T-PT wins 7th-consecutive ‘Newspaper of the Year’ title

The Tri-Parish Times & Business News earned the Louisiana Press Association’s Newspaper of the Year award Saturday, winning top honors in its division for both editorial and advertising competition.

The Tri-Parish Times competed against 25 other publications. This is the seventh consecutive year the newspaper has received this honor.

Also garnering top honors at the 133rd convention in Baton Rouge were The Advocate, Baton Rouge; the Courier, Houma; the Daily Comet, Houma; the West Side Journal, Port Allen; and the Southwest Daily News, Sulpher.

Seventy-two newspapers, publications and college/university study newspapers submitted 3,289 entries.

Overall, the Tri-Parish Times received 37 awards – garnering 17 first-place, 12 second-place and eight third-place honors.

“Our team has always been committed to quality journalism, and the recognition the LPA has bestowed upon them is well deserved,” said Darrin Guidry, publisher of the Tri-Parish Times.

“When you are recognized as being the best your industry for seven years in a row it can’t be a coincidence, and I give all the credit to our seasoned staff.”

Listed are the Tri-Parish Times’ awards:

First Place

• Editorial Sweepstakes

• Advertising Sweepstakes

• Best Overall Sports Coverage – TPT Sports Staff

• Best Special Section, Editorial – Staff, Morganza to the Gulf Special Issue

• Most Effective Use of Graphic Design on a Single Page – Shell Armstrong

• Best News Story – John DeSantis, Blame Game

• Best News Photo – John DeSantis, Dogs

• Best Feature Story – Eric Besson, Rags to Riches

• Best Single Editorial – Eric Besson, Saggy Pants Not Most Pressing Issue

• Best Sports Story – Casey Gisclair, HUDL-Gate ends in arrests

• Best Sports Column – Casey Gisclair, Casey’s Corner

• Best Photo Package – Jose Delgado, Vandy football

• Best Sports Photo – Jose Delgado, Football In The Rain

• Best Special Section, Advertising – Geared Up, Staff

• Best Services Ad, Non-Retail – Alyson Showalter, Allie’s

• Best Retailer Ad – Alyson Showalter, Birdsall

• Best Non-Traditional Use of Space Ad – Alyson Showalter, Outside and In

Second Place

• Best Investigative Reporting – John DeSantis, Riggenbach Shooting

• Best News Story – John DeSantis, Juvenile Justice

• Community Service – Staff, Hurricane Guide

• Best Lifestyle Coverage – Eric Besson, Gumbo

• Best Photo Package – Jose Delgado, Youth Swimming

• Best Sports Photo – Jose Delgado, Youth Swiming

• Best Headline – Eric Besson, Sun sets and Twin Peaks

• Best Classified Section – Alyson Showalter

• Staff-Generated Black-and-White – Alyson Showalter, Blythe Computer

• Best Services Ad, Non-Retail – Alyson Showalter, Blanchard

• Best Retailer Ad – Alyson Showalter, Live 4 Sports

Third Place

• General Excellence – Staff

• Best Investigative Reporting – Eric Besson, Randolph BTNEP

• Best Regular Column – John DeSantis, Bayouside

• Best Feature Story – John DeSantis, Divine Connection

• Best Sports Story – Casey Gisclair, A Special Swimmer

• Best Sports Photo – Jose Delgado, Soccer Struggle

• Best Headline – Alyson Showalter, New Tricks and Wiener

• Best Self-Promotion Outside of Print – Alyson Showalter, Darrin Guidry, You’ve Gotta Get It Campaign

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