Bastrop, Tx–Just over a year ago Emmett McKinley took the reins of The Bastrop Advertiser with the title of publisher. His accession was announced in a front page story.
McKinley’s departure from the post about two weeks ago has been widely noticed but officially ignored in the historic news organ, in business since 1853.
Company officials told employees only that Mckinley is no longer employed by Cox Newspapers, owner of The Austin American-Statesman and its suburban newspaper subsidiary, Austin Community Newspapers which include The Advertiser and The Smithville Times. ACN officials also immediately changed the locks on The Advertiser building at 908 Water St. in Bastrop.
The newspaper’s only hint of the change so far has been the disappearance of McKinley’s name from the staff box regularly printed in the twice-weekly publication.
McKinley came to The Advertiser last year after a prior career in advertising sales and marketing for newspapers, mostly in the Houston-Beaumont area. He was also formerly employed by Granite Publications, a Texas newspaper chain whose properties include the Tayor Daily Press and the Elgin Courirer.
Do you think this has anything to do with roosters?
Hard to say, but the real answer may be “possibly more so than you might guess.” McKinley is not a tall person, standing no higher than my wife who’s about 5-4. What that might have to do with his performance and tenure as newspaper publisher is hard to say.The day I first met him I asked him to spell his name for me to dispel any ambiguity.
“The name is King,” he said. “K-I-N-G,” as if to underscore his status in the–forgive the metaphor–pecking order. I’m sure he thought it was a joke. I didn’t hear anyone laugh, though it was uttered in front of the whole newsroom.
So far I can find no one lamenting his departure from the post.
–dmc
People in Bastrop seem to leave their jobs strangely. Becky Bunte resigned from BISD in the middle of the school year after doing a great job without the Board even mentioning she was leaving (although they did announce her replacement) and not even a thank you. She was in the building at the time the Board met that last day but left and didn’t attend it – the Board made no mention of her.
The BISD Superintendent resigned his job and but was allowed to create another at the same salary.
The Editor of the Advertisor is gone, locks changed, no mention of his going. It does make one wonder what goes on that never comes to light.
two quick notes:
1) McKinley was publisher of The Advertiser, not the editor, a job I retired from a year ago.
2) Emanuel had a contract with the district which set his salary and other compensation and which also said he could not be transferred to an administrative position other than superintendent without his approval. After some negotiation, apparently, the former superintendent agreed to new terms. His pay and contract length did not change, only his job title and duties.
Roosters. It’s all about Roosters, I tell you……
I heard Emmett was fired, He seems like an angry little man…
Does the Man have a wife maybe he’s lonely.