Clarendon, Canyon win General Excellence
The Clarendon Enterprise and the Canyon News won the General Excellence awards in the Better Newspaper Contest presented at the 106th Annual PPA Convention in Clarendon April 14-16, 2016.
Clarendon placed first in four categories in Division One and Canyon picked up five first place plaques in Division Two as those papers earned points to the General Excellence awards.
The Enterprise also was named the winner of the Ken Towery Community Service Award for its support of a potential water recreation project in Clarendon, and judges particularly noted the contributions of nine-year-old Benjamin Estlack with that effort.
Complete contest results are listed at the end of this article.
Thursday’s reception was highlighted by a welcome dinner held at the Saints’ Roost Museum and catered by the Honey-Do Spoiler Chuckwagon team from Pampa. Rev. Black Flowers performed live music, and Jo Shaller recited cowboy poetry. The Museum, which is the permanent home of the PPA Hall of Fame, was also open for tours.
Featured speakers at the convention at Clarendon College were Kevin Slimp and J. Pat Hickman. Sessions were conducted all day Friday by Slimp on Customer Service, Page & Ad Design, and Photoshop tips.
Hickman keynoted Friday night’s banquet. He is the president of Happy State Bank, one of the fastest growing banks in America and a longtime PPA Sponsor. He talked about the bank’s mission statement and the keys to success. Former PPA board member and longtime area publisher Phil Miller of the Groom News and pioneer newspaper man and former Clarendon publisher Ed Carhart were inducted into the PPA Hall of Fame Friday night.
Dr. Randy Reddick of the Texas Tech College of Media & Communication and Ashlyn Tubbs, former Clarendon Enterprise reporter and current reporter for KCBD-TV in Lubbock, facilitated a discussion Saturday round table on ways to use social media to connect with readers. An ethics panel discussion and the general business meeting were also held Saturday morning.
The PPA was led this year by Clarendon’s Ashlee Estlack. She will continue on the PPA Board as Immediate Past President with the following officers for 2016-2017: Larry Thornton of Muleshoe, President; Joni Yara of Booker, Vice President; and Roger Estlack of Clarendon, Secretary/Treasurer, along with directors Tara Huff of Fritch, Robin Brooks of Dumas, Ginger Wilson of Childress, Robert Arrowsmith of Hereford, and Rob Langrell of Clovis.
Next year’s Panhandle Press Convention will be held in Amarillo with the date and location TBA.
2015 PPA Better Newspaper Contest Results
Best Headline Writing
Division One: Canadian Record, 2. Muleshoe Journal, 3. The Booker News
Division Two: Canyon News, 2. Dalhart Texan, 3. Clovis News Journal
Best Human Interest Photos
Division One: Canadian Record, 2. The Red River Sun, 3. The Clarendon Enterprise
Division Two: Hereford Brand, 2. Clovis News Journal, 3. Canyon New, Honorable Mention – Guymon Daily Herald
Best Sports Writing
Division One: The Red River Sun, 2. The Booker News, 3. The Canadian Record, Honorable Mention – The Muleshoe Journal
Division Two: Canyon News, 2. Clovis News Journal, 3. Hereford Brand, Honorable Mention – Portales News Tribune
Best Advertising Initiative
Division One: The Clarendon Enterprise, 2. The Red River Sun, 3. The Booker News
Division Two: The Canyon News, 2. Moore County News Press, 3. Dalhart Texan
Best Front Page Layout
Division One: The Canadian Record, 2. The Clarendon Enterprise, 3. The Red River Sun
Division Two: Hereford Brand, 2. Dalhart Texan, 3. Moore County News-Press, Honorable Mention – Clovis News-Journal
Best News Writing
Division One: Muleshoe Journal, 2. The Clarendon Enterprise, 3. The Canadian Record, Honorable Mention – The Booker News
Division Two: Hereford Brand, 2. The Canyon News, 3. Portales News Tribune, Honorable Mention – Guymon Daily Herald
Best Spot News Photos
Division One: The Canadian Record, 2. The Clarendon Enterprise, 3. Muleshoe Journal
Division Two: Moore County News-Press, 2. Canyon News, 3. Clovis News Journal, Honorable Mention – Dalhart Texan
Best Humorous Columns
Division One: The Canadian Record, 2. The Clarendon Enterprise – Roger Estlack, 3. Quay County Sun, Honorable Mention – The Clarendon Enterprise – Benjamin Estlack
Division Two: 1. The Hereford Brand – John Carson, 2. Clovis News Journal – Kevin Wilson, 3. Clovis News Journal – D’Nieka Hartsfield, Honorable Mention – Canyon News – Gail Williams
Best Society and Lifestyles
Division One: Canadian Record, 2. Clarendon Enterprise, 3. Muleshoe Journal, Honorable Mention – Red River Sun
Division Two: Clovis News Journal, 2. The Canyon News
Best Feature Story
Division One: Clarendon Enterprise, 2. Quay County Sun, 3. The Booker News
Division Two: The Hereford Brand – John Carson, 2. The Canyon News – Tim Ritter, 3. Clovis News Journal
Best Special Section
Division One: Red River Sun, 2. The Clarendon Enterprise, 3. The Canadian Record, Honorable Mention, Quay County Sun
Division Two: The Canyon News, 2. Moore County News Press, 3. The Dalhart Texan
Best Editorial
Division One: The Clarendon Enterprise, 2. The Canadian Record, 3. The Booker News, Honorable Mention – The Muleshoe Journal
Division Two: Clovis News Journal, 2. The Canyon News, 3. Pampa News
Best Serious Column
Division One: Canadian Record – Laurie Brown, 2. The Quay County Sun, 3. The Clarendon Enterprise – Roger Estlack, Honorable Mention – The Clarendon Enterprise – Benjamin Estlack
Division Two: Clovis News Journal – Kevin Wilson, 2. The Hereford Brand – John Carson, 3. Clovis News Journal – David Stevens
Best Sports Photos
Division One: Clarendon Enterprise, 2. The Quay County Sun, 3. The Red River Sun, Honorable Mention – The Canadian Record
Division Two: Canyon News, 2. Clovis News Journal, 3. Guymon Daily Herald
Best Website
Division One: Muleshoe Journal, 2. Clarendon Enterprise, 3. The Canadian Record
Division Two: Pampa News, 2. The Hereford Brand, 3. Canyon News
General Excellence
Division One: Clarendon Enterprise
Division Two: Canyon News
Ken Towery Community Service Award
Clarendon Enterprise
