Inquirer brings home second-straight Sweepstakes from TGCPA

The Gonzales Inquirer won its second-consecutive Texas Gulf Coast Press Association Division 1 Weeklies Sweepstakes Award on Saturday, April 20, at the combined South Texas Press Association and TGCPA convention at Moody Gardens in Galveston.

The 171-year-old newspaper, one of the oldest continuously published weeklies in the state of Texas, brought home five TGCPA first-place plaques, two second-place finishes, a third-place finish and two honorable mentions for a total of 625 points.

The Inquirer also finished third overall in the STPA Division 1 Weeklies Sweepstakes on Friday, April 19, with a total of 675 points, finishing just behind the Hays Free Press (800) and Frio-Nueces Current (775).

It was the first time in several years the Inquirer had competed in the STPA contest. The newspaper won four first-place plaques, three second-place finishes and a third-place finish.

“For more than 170 years, the Gonzales Inquirer has been the voice of the Gonzales County community and a trusted source for local news. We are happy to not only continue that tradition, but be recognized for our work by our peers and colleagues,” Inquirer Publisher Lew K. Cohn said.

“To win Sweepstakes just one year in a contest is difficult, but to repeat, back to back, speaks volumes about the expertise and professionalism of our staff. It is an honor and a privilege to represent Gonzales County and to come and take these awards back to the birthplace of Texas independence.”

TGCPA results

The Inquirer won first place for its special section, Discover Gonzales County, which featured a partnership between the newspaper and Tour Gonzales, the tourism arm of the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture.

“Outstanding design, collection of historical facts about the town, introduction to everything in Gonzales,” a judge from a National Newspaper Association member newspaper wrote.

The Inquirer also won first place for General Excellence, which is one of the most prestigious awards given in the contest. General Excellence recognizes newspapers that shine brightest in overall quality, content, design and community engagement.

“Nice, visually pleasing layout with an attractive front page,” the judge wrote. “Articles are well-written and flow well, with plenty of supporting pictures throughout.”

The Inquirer also won first place in Editorial Writing, Display Advertising and Feature Photos, but there were no comments from the judges in any of those categories.

A second-place finish in Headline Writing brought the following comment from a judge: “You caught my attention and made me smile, but I knew what the article would be about.” Meanwhile, the Inquirer finished second in the Ferris Block Memorial Community Service Award after a story written about the death of a truck driver prompted TxDOT to install flashing red lights at the intersection. “I applaud you for doing work that matters and leads to change,” the judge wrote.

The Inquirer received a third-place finish for best newspaper website and an honorable mention for sports coverage with “great stories and great pictures with several sports.”

STPA results

The Inquirer’s four first place finishes included the Griff Singer Award for General Excellence; Layout; Advertising; and Special Section. The General Excellence Award for STPA is named for former University of Texas journalism professor Griff Singer, who also happens to be one of Cohn’s first mentors in the field.

“Good art, strong news, fun community pieces and solid sports coverage. These entries issues showcased the whole package. I loved the interesting design and willingness to show that newspapers can have a sense of humor, too. Definitely a paper I would pick up on a newstand,” a judge from the North & East Texas Press Association said.

“If there was just one award I wanted to win for sure at STPA, it was the one named for my mentor and former professor, Griff Singer,” Cohn said. “He encouraged my writing abilities at the University of Texas and helped shape the way I approach my job — with professionalism, dignity and respect and a lot of fun thrown in as well.”

Discover Gonzales County, the Inquirer’s Special Section, was also well-loved by the judges in the STPA contest.

“I loved the originality of this and how it focused on the town,” one wrote. “The layout was also super fun!”

The Inquirer received second-place finishes in News Writing, Feature Photos and Headline Writing while the lone third-place honor came in News Photos.