The Woodward News

Local News

May 16, 2008

Woodward News introduces new publisher

Monday marked the first official day of work for the new publisher of the Woodward News, Robbie Davis.

Davis replaces Mooreland native and philanthropist Pam Nelson.

Nelson served as publisher of Woodward News for eight years working for its parent company Community Newspaper Holdings Incorporated (CNHI). She was recently promoted to the position of publisher of the Stillwater News Press in Stillwater and has been running both the Woodward News and Stillwater News Press from February until about three weeks ago.

Davis comes to Woodward by way of The Times Herald, a Washington, Ind. paper that in some ways mirrors the small town feel of Woodward, Davis said.

“When I came here to Woodward for a visit, it very much reminded me of Washington with its small, hometown feel and the family like atmosphere of the paper,” Davis said. “That is why I liked it. You just don’t get that in a large paper.”

Davis served with The Times Herald for four years as its advertising director where she oversaw budget issues and developed the advertising staff.

But before that Davis was not unlike many full time mothers whose children were grown -she was ready to approach her own education and begin a new career.

That is how she was introduced to the news business, she said.

Indeed, it was less the education itself and more the need to finish a degree and support herself while doing that, which led Davis into the world she now serves as one of its leaders.

“I was attending school and needed a part-time job to support myself and so the Sun Commercial in Vincennes, Ind. had a part-time opening in circulation there,” she said.

Yet, after completing her degree, the former student was invited to come to work full time in the circulation department for the paper and that is where her interest in news began, she said.

“I attended school to get a paralegal degree,” she said. “But I never worked in the field since I went to work for the paper after I finished school.”

While at the Sun Commercial, she also served in the Classified Advertising Department and then later Display/Retail Advertising.

A fascination with the news and the business of how news and advertising impacts a community soon became her focus and to that end, what she began to serve.

Soon she was offered another full-time position but this time it was in advertising at The Times Herald in Washington, a community of about 25,000 people.

“Four years ago, after my husband passed away, I took the position in Washington, Indiana,” she said.

About a month ago, she was pinged by the leadership of CNHI to consider the position of publisher at Woodward.

If one were to ask Davis what is her focus now, she would might say she is committed to small town America, with its deeply personal and homespun journalism that highlights the victories of high school athletes and runs on the front page local events that define community.

It is a natural environment for the plucky blond who spent her childhood working on her grandparent’s Southern Illinois farm where she helped harvest corn, beans and winter wheat.

“I spent my summers driving a tractor,” she said.

Now, after being offered the Woodward position, the mother of five and grandmother of 14 has uprooted herself from her middle America roots and traded in corn country to try on some red dirt and a little Western Oklahoma sage and sand for a change.

Davis is excited to learn about Woodward and looks forward to a decidedly local approach to the news.

“Just because we are a small community and a small town does not mean that we should not be covering all the news,” she said.

It is her belief that the newspaper provides a service to the community of informing fully about issues that impact the community .

Text Only
Local News
  • Winter weather visits Woodward

    Maybe the groundhog was right after all, as Northwest Oklahoma received some winter weather Tuesday and more may be in the forecast.

    February 7, 2012

  • City not footing bill for additions

    The city won't have to foot the bill for an increase in construction costs to renovate the Woodward Industrial Building for use by Siemens Energy.

    February 7, 2012

  • AARP set up in Enid to offer tax help

    TULSA - The American Association of Retired Persons' (AARP) Tax-Aide Program is only coming as close to the Woodward area as Enid this year, says State Program Coordinator Andy Bednarz, who is out of Tulsa.

    February 7, 2012

  • Area legislators react favorably to State of the State speech

    OKLAHOMA CITY - Area legislators were upbeat after Gov. Mary Fallin's State of the State address Monday.
    The News obtained statements from Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward; Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview; and Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, following the address Monday afternoon.

    February 7, 2012

  • Gov. Fallin highlights more cuts to state income tax

    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin outlined a budget plan Monday to deeply reduce Oklahoma's personal income tax rate by eliminating dozens of tax exemptions, including many claimed by poor and working-class Oklahomans.

    February 7, 2012

  • Commissioner wants to raise awareness about Agenda 21

    A Woodward County commissioner wants to spread the word about what he believes is an on the American way of life.

    February 6, 2012

  • Recent rain big boost for wheat

    Those who make their living off a healthy wheat crop are singing the praises of the recent rain.

    February 6, 2012

  • WEBvietnammemorial.jpg Special trip honors veterans

    Oklahoma Honor Flights offer free transportation by air and bus to help veterans visit the memorials in our nation's capitol.  To participate in the honor flights, all veterans have to do is fill out an application which is available on the Oklahoma Honor Flights website at http://oklahomahonorflights.org/. 

    February 4, 2012 1 Photo

  • webwickware.jpg “Fightin’ Firefighter” preps for debut MMA cage fight

    Come Feb. 11, Michael "the Fightin' Firefighter" Wickware will fight for a victory in his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) amateur debut match.
    The match will take place during the Art of War Cage Fights which will be held at the Woodward County Fairgrounds.  Doors will open at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.

    February 4, 2012 1 Photo

  • Ethnic food fair, raffle to benefit Outreach Center

    High Plains Outreach Center’s annual Ethnic Food Fair will be held Feb. 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Clayton Hall at the First Christian Church located at 9th St. and Oklahoma Ave.  At the conclusion of this year's food fair, the Outreach Center will be raffling off a couple of prizes including a pair of Thunder tickets and a photo of Blake Griffin of the LA Clippers.

    February 4, 2012