When the publication was sold in July 2004, Heine was promoted to the Walworth County bureau reporter for The Janesville Gazette, a daily paper, and its sister publication The Week, a twice-weekly paper that served Walworth County readers. His primary beats were police, courts and county government, but he was a regular feature writer who also wrote outdoor pieces and breaking news.

Heine served as a frequent on-air guest and news analyst for radio station WCLO-AM in Janesville, and he contributed to his newspaper's transition to multimedia reporting including the use of video and audio.

He earned accolades when his on-the-spot coverage of a 2007 murder-suicide in Delavan that left six people dead was picked up nationwide. He has won several writing and photography awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, the National Newspaper Association and the Association of Free Community Newspapers.

During his time at UW-Green Bay, Heine was a part-time photographer and writer for the University's Marketing and Communications Department, a video-reporting intern for Green Bay's ABC affiliate WBAY-TV, and an editor and reporter for the student newspaper, The Fourth Estate.

"The hallways and buildings look about the same as when I was a student, but I'm seeing them from a new perspective, now," Heine said. "It's great to be back, and I look forward to promoting the news of the University that has given me so much."

To reach Heine, call (920) 465-2526, or e-mail him at heinem@uwgb.edu. He is taking over the media relations duties from Scott Hildebrand, who has become special assistant to the chancellor.