The Indiana Publisher

Page 8 October 2020 Connect with us. Follow HSPA on Twitter & Facebook. @OurRight2Know, facebook.com/HoosierStatePressAssociation same time. When he returned, Mary Jo asked if he had an agreement. "No," he said, "but he agreed to sell us the Republican instead." The two papers ran as separate entities until June of 1975 when they merged into a semi-weekly format, giving each subscriber both editions every week. In September, 1977, the two papers were re-brand- ed as the Parke County Sentinel. In May, 1989, the paper switched back to a weekly format. The Sentinel traces it lineage back to the 1831 Wabash Herald, a Democratic newspaper and one of the first 29 in Indiana. It was sold and became a Whig affiliate, the Rockville Intelligencer, later renamed the Olive Branch. A later owner changed it to the Parke County Whig until that party died out, to be succeeded by the True Republican, Parke County Republi- can, and finally the Rockville Republican in 1873. The Parke County News was founded in 1870 but became the Indi- ana Patriot a year later. In April, 1877, new owner Joe B. Cheadle renamed it the Rockville Tribune. Dick Harney became ingrained in Parke County affairs, in addition to reporting on them. He was secretary for the Parke County Chamber and a Charter member and Secretary of the Rockville Elks Lodge. After his untimely passing in 1999, Mary Jo (a St. Mary-of-the- Woods graduate) and her now-adult daughters Megan and Jessica (Purdue Boilermakers) became the "board of directors" of Torch Newspapers, Incorporated. Having previously sold the Fountain County Star (now the Neighbor) and the Clay County Today in Clay City, and discontinuing the monthly Parke Place history magazine, only the Sentinel remained in the portfolio. Jessica and husband Gary Lynk returned to Indiana for a stint as business manager before starting a new career at Edward Jones, while Megan and husband Joe Wilson keep their thumb on the Sentinel pulse from Cincinnati, Ohio. Mary Jo, meanwhile, turns on the lights and makes the first (of several) pots of coffee shortly after seven each day. Being involved in many community groups and attending endless "committee meetings" around the county, keeping a surprise party a surprise from the two local "Harney women" presented a monumental challenge for the staff and her close friends. Enlisting the help of the two sons-in-law early on, the staff planned an afternoon open house on Thursday, October 1, the day after publication and a notoriously slower day around the office. While Gary and particularly Joe developed cover stories to keep their wives in the dark but get them both in Rockville that afternoon (as well as arranging for grandson Connor to fly in from North Carolina), Mary Jo's closest friends told her to "dress nice, stay at home and don't ask any questions ... just trust us!" When she first arrived at the office that afternoon to a parking lot full of tents, tables, chairs and refreshments, she thought the staff was having a yard sale without her! Only after Megan and Jessica appeared did all three realize that they had been kept in the dark all along. "Is this what all the whispering around the office has been about recently?" Mary Jo finally asked. For the next two hours, a steady parade of visitors including "drive- bys" came by to honor and congratu- late the Harney family for keeping the Torch of truth lit in Parke County for the past half-century. Anniversary Continued from Page 1 said that at its heart, the partner- ship helps the organization fulfill its mission of serving Indiana's newspapers. "A free press benefits every- one and helps preserve our democracy, but we understand the marketplace, and we know it is challenging for some news outlets to continue to provide the kind of service their audiences rely on," Key said. "Our hope is that these stories can give publishers and editors a helping hand." "This is a fantastic opportu- nity for our students," said Lisa Renze-Rhodes, student publica- tions adviser at Ball State. "By taking advantage of the content sharing, editors who are or who will be looking for staff mem- bers get a trial run of sorts with these young people. And the journalists themselves get an opportunity to build a more robust portfolio. "It's a great win-win." Editors who use the student- written content are asked to give them a byline that credits the Cardinal News Service, similar to how you would bylined work of other entities, such as AP or Reuters. The service will be live and available for members starting Monday, Oct. 26, at https:// hspainfo.net. BSU Continued from Page 1 "Our hope is that these stories can give publishers and editors a helping hand." — Steve Key, HSPA executive director, general counsel Four Muller Martini 227 inserters available, 2 – 8/1 and 2 – 12/1, with electronic drives. Inserters equipped with in-line ink jet heads, can be used with low or high voltage. Currently located in Shelbyville, KY, removed from plant in Maine. Contact Joyce Ford at jmford@lcni.com or call 502-513-1107. Muller-Martini 227 inserters available for sale

• Cover