THE STORY

Since 1993, the Bay Runner has been the magazine of choice for the greater Clear Lake / Bay Area. Many publications have come and gone -- including a few with similar names -- but much of the area has only known the Bay Runner because of superior editorial content, aggressive distribution and unequalled community involvement.

The Clear Lake / Bay Area is a unique area and distinct place to live and the Bay Runner chronicles life in the area by reporting on vital issues (education, industry, environment, politics, etc.), covering community events and providing features and articles of interest and relevance to the local population.

Through focused content and targeted distribution, the Bay Runner is popular with affluent, wel-educated residents including business owners, aerospace engineers, yacht club members and those who live and play on the water.

In 1993, Clear Lake businessman and World War II B-17 bombardier Harvey Tidwell founded the Bay Runner to provide the community with an informative and entertaining publication and to support his son and daughter’s budding interest in journalism. Under Tidwell’s control the Bay Runner thrived as the official magazine for a growing and expanding area.

In 2001 former Houston Post editorial cartoonist and NASA artist Don Boyer was named to follow Tidwell as publisher.  A successful businessman and artist who has 16 paintings included in the permanent NASA art collection, Boyer lead the Bay Runner until he passed away in November 2002 after a courageous battle with cancer.  Boyer was honored at the American Cancer Society’s 2003 Silver Dollar Ball, and his 2000 original painting “Space Cowboys” still holds a record for a live auction art piece sold at a local fund-raiser.

In March 2003, Clear Lake product and former Cox News Service reporter John Ennis was named publisher of the Bay Runner. Along with his wife Betsey, Ennis founded the firm Bay Area Media Services in 1998 and the successful entertainment magazine, The SCENE, in 2002.  Since taking control of the magazine, Ennis has implemented a number of changes including upgrading to a full-color, glossy slick magazine in April 2006. But Ennis is most proud of his first Bay Runner as publisher in March 2003. The entire focus of the issue changed early Saturday morning on February 1, 2003 when the crew of STS-107 was lost aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia over East Texas during entry. The mission was to be Ennis’ first cover feature as publisher. Immediately new assignments were made and the result was Ennis’ proudest memory with the Bay Runner. Click here to view the issue.