.jpg)
It’s a new dawn for the Hamilton Herald-News, but don’t expect the paper to lose its dedication to covering and supporting the community.
Granite Media Partners Inc. now owns and publishes the newspaper — founded in 1876 — after acquiring it Sept. 1 with full blessings from Grant Lengefeld, the owner and operator the past 12 years. Granite Media Partners Inc. owns and publishes sister papers the Colorado County Citizen and The Sealy News.
H. Daniel Philhower, who has ties to the Hamilton community, is CEO and president of Granite, a multi-media and marketing company based in Taylor that owns a dozen award-winning Texas newspapers, manages several digital news platforms and localized TV screens with directed advertising, and offers various business-visibi lity strategies for ad clients.
One new addition to the Hami lton Herald-News staff is Area Publisher Mark Henry, a longtime veteran of the newspaper industry who is no stranger to community publications.
In the meantime, staffers including Kim Tyson, Janice Velasquez, Jaxon Hansard and Kate Edwards are still here at 101 N. Rice St. to serve readers and advertisers of the Hamilton Herald-News, the oldest continuously operating business in Hamilton for 151 years.
In fact, the Hamilton Herald-News is dedicated to staying around for another century and a half (and more), as Lengefeld noted in a recent “Small Spaces” column when he wrote about his departure from the paper, but not the town: “It is only because of you (the audience and advertisers) that the HNN will be afforded the opportunity to continue covering the revolving door of life our families forge over the next promising 150 years.”
Henry vowed to continue the legacy of serving the information and advertising needs of the community.
“I’m excited and happy to join the team at the Hamilton Herald-News. I look forward to continuing the hard work of Grant and his staff,” Henry said. “The newspaper belongs to the community it serves, and we will be working diligently to produce a paper, website, social media and niche publications that best serve the needs of our valued readers and advertisers. And always be strong advocates for the schools, organizations and the entire community at large.”
A native of Huntsville, Henry began his media career in 1980 at his hometown newspaper, The Huntsville Item. Over the years, he has worked in every department of a newspaper and has served as publisher for multiple publications including The Highlander in Marble Falls, Burnet Bulletin, The Clifton Record, Meridian Tribune, The Mexia News, Mount Pleasant Tribune, The Pittsburg Gazette and The Steel Country Bee, among others.
Henry served as an officer for two Texas-based groups including Granite Publications (the precursor to Granite Media Partners) and Moser Community Media.
In addition, Henry was on the boards of the Texas Press Association and the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association, as well as various chambers of commerce and civic clubs.
Henry and his wife, Karel, have two grown daughters, Beth and Erin; one son-in-law, Roland; and four granddaughters, Kira, Bella, Kortney and Marlee.
Philhower said Granite is expanding its presence on the cusp of the Hill Country and is excited about adding another strong community paper to its lineup.
“The Hami lton Herald- News has a long history of serving Hamilton County and the surrounding communities, and we’re excited about the opportunity to build on that foundation,” he noted in a prepared statement. “As with all of our publications, our goal is to strengthen the newspaper’s connection to the community, grow its digital presence, and continue investing in strong local journalism while maintaining the important role of the printed newspaper.”
Philhower is no stranger to Hamilton and has owned land in the area for many years.
“Our commitment is simple: Hamilton deserves a strong local newspaper,” Philhower said. “One that celebrates our students, schools and businesses; covers our local governments; tells the stories of our neighbors; preserves our community’s history; and gives Hamilton County a strong local voice.”
Thomas Edwards, the executive editor for Granite, said the paper is not wavering from its constitutionally mandated mission of serving the public’s right to know.
“The Hamilton Herald- News is already the recognized news source for this region of Texas,” he said. “The news staff in Hamilton will now get to enjoy the benefits of being part of a bigger, shared newsroom with additional resources and added platforms to increase the reach and scope of their storytelling.”
The other principals at Granite include Valeri Stair, the vice president of operations and Mandy Farrow, vice president of sales.
Subscribe or renew your subscription to the Hamilton Herald-News today by calling 254-386-3145 or visit hhnpaper.com and click on “subscribe.”
For advertising opportunities, reach out to Velasquez or Henry.
