Ted M. Gill, Les Mann, and Joe Starita will be inducted today into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Lincoln.

These three distinguished journalists have made significant contributions in their communities, the state and the nation.

Prior to the induction ceremony, Carol Lomicky, professor emerita of Journalism from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and Chuck Salestrom, retired vice president of Mid-Plains Community College, will present a talk on the landmark First Amendment press freedom case Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart.

The reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation and induction ceremony, at the Nebraska Club, 233 S. 13th St., on the 20th floor of the U.S. Bank Building in Lincoln.

Here’s a closer look at each of the three inductees:

• Ted Gill’s life has always been one of commitment to the community and helping young journalists in the newspaper profession. 

The Arapahoe resident and his wife, Cherridah, opened the Lexington office of the Tri-City Tribune in the early 1970s. He continues to serve as the president of the Arapahoe Community Foundation, always seeing community as a priority. 

Gill, always a dedicated member of the Nebraska Press Association and Nebraska Press Advertising Service, served on the boards of both organizations and as president of each. In 2013 he was named recipient of the NPA’s highest honor, Master Editor-Publisher.

• Les Mann’s Nebraska career after college began when he moved from Oregon in 1980. 

The Wayne resident took a position as an editor and then publisher of the Chardon Record after spending four years as managing editor of the Daily News Democrat in Festus, Mo.

Mann and his wife Debra moved their family of four children to Wayne, where Mann would become part-owner of the Wayne Herald, teach courses at Wayne State College, and eventually become vice president of the Norfolk Daily News. 

Mann retired in 2017, after a career filled with awards for reporting, personal column writing, publishing, photography, advertising, community service and tourism during his career.

• Joe Starita spent 14 years at The Miami Herald where his investigative reporting won more than 20 regional and national awards, including a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting. 

In addition, the Lincoln resident is the author of three critically acclaimed books on Native Americans, one of which earned a second Pulitzer nomination, which resulted in Starita speaking at numerous book festivals and literary events throughout the country. He has given more than 200 talks in Nebraska over prominent Native Americans. 

For the last 18 years, Starita has taught depth reporting classes at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.