The Highlander earns awards from Texas Press Association

From staff reports

The Texas Press Association recognized The Highlander for outstanding achievement in several areas during its annual trade show and convention Jan. 16-18 at the 140th TPA Convention & Trade Show held at Moody Gardens Hotel, Convention Center & Spa in Galveston.

The Highlander won four awards in the 2018-19 TPA Better Newspaper Contest, finishing fifth overall in its circulation classification.

“It is an honor to work with a news staff that has such exceptional skill and experience as the Highlander team,” said publisher Jeff Shabram. “Under the leadership of Lew Cohn, the team keeps a laser focus on the issues and news that is vital to support our communities.

“Quality news is paramount to a healthy community and these awards are indicative of the value of our journalist. I join the Texas Press Association in extending congratulating our team for these much deserved awards.”

Managing editor Lew K. Cohn and staff writer Connie Swinney won first place in Editorial Writing for editorials encouraging the public to comment on the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) transportation plan and to support wastewater reclamation for the City of Marble Falls, edging out some tough competition from the Wise County Messenger and the Uvalde Leader-News.

“Very compelling editorials,” a judge wrote. “Hard to decide the winners. Almost all of these editorials were very good — a tribute to Texas journalism.

“Outstanding job (by The Highlander) of explaining both issues and encouraging readers to stay/get involved in their communities, whether it’s needed improvements to roads and bridges, or why they should consider a 'yucky' proposal.”

Cohn and Swinney also shared second place for News Writing for a story on a citizens input form which potentially violated the Open Meetings Act at the City of Meadowlakes and for aftermath coverage of the 2018 Highland Lakes flood.

“Good to see a newspaper staying on top of open meetings shenanigans,” the judge wrote. “A well-crafted explanation.”

Staff writer Savanna Gregg, former staff writer Richard Zowie, former publisher Frank Shubert, Swinney and Cohn shared a third place finish in News Photos for a wide spectrum of images, including the Highland Lakes flood, the funeral of a MFPD officer, livestock show art and the demolition of the old H-E-B store.

“Great flood coverage,” a judge wrote. “Interesting perspective on other photos as well, especially 'You say goodbye and I say hello.'”

Finally, The Highlander staff shared a third-place award for Best Website for highlandernews.com as judges found the site “clean, easy to go through.”

The 2018-19 Texas Better Newspaper Contest was a transition year to a new schedule and covered a 20-month contest period, the longest in TPA history. Participating newspapers were invited to submit entries from work published between Jan. 1, 2018 and Aug. 31, 2019.

This year, 107 newspapers submitted 1,094 entries in the contest, spread among nine different divisions in which newspapers competed against publications of similar circulation. The Highlander competed in Division 4 for semiweekly newspapers.

Entries were judged by members of the Tennessee Press Association. Earlier in the year, Texas Press Association member volunteers judged entries in the Tennessee Press Contests. First-place winners received plaques and certificates were awarded in first through fourth places.

The contest period for the 2019-20 BNC will be Sept. 1, 2019 through Aug. 31, 2020. Wisconsin Newspaper Association members will judge TPA contest entries and TPA members will judge the WNA contest.

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