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Davis Taylor, group publisher of Hanford-based Lee Central California Newspapers, adds its Napa-based group to his oversight, The Napa Valley Register reports. Taylor had been interim publisher in Napa since August.

Tim Grieve, McClatchy’s VP/News since 2016, will depart following the midterm elections. McClatchy’s four regional editors will now report directly to President and CEO Craig Forman.

Rob Galloway, publisher of the Tahoe Tribune, adds oversight of the Record-Courier in Minden-Garderville, NV. Both are Swift Communications properties.

Matt DeRienzo, previously executive director of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, becomes vice president of news and digital content for Hearst Connecticut Media.

Jim Kirk, former executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, becomes publisher and executive editor of Crain’s Chicago Business.

Julie Makinen began this week as executive editor of Gannett’s Desert Sun in Palm Springs. Makinen is a veteran manager of newsrooms in Beijing, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. Most recently, she had been a fellow at Stanford University and a faculty member at San Jose State University. Makinen succeeds Greg Burton, who became executive…

Ryan Mote, advertising director at The Sacramento Bee and for McClatchy’s Western region, in November becomes publisher of the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram and vice president of strategic advertising for the company’s Central region.

Kevin Yamamura, assistant managing editor at The Sacramento Bee, will become California editor of Politico.

Emelyn C. Rodriguez, a Sacramento attorney practicing in the law of politics and political reform, has been named executive director of Californians Aware (CalAware), a nonprofit organization supporting citizens’ access to governmental meetings and records, constitutional free speech and press rights, and whistleblower protections. Rodriguez, a former reporter, has been a member of CalAware’s board…

Brian Williams is now editor of News Media Corp.’s Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press, The News reports. This is a return for Williams, who edited the two papers from 2013 to 2016. Most recently, he had been assistant publisher/managing editor of Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers’ Porterville Recorder. Luke Phillips, who had been editor of…