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2006 Annual Conference

The 30th Annual Meeting of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists is set for June 30-July 2, 2006 (Friday-Sunday) at the historic Omni Parker House located on the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston.

Renowned columnists and writers will share what made them revolutionary in their field, just in time for July 4 celebrations in Boston.

2006 NSNC Column Writing Contest

Nominations open for the 2006 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award

This prestigious award is presented annually to a columnist whose work has positively affected readers' lives and produced tangible benefits for his or her community. Past winners of the award have helped their communities in various ways. The deadline to submit nominations for this award is March 15.

NSNC Education Foundation Presents 9th Annual College Columnist Scholarship Contest

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation will soon seek entries for its 2006 College Columnist Scholarship Contest. The NSNCEF annually awards a $1,000 scholarship to an outstanding general-interest columnist for a college newspaper. The recipient also will be the guest of the NSNC at its 2006 convention in Boston on June 29 to July 2. The 2005 winner was Matt Barnwell of the University of Georgia.

The scholarship will be awarded based on applicants' clips. The contest is open to undergraduates (including seniors) who write by-lined general interest or editorial page and op-ed page columns. Sports columns, movie reviews and other specialized columns are not eligible.

If you have questions, contact Russell Frank, chair of the NSNC Education Committee. He can be reached at rbf5@psu.edu or by calling 814-863-6415.

The Columnist

The Columnist, the official newsletter of the NSNC is written primarily by columnists (occasionally educators and editors), for columnists. It is all about column writing.

The 8-page newsletter is published and mailed to NSNC members six times a year. It aims to educate, inform and entertain as well as announce members’ latest books and news. It has been in publication for more than 20 years. Dave Lieber, currently NSNC 2005 Conference Chair, and Robert Haught, currently NSNC Secretary, have been among its previous editors.

The success of The Columnist depends very much on your participation: your news and your response. You can send your news items, books and/or book announcements, your letters to the editor, and other submissions to newseditor@columnists.com.

Submissions should be sent attached to an e-mail as plain text or MSWord documents without formatting (indents, tabs, etc.), in either a Times Roman or Courier typeface. Paragraphs should be double spaced, not indented. Use only ONE space after all punctuation, including periods. (I know what your high school typing teacher said but she had never seen a word processor with proportional type.)

Deadlines for The Columnist are:
January-February issue – November 16
March-April issue – January 16
May-June issue – March 16
July-August issue – May 16
September-October issue – July 16
November-December issue – September 16

Indiana loses a piece of its history

Commentary by Mike Leonard
Hoosier Times columnist | leonard@heraldt.com
August 28, 2005

Indiana University journalism professor Owen Johnson writes, "Without a doubt, Ernie Pyle is Indiana's most famous person.

"Judging by Google and Yahoo," he says, "on average, at least every other day, his name shows up in a U.S. newspaper somewhere, even though he died more than 60 years ago."

Actually, the native Hoosier journalist and beloved World War II correspondent's name has been turning up very frequently in recent months, as people write about and remember the 60th anniversaries of various events associated with the ending of the war.

And that makes it all the more tragic that, last weekend, Pyle's boyhood home outside of Dana was demolished.

"We offered to give it to the Ernie Pyle museum there in Dana or to the state or anyone who would take it," owner Gene Goforth said by phone last week from his Huntsville, Texas, home. "All we asked was that they move the house from where it stood, because we could not afford to fix it up, and vandals were breaking into it. It became a liability issue with us."

The Goforth family owned the farm across the road from the Pyle farm, and the Texas resident and Indiana University graduate said he has fond memories of visiting with Pyle's parents and Ernie himself, when he'd come home from his journalistic sojourns.

"It's disappointing," said Charity Pollard, acting site manager for the Ernie Pyle State Historic Site in Dana. "I went to my bosses and my people, and there were no answers," she said. "The state is surplusing properties right now instead of acquiring them."

Laura Minzes, deputy director of historic site structures and real estate for the Department of Natural Resources' division of museums and historic sites, said money was the primary reason the state passed on the opportunity to acquire the farmhouse where Pyle lived from roughly age 2 to 18. She also said, "Moving the house would have eliminated its eligibility for any sort of National Register nomination."

The existing historic site in Dana consists of a house that is believed to be one in which Pyle was born. It was located elsewhere and moved to the site and therefore, isn't on the National Register of Historic Places. Two Quonset huts donated by the U.S. Army contain Pyle exhibits and memorabilia and serve as a visitor center.

"Oh, but the house in the country was where Pyle's memories were. It's the place where he grew up and wrote about so many times when he recounted his childhood," said Evelyn Hobson, the retired curator of the historic site in Dana.

People who know the history of the Pyle site say there would be little more than that birthplace house in Dana if it weren't for the passion and determination of Hobson, who helped the local Friends of Ernie Pyle Inc. obtain a $250,000 grant from the Scripps-Howard Foundation a little more than a decade ago.

That money, and $60,000 bequeathed from the estate of Pyle's childhood friend, Paige Cavanaugh, enabled Hobson to almost single-handedly pull in Pyle memorabilia and build the existing historic site.

Tiny Dana, north of Terre Haute, probably has never seen more visitors than those who descended on the town in April 1995, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pyle's death on the South Pacific island of Ie Shima.

Writer and commentator Andy Rooney, who served as a war correspondent with Pyle; actor William Windom, who portrayed Pyle in a one-man show; and former U.S. Secretary of Education Shirley Hufstedler, a childhood friend; were among the hundreds of people to commemorate the newly constructed visitor center.

Unfortunately, Dana is not on an interstate nor located near an urban center, and the Pyle site is among the least- visited Indiana historic sites. Several people said they're concerned for the future of the site, with revenues and attendance dwindling as the World War II generation dies out.

Pyle remains an important icon in American journalism, however. The Scripps-Howard newspaper chain for which Pyle worked still gives out an Ernie Pyle Award for human interest writing, and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists puts Pyle's name on its highest honor, the Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award.

Before learning that Pyle's boyhood home had been demolished, Johnson, the journalism professor who teaches in Ernie Pyle Hall at IU, wrote in an e-mail: "One of the reasons Pyle was so successful as a writer is that the values that were expressed in his columns reflected his Hoosier upbringing. Losing his house would not only be a tragedy for Hoosier history, but it would mean the loss of an important part of Americana."

Hobson, the longtime curator, did not know the house had been leveled until contacted last Friday. She recounted from memory various Pyle columns in which he described growing up in the house and small farm there, and said, "I'm sicker than ever to find out that the Goforths were willing to give the house away and no one mounted a campaign to save it."

Hobson said veterans and people interested in Pyle's history asked about his boyhood home, and she directed them to "the little farmhouse on the hill."

She reiterated her dismay at the news the house is gone forever. "I'm going to get in my car right now and go over there to cry," Hobson said.

NSNC NEWS

Election Notice

Under the NSNC bylaws, certain officers are to be elected at the annual membership meeting, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 26, 2005 at 9 a.m. at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas.

A nominating committee appointed by President Suzette Standring met April 14 and submitted to the Board of Directors the following list of candidates:

Secretary - Robert Haught, The Oklahoman
Treasurer - Jim Boughton, Polywebb Enterprise
Archivist - Ben Pollock, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Membership Chair - Melissa Baumann, Navy Times
Contest Chair - Jeffrey Zaslow, The Wall Street Journal

2006 Conference Co-chairs (one-year term) - Tom Regan, csmonitor.com, and Terry Marotta, self-syndicated

The bylaws also allow for nominations to be made during the conference by means of a petition signed by five members present at the meeting. Under an amendment approved by the board on January 12, 2005, these nominations must be presented 24 hours in advance of the Sunday morning meeting.

Descriptions of the duties of NSNC officers may be found in the "Bylaws" section of this web site.

Really Bad Column

by Dave Lieber

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist

2005 Conference Chairman

"Texas' Greatest Column Writing Hits" contains hours and hour of lively and enlightening talks on what it takes to be a 21st century columnist.

The CD-Rom recording of the 29th annual NSNC conference in Grapevine, Texas is the first full conference recording made in nearly three decades of our annual meetings. Those of you who did not attend can now experience the audio portion of the conference for a fraction of the cost to travel to the conference.

Of course, you don't get the slinky eyeball glasses or the official columnist briefcase, but you do get to listen to nearly 1,000 minutes of insights about column writing from 25 speakers in nearly 20 workshops, seminars and talks.

Speakers include superstars like Pete Hamill (this year's Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement winner with nearly two hours on tape); Wil Haygood, star writer for the Washington Post Style section; and Bruce Cameron, author of Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.

If you're not satisfied, we'll send you a free plate of calf fries - one of the many Southwestern foods sampled at the conference by our unknowing colleagues — as a consolation.

The June conference was nicknamed "Tools and Strategies for the 21st Century." This vision was discussed by the many speakers, who each shared his or her particular talents and skills that, all rolled into one, would embody the ultimate 21st century columnist.

The vision begins with great writing as discussed by Keith Woods of the Poynter Institute in his opening seminar; and also writing with quiet fire, about which Haygood spoke so movingly.

It's humor writing as laughed about by Tim Bete of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, and Dan Bernstein from Riverside, Calif. But it's also about grammatically correct writing, a topic we heard from Paula LaRocque, former writing coach of the Dallas Morning News.

It's about taking names and kicking butt like Dallas Mayor Laura Miller did when she was a columnist — and still does as mayor.

It's being up to date with a Web page, as shown by webmaster Jim Boughton; and it's about writing movingly about today's events for tomorrow's paper as demonstrated by Big Bob Hill of Louisville and NSNC Vice President Mike Argento of York, Pa.

The vision includes being a force for good in your community, as 2005 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award winner Lindor Reynolds explained in her breakout session with 2004 winner Sheila Stroup.

It's about getting along with readers as the Kansas City Star's Bill Tammeus talked about, and also, sometimes, about not getting along, as Stu Bykofsky of the Philly Daily News, and Bob Ray Sanders of the Star-Telegram shared in their talks. And, sadly, it's about dealing with evil editors which my boss, Lois Norder (not one!), talked about, too.

It's about making a difference on your pages in unexpected ways as exemplified by Keven Ann Willey of the Morning News and about behaving ethically in tricky situations as discussed by Keith Woods.

And it's about getting your work out there in books through self-publishing for profit, and, sometimes, about tackling investigative work, two topics I talked about.

Bruce Cameron showed another side of the job in his wonderful workshop on how to give great speeches. And Columnist Coach Deb DiSandro led a fruitful seminar on how to launch your career through self-syndication.

A 21st century columnist is also about helping young writers, as we did with our annual scholarship auction, and about honoring our elders, which we did when we spent quality time with those three wonderful gentlemen at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Their memories of the JFK assassination are on this recording, too, which includes former Dallas Police Detective Jim Leavelle's incredible stream of memories about his role in events surrounding the murders of President Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald.

These MP3 recordings — great for listening in your car, at home or at work — will serve to remind us that it's important to sample a little of everything as part of our column-writing careers. Or as football coach Jerry Glanville liked to tell his players, "Throw long, hit hard, take chances."

After 11 years of holding various offices, Dave Lieber's NSNC title has changed. He has been promoted, he explains, to the top title in any non-profit organization - volunteer.

Lindor Reynolds of the Winnipeg Free Press is the 2005 receipient of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award

What is the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award?

A Canadian columnist who gets out of the newsroom to help members of her community have better lives is this year's winner of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award. Lindor Reynolds of the Winnipeg Free Press received the award at the annual conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

Reynolds was recognized for her leadership in raising millions of dollars for charitable enterprises in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Besides writing her column, she runs Pennies From Heaven, a grassroots charity that supports the Christmas Cheer Board, which provides food and toys for underprivileged families at Christmas. The program has raised more than $500,000 from contributions of small change.

In nominating her for the award, Steve Pona, Free Press city editor, said Reynolds "spends most weekends and many evenings during the campaign in fundraising activities." In 2004 she concluded her service as co-chair of the capital committee for the Victoria General Hospital, a community-based health center. Pona said that under her stewardship, close to $11 million was raised to provide much-needed renovations to the hospital.

"With the full support of the Winnipeg Free Press, she sends the message that newspaper columnists have a responsibility to their community and to their readers," said Pona.

The Will Rogers award, named for the humorist and newspaper columnist who used his public forum for the good of his fellow citizens, is presented annually to a columnist whose sustained work in civic journalism produces tangible benefits for the Community served by his or her newspaper.

Kem Rogers, a grandson of Will Rogers, made the presentation at a dinner at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference Center. NSNC sponsors the humanitarian award with support from the Will Rogers Memorial Commission of Oklahoma and the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation.

The Will Rogers award, a miniature of his statue in the U.S. Capitol, also carries a $500 stipend. Nominations may be made by editors or community leaders.

THE COLUMNISTS ARE COMING! THE COLUMNISTS ARE COMING!

BOSTON 2006 — The NSNC Annual Meeting will be the place to be on Thursday on Sunday, June 29-July 2, 2006. Kicking up July 4 fireworks, celebrated columnists and writers will be present to share what made them revolutionary in their field.

ART BUCHWALD will be our 2006 NSNC Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Iconic for humor and political satire, Mr. Buchwald has been an internationally recognized columnist since the 1950's. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Commentary in 1982 and continues to pen a column for washingtonpost.com. Mr. Buchwald is nationally syndicated through Tribune Media Services and has authored 33 books.

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON is a nationally syndicated columnist with Tribune Media Services, an author and TV personality. She is the co-founder and editor of the HuffingtonPost.com, an innovative Internet group blog, as well as the co-host of "Left, Right and Center," public radio's political roundtable program.

ALEX S. JONES is a Laurence M. Lombard Lecturer in the Press and Public Policy and Director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. He covered the press for the New York Times from 1983 to 1992 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1987. He has been a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, a host of National Public Radio's On the Media, and is currently the host and Executive Editor of PBS's Media Matters. He is on the Advisory Board of the Columbia Journalism Review, International Center for Journalists, Committee of Concerned Journalists, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

CHRISTOPHER KENNEALLY is the Director of Author and Creator Relations for Copyright Clearance Center near Boston. He is an award-winning journalist and author of The Massachusetts Legacy. Christopher Kenneally has reported on education, business, travel, culture, and technology for the New York Times, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, The Independent of London, and many other leading publications. He serves on the Steering Committee of the National Writers Union (NWU) Boston Local, and is also a member of PEN New England, and the Authors Guild. In electronic media, Christopher Kenneally has reported for WBUR-FM (Boston), National Public Radio, and WGBH-TV (Boston). He is a co-founder of the Writers League of Boston and is an Advisory Council member of the Boston History Collaborative.

Program details will be announced later. Conference Co-Chairs Terry Marotta and Tom Regan, both columnists in Massachusetts, guarantee a great lineup of speakers still to come.

Secure your hotel rooms now for Thursday-Sunday, June 29 to July 2, 2006. Due to incredible room pricing and stellar program speakers, hotel rooms will sell out quickly.

The Omni Parker Hotel is holding a block of Deluxe rooms for $139/night, available only by phone reservation. Call 1-800-THE OMNI (1-800-843-6664), or directly, (617) 227-8600.

Ask for the block of rooms under NSNC. Cancellation can be made up to 48 hours before the date. (NOTE: Due to special pricing, the NSNC block is not available on-line).

The columnists are coming, and they're bringing their families for a Boston-based Fourth of July!

ART BUCHWALD will receive the NSNC Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award in Boston next year. Iconic for political satire and humor, Mr. Buchwald has been penning columns since the 1950's. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner and author of 33 books. His latest book Beating around the Bush is due this fall.

The 80-year old columnist will be present at the 2006 Boston conference and may possibly give a separate workshop. He said, "Maybe I'll talk about Tips from the Oldest Living Columnist on the Planet."

The historic Omni Parker House is located in the middle of Boston's famed Freedom Trail, walking distance to the Boston Common, the State House, the North End, Beacon Hill and many other attractions.

Deluxe rooms are offered at $139/night, available only by phone reservation.

Call 1-800-THE OMNI (1-800-843-6664) OR call directly, (617) 227-8600. Ask for the room block under "NSNC." Cancellation can be made up to 48 hours before the date.

NSNC Education Foundation Presents 9th Annual College Columnist Scholarship Contest

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation will soon seek entries for its 2006 College Columnist Scholarship Contest. The NSNCEF annually awards a $1,000 scholarship to an outstanding general- interest columnist for a college newspaper. The recipient also will be the guest of the NSNC at its 2006 convention in Boston on June 29 to July 2. The 2005 winner was Matt Barnwell of the University of Georgia.

Details of the 2006 contest will be announced in this space. The scholarship will be awarded based on applicants' clips. The contest is open to undergraduates (including seniors) who write by-lined general interest or editorial page and op-ed page columns. Sports columns, movie reviews and other specialized columns are not eligible.

If you have questions, contact Russell Frank, chair of the NSNC Education Committee. He can be reached at rbf5@psu.edu or by calling 814-863-6415.

Winners of the 2005 Column Writing Contest

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS -- The National Society of Newspaper Columnists announced the results of its 2005 column writing contest on June 25, on the final night of the group's annual conference. The presentation was made by Pete Hamill, this year's recipient of the NSNC's Lifetime Achievement Award, and contest chair Peter Rowe.

Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times joins Contest Chair Pete Rowe in presenting awards to Column Writing Contest winners present at the New Orleans Conference.

Category A: General Interest, for newspapers with a circulation of more than 100,000:

Honorable Mentions: Sureva Towler, Denver Post; Jason Love, Ventura County (Calif.) Star.

Category C: General Interest, for newspapers with a circulation of less than 100,000:

1st Place: Bob Norman, New Times Broward-Palm Beach. "In his role as watchdog for the public, Bob Norman proves a veritable pit-bull with a firm lock on the trousers of "friends of Jeb" in his series on corruption within the North Broward Hospital District. The stories display plenty of bite with their bark, replete with facts about fast deals and cronyism, high living and slow dying."

2nd Place: Michael Murphy, Patriot Ledger (South of Boston, Mass.). "Using his skills as a psychoanalyst as well as a writer, Michael Murphy weaves stories textured with emotional depth and realistic detail. His visit to an old neighborhood with his mother to salvage bits of her disappearing memory becomes an odyssey into his own past. When 'three shrinks' -- a Muslim, a Jew and a Catholic, none very religious -- view Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ,' they decide "Jesus walked, spoke, suffered, maybe even made bad furniture, but the one thing he most insistently did not do, we thought, was blame others for his plight."

3rd Place: Susan Hess, Hood River (Ore.) News. "With fervor for things clean and green in the Columbia River Gorge, Susan Hess offers vivid stories that tweak pallid consciences. She clears old logging roads by the side of a volunteer who describes his three houses, then makes sure he gets his free trail pass from the Forest Service at the end of the day. She shows Celilo Village, with its residents living at or below the poverty line on a narrow sliver of land between basalt cliffs and the Union Pacific Railroad and Interstate 84 as windsurfers enjoy sailing nearby."

Honorable Mention: Paul Silva, The Beach Reporter (Redondo Beach, Calif.). "Paul Silva reflects: 'The boy walks past my house the red tip of his cane hovering above the ground ahead of him.' What does the boy hear that he doesn't? What does the boy 'see' that he doesn't?"

1st Place: Raymond Reid, Kernersville (N.C.) News. "Just the right cocktail of psycho outrage and withering populist demands. Reid, with eyes blazing and fists clenched, shepherds readers gently along the editorial high road. His prose is accessible, his logic irresistible. Who can deny it? Squirrels do deserve to die."

2nd Place: John Young, Waco (Tex.) Tribune-Herald. "Wonderful word choices and structure. His 'taking the highs with the lows' flies a clever, yet low-key, sortie into the surreal domain of national politics. His idea of a giant Dissident Zapper to re-program disbelievers might prove invaluable and deserves a patent hearing. Viva ideological sanitation."

3rd Place: Saralee Perel, Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, Mass.). "Ah, the glories and warm family humor of latent-bestiality. It's a good thing Perel is a retired psychotherapist because her animals, husband and loony family need all the help they can get."

Honorable Mentions: Garrett Mathews, Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press. "The tale of his back yard was smart and touching."

Courtney Hambright, New Times Broward-Palm Beach. "Outrageous, irreverent, obscene. The perfect trifecta."

Prizes in the above four categories were $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place.

Prizes in the Notes/Items Contest were $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place.

1st Place: Mike Morford, San Francisco Chronicle. "Witty, clear, satirical, readable -- almost vitriolic, yet offering delicious food for thought."

2nd Place: Dan Froomkin, The Washington Post. "Really excellent pieces -- engaging, substantial, readable, amusing /thought provoking."

3rd Place: Terri Cullen, The Wall Street Journal. "Very engaging, substantial, easy to read."

Honorable Mentions: Carol Lloyd, San Francisco Chronicle. "Bright, saucy, good writing."; Sally Allen, The Oklahoman. "Very engaging and substantial."

Prizes in Categories A, B, C, D, and F were $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place. Prizes in the Notes/Items Contest were $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place.

Welcome to the Members' Area.

Minutes of the NSNC General Membership Meeting June 26, 2005

Members attending the 29th annual conference at Grapevine, Texas gathered in the Texan Station at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center. Approximately 43 were in attendance, including spouses and other guests.

President Suzette Martinez Standring called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. and delivered the president's report.

Projects of the past year have included development of a mentoring program, a demographic survey of columnists, and a proposed partnership with the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop at Dayton, Ohio.

The NSNC newsletter, The Columnist, got a new format, with color. The web site, www.columnists.com, was redesigned and new features were added, including a user friendly member dtabase and online payments.

The organization received frequent publicity in Editor & Publisher and other media.

Columnists obtained National Columnists Day proclamations from governors in 14 states.

The Board of Directors maintained an active schedule, holding seven online meetings.

- Voted to increase annual dues to $50, effective January 1, 2005, to keep pace with rising costs.

- Established a Lifetime Membership category with dues set at a onetime payment of $500.

NSNC has been an active participant in the Council of National Journalism Organizations (CNJO), a coalition of 43 associations that works to foster communication and cooperation among members. It focuses on such shared concerns as administrative efficiency of member organizations, professional development and standards, diversity in staffing and coverage, the free flow of news and information, and technological and professional innovations. NSNC was represented at CNJO meetings in Washington, D.C. and St. Petersburg, Fla., and the president will represent the organization at a meeting in San Antonio, Texas August 10.

John Kanaley of the NSNC office in San Francisco highlighted a financial report which showed that as of June 1, 2005 the organization had projected income of $82,750 (from membership dues, contest fees, conference registrations, sponsors and other sources) and projected expenses of $77,046 (membership, newsletter, contest, conference and general administrative), with a projected yearend carryover of $5,704.

Executive Director Luenna Kim reported a total membership of 445 as of June 23, 2005 (5 international, 4 lifetime, 425 regular, and 11 non-dues-paying Lifetime Achievement).This compares to a 2004 total of 272 at this time.The organization reached a high of 620, but 125 were dropped from the rolls for non-payment of dues.

James Casto, president of the NSNC Education Foundation, said the organization had been officially chartered and adopted bylaws as a 501(c)(3) organization, which qualifies gifts as charitable contributions for tax purposes. The college scholarship fund has a balance of $14,000. An additional $3,300 was raised at the Friday night (June 24) auction.

Contest chair Peter Rowe said the 2005 column writing contest drew 435 entries, compared to 480 in 2004 and 363 in 2003. He urged columnists to get entries in early next year. It was suggested that a more efficient way of presenting awards be found, since many of the winners do not attend the conference. Other suggestions were noted and will be considered for the next contest.

Dave Lieber, 2005 conference chair, was applauded for his outstanding work. Special recognition also was given to conference co-chairs Monty Snow and Jim Boughton, the latter attending in a wheelchair, suffering from a dislocated ankle sustained in a fall at the Friday evening event.

President Standring announced the 2006 conference will be held June 29 through July 2 at the Omni Parker House in Boston with a room rate of $ 139 a night. Stu Bykofsky jokingly compared the Grapevine conference with what he had in mind for Philadelphia in 2007 in a centrally located hotel where attendees can walk to "real streets, real shops, real people."

Four board members whose terms have expired were recognized for their service: Dave Lieber, 2005 conference chair; Dave Glardon, treasurer; Bill Tammeus, archivist; and Peter Rowe, contest chair.

The slate of candidates recommended by the nominating committee was read. There were no other nominations. A motion to accept the recommendation was approved. The newly-elected officers are:

2006 Conference Co-chairs - Tom Regan, csmonitor.com and Terry Marotta, self-syndicated, Winchester, Mass.

The NSNC board accepted Jim Boughton's resignation as web editor and appointed Sheila Buska, self-syndicated, El Cajon, Calif., to serve the remaining one year of his term.

Robert Haught reviewed the proposal to create a partnership between NSNC and the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop at the University of Dayton (Ohio). Following discussion, there was a unanimous vote in favor of the board's recommendation for approval. Under the arrangement:

- both organizations will retain separate identities but consider each other strategic marketing partners in promoting events and programs;

- each organization will be allowed to use the other's name in promotional materials;

- each organization will appoint a liaison to the other to ensure ongoing communication.

President Standring asked columnists to complete and turn in the demographic surveys and also the conference evaluation forms. Some suggestions for future conferences were made orally.

Vice President Mike Argento announced the 2005 "Sitting Duck" award goes to "ourselves" - news media in general, and especially columnists. He cited Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press and Diana Griego Erwin, formerly of the Sacramento Bee, who made the news by straying from factual reporting. "On a slow day, we didn't have to make something up. They did it for us," he said. Argento said the Jeff Kramer Memorial Mystic Tie award was won by Stu Bykofsky.

After a group sing of "Happy Birthday" to Dave Lieber, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 a.m.

FAQs

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Absolutely. The National Society of Newspaper Columnists is very concerned about the safety and security of our members. Accordingly, we use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, the industry security standard, which only lets the sender and the receiver of the transmission scramble and unscramble the information. If someone else intercepts the data, it is indecipherable. Your credit card number is not stored in any database, including ours. It is used once to verify your transaction.

If you would rather send your personal data and/or credit card information by mail, phone, or email, just send it to the contact information below:

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How do I update my information?
Go to www.columnists.com and click on "Member Area". Once there, log onto your account and click on "Update My Info".

When I went to "Update My Info" and "View My Info" I noticed that my home address was listed as my work address. Why is that?
When we transferred all our membership data from one database to another, we used your work information as the default data. In order for us to maintain complete, current, and up-to-date data, please update your information as soon as possible.

Why should I update my personal information in the database?
On occasion, newspapers, prospective employers, syndicates, fellow columnists, television producers, students, etc. contact NSNC for a list of members who fit certain criteria. If you'd like your name to be included in the list, it is vital that your information be kept up-to-date.

IMPORTANT - If you do not wish to have any or part of your information accessible to the public or to other NSNC members, go to www.columnists.com and click on "Member Area". Once there, log onto your account and click on "Update My Info". Change "You have my permission to release my work." to "No".

What personal information is being shared with the public and other members on the NSNC website?
The only information that is accessible to other NSNC members and to the public is your first name, last name, newspaper(s), email address, website address(s), city, state, columnist type (i.e. syndicated, freelance, etc.), and column type (i.e. general interest, humor, etc.).

IMPORTANT - If you do not wish to have any or part of the above information accessible to the public or to other NSNC members, go to www.columnists.com and click on "Member Area". Once there, log onto your account and click on "Update My Info". Change "You have my permission to release my work." to "No".

Online Membership Registration
Step 1

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept payments online at this time. To join NSNC, please click here for a Membership Application, complete it in full, and mail it with a check or credit card number to:

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2005-2006 Board of Directors

Suzette Martinez Standring

Suzette Martinez Standring is a self-syndicated humor columnist and features writer, who lives in Massachusetts. Her work appears regularly in Boston-area publications, such as The Patriot Ledger, The Milton Times, The Quincy Star News and the Boston Metro.

Married, a daughter named Star, a career with lawyers, and a teaching stint at a men's state prison sum up the personal life.

Formerly a county reporter with the Hunterdon County (NJ) Democrat, Suzette received an award for her coverage of the deer overpopulation problem (another irony for this very urban gal).

Mike Argento

A York native, Mike Argento has been in the newspaper business since Moses came down the mountain with the Ten Commandments. His column that day -- "What, only 10?" -- generated numerous letters to the editor, some of them coherent. Actually, he's been at this since 1979.

He was educated, if you want to call it that, in public schools and at Penn State. He returned to York in 1983, when he came to the Daily Record as a police reporter. In the ensuing years, he covered city hall, county government, the state legislature, the environment and a couple of things he can't remember. He was a feature writer in 1989 when the Daily Record decided that he couldn't even handle that responsibility and made him a columnist. He's been writing three columns a week since then -- some of them coherent.

He's won a bunch of awards, including some from this organization. He doesn't like to talk about them.

Argento, 45, lives in York with his wife, the incredibly patient and tolerant Cine Martinez-Argento; his 15-year-old son, Tony; two dogs, a flatulent retired racing greyhound named Homer and a terrier with anger management issues named Shmuley; four cats who ignore him, and an ill-tempered iguana named Eduardo.

Robert Haught

Robert L. Haught is a former UPI correspondent and bureau manager who took a detour into politics and government and returned to writing. He worked for two Oklahoma governors before going to Washington where he served as a top aide to two U.S. senators.

In 1987, Haught became the first Washington-based editorial writer for The Oklahoman. In addition to writing editorials on national and international topics, he originated a weekly column, "Potomac Junction", a commentary on events and personalities in the nation's capital. Haught retired as senior editorial writer in 1995 but continues to produce the column, which runs on the newspaper's op-ed page. In 2003 he began writing a second column, "Now I'm No Expert", which is self-syndicated.

He has been recognized for his journalistic achievements by induction into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

As a member of the National Society for Newspaper Columnists, Haught was editor of the organization's newsletter, The Columnist, for three years before becoming NSNC Secretary in 2004. He serves as a member of the NSNC board. He also is coordinator of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award program. In 2002 he organized a Seminar on Ethics and Excellence in Column Writing at Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Haught is a veteran of the Korean War, having served as an enlisted man with the 45th Infantry Division. He is an active elder in the Presbyterian Church.

He and his wife, Mary, live on a farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Achievements, awards most proud of: Ed Jackson Memorial Award and NSNC Lifetime Membership Award received in Grapevine, Texas

As told by Jim: Jim is a Senior Systems Specialist with the Freeman corporate office in Dallas. A Yankee by birth, he became a Texan by choice in the beginning of 1980. Residing in Arlington with his wife Aliza, Jim became interested in computers in 1982 and has been involved in the computer industry in some manner ever since.

Jim began writing his "Window on Windows" column with the release of Windows version 3.0. His column earned him the Star-Telegram Cyber Columnist of the Quarter Award both in 1992 and 1996. He is one of only two columnists to have been honored with the Ed Jackson Memorial Award.

In recent years Jim has been known as the man behind the scenes at NSNC, producing Dave Lieber's video columns, and other ground breaking journalistic activities on the web.

Jim served 7 years on the Board of Directors as the NSNC Web Editor and is a lifetime member of the NSNC.

Day job: News copy editor/designer for the Northwest Edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Hobbies and favorite activities: Webmaster for my site and for two nonprofits, playing recorders and trombone, bicycling, cooking, and being a wiseacre.

As told by Ben: Ben S. Pollock, who turns 8 in November (that's THIS many, showing us 47 fingers, toes, pens and Fritos, and aren't we amused), has been writing since he was a little boy. Currently, he's a news copy editor and page designer for the Northwest Edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He's been a wire editor, copy editor and Sunday editor for this statewide newspaper 15 of the last 20 years. It published his weekly humor column for a couple of years, occasional show and book reviews, and in 1987-97 the 1A daily items column "In the News" ("Newsmakers" on 2A before the merger). Each "newser" is a single sentence but complete story from wire services.

Ben wrote editorials for the Northwest Arkansas Times and The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas, the latter also running his column. He also wrote columns for two suburban Dallas newspapers, while he edited and reported for them.for them.

Ben has a 1980 bachelor's degree in communication and American studies from Stanford University and a 2003 master's in journalism from the University of Arkansas, where he taught ethics and news writing.

He worked a year in public radio news in North Dakota. Don't forget spending 1998 running a bed-and-breakfast outside Eureka Springs, Arkansas, with his wife, Christy. They won't. They live in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Ben has a blog named Brick that turns 2 in December (that's this many: I I). Access it via his Web site, www.benpollock.com

Hobbies and favorite activities: Spending time with my husband and our large, extended family, including our fur-kids, two cats, Lily and Vernon, and a McNab herder named Fielder; travel; cooking; gardening; reading; corresponding with distant family and friends.

As told by Michèle: Michèle was born with a love for paper and writing instruments. Her mother insists she was born with a Schaeffer fountain pen in her hand. She published her first newsletter, the Foster Drive Times, at an early age. Hand set and printed with rubber type, it boasted a circulation of six but was short-lived, ceasing publication after Michèle's sister flushed all of her print set's As down the toilet. It won no awards.

Undeterred, Michèle continued to study, reaching college where she majored in English literature, minored in fine art and eventually earned a bachelor's degree in Social Ecology at the University of California at Irvine. After graduation she was accepted to the poetry workshop of its prestigious MFA program in creative writing. Her first year in the program snuffed any passion she'd had for the craft and she did not return for the second year, for a time, hanging up her pen. She has worked as an award-winning freelance writer, desktop publisher and graphic designer for 14 years. She is now retired as a desktop publisher and graphic designer.

Michèle and her husband Michael have traveled extensively and have also lived in Germany and Israel. They are currently the proud parents of three fur-kids: Fielder, the dog who never stops playing catch; Lily, a petite black tabby with a very big voice; and Vernon, the cat who thinks he's a dog.

You can read Michèle's weekly column in The Huntington Beach Independent at the "religion" link on the left side of the home page of www.hbindependent.com.

Achievements, awards most proud of: Getting tenured at Penn State in 2004 (one of the hardest things I've ever done); raising three delightful children.

Hobbies and favorite activities: hiking, biking, solving really hard crossword puzzles, following the Yankees, listening to jazz and playing the blues

As told by Russell: I stumbled into the newspaper business at the age of 30 without having taken any journalism classes, worked on any student publications or given any thought to journalism as a career. I was getting a Ph. D. in folklore and needed a way to support myself while doing my dissertation research among present-day gold miners in the Mother Lode region of California. So I went to work at the Sonora Union Democrat and to my great surprise and delight, loved being a reporter. But after 12 years at papers in California and Pennsylvania I had an opportunity to put that Ph.D. to work as a journalism professor, so I grabbed it. The weekly column helps me stay connected to the world of newspapers.

Achievements, awards most proud of: Having the same "Shenanigans" columns run in newspapers serving diverse communities, including conservative Christian, beach, affluent, metro and gay/lesbian, thus supporting my belief that we're more alike than different.

Day job: Controller at Monarch School Project, a nonprofit organization serving homeless students in downtown San Diego, and treasurer for Monarch Café, Inc.

Hobbies and favorite activities: Driving down the freeway at xx! miles an hour with the music going full blast and all the windows open; eating dessert instead of dinner; dancing.

As told by Sheila: Born in New England, a small college town in Maine, transplanted to Southern California as a teenager, I've ended up with a split personality — half New England formal, half laid-back Southern California. I've raised four kids, stayed married to one man, got a degree in accounting and obtained my C.P.A. while in my — um, forties - and started to write twelve years later. It was inevitable, what with an English professor dad and both parents writers and authors, many times published. And yes, I've written a book, "Time Outs for Grown-ups: 5 Minute Smile-breaks." It's waiting for you at my website www.smile-breaks.com.

Achievements, awards most proud of: I was/I am among the 40 National Semi-Finalists in the long-mothballed Journalist-in-Space initiative.

Day job: Massage Therapist, author of several books, Public Radio commentator

Hobbies and favorite activities: Reading, going to indie films, reading, Yoga and Pilates.

As told by Terry: Adding the above-mentioned small-scale career as a massage therapist has allowed me to understand one very true thing in these last years: when people are in the presence of loving attention, they begin to heal, on any number of different levels, however young or old, however hale or ill. I have been writing this same observational column for 25 years, which I now see is nothing more than a kind of careful attention-paying itself. My husband of 35 years and I have raised up nine children, three "ours," and six who came to us as adolescents. My small publishing company Ravenscroft Press is named for my street but my real, more easily accessed address seems to be www.terrymarotta.com

Mike Leonard

Mike Leonard covered cops, courts, popular music and public education for The Herald-Times in Bloomington, Ind. before becoming the papers general interest columnist in 1985. Leonard also joined the NSNC that same year and remains inspired by the events at his first conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Like his more famous Bloomington neighbor, John Mellencamp, Leonard was born in a small town in Indiana. He graduated with honors from Ball State University in Muncie with majors in English and Journalism in 1977. He has never met the school's most famous alumnus, David Letterman.

Leonard's first job out of college was assistant editor of the Carroll County Comet in rural Flora, Ind.. He then signed on with the Herald-Telephone (now Herald-Times) in Bloomington. He still harbors a nostalgic affection for odd newspaper names.

Leonard has written for a diverse range of publications including Rolling Stone, Indianapolis Monthly and Casino Executive magazine.

He has won his share of writing awards and asks, "Who hasn't?" He does feel honored to have been included in Sam Riley's compendium, The Best of the Rest: Non-Syndicated Newspaper Columnists Select Their Best Work, by Greenwood Press. A few semesters teaching in the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism at Indiana University proved mostly gratifying. The 2000 Japan Fellowship from the International Center For Journalists/Keizai Koho Center was a real treat.

Not to be confused with a Today Show humorist with the same name, Leonard lives in the bucolic college town of Bloomington with Mardi, his wife.

Achievements, awards most proud of: Will Rogers Humanitarian Award in 2000; winning the competition over 12,000 applicants to replace Ann Landers at the Chicago Sun-Times.

As told by Jeff: Jeffrey Zaslow is a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. His column, "Moving On," appears in the Personal Journal section, and focuses on life transitions.

Zaslow first worked at the Journal from 1983 to 1987, when he wrote a front-page feature about a competition to replace Ann Landers at the Chicago Sun-Times. He entered to get an angle for his story, and won the job over 12,000 other applicants. He then worked as a columnist at the Sun-Times from 1987 to 2001.

In 2000, Zaslow received the National Society of Newspaper Columnists' Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, given to a newspaper columnist who exemplifies the ideals and public service work of the noted humorist and columnist. Zaslow was honored for using his column to run programs that benefited 47,000 disadvantaged Chicago children, and for raising millions of dollars for Chicago charities. His annual singles party for charity, "Zazz Bash," drew 7,000 readers a year and resulted in 78 marriages.

From 1994 to 2002, Zaslow was also a columnist for USA Weekend, the Sunday supplement in 550 newspapers. His family columns have appeared in TIME magazine, and his many TV appearances have included "The Tonight Show," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Larry King Live" and "The Today Show." Zaslow is the author of three books, one of which was excerpted in the New York Times Magazine. Movie rights were sold to TriStar Pictures.

A Philadelphia native born October 6, 1958, Zaslow is a 1980 graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University, where he majored in creative writing. His wife, Sherry Margolis, is a TV news anchor with WJBK in Detroit. They have three daughters.

Luenna Kim

Luenna Kim graduated from Boston University with a bachelor degree in Psychology and a law degree from Suffolk University School of Law.

In addition to her work with the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, she is currently a senior personnel analyst for the Department of Public Health, San Francisco General Hospital. She previously worked as the executive director of human resources for Bridgeport Public Schools. Luenna also worked as a trial attorney for the Committee for Public Counsel Services and as a legal recruiter for The Affiliates, a division of Robert Half International, Inc.

Luenna accepted the position of Executive Director of the National Society of Newspaper columnists due to a desire to work with columnists and exercise her skills in association management and event planning.

Diane Ketcham

Code of Conduct

As a newspaper columnist, I will strive to inform, educate and entertain my readers. I will work hard to provoke them to think -- whether they agree or disagree with my efforts to depict truth as I see it.

I will offer my opinions and the reasons I hold them as clearly and as fairly as I can. I will never take advantage of my position to achieve unwarranted personal gain not available to others or use my column to settle personal scores. I will disclose potential conflicts to readers whenever possible.

I will never make up a quote, a source or a story when depicting true events. But I will reserve the right to engage in parody and satire.

I will work hard to earn and keep the trust my readers and editors place in me. I will never plagiarize. Whenever possible, when I make a mistake, I will correct it.

I will listen to my critics and, in person, treat them with dignity and respect because they pay me the high honor of reading me, even if they disagree. Similarly, I will treat with personal courtesy those whom I may criticize in writing before and after writing about them.

I will always remember that my job is a privilege and honor because being a columnist represents the basic American rights of free speech and open discussion.

A brief NSNC history

The society began in 1977, thanks to Larry Maddry of the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot, who sent out letters to all kinds of columnists suggesting they get together and tell war stories, commiserate about editors and so forth.

So a handful of columnists showed up in Virginia Beach in the first year of the Carter presidency, sat around in lounge chairs, drank adult beverages, told stories, met other people who did the same goofy job for a living and reflected on how happy they were to be out of the office. Who were these people? Oh, they included, among others, Maddry , Richard Des Ruisseaux from Louisville, Tom LaBelle from Grand Rapids, Shelley Rolfe and Steve Clark from Richmond and Bob Terrell from Ashville. All white men, it turned out, reflecting the reality of newspapers -- and particularly of newspaper columnists -- in those days.

Des Ruisseaux recalls: “I was so goddamn excited about this idea of forming an organization and an annual gathering of like-mind hacks that when we talked about getting together the next year I volunteered Louisville .” How did that second annual gathering go? “We had a terrific group that year. Memory says 38, and we had folks from far and wide – and women, by God, a miracle.”

Des Ruisseaux and Big Bob Hill of Louisville then pretty much carried the organization on their backs through the 1980s. In 1990, at the gathering in Nashville, some of the newer members decided the outfit needed to appear and actually be a little more professional so that editors might pay folks to come to conferences and others might take the NSNC more seriously. That year the leadership was turned over to Mary Ann Lindley of Tallahassee as president and Bill Tammeus of Kansas City as vice president. Within a few years, there were actual committees and bylaws and real officers with term limits and other phenomena that columnists usually don’t understand very well.

The organization slowly grew on the strength of volunteer help and the amazing enthusiasm of people who couldn’t get enough of the annual gatherings, the newsletters and the terrific friends they were making in the group. By 2000, the NSNC, then with its own Web site, had outgrown its volunteer base and hired a professional administrator. The group also began calling its conventions conferences on the theory that the latter sounded more serious.

Des Ruisseaux again: “Thank God (that) over those years we got some people with organizational skills, like Bill Tammeus in Kansas City, who really deserves credit for smoothing - as much as possible - the rough edges of a ragtag group, giving it some overdue structure and – dare we say it – legitimizing the organization.”

Over the years, the NSNC has worked hard to help columnists become better at their jobs, but the group has not lost the touch of zaniness that has characterized its conferences, its newsletters and especially its leaders since the beginning.

That’s why we give lifetime achievement awards to people like David Broder and Herb Caen but also spend time playing croquet against Marines and beating English teachers in spelling bees. It’s why we bring in top-notch speakers at conferences where we also challenge pre-law students in the hotel to a dance contest. So for more than a quarter of a century, the NSNC has existed for professional assistance, advocacy, communication, camaraderie and great fun. It’s hard to know how the republic got along for 200 years without us.

Contact information

National Society of Newspaper Columnists
P.O. Box 156885
San Francisco, California 94115

NSNC Education Foundation Presents 9th Annual College Columnist Scholarship Contest

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation will soon seek entries for its 2006 College Columnist Scholarship Contest. The NSNCEF annually awards a $1,000 scholarship to an outstanding general- interest columnist for a college newspaper. The recipient also will be the guest of the NSNC at its 2006 convention in Boston on June 29 to July 2. The 2005 winner was Matt Barnwell of the University of Georgia.

This will be the ninth consecutive year of the contest.

If you have questions, contact Russell Frank, chair of the NSNC Education Committee. He can be reached at rbf5@psu.edu or by calling 814-863-6415.

BY-LAWS OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER COLUMNISTS, INC.

ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the Society is The National Society of Newspaper Columnists, Inc.

ARTICLE II
OBJECTS AND PURPOSES
The Society is organized to develop, educate and promote newspaper columnists; and to provide the general public with better professional newspaper columnists through education and example.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
1. The membership of the Society shall be comprised of active members and other classes of members as determined by the Board of Directors.
2. Active members shall be Regular Members, Student Members, Lifetime Members and Lifetime Achievement Members.
3. Regular Members shall be newspaper columnists in the United States and abroad.
4. Student Members shall be students in good standing at accredited colleges or universities who are engaged in the practice or study of writing newspaper columns.
5. Lifetime Members shall be individuals who have made a single dues payment that entitles them to lifetime membership.
6. Lifetime Achievement Members shall be individuals who have been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society in recognition of their achievements in the craft of newspaper column writing.
7. There may be other classes of non-voting membership for organizations and individuals. The qualifications and dues of these other classes of membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND DUES
1. Application for membership shall be on a form furnished by the Society.
2. Each class of member shall pay dues and assessments as set by the Board of Directors.
3. Any former member of the Society, not presently a member, shall be readmitted to membership upon payment of dues for the year in which he or she reapplies for membership.
4. By written notice, any member may resign from membership in the Society at any time.
5. Any member whose dues remain unpaid for five months, shall be considered withdrawn, and his or her membership shall be terminated.
6. Annual dues shall be set by the Board of Directors. Dues shall be determined so that the Society shall have sufficient funds to meet its projected expenses.

ARTICLE V
VOTING RIGHTS
Each active member of the Society shall be entitled to one vote.

ARTICLE VI
ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETINGS; REPRESENTATION
1. The Society shall hold its annual meeting at such time and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors and specified in the notice of such meetings.
2. Special meetings of the Society may be called at any time by the Officers, Board of Directors, or by the President and the notice of such meeting or meetings shall be signed by the President or Secretary of the Society or by two Officers or by three members of the Board of Directors.
3. Each member shall furnish to the Secretary of the Society of his or her post office address and shall notify the Secretary of any change therein. There shall be sufficient notice of any annual special meeting; a notice shall be mailed of the time and place of holding the same, not less than three (3) weeks in advance, to each member. Such notice shall be mailed, postage prepaid, to the address as furnished to the Secretary by the member.
4. At all meetings of the Society, annual or special, each member shall be entitled to vote in accordance with his or her voting rights as set forth in Article V of these By-laws.
5. At any annual or special meeting, a majority of those members present in person shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Members may not be represented, nor vote, by proxy. When a quorum is present, a majority of the votes thereof may determine any question put to vote.

ARTICLE VII
DIRECTORS, ELECTION, MEETINGS, POWERS AND DUTIES
1. The general management and control of the Society shall be vested in a Board of Directors consisting of the elected officers of the Society, the Immediate Past President, and up to five (5) active members of the Society appointed by the officers and Immediate Past President following the election of officers.
2. Directors shall serve one (1) year terms, except the officers and the Immediate Past President, who shall serve terms which are co-terminus with the terms of their positions.
3. Any Director who ceases to be an active member of the Society in good standing shall automatically be removed from the Board of Directors.
4. Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors shall be filled promptly by the remaining Directors, and such replacement shall serve until the next annual meeting of the Society, at which time the vacancy shall be filled as provided in these By-laws.
5. The Board of Directors shall hold its meetings at such times and places and upon such notice as it shall from time to time determine; and may adopt such rules and regulations not inconsistent herewith for the conduct and governance of the affairs of the Society as it shall see fit, and from time to time, alter and amend the same. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President, and, upon written request by at least three Directors, the President shall call a special meeting of the Board of Directors.
6. A majority of the Directors in office at the time shall constitute a quorum, but when a quorum is present the majority of those present may determine any question within the objectives and purposes of the Society.

ARTICLE VIII
ELECTION OF OFFICERS, POWERS AND DUTIES
1. The elected officers of the Society shall consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Web Editor, Archivist, Contest Chair, Education Chair, Membership Chair and Conference Chair, who shall be elected by a simple majority of the active members at the Annual Membership Meeting.
2. The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers as it deems desirable.
3. Each elected officer shall serve a two-year term, except for the Conference Chair, who will be elected annually and hold office for one year. The President, Vice President, Newsletter Editor, Web Editor and Education Chair shall be elected in years ending with the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. The Secretary, Treasurer, Archivist, Contest Chair and Membership Chair shall be elected in years ending with the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Openings for officers will be announced in the newsletter and on the web page 90 days before the annual conference. The president shall appoint a five-member committee to nominate officers. Committee members cannot run for office. Sixty days prior to the annual conference, the committee will submit to the board a list of candidates. The board will present the list of nominees at the opening of the conference. Nominations also will be taken during the conference. At the annual conference, any five members present at the meeting may place, by petition, names into nomination 24 hours prior to the general membership meeting. Nomination speeches are encouraged but not required and can be given by the candidate or the person(s) nominating said candidate at the general session.
4. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Society and shall preside at all membership meetings and meetings of the Board of Directors and generally perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office of president and as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors. The President shall be the inspector of all elections of officers and certify those who are elected as such. The President shall have charge of the relations of the organization with other organizations and, in addition, shall have the usual powers of a president in accordance with these By-laws. The President is authorized to appoint and assign duties to any such committees the president deems necessary.
5. The Vice President shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President at such time as the President is unable to act, and such other duties as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
6. The Secretary shall be responsible for providing notices of meetings and maintaining minutes of meetings, and in general shall perform the duties incident to the office of Secretary.
7. The Treasurer shall be responsible for supervising the custody, receipt and disbursement of all the funds of the Society, and in general perform the duties usually pertaining to the office of Treasurer.
8. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for assembling, publishing and circulating the newsletter of the Society on such a schedule as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
9. The Web Editor shall be responsible for assembling, publishing and maintaining the web site of the Society on such a schedule as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
10. The Archivist shall collect and maintain the Society's archives.
11. The Contest Chair shall be responsible for running the general column writing contest held annually by the Society.
12. The Education Chair shall be responsible for running the annual college scholarship contest and for overseeing the auction efforts to fund the scholarship.
13. The Membership Chair shall be responsible for recruiting and organizing the membership of the society.
14. The Conference Chair shall be responsible for the planning and execution of the annual conference of the Society.
15. In case of death, resignation or inability of any officer to serve, his or her successor may be chosen for the balance of the current year by the Board of Directors, except in the case of the President whose office shall be filled by the Vice President.
16. The chief administrative officer of the Society shall be the Executive Director. The Executive Director may be an employee or independent contractor retained by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IX
DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Society, its remaining net assets shall be distributed to such nonprofit corporations or associations as are exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code as the Board of Directors may determine. No part of such assets may inure to the benefit of any individual member or person.

ARTICLE X
BOOKS AND RECORDS
The Society shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of its members, Board of Directors, and Officers and shall keep at the registered or principal office a record showing the names and addresses of the members entitled to vote. All books and records of the Society may be inspected by any member for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

ARTICLE XI
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Society shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
1. These Bylaws of the Society may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the members of the Society at which a quorum is present by a two- thirds vote of the members present at such meeting; provided, however that any proposed amendment shall have been submitted to the members of the Society at least two (2) days prior to the holding of such meeting.
2. These By-laws of the Society may be amended by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present by a two-thirds vote of the directors present.

ARTICLE XIII
RULES OF ORDER
Roberts Rules of Order shall serve as a parliamentary guide in conducting all meetings of the Society.

NSNC Hall of Fame

Every year, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists selects one columnist and presents him or her with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors the body of their work and serves as a mark for which other columnists strive to achieve.

2004 - Steve Lopez
Lopez joined the Times in May 2001 after four years at Time Inc. He wrote Time magazine's Campaign Diary, a road journal filed during the 2000 presidential campaign, and the American Scene column, for which he traveled the United States. He also helped establish the Bonus Section, a series of narrative news features.

Before joining Time, Lopez was a columnist for 12 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he won the H. L. Mencken writing award, a National Headliner Award for column writing and the Ernie Pyle Award for human interest writing.

His earlier newspaper jobs included the San Jose Mercury News and the Oakland Tribune.

Land of Giants: Where No Good Deed Goes Unpunished is the title of a collection of his columns. Lopez also is the author of three novels.

2003 - Andy Rooney
ROONEY was once described by Time magazine as "The most felicitous nonfiction writer in television". Rooney, CBS News correspondent, writer, and producer has won the Writers Guild Award for Best Script of the Year six times, more than any other writer in the history of the medium.

In addition to his work as a CBS News correspondent, Rooney writes a column two days a week for Tribune Media Services, which appears in 200 newspapers across the nation. He has also contributed articles to Esquire, Life, Look, Reader's Digest, Harper's, Playboy, Saturday Review, and other magazines.

2002 - Chuck Stone
In 1991, Stone crucified his last politician in the pages of the Philly Daily News. He "retired" to teach at the University of North Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications where he holds the distinguished Walter Spearman professorship. Stone's resume is as long and distinguished as some books so there's no point in recounting it here. Suffice to say, Chuck Stone epitomizes everything that we in NSNC want most to be associated with. That's why we honored him in Pittsburgh this year.

2001 - Nat Hentoff
Born in Boston in 1925, Nat Hentoff has distinguished himself in many fields. He is a jazz critic, and former editor of Down Beat magazine (1953-1957). He is a clear-eyed critic of the American education system, and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to support his writings in this area. And he is a tireless defender of the First Amendment from all foes, regardless of political ideology.

In 1980, his columns on the law and criminal justice were recognized with an American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award. In 1985, his alma mater, Northeastern University, awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Laws. His many books include: Does Anybody Give A Damn?: Nat Hentoff on Education, The First Freedom: The Tumultuous History of Free Speech in America, and Free Speech for Me and Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each Other.

In addition to his weekly Village Voice column, Hentoff writes on music for the Wall Street Journal. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Republic, Commonweal, the Atlantic, and the New Yorker, where he was a staff writer for more than 25 years.

2000 - Mary McGrory
Mary McGrory, whose syndicated column of political commentary is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, is a writer to be reckoned with. She was born in Boston and graduated from the Girls' Latin School and Emmanuel College in that city. After a brief stint at the Boston Herald, she joined The Washington Star as a book reviewer in 1974.

McGrory made her debut as a national commentator in the spring of 1954 when the national editor asked her to cover the biggest story of the day, the Army-McCarthy hearings.

Her column has been syndicated since 1960, and currently appears two times a week. McGrory captured the mood of Watergate in 1974 and won the most coveted prize in journalism, the Pulitzer Prize. She discovered the best human interest story out of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident and touched the hearts of millions with her prose following John F. Kennedy's assassination.

A Sigma Delta Chi fellow, she has been a columnist with The Washington Post since 1981. She has received a dozen awards from the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Front Page Awards competition, won the George Polk Memorial Award for national reporting in 1963 and was named the 33rd Elijah Parish Lovejoy Fellow in 1985. She received the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award for Freedom of Speech in 1995 and the Fourth Estate Award from the National Press Club in 1998.

Her provocative and distinctive commentary appears each week in more than 125 papers around the country, including The Boston Globe, San Francisco Examiner, and the New York Post.

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists is delighted and honored to present its 2000 Lifetime Achievement Award to Mary McGrory.

1999 - Celestine Sibley
1914-1999
Celestine Sibley of The Atlanta Journal & Constitution was presented the NSNC Lifetime Achievement Award at the NSNC Conference in Louisville, KY

1998 - Richard Reeves
Richard Reeves, who writes a twice-weekly column for Universal Press which appears in 160 papers, was the winner of our 1998 Lifetime Achievement award. The award was presented at our conference in San Diego. Reeves is a former chief political correspondent for the New York Times and the author of nine books.

1997 - David Broder
David Broder, longtime political columnist for the Washington Post, is considered the dean of American political writers. He received our Lifetime Achievement award in 1997 at our conference in Williamsburg, Va. Broder is considered a thoughtful and sensitive writer on the American political scene who is not above pointing out to readers his own mistakes in previous political coverage.

1996 - Art Hoppe
Art Hoppe has written a column for the San Francisco Chronicle for nearly four decades. He received our Lifetime Achievement award in 1996 at our conference in Utah. In his acceptance speech, Hoppe talked about his experiences covering presidents throughout his career. Upon receiving the award, he joked, "It will look very well on my resume."

1995 - William Raspberry
William J. Raspberry, urban affairs columnist for the Washington Post, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for commentary for his writing on such topics as crime, AIDS, the Nation of Islam and violent rap lyrics. He received our Lifetime Achievement award in 1995 at our conference in Kansas City. His column first appeared in the Post in 1966 on the Metro page. It now appears on the editorial page.

1994 - Molly Ivins
Molly Ivins, a columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, has been named America's most popular syndicated columnist. She appears in hundreds of newspapers. She received our second Lifetime Achievement award at our 1994 conference in Sarasota, Florida.

She is remembered for setting up a betting pool in the convention's hospitality suite during the infamous O.J. Simpson/Bronco chase which occurred several hours after she received her award. It was fitting, then, when Ivins won the pool.

1993 - Herb Caen
1916-1997
Herb Caen, the legendary columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, was the NSNC's first Lifetime Achievement recipient. He attended our 1993 conference in Portland and amazed everyone with his energy. He partied late into the night with the other columnists and then surprised us all by working happily the next morning on his column while the other sleepy (and younger) columnists searched for coffee. Caen, a Pulitzer Prize winner, died in 1997 after 59 years of column writing.

New Books By NSNC Members

"I don't know of another voice in American newspaper journalism quite like his. From beautiful descriptions of nature to considerations of his mother's death to the matter of bio-engineered plants to the conundrum of the death penalty; from Harry Truman, Chelsea Clinton, Waco, Mark Twain, and Kosovo, to homosexuality, preachers, and baseball- -good Lord! Mr. Tammeus keeps a steady eye on balancing the insights of his head and the emotions of his heart, always aiming to decipher what you've aptly called A Gift of Meaning."--Walt Harrington
Because of the peculiar momentary nature of journalism, not every column can stand the test of time. But many--even those about events nearly gone from the public consciousness--contain lasting truths. A Gift of Meaning is a collection of those lasting truths from Bill Tammeus, a columnist for the Kansas City Star.
Each piece reveals Tammeus's attempt to wrestle eternal meaning from the events and experiences that sweep us along day by day.
I stopped by a homeless shelter the other day to see someone I know. As I waited, I felt rather conspicuous in my suit and tie. In fact, the friendly man at the information desk asked me if I was a pastor. I chuckled.
But as I sat in the lobby waiting to see the man I came to check on, I was struck again by what may be the most difficult of all human tasks: empathy. That is, the challenge of really putting ourselves in the shoes of others.
In the end, A Gift of Meaning is not just a presentation of found meaning, but also a call to readers to stop and think for themselves. This book is an invitation to breathe deeply and seek out the meaning of what the world heaves at us each day. It is an offering of insights that will provide fresh ways of comprehending things readers thought they already understood.
About the Author:
Bill Tammeus is an editorial page columnist for the Kansas City Star, where he has worked since 1970. He has done freelance reporting for numerous publications, including the New York Times and the Washington Post. A Gift of Meaning is his first book.
2001, 264 pages, 6 x 9, ISBN 0-8262-1366-9, $24.95t paper

In 2000, columnist Bob Welch of the Eugene, Ore., Register-Guard got a call from a reader who had discovered a poignant letter written to Stars and Stripes newspaper by a World War II nurse in 1944. Frances Slanger died in the shelling of her field hospital the night after she wrote it. When Welch wrote a column about the nurse, he was stunned to get a call from an 82-year-old Eugene woman who had served in France with Slanger. Thus began Welch's three-year journey to bring to light the story of the first nurse to die after the D-Day landings at Normandy. American Nightingale received many favorable reviews even before its May release. Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers and Americana, wrote: "...Bob Welch achieves something rare among works of military history: he brings one person, a single extraordinary person, to vivid life upon the page." Judith Bellafaire, chief historian of Women in Military Service, said: "No one who reads American Nightingale will ever again assume that every military hero killed in action was, is or will be male." Published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. Selling price $22.

Writing irreverent views about Southwest Florida in his thrice-weekly column earned numerous awards for Brent Batten of the Naples Daily News. He has assembled his best 100 columns in Batten 100: Five Years of Hits and Misses from the Southwest Florida Beat. Articles cover the peculiarities of one of the nation's fastest growing regions--things like the never-ending search for the yeti's warm weather cousin, the skunk ape, and the myriad growing pains that come when a sleepy fishing village becomes a renowned resort. Batten, whose 16 years at the News also include service as a reporter and city editor, was cited by the Florida Press Club as "a rare master of irony in the public interest." His book is available in book stores and by mail from B Squared Publications, P.O. Box 12076, Naples, Fla. 34101. Price $12.95.

So concerned were the parents and widow of Lou Gehrig about the potential desecration of his grave that they considered moving his ashes to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and officials embraced the idea of creating a mausoleum for baseball greats. But Gehrig's wife killed the idea, and her cryptic remarks leave us wondering today about the disposition of his remains. In this 246-page volume Sean Peter Kirst, a columnist and sportswriter in Syracuse, N.Y., conducted dozens of personal interviews with baseball characters to write a series of essays about some of the greatest in the game. The author also provides new information about the father of baseball card collecting and about a bat company whose accomplishments were lost in baseball lore. This book is one to be enjoyed by baseball fans or anyone who likes a good human interest story. Published by McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, N.C., it is priced at $24.95. It can be ordered from the web site, www.mcfarlandpub.com, or call 1-800-253-2187.

On his web site, Lawrence W. Wilson says, "After about 40 years of living, I began to notice that my life hasn't turned out quite the way I planned." He added, "Most of us have experienced some form of trauma." So Wilson, who self-syndicates a weekly column, Front Porch, teamed up with Jerry Brecheisen, a Wesleyan Church colleague, and wrote When Life Doesn't Turn Out Like You Expect. Wilson describes the work as a "spiritual survival manual" for people recovering from negative experiences such as rejection, abuse, grief or disappointment. In the book nine people share their stories of triumph over child abuse, disability, chronic pain, loss of a child and other traumas, and the authors offer practical, biblical steps to arrive at the point of healing. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City published the book with a cover price of $13.99. It also is available from Amazon.com. A web site, www.whenlife.com, enables readers to share their own stories of recovery.

"Grown-ups need time outs, too. Time out from health concerns, freeway drivers and projects due yesterday...time out to smile, to remember the good stuff, the fun stuff..." That's why she wrote Time Outs for Grown-ups--39 funny commentaries about contemporary life. These selections from Buska's Shenanigans columns poke fun at the frustrations of life at work, at home, on the commute, over the weekend and on vacation. Included are "miscellaneous musings" about Bach and milkshakes, forks and computers, and judging people by their socks. Shenanigans, now in its seventh year, has appeared in a dozen newspapers. Also a freelance writer, Buska's articles have been published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and American Profile magazine, among others. Born in Maine, the daughter of an English professor, she took up writing after raising a family, returning to college for an accounting degree and working as a controller. In El Cajon, Calif., where she now lives, Buska organized a "Caucus of Cool Columnists." Her book sells for $14.95 and can be ordered at www.wordstoenjoy.com or www.CSNbooks.com.

You can tell right away Jana G. Pruden doesn't take herself too seriously, just by reading the testimonial quotes on the back of her book, Robin Killer they're all from people named Pruden. "I'm really impressed," writes Vern Pruden. "Grandpa really means that," says Lillian Pruden. A Canadian NSNC member, this Winnipeg-born author has a keen eye and clever writing style that made her a favorite with readers around southern Alberta as a reporter and columnist with the Medicine Hat News. A review in the News described Robin Killer as "a witty and wickedly funny collection of columns and stories about the experiences that makes us laugh, cry and take up knitting. From off-roading with an eight-fingered headbanger to idle speculations that the devil invented musical theatre, Pruden has a unique power to take the everyday and turn it into something both insightful and hilarious." Part of the proceeds from the $15.00 book go to REDI Enterprises, a non-profit organization that helps the disabled. For information about ordering the book, email the author at jana@janapruden.com.

First in a series by humor columnist Kristen Twedt, My Crazy Christmas Catastrophe Cat is a merry romp through the harried but happy holiday time as only a cat cohabitant can appreciate. Rhyming verse and colorful illustrations by her cousin, art teacher Dwelia Haas, combine to tell the tale of one very naughty kitty. The author says the book was inspired by the antics of her cat, Puffin. "Last Christmas my son's teacher asked me to do a writing workshop with her fifth grade students," she said. "I wrote My Crazy Christmas Catastrophe Cat and shared it with them. They laughed. That's all it took. I knew I wanted to make this a real book." Published by Timothy Lane Press, the book is priced at $9.95 and is available from www.kristentwedt.com or www.amazon.com. Twedt, who writes a weekly column for the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American, also is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications. Her next book in the series, My Crazy Coastal Catastrophe Cat, is due out soon.

The editors and publishers of the Keene (N.H.) Sentinel have played a major role in preserving and sustaining the Monadnock Region's sense of history. One of the most important efforts in that respect occurred 40 years ago when the newspaper hired David Proper to write his weekly "Region History" column. Four decades and more than 2,000 articles later, Proper and the Sentinel have worked together to amass a substantial body of local history. On its 75th anniversary, the Historical Society of Cheshire County compiled almost 100 of these fascinating historical sketches in A "Keene" Sense of History. The book provides an overview of some of the more important elements of U.S. history as portrayed through local events. The work illustrates the impact of geography, weather, transportation, war, sports, art, music, business and other factors on the people and the history of the region. Topics range from grave robbing, witches and circus elephants to Prohibition and the rise and fall of the railroad. Proper shows the reader that history can be fun, frightening, poignant, and most of all, fascinating. The book may be purchased for $15.00 from the Society, P.O. Box 803, Keene, N.H. 03431.

Parents especially will appreciate Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat! by syndicated columnist Debbie Farmer, but it's a book anyone can enjoy. It's a collection of some of the best articles from her award-winning "Family Daze" humor column, which appears in more than 50 newspapers in the United States, Canada and Australia. Farmer draws on her experience as a mother and more than 13 years of teaching elementary school students to prove a thesis that "laughter is the best medicine for raising children." She has been writing since 1995 and also is an advocate of parenting issues. Her 227-page book humorously chronicles the trials and travails of mothers around the world who are often beset by the challenges of both marriage and raising children. Organized into 10 chapters, her columns cover a wide range of subject matter--housekeeping, holidays, animals and insects, summertime activities, and of course, school, moms and dads and children. The $21.95 hardback was published by WindRiver Publishing, St. George, Utah.

A new book by Dave Lieber shows the multi-leveled writing personalities of this "Yankee Cowboy", whose work has appeared three times a week in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram since 1993. The Dog of My Nightmares consists of 90 of Lieber's most memorable and timeless columns--stories that sometimes violate the traditional expectations of American column writing but which have endeared him to his loyal readers. The book gets its title from a column in which Lieber proposed marriage: "Here in Texas, I've met the woman of my dreams," he wrote. "Unfortunately, she lives with the dog of my nightmares." The "Psycho Dog" that Lieber learned to love is the subject of one of the 13 chapters in which he writes about all the many things that interest him: his family, his profession, his adopted state, the Texas education system, politics, intolerance, and as Texas author Joyce Gibson Roach said in a foreword, "of citizens young and old, good and bad, of pride and prejudice, saints and sons-a-bitches..." Longtime NSNC Secretary Lieber shows his pride in receiving the 2002 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award by displaying that honor on the book cover. The book, with a cover price of $12.95, may be ordered at www.yankeecowboy.com or from amazon.com.

In A View from the Heartland: Everyday Life in America, syndicated columnist David Chartrand looks back on what he learned growing up in the Midwest. Chartrand, who writes humor and commentary from his home in Olathe, Kan., fills this highly readable book with essays about "everyday people living with everyday grace." Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul, said the book "embraces the mundane, everyday things that make us laugh, weep, or pound the table in frustration." Other comments about A View from the Heartland: "In prose remarkable for its warmth, humor, and compassion, Chartrand illuminates relationships between father and son, dog and master, husband and wife, friend and friend." "Chartrand's heartwarming observations convey the extraordinary character and resilience of ordinary people who work, worship, and raise families all across America." Published by the Globe Pequot Press, the book sells for $16.95. It also may be purchased at amazon.com and barnes&noble.com.

John L. Smith, an award-winning columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is the author of several books. His latest is Of Rats and Men--Oscar Goodman's Life from Mob Mouthpiece to Mayor of Las Vegas. It's a vivid biography of a man who for more than 35 years was the country's pre-eminent mob defense attorney. Despite decades of association with the most notorious crime figures in America, Goodman was twice elected mayor of Las Vegas by landslide votes. Smith's book chronicles Goodman's transformation from courtroom wizard to the self-proclaimed "happiest mayor in America" Smith, the most widely read columnist in Nevada, also gives nightly commentary on the Las Vegas NBC affiliate and appears frequently on national television shows. His book, published by Huntington Press of Las Vegas, also is available from amazon.com. Publisher's price is $25.95 for the 420-page hard cover volume.

New Books By NSNC Members

This new children's book was written by none other than Chuck Stone, recipient of the 2002 NSNC Lifetime Achievement Award. Squizzy the Black Squirrel: A Fabulous Fable of Friendship is a lively tale woven around the universal theme of friendship and acceptance among individuals of different races. With illustrations by Appalachian-born artist Jeannie Jackson, the 32-page book tells the story of the only black squirrel in the park, who plays among the brown, red and gray squirrels. He explains to 7-year-old Marcus how using color to describe one's friends is silly. Stone, a prominent civil rights activist and journalist, authored three books in the 1960s, but this is his first one written for children. He was honored at last year's NSNC conference in Pittsburgh for a career in journalism that included column writing at the Philadelphia Daily News from 1972 to 1991. He is a professor at the University of North Carolina's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The book was published by Open Hand Publishing, Greensboro, N.C., and sells for $16.95.

Death of a Domestic Diva is the first in a new humorous mystery series by Sharon Short, a Dayton, Ohio freelancer. She writes a weekly humor column, "Sanity Check" for the Dayton Daily News. The novel introduces Josie Toadfern, a Laundromat owner and stain expert, who invites herself onto the Tyra Grimes show. Murder and mayhem ensue. The book, a mix of traditional cozy mystery and gentle social satire, is available for $6.50 from amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com and Booksense.com. Avon Books is the publisher.

Deb DiSandro of Plainfield, Ill., is a self-syndicated newspaper columnist, humorous speaker and now an author. Her book, Tales of a Slightly Off Supermom: Fighting for Truth, Justice and Clean Underwear is based on her weekly column. The collection of essays on "the ages and stages of parenthood" is published by Pelican and sells for $14.95.

In Durham: A Bull City Story, Jim Wise takes his readers on an adventurous 300-year journey of his colorful hometown. Wise is the senior columnist at the Durham Herald-Sun. The book, with more than 100 rare photographs, chronicles the city's history in robust imagery and vivid narrative. Part of Arcadia's Making of America series, it is priced at $24.99.

Ron Wiggins, a Palm Beach Post columnist, has compiled over 150 of the weirdest, strangest, best-tasting combinations ever conceived. Wiggins was inspired at the age of 12 by a minister who confessed to adding milk and chocolate syrup into powdered sugar and licking the icing from his fingers. Andrews McMeel published Weird Snacks at $8.95.

A manual for parenting aptly describes Mommy-CEO by Jodie Lynn, who writes with authority as a mother of three. The book, is "not just for moms - dads love it, too," she says. Lynn teaches parenting classes and her column, "Parent to Parent", is syndicated by Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. Mommy-CEO, published by Martin-Ola Press, Rutland, VT, is available at $12.95 in bookstores or online from amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com.

Blood Bond is a story of two brothers, eight years apart in age and light years apart in lifestyle, and their struggle throughout their lives to maintain a relationship despite their differences. Nino Cienza becomes an attorney. Nicholas turns to racketeering at a very young age. The tale of the Cienza brothers takes the reader from a deteriorating New Jersey industrial city through Washington, Manhattan and Victoria City (pseudonym for Atlantic City). Attorney Paul Alongi conceived and wrote the story line and Charles Jacobs wrote the finished book. Jacobs is an award-winning freelance writer whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and other publications. He is editor of an international travel Web site and a former publisher of daily newspaper groups on both coasts. The book is available from 1st Books Library www.1stbooks.com as well as amazon.com.

For anyone who enjoys theater, Carl Larsen's Shenandoah Valley Theatre 1990 - 2002 is not only a delight to read but a handy reference. It is a collection of 90 reviews of plays produced by various groups at the Staunton Performing Arts Center in Staunton, Va. There is a wide range of subject matter, from Shakespeare to Neil Simon, from comedy and drama to popular musicals. The 12 years of reviews were originally published in the Staunton News-Leader, where Larsen covered the literary, artistic, culinary and cinema scene for 18 years. Larsen is the author of Even the Dog Won't Eat My Meat Loaf, The Midvale Chronicles and a volume of poetry. Although he now lives in New Jersey, his two weekly columns, "Petty Larseny" and "Carly at the Movies", continue to amuse and inform readers of the News-Leader. Shenandoah Valley Theatre is priced at $12.95, or two for $25, and all proceeds go to benefit the Staunton Performing Arts Center. For book orders, call 540-885-3211 or go to www.stauntonperformingarts.org.

Dubbed as the "original wild-eyed mom", Jeanni Brosius is on a mission to let the world know that it's okay to laugh at the little things. In Wild-Eyed Ramblings the syndicated columnist and author from Monticello, Ark., shares her insight to the fears and concerns of being a mom in the 21st century. Her book will have you laughing out loud at stories about battling an eight-foot flame over her kitchen stove, forcing bats to flee her home and surviving an IRS audit on Friday the 13th. Another book, Serenade of the Stinkweed, is scheduled to be released later this year. Ask for Wild-Eyed Ramblings (Bandal Publishing, $7.99) in your favorite bookstore or purchase it online at amazon.com.

This book impresses both by size (690 pages) and content (169 essays) as author Constance Daley takes the reader on a journey through her life--from a young girl to a grown woman, remembering presidents, celebrities and casual meetings with wit and insight. Originally a New Yorker. Daley now lives on St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she is a regular columnist for The American Reporter as well as being contributing editor at WEEKEND, the newspaper of choice in the Golden Isles. Skyline to Shoreline is available from Xlibris Corporation (888-795-4274).

This eye-grabbing title is a prime example of the marketing skills of two brothers who call themselves "Cash & Carry--the Classified Guys." Duane "Cash" Holze and Todd "Carry" Holze came up with an innovative idea for a column while casually talking to some newspaper executives who were interested in ways of attracting more readers to the classified ads. The answer: a bright, clever column that contains witty comments by the pair, along with stories, questions and humorous classified ads sent in by readers. Their first column was published within two weeks of pitching the idea to their local newspaper, The News-Times, Danbury, Conn. They decided to self-syndicate and after three months they had gained the attention of around 600 newspapers. They quickly rose to being published in 60 papers, and 18 months after self-syndication, the column now is carried in more than 120 newspapers throughout the United States and Canada. It is also sold and distributed by Universal Press Syndicate. The Holze brothers' book, 50% Off--How to Find Great Deals, describes "the wealth of opportunity available in the used market." It shows "how to buy at incredibly reduced prices, avoid depreciation and keep the money in your pocket." The book, published by TLC Publishing, Fairfield, Conn., sells for $14.95 and comes with a bonus CD which includes an Internet web guide to over 2000 free sites. For details visit their web site: www.ClassifiedGuys.com.

Winner of five journalism awards in the last three years, syndicated columnist Gregory J. Rummo appeals to readers young and old with his first book, The View from the Grass Roots. Published in July, 2002 by Millenial Mind division of American Book Publishing, Rummo's book is an eclectic anthology of the author's commentaries written about life in 20th and 21st-century America. Some are serious and poignant; others lighthearted and funny. The 336-page book was characterized by one reviewer as Chicken Soup for the Soul with a dash of cayenne pepper. Grass Roots is an anthology of more than 100 commentaries written by Rummo during the last decade. Writing for a number of newspapers, his columns cover a broad range of topics, examining each issue with a fresh, down-to-earth perspective. Whether writing about family life or the demise of America's Judeo-Christian heritage, he is blunt and to the point. Rummo writes a monthly column for The Record of Hackensack, N.J. He also writes a regular column for the New Jersey Herald. Among his honors is winning the $5,000 second prize in the 2001 Amy Writing Awards contest, sponsored by the Amy Foundation. A limited number of autographed copies of The View from the Grass Roots are available directly from the author. Send an email to GregoryJRummo@aol.com with your name and mailing address... Then mail a check for $25.00 ($22.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling) to: Gregory J. Rummo, Suite 117, 50 Chestnut Ridge Road, Montvale, NJ 07645.

This isn't a new book, but it merits attention because of the vast success of the author. W. Bruce Cameron left a job in Michigan in 1989 and went West, where he decided to pursue a childhood ambition to be a writer. He sparked his career by starting an Internet newsletter. He gradually built up a list of subscribers in 52 countries and says he gets 10,000 hits a day, "most of them probably searching for photographs of Cameron Diaz." In March, 1999 his column began appearing in the Rocky Mountain News. Cameron writes of modern life, of family and other concerns fished from the currents of his daily existence--which includes being the beleagured father of two daughters and a son. His book, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, was released in May, 2001 and quickly reached Number 14 on The New York Times best-seller list. The book was adapted for a hit TV series on ABC, starring John Ritter, and a Disney movie deal is in the works. Cameron has been an occasional contributor to Time and his column is distributed by Creators Syndicate. He lives in Santa Monica, Calif., and may be the only member of NSNC to have a publicist. The book contains such intriguing chapter titles as, "The Relationship (or Lack Thereof) Between Allowance and Chores", "Unauthorized Physical Changes", and of course, "Eight Simple Rules..." Available at $11.95 from Workman Publishing, New York, the book also may be ordered from the author's web site www.wbrucecameron.com.

Robert L. Wolke is a chemistry professor at the University of Pittsburgh. He also writes a column (Food 101) for the Washington Post and is the author of What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained. It's a witty and informative food science book that provides answers to such questions as, "Why does blowing on hot food cool it?" The book is available, at $25.95, from W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110.

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New Books By NSNC Members

Commentary by Mike Leonard
Hoosier Times columnist | leonard@heraldt.com
August 28, 2005

ERNIE PYLE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
NSNC 2006 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Online Membership Registration
Step 1