Rick Welch has stepped into his new job as publisher of The Messenger in Madisonville, where he says one of his goals is to include local advertising on the newspaper’s Web site.

The 53-year-old former publisher of the Michigan City, Ind., News-Dispatch says including local ads on the Web is essential to keeping money in the community.

Welch has worked at various newspapers in Indiana since graduating from Indiana University in 1980 with bachelor’s degrees in political science and journalism. He was advertising sales manager at the Evansville Courier and Press from 1998 to 2001.

Tony Maddox, publisher since January 2001, retired in June.

“Tony did a great job. I have some pretty big shoes to fill,” Welch said.

Welch and his wife, Debbie, have been married for 28 years. The couple has a son attending Purdue University, one daughter and one granddaughter. He believes Madisonville lives up to the moniker “The Best Town on Earth.”

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The Appalachian News-Express has named Mike Davis and Sandy Johnson as its new advertising and circulation directors, respectively.

“Two key positions were filled recently with quality people who have successful backgrounds,” said News-Express Publisher Jeff Vanderbeck.

Davis, who has been with the News-Express for more than six years and was most recently the paper’s circulation/production supervisor, has been named the new advertising director.

Davis, who lives in Pikeville, said he is looking forward to working in his new capacity.

“We’re looking forward to maintaining the News-Express’ credibility and tradition of service to the businesses of the community,” he said.

Vanderbeck said Davis’ knowledge of the complete process of producing a newspaper proved a big asset to the News-Express.

“Mike Davis has been in the newspaper business for more than 20 years and at The News-Express for more than six,” Vanderbeck said. “He has worked in almost every department of a newspaper. He is looking forward to the challenge of the advertising department and will be a great asset to this paper and most importantly our customers.”

Pikeville native Sandy Johnson has been named to the position of circulation director.

Johnson, who graduated from Johns Creek High School and attended Pikeville College, lives in Pikeville with her two sons.

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Linda Ireland, editor of The LaRue County Herald News, took second in the 58th annual Green Eyeshade Awards, a journalism contest that recognizes excellence in 11 southern states.

The contest drew more than 600 entries.

Ireland was honored for her entry “Courts, family confused by self-defense law” in the non-daily category for courts and law reporting.

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The Lexington Herald-Leader took first and second place in the editorial writing category of the 58th Annual Green Eyeshade Awards, a journalism competition that recognizes the best journalism in 11 southern states.

Jamie Lucke placed first in that category with a selection of opinion pieces about coal politics and Jaci Carfagno came in second with editorials about holding government accountable. Both are editorial writers for the Herald-Leader.

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Molly Haines has joined the staff of the News-Herald in Owenton.

Haines will be attending the University of Kentucky next year.

She said she always carries her notebook with her and has “fallen in love” with her new job.

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Four Kentucky Standard employees and the late Ron Filkins, The Standard’s former publisher, were honored at the annual Greater Louisville Journalism Awards, sponsored by the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

A moment of silence was observed in honor of Filkins.

In the non-metro and community newspapers divisions, Filkins won two awards -- first place for editorial writing and second place for column writing.

Staff writer Lyndelle Abbott took home a first-place award for column writing and a third-place award for page design.

Sports editor Peter W. Zubaty won first place in the sports photography category.

Editor Lisa Tolliver received a second place award for continuing coverage. She shared the award with Standard regular contributor Tom Dekle and former staff writer Brian Walker.

News/photo editor Stephanie Hornback won second-place honors in the feature-writing category.

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Denise Ivey, publisher of The Courier-Journal for two-and-a-half years and the newspaper’s first female chief executive, announced June 27 she would leave the newspaper by year’s end.

She has been named chairman of The Courier-Journal and will remain in that role through December.

A new publisher will be named soon, she said.

Ivey, 58, was formerly president and publisher of The News Journal in Pensacola, Fla., and has been with Gannett since 1983. She has also been president and publisher of The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington, W.Va., and The Times in Gainesville, Ga.

She joined The Courier-Journal in 2006, succeeding former publisher Ed Manassah, who now is executive director of Bellarmine University’s Institute for Media, Culture and Ethics.

During her tenure, The Courier-Journal continued its tradition of strong public journalism. The newspaper was a 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist for its breaking-news coverage of the Comair commuter jet crash in Lexington.