About the North Scott Press

Welcome to the North Scott Press online edition

Welcome to northscottpress.com, The North Scott Press’ online version of its award-winning weekly newspaper serving Eldridge, the North Scott School District and rural Scott County.

In 2010, 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.

History of the newspaper

A brief look at our history and people:

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).

Frances Melvold is retired and living in Maquoketa, and Lynda Dirks lives in Anamosa.

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.

About the staff

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 earlier this year 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.

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 is president of the board of trustees. They were general chairs for the library’s capital campaign and sponsors of the “First Amendment Room.”

In 2003, The NSP was named “Business of the Year” by the Eldridge/North Scott Chamber of Commerce, and in 2004, a “Friend of Scott County Extension.”

Bill is a 38-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, a graduate of Arizona State University, in West Des Moines; and a granddaughter, Clara, and grandson, Nolan, West Des Moines.

 

Jackie Duwa

 

Jackie Duwa joined the staff in 1981 as a typesetter and has been a part of many changes in newspaper production. Jackie and her husband, Tim, farm southwest of Lost Nation. The Duwas have a son, Matthew, who lives and works in Iowa City, and a daughter, Marisa, who is a junior at UNI.

 

 

 

 

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.

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 Tucson with her husband, Mark Akin.

Vera Elmshaeuser 

 

Vera Elmshaeuser has been a proofreader at The NSP since 1993. A native of Evansville, Ind., she and her husband, Orville, live in Wilton and have been married for 52 years. They are parents of Karl, Ogallala, Neb.; Beth Campbell, Eldridge; Sarah Stellick, Taichung, Taiwan; and Maria Hansen, Lincoln, Neb.

 

 

 

 

Jeff Martens

Jeff Martens grew up in Park View. He graduated from North Scott in 1987 and earned a bachelor of science degree from St. Ambrose University in advertising and public relations in 1991. He joined The NSP in 1995 and has been Advertising Department manager since 1996.

Jeff served two terms as president of the Eldridge/North Scott Chamber of Commerce and received the Chamber’s “Volunteer of the Year” award. He is a charter member of the North Scott Optimist Club and served on the Eldridge Park Board, has volunteered with the Medic EMS, Eldridge Summer Festival, RAGBRAI and Moonlight Chase. Jeff and his wife, Diane, live in Eldridge and are parents of two daughters.

 

 

Tracy Dunn

 

Tracy Dunn joined The NSP in 1998 and is our assistant editor.  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 has been active in the community, including serving as president of the North Scott Music Boosters. Tracy and her husband, Tim, live in Eldridge, and are parents of Kelsey, a teacher in Kahului, Hawaii, and John, a senior at Creighton University, Omaha, Neb.

 

 

 

 

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 West High School and a 1971 graduate of St. Ambrose.

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 Radio Iowa and a Muscatine radio station, writes freelance magazine articles and produces newsletters for organizations.

Phil has held presided over the Mississippi Valley Fair Board and the board of the Iowa Broadcast News Association. He has volunteered for many organizations over the years and was an active volunteer firefighter/EMT for 27 years.

Phil and his wife, Sherry, live in Walcott and are parents of four grown children. Andea Schmidt lives in Wilton; Brendan lives is St. Peters, Mo.; and Clint and Dane both live in Minneapolis. Phil and Sherry have seven grandchildren with an eighth on the way.

Chris Swanwick

Chris Swanwick joined The NSP in January 2004 in advertising sales and customer service. Her family roots are in the Big Rock area. Chris grew up in Davenport and graduated from Assumption High School and St. Ambrose University with a bachelor of arts degree in English.

Chris lived in Bettendorf and was the Bettendorf representative for Welcome Wagon for several years while raising three children: Courtney Heath of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, who is married to Brandon Heath and has three children; T.R. of Boulder, Colorado; and Drew of Davenport. She lives in Eldridge and is active in the Eldridge/North Scott Chamber of Commerce and Women’s Connection of the Quad Cities.

Sindie Harman

 

Sindie (Horstmann) Harman grew up in Dixon and graduated from North Scott High School in 1970. She and her husband, Chuck, lived 20 years in California before returning to Dixon in 2006 where they now make their home. Sindie joined The NSP in 2006 as our circulation manager and also takes care of our classified ads. The Harmans have three children and five grandchildren.

 

 

 

 

Erin Engelbrecht

Erin Engelbrecht grew up in Long Grove. She graduated from North Scott in 1997 and earned a bachelor of arts degree from St. Ambrose University in advertising and public relations and minored in graphic design in 2000. She started at The NSP in 2002 and returned in 2010, where she now designs ads. She and her husband, Corey, live outside of Eldridge on a family farm. Erin also drives dump trucks and does office paperwork for Engelbrecht Farms. Erin and Corey have four children.

Jeff Montgomery

Jeff Montgomery joined The North Scott Press in August. He is a reporter, photographer and webmaster for The NSP. He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois, where he majored in journalism. Jeff spent three years as a reporter for The Journal-Standard in Freeport, Ill. before accepting a position with The NSP.