Hoosier State Press Association - The Indiana Publisher
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Page 2 January 14, 2016 Times editor known for dedication to craft F ormer Times Execu tive Editor William "Bill" Nangle died Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. For nearly 45 years, Nangle, 70, helped lead The Times to become not only the dom inant player in the northwest Indiana media market, but also in molding the future of northwest Indiana. "Bill was an absolutely outstanding editor and news executive. He pioneered targeting local news in the diverse northwest Indiana region," said Mary Junck, chairman, CEO and president of Lee Enterprises, parent company of The Times. "He believed deeply in watchdog journalism, and he and his staff kept a keen eye on local officials and institu tions," she said. "Over the years, he mentored hundreds of upcoming journalists and helped them grow in their careers." Steve Key, executive direc tor of the Hoosier State Press Association, described Nangle as a giant of Indiana journal ism. "Under his newsroom leadership, The Times was honored by the Hoosier State Press Association multiple times with the Blue Ribbon Award as the best daily newspaper in Indiana." Nangle was a longtime member and chairman of HSPA's Freedom of Infor mation Committee, which advises HSPA on issues con cerning the public's right to know what its government is doing. "Bill also was a genuinely good man, and I feel for tunate to have known and worked with him over the last two decades," Key said. Nangle received numer ous awards and accolades over the years, including his induction into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 2011. He was the first Times journalist be to inducted, join ing honorees including Ernie Pyle, Jane Pauley, Frank Reynolds and Eugene C. Pulliam. He gained national fame in the industry following his leadership in persuad ing Indiana's seven largest newspapers to cooperate on The State of Secrecy project, which audited all 92 Indiana counties for compliance with state open records laws in the late 1990s. Following that investiga tive project, Indiana Gov. Frank O'Bannon appointed a public access counselor to advise the public and govern ment officials on compliance with the state's public access laws. The landmark project was soon copied in more than 30 states. Nangle persuaded state lawmakers and thenGov. Evan Bayh in the 1980s to draft a law opening county coroner records to the public, following a court ruling that closed those records. Nangle was active through out northwest Indiana as well, including his role in helping thenPublisher Bill Masterson Jr. form in 2008 what is now the One Region organization, an umbrella group that helps unite a threecounty region that had been characterized by differ ing priorities. The Times' involvement in this regional unification effort earned The Times a 2013 Community Leadership award from the Inland Press Association. In October, Edgewater Behavioral Health Services awarded Nangle its Common wealth Award for Personal and Professional Leadership. In 2013, One Region hon ored Nangle with a lifetime achievement award. In 2009, the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce gave him its distinguished ser vice award. The Hoosier State Press Association gave Nangle its 2008 Distin guished Service Award. In 2002, Gov. Frank O'Bannon named Nangle a Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana's top honor. Nangle served on the board of directors for the Crisis Center, the Northwest Indiana Forum, the Legacy Foundation and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Foundation, among many other activities. In the 1980s, he joined with northern Indiana's U.S. Attorney and the Lake County sheriff to form Partners for Prevention, an antidrug alliance. He formed The Golden Times in the early 1990s to bring senior citizens together. Nangle established edito rial advisory boards to gain insights from community leaders and formed a board of economists to gain insights into the many sectors of the region's economy. What has been referred to as the "Munster Model" for newspapers stemmed from Nangle's work in creating zoned editions that tailored news for smaller areas. At one time The Times had 10 zoned editions. Nangle's journalism career began in 1964, as a com munity news correspondent in his hometown of Wabash, Ind., sending news to the Marion LeaderTribune (now ChronicleTribune). When the newspaper opened a branch office in Wabash in 1965, Nangle became its bureau chief. He became state news edi tor with the Kokomo, Ind., Morning Times in 1966. He also served as news editor. Nangle became managing editor of the Franklin, Ind., Evening Star in 1967 and turned the newspaper into a suburban daily newspaper for Johnson County. In 1969, he became manag ing editor of the Bristol, Va., HeraldCourier. In 1970, Nangle joined The Times as assistant city editor. He became manager of the Southlake Bureau in 1974, managing editor in 1982 and executive editor in 1984. He became editor emeritus upon his retirement in 2014. Nangle is survived by his wife, Rita, and his children: Shane A. Byers (Tammy); William A. Nangle; Daren A. Byers (Debbie); Scott D. Nangle; Jason E. Byers (Maribel); Aaron P. Nangle (Vicki); Chrischelle Schmidt (Ed Thompson); 14 grandchil dren and five greatgrand children. Bill Nangle 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 Milissa Tuley, communications manager mtuley@hspa.com • (317) 624-4430 Yvonne Yeadon, office manager yyeadon@hspa.com • (317) 624-4433 Shawn Goldsby, advertising services manager sgoldsby@hspa.com • (317) 803-4772 Karen T. Braeckel, retired HSPA Foundation director kbraeckel @hspa.com 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: www.hspa.com Subscriptions $25 per year. Ad rates furnished upon request. HSPA calendar Jan. 18 Bicentennial series available for download Feb. 26 Pulliam Internship application deadline for newspapers & students March 3 Pulliam Selection Committee meeting, HSPA office, Indianapolis June TBA APME/HSPA Foundation Road Show for Reporters July TBA Pulliam Intern luncheon & multimedia presentations Sept. 15-16 HSPA & Foundation Annual Conference + Advertising Awards Gala, Indianapolis Dec. 3 Newsroom Seminar + Awards, Indianapolis HSPA Foundation Board of Directors HSPA Foundation Officers HSPA Foundation Board of Directors HSPA Board of Directors HSPA Officers President: Chris White, The Times Media Co. Secretary/Treasurer: Chuck Wells, Home News Enterprises HSPA Board Members John Haley, Pulaski County Journal (Winamac) Robyn McCloskey, Pharos-Tribune (Logansport) and Kokomo Tribune Greg Morris, IBJ Corp. Jon O'Bannon, The Corydon Democrat Pete Van Baalen, The Elkhart Truth Kim Wilson, South Bend Tribune President: Nancy Grossman, Leader Publishing Vice President: Michael J. Christman, Fort Wayne Newspapers Secretary: William "B.J." Riley, CNHI Treasurer: Jeff Rogers, Home News Enterprises Curt Jacobs, The Madison Courier Barbara King, North Vernon Plain Dealer & Sun Patrick Lanman, Vevay Media Group Mayer Maloney, Hoosier Times Inc. Mark Miller, The News-Banner (Bluffton) Jack Pate, Evansville Courier & Press John Rumbach, The Herald (Jasper) A wardwinning reporter Richard D. Walton, 62, of Indianapolis, died unex pectedly at his home Nov. 29, 2015. The son of Erna & John Walton Jr., he was a graduate of Ben Davis High School and Indiana University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in journalism. He was also a Vietnam era veteran of the U.S. Army. In 1978, he began a 29year journalism career at The Indianapolis Star. He covered various beats including the Indiana legislature, health care and crime. Major stories he reported on included the Burger Chef murders, a family fall ing out involving renowned Bloomington violinist Josef Gingold, and the firing of IU basketball coach Bobby Knight, according to The Indianapolis Star. As an investigative report er, he won numerous acco lades, including four Kent Cooper Awards, given by the Associated Press Media Editors for the best news story in the state. He also wrote a humor col umn called Punch Lines from 1989 to 1992. In 2007, he retired from The Star to care for his moth er, Erna Walton, who died in 2011. Survivors include two aunts, Jenny Walton Chance and Ruth Walton Gottschall, nine cousins and numerous friends. Richard D. Walton Reporter was local legend Doug Ross The Times (Munster)