Top Stories

Beth Bennett, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, was elected president of Newspaper Association Managers today during the group’s 98th annual conference in Madison. Bennett has led the WNA since 2010 and previously served as the Illinois Press Association’s director of government relations. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Newspaper Association and is a past president of TEMPO Madison.

The WNA Foundation will honor 26 industry leaders during a virtual Memorial Pylon ceremonyon Friday, Aug. 20.

Orestes Baez has joined the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Board of Directors, accepting an appointment by WNA President Gregg Walker to fill an open seat.

Baez, who serves as regional president of southern Wisconsin for Adams Publishing Group, will fill one of the four daily newspaper seats on the WNA Board. He replaces Randy Rickman, who resigned after being named regional president for southern Minnesota at APG.

The United States Postal Service today announced a planned adjustment of postage rates for the public and commercial mail users, the National Newspaper Association announced. For community newspapers using periodicals mail to reach readers, the average rate increase will be nearly 9%, effective August 29. The first-class stamp will move from 55 to 58 cents.

The rate increase is part of a new USPS business plan that also includes a weakening of service standards for mail that is moving across the country.

Gov. Tony Evers last week signed into law legislation that further ensures our industry’s role in the continued publication of public notices.

Each amendment aims to cement the position of community newspapers as papers of record, while also promoting ease of access and increased readership of legal notices. The legislation does not change the eligibility status of newspapers currently certified to publish legal notices.

Wisconsin Newspaper Association members are being asked to consider volunteering to judge the West Virginia Press Association's annual newspaper contest. Without reciprocal judging partnerships, the WNA would not be able to hold our annual contests.

WVPA needs at least 70 WNA members to sign up by May 23 to judge across a variety of editorial, photography, design and advertising categories. All judging will be done online and is scheduled to begin in late May or early June.

A bill introduced earlier this month seeks to eliminate the Wisconsin statute that excludes legislators and their staff from having to retain certain records, effectively allowing them to skirt the state’s public records law.

Senate Bill 289 was introduced on April 8 by Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) and Kelda Roys (D-Madison). The Wisconsin Newspaper Association has registered its support of the legislation with the Ethics Commission.

The family of longtime Wisconsin State Journal reporter Pat Simms has created a journalism scholarship fund in her name. The fund will be used to support students "with a passion to study journalism."

Simms, who served as a journalism instructor and adviser after retiring from the State Journal in 2011, died Monday, April 5, after a fight with cancer.  Those interested in contributing to the fund are directed to send donations to the M. Patricia Simms Journalism Scholarship Fund, c/o Meanwell Investment Group, 1 Erdman Place, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53717-2171.