Here are links to a pair of videos I did last week. My goal is to be as good as Mike by the end of year. The only problem is that he keeps getting better.

The first is on two cousins, who are among the five people who still commerically fish for caviar-laden shovelnose sturgeon on the Mississipi River.

This story is part of my series called Vanishing Wisconsin. It’s an occasional series that takes a closer look at traditions, occupations, cultures and icons that make up the fabric of Wisconsin life but might be on the verge of disappearing.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=607618

The second video is on the first and only all-African-American girls Little League team in Wisconsin

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=607615

Thanks for looking,

Mark Hoffman

Posted by Mark Hoffman as Webmaster's Column at 3:07 PM EDT

3 Comments »

Former staff photographer Kevin Poirier has been recently promoted to Chief Photographer at the Kenosha News as of May 13, 2007. He replaces longtime photographer and Chief Paul Williams, who recently retired.

Poirier will supervise a photo department containing himself and fellow full-time photojournalists Bill Seil, Brian Passino and part-timer Sean Krajacic.

Poirier started at the Kenosha News in October 2004 and has previously worked at  The Antrim County News, in Bellaire Mi., The Traverse City Record Eagle, in Traverse City MI. and the Columbia Chronicle, while attending Columbia College of Chicago.

Congratulations Kevin, and Good Luck!

Happy retirement Paul!

Posted by Administrator as WNPA Report at 3:56 PM EDT

1 Comment »

The NPPA is reporting that Racine Journal Times photojournalist Mark Hertzberg has won the Joseph Costa Award for Courtroom Photography for an unprecedented fourth time since 1987.

In the 20 years that Ball State University has given the award, Hertzberg is the first photographer to have won the prize four times (in 1987, 2001, 2006, and this year). Hertzberg is the director of photography for The Journal Times in Racine, WI.

The annual award, which is given by the Journalism Department of Ball State University, honors the ideals of Joseph Costa, a founder of the National Press Photographers Association and former lecturer in the Department of Journalism, who led a crusade to give photojournalists an equal footing with reporters in the nation’s courtrooms.

Link to the full NPPA story

Posted by Administrator as WNPA Report at 10:45 AM EDT

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In an effort to include more of our members in the election process,
the WNPA board has decided to try the nomination process online, and will
mail ballots to all WNPA members for voting after the nomination period
has ended. We will have open nominations through our website until May 25.

Here is our nominee for President:

Tom Lynn, a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff photographer
for the past 22 years, Tom has been involved with WNPA throughout his
career. He served as vice-president on last year’s board.

We will have open nominations through our website until May 25. Any
WNPA member of good standing may nominate someone for any of the positions
by commenting on this blog. You must state your first and last name,
and the person you are nominating must be a WNPA member. It’s a good
idea to give some background on the person you are nominating as well.

Nominations must be seconded by another WNPA member on this website.
All it takes to second a motion is to write “I second the motion to
nominate (said person) and sign your full name. Only replies by WNPA members with verifiable e-mail addresses will be considered.

At the end of the nomination period we will be mailing ballots with the
nominees to all WNPA members. The board’s nominations will stand for
any offices that do not receive nominations other than the board’s
recommendation.

Posted by Administrator as WNPA Report at 11:16 AM EDT

4 Comments »

In an effort to include more of our members in the election process,
the WNPA board has decided to try the nomination process online, and will
mail ballots to all WNPA members for voting after the nomination period
has ended. We will have open nominations through our website until May 25.

Here is our nominee for Secretary:

Tom Loucks, photo editor at the Wausau Daily Herald. He has
previously served as a board member.
We will have open nominations through our website until May 25. Any
WNPA member of good standing may nominate someone for any of the positions
by commenting on this blog. You must state your first and last name,
and the person you are nominating must be a WNPA member. It’s a good
idea to give some background on the person you are nominating as well.

Nominations must be seconded by another WNPA member on this website.
All it takes to second a motion is to write “I second the motion to
nominate (said person) and sign your full name. Only replies by WNPA members with verifiable e-mail addresses will be considered.

At the end of the nomination period we will be mailing ballots with the
nominees to all WNPA members. The board’s nominations will stand for
any offices that do not receive nominations other than the board’s
recommendation.

Posted by Administrator as WNPA Report at 11:15 AM EDT

2 Comments »

In an effort to include more of our members in the election process,
the WNPA board has decided to try the nomination process online, and will
mail ballots to all WNPA members for voting after the nomination period
has ended. We will have open nominations through our website until May 25.

Here is our nominee for Vice-President:

Jonathan Daniel joined Getty Images/Sport 3 1/2 years ago as a full-time staff photographer after a 17-year career as a free-lance sports photographer based in Chicago. Daniel spent the early part of his career as an award-winning photographer for a suburban Chicago newspaper. An original contract photographer with Allsport USA, now Getty Images/Sport, starting in 1988, Daniel covers all major sports. These include the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, the MLS, the PGA and WPGA, World Cup and International soccer, NASCAR and a wide variety of collegiate, Olympic and amateur sports. His clients have included Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, Sport and Inside Sports magazines, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Time, Newsweek, The Upper Deck Company, The New York Times, the National Sports Daily, USA Today and many others. His work has appeared in electronic media and advertising as well as hundreds of national and international publications all over the world. In addition, Daniel spent three seasons as the team photographer for the Chicago Fire of the MLS and 12 years as the photographer for the athletic department at Northwestern University.

Daniel recently relocated to New Berlin, Wisconsin after his wife, Jinger took a job on the faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin. While still responsible for covering Chicago Sports, Daniel also spends time covering major sports in Wisconsin and the Midwest. Daniel and his wife are enjoying raising their son Luis and trying to spend as much time together as possible despite vastly different careers.

We will have open nominations through our website until May 25. Any
WNPA member of good standing may nominate someone for any of the positions
by commenting on this blog. You must state your first and last name,
and the person you are nominating must be a WNPA member. It’s a good
idea to give some background on the person you are nominating as well.

Nominations must be seconded by another WNPA member on this website.
All it takes to second a motion is to write “I second the motion to
nominate (said person) and sign your full name. Only replies by WNPA members with verifiable e-mail addresses will be considered.

At the end of the nomination period we will be mailing ballots with the
nominees to all WNPA members. The board’s nominations will stand for
any offices that do not receive nominations other than the board’s
recommendation.

Posted by Administrator as WNPA Report at 11:15 AM EDT

3 Comments »

In an effort to include more of our members in the election process,
the WNPA board has decided to try the nomination process online, and will
mail ballots to all WNPA members for voting after the nomination period
has ended. We will have open nominations through our website until May 25.

Here is our nominee for Treasurer:

Rick Wood, staff photographer at the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel for 29 years. Rick has served as Treasurer of the WNPA for  many
years.