Member News

Laura Hughes, who worked at The Monroe Times for more than four decades, has retired.

She began her career with Monroe Publishing in August 1982 as a secretary and classified order taker. Three years later, she joined the sales team at The Times, and in 2004, she was named advertising manager. Hughes said she is looking forward to traveling with her husband and spending time with her family. Her last day at the newspaper was Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Michael Kujawski, who previously served as a wire editor and sports editor at several newspapers in Wisconsin, has joined the Antigo Journal as a reporter.

Kujawski earned a bachelor's degree in English and journalism from UW-Madison and recently returned to Wisconsin after teaching English for several years in China. In his new role, Kujawski will write news features, cover Antigo School Board and Langlade County Board and report on local high school sports.

After more than 56 years in the newspaper industry, Bob Berglund has retired, with the final publication of his column, "Over the Back Fence," the Tribune Record Gleaner has announced.

Berglund began his newspaper career straight out of high school, when he began as an apprentice at the Turtle Lake Times in 1949. In 1956, after spending time in the U.S. Army and as a postal clerk in Turtle Lake, he married his wife, Florence. The two purchased the Loyal Tribune and the Spencer Record in 1968, and the Greenwood Gleaner in 1969. They then merged the three weekly newspapers into the Tribune Record Gleaner. The couple oversaw the publication of 1,364 issues of the newspaper from October 1968 to January 1995. 

Photojournalist Justin Runberg has been named editor ofthe Amery Free Press, the newspaper has announced. His first day on the job was Dec. 4. A Balsam Lake native, Runberg attended UW-River Falls and UW-La Crosse, earning a bachlelor's degree in communication studies in 2018. He went on to work as a photojournalist at WKBT News 8 in La Crosse before moving to Colorado in 2021 to photograph wildlife.

Dana Egler also has joined the newspaper as sales coordinator in the advertising department. Egler is the owner of ELEmark, which provides business-to-business appointment setting and database development for insurance companies. She has over 20 years of experience in sales and customer service.

Mitchell Keller, editor of the (Theresa) Dodge County Pionier has resigned his position, effective May 14.

After serving as editor of the Pionier for the last two and a half years, Keller is leaving to accept a deputy editor position with a global construction magazine. He will continue to write a weekly column for the newspaper and produce its annual visitors guide.

April Ziemer, who has served as editor of the Amery Free Press for the last five years, has left the newspaper. Ziemer, whose previous background included photography and customer service, joined the Free Press in July 2018.

In her farewell column, Ziemer said she plans to start her own company. She noted a heavy workload that pulled her away from family and other commitments and increasing vitriolic attacks on social media contributed to the decision.

Caden Perry has joined the La Crosse Tribune newsroom as a general assignment reporter.

Perry is from Portland, Oregon, where he recently completed a photojournalism internship with Oregon Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon with a double bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations with a focus in multimedia. During college, he worked as a freelance videographer and photographer.

Manitowoc native Danny Spatchek has been hired as a reporter for the Antigo Daily Journal.

Spatchek graduated from Lakeland University in Sheboygan with a degree in English in 2012 and has spent the last 10 years teaching high school in South Korea. During college, he served as the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Lakeland Mirror.

Ben Priesgen, a vegetable farmer and local official, has joined the staff of the Dodge County Pionier, the newspaper has announced. In the new role, he will cover local sports, Lomira community stories and Village of Theresa government.

A Lomira native, Priesgen has a degree in management from UW-Oshkosh and is the owner of Country Blossom Organics. He also serves on the Dodge County Board of Supervisors and previously served on the Village of Lomira Board of Trustees.

Sam Bailey, who graduated this year from Emporia State University in Kansas with a degree in communications, has joined the Sheboygan Press as a reporter. She will cover local government and general news.

Bailey served as managing editor for The Bulletin student newspaper at ESU and as editor of The Hutchinson Collegian at Hutchinson Community College. She was named Kansas Collegiate Media Journalist of the Year twice — for four-year schools in 2023 and for two-year schools in 2021. She also recently completed an internship with the Kansas Reflector, an affiliate of States Newsroom.