News & Announcements | Page 155 of 381 | Wisconsin Newspaper Association

Jim Johnson named managing editor for O’Rourke papers

Oct. 22, 2021

Jim Johnson, a longtime Iowa newspaper manager, has joined O'Rourke Media Group.

Johnson will serve as managing editor for five publications, two of which are online-only. They include the (Hudson) Star-Observer and River Falls Journal in Wisconsin and the Cannon Falls Beacon, Hastings Star Gazette and (Red Wing) Republican Eagle in Minnesota. The Republican Eagle also serves Ellsworth across the border in Wisconsin.

He fills the role vacated by Anne Jacobson, who left in September to become communications manager for Red Wing Public Schools. Jacobson had been with the company for 20 years, serving as editor of the Republican Eagle and later as news director.

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Court orders release of former deputy’s disciplinary records

Oct. 22, 2021

A three-judge appeals court panel last week ruled that disciplinary records for a former Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy must be released, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

"The denial of public access generally is contrary to the public interest, and only in an exceptional case may access be denied," the court wrote in its decision. "This policy of disclosure is one of the strongest declarations of policy in the Wisconsin statutes."

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Several APG weeklies move to Friday publication, delivery

Oct. 22, 2021

Several Adams Publishing Group weekly newspapers in southern Wisconsin moved to new publication schedules this week, publishing and delivering on Friday instead of Thursday.

Among those making the switch were the DeForest Times-Tribune, Lodi Enterprise and Poynette Press, Milton Courier, and The Waunakee Tribune. Jonathan Stefonek, editor of the Times-Tribune, explained readers are expected to benefit from additional midweek coverage, as well as more reliable delivery.

Federal funds delay hard decisions in Milwaukee city budget

Oct. 20, 2021

An unprecedented infusion of federal pandemic aid should provide substantial but temporary relief for the city of Milwaukee’s budget imbalance for the next three years, starting with its 2022 budget.

Poll indicates strong support for civics education in schools

Oct. 20, 2021

Polco users and readers visiting WNA member websites from Oct. 5 to 19 were asked whether they believed civics education should be required in Wisconsin schools. Out of 556 respondents, 89% said they supported requiring civics education in all Wisconsin schools, while 6% said local schools should determine their own curriculum.

Poll questions are available through a WNA partnership with Polco aimed at helping newspapers better engage readers and access enhanced data and insights. WNA members who have signed up for an account with Polco can access their local version of the new question, as well as local poll results, on their dashboards. Those who have not signed up can do so here.

Spooky tales of Sasquatch sightings

Oct. 20, 2021

Halloween is the season for ghost stories and hauntings, but are there even bigger creatures that go bump in the night?

Fundraising heats up for U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin

Oct. 19, 2021

Wisconsin’s primary doesn’t happen until August of next year. But the major Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate are busy gathering resources for the primary and general election fight ahead.

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Robin Vos ordered to turn over election probe records

Oct. 15, 2021

A Dane County judge last week ordered Robin Vos, speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, to turn over records related to Republicans' investigation into the 2020 presidential election.

The ruling was issued hours after a lawsuit was filed by American Oversight, a liberal government watchdog group. The lawsuit said Vos had not responded to the group's open records requests. Similar records requests filed by the Wisconsin State Journal and other news outlets also had not been fulfilled.

Editor Andrea Hansen Abler leaves Campbellsport, Kewaskum newspapers

Oct. 15, 2021

Andrea Hansen Abler, editor of the Campbellsport News and Kewaskum Statesman, announced last week that she was leaving the two eastern Wisconsin newspapers. Her last day was Friday, Oct. 8. She had been with the Campbellsport paper for more than 17 years and with the Statesman for the last six years. Both newspapers are published by Multi Media Channels.

In a farewell column to readers, Abler noted she would continue to help the newspapers on a part-time basis until her replacement has been found. She also recalled the most memorable events she had covered during her tenure with the newspapers and encouraged readers to be patient and help however they can during the transition period following her departure.

Mitchell Keller named Dodge County Pionier editor

Oct. 15, 2021

Mitchell Keller has been named editor of the Dodge County Pionier. He fills the role vacated by Karen Rouse, who remains with the Pionier as a contributor. He also will continue to serve as sports editor for the newspaper.

Keller graduated in 2012 from UW-Milwaukee with a degree in journalism and film. He went on to serve as a programming intern for the Milwaukee Film Festival, a production intern for NFL Films, director of media and communications for the Melbourne Aces, a professional baseball team in the Australian Baseball League, and a correspondent for Major League Baseball. He has been a member of the Pionier news staff since October 2018 and previously worked in sales for its sister papers, the Campbellsport News and Kewaskum Statesman.