Lufkin, Nacogdoches papers
join the SNI family

Published May 28, 2009

HOUSTON – Southern Newspapers Inc. today announced its purhase of The Lufkin Daily News and Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel from Cox Enterprises Inc. The purchase is expected to close on June 1.

The companies announced that both newspapers will continue to publish and serve their communities as they have in the past.

"Both The Lufkin Daily News and The Daily Sentinel are well-respected publications and have served their communities and advertisers with distinction," Lissa Walls Vahldiek, chief operating officer of Southern Newspapers, said .

"We look forward to working with the talented employees of both newspapers to further build on these publications' already strong relationships with their readers in Lufkin and Nacogdoches," Vahldiek said.

Cox Enterprises' other newspapers in Texas, including the Austin American-Statesman and all of Cox's stand-alone community newspapers in North Carolina and Colorado, continue to be marketed for sale.

"Cox Enterprises greatly values the contributions that the employees of The Daily News and The Daily Sentinel have made to our company," Doug Franklin, Cox Newspapers executive vice president, said.

"These local institutions are important to their communities, and we are confident that Southern Newspapers will continue the tradition these newspapers have of providing timely, valuable and trustworthy news and information to their readers."

The Lufkin Daily News won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 1977 for stories about abuses in military recruiting and training. The newspaper's daily circulation is around 15,000, with Sunday circulation of about 17,000.

The Daily Sentinel's daily circulation is around 9,000, with Sunday circulation of nearly 12,000. The newspaper has won many first-place awards during the past decade from The Associated Press, regional press associations and within Cox Newspapers.

Greg Shrader has been named publisher of The Daily News. Karla Deluca will remain publisher of The Daily Sentinel.

Southern also announced management changes at several of its newspapers as part of the purchase and transition.

Mike Graxiola has been named publisher of The Kerrville Daily Times. Patrick Graham has been named publisher of The Paris News. David Clemons has been named publisher of The Walton Tribune and The Loganville Tribune in Monroe, Ga.

Southern Newspapers and its affiliated companies now operate 17 newspapers, with 11 in Texas, four in Alabama and two in Georgia. The company is owned by the Walls family of Houston.

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