The Indiana Publisher

different today than they were yesterday," he said. In this shifting media landscape, Dohrn emphasizes the importance and potential of newspapers. "I'm coming to the conference to preach the power of print, the power of a multimedia buy using our newspapers' digital and print efforts." A lot of time, people think training is boring, said Dohrn who is a part-time comedian and entertainer. "This is going to be very fun, very interactive. I'll have lots of prizes and lots of fun stuff to give away." Dohrn said it's important for people to understand the investment and the opportu- nity the HSPA conference represents. It would cost thousands of dollars to bring him into an individual news organization. But the conference makes it affordable. "For them, pennies on the dollar," he said "I really hope that people will want to come to the conference and say, 'Hey, this is a person that believes in print,' " Dohrn said. "I believe in the power of print. I believe in the power of local media to drive business for businesses." Register for the conference at http://www. hspa.com/conference/ Page 2 August 2018 Mark Wilson Evansville Courier & Press EVANSVILLE — George Spohr, executive editor of the Courier & Press, died of cancer July 19. He was 37. Spohr was also regional editor for Gannett's Indiana newspapers outside of Indianapolis, leading journalism efforts in Lafayette, Richmond, Muncie and Evansville, as well as at The Gleaner in Henderson, Kentucky. He moved to Evansville in October 2017. Spohr was previously the executive editor of the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. Although he was a New York state native, Spohr came to love Indiana, especially Evansville. From the moment he moved to Evansville, Spohr often spoke about how at home he felt. "It was a joy to work with George, even if it was just for a short time. His respect and deep care for others was his finest quality. I loved that he came to love Evansville as much as he did. To see someone move here and absolutely treasure the area and what it had to offer was touching to me as a lifelong resident," said Ryan Reynolds, Courier & Press sports director. In one of his final email messages to Courier & Press staff, he wrote: "More than any place I've lived as I've hop-scotched the country with my career, Evansville feels like home." An avid hiker, Spohr loved Indiana's natural resources and often wrote about them in his columns. He loved Lincoln State Park and its firetower and enjoyed New Harmony State Park's trails. He also enjoyed one of Indiana's other strengths: Good food, especially the Italian restaurants and pizza parlors in every town where he went for work. "I can't emphasize enough how much he loved being in Evansville," said Jeff Taylor, executive editor/news at USA TODAY and former executive editor of the Indianapolis Star. "He told me time and time again how he loved being in Evansville. He really felt like he was in a great place and at a great moment in his career." Taylor hired Spohr to lead the Lafayette newspaper. "I knew he was a really smart editor who was passionate about the work we do and how we connect to the community," Taylor said. He recalled attending a community gathering not long after Spohr came to Lafayette during which local officials spoke about Spohr as if they had known him for years. "He believed very much about not just being the watchdog of our community but in making a difference in the community," Taylor said. Spohr's father, George Spohr Sr., said his son wanted to be a journalist since he was 11. He used to type up a daily paper each day to sell to neighbors. It was called Spohr News and had the weather, sports and other area happenings. He got his first job in journalism as a senior in high school as a reporter for the Observer-Dispatch in his hometown of Utica, New York. Ronnie Ramos, the Indianapolis Star's executive editor, worked closely with Spohr from the moment he arrived in Indiana. "As good of an editor and journalist as George was, he was an even better person. He really cared about people and the staff he worked with," Ramos said. To read more about George Spohr, visit https://tinyurl.com/georgespohr. Courier & Press Executive Editor George Spohr dies at 37 Spohr Page 2 June 2018 Longtime newspaper reporter and editor Norman L. "Norm" Hagg, 80, Warsaw, died Tuesday, May 29, 2018, at Kosciusko Community Hospital following a 16-year battle with cancer and leukemia. A lifelong resident of Kosciusko County, he was born Oct. 15, 1937, to Arnold D. and Gladys E. Ring Hagg. He graduated from Leesburg High School in 1955 and went on to complete training for a career in radio at Midwestern Broadcasting School in Chicago. He enjoyed playing basketball in high school, where he was named the Leesburg Lions Club Most Valuable Player on the Blue Blazers team as a junior in 1954 and was invited by the coach to attend the legendary Indiana high school basketball fi nals at Butler Fieldhouse between Milan and Muncie Central that became the basis for the movie "Hoosiers." Hagg and the former Patricia A. Tusing were united in marriage on Aug. 3, 1958. The couple were active lifetime members of Dutch- town Brethren Church, where they served on the deacon board for more than 30 years. The church was the foundation of their Christian faith, which was so important in their marriage and in the lives of their children and families. In addition to his wife Patricia, Warsaw, he is survived by three children: Beth (Neil) Walker, Westland, Mich.; Mike (Rhonda) Hagg, Silver Lake; and Brad (Aimee) Hagg, Warsaw; seven grandchildren, six great-grand- children and a sister, Rosalie (David) Nye, Warsaw. Family held a special spot in Norm's life. The compassion and care Pat provided to many during a career in nursing and the many positive accomplish- ments and achievements by the children over the years brought much joy to a very proud husband and parent. Hagg retired from the Times-Union in 2013 following an amazing career with the newspaper spanning almost fi ve decades. He had the privilege of working for the Williams family, founders of the newspaper 164 years ago, and whose descendants still own it today. He learned the skills of his profession from such outstanding mentors as Executive Editor William K. Mollenhour, Editor Curtis "Gabby" Garber, and Publisher Reub Williams, who recruited him from WRSW in 1962 to begin his newspaper career as a general assignment reporter. Hagg later served as the Times-Union's sports editor, city editor, managing editor, editor in chief and general manager prior to his retirement. Along with his newspaper duties, Hagg remained active in radio for a period of time and was the "Voice of the Tigers," doing play-by-play basketball broadcasts for many games in the '70s and early '80s. Hagg, as a member of the media, was inducted into the Kosciusko County High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. Warsaw newsman Norm Hagg dies at 80 Hagg HSPA Staff Steve Key, executive director and general counsel skey@hspa.com • (317) 624-4427 Pamela Lego, MAP advertising director plego@hspa.com • (812) 350-7711 Shawn Goldsby, statewide advertising manager sgoldsby@hspa.com • (317) 803-4772 Ruth Witmer, communications specialist news@hspa.com • (317) 624-4430 The Indiana Publisher is published monthly by Hoosier State Press Association, 41 E. Washington St., Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN, 46204, (317) 803-4772. ISSN 0019-6711 USPS 058-730. Periodicals-class postage paid at Indianapolis, Ind., and at additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Indiana Publisher, 41 E. Washington St., Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN, 46204, (317) 803-4772, Fax (317) 624-4428 Website: hspa.com Subscriptions $25 per year. Ad rates furnished upon request. HSPA Board of Directors President: Chuck Wells, AIM Media Indiana Vice President/Secretary: Patrick Lanman, Vevay Media Group Chris White, The Times Media Co. Pete Van Baalen, Fort Wayne Newspapers Beverly Joyce, CNHI Bill Connelly, LaGrange Publishing co. Cory Bollinger, Schurz Communications, Inc. Curt Kovener, The Crothersville TImes HSPA Foundation Board of Directors President: Michael J. Christman, Fort Wayne Newspapers Vice President: William "B.J." Riley, Horizon Publications Nancy Grossman, Leader Publishing Mark Miller, The News-Banner (Bluffton) John Rumbach, The Herald (Jasper) Bill Hackney, The News Dispatch (Michigan CIty) and The LaPorte County Herald-Argus Greg Perrotto, Kankakee Valley Publishing HSPA Foundation Board Members HSPA Foundation Officers HSPA Officers HSPA Board Members For HSPA, it was disappointing that leadership moved forward with language that keeps it secret when: • DUAB reaches out to a school corpora- tion to determine whether a corrective action plan is necessary; • DUAB determines a corrective action is necessary; • The corrective action plan is created and actions are taken to implement it; • DUAB modifi es a district's proposed corrective action plan; and • Requests are made by a school superin- tendent of DUAB to modify a corrective action plan. H.B. 1315(ss) makes public records concerning the process confi dential and calls for DUAB and school boards to meet in secret during this process. While HSPA can understand how leadership may have felt its hands were tied to H.B. 1315 language based on the unusual one-day session, there has been no indica- tion that leadership disagrees with a policy that the public should be denied the knowledge that DUAB has reached out or is working with its school district leadership. There's been no indication that the level of secrecy found in H.B. 1315 is excessive and will be addressed in the 2019 session. The only rationale given for the secrecy is a stated fear that parents who learn their school district may have fi nancial concerns that need to be addressed will simply move their students to another school district – exacerbat- ing the fi nancial situation and creating a self-fulfi lling prophecy. HSPA believes this policy sells Hoosier communities short – saying they can't be trusted to act appropriately if given the knowledge that their school district is facing fi nancial concerns. It doesn't believe a community will rally around its school district to turn the fi nancial picture around. Special Session Continued from Page 1 Dohrn Continued from Page 1

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