Gage, Berkely named to Hall; journalists recognized
OVERLAND PARK — Two long-time Kansas newspaper professionals were inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame Friday night at the annual meeting of the Kansas Press Association here.
The meeting at the DoubleTree by Hilton also included recognition for journalists for community service, investigative reporting and career accomplishments.
Ralph D. Gage Jr., longtime executive with The World Company and its flagship newspaper, the Lawrence Journal-World, and Joe Berkely, founder and long-time publisher of the High Plains Journal in Dodge City, became the latest members of the Hall of Fame.
Gage, a native of Ottawa and 1964 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism, served in several capacities through the years with the company. He was a reporter, managing editor, assistant to the publisher, general manager and chief operating officer in his more than 40-year career in Lawrence.
Berkely bought a failing Dodge City weekly in the 1950s and transformed it into one of the nation's premier farm publications. He built the paid circulation of the publication from just 132 when he started to more than 50,000.
Other awards presented included:
• Rod Haxton, editor and publisher of the Scott County Record, who was presented the Clyde M. Reed Jr. Master Editor Award.
Haxton's career began when he was a 7-year-old printer's devil for his father's newspaper, The Glasco Sun, and later at newspapers in Hugoton and Greensburg. The family purchased the Kinsley Mercury in 1974, where he became the managing editor in 1975 when just 19 years old. He soon purchased the newspaper and remained as owner/publisher until 1992.
In 1993, he founded the Scott County Record in Scott City and continues as owner/publisher.
Here's how Rod describes his operation: "If there’s one thing that I hope characterizes what we bring to our newspapers, it would be a passion for our community. We like to boast of our community’s accomplishments and yet, when necessary, we also recognize our responsibility to expose our faults in hopes we will make the necessary changes and become better for it."
• Gloria Freeland, recipient of the Gaston Outstanding Mentor Award for career as a Kansas State University professor and also as director of the Huck Boyd National Center for Community Media.
She also has advised more than 1,000 K-State students in her role as internship coordinator at the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and is active with the National Newspaper Association, annually organizes the Huck Boyd Lecture in Community Media at K-State and is active in the Kansas Professional Communicators organization.
• Amelia Arvesen and Jodie Garcia of the Ottawa Herald, winners of the Murdock Award, given annually for outstanding journalism efforts aimed at local issues.
Arvesen and Garcia chronicled the 15-year saga of a local vehicle disposal site and its disputes with the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.
What was ordered to be a total cleanup of the business in 2001 devolved into a series of orders, appeals and reviewed that delayed the cleanup, which has not been completed to this day.
• The Topeka Capital-Journal, honored with the Boyd Community Service Award for its project in support of volunteerism in the state's capital city.
The newspaper's effort entailed a comprehensive community service project to boost awareness of the community's nonprofit organizations and match those organizations with individuals and groups looking for ways to give back to the community. The Capital-Journal integrated print and online content with participation by local citizens.
• John D. Hanna, Topeka correspondent fort the Associated Press, was named the AP's Kansas-Missouri Staffer of the Year.
• Abigail Taylor, a senior at Iola High School, and Rylee Crowell, a seventh grader at St. Benedict Catholic School in Atchison, were recognized as the winners of the AT&T/KPA "It Can Wait" essay contest winners. The contest had students write essays on the dangers of texting and driving.