LPA Honors Central City News as Louisiana’s Newspaper of the Year

The Central City News has been named Louisiana’s Newspaper of the Year for 2021 by the Louisiana Press Association, which represents 110 member newspapers in Louisiana.

Altogether, Community Press, LLC, which owns the Central City News, the Istrouma Journal in North Baton Rouge, and the St. George Leader in the new City of St. George, won 12 first-place awards in competition with community newspapers across the state.

Central City News editor Woody Jenkins said, “We are humbled to accept these awards, especially Newspaper of the Year.  2020 was one of the most difficult years in the history of our city, state, and nation. Ironically, one of the country’s biggest stories of 2020 happened in the City of Central, where the right to freedom of religion came under assault.”  

“We believe it is a newspaper’s solemn duty to protect the First Amendment to the United States Constitution — freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and the right to seek a redress of grievances before government.’

“In the past year, all of these liberties came under direct attack in our state, and there was certainly plenty of news to write about!  Through it all, we tried to bring our readers the reality of what was happening in our community and the impact it was having on our First Amendment rights.”

“It appears these battles have mostly been won, but we remain vigilant to make sure that our liberties are protected through good times and bad.”

“We are grateful to the people of Central for standing with us, even when it was sometimes difficult to see through the fog. Fortunately, I believe our freedoms are better appreciated and more firmly rooted in our minds than before the pandemic.”

Here are the awards won by the Central City News and its sister publications, the Istrouma Journal, and the St. George Leader:

NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

• Best Overall Newspaper – 1st Place – The Central City News was honored with the highest award, having been named Newspaper of the Year for the first time.  The award is based on newspapers’ news coverage, photography, sports, opinion pieces, advertising, graphic design, and internet presence.  The award winners are Woody Jenkins, Jolice Provost, and Kim Powers.

NEWS & OPINION

Best News Story – 1st Place – Central City News – Hughes Wins Libel Suit by Woody Jenkins. While the daily Baton Rouge Advocate has been running a series of investigative stories about Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice Jeff Hughes, the judge has been fighting back. He filed a libel suit against the Advocate, and has won a preliminary judgment against the daily paper.  Yet, the Advocate failed to inform its readers that Justice Hughes had sued them and been winning.

Best Investigative Reporting, Gibbs Adams Award – 1st Place – Central City News – Race for Judge First of Its Kind by Woody Jenkins.  (See inset at left)

• Best Investigative Reporting – 2nd Place – Our sister publication the St. George Leader won 2nd Place for Youngest Covid Victim in EBR Was 29; So Why Require Students to Wear Masks? by Woody Jenkins. Judges’ comments: “Made excellent use of statistics to raise important questions, i.e., why mask kids up?  Made use of the statistics but didn’t run them into the ground.”

Best Front Page – 3rd PlaceIstrouma Journal’s October 2020 Homecoming  Edition won 3rd Place for Best Front Page in the state.  Design by Woody Jenkins. 

• Best Breaking News Story – 1st Place – Central City News Legislature Opens Louisiana. written by Woody Jenkins. 

Best Breaking News Story – 2nd Place – Istrouma Journal. Our sister publication won with North Baton Rouge Pastor Describes Ordeal: Gripping Testimony of Religious Persecution written by Woody Jenkins.

Best Breaking News Story – 3rd Place – Central City News.  The 3rd Place award went to Violation of Louisiana Open Meetings Law during Pandemic written by Woody Jenkins

• Best Regular Column, Sam Hanna Award – 1st PlaceCentral City News, A Stroll through the State Capitol and The Peoples’ Governor: Mike Foster by Woody Jenkins. [See inset to left]

Best Sports Story – 1st Place – Central City NewsCentral’s Steve Ensminger Helped Guide LSU’s Joe Burrow to Season of Greatness written by Woody Jenkins.  

Best Headline – 1st Place – Central City NewsIn Magazine World, Michelle Obama is Still First Lady, British Royal Family Continues Its Reign in America! by Diane Jenkins. 

Best Headline – 2nd Place – Central City NewsOld Drug Offers New Hope and Cat Fight in Walker High’s Wildcat Stadium, Central Victorious 35-28 written by Woody Jenkins.

ONLINE NEWS

Best Overall Website – 1st PlaceCentral City News on Facebook by Woody Jenkins, Jolice Provost, and Kim Powers.  The Central City News page on Facebook has 22,000 Likes and 36,000 Followers.  Last November, it had more than 3.1 million views.

Best News Video – 1st PlaceIstrouma JournalPastor Describes Ordeal of Arrest, Ankle Bracelet for Four Weeks Video by Kim Powers and Woody Jenkins. This video documented the testimony of Rev. Tony Spell before the Louisiana Legislature.  It is believed to be only the second time in American history that a pastor has been arrested for holding church.  [See photo above]

Best News Video – 2nd PlaceCentral City NewsArrest of Rev. Tony Spell – A news report showing Pastor Tony Spell being called out of worship services and warned by a Central Police officer that he would be arrested for violating Gov. John Bel Edwards’ decree against churches holding worship services. The pastor then walked to the Central City News camera and was interviewed on what the police officer said.  The video went viral and was viewed over 200,000 times. It was the first national story on efforts by Pastor Spell to keep his church open.  Judges’ comments: “The video captures a high-profile news event, and the reporter is able to get key individuals to speak about the issue. Despite some interference from loud vehicles, the reporter is able to incorporate even that into the story. Initial footage was a little shaky, but overall good. Great promotion of the video in print edition.”

Best News Video – 3rd PlaceCentral City NewsGovernor Targets Firehouse BBQ in Watson by Woody Jenkins.  Judges’ comments: “In another high-profile legal case for this community, the reporter inserts himself right into the thick of things and convinces a lot of people to discuss their experience on camera. The reference to this piece with QR codes was a good effort.”

• Best Web Project – 1st Place – Central City News’ Public Affairs Programming – Over 200 major video projects during 2020 by Woody Jenkins, Kim Powers, and Jolice Provost.  Judges’ comment: “A multitude of interesting items. Certainly the best entry!”

PHOTOGRAPHY

Best News Photo – 3rd Place – Central City News – Sister Shaye Spell: We Will Never Stop Holding Church! by Whitney Stewart

Best Sports Photo – 1st Place – Central City News – by Jolice Provost – Flipping the Coin in Rain – Central Hugh School playoff game against the Pineville Rebels.

• Best Sports Photo – 2nd Place – by Jolice Provost – Central Wildcats Baptize Newly-Renovated Field with 59-6 Win over Belaire

• Best Sports Photo – 3rd Place – by Jolice Provost – Safe at 2nd

NEWSPAPER DESIGN

• Best Special Section – 2nd Place Central City News for the Football Special Section in September 2020 (for the season that almost wasn’t) and 3rd Place to  Central City News for its Graduation Edition in May 2020.

ADVERTISING

• Best In-Paper Promotion – 3rd PlaceCentral City News,  Central High Wildcat Championship Baseball Is On the Air for 2020 4-5A Season!

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

• General Excellence – 3rd PlaceIstrouma Journal – In competition for the coveted General Excellence award, the Istrouma Journal, won 3rd Place in Louisiana. The Istrouma Journal is owned by Community Press, LLC, the owner of the Central City News.  Judges’ Comments: “This is an unabashedly conservative outlet filled with political commentary, much of it condemning the [Democrat] governor. But it is also a paper that devotes an eye-popping number of pages and photos to the goings-on of the local high school, which is all black. And, at the risk of overgeneralizing, the parents who are no doubt snatching up copies to see their kids, are likely Democrats. A hyperlocal paper, then, that serves two distinct audiences with equal verve.” 

Jenkins Wins 1st Place for Investigative Reporting,1st Place for Best Regular Column

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 won the Gibbs Adams Award for Investigative Reporting for the 8th time. He carried home the award in 2020, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2009.  He also won the Sam Hanna Award as the outstanding newspaper columnist.  This was his 3rd time to be named Best Regular Columnist in the state. The awards are named after legends in the history of Louisiana journalism.  The two awards are

Gibbs Adams Award for Best Investigative Journalism.  This award memorializes Adams, who was a highly-respected investigative reporter for the Baton Rouge Advocate.  Jenkins won 1st Place for his investigative report entitled, Race for Judge First of Its Kind.  The article revealed how the changing demographics of a judicial subdistrict appeared likely to flip a judgeship from Republican to Democrat, how a powerful Democratic judge was working to handpick the winner, and how a more conservative Democrat candidate could upset the carefully-laid plan. Note: The more conservative Democrat eventually attracted Republicans and won handily.

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 Gov. Mike Foster: The People’s Governor.  It provides an inside look at the personality of a little known state senator who seized the moment and defied all odds to become Louisiana’s working man governor for eight years.  Jenkins said he was especially proud to receive this year’s Best Column award because it was signed by Sam Hanna, Jr., LPA president and son of the late editor Sam Hanna, after whom the award is named.

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