2020 STPA Better Newspaper Contest
Contest judged by Moody College of Communication
School of Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin
**Judges Comments Available - Send Request to lisa.t.walter@gmail.com**
STPA Better Newspaper Contest Special Awards:
Community Service, Journalist & Photographer of the Year
Joyce and Fred Latcham
Community Service Award:
1st Place: The Sealy News
2nd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer
3rd Place: The Fayette County Record
Photographer of the Year:
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News, Pete Luna
Willis Webb Journalist of the Year:
1st Place: Mike Brown, Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Exsar Arguello, Hays Free Press
3rd Place: Breyana Segura,
The Fayette County Record
Honorable Mention:
Meghann Garcia, Uvalde Leader-News
Honorable Mention:
Andy Behlan,
The Fayette County Record
2020 STPA Better Newspaper Contest Sweepstakes...
Winning the South Texas Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest Sweepstakes Award in the large weekly division last year was the Rockdale Reporter, represented here by editor David Money, left, and general manager Kyle Cooke.
2020 Winners in Divisions 1, 2 and 3
Division 1
Griff Singer Award of General Excellence
1st Place: Hays Free Press
2nd Place: The Ozona Stockman
3rd Place: The Sealy News
Page Design
1st Place: Hays Free Press
2nd Place: The Sealy News
3rd Place: Palacios Beacon
Honorable Mention: The Ozona Stockman
Lifestyle Pages
1st Place: Hays Free Press
2nd Place: The Schulenburg Sticker
3rd Place: The Sealy News
Honorable Mention: Frio-Nueces Current
Special Section
1st Place: The Sealy News
2nd Place: The Goldthwaite Eagle
3rd Place: The Kinney County Post
Editorial Writing
1st Place: The Ozona Stockman
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current
3rd Place: Hays Free Press, Cyndy Slovak Barton
Humorous Column Writing
1st Place: The Ozona Stockman, Melissa Perner
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current,
Marc Robertson
3rd Place: Hays Free Press, Clint Younts
Honorable Mention:
The Sealy News, Joe Southern
Serious Column Writing
1st Place: The Goldthwaite Eagle,
Tammarrah Pledge & Brian Whitt
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current,
Breyana Segura
3rd Place: The Sealy News, Joe Southern
News Photos
1st Place: Hays Free Press,
Moses Leos III & Elizabeth Garcia
2nd Place: Palacios Beacon, Ryan West
3rd Place: The Schulenburg Sticker,
Darrell Vyvjala
Feature Photos
1st Place: Hays Free Press,
Moses Leos III & Katie Burrell
2nd Place: The Sealy News,
Joe Southern & Cole McNanna
3rd Place: The Goldthwaite Eagle, James Taylor
Sports Photos
1st Place: The Goldthwaite Eagle, James Taylor
2nd Place: Palacios Beacon, Ryan West
3rd Place: The Sealy News, Joe Southern
News Writing
1st Place: Hays Free Press, Exsar Arguello
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current,
Breyana Segura
3rd Place: The Ozona Stockman, Melissa Perner
Honorable Mention: The Sealy News,
Joe Southern & Cole McNanna
Feature Writing
1st Place: The Goldthwaite Eagle, Brian Whitt
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current,
Teresa Villarreal & Breyana Segura
3rd Place: Hays Free Press, Exsar Arguello
Honorable Mention: The Ozona Stockman,
Melissa Perner
Sports Coverage
1st Place: The Schulenburg Sticker
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current
3rd Place: Hays Free Press
Honorable Mention: Flatonia Argus
Headline Writing
1st Place: Frio-Nueces Current
2nd Place: Hays Free Press
3rd Place: Palacios Beacon
Honorable Mention: The Sealy News
Display Advertising
1st Place: The Sealy News
2nd Place: Palacios Beacon
3rd Place: Hays Free Press
Honorable Mentions: Frio-Nueces Current
and The Flatonia Argus
Judy and Bill Wilkerson Sweepstakes Award
1st Place: Hays Free Press, 925 points
2nd Place: The Sealy News, 550 points
3rd Place: Frio-Nueces Current, 475 points
Division 2
Griff Singer Award of General Excellence
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
2nd Place: Rockdale Reporter
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Page Design
1st Place: Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Lifestyle Pages
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
2nd Place: Rockdale Reporter
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Special Section
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
2nd Place: Pleasanton Express
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Editorial Writing
1st Place: Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Mary Henkel Judson
3rd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post,
Ken Esten Cooke
Humorous Column Writing
1st Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Mary Henkel Judson
2nd Place: Rockdale Reporter,
Mike Brown
3rd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post,
Christine Granados
Serious Column Writing
1st Place: Rockdale Reporter, Mike Brown
2nd Place: Pleasanton Express,
Pesqueda and Wilkerson Holmes
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Mary Henkel Judson
News Photos
1st Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Zach Perkins
2nd Place: Pleasaton Express,
J. Garcia & Leon Zabava
3rd Place: Rockdale Reporter, Mike Brown
Feature Photos
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post,
McKenzie Moellering
& Yvonne Hartmann
2nd Place: Pleasanton Express,
Sam Fowler & Rebecca Pesqueda
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Dan Parker
Sports Photos
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post,
Joshua McKinney
& McKenzie Moellering
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Dan Parker
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express,
Sam Fowler & j. Garcia
News Writing
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post,
Samuel Sutton
2nd Place: Rockdale Reporter, Mike Brown
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Zach Perkins & Dan Parker
Honorable Mention: Pleasanton Express,
Lisa Luna
Feature Writing
1st Place: Rockdale Reporter, Mike Brown
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty,
Dan Parker & Zac Perkins
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express,
Sam Fowler, Noel Wilkerson Holmes
Sports Coverage
1st Place: Pleasanton Express
2nd Place: Rockdale Reporter
3rd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
Headline Writing
1st Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
2nd Place: Rockdale Reporter
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Honorable Mention:
Fredericksburg Standard-Post
Display Advertising
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Post
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
3rd Place: Rockdale Reporter
Judy and Bill Wilkerson Sweepstakes Award
1st Place: Rockdale Reporter, 950 points
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Post, 925
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty, 850 points
Division 3
Griff Singer of Award of General Excellence
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News
2nd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
3rd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer
Page Design
1st Place: The Gonzales Inquirer
2nd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
3rd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
Lifestyle Pages
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News
2nd Place: The Fayette County Record
3rd Place: El Campo Leader-News
Honorable Mention:
Lampasas Dispatch Record
Special Section
1st Place: The Fayette County Record
2nd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
3rd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer
Editorial Writing
1st Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
2nd Place: Uvalde Leader-News, Craig Garnett
3rd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer,
Terence J. Fitzwater
Humorous Column Writing
1st Place: El Campo Leader News,
Shannon Crabtree
2nd Place: The Fayette County Record,
Margo Johnson
3rd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer,
Terry Fitzwater
Serious Column Writing
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News,
Shannon Crabtree
2nd Place: The Fayette County Record,
Regina Keilers
3rd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer,
Terry Fitzwater
News Photos
1st Place: The Gonzales Inquirer,
Jose Torres & Garrett McGinley
2nd Place: Uvalde Leader-News, Pete Luna
3rd Place: El Campo Leader-News,
Shannon Crabtree & Emily Lincke
Feature Photos
1st Place: The Gonzales Inquirer,
Jose Torres& Garrett McGinley
2nd Place: El Campo Leader-News,
Melony Overton & Joshua Reese
3rd Place: The Fayette County Record,
Kara Koether & Darrell D. Gest
Sports Photos
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News,
Joshua Reese
2nd Place: The Fayette County Record,
Jeff Wick & Darrell D. Gest
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News, Pete Luna
News Writing
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News, Kimberly Rubio
2nd Place: The Fayette County Record,
Amy Behlen
3rd Place: El Campo Leader-News,
Shannon Crabtree
Honorable Mention:
Lampasas Dispatch Record,
Alexandria Randolph
Feature Writing
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News,
Meghann Garcia & Lane Riggs
2nd Place: El Campo Leader-News,
Shannon Crabtree
3rd Place: The Fayette County Record,
Elaine Thomas
Honorable Mention: The Gonzales Inquirer,
Terence Fitzwater & Erik McCowan
Sports Coverage
1st Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
2nd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
Headline Writing
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News
2nd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer
3rd Place: El Campo Leader-News
Honorable Mention: The Fayette County Record
Display Advertising
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News
2nd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
3rd Place: The Fayette County Record
Judy and Bill Wilkerson Sweepstakes Award
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News, 900 points
2nd Place: El Campo Leader-News, 750 points
3rd Place: The Gonzales Inquirer, 700 points
2019 STPA Better Newspaper Contest
Contest judged by Panhandle Press Association
Division 1
Griff Singer Award of General Excellence
1st Place: News of San Patricio
2nd Place: Colorado County Citizen
3rd Place: Goldthwaite
Page design
1st Place: Sealy News
2nd Place: News of San Patricio
3rd Place: Colorado County Citizen
Lifestyle pages
1st Place: Colorado County Citizen
2nd Place: Hays Free Press
3rd Place: News of San Patricio
Special section
1st Place: Colorado County Citizen
2nd Place: Copperas Cove Banner
3rd Place: Goldthwaite Eagle
Editorial writing
1st Place: Colorado County Citizen
2nd Place: Gonzales Inquirer
3rd Place: Ozona Stockman
Humorous column writing
1st Place: Sealy News.
2nd Place: Karnes Countywide
3rd Place: Colorado County Citizen
Serious column writing
1st Place: Gonzales Inquirer
2nd Place: Ozona Stockman
3rd Place: Sealy News
News photos
1st Place: Hays Free Press
2nd Place: Gonzales Inquirer
3rd Place: Advance Guard Press
Feature photos
1st Place: Goldthwaite Eagle
2nd Place: Copperas Cove Banner
3rd Place: Colorado County Citizen
Sports photos
1st Place: Goldthwaite Eagle
2nd Place: Ozona Stockman
3rd Place: The News of San Patricio
News writing
1st Place: Gonzales Inquirer
2nd Place: Sealy News
3rd Place: Goldthwaite Eagle
Feature writing
1st Place: Goldthwaite Eagle
2nd Place: Colorado County Citizen
3rd Place: Karnes Countywide
Sports coverage
1st Place: Flatonia Argus
2nd Place: Sealy News
3rd Place: Gonzales Inquirer
Headline writing
1st Place: Hays Free Press
2nd Place: Gonzales Inqurier
3rd Place: Karnes Countywide
Display advertising
1st Place: Colorado County Citizen
2nd Place: Flatonia Argus
3rd Place: Sealy News
Joyce and Fred Latcham Community Service Award
Gonzales Inquirer
Journalist of the year
Vince Leibowitz, Colorado County
Photographer of the Year
Moses Leos, Hays Free Press
Judy and Bill Wilkerson Sweepstakes Award
1st Place: Colorado County Citizen, 700 points
2nd Place: Gonzales Inquirer, 475 points
3rd Place: Goldthwaite Eagle and Sealy News (Tied with 450 points apiece)
Division 2
Griff Singer Award of General Excellence
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
2nd Place: The Rockdale Reporter
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Page design
1st Place: The Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Lifestyle pages
1st Place: The Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Pleasanton Express
3rd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
Special section
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Editorial writing
1st Place: The Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Humorous column writing
1st Place: The Rockdale Reporter
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Serious column writing
1st Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
3rd Place: The Rockdale Reporter
News photos
1st Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Feature photos
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current
3rd Place: Pleasanton Express
Sports photos
1st Place: Frio-Nueces Current
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
3rd Place: Cuero Record
News writing
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio post.
2nd Place: Frio-Nueces Current
3rd Place: Hondo Anvil Herald
Feature writing
1st Place: Frio-Nueces Current
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Sports coverage
1st Place: Pleasanton Express
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
3rd Place: Hondo Anvil Herald
Headline writing
1st Place: Frio-Nueces Current
2nd Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Post
3rd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
Display advertising
1st Place: Pleasanton Express
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty
3rd Place: The Cuero Record
Joyce and Fred Latcham Community Service Award
No entries.
Willis Webb Journalist of the Year
McKenzie Moellering, Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post
Photographer of the Year
Zach Perkins, South Jetty
Judy and Bill Wilkerson Sweepstakes Award
1st Place: Fredericksburg Standard-Post, 975 points
2nd Place: Port Aransas South Jetty, 750 points
3rd Place: Rockdale Reporter, 525 points
Division 3
Griff Singer of Award of General Excellence
1st Place: Beeville Bee-Picayune
2nd Place: El Campo Leader-News
3rd Place: Kingsville Record Uvalde Leader-News
Page design
1st Place: Beeville Bee-Picayune
2nd Place: El Campo Leader-News
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
Lifestyle pages
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News:
2nd Place: Fayette County Record:
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-news
Special section
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News
2nd Place: Fayette County Record
3rd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
Editorial writing
1st Place: Fayette County Record
2nd Place: Beeville Bee-Picayune
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
Humorous column writing
1st Place: Fayette County Record
2nd Place: El Campo Leader News
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
Serious column writing
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News
2nd Place: Boerne Star
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
News photos
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News
2nd Place: Uvalde Leader-News
3rd Place: Fayette County Record
Feature photos
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News
2nd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
3rd Place: El Campo Leader-News
Sports photos
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News
2nd Place: Boerne Star
3rd Place: Fayette County Record
News writing
1st Place: Fayette County Record
2nd Place: Kingsville Record
3rd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
Feature writing
1st Place: Uvalde Leader-News
2nd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
3rd Place: Fayette County Record
Sports coverage
1st Place: Boerne Star
2nd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
3rd Place: Beeville Bee-Picayune
Headline writing
1st Place: Fayette County Record
2nd Place: Beeville Bee-Picayune
3rd Place: El Campo Leader-News
Display advertising
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News
2nd Place: Lampasas Dispatch Record
3rd Place: Fayette County Record
Joyce and Fred Latcham Community Service Award
Beeville Bee-Picayune
Willis Webb Journalist of the Year
Alexandria Randolph, Lampasas Dispatch Record
Photographer of the Year
Pete Luna, Uvalde Leader-News
Judy and Bill Wilkerson Sweepstakes Award
1st Place: El Campo Leader-News, 825 points
2nd Place: Fayette County Record, 750 points
3rd Place: Uvalde Leader-News, 625 points