■ Canton (Ohio) Repository: The paper will redesign to account for shrinking news hole and lower travel budgets, according to Joe Frollo, Repository sports editor. Everything is being examined – from story lengths and emphasis to tightening box scores – to determine our best use of space. One thing is certain – the focus will be local. Wire copy will have a difficult time finding space on the Sports front pages or even anywhere outside briefs packages some days.
■ Detroit (Mich.) News: Beginning in March, The News will change the way it delivers its news to readers. The News will produce smaller newspapers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday which will be available only in coin boxes, retailers and newsstands. There will be no home delivery these days. On Fridays, a smaller newspaper will be available via home delivery and at newsstands. On Thursdays, The News will offer a larger and more comprehensive News, similar to a Sunday newspaper. It will be available via home delivery and at newsstands. These changes will allow The News to enhance our electronic offerings.
■ Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald: The paper raised more than $16,000 for two charities at its Herald Jason Stadstad Hockey Classic. The tournament is named in honor of a former Grand Forks Central hockey player who died of cancer in 2006. The six-team tournament included high school varsity teams from Minnesota and North Dakota. Tournament organizer Kevin Fee is the Herald’s sports editor.
■ Midland (Mich.) Daily News: Writer Chris Marchand, who has been at the newspaper for nearly 10 years, found out in November he has Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS). Marchand, 41 and recently re-married, wrote about his diagnosis and experience with the disease in a recent edition of the MDN. You can read his story and hear the podcast interview at ourmidland.com.
ON THE MOVE
■ Detroit News: Bill McMillan, assistant managing editor sports/metro, took a buyout in September. Bill had been at The News 22 years and served as news editor, deputy city editor and sports editor. A native of Detroit, he previously worked for several newspapers in Michigan. … Columnist Rob Parker, who had been at The News since 2000, resigned in January. Before joining The News, Rob worked at Newsday, the Detroit Free Press, the Cincinnati Enquirer, the New York Daily News and the Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Times Leader.
