News & Announcements | Page 195 of 383 | Wisconsin Newspaper Association

Edgerton publisher highlights importance of letters to the editor

Feb. 5, 2021

Edgerton Reporter publisher Diane Everson recently took a moment to highlight the importance of letters to the editor within a community.

One of the most widely read sections of the newspaper, Everson notes the Reporter has been publishing letters from its readers since 1874. Everson's editorial offered helpful suggestions to readers about what makes a good letter and recognized the 55 individuals who submitted letters during 2020.

Peshtigo Times publisher Mary Ann Gardon dies at 92

Feb. 5, 2021

Mary Ann (Pesch) Gardon, longtime editor and publisher of Peshtigo Times, died Monday, Feb. 1, in Peshtigo. She was 92.

A lifelong Peshtigo resident,
Gardon started working at the Times at age nine and began helping with the bookkeeping at age 14.
She continued working at the newspaper until after her 90th birthday. Following her father’s death in 1981, Gardon served as editor and publisher until her retirement.

Her brother, “Lucky Leo” Pesch, Jr., was a sports pages legend at the newspaper and is a member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame.

Longtime Freeman sports editor Lee Fensin dies at 76

Feb. 2, 2021

Lee A. Fensin, who spent his entire journalism career on the Waukesha Freeman sports staff, died Wednesday, Jan. 27, following complications from a stroke. He was 76.

Fensin spent 48 years with the Freeman. As the longtime sports editor, Fensin “was an institution at the Freeman and in the community,” publisher Bill Yorth said in Fensin’s obituary.

Tri-County News, Augusta Area Times to merge

Feb. 2, 2021

After sharing pages since the mid-1980s, the (Osseo) Tri-County News and Augusta Area Times will merge this week into one publication, the newspapers announced.

Beginning Thursday, Feb. 4, the new publication will be known as the Tri-County Area Times. Sean Scallon, editor and reporter for both the News and Times, will continue to hold both roles with the merged publication.

Larry Gallup, Your Right to Know, open records

Your Right to Know: Officials’ behavior on masks is reckless and illegal

Feb. 2, 2021

No one in Wisconsin should have to put their lives at risk to attend a public meeting, Larry Gallup writes in the latest "Your Right to Know" column.

Yet to this day, Republican leaders in the Wisconsin state Assembly are holding meetings without requiring attendees to wear masks or offering a video option for those who don’t feel safe attending.

Beware falling down at any age

Feb. 2, 2021

He was more embarrassed than injured, but icy steps led to a fall for Chris Hardie on a recent early morning walk with the family dog.

Wisconsin sees slow but significant shift in state and local spending

Feb. 1, 2021

In recent decades, the distribution of spending between state and local government in Wisconsin has undergone a slow but profound shift, with the gap between the local and state shares nearly erased.

polco, coronavirus, voter registration, presidential debates, covid-19

Poll: Should masks be required in public places?

Feb. 1, 2021

A new poll question about whether masks should be required in public places is available to be used by WNA members. We are revisiting the question in light of Wisconsin Republicans’ efforts to end Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate.

Results from our previous poll question about readers’ expectations of the next four years are also available. Of 669 respondents, 64% said their expectations were generally positive.

Results available for poll on readers’ expectations for next 4 years

Feb. 1, 2021

Out of 669 respondents, 64% said their expectations for the next four years were generally positive, while 28% had a generally negative outlook.

Daily payments to legislators drop amid pandemic slowdown

Feb. 1, 2021

Wisconsin lawmakers in 2020 claimed per diems totaling $555,149, about 70 percent of what they took home in the previous election year, as the COVID-19 pandemic cut into activity at the Capitol, a WisPolitics.com review found.