November Anniversaries

11/1	5 YRS	Wendy Miller	East Valley
11/4	41 YRS	James Daisey	Delaware Printing
11/4	5 YRS	Maria NidoDeVaca	Valley Printing
11/5	38 YRS	Michael Jacobs	Valley Printing
11/6	1 YR	Lori Riggan	Valley Printing
11/8	1 YR	Linda Sabo	Corporate Services
11/13	4 YRS	Norma Kilpatrick	West Valley
11/15	1 YR	Nicole Millner	Corporate Services
11/16	26 YRS	David Rehkamp	Delaware Printing
11/16	3 YRS	Jose Lopez-Beltran	Valley Printing
11/16	2 YRS	Amy Mullen	Delaware State News
11/18	8 YRS	Bonnie Mankin	Delaware State News
11/20	12 YRS	Heath Michael	Valley Printing
11/20	11 YRS	Toni Jackson	Corporate Services
11/21	39 YRS	Deborah Devlin	Delaware State News
11/26	5 YRS	Frank Dias	West Valley
11/28	1 YR	Ashley Dawson	Delaware State News

Karen Harrity Model of Customer Service

When a shift in delivery personnel resulted in a senior citizens’ housing development being left off a manifest, the patient readers of Salisbury’s Pine Bluff Village waited a few weeks to see if the missed drop was a one-time accident or a bigger system failure.

So, when the Salisbury Independent failed to arrive for a second week in a row, community president Annmarie Vincent alerted Circulation Manager Karen Harrity. Pine Bluff residents were, Mrs. Vincent told Harrity, desperate to see the paper resumed.

Harrity immediately made sure Pine Bluff was added back to the delivery list. Then, to make up for the missed editions, Harrity went to the trouble of rounding up back papers from returns, while also searching a distribution storage unit for the missed editions. The papers were distributed at Pine Bluff.

For Mrs. Vincent, Harrity prepared a special delivery gift bag that contained the missed papers, as well as flowers and a note of apology.

Mrs. Vincent was so happy by Harrity’s quick action and kindness that she dispatched two thank-you letters to Salisbury Independent.

“I am so glad and appreciative,” Mrs. Vincent wrote. “We are all now catching up on the local news that we had missed out on. I am so grateful for your services to me and can’t wait to read your wonderful newspaper.” Then Mrs Vincent concluded: “I will forever cherish the bag!”  

Karen Harrity

Apache Junction newspaper has digital-first daily focus, new monthly mailing to 35,000

Oct 23rd, 2017 · by Richard H Dyer · Comments: 0

After this week’s issue, readers will not be receiving a weekly Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent home-delivered edition of the newspaper.

News is going digital-first to the website, http://apachejunctionindependent.com, with sections such as Apache Junction/Gold Canyon news, business, calendar, east valley/state, education, entertainment, history of the area, meet your neighbor, opinion, photo/video galleries, Pinal County, police/sheriff/fire news and sports and outdoors.

We’re becoming a daily newspaper – but online – with the news of Apache Junction and Gold Canyon available as soon as it’s ready each day, giving readers immediate access to the community’s news. No longer will readers have to wait to read what happened the prior week. Sign up for a daily e-newsletter for free at http://apachejunctionindependent.com/enewsletter.

Also, readers and advertisers will receive a new expanded monthly newspaper mailed directly to 35,000 mailboxes in Apache Junction and Gold Canyon. ZIP codes receiving the newspapers the third week of the month are 85118, 85119 and 85120. The first issue will be mailed the week of Nov. 13.

The monthly publication will be different than what our weekly newspaper currently looks like and won’t duplicate what’s appeared at http://apachejunctionindependent.com.

The monthly newspaper will include issue-oriented stories and be packed with useful, helpful and interesting information, such as:

•news of local government, schools and organizations.
•business news, such as openings, relocations, renovations and announcements.
•a comprehensive calendar of the month’s events, activities, things to do and more.
•latest updates on local development, real estate and health care.
•features on restaurants, residents and charities.

Benefits to advertisers

Changing from weekly home-delivered circulation of 20,000 newspapers to daily online news and a monthly direct-mail circulation of 35,000 increases reach to serve the needs of local advertisers. Now they can reach every household and business in Apache Junction and Gold Canyon.

Classifieds advertising, found in the back of this week’s newspaper, will only be available online. Go to http://arizonaclassifieds.newszap.com.

To learn more about the benefits to advertisers in the monthly newspaper or apachejunctionindependent.com, call or e-mail General Manager Debbie Richardson at 480-257-8292 or drichardson@newszap.com.

Bringing back Speak Out

The Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent is in its 59th year of publication and is the Apache Junction Chamber of Commerce’s oldest official member. The Independent, then the Apache Sentinel, published by James Brooks, was launched in 1959 and became a chamber member in 1960. Independent Newspapers purchased the Sentinel in 1971 and changed the newspaper’s name to the Independent in 1983.

Transcribing calls from a Speak Out phone line of readers’ opinions was a weekly task for me years ago. But in the 30 years I have worked at the Apache Junction office, technological advancements have meant we gather news less by phone and people walking into the office and more by e-mail, Twitter or Facebook messaging.

Speak Out Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, a new feature presented by the Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent, provides a sampling of the many views and opinions posted by our readers in response to stories that have appeared at http://apachejunctionindependent.com. The views do not reflect the opinions of the newspaper, but are merely meant to provide readers with a reflection of the discussion within the community on various issues. Readers are encouraged to join the discussion and post their comments to Speak Out Apache Junction/Gold Canyon at http://apachejunctionindependent.com/section/opinion via Facebook or e-mail them directly to the editor at ajeditor@newszap.com.

Working remotely

With the change to an online-focus-first and the monthly newspaper, staff members will be working remotely and the office at 2066 W. Apache Trail Suite No. 110 is closing. The newspaper phone number remains the same – 480-982-7799. If something has to be mailed, send it to: Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent, 23043 N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ 85077.

If you have any questions about the changes

e-mail rdyer@newszap.com or drichardson@newszap.com or call 480-982-7799.

Managing Editor Richard Dyer can be reached at rdyer@newszap.com

Arizona Journalists Took Home Seven Awards

Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA Arizona journalists took home seven awards at the 2017 Arizona Newspapers Association Better Newspapers Contest held Sept. 30.

Independent Newsmedia received honors for photography, news writing, investigative and enterprise reporting among others at the annual newspaper convention.

This year, 49 newspapers and four high schools entered the annual contest with a total of 1,463 entries, according to a Sept. 30 press release.

The contest consists of eight categories that measure the overall quality of the newspapers and 24 categories that honor individuals who contribute to journalism excellence.

The New Mexico Press Association were the judges of this year’s annual better newspapers contest.

Each of Arizona three offices were represented at the annual statewide contest with first place awards bestowed in the categories of “Best News Story,” “Best Column, Feature or Criticism” and “Best News Photograph.”

The North Valley Office of Independent Newsmedia — where the Town of Paradise Valley Independent and Scottsdale Independent newspapers are published — lead the Arizona effort at the Independent with a total of five awards.

Reporter Melissa Fittro took home both first- and third-place honors for stories appearing in both the Town of Paradise Valley and Scottsdale print products. The stories honored were:

·         For best feature or criticism in the non-daily circulation category of 3,500 to 10,000, Ms. Fittro took home first-place honors for her story: “One final mission: WWII Honor Flight includes Scottsdale, Fountain Hills residents.”

·         For best sustained coverage in the non-daily circulation category greater than 10,000, Ms. Fittro took home third-place honors for her Scottsdale Industrial Development Authority reporting series.

Editor Terrance Thornton took home third-place honors for both investigative and enterprise reporting efforts for stories that appeared in the Scottsdale print product. The stories were:

·         For investigative reporting in the non-daily circulation category greater than 10,000, Mr. Thornton took home third-place honors for his story: “Numbers show public safety costs exceed value of Scottsdale entertainment district downtown.”

·         For enterprise reporting in the non-daily circulation category greater than 10,000, Mr. Thornton took home third-place honors for his story: “Records reveal the lucrative nature of local municipal consultation.”

In addition to individual awards the Scottsdale Independent newspaper was awarded for both second-place honors in its circulation category for “Community Service/Journalistic Achievement” and third-place honors for “Reporting and News Writing Excellence.”

The West Valley Office where including the daily newspaper, the Daily-News Sun, the Peoria Today newspaper is published and lead by Philip Haldiman, who serves as editor.

Mr. Haldiman received first-place honors for a story that appeared in the Peoria Today in the non-daily circulation greater than 10,000, which was: “Undocumented immigrants now in light, fear returning to shadows.”

The East Valley Office — where the Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent and Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent newspapers are published — received first-place honors for its use of photography.

Arianna Grainey, both a photographer and reporter for the East Valley Office, received first-place honors for her photography. The effort honored was:

·         Best news photograph in the non-daily circulation greater than 10,000, Ms. Grainey took home first-place honors for the photos: “Father shows son how to spin a dreidel,” which appeared in the Queen Creek/San Tan Valley Independent.

Important Notice About Your Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare Creditable Coverage

Important Notice from Independent Newsmedia, Inc. About Your Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare Creditable Coverage

Please read this notice carefully and keep it where you can find it. This notice has information about your current prescription drug coverage with INI and about your options under Medicare’s prescription drug coverage. This information can help you decide whether or not you want to join a Medicare drug plan.  If you are considering joining, you should compare your current coverage, including which drugs are covered at what cost, with the coverage and costs of the plans offering Medicare prescription drug coverage in your area. Information about where you can get help to make decisions about your prescription drug coverage is at the end of this notice.

There are two important things you need to know about your current coverage and Medicare’s

prescription drug coverage:

1. Medicare prescription drug coverage became available in 2006 to everyone with Medicare. You can get this coverage if you join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or join a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) that offers prescription drug coverage. All Medicare drug plans provide at least a standard level of coverage set by Medicare. Some plans may also offer more coverage for a higher monthly premium.

2. Independent Newsmedia, Inc. has determined that the prescription drug coverage offered by

Highmark Delaware is, on average for all plan participants, expected to pay out as much as

standard Medicare prescription drug coverage pays and is therefore considered Creditable

Coverage. Because your existing coverage is Creditable Coverage, you can keep this coverage

and not pay a higher premium (a penalty) if you later decide to join a Medicare drug plan.

When Can You Join A Medicare Drug Plan? You can join a Medicare drug plan when you first become eligible for Medicare and each year from October 15th to December 7th. However, if you lose your current creditable prescription drug coverage, through no fault of your own, you

will also be eligible for a two (2) month Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to join a Medicare drug plan.

What Happens To Your Current Coverage If You Decide to Join A Medicare Drug Plan?

If you decide to join a Medicare drug plan, your current Independent Newsmedia, Inc. coverage will not

be affected. See the Contact listed below for an explanation of your plan benefits including the prescription

drug coverage.

If you do decide to join a Medicare drug plan and drop your current Independent Newsmedia, Inc.

coverage, be aware that you and your dependents may or may not be able to get this coverage back.

You should also know that if you drop or lose your current coverage with Independent Newsmedia, Inc. USA, and don’t join a Medicare drug plan within 63 continuous days after your current coverage ends, you may pay a higher premium (a penalty) to join a Medicare drug plan later.

If you go 63 continuous days or longer without creditable prescription drug coverage, your monthly premium may go up by at least 1% of the Medicare base beneficiary premium per month for every month that you did not have that coverage. For example, if you go nineteen months without creditable coverage, your premium may consistently be at least 19% higher than the Medicare base beneficiary premium. You may have to pay this higher premium (a penalty) as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. In addition, you may have to wait until the following October to join.

For more information about this notice or your current prescription drug coverage, contact  inipayroll@newszap.com  for further information. This noticed is shared each year.

To obtain more information about your options under Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage and the “Medicare & You” handbook, visit  www.medicare.gov.

You can also call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227), TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

If you have limited income and resources, extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage is available. For information about this extra help, visit Social Security on the web at www.socialsecurity.gov, or call them at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Remember: Keep this Creditable Coverage notice. If you decide to join one of the Medicare drug

plans, you may be required to provide a copy of this notice when you join to show whether or not

you have maintained creditable coverage and, therefore, whether or not you are required to pay a

higher premium (a penalty).

DOWN BUT NOT OUT!

DPC experienced a conveyor failure for several days that caused us to resort to “flying” the press as we did in the good ‘ol days!  The press teams quickly adapted to the situation by improvising homemade jogging tables and learning how to scoop papers off the press conveyor, as was done many years ago in pressrooms around the country.  They kept us going for almost a week as electrical technician Tim Buzzard searched for the problem and got us running again.  

Pictured is Roger Leslie scooping papers and Robert Williams jogging and stacking. 

Darel LaPrade to lead Delaware State News

Salisbury Independent Publisher Darel LaPrade has been promoted to Publisher of the Delaware State News, the state capital’s daily newspaper based in Dover. LaPrade oversaw the launch of the Salisbury Independent in 2013.

Media Executive Will Retain Publisher Duties in Salisbury

Salisbury Independent

Salisbury Independent Publisher Darel LaPrade, a longtime newspaperman and media executive with 38 years of experience in the business, has been promoted to the Publisher’s job of the Delaware State News.

Based in Dover, the State News is the flagship daily newspaper of Independent Newsmedia Inc. It circulates in the three Delaware counties, as well as five Maryland counties on the Eastern Shore.

Additionally, the State News has announced the appointment of Marty Valania as its new Director of Advertising.

“I’m very excited about what Darel and Marty can bring to the Delaware State News team,” said Ed Dulin, CEO & President of INI.

“Darel has been with our company for more than 20 years and understands our values and community mission perfectly. Both he and Marty have a wealth of knowledge about the industry and especially with how it is changing in today’s world.”

During his time with INI, LaPrade has served as the Delmarva Group Advertising Director, Vice President of Corporate Services, Vice President of New Media, and most recently as Publisher of INI’s five Delmarva weeklies.

In April 2014, LaPrade joined Salisbury Independent Editor & General Manager Greg Bassett in launching a successful newspaper and website that bears the company’s name, and serves Salisbury and Wicomico County.

LaPrade will continue serving as the Salisbury Independent’s Publisher, while also leading the four other Delmara weeklies: Crisfield Times, Dorchester Banner, Milford Chronicle and Sussex Post.

“From a business standpoint, it makes perfect sense to consolidate the leadership and management of INI’s Delmarva newspapers,” said LaPrade. “This reorganization should lead to new efficiencies and opportunities to improve our newspapers and better serve our readers and advertisers.”

LaPrade was obviously humbled to be chosen to lead the Delaware state capital’s top new product.

“But from a personal perspective, being asked to become publisher of the Delaware State News is the greatest honor of my career,” LaPrade said. “I am both grateful for and humbled by this opportunity.

“I look forward to becoming much more involved in the greater Dover community, and to helping continue the State News’ tradition of excellent journalism and service to the community.”

Known for his affinity for bow ties, LaPrade’s newspaper career began in 1975 in Norfolk with the Virginian-Pilot, where he worked in the Circulation Department.

Prior to joining INI, LaPrade was General Manager of Atlantic Publications, overseeing 15 newspapers in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Among those newspapers were the Delaware Coast Press in Rehoboth Beach, Maryland Times-Press in Ocean City, the Beachcomber papers up and down the coast and Somerset Herald in Princess Anne.

LaPrade is currently Executive Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford, a member of the Milford Economic Development Commission, the Greater Salisbury Committee and Millsboro-Georgetown Rotary Club.

Valania has served as Director of Sales Development for Independent since January.

His news career has included experience as reporter, editor, marketing manager, publisher, digital sales manager and advertising manager.

He served at Chesapeake Publishing for 19 years and three years at Digital First Media, managing Pennsylvania newspapers located in West Chester and Pottstown.

The Salisbury Independent is published every Thursday. It’s 20,000 copies are distributed by mail and available for free on newspaper racks all across Wicomico County.

We've Been Keeping It Real Since 1953

By Andrew West

Delaware State News

DOVER — Welcome to “National Newspaper Week.”

It starts today, and the theme is “Real Newspapers ... Real News.”

We have been keeping it real here at the Delaware State News since 1953.

That’s when we became the first capital daily in the First State. We have dedicated ourselves since to publishing a newspaper “of, by and for” the people — real, local people grappling with real, local issues. According to the News Media Alliance, this year’s theme is meant to address the hue and cry about “fake news” and if consumers even know what’s what in this troubling and transformative era of media — especially that of the social variety.

Troubling in the sense that a lot of bad stuff gets through the gate.

And, transformative in that news organizations are reaching a wider audience than ever before on platforms and digital devices.

How many of your friends get all their news on Facebook?

How many only seek out stories that support their own views?

How many know the true source?

And, how many think about the values and bias of that source?

Californian Tom Newton, who chairs the National Newspaper Week committee, outlined the spirit of the week on the initiative’s website.

“A lot of words have been published, posted and uttered recently about fake news and real news and whether Americans have the tools necessary to differentiate between the two,” he wrote. “This year’s theme for National Newspaper Week — “Real Newspapers … Real News” — couldn’t be more fitting to frame the question: Do Americans have the tools necessary to decide for themselves what is real, what is factual and what is necessary for self-government to endure and the country to prosper?

“I submit that they do. The tools are American Newspapers, dailies and weeklies, printed and delivered to American doorsteps and accessed on laptops, tablets and smart phones. Real newspapers in all their formats are created by real journal-ists, and that’s the key.”

For those of you with the warmth of print in your hands right now, we greatly appreciate you and what your subscriptions and single- copy purchases do to keep our journalism alive and well. The same holds true for those of you who prefer sliding your fingers across a tablet or using a mouse to consume our e- edition.

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With today’s column is a comic that features playwright Arthur Miller’s famous quote, “A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself.”

Thinking about his line, your State Capital Daily believes it serves its readership best when Delaware is talking to itself.

That’s why we take great pride in offering an Opinion page that is open to a diverse set of viewpoints, and we purposely choose not to dominate the page with our own views.

It’s exciting when we have a robust discussion — as we did Tuesday when readers debated the NFL protests and today when readers discussed health care for state employees in “Sound Off Delaware.”

When we can cover in- depth topics such as prison staffing and safety, we do our best to make sure citizens have the information they need to thoughtfully consider what the issues — and possible solutions — are and welcome their thoughts.

In a newspaper like today’s, we offer compelling personal stories like that of Eric Porter, a young man who is recovering from a roadway accident, but wants to share his positive outlook with others.

In Sports, we celebrate a major event in Dover today — the Apache Warrior 400 at Dover International Speedway.

On our People front today, we’re debuting a new feature that will offer a selection of the month’s favorite community gatherings.

Every day, we have short items that encourage public participation.

On Page 6 of today’s edition, you’ll find our pledge to readers. There, you’ll see what drives us and what we believe makes the Delaware State News special as a “public trust.”

Our very “real” approach to life here in Delaware and our deep roots here all play a part in what we strive to do.

Indeed, as the second line of the pledge says, we are here “to help our community become a better place to live and work, through our dedication to conscientious journalism.”

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We also want to give a shout- out to the Delaware State News delivery folks who make the rounds in the wee hours of each morning.

Saturday, Oct. 7, is International Carrier Day.

Until recently, this editor was not aware that there was a Newspaper Carrier Hall of Fame.

There are scores of famous business leaders, politicians, entertainers in the Hall.

Among them are Warren Buffet, Harry S. Truman, Martin Luther King Jr., John Wayne and Wayne Gretzky.

A fun regional name on the list is former Philadelphia 76ers star Julius Erving. Can you picture him dunking the Sunday paper into your newspaper box?

Andrew West is editor of the Delaware State News.

Toys for Tots

Tammi Kelly, Okeechobee News  staffer, was invited by the U.S. Marine Corps to attend the annual Toys for tots gala on Saturday, Sept. 23. The Okeechobee News proudly supports Toys for Tots every year by allowing a collection box in the front office. The gala helped raise money to buy more toys.