About Us

 

History: The first issue of The North Scott Press was published on Jan. 31, 1968, the realization of a dream of Robert Parrott of DeWitt, and Robert and Frances Melvold of Maquoketa, the publishers of the DeWitt Observer.

The North Scott Press began with Parrott mentoring part-time staff members Rosalie Johnson, Helen Zogg and Lynda Dirks, and, when Dirks left the community, Lora Baughman. These founders left a significant legacy. We celebrate their lives and commemorate their deaths: Robert Parrott (1996), Lora Baughman (1996), Helen Zogg (2002), Robert Melvold (2005) and Rosalie Johnson (2006), and Frances Melvold (2021).

Robert Melvold and Robert Parrott were progressive community newspaper publishers who served their readers with passion, dedication and innovation. Melvold received the Iowa Newspaper Association’s highest honor of Master Editor-Publisher in 1980, and Parrott, who also served as INA president, in 1990.

In 2010 and 2021, The North Scott Press was judged first in the nation by the National Newspaper Association for Best Coverage of Local News of weekly newspapers with circulations of 4,000-5,999.

Throughout its history, The Press has achieved excellence with its intensive coverage of local news and the awards have been numerous, including Iowa Newspaper of the Year.

Bill and Linda Tubbs

In 1971, Bill Tubbs, a “farm boy” from Elwood, an Iowa State University ag journalism graduate and member of the Army National Guard’s 1105th Aviation unit at Mt. Joy, became the newspaper’s first resident co-owner and publisher. His wife, Linda, who holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from UNI, joined the staff in 1974. They became majority owners in 1994 and sole owners in 2000.

With a talented and dedicated staff, the support of the community, and long hours and hard work, The NSP grew in sales and service to the community. In 1979, it was named “Newspaper of the Year” among 330 daily and weekly newspapers by the Iowa Newspaper Association for its journalistic excellence – one of more than 200 state and national honors achieved by The Press, including First in the Nation for Community Service.

Tubbs was inducted as a Master Editor-Publisher in 1995 and received the INA’s Distinguished Service Award for service to his community and the newspaper industry. He served as president of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, on the executive committee of the Iowa Newspaper Association, and was named “Iowa Citizen of the Year” in 1993 by ISU Extension and a “Friend of Iowa Newspapers” by the INA. Recently his editorials were judged among the “Golden Dozen” worldwide by the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. In 2015, he received the the National Newspaper Association's James O. Amos Award for distinguished service and leadership to the community press and his local community.

The Tubbses have been active in civic organizations, including the NS Strategic Planning Committee, the Eldridge Community Center Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Moonlight Chase, booster clubs, PFLAG, youth sports, PTA, Hospice Care of Scott County, and the Scott County Library System, of which Linda was president of the board of trustees. She serves on the Scott County Library Foundation Board and volunteers with GED candidates helping them prepare for testing to earn a high school diploma. They were general chairs for the library’s capital campaign and sponsors of the “First Amendment Room.”

Bill is a 40-year member and past president and past executive secretary of North Scott Rotary, a Paul Harris Fellow, a past District Governor of Rotary District 6000, and served as the personal representative of the President of Rotary International. He served on the eight-member Rotary International Public Image Resource Group and the Iowa Public TV Foundation board.

Bill and Linda are parents of three daughters: Aimee, a graduate of the University of Iowa, in Seattle; Anne Olson, a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, in Urbandale; and Alisa Sleep, a graduate of Arizona State University, in Madison, Wis.; and grandparents of Clara, Nolan, and Ella Olson, Urbandale; and Ava, Nora, and Jacob Sleep, Madison.

Scott Campbell

Scott Campbell came to The NSP as editor in 1983 after attending the University of Iowa, where he studied journalism. A native of Cedar Rapids, he previously served as editor of the Vinton Cedar Valley Daily Times. At The NSP, he has covered all types of news and directs the News Department. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the coveted News Media Award presented by the Iowa High School Athletic Association, “Volunteer of the Year” by the Eldridge/North Scott Chamber of Commerce, and the Mississippi Valley Fair’s Distinguished Service Award. In 2011 he was inducted into the North Scott Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2016, Scott was awarded the Master Editor/Publisher award by the Iowa Newspaper Association.

Scott is chairman of the Eldridge Park Board and Congregational chairman at Park View Lutheran Church, and serves as Scholarship Committee Chairman of the North Scott Educational Foundation. He has provided leadership for the Eldridge Summer Festival, RAGBRAI, Music Boosters, NS Hall of Fame, NS Kiwanis, Countryside Community Theatre, Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department, Extension Council, youth sports and more.

Scott and his wife, Beth, are the parents of a daughter, Addie, who resides in St. Louis with her husband, Mark Akin, and daughter, Selah.

Scott retired as editor in 2022.

Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts joined The NSP as a part-time reporter and columnist in 1998 after working many years at The Leader. Phil is a 1967 graduate of Davenport West High School and a 1971 graduate of St. Ambrose University, Davenport. He has worked in the media since March of 1968, when he became a disc jockey at a commercial radio station on his 19th birthday. A former full-time news anchor/reporter at WOC Radio, Phil is now semi-retired. In addition to his work at NSP and our sister paper, the Wilton-Durant Advocate News, Phil has announced auto races since 1976, contributes radio news stories to a network, Radio Iowa, and is the news director/anchor at Muscatine radio stations KWPC-AM, a news/talk/oldies station, and KMCS-FM, better known as Vintage Sound 93.1. He writes freelance magazine articles and produces newsletters for organizations.

Phil serves on and has presided over the boards of the Mississippi Valley Fair and the Iowa Broadcast News Association. He has won many awards for his work in both broadcast and newspaper reporting. He also has volunteered for many organizations over the years and was an active volunteer firefighter/EMT for 27 years. Phil and his wife, Sherry, a retired teacher-librarian, live in Walcott and are parents of four grown children. Phil and Sherry have nine grandchildren.

Phil Roberts passed away on Nov. 28, 2022.

Tracy Dunn

Tracy Dunn joined The NSP in 1998 and retired as our assistant editor in July of 2013.  She is a 1983 journalism graduate of the University of Missouri. Tracy has won many awards for news, features and columns in The NSP. She remains in the community, and continues to contribute to The NSP and serves as proofreader. Tracy and her husband, Tim are parents of Kelsey, a teacher in Florida, and John, a financial consultant in St. Louis. Tracy and Tim have three grandsons.

Erin M. Gentz

Erin M. Gentz is a lifelong Eldridge resident. She graduated from North Scott High School in 2001, and from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, in 2005. She began working in journalism in 2006, and joined the staff of The North Scott Press in 2013. She has received several awards from the Iowa Newspaper Association and the National Newspaper Association for writing and website maintenance. In 2022, she received a North Scott Fine Arts Award for creative writing.

Ross Shinberg

Ross Shinberg is a native of Virginia. He holds degrees from George Mason University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He joined the staff of The North Scott Press as sports editor in 2022.

 

Our Staff:

Publisher: Joshua Byers

Managing Editor: Mark Ridolfi

Editor: Erin M. Gentz

Sports Editor: Ross Shinberg

Advertising Director: Sandy Pistole

Advertising Sales: Theresa Blackledge

Accounts Receivable: Holli Sherwood

Circulation: Holli Sherwood

Proofreader: Tracy Dunn

Contributing Writers: Tracy Dunn, Dennis Moran, Bill Tubbs, Scott Campbell

Contributing Editorial Cartoonist: Jim Turley

Publisher Emeritus: William F. Tubbs

Retired Editor: C. Scott Campbell