Does it all ad up? Watermark ads and front-page ads are appearing in sports sections across the country. Ads that were once rejected are now readily accepted. In an industry struggling to generate revenue, most editors are accepting the trend and dealing with the obtrusive ads. After all, it beats the alternative. Complete story
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• Convention fun in the sun
Glen Crevier: In between planning coverage for the Super Bowl, the luge and March Madness, a number of sports editors have also been busy getting ready for the convention June 21-24 in Las Vegas.

• Learning about papers, one stamp at a time
Greg Brownell: This past fall, APSE conducted a coast-to-coast recruitment campaign designed to reach every daily newspaper in America, as well as many papers in Canada.

• Indy heartache
Jim Lefko: The Indianapolis Colts' loss Jan. 15 in the divisional playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers stunned NFL fans in the state of Indiana, who had anticipated a much longer postseason run. It also negated months of Super Bowl planning and extra products The Indianapolis Star had planned for its readers.

• Kobe's big night
Alex Kimball: We knew Jan. 22 would be a typical busy Sunday, with plenty of big-event coverage – NFC and AFC championship games and the final round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic – and the two local NBA teams playing in the Lakers and Clippers. We had no idea how crazy it was going to get.

• The passing of a pioneer
Randy Covitz/Mike Fannin: Joe McGuff, former editor of the Kansas City Star, died Feb. 4 after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 79.

• Contest judging at a glance

• On the move
Holly Lawton: A region-by-region look at personnel moves.

• Region reports
A look at APSE region activity.

• Web reminder
The Webmaster for the APSE site reminds members that he is constantly in search of breaking news in your sports department.

• Color photographs wanted
Note from the APSE webmaster.