Central City News Named Newspaper of Year In Louisiana for Third Consecutive Year

For the third straight year, the Central City News has been named Community Newspaper of the Year by the the Louisiana Press Association, which represents 110 newspapers across the state.

The Central City News also took home eight first-place awards in competition with community newspapers across Louisiana.

Central City News editor Woody Jenkins said, “The LPA Awards Competition is always fun. We get to hone our skills and see how we stack up against other newspaper across the state.  One thing readers may not know is who judges these competitions.  Every year the LPA pairs up with another association somewhere in the country. We judge their entries, and they judge ours.  It is interesting to compare how newspaper editors in other regions like what we do.  This year our judges were from the District of Columbia-Maryland-Delaware Press Association.”

Here are some of the Central City News’ top awards for the year:  

• Newspaper of the Year is awarded to the newspaper which has earned the highest combined vote totals from all categories of the competition including news, feature writing, commentary, sports, photography, advertising, and layout and design. The Central City News previously won in 2020 and 2021. 

• Best Special Section • 1st Place – Central Election Guide by Woody Jenkins, Jolice Provost and Kim Powers. Judges’ comments: “Staff put a great deal of work into educating readers on the issues of the day. Great design, easy to follow, overall fantastic job on this special section.” 

• Best Special Section • 2nd Place – May 2022 Graduation Edition by Woody Jenkins, Jolice Provost, and Kim Powers. Judges’ comment: “Comprehensive graduation edition – well thought out and executed.” 

NEWS & OPINION 

  • Best Breaking News Story  • 1st Place – City to Track Every Vehicle by Woody Jenkins. 

  • Best News Story • 1st Place –  Justices Question Governor Edwards’ Decrees by Woody Jenkins. Judges’ Comment: Solid reporting  with auxiliary items (QR codes) to help readers.”

• Sam Hanna Award • Best Regular Column  1st Place – Learning From the Impeachment of Huey Long by Woody Jenkins. Judges’ comments: “What a terrific read! ‘Learning from Impeachment of Huey Long’ captured my interest from start to finish! This column was full of detail, color and history. I found myself wanting to read more. Excellent job! This writer is a born columnist.”

• Sam Hanna Award • Best Regular Column • 2nd Place – License Plate Readers Monitoring City by Woody Jenkins. Judges’ comment: “This column was well researched, easy to read, and does a fantastic job of summing up the argument at hand. This writer has a confident voice and matter-of-fact style that I appreciate as a reader.”

• Best Feature Story • 3rd Place • Learning from the Impeachment of Huey Long by Woody Jenkins. 

•Best Single Editorial • 1st Place – Will Murder Cover Up Bring Down JBE, by editor Woody. Judges’ comment: “This well-written editorial makes a solid case for further investigation into a death at police hands which could involve a cover-up by the state’s highest official.”  

• Best Headline • 2nd Place – FBI Spied on Central Church by Woody Jenkins.

• Best Headline • 3rd Place –  Gov. Edwards Falsely Used AG’s Name to Try To Intervene in Criminal Case Against Pastor by Woody Jenkins.

• Best Sports Story • 1st Place – Central Football is Back and Different by Woody Jenkins. 

• Best Sports Story • 2nd Place – State Oks $1.2 Million Towards 3,000-Seat Facility by Woody Jenkins. 

• Best Sports Story • 3rd Place – West-Cal Arena in Sulphur by Woody Jenkins.  

ONLINE NEWS

• Best Overall Website • 1st Place – Central City News on Facebook by Woody Jenkins, Jolice Provost, and Kim Powers. Judges’ comment: “Design is thoughtfully laid out, plenty of content and easily navigable.”

• Best News Video • 1st Place – Cooking in Central by Woody Jenkins. Judges’ comment: “I’m sure the people in the community appreciated the ‘man on the street’ type of interviews that were informative and helpful.” 

• Best News Video • 2nd Place – Tour of New Central Private Campus  by Woody Jenkins. Judges’ comment: “A great way to show people in the community who couldn’t attend that day their own tour of the campus.”

• Best Web Project • 1st Place – ‘Sideline Football’ Play by Play by Ken Bush, Sharon Bush, and Woody Jenkins.

ADVERTISING

• Best Multiple Advertising Page • 1st Place – Central High School 2022 Sideline Football by Jolice Provost. 

• Best Ad Campaign • 2nd Place –  Central Oaks Dental Care by Jolice Provost. 

LAYOUT and DESIGN

• Best Layout and Design • Gary Hebert Award • 2nd Place – Woody Jenkins and Jolice Provost.

PHOTOGRAPHY

• Best News Photo • 1st Place – Central High School Class of 2023 by Jolice Provost.

• Best News Photo • 2nd Place – Central Police Chief James Salsbury at Funeral of Fallen Officer by Woody Jenkins.

• Best News Photo • 3rd Place – Cooking in Central Aids Terrebonne by Jolice Provost.

• Best Sports Photo • 1st Place – Central High’s Star Running Back Glen Cage by Jolice Provost.

• Best Sports Photo • 2nd Place – Central Beats Liberty in Classic Overtime by Jolice Provost. 

• Best Sports Photo • 3rd Place –  Wildcats Top Destrehan 5-0 in Playoffs by Jolice Provost.