Member News

The Portage County Gazette and Stevens Point City Times have moved their offices to a new location in Stevens Point, the newspapers announced last week.

The Multi Media Channels’ move was spurred by a temporary office closure this spring, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jim Burns, a 31-year veteran of the newspaper industry, has been named Capital Newspapers’ production leader, the company announced Saturday.

In the Madison-based role, Burns will serve as a regional production director for Lee Enterprises, which owns half of Capital Newspapers and is the parent company of the Wisconsin State Journal. Burns most recently served as a regional production director for Lee based in the Asheville, N.C., area.

Matt Velazquez, who covered the Milwaukee Bucks for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is leaving the newspaper after 7 1/2 years. He explained in a farewell column that he is leaving to help his wife fulfill her dream of becoming a physician.

Veteran sportswriter Jim Owczarski will take over for Velazquez on the Bucks beat, the newspaper announced Thursday. Owczarski previously covered the Green Bay Packers beat for the Journal Sentinel.

After nearly 19 years of covering consumer business in the Fox Valley for The Post-Crescent, Maureen Wallenfang has written her final column for the Appleton newspaper.

Wallenfang, who announced her departure last week in a farewell column, wrote “The Buzz,” which ran every Sunday and received more than two million page views per year.

Longtime managing editor Christine Spangler will leave the Daily Jefferson County Union next week, the Fort Atkinson newspaper announced Thursday.

Spangler spent her entire career of more than 42 years at the Daily Union. She is stepping down as regional editor Scott Peterson‘s role is expanded to oversee newsroom operations in both Watertown and Fort Atkinson.

Stephanie Jones has been named managing editor of the Lake Geneva Regional News, the Wisconn Valley Media Group announced Wednesday.

Jones has served as managing editor of The Journal Times since February 2016. Scott Williams, previous editor of the Regional News, is moving to a reporting role at The Journal Times. Tom Farley, who had served as news editor since July 2000, will succeed Jones as interim managing editor of The Journal Times.

After more than 40 years with the newspaper, Bill Barth is leaving his role as editor of the Beloit Daily News next week. The Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Famer has been with the Daily News since 1976 and served as editor since 1994.

Sid Schwartz, longtime editor of The Gazette in Janesville, will now oversee newsrooms in both Janesville and Beloit in his role as regional editor for APG Media of Southern Wisconsin.

Ryan Urban has been named editor of the Barron News-Shield, the newspaper announced Wednesday. He fills the position being vacated by Bob Zientara, who is transitioning to semi-retirement.

Urban joins the News-Shield after spending the last six years with The Chronotype in Rice Lake.

Adam Krebs, a Monroe native who has spent the last three years with the newspaper, has been named editor of The Monroe Times.

Krebs took over the role on an interim basis following the departure of Emily Massingill. After one month in the role, the interim designation was removed. He has spent the last three years with the Times.

Michelle Jensen has been named editor of The Chronotype, the Rice Lake newspaper announced Wednesday.

Jensen joins The Chronotype after spending nearly two years as a reporter and photographer for the Ashland Daily Press. She previously worked as a copy editor and evening editor for the (Eau Claire) Leader-Telegram. All three newspapers are owned by Adams Publishing Group.