Changes

On the acquisition of ''The Town Talk,'' Louis A. Weil III, Central Newspapers' chief executive officer, said that under Smith’s leadership, “the newspaper has become one of the premier medium-sized dailies in the South. It fits with our goal ,f acquiring newspaper properties with a strong position in their market area and a proven history of journalistic integrity."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Jan_10/ai_17999674 | work=Business Wire | title=Central Newspapers to acquire Alexandria Daily Town Talk | date=January 10, 1996}}</ref> Weil's analysis was in sharp contrast to that of [[Adras LaBorde]], who in 1945 launched a 32-year career with the newspaper. At the time, LaBorde described ''The Town Talk'' as "an overgrown country weekly published on a six-day basis." The publication had indeed changed little in the years between 1925 and 1945.<ref>[[Adras LaBorde]], quoted in Fredrick M. Spletstoser, ''Talk of the Town: The Rise of Alexandria, Louisiana, and the Daily Town Talk'', [[Louisiana State University]] Press, 2005, p. 130.</ref>

On the acquisition of ''The Town Talk,'' Louis A. Weil III, Central Newspapers' chief executive officer, said that under Smith’s leadership, “the newspaper has become one of the premier medium-sized dailies in the South. It fits with our goal ,f acquiring newspaper properties with a strong position in their market area and a proven history of journalistic integrity."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Jan_10/ai_17999674 | work=Business Wire | title=Central Newspapers to acquire Alexandria Daily Town Talk | date=January 10, 1996}}</ref> Weil's analysis was in sharp contrast to that of [[Adras LaBorde]], who in 1945 launched a 32-year career with the newspaper. At the time, LaBorde described ''The Town Talk'' as "an overgrown country weekly published on a six-day basis." The publication had indeed changed little in the years between 1925 and 1945.<ref>[[Adras LaBorde]], quoted in Fredrick M. Spletstoser, ''Talk of the Town: The Rise of Alexandria, Louisiana, and the Daily Town Talk'', [[Louisiana State University]] Press, 2005, p. 130.</ref>

Paul Vincent Carty (born 1952) became the executive editor of ''The Town Talk'' on July 7, 2003. Prior to his appointment, he was managing editor of Gannett’s ''Star-Gazette'' in Elmira, [[New York]], since 2001. Carty started his journalism career in 1980 at the ''Clearwater Sun'' in Clearwater, [[Florida]], owned by Jefferson-Pilot Communication. He has since worked for newspapers owned by Landmark Communications Inc. in [[Norfolk]], Virginia, and Elizabethtown, [[Kentucky]]; and for Knight Ridder Inc. in  [[Pennsylvania]], and Bradenton, Florida.  He is a former instructor in the [[Pennsylvania State University]]'s College of Communications.<ref>tp://www.gannett.com/go/newswatch/2003/june/nw0627-1.htm</ref>He now resides in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.<ref>Paul Carty (Vincent), 68 - Newtown Square, PA Has Court Records at MyLife.com™, accessed May 26, 2021.</ref>

Paul Vincent Carty (born 1952) became the executive editor of ''The Town Talk'' on July 7, 2003. Prior to his appointment, he was managing editor of Gannett’s ''Star-Gazette'' in Elmira, [[New York]], since 2001. Carty started his journalism career in 1980 at the ''Clearwater Sun'' in Clearwater, [[Florida]], owned by Jefferson-Pilot Communication. He has since worked for newspapers owned by Landmark Communications Inc. in [[Norfolk]], Virginia, and Elizabethtown, [[Kentucky]]; and for Knight Ridder Inc. in  [[Pennsylvania]], and Bradenton, Florida.  He is a former instructor in the [[Pennsylvania State University]]'s College of Communications.<ref>[http://www.gannett.com/go/newswatch/2003/june/nw0627-1.htm]</ref>He now resides in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.<ref>Paul Carty (Vincent), 68 - Newtown Square, PA Has Court Records at MyLife.com™, accessed May 26, 2021.</ref>

Under the McCormick heirs, ''The Town Talk'' considered itself a politically [[Independent voter|Independent]] newspaper and did not endorse candidates. Since Gannett Co. Inc. purchased the newspaper in 2001, the paper has begun endorsing candidates. In 2004, for example, it endorsed Alexandria [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Jock Scott]] in his unsuccessful race for the [[U.S. House of Representatives]]. In 2007, it supported Republican [[Bobby Jindal]] in his successful race for [[governor]].<ref>"Central La. Politics: Alexandria Town Talk Endorses Jindal," centrallapolitics.blogspot.com, October 2007; no longer accessible on-line.</ref>

Under the McCormick heirs, ''The Town Talk'' considered itself a politically [[Independent voter|Independent]] newspaper and did not endorse candidates. Since Gannett Co. Inc. purchased the newspaper in 2001, the paper has begun endorsing candidates. In 2004, for example, it endorsed Alexandria [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Jock Scott]] in his unsuccessful race for the [[U.S. House of Representatives]]. In 2007, it supported Republican [[Bobby Jindal]] in his successful race for [[governor]].<ref>"Central La. Politics: Alexandria Town Talk Endorses Jindal," centrallapolitics.blogspot.com, October 2007; no longer accessible on-line.</ref>