The Dallas Morning News Names the Heroes of Fort Hood as Texan of the Year

The Dallas Morning News has named the Heroes of Fort Hood as its 2009 Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year. The newspaper's Editorial Board recognized the ways that the Fort Hood community stays focused on mission despite loss and hardship in Texas and overseas. The Heroes are those both on base and off, who show extraordinary dedication to mission and one another.

As stated in the editorial, published in the newspaper's editions of Sunday, December 27:

"You can find them inside and outside the base's gates -- men, women and even children who embrace the call to duty and sacrifice. They do it not to draw attention to themselves but because they firmly believe in their mission. For their dedication, service and so much more, we salute the Heroes of Fort Hood as the 2009 Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year."

The Nov. 5 shooting rampage was a shattering experience, the editorial said, adding:

"No one minimizes the attack's enormous significance, but they don't allow this one tragedy to eclipse the thousands of others the community has known."

The full text of the editorial is in Sunday's paper and posted at www.dallasnews.com/toy, where readers can share their thoughts on the Texan of the Year choices.

Sunday's editorial culminated a 10-part series that named the following finalists: state Senator John Carona; University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy; Dallas arts philanthropists Bess Enloe, Sarah Perot, Caren Prothro, and Deedie Rose; former chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission Sam Bassett; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones; "super principals" at DISD high schools, including Tony Tovar at Sunset, Lucy Davila Hakemack at Spruce, Rawly Sanchez at Adamson; and Israel Cordero at Samuell; UT-Arlington Innocence Network; UT-Dallas President David Daniel; and the doctors of Scott & White hospitals in Central Texas.

The annual Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year series, now in its seventh year, draws from reader nominations to the newspaper's Editorial Board.

"We had a long list of thought-provoking nominations this year," said Keven Ann Willey, vice president and editorial page editor of The News. "We deliberated and debated a lot during the selection process, but ultimately I'm proud of the decisions we made."

The newspaper's criteria for the distinction call for "a Texan (or Texans) who has had uncommon impact; who exemplifies Texas traits of trailblazing, independence and staring down adversity; and who has affected or influenced lives (positively or negatively)." The Editorial Board selected the finalists and winner through an internal vote.

Recent Dallas Morning News Texans of the Year include:

* 2008: Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins (for his dedication to reversing cases of injustice)
* 2007: the illegal immigrant (caused the political and social pot to boil, while keeping Texas' economy humming)
* 2006: Roy Velez of Lubbock (for exemplifying love and compassion in the face of the overwhelming tragedy, the war-related loss of his two sons)
* 2005: the city of Houston (for its stellar response to Hurricane Katrina victims)

For more information about The Dallas Morning News Texas of the Year series or to schedule an interview with Keven Ann Willey, editorial writer Tod Robberson, or project manager Rodger Jones, please contact Stephanie Hoefken at 214-891-7693.

About The Dallas Morning News

Established in 1885, The Dallas Morning News (dallasnews.com) is Texas' leading newspaper. Its portfolio of print and online products reach an average daily audience of more than 1.1 million. The newspaper has received eight Pulitzer Prizes since 1986, as well as numerous other industry awards recognizing the quality of its investigative and feature journalism, design and photojournalism. In 2005, The News received the Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award for its editorial series calling for mandatory record votes in the Texas legislature, and its Web site, dallasnews.com, also was honored for Web reporting. In 2003, the paper launched the leading Spanish-language daily in North Texas, Al DÍa; the standard-setting free entertainment tabloid, Quick; and the nation's first editorial blog. In 2008, the paper launched the free, home-delivered quick-read, Briefing. The Dallas Morning News is the flagship newspaper subsidiary of A. H. Belo Corporation.