February Birthdays

2/1	Jennifer	Keim	Sussex Weeklies/Milford
2/1	Patricia	Trimnal	Okeechobee News
2/1	Clay	Satterfield	Delaware Printing
2/3	Linda	Sabo	Corporate Services
2/3	James	Daisey	Delaware Printing
2/3	Richard	Smith	West Valley
2/4	Karla	Akmentins	Delaware State News
2/4	John	Brooks	Delaware Printing
2/6	Lucas	Bennett	Valley Printing
2/7	Burkey	Emmons	Delaware Printing
2/7	Heather	Mayo	Valley Printing
2/8	Yolibet	Garelick	Valley Printing
2/8	Diane	Runion	North Valley
2/10	Dianna	Sellers	Delaware State News
2/10	Juliann	Segura	North Valley
2/14	Craig	Horleman	Delaware State News
2/15	Katrina	Muros	Okeechobee News
2/15	Jeremy	Carr	West Valley
2/17	Maria	NidoDeVaca	Valley Printing
2/18	Norman	Ross	Delaware Printing
2/19	Robert	Giarraputo	Valley Printing
2/19	Krystal	Boyles	Delaware Printing
2/20	Diane	Timmons	Okeechobee News
2/24	Jamie	Fritchman	Delaware State News
2/24	Tamara	Kelly	Okeechobee News
2/25	Christine	Carlston	East Valley
2/27	Scherie	Drzymalski	Corporate Services
2/28	Ashley	Dawson	Delaware State News

February Anniversaries

2/1	1 YR	Nichole	Mukoda	Delaware Printing
2/2	47 YRS	Antoinette	Hewes	Delaware Printing
2/3	37 YRS	Philip	Bisesi	Valley Printing
2/3	2 YRS	Kathryn	Yoder	North Valley
2/4	23 YRS	Robert	Giarraputo	Valley Printing
2/6	4 YRS	Paul	Kolhepp	Valley Printing
2/8	12 YRS	Jean	McNeeley	Okeechobee News
2/8	18 YRS	Angela	Bridges	Okeechobee News
2/12	5 YRS	Lucas	Bennett	Valley Printing
2/14	10 YRS	Anthony	Blue	Delaware Printing
2/17	3 YRS	James	Rickards	Delaware State News
2/20	5 YRS	Gregory	Garcia	West Valley
2/28	17 YRS	Jennifer	Keim	Sussex Weeklies/Milford

Excellence Awards Nominations

EXCELLENCE AWARDS:  Nominations for Independent's annual Excellence Awards must be submitted by Friday, February 17.   Nominations may be made by any employee.  The nomination form and more details are available at http://www.newszap.com/excellenceawards/nominationform.html

W2s Available

W2s have been uploaded to SeeMyW2 and paper forms were mailed Monday, January 23, 2017.  Access to SeeMyW2 requires registration.  If you registered in a prior year then you just need to use your user ID and the password you selected at the time you registered.  

If you have never accessed SeeMyW2 you will need to register.  You will need  

• your email address  
• your social security number   
• the company code of 2016W2   

If you choose not to use SeeMyW2 paper forms should arrive within the next week or so.  

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Nominations sought

It's that time again to recognize those persons who have proven their excellence in helping Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA fulfill its mission to the communities we serve. Employees are invited to nominate coworkers for the annual Excellence awards. These awards honor persons and teams whose practice of our core values have moved Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA closer to its goal of publishing purposeful newspapers. In the past, honorees have come from every facet of our operation - advertising, distribution, production, administration and news. They have been team leaders and team members, new employees and veterans. Their common quality is that each has been a model of excellence.

 Nominations may be made by any employee. A nomination form is available at http://www.newszap.com/excellenceawards/nominationform.html. All submissions should be made using this form.  Deadline for nominations is Friday, February 17.


A list of previous winners can be found at Excellence Awards link at Press Lines and can be a useful reference tool when preparing a nomination since previous winners cannot win more than once in the same category. Winners will be announced in late March or early April.

W2 Form Available Soon

W2 forms will be available in the next few days.  You will be able to access your W2 through See My W2 by clicking on the link in Self Service or clicking on the link below.  If you have not registered click the link "click here to sign up for SeeMyW2 and follow the instructions.  You will need your social security number, company provided email and the company code 2016W2.

https://seemyw2.ceridian.com/seemyw2/cgi-bin/3pp.pl/eReports?cid=805339

Delaware State News names Dawson managing editor; West becomes editor

The Delaware State News welcomes Ashley Dawson back to its newsroom as its new managing editor.

She will report to Andrew West who now has the title of editor, and will continue to lead the newspaper’s news department.

Ms. Dawson, who previously served as news editor of the Delaware State News from 2010 to 2014, will lead the newspaper’s reporting team.

She spent the last two years serving as production manager of Delaware Beach Life magazine in Sussex County.

Ms. Dawson started with Independent in 1994 as an intern with the Daily Whale, a sister publication of the Delaware State News.

After graduating from the University of Delaware in 1996, she joined the Daily Whale and Delaware State News staff as a reporter.

In addition to the Delaware State News and Beach Life magazine, her journalism career included six years at the Delaware Coast Press, where she was a reporter, news editor and editor.

Mr. West has been with Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since September 1990, serving first as sports editor of the Delaware State News and then as editor of the company’s Sussex County newspapers and managing editor of the company’s Delmarva Group.

In 1996, he was named managing editor of the Delaware State News.

Prior to joining the Delaware State News, he worked for the Reading Eagle and Lansdale Reporter in Pennsylvania; The Saratogian in Saratoga Springs, New York; USA Today; and the News Journal in Wilmington.

He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1985.

“We’re excited to have Ashley back with the Delaware State News,” said Delaware State News publisher Tom Byrd. “Ashley has an excellent nose for compelling journalism, and she is well positioned to lead our reporting team and help them fulfill our mission of providing top notch and meaningful coverage for our readers.

“This new role will also benefit Andy,” Mr. Byrd added. “Andy will have time to write and be more involved in helping connect and engage with readers and the community, as well as leading development of even livelier public commentary section for the paper.”

Okeechobee Celebrates the Holidays

Happy Holidays!

The Okeechobee News office enjoyed a holiday luncheon and exchanged 'Secret Santa' presents on Dec. 20. Pictured, left to right are (front row) Katrina Elsken Muros, Eric Kopp, Jean McNeeley, Teri Rangel, (back) Diane Timmons, Debra Akins, Kris Schwartz, Kay Sheedy, Ann Hines, Kelli Trimnal and Darlene Vayda.

Pulling Santa's Sleigh

Okeechobee News staffer Tammi Kelly was the lead reindeer for Santa's sleigh in the Okeechobee Christmas parade. Tammi is on the board of directors for the Building Relationships Among Teens (BRAT) Club.

Water Moves Us

The unveiling of the fourth annual Dorchester County profile, “Water Moves Us,” took place at a community luncheon December 15 at Three Sixty at the River’s Edge in Cambridge. Water Moves Us is a joint project the Dorchester Banner conducts annually in partnership with the Dorchester County Economic Development office. Water Moves Us is a high-quality magazine that tells the story of Dorchester County, and the publication is used by local officials to promote economic development. The unveiling has become an anticipated annual event. Pictured here are (from l.) publisher Darel La Prade, editor Bob Zimberoff, special project editor Paul  Clipper, graphic artist Shirley Jackson, office manager Sandi Stokes, free-lancer Gloria Rojas, ad manager Dave Cannon; seated (from l.) free-lancer Susan Bautz, and news assistant Sylvia Windsor.

This Bud's For ...................

This bud's for the staff in the East Valley office. In spite of the challenges and frustrations created by the technical problems we have been experiencing, everyone has maintained a positive, cooperative attitude, and we work together knowing we have each other's back. So here's to Richard, Deb, Ari, Chris, Ginny, Diane and me. We may be small, but we are mighty and one heckuva great team! - Wendy Miller

This bud's for Bret McKeand for all his support during some mighty frustrating times due to technical problems lately. I really appreciate his being there to back up my office and me, especially on our wild and crazy Fridays during the height of production. Thank you, Bret! - Wendy Miller

Excellence Awards

EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Nominations sought
It's that time again to recognize those persons who have proven their excellence in helping Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA fulfill its mission to the communities we serve. Employees are invited to nominate coworkers for the annual Excellence awards. These awards honor persons and teams whose practice of our core values have moved Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA closer to its goal of publishing purposeful newspapers. In the past, honorees have come from every facet of our operation - advertising, distribution, production, administration and news. They have been team leaders and team members, new employees and veterans. Their common quality is that each has been a model of excellence.

 Nominations may be made by any employee. A nomination form is available at http://www.newszap.com/excellenceawards/nominationform.html. All submissions should be made using this form.  Deadline for nominations is Friday, February 17.

A list of previous winners can be found at Excellence Awards link at Press Lines and can be a useful reference tool when preparing a nomination since previous winners cannot win more than once in the same category. Winners will be announced in late March or early April.

Below is the list of traditional categories for these awards.  However, this year we will allow employees to submit new categories they feel may also be appropriate in keeping up with our changing industry.  For example, suggestion might to create an award for "Digital Transformation," to recognize a leader in improving our web sites and helping to build a larger online audience for newszap.com.

                                        ****************************
Purposeful newspapers: This person or team has excelled in furthering Independent's key Value - to publish purposeful newspapers that encourage and support meaningful community involvement, and that provide citizens with knowledge they need to make rational decisions about public issues.
Commitment: Recognizes service above and beyond daily expectations because of deep commitment to our mission/ journalistic values.

Self-management: Recognizes the person whose acceptance of personal responsibility for his or her own success and that of Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA is a model and inspiration to others.
Learning: Recognizes the person who has successfully committed to continuous learning and growth, especially in ways that enable he or she to help advance the mission of Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA.

Courtesy, ethical standards: Recognizes the person or team that excels in courtesy to customers and co-workers, and whose high ethical standards match those needed to achieve INI’s key values.
Teamwork: Recognizes the person who has achieved excellence in team building or a team that has achieved the coherence and esprit that has enabled it to produce outstanding results for the company's success, for maintaining pleasant and safe working conditions, and for recognizing fellow staffers who are upholding the company's values and contributing to its success.

Leadership/ shared leadership: Recognizes the individual regardless of position whose leadership has inspired or led others. This person demonstrates that at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, we prosper through self-empowerment rather than supervision. Team leaders also may be recognized for having practiced a shared leadership that has empowered others.

Results: This award demonstrates how the practice of Independent's values results in outstanding journalism, sales, productivity enhancements, safety improvement or other business objectives that make Independent a stronger company and a better place in which to work, and in turn, improve our communities.

Jim Miller Award: The award honors the writer or editor whose work displays the spirit, color, warmth and human touch of the late Jim Miller.