Pressing Matters

Coffee shop rumor says the mayor was picked up for drunk driving for at least the third time, but a recheck of the police log makes no mention of it. Quickly it becomes clear that shenanigans are dancing at the cop shop and the police chief operates from both sides of his badge. Weekly newspaper publisher, Preston "Press" Williams' investigation shatters his life and family, as well has his small town's serenity. Excerpts from Press' weekly column, "Pressing Matters;' help provide insights into the frustration, turmoil and loss a newspaper publisher - and first and foremost a father - faces as he pursues the story from beginning to end.

LARRY M. TOBIN, born and raised in Kansas City, Mo., decided writing was in his future when, as a high school freshman, his English teacher questioned the originality of a short story assignment. Ultimately convinced that Larry did, indeed, write the story himself, she gave him an ôAö and told him to do a lot with his talent.Upon high school graduation in 1964, Larry headed to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., to study journalism. He soon decided that wasn't the kind of writing he had in mind and switched majors to history and political science. Career moves led him into politics and public relations where, in 1973, he met Kathy Branen at a Wisconsin Newspaper Association convention. They were married a year and a half later.Larry soon went to work for the newspaper association until he and Kathy purchased their own publication and spent the next 28 years putting out a newspaper every week. Larry sold advertising and ran the business, along with writing a weekly column and an occasional editorial, while Kathy served as editor. Still, the urge to write fiction never left him and Larry now devotes much of his time to developing a stockpile of stories based on his many experiences.Larry and Kathy have two adult children, a son, Kerry, and daughter, Kelly. The Tobins now divide their time between their home in Wisconsin's Northwoods and their log cabin nestled in the mountains of Montana. Larry can be contacted via his website at larrymtobin.com.