Teche Life Editor Karma Champagne, who does a weekly food page for The Daily Iberian, gets a taste of the annual fare at the Cajun Sugar Co-op / Daily Iberian Cajun-Creole Cookbook Cookoff. The cookoff is held every year to help raise money for The United Way of Iberia.

The Daily Iberian employees were treated to a special visit by New Orleans Saints Administrative Director Jay Romig recently, but it was Vince Lombardi who got most of the attention. The trophy awarded to winners of the Super Bowl came along with Romig and was the site of many photo opportunities. Pictured above are ad compositor Keith Delahoussaye, from left, classified supervisor Delores Houston and receptionist Pam Bourgeois also get a glimpse of Romig's Super Bowl ring, also an attention-getter during the visit.

Jenna Godt

By Jacob Brooks
Williston Herald

In a typical week, newspaper circulation work can be rough. There are thousands of newspapers that need delivered — from downtown to dirt roads throughout the county. Sometimes deliveries get  missed, complaints get filed, etc. etc.

But the groundwork of delivering newspapers took a tragic turn for Jenna Godt, the Williston Herald's circulation manager, on Aug. 7.

She was walking back to her vehicle parked on 11th Street East  in the early part of her route at 1:16 a.m. when she was struck by a 1989 Nissan pickup truck.

The blow sent 27-year-old Jenna flying, and she landed in the street bleeding from about 20 different cuts from head to toe. Her skull and pelvis were fractured in multiple places. She suffered three broken vertebrae and bruises everywhere.  

Jenna was life-flighted to Minot in critical condition. On Sunday afternoon, I saw a cell-phone photo of her in the hospital bed.

She looked like someone beaten to within an inch of her life. Maybe worse. 

Police said the driver of the pickup, 24-year-old Williston man Allen Linghor, had been drinking and driving. He was charged with DUI with serious bodily injury and careless driving. Before hitting Jenna, his truck sideswiped Jenna's vehicle, where her two sons, Kristian, 6, and Ayvie, 4, were inside.

On Friday, I spoke with Jenna's mother, Sandee Evanson, who has been at her daughter's side all week in Minot.

She said the children were not injured in the accident, and the police did a good job to ensure the children did not become distraught at the scene.

The young boys do know now that their mother was hit by a car, and they went to Minot on Friday to see Jenna for the first time since the accident. Jenna doesn't remember the accident, but she is aware of what happened, her mother said.

The past week — a week filled with CAT scans and X-rays — has been difficult, said Evanson, who has worked at the Herald for years.

Things were touch-and-go early in the week, and doctors kept her in critical condition through Wednesday. The days in which Jenna were in critical condition were the toughest for her mother.

"Your emotions play on you," Evanson said, adding she was in "mom mode" most of the time. But tragedy takes a toll, and sometimes she did break down.

The support of family and friends was paramount.

"Without that, I'd be a total basket case," she said.

Jenna was moved out of the intensive care unit during the middle of the week, and has been continuing to recover in the hospital since. The family is hopeful she may be released in another week, although the road to full recovery could be a long one. Jenna has already had at least one surgery and may need more.

"Now we're wondering how long it's going to take," Evanson said, adding her daughter has surprised hospital staff day after day by pulling out the ventilator, writing and other things she shouldn't be doing in her condition.

"She's such a fighter," Evanson said. "When she wants something, she's going to get it."

Evanson said she knew the young man that hit her daughter previously, not unusual for a small town like Williston.

"It's just terrible that this has happened. It's sad on both ends," she said, adding she hopes Linghor can learn from his mistake.

I hope so, too. But I'd say one thing is for sure: Jenna, a Navy veteran who grew up in Williston, is tough. Tough as nails, some might say.

She spoke to me briefly over the phone from her hospital bed Friday. I asked her what she had to say about the whole ordeal. 

"I'm OK. It could be worse," she said, seeming to take it all in stride as she was about to be rolled away for another CAT scan.

And for the young man who hit her, Jenna offered a message of forgiveness.  

"He's going to have to live with what he did to me for the rest of his life. I kind of hope people pray for him, too."

Jacob Brooks is the managing editor of the Williston Herald. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 572-2165.

Employees at The Daily Herald sign-up to participate on one of 4 SWOT Task Forces. Pictured left to right are Roger
Bell, reporter; Rhonda Irby, advertising account exec; Julie Brewer, classified ad-visor; Tia Bedwell, news design
editor; Jacqueline Hough, reporter and Kris Smith, news editor.

The Daily Herald in Roanoke Rapids, NC recently began a SWOT Analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats and the goal of the project is to target and later act upon specific areas that will “make the company better.”
Account Receivable Clerk, Sherry Agee, championed several meetings with employees from various departments during early July to provide input on the company’s SWOT.

In 2 half-day sessions on July 18 and 19, 12 managers and non-managers continued the SWOT exercise led by David Lewis, Wick group manager. A better understanding of The Daily Herald’s situation was revealed during the process. Numerous ideas that could potentially make the company better were discussed and the group finally selected four ideas that range in complexity, time, study, expense and effort to fulfill. Here are the four selected outcomes…

1 FOR THE MONEY: NICHE PUBLICATIONS (Champion: Stephen Hemelt)
Goal Statement: Analyze existing niche products and resources by Sept. 1, 2011, enhancing one of them by Nov. 1, 2011 and launching a new niche publication by Jan. 1, 2012.

2 FOR THE SHOW: CIRCULATION PENETRATION (Champion: Tammy Britt)
Goal Statement: Reach 10,000 paid subscribers to The Daily Herald through innovative partnerships and focused circulation sales by Jan. 1, 2013.

3 TO GET READY: IT/TECHNOLOGY (Champion: Linda Foster)
Goal Statement: Review existing technology/equipment by Nov. 1, 2011. Provide strict maintenance and knowledge of technology/equipment in order to continue moving forward with our products.

FOUR TO GO: COMMUNICATION (Champion: Linda Smith)
Goal Statement: Improve internal employee communications with ongoing input from task force and management. Create regular newsletter to be distributed by email/posted on bulletin board by Oct. 1, 2011.

The newspaper is currently continuing the project by inviting members of the staff to volunteer to serve on one of the four task forces. Posters for each of the task forces were created and are displayed throughout the building to help remind everyone of the project.

Each of the four task forces is expected to have its initial meeting by August 19.

Jenna Godt

By Nick Smith
Williston Herald

The Williston Herald circulation manager is in critical condition at Trinity Medical Center in Minot, N.D., after being struck by a vehicle early Sunday morning in Williston.

An accident report from the Williston Police Department stated that Jenna Godt, 27, Williston, was struck by a vehicle at 1:16 a.m. Sunday on the 700-block of 11th Street East.

Godt is the circulation director for the Williston Herald. She was delivering newspapers at the time of the accident.

The accident report states that Allen Linghor, 24, Williston was traveling east on 11th Street East in his 1989 Nissan. 

Linghor's vehicle struck Godt's parked 2003 Jeep and then struck Godt.

Godt was taken to Mercy Medical Center. At 4:53 a.m. Sunday she was taken to the airport for a flight to Trinity Medical Center.

Linghor was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and careless driving.

Sandee Evanson, Godt's mother, said Monday morning that she was in critical condition but was responding to her and medical staff.

Robert Arrowsmith, circulation director and assistant publisher for the Herald, released a statement on the accident:

"Jenna is a team player and pleasant to work with. Everyone at the newspaper is heartbroken over this tragedy. Jenna brings a good work ethic to the paper, and many people —both at the Herald and in the community — have been praying for her. Our hearts go out to her two young sons and other family members during this very difficult time."