Record captures four firsts in TPA

From Staff Reports
The Erwin Record captured four first-place awards in the Tennessee Press Association’s 2012 newspaper contest, co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee. The awards were announced on July 13 during the TPA’s awards luncheon in Nashville.
The Erwin Record received first-place awards for make-up and appearance, local features, community lifestyles and best education reporting. The four first-place awards were the most of any newspaper in The Erwin Record’s group.
“It is an honor to represent our county on a state level and be recognized for our efforts,” said Record Publisher Keith Whitson.
Regarding The Erwin Record’s entries in the community lifestyles category, one judge stated: “Clean pages, clean layout without overdoing it. Great stories appropriate for the season. Great composition.”
The newspaper’s lifestyles pages are designed by Brian Reese, The Erwin Record’s creative services director.
Judges also described the newspaper’s make-up and appearance, which was awarded first place, as “eye-catching.”
A series of education-related stories entered in the contest by former reporters Rebekah Harris, Dustin Street, Derek Smallwood and Michael Baker, also earned The Erwin Record a first-place award.
Harris and Reese also brought The Erwin Record a first-place award for their work on the paper’s local features.
“Fantastic feature stories in all issues submitted,” one judge said regarding the local features. “Displayed very well. Thoroughly enjoyed all stories and loved the layouts. What I think a feature story should be.”
In addition to the four first-place awards, The Erwin Record staff also received four second-place awards, one fourth-place award and two fifth-place awards.
Second-place was awarded to: Publisher Keith Whitson for best personal humor column; Adam Campbell for best sports photograph; Keeli Parkey for best single feature; and Brenda Sparks for best feature photograph.
The Texas Press Association judged a total of 1,401 entries from 73 of the association’s 122 member newspapers. UT has co-sponsored the annual contest since 1940.