Two new members will enter the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame on October 14. James McCarthy and Ken Waltz have been selected by the MPA’s Hall of Fame Committee and will be inducted during the luncheon at this year’s Fall Conference.

James McCarthy

A Maine newspaperman for going on 40 years, James McCarthy has done it all — from beat reporting to editorial writer, to city editor and executive editor.

By the early 1980’s McCarthy was at The Times Record, where he worked his way up from reporter to city editor and eventually executive editor. Calling Brunswick home, he put down roots, raising his family there and embedding himself in the community.

For many years, McCarthy volunteered his time to help young journalists at the student-led newspaper at the University of Southern Maine, The Free Press. There, he spent countless hours mentoring students and offering advice.

McCarthy left The Times Record in 2010 and quickly found work as a temporary editor at the Bangor Daily News and the day that stint was over, McCarthy was hired on at Mainebiz, where he stayed for nearly a decade.

After his retirement in 2019, McCarthy knew he wanted to keep chronicling his adopted home. But this time, he wanted to do it with mostly pictures, instead of words.

McCarthy continues to report on the world around him, creating zines that challenge people to think about their surroundings. From racial and economic justice to Maine’s changing rural landscape and Native American struggles for cleaner water and tribal sovereignty, he continues to tell stories that are as meaningful as they are thought provoking.

Ken Waltz

For decades, Ken Waltz has worked relentlessly as a sportswriter, photographer and editor for The Courier-Gazette, The Camden Herald, The Republican Journal and VillageSoup websites.

He retired from his newspaper career in July.

Ken is a perfect example of what a hometown paper’s sportswriter should be.

He has served as a mentor and example to young writers and photographers over the years and often encouraged cub reporters by taking an active interest in their lives. He has given tutorials on AP Style and photography to anyone who wanted to take advantage of his generous spirit.

Ken has worked with countless student athletes, coaches, athletic directors, educators and community leaders in the Midcoast and has left a lasting impression with each.

He was inducted into the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and over the course of his career has received more than 300 Maine Press Association awards and more than a dozen New England Press Association awards for his writing, photography and page design.

The MPA Hall of Fame, established in 1998, honors newspaper people with Maine connections who have made outstanding contributions to the profession. Its members are on the MPA website, at http://mainepressassociation.org/hall-of-fame/. Tickets to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which takes place during the luncheon, are available by contacting MPA Executive Director Diane Norton at mainepressmail@gmail.com or 691-0131.

Plans are well underway for the 2023 MPA Conference to be held Saturday, Oct. 14 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Portland. We’ll be providing hotel and conference registration information very soon and hope to share Better Newspaper Contest results with entrants by the end of next week. We also expect to hear from the Hall of Fame Committee with the 2023 HOF Inductees.

Meanwhile, we’re pleased to report that the delightful duo of Scholarship Fund Auctioneer Extraordinaire Aimsel Ponti and Master of Awards & Disguises Greg Rec will be reprising their respective roles. Be sure to mark the calendar and save the date.

Nominations are now being accepted for 2023 inductees to the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, July 21. Candidates must be Maine newspaper professionals who made lasting career contributions to their craft, in or out of the state. Members can be elected posthumously.

The Hall of Fame was established in 1998. A list of all inductees is on the MPA website. To view, Click here.

Each nomination should be accompanied by supporting material that will help committee members as they make their decisions. Please be prepared to submit all nominations and supporting materials in an electronic format so the committee can access them remotely.

Questions and nominations can be sent to the committee in care of Faith DeAmbrose at fdeambrose@mdislander.com. The 25th annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held October 14 at the MPA Fall Conference in South Portland.

It’s time to nominate your deserving staff and co-workers for the 2023 MPA Individual awards. Please email all nominations to maine@newspapercontest.com by July 7, 2023. Digital entries only, please. The 2023 winners will be announced at the MPA Fall Conference on Oct. 14 in South Portland. Here are the categories:

• Unsung Hero Award: For any staff member, in any department, whose contributions to his or her newspaper have been essential but often overlooked. Nominations may include examples of the nominee’s work and letters from supervisors and/or co-workers detailing his or her contributions.

• Advertising Person of the Year: For an advertising employee whose work has been truly distinguished over the course of a year or years. Candidates may have established unique marketing plans or stood out through other measures, such as sales record. Work samples may be included with a nomination letter.

• Bob Drake Young Writer’s Award: For a full-time employee of a Maine Press Association member with fewer than three years of full-time experience in journalism as of July 7, 2023. A letter from the staffer’s supervisor must contain a review of the nominee’s experience and accomplishments. School or college newspaper experience does not count as full-time experience. Entries will be evaluated on writing quality, enterprise, imagination, thoroughness, balance, and general reporting. As many as six articles may be submitted. 

• Journalist of the Year: For an exceptional news employee whose work has been truly distinguished over the previous year or a period of years. A reasonable number of news clips, photographs, or other samples of work must be included with a cover letter from the nominee’s editor or publisher. The nominee must be an employee of a member organization.

This is it—one day to go to gather those entries, submit the majority of entries online, and mail your hard-copy General Excellence (Print & Advertising) papers with entry form and payment to Executive Director Diane Norton (postmarked by June 2).

The $100 entry fee includes one entry in each of the 58 categories including Photography/Design, Advertising/Circulation, Writing, Sports, Sections, Online, and Special Categories.

We’re looking forward to a good showing and lots of competition in all divisions. So far, it appears we have about half of the entries as last year, with a goal to surpass that number. Kudos to the early birds who have completed their entries and are now relaxing by the lake. We hope to see the rest of you and your entries by June 2.

It took considerable effort and much collaboration amongst Maine Press Association members, Mitchell Tardy Jackson (our advocates in Augusta), and allies AARP, Maine Broadband Coalition, Grow Smart Maine, but on April 27, LD 422 was finally put to sleep.

And we especially thank Rep. Holly Stover for her stalwart support throughout this session as we opposed An Act to Eliminate the Requirement that Municipalities Provide Public Notices in Newspapers.

The bill left the Maine Legislative Committee on State and Local Government  after a March 9 work session, when the vote was 8 to 5 that LD 422 ought not to pass.

On April 25, the House voted 78 to 63 against the bill, and on April 27, the Senate voted 24-9 to defeat it. Republican Senators Harrington and Keim voted with their Democratic colleagues in favor of the motion. 

While there is a sense of relief, MPA acknowledges that similar bills will surface in the future, just as they have in the past. It is an issue that the MPA board intends to address, with an emphasis on better collective marketing of the Maine Notices website. 

In other Capitol news, the MPA Legislative Committee submitted testimony either in support of, or in opposition to, seven bills on April 26-27. The majority of them were related to Maine’s Freedom of Access Act and the treatment of records.

MPA opposed:

LD 848, An Act to Expunge Certain Nonviolent Drug Crimes, and requests that Judiciary move further discussion back to a reconstituted Criminal Records Review Committee for recommendation 

LD 1550, An Act to Authorize the Expungement of Records of Nonviolent Crimes, and requests that Judiciary move further discussion back to a reconstituted Criminal Records Review Committee for recommendation 

LD 1646, An Act to Vacate or Adjust Sentences and Expunge Arrests, Convictions and Adjudications for Cannabis-related Offenses and requests that Judiciary move further discussion back to a reconstituted Criminal Records Review Committee for recommendation.

LD 1649, An Act to Support Local Governments in Responding to Freedom of Access Act Requests 

LD 1789, An Act to Remove All Marijuana-related Provisions from the Maine Criminal Code and Expunge All Convictions Involving Marijuana and requests that Judiciary move further discussion back to a reconstituted Criminal Records Review Committee for recommendation.

LD 739, RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Empower the Legislature to Allow the Expungement or Sealing of Certain Criminal Records

And supported:

LD 1622, Resolve, to Reestablish the Criminal Records Review Committee

~Lynda Clancy, Chair of MPA Legislative Committee

The Maine Press Association was saddened to learn of the passing of Ann McGowan, former managing editor at the Morning Sentinel and a 2012 MPA Hall of Fame Inductee.

https://www.centralmaine.com/2023/03/15/ann-mcgowan-former-morning-sentinel-managing-editor-dies-at-87/

The Maine Press Association awarded $3,000 in scholarships to three Maine journalism students in January.

Recipients of 2023 scholarships are Grace Bradley, of Orono, a senior at the University of Maine and editor-in-chief of the university’s chapter of Her Campus; Hope Carroll, of Portland, a junior at the University of Maine and opinion contributor to The Maine Campus; and Andrew Wing, of Raymond, a senior at St. Joseph’s College of Maine and 2022 intern at The Windham Eagle.

The Maine Press Association awards scholarships every year to a junior or senior with financial need who plans to pursue a career in journalism. The funds come from the association’s annual scholarship auction.

To inquire about the 2024 scholarship, contact Maine Press Association Scholarship Committee Chair J.W. Oliver at joliver@harpswellanchor.org.

Established in 1864, the Maine Press Association works to promote ethical journalism, to advocate for the interests of the journalists and organizations that constitute its membership, and to protect the freedom of the press and the public’s right to know.

The Roberts family has named Maia Zewert the next editor of The Lincoln County News.

Zewert, 29, moves into the role after serving as acting editor for eight months. She becomes the 12th editor in LCN’s century-plus history.

“Maia has a connection to people with the ability to interact with the community and reporters that makes her uniquely positioned to take on the role of editor,” said John Roberts. “She has done a great job of transitioning the editorial department over the past several months and is ready to take on the full responsibility.”

Zewert started her professional career at The Lincoln County News in August 2015 as a general assignment reporter covering the towns of Bristol, Damariscotta, Monhegan, Newcastle, and South Bristol. In November 2017, she received the Maine Press Association’s Bob Drake Young Writer’s Award, which recognizes the top young journalist in the state.

In January 2018, she moved into the business side of operations as marketing and engagement coordinator for Lincoln County Publishing Co., which publishes the LCN. She managed the company’s social media and the #LCNme365 photo contest, served as coordinator of Lincoln County Magazine through a successful relaunch of the publication, and developed award-winning youth engagement programs.

Zewert returned to the newsroom in February 2021 when she was named deputy editor. The role included serving as editor of special publications, including the magazine, assisting the editor, and continuing her work with local students. Story continues here

John C. Roberts has been named Publisher of The Lincoln County News, effective Jan. 12. He has served as one of the Associate Publishers since Jan. 11, 2016.

John replaces his father, Christopher A. Roberts, who has held the position since Oct. 15, 1992.

At a meeting of the stockholders of the Lincoln County Publishing Co., owner of The News, John was elected President, Allan R. Roberts was elected Vice President and Treasurer, and Christopher was elected as Secretary.

Allan will continue serving as Associate Publisher concentrating on commercial printing operations. He has worked at the company full time since 2006.

Christopher was accorded the title of Publisher Emeritus and does not have formal plans for retirement. His father, Samuel E. Roberts, held this title from Oct. 15, 1992 until his passing on Nov. 6, 2018.

John becomes the fifth generation of his family to become Publisher of The News. He succeeds his father, his grandfather, his great-grandmother, Dorothy E. Roberts, and his great-great-grandfather Samuel H. Erskine.

John is married to Kristen (Magnussen) and the father of two boys, Matthew and Thomas. He and his family reside in Damariscotta.

Allan is married to Allison (Fleming) and the father of a boy and a girl, James and Michaela. He and his family reside in Damariscotta.