The Times wins top honor in the state at Georgia Press Convention Head, Deal, O’Driscoll bring home individual honors for photography, writing
The Times was named the best newspaper in Georgia in its division at the Georgia Press Association (GPA) Better Newspaper Contest Awards Banquet Friday night on Jekyll Island.
The Times received the first place award for general excellence in Division E, which includes all of Georgia’s small market newspapers with circulation of 1-2,000 copies. The general excellence award is based on overall evaluation of the newspaper, including quality of news coverage, editorial, photographs and layout and design.
It is the first time the newspaper has received the top award since 2007 and marks its best showing since a second place finish in 2016.
The general excellence award was one of 10 total awards The Times received. Awards were presented in 42 categories among 74 newspapers statewide. A total of 2,213 entries were received in this year's contest.
The local newspaper was also judged best in the state in local news coverage.
The October front page featuring the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and containing information about relief efforts and where to find help was hailed as the best entry.
The judges wrote “(a) newspaper serves no greater purpose than being a source of information during an emergency. The Blackshear Times proved that with this year’s storm coverage that was timely, informative and hard-won. The staff understood its critical mission and achieved it. Bravo.” Individual staff members were also recognized among the top journalists in their division in the state. Publisher Sandy Head won first place for feature photograph for her picture at last year’s Special Olympics.
The photo captures the moment Special Olympian Malik Gibbs emerges from the tunnel crawl competition into the arms of teacher and volunteer Cameron Moore.
Judges complimented the photo as “(n)ice capture of a nice moment.”
News Editor Jason Deal won first place for serious column for his pieces entitled Lunch with ‘Babe’ made everything right, Jabbering birds are better than screaming wind and Fruit, sling shots, corn cob dolls and love.
“Good description, strong voice. Packs some emotional punch. Easily the best in this category,” the judges wrote of Deal’s entries.
Staff Writer Greg O’Driscoll won first place for his news photograph of Shirley Lee, leading the march for justice for her daughter, Kimberly Guess, who was murdered last year.
“This photo places first because it showed something beyond the usual for a march. The mother’s grief was visible and drew attention to the photo,” the judges commented on the photo.
Deal won second place for humorous column for pieces about his Grandma Deal taking on a rat snake, his Grandma Jones chasing off the road grader and funny things children say.
O’Driscoll took home a second place award for feature writing for stories on local pastor Matthew Tuttle and his wife, Jennifer, adopting two additional daughters for a family of seven, Blackshear Elementary volunteer Faye “Nan” Harris, World War II veteran Elgin Trueluck and Stephen Boyette’s work making golf caddy vests.
The staff also received a third place award for both education coverage and editorial writing.
The education writing entry winning the award included stories on the renovation/demolition at the old Pierce County High School, a story on the system’s five year plan and a story on pay raises for school employees.
Editorials recognized in the third place entry included pieces on the recreation board, the school board’s decision not to fund the library and Hurricane Helene, including a tribute to the late assistant fire chief Leon Davis, who died in the line of duty in the storm.
Judging for this year’s Better Newspaper Contest was done by members of the Illinois Press Association.
