September - October PressLines

PressLines ILLINOIS

September-October Month 2015 2016

Official Publication of the Illinois Press Association

FLSA Section 13(d) exemption found in federal law 3 Use digital tools to enhance solid reporting 7 New home for Model 14 Linotype 4 File your statement of ownership by Oct. 1 10

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ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

Important questions to ask candidates

DENNIS DEROSSETT President & CEO

We are now less than eight weeks away from a critically important general election in which voters will not only elect a new president but, also, resend incumbents or elect new people to important leadership roles at both the state and national levels.

At the city and county levels, there are many important local races and issues on the ballot—all with lasting impact.

Newspapers traditionally play a key role in their communities by educating voters through their coverage of the candidates and the issues. In today’s fast-paced world, information comes at us from all directions, and from a myriad of sources; however, it is still the local newspaper that serves as the primary and the best source of news and information for local citizens.

In the press’ role as watchdogs on government, this election period is an opportunity to question incumbents and their challengers—and to get on record—on their views of transparency and openness in government. The basic premise in our democracy is that citizens elect people to positions at all levels of government and it is the responsibility of those elected to perform the duties of that job and conduct

the business of government in an open and transparent manner. Most elected officials believe in this premise and work accordingly. For some, there is a disconnect from these beliefs and they try to work

around transparency despite long-standing statutes that command otherwise.

As part of pre-election coverage, newspapers should make it a point to ask each candidate what his or her position is on openness and transparency. Here are examples of some important questions to ask: • Are the candidates aware of and do they support our state’s laws on open records, open meetings, FOIA? (If you want to have a copy of these statutes to present

to each candidate, the IPA can provide those to you.)

• Do they understand and support the importance of public notices as a mechanism for government accountability in reporting back to the public?

• Do they understand the critically important role newspapers play in the public notice process, with newspapers serving as a vital independent, third party for publication, certification and archiving of the information?

• Will they, as elected officials, pledge to make themselves available in a timely manner to answer questions from the public and from the press?

Incumbents and challengers are pretty accessible during the campaign season; now is a good time to build contacts and open lines of communications with all candidates. Those elected will become both decision-makers and news-makers.

It’s important to your readers – and to democracy – to know where the candidates stand on the critically important issues of openness and transparency in the public office they are seeking through the public’s vote.

ON THE COVER: Photo by Jim Bowling, Decatur Herald & Review PawPrint Ministries experienced a dynamic first year of existence as a registered therapy/comfort dog service to Central Illinois. They developed a multitude of meaningful relationships through visits of canine compassion and empathy, winning over many nursing home residents, patients at medical care facilities, individuals with special needs and others. Their successful fundraisers, including “Party for the Paws” fitness-focused event and “Pennies for the Paws,” showed a growing support from Decatur and surrounding communities. In July, they helped comfort victims and disaster relief workers in the aftermath of straight-line winds that ripped through Quincy, Ill. These and other impactful experiences have PawPrint Ministries believing they have a bright future as a force of compassion, growing outwardly from Decatur. (From the collection, IPA Contest Images).

OFFICERS Sandy Macfarland | Chairman Law Bulletin Publishing 900 Community Drive Springfield, IL 62703 Ph. 217-241-1300, Fax 217-241-1301 www.illinoispress.org Illinois PressLines is printed and distributed courtesy of GateHouse Media, Inc. in Peoria and Springfield.

DIRECTORS Matt Bute Chicago Tribune Media Group

Jim Shrader Civitas Media, Alton

Wendy Martin | Vice-Chairman Mason County Democrat, Havana

Tim Evans News-Gazette Community Newspapers, Rantoul

Caroll Stacklin GateHouse Media, Inc., Downers Grove

Ron Wallace | Treasurer Quincy Herald-Whig

Jim Kirk Sun-Times Media, Chicago

Scott Stone Daily Herald Media Group, Arlington Heights

Sam Fisher | Immediate Past Chairman Sauk Valley Media, Sterling Dennis DeRossett, President & CEO Ext. 222 – dderossett@illinoispress.org

Karen Pletsch Daily Chronicle / Shaw Media, DeKalb IPA STAFF | PHONE 217-241-1300

Ron Kline, Technology & Online Coordinator Ext. 239 — rkline@illinoispress.org

Tony Scott, Vice President, Business Development Ext. 230 – tscott@illinoispress.org

Josh Sharp, Vice President, Government Relations Ext. 238 — jsharp@illinoispress.org

Cindy Bedolli, Member Relations Ext. 226 — cbedolli@illinoipress.org

Carolyn Austin, Business Manager Ext. 237 – caustin@illinoispress.org

Jeffrey Holman, Director of Advertising Ext. 248 — jholman@illinoispress.org

Kate Richardson, Communications & Marketing Ext. 227 – krichardson@illinoispress.org

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES (USPS 006-862) is published bimonthly for $30 per year for Illinois Press Association members by the Illinois Press Association, 900 Community Drive, Springfield, IL 62703.

Kate Richardson, Editor ©Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.

Volume 22 September/October/2016 Number 5 Date of Issue: 9/19/2016 POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to ILLINOIS PRESS­LINES, 900 Community Drive, Springfield, IL 62703.

Periodical postage paid at Spring­field, Ill. and Peoria, Ill.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

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Illinois and federal law differ greatly on overtime exemptions

JOSH SHARP Vice President, Government Relations

DON CRAVEN Legal Counsel, IPA

There has been much discussion lately amongst newspapers in Illinois about the Section 13(d) exemption found in federal law, and its impact in this state regarding minimum wage and overtime requirements.

Some newspapers have inquired about circulation department “district managers” delivering down routes, including home delivery. They claim that these managers fall within the definition of Section 13(d) and are therefore exempt from overtime pay, allowing the newspapers to avoid the higher salary mandates of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new Rule.

It’s also true that there is existing federal case law concerning this exemption (rulings in 2008 and 2012) that may lead publishers in Illinois to believe that the delivery of routes performed by circulation department managers could be enough to make the Section 13(d) exemption applicable.

However, as with all aspects of employment and labor law, state specific statutes must be considered as well. Unfortunately, for Illinois newspapers looking to avoid the DOL’s new overtime rules, Illinois does NOT offer an exemption similar to the federal law. The IPA is advising members NOT to rely on Section 13(d) as a reason for withholding overtime pay to circulation department managers. Doing so creates the risk of costly fines and penalties from the Illinois Department of Labor.

Although Illinois does have a “bona fide executive or administrator” exemption, this particular exemption is case-by-case fact specific, and is not a categorical exemption similar to the FLSA exemption found in federal law.

Illinois’ state specific overtime exemption law can be found below: 105/4a. Overtime compensation § 4a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, no employer shall employ any of his employees for a workweek of more than 40 hours unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of the hours above specified at a

rate not less than 1 1/2 times the regular rate at which he is employed.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) of this Section are not applicable to: A. Any salesman or mechanic primarily engaged in selling or servicing automobiles, trucks or farm implements, if he is employed by a non-manufacturing estab-

lishment primarily engaged in the business of selling such vehicles or implements to ultimate purchasers.

B. Any salesman primarily engaged in selling trailers, boats, or aircraft, if he is employed by a non-manufacturing establishment primarily engaged in the business of selling trailers, boats, or aircraft to ultimate purchasers.

C. Any employer of agricultural labor, with respect to such agricultural employment.

D. Any employee of a governmental body excluded from the definition of “employee” under paragraph (e)(2)(C) of Section 3 of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

E. Any employee employed in a bona fide executive, administrative or professional capacity, including any radio or television announcer, news editor, or chief engineer, as defined by or covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the rules adopted under that Act, as both exist on March 30, 2003, but compensated at the amount of salary specified in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 541.600 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations as proposed in the Federal Register on March 31, 2003 or a greater amount of salary as may be adopted by the United States Department of Labor. For bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees of not-for-profit corporations, the Director may, by regulation, adopt a weekly wage rate standard lower than that provided for executive, administrative, and professional employees covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as now or hereafter amended.1 F. Any commissioned employee as described in paragraph (i) of Section 7 of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as now or hereafter amended.2 G. Any employment of an employee in the stead of another employee of the same employer pursuant to a worktime exchange agreement between employees.

H. Any employee of a not-for-profit educational or residential child care institution who (a) on a daily basis is directly involved in educating or caring for children who (1) are orphans, foster children, abused, neglected or abandoned children, or are otherwise homeless children and (2) reside in residential facilities of the institution and (b) is compensated at an annual rate of not less than $13,000 or, if the employee resides in such facilities and receives without cost board and lodging from such institution, not less than $10,000.

I. Any employee employed as a crew member of any uninspected towing vessel, as defined by Section 2101(40) of Title 46 of

See OVERTIME on Page 10

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ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

Carroll County Review finds new home for Model 14 Linotype

By Jon Whitney Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from The Carroll County Review Factory new when it was installed here in June of 1937, our Model 14 Linotype produced thousands upon countless thousands of lines of type cast in lead that carried ink onto newsprint for readers of The Carroll County Review and its several predecessor newspapers including The Thomson Review, The Lanark Gazette, The Shannon Reporter and The Chadwick Review.

For 36 years, most of it under the careful guidance of master Linotype operator Maurice Strukhoff, it gave faithful and continuous service until the introduction of modern printing technology, which made it obsolete almost overnight.

It was taken out of service for all practical purposes in the late spring of 1973 and, relegated to an out-of-theway corner of The Review’s shop, it sat waiting and waiting and waiting for a new call to action.

The Linotype, invented by German immigrant Ottmar Mergenthaler, was first used in a production environment in New York in 1886. It revolutionized printing and written communication and is, in my opinion, a greater invention than the computer because without the Linotype which made it possible to quickly typeset vast quantities of information that could be printed in newspapers, books and periodicals, it’s questionable if education would have advanced significantly to allow the invention of the computer.

Originally, I intended to add a large new front office along Main Street to our newer shop buildings that would feature a small printing museum in one end.

Sadly, between never finding time nor having sufficient funds to build the new office space, that did not happen, and the Linotype sat in our shop accumulating dust. Nothing I could do or say would convince my wife to give it a

Photo by Nancy Whitney

weekly dusting.

Earlier this summer, I reached out to Dave Seat of Mt. Juliet, Tenn., one of the few Linotype repair persons remaining in this country, and asked him if he knew of anyone who would want our Model 14. In a moment of nostalgia, I had hired Dave a few years ago to service the machine and replace some aging leather belts, and at that time he remarked that condition-wise the machine was one of the best he had seen.

Dave said he did know about a retired University of Iowa professor who still brought students to work on a Linotype at the Homestead Print Shop in the Amana Colonies who was hunting for a machine to replace their damaged machine.

He connected me with Gary Frost and, as they say the rest is history.

We donated the machine, a large assortment of parts and hard-to-find consumables, some original Linotype tools, manuals and the original parts book that came with the machine, noting that it had been installed here in

(Top) David Whitney, son of Jon and Nancy Whitney, owners of The Carroll County Review, uses the McKee & Son Lumber Co. forklift to set a vintage model 14 Linotype onto a trailer that was used to haul the donated typesetting machine to its new home in the Homestead Print Shop, one of the Amana, Iowa, Colonies.

(Above) The Whitney's first attempt to lift the machine with McKee’s forklift failed. That’s when they knew it weighed in excess of 5,000 pounds. Their second forklift was brought in and used to set the machine on the trailer where it was repositioned with the pallet jack. Finally, several hours later, the Model 14 was chained.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

Installed in June of 1937, the Linotype gave faithful and continuous service to for 36 years to The Carroll County Review and its predecessor newspapers until modern printing technology made it obsolete.

June 1937.

There is quite a bit more to the story, however. Moving that top-heavy machine – weighing in excess of 5,000 pounds – from the corner of our shop was no easy challenge. Several large and heavy letterpress cabinets with two-inch thick marble tops were in the way, as was our offset printing press and quite a bit of woodworking machinery.

I quickly learned that I was not as young and agile as I was 43 years ago when I last moved the machine by myself, rolling it on several pipes. That was the plan this time, but getting the monster jacked up proved more difficult than I remembered.

Thankfully, our son came to the rescue and was able to raise it higher than I had and got a pallet underneath so the McKee Lumber pallet jack could be

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

used to easily wheel it across our concrete floor and out the double door to a waiting flatbed trailer.

David’s first attempt to lift the machine with McKee’s forklift failed.

That’s when we knew it weighed in excess of 5,000 pounds. Their second forklift was brought in and used to set the machine on the trailer, where it was repositioned with the pallet jack.

Finally, several hours later, the Model 14 was chained and Lanning, the museum director where the print shop is located, was able to head west at a very slow speed, utilizing back roads.

All went well and the machine arrived safely. It was covered with a tarp for the night, and lifted off the trailer and placed into the print shop/museum Friday morning.

Dave Seat, who makes a yearly swing throughout the country servicing the last remaining Linotypes, will place this one on his schedule to make sure it’s set up and running properly.

Finding a home for the Linotype meant a great deal to me. It is an integral part of my earliest memories and the early years we owned the newspaper. It’s also emblematic of the printing craft that I learned, now replaced by better and faster methods of putting ink on paper, much as the Linotype did to the craft of handsetting columns of type.

I’m gratified that it will have a new life and that some younger people may still stand in awe as the multitude of cams roll, the brass matrices, tripped by other cams operated by a keyboard tripping levers, fall onto a conveyor belt and are trapped into a “magazine” and lifted into position where molten lead is forced into the cavities in the matrices to form a “line of type.” The matrices are then returned to another “magazine” that holds them so they can be reused again and again.

There is no other sound like it and I look forward to a trip to Homestead in the near future so I can see the complicated movements and hear the sounds of word creation again. I’m hoping our granddaughters can join us and become the fourth generation of our family attracted to these special creatures that brought reading and education to the masses.

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ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

We couldn’t have done it without the support, encouragement and guidance of the staff of the Illinois Press Association as well as our newspaper friends across Illinois.

Thank you.

The Hinsdalean

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

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Use digital tools to enhance, not replace, tenets of solid reporting Meeting reader needs requires editors and reporters to multitask, and challenges are ratcheted up in today’s digital newsroom. Everyone is expected to be adept across JOHN FOUST the spectrum of news gathering – Red Wing, Minn. writing breaking news for the web and a more complete story for the print edition, taking and posting photo or video on the web,

tweeting about a sports event or city council meeting, updating your Facebook page. I characterize it as organized chaos.

Digital tools can be a great assist in collecting and distributing the news.

They should not, however, replace the tried-and-true methods for solid reporting. Best practices remain at the foundation of all effective coverage, no matter the platform. It boils down to setting priorities, then being organized to deliver.

Here are a handful of elements – and accompanying digital tools – for ensuring your news product remains relevant to your readers and advertisers.

The curse of knowledge In 1990, Elizabeth Newton, a graduate student in psychology at Stanford University, conducted an experiment to measure knowledge and familiarity. One group “tapped” popular songs with their fingers, and another group tried to identify the tunes. When the tappers were asked to predict the number of tunes which would be correctly named, they consistently overest imated.

The tappers predicted the listenJOHN FOUST ers would have a Raleigh, N.C. 50 percent success rate, but the listeners named only 2.5 percent correctly. That’s a huge gap.

This illustrates what some people call the Curse of Knowledge. Once we know something – even something as simple as the melody of a song – it’s difficult to imagine not knowing it. As a result, it can be a big challenge to get in step with

someone else when dealing with that topic. It’s nearly impossible to teach algebra to someone who doesn’t know algebra if you don’t remember what it was like to not know algebra.

Curse of Knowledge is a big factor in the world of sales. I recently shopped for a computer at a store where I had bought electronic equipment before. Unfortunately, I got stuck with a salesperson who assumed everyone knew as much about computers as he did. I repeatedly asked him to simplify his explanations, but he wasn’t capable of seeing things from a non-tech’s point of view. It was impossible for me to suddenly gain enough knowledge to understand what he was talking about, and it was impossible for him to remember what it was like to not know as much as he knew. The experience was frustrating for both of us, and I eventually had to find someone else to help me.

The business people in your market have varied ranges of ad knowledge – from highly informed to neo-

See CURSE on Page 9

Keep a calendar: Identifying news benchmarks for the next several weeks, even for the next year, helps you strengthen content and target opportunities to generate advertising and promote circulation. Digital tools allow you to share real-time calendars with news and ad staffs. Google Apps has a great calendar and other integrated services like email and chat for keeping up with what’s going on.

Share Outlook calendars, too, so editors immediately know the availability of reporters when fielding story requests and scheduling assignments.

Likewise, meet early with individuals in charge of the events to discuss

new approaches for coverage. Calendars should be routinely reviewed and communicated to readers. Tools like Basecamp, Mavenlink and a host of other project management tools can help schedule tasks as well as assign them and follow up. Designating one place to check all your tasks keeps everyone on the same page.

Preview as well as review: Calendars are the first step in organizing newsrooms. Next, develop a communications plan. Several online forms and input tools make it easy for readers and advertisers to make you aware

See TOOLS on Page 8

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ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

The nuance of headlines

The headline this morning on the story of our dean, Charles Bierbauer, who announced yesterday he's leaving that job at the end of the academic year next June, got me thinking about the nuance of headlines.

Headline writing is tough. Don't believe me? Just

try summarizing that nuclear disarmament story in a nine-count, three-line, one-column hed in print. (That would be a total of roughly 27 characters for those of the Twitter age, and probably one or two fewer because with print fonts, capital letters are wider and count as 1 1/2 or two, m's and w's are wider, some lowercase letters only count as one-half, etc.)

It's not a lot better online. Sure, you don't have to worry about those pesky line breaks, but even online heds have their limits – abut 65 characters if you want to make sure it displays properly in those search engine results or on a

mobile screen. Again, still less than your normal tweet.

There are a lot of ways things can go wrong.

This discussion isn't about the laughingly off tone, like "DOJ launching Fannie probe" (referring to an investigation of the Federal National Mortgage Association, more commonly known as Fannie Mae).

Nor is it about "Their ship has come in" – a glaringly tone-deaf headline atop a story about a memorial for the hundreds of sailors who died when the USS Indianapolis sank. (Their ship is never coming in.) Or the awful "xx Mis-

sissippians gone with the wind" (I forget the exact number) on a story about hurricane deaths.

This is about those tiny but important nuances that journalists must face every day. They are ever present in reporting and writing. They become more glaringly so when translated to a headline.

So today there is this headline on a story on The State [Columbia, SC] newspaper's website:

of what’s going on. Use Google alerts to keep an eye on news feeds. Take advantage of YouTube and social media to promote events. Preview sports contests with taped videos from coaches. Elaborate on community recognition - citizen of the year, volunteer of the year, city festival royalty – by taping interviews with the candidates and linking to any of their social media accounts.

Digital tools can enhance follow-up coverage, too. Any number of departments or organizations present annual reports – law enforcement, social services, parent advisory councils.

Highlight one item in the mayor’s “state of the city” speech in the print edition and post the full text on the web. Produce a slide show of the community theater grand opening or fire hall open house. Provide a personalized tour of a new business via video and/or slide show, produced in cooperation with and paid sponsorship by the business. Instagram and Pinterest might work well for niche audiences – and users who love photos. Consider using Instagram for on-the-fly coverage of fairs, parades and other events.

Consider a Pinterest board for the arts and crafts section of the paper/website where you could showcase events like art fairs. A word of caution: Don’t make the web a dumping ground for

anything and everything, and make the content easy to navigate.

Expand your reporter corps: Citizen journalists are a great way to supplement diminishing newsroom resources, especially for more indepth projects. Enlist a panel of individuals who represent a demographic cross-section and have them provide online commentary on important topics such as the proposed closing of a school or the months-long election season. Create a Twitter hashtag to host town hall meetings. Online discussions also are an opportunity to introduce issues that may otherwise be shortchanged.

Take advantage of the editorial page: Newsrooms, as a clearinghouse of information, are in prefect position to lead the conversation – and think beyond your role of writing editorials.

The web allows immediate exchange among readers. Monitor local social media including blogs, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, so you can follow, read, react and follow up.

Provide links to other websites and blogs, but only after verifying them as credible sources of information or perspective. In a similar vein, you’ll want to set ground rules for social media accounts used by editors and reporters. All of these avenues provide a wealth of information that you can se-

lectively share on your editorial page.

Provide continuum of story in tandem coverage: A city council approves tax incentives for a shopping center after a months-long process that provoked emotions from proponents and opponents alike. A basketball team caps a perfect season with a state championship. A jury convicts a local resident of a triple murder after rumors and legal maneuvers captivate the community for two years.

High-profile stories prompt prominent coverage at the various steps, but how many newspapers provide a chronological and comprehensive summary for those who have not followed the stories from beginning to end? Package the stories on the web rather than forcing a tedious archive search. You might even sell coverage as a special section or an e-book.

Distribute blasts and alerts through email, Twitter and Facebook, reinforcing that your newspaper is the first source for local news. Tweet key votes at meetings, sporting highlights, noteworthy remarks from speeches, and then promote the detailed print reports. Use live video to augment coverage of a press conference or breaking news. Make sure to look into possible uses for Virtual Reality storytelling in your publication. The New York Times is in full test mode with

this new technology.

Today’s media landscape emphasizes open community interaction, but making full use of social media does not happen on its own. Editors and reporters must manage these operations, too - the same people who have other responsibilities in collecting and reporting the news.

How can newsrooms identify and celebrate success? Start a conversation with readers. They’ll let you know what’s working and what isn’t hitting the mark, what they like and what they think can be improved. Engaging in dialogue with readers is a win-win proposition for you, your readers and your community.

DOUG FISHER Senior Instructor, University of South Carolina

Longtime

USC

communica-

See NUANCE on Page 12

TOOLS

Continued from Page 7

Jim Pumarlo writes, speaks and provides training on Community Newsroom Success Strategies. His newest book is “Journalism Primer: A Guide to Community News Coverage for Beginning and Veteran Journalists.” He also is author of “Votes and Quotes: A Guide to Outstanding Election Coverage” and “Bad News and Good Judgment: A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in a Small-Town Newspaper.” He can be contacted at www.pumarlo.com and welcomes comments and questions at jim@pumarlo.com.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

You have questions.

We have answers.

CURSE

Continued from Page 7 phyte. Like the old saying, “If you’re treating all of them the same, you’re treating most of them wrong.” Here are some points to keep in mind: 1. Learn as much as you can.

It should be your goal to know more about advertising in general, more about your specific advertising product, and more about each one of your clients and prospects than anyone else in your area. This will give you plenty of reserve power.

2. Listen carefully to find out how much your prospect knows. A sales appointment is not a performance. It’s an opportunity to get in step with your prospect, so you can tailor the conversation to his or her specific marketing needs – in terms that are clearly understood.

3. Don’t assume that you’re being understood, just because the other person isn’t saying anything. They may be bored, or they may feel unsure in their lack of knowledge.

4. Develop a variety of ways to explain advertising concepts.

The good news is that you can prepare explanations and examples in advance. Some should be basic and some should be advanced. And some can be used with all levels.

You see, it’s not just what you know about advertising. It’s what you know about communication. © Copyright 2016 by John Foust.

All rights reserved.

John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals.

Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time and get quick results from in-house training. E-mail for information: john@ johnfoust.com.

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FREE Pre-publication HOTLINE for IPA members only:

Josh Sharp, VP jsharp@illinoispress.org

217-544-1777

217-241-1300 www.illinoispress.org

Have a legal question regarding a story?

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

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The publisher of each publication sent Periodicals Class Mail, including foreign publications accepted at Periodicals rates, must file Form 3526 by Oct. 1 of each year at the original entry post office. Since Oct.1 falls on a Saturday this year, the post office expects to receive it by close of business on Sept. 30.

The information provided on Form 3526 allows the U.S. Postal Service to determine whether the publication meets the standards of Periodicals mailing privileges.

The required information also must appear in an issue of the publication whose primary mailed distribution is produced: • Not later than Oct. 10 for publications issued more frequently than weekly.

• Not later than Oct. 31 for publications issued weekly or less frequently, but more frequently than monthly.

• For all other publications, in the first issue whose primary mailed distribution is produced after Oct. 1.

To download for 3526, visit https://about.usps.com/forms/periodicals-forms. htm

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OVERTIME

Continued from Page 3 the United States Code, operating in any navigable waters in or along the boundaries of the State of Illinois.

J. Any employee who is a member of a bargaining unit recognized by the Illinois Labor Relations Board and whose union has contractually agreed to an alternate shift schedule as allowed by subsection (b) of Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

(3) Any employer may employ any employee for a period or periods of not more than 10 hours in the aggregate in any workweek in excess of the maximum hours specified in subsection (1) of this Section without paying the compensation for overtime employment prescribed in subsection (1) if during that period or periods the employee is receiving remedial education that: (a) is provided to employees who lack a high school diploma or educational attainment at the eighth grade level;

(b) is designed to provide reading and other basic skills at an eighth grade level or below; and (c) does not include job specific training.

(4) A governmental body is not in violation of subsection (1) if the governmental body provides compensatory time pursuant to paragraph (o) of Section 7 of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as now or hereafter amended, or is engaged in fire protection or law enforcement activities and meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of Section 7 or paragraph (b)(20) of Section 13 of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as now or hereafter amended.

For more information about this topic, please contact Don Craven, IPA general counsel, at 217.544.1777 or don@cravenlawoffice.com

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

11

Newspaper Association of America changes name to News Media Alliance Reflects industry’s digital evolution and strengths The Newspaper Association of America announced it has changed its name to News Media Alliance and launched a new website, www.newsmediaalliance. org. The announcement is the culmination of a larger strategic plan to highlight the news media industry’s evolution to multi-platform, digitally-savvy businesses and premium content providers.

According to the News Media Alliance release, the organization’s new focus better reflects the fully-integrated multi-platform media organizations that comprise its membership. The new website visually depicts this expansion of news media into digital and mobile formats, with a modern look and feel that incorporates imagery of what it means to be a news media organization today: communicating in real-time across multiple platforms. The site is also mobile-responsive to accommodate the increasing number of readers accessing the site on mobile devices.

News Media Alliance Vice President of Innovation Michael MaLoon says of the changes, “Our transformation efforts are designed to show the positive trajectory of the industry and to share the innovation and growth taking place, especially in the digital space. There are so many great things happening in our industry right now, and our job is to tell those stories.”

In addition, for the first time the organization is broadening its membership requirements to allow digital-first and digital-only news organizations publishing original content to become members. The association has a num-

ber of new tools and resources it will be making available to members in the coming months that reflect the digital focus of its membership, including: • ideaXchange, a new online community for News Media Alliance members launching this fall. Accessible through the new website, ideaXchange will provide a platform that will make sharing, brainstorming and learning from one another easier than ever.

• metricsXchange, a new digital benchmarking tool exclusively for members. This dashboard will allow comparisons between markets and publications, providing new insights into the news media industry’s digital business efforts.

The Alliance will also provide analyses and highlight newsworthy trends mined from the tool.

• m e d i a X change, the News Media Alliance’s major annual event, will take a reimagined approach.

Taking place in New Orleans in 2017, the event will focus on the future of the news media industry. The Alliance will hold other events for members designed to share information and foster innovation.

As the industry has expanded to reach audiences on digital, social and mobile formats, the association’s approximately 2,000 news organization members have become increasingly optimistic about the future of the industry.

“The news media industry should be optimistic. All evidence shows that people of all ages want and consume more news than ever,” states News Media Alliance President and chief executive

officer David Chavern. “We need to focus on new ways to address the needs of audience and advertisers. Advertising on news media digital and print platforms continues to be one of the most effective ways for advertisers to reach important audiences. Publishers are working to adapt advertising across all platforms, make ads less intrusive and increase consumer engagement.”

The News Media Alliance will con-

tinually evolve to ensure resources are available to members that facilitate growth and revenue diversification.

Chavern doesn’t see the challenges as insurmountable. “All industries periodically face disruptive market and technology changes, and like many others before us, I believe we will come out of it stronger.”

For more information visit www. newsmediaalliance.org.

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ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

AROUND THE STATE

Governor signs HB5902: Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act HB5902, the Speech Rights of Student Journalist Act, became law in Illinois July 29. Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature means that student journalists and their advisers are protected against arbitrary censorship; now they can report responsibly about the ideas, events and issues that matter for both their schools and communities.

According to Public Act 099-0678, the passage of which was spearheaded by IJEA Legislative Chair Stan Zoller and Illinois State Director Brenda Field, “a student journalist has the

right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press in school-sponsored media, regardless of whether the media is supported financially by the school district or by use of school facilities or produced in conjunction with a class in which the student is enrolled.”

There are some exceptions to the protection, namely libel, slander, obscenity, invasion of privacy, violation of federal or state law or anything that “incites students to commit an unlawful act, or violate policies of the school district, or to materially and substan-

tially disrupt the orderly operation of the school.”

However, advisers are trained to understand good ethical journalism, passing those lessons onto their staffs.

Therefore, the public act calls for “no prior restraint of material prepared for official school publications” outside of the above exceptions, and further grants protection in that “school officials shall have the burden of showing justification without undue delay prior to a limitation of student expression under this Act.”

For advisers, the law provides one more layer of great news: “No expression made by students in the exercise of freedom of speech or freedom of the press shall be deemed to be an expression of school policy, and no school district or employee or parent, legal guardian, or official of the school district shall be held liable in any civil or criminal action for any expression made or published by students, except in cases of willful or wanton misconduct.”

NUANCE

Continued from Page9 tions dean steps down OK. It's serviceable. Nothing really wrong. But as we've learned time and time again this political season, there is right – and then there is more right.

With headlines, it often comes down to verb tense and word connotation and order.

Tense In headline writing, there are some rules, or at least guides, when it comes to verb tense. The present participle (stepping) indicates current ongoing action or sometimes action to be completed in the near future. The present tense is used as "historical present" to represent action recently completed.

The future speaks for itself. The past tense is rarely used; it is supposed to signify new information about something in the past not previously known (say, for instance, you just got a 5-yearold report showing that the Justice Department investigated Fannie Mae but no one knew till now. Then you might write DOJ probed Fannie ... OK, maybe not. But you get the idea.)

So using "steps" in this headline really means the dean has done the deed already. Yes, he's announced it, so one could argue he sort of kind of stepped down. But he's not really leaving till June, and this is August, so the nuance

is wrong. "To step" (or will) is the better choice. That is the tense used in the university news release (though it is interesting to see the URL uses "stepping").

Usage All words have denotation and connotation. So the denotation of "step down" is fine – it is what he is doing in the broad sense. But the connotation gets us to nuance again. When we hear an official has stepped down, the mind wonders a bit why? Did he do something wrong? Retiring? Health?

In other words, while the phrase is technically correct (denotation), it is broader than needed and leaves itself open to questions and multiple interpretations, not all of them flattering (connotation). In headline writing, whenever the count allows you to be more specific, it's almost always better because it gets connotation out of the equation. And our job, after all is to try to perfect communication – make sure the message sent is most likely the message received.

So what is Bierbauer really doing?

Well, after almost 15 years, and at age 74, he's actually retiring. So that would be the better word.

Longtime USC communications dean to retire

Word order Some have noted that Bierbauer said in his letter that "this is not retirement." Granted, but we are journalists, not stenographers, and so we have to apply some reasoning. But this also highlights the nuances.

Most journalists I know never really admit to retiring. They can always scribble, after all. And "emeritus" status at a university is like being a retired federal judge or commissioned military officer – you can always be called out of retirement. (Style warning: Never call someone a "former" general, etc., unless he or she has renounced the commission or somehow been dishonorably discharged.)

This is what Bierbauer wrote: For now, this is not retirement, but transition. I plan to work on the Watson-Brown journalism history project, hope to do some writing on media and politics and determine ways I might continue to be useful to the college and university.

So he is retiring as dean. Which gets us to word order. Since we're dealing with an online hed, we can more easily switch things around: Bierbauer to retire as longtime USC communications dean That maintains the sense that he's re-

tiring as dean. (If space is an issue, take out "longtime.")

While this may seem nit picking – after all, the original hed was serviceable – this gets to journalistic craft.

There used to be time – admittedly not much, but still a little – to reflect on these things in the course of putting out the "daily miracle." We need to figure out how to preserve that in this hamster-wheel world in which journalists now exist.

On an end note, it's been a pleasure working with Dean Bierbauer, who came on board at USC a year after I did.

He's been a steady hand at the tiller and always a proponent of good journalism and good journalism teaching. He understood that delicate balance we walk between the academic and professional missions of the school. I wish him the best.

Doug Fisher is a senior instructor at the University of South Carolina teaching digital and social media. Proprietor of the Common Sense Journalism blog and on Tumbler, and Twitter as well as the monthly CSJ column run by press associations and others around the nation.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

Register-News expands digital presence, cuts print schedule In an effort to keep pace with the digital age and remain economically healthy, the Register-News in Mt. Vernon changed its print edition schedule and expanded its website presence.

Effective Sept. 1, the Register-News print edition publishes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, delivered to home subscribers via U.S. Postal Service. It no longer publishes Wednesdays and Fridays.

Pantagraph building sold to St. Louis developer The Pantagraph building in downtown Bloomington has been sold, but the newspaper will not be moving in the near future.

Publisher Julie Bechtel announced the newspaper's longtime headquarters at 301 W. Washington St. has been sold to St. Louis-based Oak LLC/Raven Development for an undisclosed price.

The sale, which includes two parking lots north of The Pantagraph building, was effective Aug. 25.

The current building has been home to The Pantagraph since 1935; the newspaper has been in existence for more than 170 years.

“Nothing changes immediately.

We can stay here for at least another year,” said Bechtel, adding, “We’ve been downtown for more than 80 years, so downtown is a part of us and we would prefer to stay downtown.

"We are actively looking for a new home that better meets our needs and our business model that relies on almost constant communication among our departments.”

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

AROUND THE STATE

Daily Herald owner purchased 12 newspapers in Southern Illinois from GateHouse Media Paddock Publications Inc. announced the purchase of several daily and weekly newspapers in Southern Illinois from GateHouse Media LLC. The sale, finalized Aug. 4, includes five daily newspapers and seven weekly newspapers in seven counties.

The dailies are the Benton Evening News, The Daily Register in Harrisburg, The Daily Republican in Marion, Du Quoin Evening Call and Eldorado Daily Journal.

The weeklies are the Ashley News, Du Quoin News, The Gallatin Democrat in Shawneetown, Christopher Progress, The Randolph County Herald Tribune in Chester, The Ridgway News and Steeleville Ledger.

"The purchase is in keeping with our corporate strategy to diversify the company into areas where Paddock's brand of journalism and marketing acumen will provide additive revenues and profitability," said Douglas K. Ray, chair, publisher and CEO of Paddock Publications.

"These newspapers fit that model, and we are confident in our ability to grow the business.

"Now we take Paddock's newspapering success in the suburbs to downstate Illinois through the purchase of the Southern Illinois newspapers. If other opportunities present themselves, we will grow this community newspaper portfolio."

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Paddock Publications, based in Arlington Heights, is the publisher of the Daily Herald, dailyherald.com, Reflejos, The Business Ledger and an array of niche publications.

The Daily Herald is one of the largest family-owned newspapers in the country and has been published in the suburbs of Chicago since 1872.

GateHouse Media, based in New York, is one of the largest newspaper publishers in the country, with 125 daily and 316 weekly newspapers in 35 states.

"Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, one of the country's most successful corporations, is employing a similar strategy by buying small and medium-sized daily and weekly newspapers," Ray said. "He has said and we believe: There is no substitute for local news, and a newspaper that serves the community will remain indispensable. We intend to bring that kind of commitment to Southern Illinois."

Journal-Standard wins 2nd APME grant For the second year in a row, The Journal-Standard has been awarded a $2,500 grant from a national organization to support a community journalism project in Freeport.

Last year, the grant supported the newspaper’s Rebuilding Neighborhoods series, which explored crime and socioeconomic challenges in Freeport's 3rd and 5th wards. This year, the grant will support Freeport Fish Tank, the Editorial Board's competition for entrepreneurs who want to start or expand a business or nonprofit in Stephenson County.

The Associated Press Media Editors' Community Journalism Public Service Initiative is celebrating its fifth year and typically awards two grants each year.

It is open to newspapers with a website that serves an area of 100,000 people or fewer. Applicants are asked to discuss how they will use digital platforms, including social media.

The other grant winner this year is The Daily Item of Sunbury, Pa., which is covering the heroin and prescription drug abuse crisis in its community.

Oregon newspaper office closed

Ogle County Newspaper Publisher Sam Fisher announced that the Oregon office closed at the end of August.

"Our company has made the difficult decision to close the Oregon office, effective Aug. 24," Fisher said. "This was not an easy decision, but as time has changed, the reliance on a storefront for Ogle County Newspapers has become less critical to publishing a newspaper. Over the past few years, we have seen traffic into the office decline. Much of that is attributable to email and technology.

News coverage for the four publications will remain the same. The Ogle County Newspapers office will be located in Dixon, at The Telegraph, 113115 Peoria Ave. The Dixon Telegraph The downtown property is now for sale. See classified is owned by B.F. Shaw Printing (Shaw ad on Page 5 for more details or email urbanestate77@ Media) and is the parent company of gmail.com for more information.

Ogle County Newspapers.

The Lone Tree Leader closes after 14 years Art and Patricia Goff announced on July 15 that they were folding their last issues and retiring. The Lone Tree Leader was published in Onargo for nearly 14 years.

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14

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

AROUND THE STATE

Tribune Tower sold to developer Tribune Media Co. announced Aug. 30 it has agreed to sell Tribune Tower to developer CIM Group in a deal valued at $240 million.

Both Tribune Media and the Chicago Tribune are likely to move out of their longtime home at 435 N. Michigan.

Officials didn't specify development plans for the 1925 neo-Gothic tower. The building was named a city landmark in 1989.

The sale is expected to be completed by the end of September. Tribune Tower is a 35-story building and contains nearly 740,000 square feet of space. The sale includes a 36,000-square-foot development site to the east, fronting Cityfront Plaza.

Tribune Tower was put on the market October 2015.

In a note to employees, Tribune Media President and CEO Peter Liguori said that Tribune Media plans to move out of the Tower but will remain in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The Chicago Tribune, the building's biggest tenant, and parent company Tronc have “no immediate plans to leave early,” Tronc spokeswoman Dana Meyer told the

Calhoun News-Herald building in Hardin for sale

Chicago Tribune. The newspaper's lease runs through 2018.

Tribune Media will receive $205 million cash at closing. It will receive an additional $35 million if certain conditions are met.

Tribune Media has sold several smaller properties totaling about $89 million, including the sale and leaseback of The Baltimore Sun real estate. The company also has deals pending for some of its property in Los Angeles.

Although the building in Hardin, housing the office of the Calhoun News-Herald may change ownership in coming months, the newspaper itself will continue its mission to serve the residents of Calhoun County, according to Tim Campbell, president of Campbell Publications.

Campbell assumed leadership of the six newspapers produced by Campbell Publications following the death of his brother, Bruce Campbell, earlier this year. Campbell said that selling the News-Herald building will improve operational efficiency. Other real estate, owned by Bruce Campbell individually, is also being listed for sale, Campbell said.

The Calhoun News-Herald office at 310 S. County Road in Hardin was built in the 1950s, Campbell said, and was the first headquarters for the company's newspaper operation, which eventually expanded to include newspapers in Pike, Scott, Greene and Jersey counties, as well as Calhoun. The Calhoun News, the original newspaper in the group, was started

in 1915 by C.C. Campbell, grandfather of Bruce and Tim Campbell and Cathleen Campbell Krochta, as well as two other grandchildren, Trudi Plummer Moore and Roger Plummer.

The listing real estate agent for the Campbell properties is Roger Plummer's widow, Diane Plummer. Currently, in addition to the newspaper, the building on County Road also houses the office of a Better Hearing facility. A former school facility and cafeteria, adjacent to the News office, was acquired by Campbell Publications when it was no longer needed by the school district. It, too, will be offered for sale.

PRESS PEOPLE

Sawyer resigns, Fletcher named Herald & Review general manager Advertising Director Joel Fletcher has been promoted to advertising director/general manager of the Herald & Review in Decatur.

Fletcher has been with the newspaper since 2006. Fletcher will retain his advertising duties, in addition to being responsible for production and operations at the Decatur plant. He also will lead the Herald & Review's involvement in the Decatur community.

He succeeds Gary Sawyer, who resigned after 15 years as editor of the Herald & Review. Since 2014, Sawyer had served as editor and general manager.

Sawyer announced his resignation July 18. He accepted a position as

Fletcher

Perry

Sawyer

lecturer in the Iowa State University Journalism and Mass Communication Department, beginning with the fall semester.

Sawyer, 60, was the editor of the Herald & Review for the past 15 years and worked for the organization's parent company, Lee Enterprises Inc., for 35 years.

Julie Bechtel, president and publisher of the Central Illinois newspapers

for Lee Enterprises, said succession plans are under consideration and will be in place in a couple of weeks.

Sawyer graduated from Iowa State in 1978 with a degree in journalism.

He also received an MBA from the school in 1995. He worked at newspapers in Iowa and Oregon before coming to Decatur.

Fletcher moved to Decatur in 1987.

He was general manager of the Cromwell Group from 1990-1999 and general manager of NextMedia Group, now Neuhoff Media, before joining the Herald & Review.

It was also announced that Managing Editor Scott Perry will serve as interim editor.

Budget Beard shaved for charity

After more than 13 months of growth and 9¾ inches of facial hair, Journal Star political reporter and columnist Chris Kaergard's Budget Beard was shaved for charity July 9.

Kaergard began to grow the beard May 31, 2015, as a way to showcase the amount of time Kaergard it was taking lawmakers to agree on a state budget. After the temporary, stopgap state budget, covering operations for six months, Kaergard decided to shave the beard to recognize the bipartisan compromise required to pass that budget and to encourage more of it.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

Best joins Montana newspapers

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kathy Best has been named editor of the Missoulian and the Ravalli Republic. Best comes to the newspaper from the Seattle Times, where she served as editor and vice president for news.

"The opportunity to lead the Missoulian and Ravalli Republic allows me to return to my first and deepest love – great community journalism,'' Best said.

Best "I can't wait to help these talented newsrooms take their work to the next level, giving print and digital readers in western Montana relevant and engaging news they can't get anywhere else. We're going to have some fun.''

Newspapering is part of a family tradition for Best. She worked for her family's newspaper, the News-Progress in Sullivan. It was there that she learned the basics of newspapering, from taking photos to selling ads. She continues to be a co-owner of the newspaper with her brother. Best started her career with the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa.

From there, she moved to Springfield to cover state government and politics for the Lee Enterprises’ Capitol Bureau. She also covered local, state and national news for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and was an editor for the Baltimore Sun, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Best received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University and her master's in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

PRESS PEOPLE

Doug Brenneman begins as Times-Republic sports reporter The Times-Republic has welcomed Doug Brenneman to its staff.

Brenneman is the new sports reporter. He said he's looking forward to not just getting to know the communities, but also, specifically, the area's athletes.

He's originally from the border town of West Burlington. At 21, he said he took a shortlived move to Phoenix before going back home to get a degree from Brenneman Southeastern Community College.

He owned his own carpet cleaning business and he worked part time as a sports clerk at the Hawk Eye. At the Hawk Eye he took calls from coaches who gave the paper summaries of their games, he said. This paper covered 22 schools and had four sports reporters, who couldn't attend every game. Here, he worked his way up to stringer, which let him attend, write and photograph at the games. Five years later, he went to get his journalism degree from Western Illinois University.

Graduating in 2012, he began working at a weekly paper.

He loves sports. His favorite sport is football, having been a quarterback in high school, and was also part of the school's first team to go undefeated and to go to the playoffs.

Spencer relocates to MA

Spencer

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

At the end of July, the State Journal-Register said goodbye to longtime photographer, David Spencer.

Springfield has changed a lot since 1989, and Spencer has documented many of those changes with his unique perspective.

"Spence," as he's known in the newsroom, first joined the SJ-R in 1989. He left in 1998 to become a photographer at the Palm Beach Post in Florida, but rejoined the SJ-R in 2008. This time, he has relocated to Massachusetts.

Avery wins auto media award

Daily Herald classic car columnist Matt Avery won top honors for newspaper column writing in the 2015 International Automotive Media Competition.

Avery received the IAMC's gold medal in the newspaper column writing category. This is the third consecutive year he has been a medalist in the competition, which is sponsored by the International Society for Vehicle Preservation.

Avery The awards were announced recently at the prestigious Concours d'Elegance Of America in Plymouth, Mich.

Avery has written the Daily Herald's Classic Recollections column for six years. The weekly feature, which appears in the Auto section, focuses on suburban owners of classic cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles.

Publisher named for SJ-R, Courier

A former Virginia newspaper executive was named publisher of The State Journal-Register and the Lincoln Courier. Todd Sears, former vice president of advertising and revenue at The Richmond-Times Dispatch in Richmond, Va., began his new duties Aug. 29.

He succeeds Rosanne Cheeseman, who was named interim publisher in April.

Sears Sears began his media career 23 years ago at his hometown newspaper, the Lincoln Journal Star in Lincoln, Neb. He has held advertising management jobs in Racine, Wis.; Beatrice, Neb.; and Lincoln, Neb. He joined Capital Newspapers in Madison, Wis., in 2006 as advertising director and later was named general manager. He joined BH Media, owner of the Richmond paper, as director of advertising for the Press of Atlantic City in 2013. Sears was at the Richmond paper for two years.

15

O'Brien takes post as sports editor

Tim O'Brien has been hired as the new sports editor of The Beverly Review.

Since graduating in May 2007 from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in journalism, O'Brien has worked for publications such as the Chicago Tribune, O'Brien the Daily Southtown and the Herald-News in Joliet.

As the digital suburban prep sports editor for the Chicago Tribune, O'Brien was responsible for the suburban sports web content for its six daily and 32 weekly newspapers.

O'Brien succeeds Scott Fredericks, who is relocating with his family to the St. Louis, Mo., area after a 17year career with The Beverly Review.

O'Brien has been a freelance reporter for The Review since 2009.

Journal announces changes to Life, Niche Rachael Reynolds-Soucie, YES! magazine co-founder and editor of the Life section at the Daily Journal in Kankakee, has been promoted to director of niche publications at the newspaper.

The Niche publication group includes YES!, Thrive, Him, Farmers' Reynolds-Soucie Market Fresh and Radish magazines.

Mary Hall, who served as the editorial assistant for the Niche department, has been promoted to Life editor at the newspaper. Hall, a graduate of Olivet Hall Nazarene University with a degree in multimedia studies and Spanish, started at the newspaper as an intern in August 2014 and joined full time in June 2015.

16

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016

Levant joins News-Gazette Inc. as vice president of business development

Lilyan Levant has joined The News-Gazette as the new vice president of business development.

Levant is an Evanston native, who earned a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. She began her new role at The News-Gazette in July after a long career in the business side of the industry.

Levant spent 16 years in sales at the Los Angeles Times before movLevant ing back to Chicagoland to take a job in public TV at WTTW, where she sold sponsorships.

After the stint at WWTV, Levant moved on to the Chicago Reader as the sales director for the alternative weekly for 10 years.

While there, Levant was remotely working on a master’s degree from the University of Illinois and, during quarterly trips to the area, fell in love with the community and eventually took a job as the publisher and general manager of Illini Media.

In her role at The News-Gazette, Levant will be charged with making sure revenues are tracking and the various platforms of the company remain a predominant force in media in East Central Illinois.

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

PRESS PEOPLE

Two editors at Times News Group receive promotions The Times News Group is excited to announce some management changes in its editorial department. Drew Veskauf has been named the managing editor of the Pekin Daily Times and Nick McMillion has been promoted to associate editor.

Veskauf of Morton graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2012, majoring in journalism.

McMillion He began his career with Times-Newspapers, a group of five weeklies, in August 2013 as a sports and news reporter for the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin. He then became the editor for the Morton Times-News in December Veskauf 2014.

Last year when Times-Newspapers merged with the Pekin Daily Times, both of which are owned by GateHouse

Okawville Times hires new editor

Corey Woolsey, of Mt. Vernon, Ind., has taken over as editor at the Okawville Times as of Aug. 15.

Woolsey was previously the editor of the Mt. Vernon Democrat in Indiana. He has been in the newspaper business seven years, as a staff writer before he became Woolsey an editor.

The Rockford Register Star has hired Denny Lecher as its new advertising director.

Mississippi Valley Media announces a Lecher spent the past change in the editor's position at the Hantwo and a half years in dicock County Journal-Pirector roles with the eastlot, effective Wednesday, ern division of GateHouse Aug. 24.

Media, the Register Star's Emma VanArsdale of parent company. He was Quincy was named county most recently senior direceditor at the Journal-Pilot tor of advertising for the Lecher by Publisher Chuck Vangroup. denberg this week, sucVanArsdale Lecher previously worked for the Regceeding Megan McNeill. ister Star as an account executive, retail manager and multimedia sales manager.

VanArsdale, a Hamilton native, came

Denny Lecher hired as advertising director

Media, Veskauf served as the associate editor, covering the Pekin City Council and other topics. His promotion to managing editor will have him focused on a broader aspect of the company involving day-to-day operations as well as the larger projects throughout the year.

McMillion is from the small town of Hopedale in Central Illinois. He graduated from Stanford Olympia High School in 2009. After graduation, he attended Illinois Central College, where he interned at ICC's radio station.

He earned his associate's degree in the fall of 2011. In the summer of 2012, he began attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Similar to ICC, he interned at SIU's radio station. In the spring of 2014, McMillion earned his bachelor's degree and graduated magna cum laude from SIU. In the summer of 2015, McMillion joined Times News Group as the editor of the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin.

Publisher Gary Stricker and Editor Debby Stricker describe the change as a semi-retirement. The Strickers have owned and operated the Okawville Times for 43 years. Gary was 23 and Debby was 21 when they took over management duties from Gary’s parents, Warren and Virginia Stricker.

The Okawville Times has grown to its highest circulation ever – 2,525, up 210 from January 2016.

New editor is Hamilton native to MVM in August 2015 and has served as a staff reporter for the Daily Gate City in Keokuk, Iowa, under Managing Editor Cindy Iutzi. She has covered features, business and education stories for the four-day-a-week publication.

With VanArsdale's transition to county editor, current editor Megan McNeill will move back to her roots in Keokuk and join the daily staff there.

McNeill joined MVM in 2010 as a staff writer at the Daily Gate City.

17

OBITS

Phyllis Magida Phyllis Magida was a food writer and columnist for the Chicago Tribune for more than a decade, who wrote books about food, including cookbooks. She also taught at Chicago Public Schools and played piano at Second City's children's theater.

Magida, 79, died of natural causes Aug. 3 in her Edgewater home in Chicago, said her son, Andrew Goldberg.

After marrying in the early '60s, Magida soon began working as a freelance writer, authoring articles for Gourmet magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times' Good Food section and Chicago magazine.

While freelancing for the Sun-Times in the early 1970s, Magida wrote her first book, "Eating, Drinking and Thinking: A Gourmet Perspective."

Over the next 14 years, she wrote food-related stories on everything Magida from cherries and pears to chocolate malted milk and gingerbread. Magida also authored the Tribune's Cooks' Dialogue column.

But Magida's work at the Tribune wasn't limited to food. She also wrote feature stories on topics like popular new board games and braceless techniques to straighten teeth, and she previewed plays and other weekend activities.

In her later years at the Tribune, Magida wrote suburban-oriented features.

While at the Tribune, Magida furthered her education, earning a master's degree in education from National Louis University. Magida took an early retirement package from the Tribune in the early 1990s.

An animal lover, Magida gave up meat and animal products for roughly the last three decades of her life, her son said.

While the move might seem unusual for someone who had been a food writer, it underscored Magida's love of animals, Goldberg said.

In addition to her son, Magida is survived by three grandchildren and a sister.

18

ILLINOIS PRESSLINES

Marion Wilke

Marion Wilke's life was full of stories. Some she wrote for the Rockford Register Star during her career as features editor and writer. Other stories, however, were the ones she lived herself.

The Rockford resident died Sept. 2 at the age of 84 after a battle with cancer. She left behind a legacy as a working mom who was actively involved in her community.

Wilke worked in different positions at the Register Star for 42 years, beginning in 1955.

She eventually moved to marketing and organized community events Wilke for the company, including a chef cooking program and cookoff.

Wilke wrote a variety of articles and columns for the newspaper, including some columns on such hot-button issues as abortion that aimed to provide the perspective of a Rockford woman.

In December 1972, she wrote a series of articles for the Rockford Morning Star, the Register Star's precursor, after attending the Governor's Conference on Women's Rights in Chicago.

Wilke studied journalism at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She had three children, and after retiring, she went into the machinery business with her son Theodore, who preceded her in death.

Charlotte L. Castleman

Southwest News-Herald neighborhood correspondent Charlotte L. Castleman (nee Maertin), who decades ago reported news large and small from the Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor neighborhoods, died early August at age 103.

Castleman Castleman's husband, Willis J. McAley, died in 1967. She was the mother of Patricia (the late Ralph) Niemin and the late Joseph (Retha) McAley, Daniel McAley, and Winifred (the late James).

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Edgar Alsene Edgar Samuel "Ed" Alsene, 92, of Bloomington, died Sunday, July 17 in Bloomington.

Alsene was born Jan. 2, 1924, in Bloomington. He married Donna Rae Swan on April 18, 1953, in Bloomington. She survives. Also surviving are his four children, nine Alsene grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Alsene was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy. He graduated from Illi-

nois State University, where he lettered in golf. Alsene served as director of publicity and sports information at Illinois Wesleyan University from 1966-1988.

Alsene served as assistant sports editor of The Daily Pantagraph from 1942 to 1954. From 1954 to 1959, he was a sports writer for The Des Moines Register. He then served as sports editor for the Illinois State Journal, first, and later of the combined sports departments of the Illinois State Journal and Illinois State Register in Springfield from 1959 to 1965.

Dennis Yohnka Dennis Yohnka, a longtime reporter and columnist for the Daily Journal (Kankakee) whose stories often celebrated ordinary people, died Aug. 15, following a brief hospitalization at Riverside Medical Center. He was 68.

He spent decades working as a sportswriter, features writer, correspondent, education reporter and columnist, leaving the newspaper to take various jobs in public relations, as well as at the Wilke Joliet Herald newspaper.

But his enormous talent in journalism kept him coming back. His most recent stint at the Journal began in December 2008 after he retired from the Joliet School District. Yohnka seemed to perfect the human interest story: none was ever too big, none was ever too small.

Yohnka grew up in Chebanse and graduated from Central High School in Clifton and Northern Illinois University.

He is survived by his wife, Terry Yohnka, four children and 12 grandchildren.

He was divorced from Karleen Yohnka.

Yohnka was born March 3, 1948, the third of five children. His twin, Delores Ashmore, was born an hour after he was. His father, Bill, owned a construction company and, for a time, was the superintendent of a Catholic cemetery (Yohnka still would talk about his grave-digging days). His mother, Rell,

was a notary and stay-at-home mom.

Paul Yohnka, the eldest sibling, said Dennis began his career with the Journal in 1969 shortly after returning from NIU, back when Dennis was "a lot of black curly hair."

He was a sports reporter from June 1970 until December 1972 before returning to NIU in pursuit of a master's degree in speech communications. He stayed at NIU as a faculty assistant in the NIU College of Continuing Education until he returned to Kankakee in 1976.

While Yohnka wrote features and news stories throughout his career, he began writing columns just as early. His humor — sarcastic, yes, but often touching at the same time — was clear from the get-go.

Later in his career, Yohnka became a mentor to younger reporters, dispensing advice from behind his desk, or over lunch (preferably lunch). He was the quintessential glass-half-full kind of guy. Everyone's story was worth telling, and everyone's story could be redeeming.

In 2012, he received an honorable mention for Journalist of the Year, held by the Local Media Association.

He earned many other accolades going back to the 1970s.

John A. McDonough

It would not be an exaggeration to say John McDonough made sure millions of Chicagoans got their news. In a 41-year newspaper career, he'd kick production into high gear with wit, wisdom and five words: "We're a little behind here." And he remained unflappable during a period of rapid technological change in the industry.

McDonough At 19, he became a "copy boy" at the Chicago Daily News, doing gofer work. By the time he retired from the Sum-Times in 1999 at the age of 61, McDonough had risen to be assistant managing editor for pagination-production and design.

The longtime Skokie resident died Aug. 9 at Evanston Hospital of complications from hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain. McDonough was 78.

McDonough is also survived by two daughters, two sisters and two brothers.

His two sons preceded him in death.

Ellen M. Piper

Ellen M. Piper, 79, died July 22 from lung cancer. She married Leo G. "Jerry" Piper of Byron, Ill. on Aug. 15, 1959. He preceded her in death one year ago.

Jerry and Ellen were very active in the Illinois Press Association; Jerry served as board president in 1986.

Ellen graduated from Genoa-Kingston High School in 1954 and as an Piper RN from Rockford Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1957. She was an office nurse for two years. She spent most of her career as a typesetter at the newspapers Jerry worked for in Durand, Orland Park and Barrington, Ill. She purchased Barrington Word Processing in 1986, retiring in 2001 when she and Jerry moved to DeKalb.

Surviving are three children, Dana (Rich) Saal of Springfield, Denise of Rolling Meadows and Dean (Marilyn) of Pembroke Pines, Fla.; and four grandchildren.

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George E. Curry

George E. Curry, a journalist, civil-rights activist and publisher, whose syndicated column ran in hundreds of black-owned newspapers around the U.S., has died. He was 69.

Curry, of Laurel, Md., died suddenly on August 20 in Takoma Park, Md., after he was taken to the emergency room there.

Curry's syndicated column was carried in more than 200 African-AmerCurry ican-owned newspapers, and he served two stints as editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a news service for black papers. He also served as editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine in the 1990s, and within the past year, he had been raising money to relaunch Emerge as a digital magazine covering racial injustice and other issues important to the black community.

He became the first African-American to be elected president of the American Society of Magazine Editors. He was a frequent commentator on Black Entertainment Television and on the Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show.

A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Curry graduated from Knoxville College in Tenn., where he edited the school paper and played football.

He worked as a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.

Jorge 'George' Isaias Oclander

Jorge (George) Isaias Oclander of Chicago died July 28 at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston at the age of 75. He was one of the longest living survivors of childhood polio, which he contracted at age 1.

During his career he acted as senior assistant to the president at the Chicago Board of Education for 10 years. Previously, he was senior writer and columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and an editor-in-chief at La Raza newspaper, both of which served his endless fascination in the politics and culture of Chicago.

He is survived by his sisters, a son and daughter, and five grandchildren.

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Michael Argirion Michael Argirion was a longtime editor for three Chicago newspapers who later was co-author for more than 15 years of the daily Jumble word game, which was syndicated by Tribune Media Services.

Argirion, 76, died of cardiac arrest July 29 at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, said his wife of 53 years, Sherrie. He had been a resident of Heathrow, Fla., an Orlando suburb.

Before moving to Florida 32 years ago, Argirion and his wife were longtime residents of Morton Grove.

Born in Chicago, Argirion grew up in West Rogers Park and graduated from Sullivan High School. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he attended DePaul University, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.

As a teenager, Argirion worked at a bar near Tribune Tower that was frequented by some of the paper's printers. They encouraged him to apply to the old Chicago's American newspaper, and the paper hired him as a copy boy while he was in high school.

He rose to become a copy editor and then a wire editor. After the American — which was owned by the Tribune — was converted to a tabloid and renamed Chicago Today in 1969, Argirion worked at that paper as a news and features editor.

The Tribune absorbed Chicago Today in 1974, and Argirion became the Tri-

bune's assistant Sunday editor and then was the paper's features editor from 1975 until 1979. Argirion was the Tribune's assistant managing editor for features from 1979 until 1981 and the assistant managing editor for news editing from 1981 until 1982.

Argirion was the Tribune's executive news editor from 1982 until 1983 and then was the paper's associate editor in 1983 before moving his family to Orlando and becoming editor of Tribune Media Services, a Tribune subsidiary that syndicated news, comic strips and TV listings. Tribune Media Services now is part of Gracenote, which is owned by Tribune Media Co. Argirion took an early retirement in 1993, taking on a new role as he succeeded Jumble's longtime writer, Bob Lee. In the job, he came up with the word part of the daily puzzle.

For much of his time authoring Jumble, Argirion worked with longtime Jumble illustrator Henri Arnold. While both men were based in Florida, they largely developed ideas for the puzzle by phone or by fax machine. Arnold, who died in 2015 at age 97, stepped down as Jumble's illustrator in 2008 after more than 47 years.

Argirion also is survived by a daughter, a son, two grandchildren and a sister.

Steven W. Yahn Steven W. Yahn died June 28.

After graduating as a James Scholar from the University of Illinois, he worked briefly as a reporter for the Rockford Register Star.

Yahn launched his journalistic career at the Chicago Daily News, where he became a noted feature writer.

He went on to become Yahn the founding editor of Crain's Chicago Business, as well as editor of The Collector-Investor magazine and the Pittsburgh Business Times. In the early 1980s, he became the financial editor at the Philadelphia Daily News

and then was recruited to become editor of the financial section at the New York Daily News.

In the late 1980s, Yahn moved to the coast of Maine, where he and his brother-in-law published Preview, a weekly lifestyle magazine. Yahn then returned to his roots in Chicago, where he served as editor of Ad Age Magazine for several years before taking on the same role at Editor and Publisher in New York City.

Despite recent health problems, Yahn remained a valued contributor to Risk & Insurance Magazine, where he often wrote attention-getting cover stories. He is survived by his mother, sister, brother, two sons.

William Gaines

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Former Chicago Tribune investigative reporter William Gaines was one of the newspaper's most decorated journalists, with a list of awards that includes two Pulitzer Prizes. Gaines, who spent 38 years at the Tribune, was an expert with records and had a flair for unknotting dense government documents.

Gaines, 82, died July 20 while in hospice care in Gaines Munster, Ind. according to his daughter, Michelle Gaines. A resident of Munster, he had been dealing with Parkinson's disease for 15 years, she said.

After working in broadcast networks in Michigan and Indiana, William joined the Tribune in 1963. He became an investigative reporter in 1974. In 1976, he won his first Pulitzer Prize as a member of a team that uncovered widespread abuse in federal housing programs in Chicago, and which exposed shocking conditions at two private Chicago hospitals.

As part of the reporting, William went undercover as a janitor at a South Side hospital. While he was hired to mop, sweep and throw out garbage, he was also called on to assist nurses and doctors in surgery while still in his janitor's uniform.

William won his second Pulitzer Prize in 1988, along with Dean Baquet, now executive editor of The New York Times, and Ann Marie Lipinski, now the curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. The series explored self-interest and waste in the Chicago City Council.

William retired from the Tribune in 2001, and went on to teach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he became the Knight Chair in Journalism, his daughter said.

William retired from the U. of I. in 2006. Michelle described her father as an "average guy" whose main hobby was his work. In his free time, he wrote a book about reporting, she said with a chuckle.

William’s textbook is titled "Investigative Reporting for Print and Broadcast" and was published in 1994.

William is also survived by his wife, Nellie, and two sons, Michael and Matthew.

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