Dave Iseman resurfaces in southern Missouri

Well, it's official. Former Times Leader managing editor Dave Iseman had a byline Friday in the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader.

(Indeed, Iseman is an assistant managing editor at the paper, as a reader pointed out.)

Breaking: Times-Shamrock buys Hazleton Standard-Speaker

Citizens' Voice publisher and fourth generation member Scott Lynett will add the Speaker to his portfolio -- in other words, it's not worth it to give the paper its own publisher. Read the Times-Tribune's staff report for all the news. Newspaper history buffs will enjoy the timeline and backgrounder on the history of the S-S.

Oops: Letter scathingly critical of high salaries at WVIA gets into Times-Tribune

Tom McGeehan of West Wyoming rips WVIA for paying its boss, BIll Kelly, $175,000 a year for less than 40 hours of weekly work. Co-publisher Bill Lynett, of course, is on the WVIA board of directors.

Madness: Connor writes again about the Molly Maguires

We're sure it's a fine play. But two columns, five stories and a review in 10 days? All uniform in their gushing? Somewhere Iseman is rolling over in his grave. Let's recap:


April 20: If you talk to Jim Burke, producer of the new musical 'The Molly Maguires,' he'll tell you one of the lead characters is based on a real-life villain who was evil, through and through. 'I have no sympathy for him,' said Burke, whose show will debut Thursday at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre. -- Mary Therese Biebel story

April 22: AMID THIS LIGHT and breezy lunch conversation accompanied by a delicate green salad and a fragrant and colorful pasta dish or two, the brightest color in the room is not on a plate. It’s Jim Burke’s face. -- Richard Connor column

April 22: Back on April 25 and 26, 1946, Wilkes-Barre native James J. Burke performed in St. Mary’s High School’s senior play “Ever Since Eve.” Now 61 years later, he returns to the area to present the new musical he proudly acts as producer for, “The Molly Maguires.” -- Jessica Grizzanti story

April 27: Before audience members enter the F.M. Kirby Center to see the opening performance of “The Molly Maguires” musical, producer and Wilkes-Barre native Jim Burke wants people to look at a special painting in the lobby. -- Meredith Ripa story

April 27: Amid the diamond-patterned lights illuminating the east corner of Public Square Thursday night, hundreds of people sauntered into the F.M. Kirby Center for the opening night of “The Molly Maguires.” -- Ron Lieback story

April 27: In the 1930s and ’40s, when stage shows toured several cities before going to Broadway, legend was “if you can make it in Wilkes-Barre, you can make it anywhere.” It’s probably been more than 60 years since local audiences have seen a Broadway-bound production. If the positive reaction given by the estimated 1,000 patrons at Thursday night’s opening of the new musical “The Molly Maguires” is any indication, Wilkes-Barre native and executive producer Jim Burke may very well have a hit on his hands. -- Walter Mitchell review

April 28: More than 60 years have passed since a young James Burke worked as an usher at the old Comerford Theater in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Now the 78-year-old Wilkes-Barre native is back in town once again putting people in their seats in what is now the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. -- Bill O'Boyle story

April 29: Well, Jim Burke did it. He produced and brought home to the F.M. Kirby Center the musical, “The Molly Maguires.” -- Richard Connor column

Two promotions at Times-Shamrock corporate

"James M. Phillips is The Times-Tribune’s new circulation director, and advertising director Steve Sauder is now senior advertising director for all newspapers owned by parent company Times-Shamrock," as the newspaper reported in an unbylined piece Saturday.

CV staffers also win PNA awards

We missed this earlier in the week. Apologies. Individual winners include Jonathan Bombulie, Wade Malcolm, and Joel A. Erickson.

(For the curious: The Pennsylvania Newspaper Association divides dailies into five divisions. The Times-Tribune is in D2, the Times Leader in D3, and the Voice in D4 - so no chance for head-to-head award competition.)

Beaupre: Running photo of Va. Tech shooter was the right thing to do

Times-Tribune editor Larry Beaupre responded to letter writers in a rare editor's note earlier this week. Scroll to the bottom to read it.

Times-Tribune, Yahoo to do something together

It involves transformation, local relationships and partnering, Dave Falchek of the Times-Tribune reports.

Stephanie Kanavy and Mike Sadowski wed

Kanavy, assistant news editor at The Times-Tribune in Scranton, and Sadowski, a reporter at the Pocono Record in Stroudsburg, actually got married in October. The announcement ran Sunday. Kudos.

Connor: Check out the new play about the Molly Maguires

Connor earns his columnist's pay this week with a Pa. piece about coal miners and a Texas piece (admittedly a retread) about a rodeo guy.

Connor in Texas: Ode to a rodeo boss

No Imus or Coulter or Ivins this morning.

TL also wins state press awards

Individual winners include Ron Bartizek, Jennifer Learn-Andes, Don Carey, Renita Fennick, Kris Wernowsky, Tom Venesky (pictured), and Aimee Dilger. Also winners were weekly staffers Jack Smiles (Pittston Dispatch) and Kristie Grier Ceruti (Abington Journal). The TL won honorable mention for running incredibly large and unflattering mugs of its own staffers.

Times-Tribune wins PNA, state SPJ awards

Individual winners include Jessica D. Matthews, Chad Jennings, Kevin O'Neill, Roger Dupuis II, Dave Singleton, Chris Birk, Jeff Sonderman, Bob Sanchuk and Jim Conroy. Kudos.

Fired Pocono radio guy refuses offer to return to work

Gary Smith said nappy-headed ho a bunch of times. The Pocono Record has the details.

RIP William Schultz

The Scranton native and longtime Lancaster newspaper editor died earlier this week. Schulz carried The Scranton Times as a boy and later edited with his wife the Wyoming County News in Tunkhannock.

Goodbye, Life

The Parade-like insert in the TL has died. Today marks Life's final appearance. Pour one out.

Corbett: This one homeless guy I talked to at the TL was in better shape than the newsroom staff

Steve Corbett takes a trip down memory lane on his WILK blog with the tale of the homeless man with softball-sized calves.

McGlynn of the CV: Eff you Scranton reporters

After a recent game at the Lackawanna County Stadium, McGlynn challenged the "Scranton media contingent" to a fight in the parking lot, Anchorman-style.

Connor: Imus, Imus, Imus

Rich Connor files a lengthy column about Don Imus. Highlights: use of the phrase "whup-ass," advocating that Imus be beat to a pulp, and reporting what Google has to say about 'nappy.' And another enormous mug.

Connor is wonderful, KR sucked, etc.

Another installment in a series of Times Leader stories about how great the new owner is and about how terrible the old owners were. This week's highlight: Prashant insinuating KR was less than candid about the physical plant in Wilkes-Barre.