Member News

Neal Patten, a reporter and southwest Wisconsin native, has joined the Waunakee Tribune as a general assignment reporter. In addition to his work in Waunakee, he will cover a variety of topics for APG's newspapers in DeForest, Lodi and Poynette.

Prior to joining the Tribune, Patten spent three years with Unified Newspaper Group (now Wisconsin Media Group), where he worked as a reporter for the group's four newspapers and two magazines. He also has freelanced at publications including The (Janesville) Gazette, the (Dubuque, Iowa) Telegraph Herald and Tone Madison.

Neillsville native Stephanie Dayton has joined her hometown newspaper, the Clark County Press, as a reporter. In her new role, she will cover local events and county and city news.

A graduate of Neillsville High School, Dayton lives with her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. In addition to writing, she enjoys photography and reading, she wrote in her introductory column.

Longtime Watertown Daily Times employee Dave Thorman was recently honored for his 25 years of service with the company, the newspaper announced last month.

Thorman began his career with the Daily Times on Nov. 25, 1997, where he started in the mailroom. He worked the bundling machine before moving on to become a delivery driver. He marked his 25th anniversary with the newspaper on Friday, Nov. 25, announcing he plans to soon retire. 

Sports editor Tom Gunnell is leaving the (Darlington) Republican Journal after 27 years to become the Deputy Clerk of Courts in Green County, he announced in a column last month.

Gunnell began as a sports reporter at the Journal in August 1995, after earning his bachelor's degree in advertising with a focus on public relations from UW-Madison. Before joining the Journal, Gunnell worked as a freelance sportswriter for The Iola Herald, a reporter and news editor for the Tomorrow River Times in Amherst, and as a sportswriter for The Manawa Times.

Casey Lindecrantz has joined the (Darlington) Republican Journal as sports editor, the newspaper announced last month. Lindecrantz replaces Tom Gunnell, who is leaving the newspaper after 27 years to become the Deputy Clerk of Courts in Green County.

Lindecrantz earned his bachelor's degree in journalism and sports studies from the University of Iowa in 2018. In college, he served as a writer and social media coordinator for the Iowa Journalist and as an anchor and reporter for Daily Iowan TV. He most recently served as the office assistant for Kunes Auto and RV Group in Platteville. 

Natalie Dillon, a 2021 graduate of UW-Oshkosh, has been named sports editor of The Monroe Times.

After graduating from college, Dillon spent a year as sports editor of The Crookston (Minnesota) Times before returning to Wisconsin to accept the new role with her hometown newspaper.

After more than 40 years as a sportswriter and sports wire editor with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mike Hart has accepted a voluntary buy-out from Gannett, the Milwaukee Business Journal reports.

Hart is a 1981 graduate of UW-Whitewater. He began working for the Journal Sentinel in 1982. His last day with the newspaper will be Friday, Dec. 9.

Brian O’Connor has been named managing editor of the Watertown Daily Times and Daily Jefferson County Union, Adams Publishing Group of Wisconsin has announced. He started work with the newspapers on Nov. 29.

A 2001 Watertown High School graduate and former Daily Times intern, O'Connor most recently served as the lead content editor for No-Till Farmer and other agriculture publications at Lessiter Media in Brookfield. He succeeds former APG Wisconsin group editor Scott Peterson, who retired in September. 

Voice Media Group has hired Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek to the newly created position of editorial director.

Dequaine-Jerabek is currently the director of marketing and social media for The Capital Times and Madison Media Partners where she has specialized in creating digital strategies and partnerships to increase readership and raise brand awareness.