Charles Mason Ralph, 60, of Owensboro and Sacramento, Calif., died Wednesday, June 3, 2009, after a 10-year prostate cancer illness. He is survived by his father, Charles Ditzler Ralph, sister, Louise “Weesie” Douglass, her husband Prentiss of Lexington, and his nephew Prentiss Douglass, San Francisco, Calif. His mother, Mary Gray Ralph, died in 2005.

Mason attended Kentucky Military Institute and graduated from Owensboro Senior High School. After obtaining a degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University, he worked as a reporter and photographer for the Henderson Gleaner & Journal and The Franklin Favorite. In the late ’70s he moved to California as a reporter for the Glendale Press and Daily News of Los Angeles. Later, he changed careers and become a stock broker at Dean Witter Reynolds in Century City. In 1985, Mason relocated to Sacramento to join the Republican Caucus of the California State Assembly as a policy writer. His many hobbies included politics, reading, travel, music, photography and tennis.

The family is indebted to close friends, caregivers the past few months and Hospice helpers, Gwen, JoAnna and Debbie. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Western Kentucky or to the charity of your choice.

The funeral was at Glenn Funeral Home on June 8, with burial at Elmwood Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jeff Murphey, Corky Jones, Mike Turner, John Wingfield, Jim Dudderar, Terry Tyler, Jim Madole, Bill Barron, Tom Pritchard, Tom Payne, and Roger Worth. The honorary pallbearers include Mason’s close friends in California, George Wedding, Steve Bare, Steve Snedeker and Damon Schwartz.

Writer/Editorial Assistant

The Voice-Tribune in St. Matthews is seeking a writer/editorial assistant for 25-30 hours a week. Availability on Monday, Tuesday and Friday is preferred. Duties would include writing business stories, writing short feature stories, shooting photos as needed, editing, obituaries and writing announcements. Candidate should have strong knowledge of AP Style. Photography and layout experience is preferred. InDesign experience is a plus. Pay is $10 an hour. Interested candidates send resume, two clips and a short cover letter to Jacob@voice-tribune.com.

KPA Results

The Herald place second in the General Excellence competition in the 2008 Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers. Chris Poore’s Kentucky Kernel staff was first.

Here are the results from the Herald staff:
Best Editorial, Third Place, Evan Sisley
Best Spot News Coverage, First Place, Michelle Day and Third Place, Holly Brown
Best General News Story, Second Place, Susie Laun
Best Feature Story, Third Place, Tavia Green
Best Enterprise or Analytical Story, Third Place, Susie Laun
Best On-Going/Extended Coverage Story, Second Place, Holly Brown
Best Business/Agribusiness Story, First Place, Amber Coulter
Best Spot News Picture, First Place, Daniel Houghton
Best General News Picture, Second Place, Cody Duty
Best Picture Essay (Spot, General or Feature), Third Place, Nathan Morgan
Best Sports Picture, Second Place, Aaron Borton
Best Sports Picture Essay, Third Place, Daniel Houghton
Special Sections, Second Place, Jan Diehm
Best Graphic, First Place, Jan Diehm; Second Place, Wes Nolen
Best Lifestyle Page, Third Place, Jan Diehm
Best Editorial Page, Second Place, Kat Wilson, Jan Diehm, Josh Moore
Best Front Page, First Place, Jan Diehm

Herald’s Birthday

On January 29th we celebrated the Herald’s 84th birthday with a cake and an attempt at singing Happy Birthday.

Al Stilley

Al Stilley is the recipient of the 2008 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) District G Media Award for “outstanding media coverage and publicity of high school baseball coverage in Indiana. This is the second time in three years that he has received the award for his coverage for The Indianapolis Star South Bureau. Stilley writes sports (part-time) for the Star’s South and West Bureaus, covering motorsports, cross-country, football, swimming and baseball.

He still works with the Indianapolis 500 News Bureau in May and writes occasionally for National Speed Sport News. He is employed in a support staff position, in-school suspension supervisor, at Beech Grove (Ind.) High School. He and wife Jane live in Greenwood, Ind., and have three grown children and 11 grandchildren. He is a former news editor of The Daily Journal, Franklin, Ind.; former managing editor of The Southside Times; and news director of the Indianapolis Speedrome. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Speedrome Hall of Fame in 2001.

David Sutherland

David Sutherland’s mother, Sarah Sutherland, 86, of Woodburn died Dec. 15, 2008, at her home. She was a graduate of Bowling Green High School and Vanderbilt University and was a nursing instructor at Western Kentucky University and Auburn Nursing Center. Memorial services were Dec. 20 at Woodburn Baptist Church.

David Sutherland

David Sutherland won the O’Leary Prize for excellence in teaching at the Syracuse University London Program in the Fall semester of ’08. He was nominated and supported by his students. The award is for a faculty member  “whose teaching makes the best possible use of the resources of London, Britain and Europe to bring life and interest to the classroom,” according to the SULP website.One student said in his support for Sutherland, “I cannot express in words the amount of impact Professor Sutherland has had on a number of us. He pushes us to do our best work, and is there for us 100% of the way. I don’t consider him my best professor in London, rather, I consider him the best professor I’ve ever had.”

Charlie Portmann

Jo Anne Portmann, Charlie Portmann’s mother, died Nov. 6, 2008 at her home in Franklin. Memorial services were at Crafton Funeral Home in Franklin. She was 74. Charlie is editor of the Franklin Favorite.

Adam Eadens

Adam Eadens and his wife have a new addition. Rannoch Moses Eadens was born at 5:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, 2008. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 19 inches long. Mom and baby are doing fine. No word on dad.

Jackie Stoess Hack

Jackie Stoess Hack is the new editor of the Oldham Era in LaGrange. She was news editor for two years. She joined the staff in May 2005 after working four summers as an intern.