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Directory information for TPA member newspapers may be found under "Newspapers Online" or by calling to order your copy of the 2008 Tennessee Newspaper Directory today. ($40 cover price waived for members and clients.)

Plan now for TPA Summer Convention
Calendars will begin to fill with vacations and activities for families so be sure to plan to be in Johnson City, June 18-21, for TPA’s 139th Annual Summer Convention for a great time in a mountain setting. The area offers so much to see and do, that you may want to plan an extra day or two just to explore on your own. The area is rich in history and recreational opportunities.

Full convention information

Registration forms

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Bob Parkins
(1929-2008)

Bob Parkins, 78, editor, publisher and owner of the Milan Mirror-Exchange newspaper died Thursday morning April 17 in Milan.

An avid outdoorsman and deer and turkey hunter, he was turkey hunting with a good friend George Fain when he passed away.

He was a leader in the Tennesee Press Association, having served as president in 1991-1992. He was also a director and past president of Tennessee Press Service and a trustee of the Tennessee Press Association Foundation.

Mr. Parkins was born in Bolivar, TN July 12, 1929 and had lived in Milan since his senior year of high school.

A graduate of Milan High School he played football at the University of Tenn. at Martin and earned his Master’s degree in dairy agriculture at the Univ. of Tenn. Knoxville. He also earned a degree in Journalism.

He served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Panama.

Active in civic affairs, Mr. Parkins was instrumental in founding the West Tenn. Agricultural Museum and was serving as President for 26 years.

He was a Paul Harris Fellow and former president of Milan Rotary Club, past president of the Milan YMCA board of directors, a member of the West Tenn. Healthcare Foundation board, Milan Chamber of Commerce, Milan Alumni Assn., and committee member for the Gibson Co. Sports Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted.

He was a former chairman of the Gibson Co. Gas Utility Board and a former Milan Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year.

Mr. Parkins was a past elder and Sunday school teacher at Sitka Church of Christ, where he served as elder for over 30 years.

He was a frequent blood donor and was recently honoring after having donated over 17 gallons to the West Tenn. blood center.

Mr. Parkins was preceded in death by his father Henry Clay and mother Drudie Bernice Edwards-Parkins, a brother Jimmy Parkins and a sister Mary Francis Humphreys.

Family survivors are Dorris Lee Fly-Parkins, his wife of 54 years, 8 children: Deborah Lee Ayers (Dick) of Warsaw, NY; Melanie Dawn Day (DeWitt); Tamara Claire Dunnebacke (Kevin) of Hendersonville, TN; Paris Denise Parkins; Scarlet Dru Elliott (Marty); Crystal Fly Parkins of Atlanta; Denton Clay Parkins (Donna) and Victor Bob Parkins (Carol) of Milan; ten grandchildren, Jordan Myranda Parkins, Holly Elizabeth Parkins, Austyn Douglas Dunnebacke, Casen Lee Dunnebacke, Deborah Lee Day, Walker Denton Parkins, Kendall Denice Parkins, Clay Parkins Elliott, Demi Esther Elliott, Bob Alan Elliott, and a brother, Jerry Parkins (Jo) of Morristown, Tenn.

The family requests that memorials may be sent to the Sitka Church of Christ, the Oakwood Cemetery Assn. in Milan, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

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2008 Ideas Contest Awards announced
Awards in the annual Tennessee Press Association Ideas Contest were presented Friday, April 11, in Gatlinburg in conjunction with the Advertising/ Circulation Conference. List of winners

The Chattanooga Times Free Press won the top prize—the Jack Freeland Memorial Award Best of Show—for the entry of a series of subscription promotion ads. The judges’ comments included, “Novel idea that can work for any newspaper. Continuous cross promotion throughout the year with ongoing themes but consistent message—Subscribe.”

Runners-up were The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, for its “Elvis” Single Copy Promotion and the Overton County News, Livingston, for its “Santa’s Home Office” ad entered in the Best Use of Multi-Color category.

The Shelbyville Times-Gazette received the most awards at 27, sweeping the awards in its division for Best Feature Page, Best 1/4 Page or Smaller Ad, Single Copy Promotion and NIE Promotion. The Sparta Expositor achieved the second highest number of awards at 19.

Members of the Nebraska Press Association judged the contest entries March 7 in Lincoln.

A total of 1,270 entries was received from 43 newspapers. The contest has 27 categories, with each divided into five circulation divisions, two for non-dailies and three for dailies.

The Ideas Contest was established in 1978. The Ideas Contest proceeds help to offset the speaker costs for the Advertising/Circulation Conference. All conference attendees and Ideas Contest entrants will receive a CD of the PowerPoint presentation.

Jack Freeland, for whom the Best of Show award was named, was advertising manager of The Daily Herald, Columbia, and was active with the TPA Advertising Committee.

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New Web site, phone line for open records
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury John G. Morgan announced two new resources for providing open records information and assistance to Tennessee citizens. Citizens may call (866) 831-3750 or visit www.comptroller.state.tn.us/openrecords/index.htm.

TPA has improved its Web site, www.tnpress.com, by adding a new page with the Tennessee Open Meetings, Open Records and Shield Laws. visit new area.

TPA’s additions include the case study of the News Sentinel vs. Knox County Commission lawsuit in PDF format.

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Input needed for 2009 Press Institute and Winter Convention, convention chairs named
Please take a few minutes to evaluate the 2008 Press Institute and Winter Convention and/or to make suggestions for the 2009 Convention. Your input is important for assisting the committees in the planning of future conventions.

Ellen Leifeld, publisher of The Tennessean, Nashville, and Andrew Oppmann, publisher of The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro, have been appointed by TPA President Pauline Sherrer to serve as co-chairs of the 2009 TPA-UT Press Institute and Winter Convention.

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2008
Press credentials
  TPA now offers members a more
   professional press card.
   View details and order form

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Save these dates:

June 19-20, TPA Summer Convention, Johnson City

July 18, State Press Contests Awards Luncheon & Drive-In Training, Nashville

details on these events and other calendar items

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TPA is a primary media sponsor of the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation Imagination Library project.