Jenkins Wins Triple Crown: Awards Named For Gibbs Adams, Sam Hanna, Gary Hebert

Once again, Central City News editor Woody Jenkins has won some of the top awards given each year by the Louisiana Press Association, which represents 110 of the state’s daily and weekly newspapers.

This year Jenkins scored a first by winning three of the LPA’s most prestigious awards in three quite different areas of journalism.  The awards, each named after a legend in the history of Louisiana journalism are:

•Gibbs Adams Award for Best Investigative Journalism.  This award memorializes Adams, who was a much respected investigative reporter for the Baton Rouge Advocate.  Jenkins won 1st Place for his report documenting how a candidate for Mayor wrote some of the questions asked of his opponent in a debate.  Judges comment: “After hearing a candidate had written questions for his own debate, the paper used email records and interviews with debate organizers to reveal that several people knowingly allowed the tainted questions.  The reporting did a service to the public, shedding light on their leaders before an election.”

•Sam Hanna Award for Best Regular Column. This award is in memory of Sam Hanna, long-time editor of the Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday.  Jenkins won 1st Place for his column on Central Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Washington and a column called Let’s Go Snake Hunting at the Capitol.  Judges comment: “Tightly written.  Makes the points clearly.”

•Gary Hebert Award for Best Use of Graphics. This award honors the memory of Gary Hebert of the Plaquemine Post who was known for outstanding graphic design.  Jenkins won 1st Place for a graphic he designed showing Central’s school board districts, incumbents, and challengers.