Whitehouse’s Kade Richardson drives against Tyler Legacy’s Gage Nuckolls Dec. 5, 2023, at Tyler Legacy Varsity Gymnasium. (Michel Alfaro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

From Staff Reports

Tyler Morning Telegraph staff took home 10 awards as well as sweepstakes this past weekend at the Texas Press Association convention in College Station.

The team earned first place in Sweepstakes, which is the contest’s top overall award based on cumulative points in all categories.

The newspaper received first place honors in the page design and sports coverage categories. Additionally, the team received four second-place honors and four third-place honors.

The Morning Telegraph competes in a division that includes daily newspapers across the state. This year’s competition included The Galveston Daily News, The Facts (Clute), Denton Record-Chronicle, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Killeen Daily Herald, New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, San Marcos Daily Record, Longview News-Journal, Marshall News Messenger, and Victoria Advocate.

Awards are for work published in 2023. All awards include:

First place, Sweepstakes: Morning Telegraph staff, for earning the highest cumulative point total in all categories.

First place, Page Design: Morning Telegraph staff, for a portfolio of four page designs.

First place, Sports Coverage: Sports Editor Phil Hicks and sportswriter Brandon Ogden for content in two complete sports sections. Judges were complimentary of the sports staff’s ability to produce comprehensive sections with a great amount of local stories, “balanced with good photographs and a nice layout.”

Second place, Editorial: Morning Telegraph staff, for two editorials

Second place, Feature Writing: Multimedia Reporter Jennifer Scott, for two stories, including one about Melba Mebane, 90, of Tyler, who retired from Dillard’s after 74 years, and a feature about Alberto Destarac, a 2018 graduate of then-Robert E. Lee High School, who graduated in May 2023 from the U.S. Naval Academy as its first known blind midshipman.

Second place, Sports Photography: Sports Photographer Michel Alfaro and Photographer Les Hassell, for a collection of five sports photos.

Second place, Best Website: Morning Telegraph staff, for tylerpaper.com

Third place, Column Writing: Hicks, for two columns, including one titled ”My Christmas wish list,” and a second titled, ”Does it really mean more in the SEC?”

Third place, Feature Photography: Scott and Hassell, for a collection of five photos.

Third place, News Photography: Scott and Managing Editor Santana Wood, for a collection of five photos.

“The Morning Telegraph captures elements of the story that just wouldn’t fully translate without these photos,” judge’s wrote in their comments.

Third place, News Writing: Multimedia Reporter Katecey Harrell, for two in-depth stories including ”Downtown Tyler business owners reminisce as demolition nears for courthouse project,” and ”As group voices concerns, Tyler Library remains committed to serving diverse population.”

“Well researched stories of local institutions through the eyes of the people invested in them,” judges wrote. “Chronicles of the times.”

The Morning Telegraph’s sister papers also performed well in this year’s awards program. Overall, M. Roberts Media local newspapers brought home a combined total of 44 awards.

Texas Managing Editors contest

This is the third awards contest the Morning Telegraph has been recognized in this year. On April 20, the newspaper took home three awards from the Texas Managing Editors annual contest that honors newsrooms across the state. Awards include:

First place, Headline Writing: Wood, for a collection of five front-page headlines.

Second place, Designer of the Year: Wood, for a collection of five page designs.

Honorable mention, Star Online Package of the Year: Harrell, Hassell and Wood, for a Texas Rose Festival package at tylerpaper.com. Harrell wrote the story and filmed video, while Hassell took the photos. Wood designed the story online in a way that allowed the journalists’ work to shine.

North & East Texas Press Association (NETPA) awards

Also in April, the Morning Telegraph took home 10 awards in the North & East Texas Press Association (NETPA) Better Newspaper Contest. Awards were announced April 27 at the convention in Granbury, attended by Harrell and Scott.

NETPA awards included:

First place, Special Section: Tyler Morning Telegraph Rose Festival Souvenir Magazine, made possible by many on the team including advertising.

First place, Column writing: Ogden, for two columns including “Before getting to the Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes, Lane Johnson played different positions in high school” and “Mixing in some wrestling during busy week of football.”

First place, Editorial Writing: Randy Ferguson for an editorial about the lack of required training in the state’s church defender law, and Hicks and Wood for an editorial about Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts still being winners no matter what.

First place, Feature Story: Morning Telegraph staff for ”Tyler’s Hispanic community maintains its roots by sharing culture, passing on traditions,” and Scott, for her feature on Dillard’s retiree Mebane.

First place, Headline Writing: Wood, for a collection of front-page headlines.

First place, News Photo: Hassell, for a moment captured at the Texas Rose Festival Coronation, and Wood, for a photo taken at the Rose City Fiesta.

Second place, Feature Photo: Harrell, for a photo taken at the East Texas State Fair, and Scott, for a photo taken on National Pi Day.

Second place, News Writing: Harrell, for her work on reporting on conversations about books inside the Tyler Public Library, as well as her in-depth piece speaking to businesses as demolition nears to make room for new courthouse.

Second place, Sports Writing: Ogden, for ‘He’s One of Us’ and ”Homecoming for Fisher.”

Second place, Sweepstakes: Morning Telegraph team (second-highest points, totaled by awards earned in its division)