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Gov., legislative leaders to address reporters Jan. 8
Guest Column: Remembering Dennis Schick By Peter Wagner
Arkansas Press Association
Publisher Weekly Vol. 15 | No. 52 | Thursday, December 23, 2020 | Serving Press and State Since 1873
Arkansas newspaper industry steps up to challenges in 2020 Arkansas newspapers fought to shake off the economic effects of a worldwide health pandemic in 2020, a challenging year for the industry and for the world itself. Time after time, though, the newspaper industry proved its resiliency through its innovative approaches to generating revenue to its tenacity in reporting the news. Here’s a look at some of the stories shared this year in Arkansas Publisher Weekly.
January The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette named Eliza Gaines as its new managing editor. Democrat-Gazette Publisher Walter Hussman named the announcement in late January. Gaines is the Eliza Gaines first-ever female managing editor of the newspaper. She succeeded David Bailey, who retired. Gaines is part of the fourth generation of her family to be in the newspaper business. She is a member of the Arkansas Press Association board of directors. A former editor of the Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs and a travel reporter for the
San Francisco Chronicle, Gaines has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina. The Osceola Times in Mississippi County celebrated its 150th anniversary. The newspaper is Osceola’s oldest business. It celebrated its sesquicentennial year by highlighting its commitment to local news. The all-local focus of the newspaper has been its cornerstone since 1870, said Sandra Brand, the newspaper’s editor and general manager. The Times launched a brand-new, interactive website to coincide with the anniversary. The APA selected Gilmore Strategy Group to provide government relations, lobbying and consulting services. APA’s board of directors selected Gilmore from among several Little Rock-based consultants who
submitted proposals to the association. The group will assist APA in its efforts at the Capitol to protect the interests of Arkansas newspapers. Gilmore Strategy Group is led by Jon Gilmore, a former deputy chief of staff and campaign manager for Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Frank Leto was named group publisher of six Paxton Media Group newspapers in Arkansas. Leto oversees operations at the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, The Courier in Russellville, the Daily Citizen in Searcy, the Batesville Daily Guard, the Sun-Times in Heber Springs and the Van Buren County Democrat in Clinton. Leto, who is based in Conway, was previously group publisher at the Joplin Globe in Joplin, Missouri.
February The longtime editor of the Petit Jean Country Headlight in Morrilton retired. Larry Miller, a 2019 recipient of the APA’s “Golden 50” Service Award for 50 years of service to the newspaper industry, worked for the Headlight starting in 1969 two weeks before he graduated high school. In his 50-plus years at the newspaper, he worked every possible job from photographer to office clerk to editor. Nicknamed “Flash” because of his love of photography, Miller continued as pastor of Morrilton Christian Center after retirement
from the newspaper.
Larry Miller
A circuit court judge in Randolph County rejected a request from the APA and the ABC television network to unseal records in the court case related to the 2019 murder of former State Sen. Linda Collins in Pocahontas. Attorneys for the media groups said the court’s efforts to block access to public records was antithetical to the First Amendment. Special Judge John Fogelman agreed to review each record in the case to determine whether it should remain sealed. Later in 2020, a Continued on Page 2