Fayette County Record Sweeps Top Awards at Pair of Journalism Contests
The Fayette County Record swept the top awards during a pair of ceremonies over the weekend at the South Texas Press Association and Texas Gulf Coast Press Association annual conventions in New Braunfels.
Competing in the largest circulation category, The Record placed higher in more categories than any other newspaper for work done during the 2024 year, winning the Sweepstakes Award from both the South Texas and Gulf Coast Press Associations.
In addition, Record reporter Andy Behlen won the South Texas Press Association’s Willis Webb Journalist of the Year Award. This was his second time to win the award.
Judging in the South Texas Press Association contest was done by faculty of the University of Texas School of Journalism. First place awards won by The Record in that contest include:
• First Place in General Excellence, for full issues of the newspaper judged as a whole
• First Place News Photos, for a collection of work by Andy Behlen
• First Place Serious Column Writing, for a collection of work by Jeff Wick
• First Place Humorous Column Writing, for a collection of work by Jeff Wick
• First Place Advertising Design, for a collection of work by John Castaneda
• First Place Special Section for last year’s Fall/Winter Visitors Guide
• First Place Lifestyle Pages, for design work by John Castaneda
• First Place Headline Writing for a collection of work by Jeff Wick Judging in the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association Contest was done by members of the North and East Texas Press Association. First place awards won by The Record in that contest include:
• First Place Advertising Design, for a collection of work by John Castaneda
• First Place Humorous Column Writing, for a collection of work by Jeff Wick
• First Place Editorial Writing, for a collection of work by Jeff Wick
• First Place in General Excellence, for full issues of the newspaper judged as a whole
• First Place News Photos, for a collection of work by Andy Behlen
• First Place News Writing, for a collection of work by Andy Behlen
• First Place Headline Writing for a collection of work by Jeff Wick
• First Place Sports Photos for a collection of work by Stephanie Steinhauser
• First Place Sports Coverage, for a collection of sports sections.