-your-business attitude

by local offi cials doesn’t inspire a

lot of trust or confi dence, regard-

less of whether there is intent to

“deliberate.” But an attitude of doing

something because you can creates

mistrust. Why can’t those discus-

sions be in the open?  A Dutch-treat

dinner with some local media folks

might answer that question – and

build some trust.

Frank Gibson is TPA public policy

director. He can be reached at fgib-

son@tnpress.com or @ 615-202-2685.

July 2014 • The Tennessee Press • Page 11

TN COALITION FOR OPEN

GOVERNMENT

DEBORAH FISHER

Examples of tenacious reporters seeking public recordsI wanted to share a few examples

from recent weeks when journal-ists punched through denials to their public records requests and convinced government offi cials to change their minds.

These are the victories that the public doesn’t see. It’s the per-sistence to question the fi rst “no” you’re given. And it takes being armed with information.

These are both related to law enforcement records, specifi cally on cases that were closed.

On Aug. 21, 2013, a Blount Coun-ty Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a citizen who was in his own garage. The young sheriff’s deputy was doing a property check because the citizen had reported two burglaries there earlier in the week. He shined a light into the garage, saw a man with a gun, and fi red multiple shots in what the sheriff later said was a “very tragic incident.”

The Daily Times in Maryville kept tabs on the case, which was being investigated by the depart-ment’s internal affairs as well as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The deputy was put on administra-tive leave.

When a reporter noticed the deputy’s name on some police pa-perwork, the newspaper realized he was back on full patrol duty. When queried about this, the sheriff’s department told the newspaper that the district attorney assured them no charges would be fi led against the deputy, but they would not release any more details because – you’ve all heard this – “the case was still under investigation.”

Realizing that the sheriff’s offi ce

can’t have it both ways, Frank

“Buzz” Trexler, managing editor

of The Daily Times in Maryville,

pushed back and had to show he

knew the case was closed.

In the 1986 case, Memphis

Publishing Co. v. Holt, the Tennes-

see Supreme Court made clear that

closed investigative fi les of local

law enforcement are public records

subject to inspection by the public.

Interestingly, that case also

involved a police shooting. The

Commercial Appeal sought records

from the “Shannon Street Incident”

in which police stormed a residence

where a police offi cer had been tak-

en hostage, and in a shootout killed

seven occupants. The hostage police

offi cer was also found dead.

It came out in Chancery Court

that the investigation had been com-

pleted, and the case was closed.

In considering whether Rule

16(a)(2) of the Tennessee Rules of

Criminal Procedure allowed the

police to keep the fi le confi dential,

the Tennessee Supreme Court said:

“The investigative fi le sought to be

examined in this case is a closed

fi le, and is not relevant to any pend-

ing or contemplated criminal action.

Rule 16, therefore, does not come

into play in this case.”Trexler reminded the Blount

County sheriff’s department that they were on record saying criminal charges were no longer being con-templated; therefore, Rule 16 was not applicable.

Faced with this, the sheriff’s department changed its mind and agreed to release the investigative fi le.

As of this writing, Trexler’s quest for records is not yet over. In the letter saying it would fulfi ll the request, the county attorney told him that a request “of this magni-tude” will involve expenses related to gathering, redacting and copying these records. We’ll have to wait for chapter two to see the bill and how long it takes.

In another case, Fox 17 Nashville sought game footage video from the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department in a case in which a Spring Hill high school girls’ basket-ball coach and her assistant coach designed a play for a team member to throw a ball at a former player who had been heckling from the sidelines.

The coaches pled guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor and the case was over. But when Fox 17 asked for the video in the case fi le, they got a response from the sheriff’s department that said the department “will not be releasing the video from the bas-ketball game because juveniles are

in it. The report will have juvenile information as well so it’s not likely to be public record either.”

With some pushing, the sher-

iff’s department turned over most

records, but wouldn’t release the

video even though Fox said it would

blur the faces of the players. They

then got a letter from the William-

son County attorney who asserted

that the video was protected under

federal FERPA (Family Educational

Rights and Privacy Act) that pro-

tects release of student information

in schools.

Bryan McGruder, news director

for Fox 17 who had reached out

to TCOG for some help, penned a

letter back pointing out regulations

regarding FERPA clearly state they

apply only to educational institu-

tions, not law enforcement. These

records had become part of a police

fi le.

In addition, McGruder noted that

video of high school games (which

was a public event) was routinely

fi lmed and distributed by William-

son County schools, as well as sent

to college recruiters and broadcast

through their own channels with

no “FERPA” concerns.

By the next day, the Williamson

County attorney conceded: “I have

gotten further clarifi cation from the

school system about the source and

uses of the video and am able to

agree to produce it.”

It should be noted that before

2008 when the public records law

was changed, offi cials did not have

to give any reason for denying

records unless taken to court.

In both of these cases, the jour-

nalists were able to get the reasons

and shoot holes in the offi cial

responses.

While the situations range in

seriousness – a police incident that

resulted in the death of a citizen

is much more grave – they both

deal with consequential actions of

public offi cials who have been given

power and authority by the people

of Tennessee.

It’s precisely this type of govern-

ment activity that citizens and me-

dia should be allowed to examine,

as uncomfortable as it can be to the

participants. It’s this type of access

that public records law is designed

to protect.

Deborah Fisher is executive director

of the Tennessee Coalition for Open

Government. She can be reached at

fi sher@tcog.info.

Carter’s Court in Franklin. The store

moved to its current location at 410

Main St. in downtown Franklin in

1985, where it is celebrating its 40th

year in business.

Her son, Michael Walton, and

granddaughter, Julie Walton, con-

tinue the legacy Mrs. Walton started

with her passion for antique jewelry

over 40 years ago.

She was preceded in death by her

sister, Mary Ruth Mahaffey.

Survivors include: her husband,

Jack Walton Sr.; sons, County

Commission Chairman Jack Jr. (Pat-

sy) Walton and Michael (Adrian)

Walton; sister, Betsy Beard; grand-

children, Amy (Matt) Phillips, Jack

(Chloe) Walton III, Kellie Walton,

Julie Walton and Katie Walton;

great-grandson, Eli Phillips.

Funeral services were conducted

on 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 5,

at Williamson Memorial Funeral

Home with the Rev. Daly Thomp-

son offi ciating. Interment was in

Williamson Memorial Gardens. Me-

morials may be made to Johnson’s

Chapel Methodist Church.

The Tennessean

June 4, 2014

OBITUARIES, from Page 8

sports writer and printer.

He became managing editor in

1983 and became editor/publisher

with the death of his father, Rich-

ard, in 1997.

“I am excited about the sale

because Dennis and Magic Valley

have improved every newspaper

they have purchased in quality,

content, local coverage and appear-

ance,” said Jones.

“They will do the same with the

Banner.”

Lake County Banner

April 23, 2014

BANNER, from Page 3

You should see the amount of physical mail that arrives at my home and at the TPA offi ce. I’ve been fi nding packages from newspapers on a regular basis. Sometimes these packages contain a letter with one or two copies of papers. Other times, they contain several issues of a paper.

Most often, the senders have one of two reasons for sending these to me:

1. To show me how much im-provement they’ve made in their products after attending a training event, or

2. To ask me to look over their papers and make any quick sugges-tions to make them better.

While I’m always happy to take the time to look over TPA member papers, I don’t always have time to look through other papers in detail.

In April, I received an email from a publisher on the East Coast who asked what I would charge to look over 10 of his community news-papers and make suggestions to improve them.

At fi rst I thought, “It sounds like an interesting project, but I just don’t have time.”

But lately, I’ve been trying to stretch myself and keep work interesting. It dawned on me that my friend Ed Henninger might be interested in working on this project with me. Sure enough, he was.

Ed is a good friend of Tennessee newspapers, donating his time to serve as an instructor at the

Institute of Newspaper Technology.

I thought it was time I returned the

favor.

So in May, we met halfway

between his home in Charlotte and

my home in Knoxville. For seven

hours we looked through 10 papers

in detail, taking copious notes, after

which I wrote a 22-page report to

send to the client.

Since my column is a bit less than

22 pages, I’ll share just a few of the

most common suggestions we made

for these 10 papers, as well as many

of the other papers I’ve critiqued

through the years:

• Use a different typeface in the

body text. Don’t stick with old

standards like Times and Pala-

tino. There are more readable

fonts, and, frankly, Times and

Palatino appear dated to the

reader. We suggested several

better options, including Geor-

gia, which is already available

to most users.

• Use bigger fonts in headlines.

In many of the papers I’ve

critiqued through the years,

typefaces in headlines seem

stuck between 24 and 32

points. It doesn’t cost any more

to use a bigger headline, and it

draws the attention of the read-

er to more important stories.

And never use Helvetica for

headlines.

• Use dominant photos. Don’t

use a major story with six

small photos when one dom-

inant photo, plus one or two

smaller pictures, would be

much more interesting.

• Do a better job of editing

photos. Reproduction quality in

most papers suffers, not from

the press, but from pre-press

preparation. Toning and adjust-

ing photos correctly, using the

appropriate dot gain and ink

levels for the press, makes all

the difference.

• And whites that are “blown

out” in photos is a defi nite “no

no.” It seems like we do a lot of

training for our members here

in Tennessee for good reason.

Honing our skills is one of the

best ways to keep our photos

and pages looking sharp.

Frankly, I thoroughly enjoyed my

day critiquing these 10 papers with

Ed. We’ve decided we’re going to do

a lot more of these projects together.

I suspect many of the suggestions

will be similar from paper to paper,

but I bet we fi nd enough peculiari-

ties in each publication to keep the

work interesting.

Kevin Slimp is the Technology

Director of Tennessee Press Service.

Page 12 • The Tennessee Press • July 2014 CMYK

C

M

Y

K

Five common suggestions for better newspaper layouts

Submitted to TPA

TPS Technology Director Kevin Slimp, left, and Ed Henninger of Hen-

ninger Consulting, which off ers newspaper redesign services, critique a

group of 10 community newspapers.

Illustration by Kevin Slimp • TPS Technology Director

TPS Technology Director Kevin Slimp did this illustration to show the

diff erence larger headlines can make in drawing readers’ attention to

major stories.

THE

NEWS

GURU

KEVIN SLIMP