txme – Texas Managing Editors

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal mistakenly left out of 2024 TME Contest Awards

Posted on May 1, 2024 by txme

Last month, the Texas Managing Editors honored the best journalism in Texas at our annual conference in Temple.

To our dismay, those awards did not account for entries from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, one of our valued 2A members.

Adam Young, editor of the Avalanche-Journal, alerted us of the omission after the “publication wasn’t recognized by the TME for the first time in recent memory, perhaps ever.”

He told us the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s contest fee was paid through PayPal and Texas Managing Editors contest coordinators acknowledged the publication’s submission in January.

We deeply regret this error and sincerely apologize to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal staff. During the contest entry period, our contest site’s domain abruptly shut down and we had to temporarily stage the site with a new host. We thought we captured all of the entries, but now we know we didn’t. We wholeheartedly apologize.

We are committed to ensuring such an egregious mistake doesn’t get repeated. Going forward, our all-volunteer board vows to triple-check that paid fees and submissions match before sending entries out of state for judging. The integrity of this contest is of utmost importance to all of us.

TME announces final award winners

Posted on April 21, 2024May 7, 2024 by txme

Texas Managing Editors released the final award winners for this year’s contest on the last day of the conference. Congratulations to everyone who did amazing work last year. Find the complete list of winners and runners-up here.

Community Service

First place: Nicole Bradford and Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Second place: Stacy Faison, Valerie Reddell, Jeff Pownall, Lance Kingrey, Joel Andrews, James Bennett and Mike Zimmerman, Lufkin Daily News

Honorable mention: Matt Hollis, Chuck Chandler, Carol Skewes and Dave Rogers, The Baytown Sun

First place: Lauren Villagran, Omar Ornelas, Aline Simerman, Rafael Carranza and Daniel Gonzalez, El Paso Times

Second place: Angela Saavedra, El Paso Matters

Third place: Mike Copeland, Carl Hoover, Christopher De Los Santos, Kourtney David, Matt Kyle, Matthew Stottlemyre and J.B. Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald

Honorable mention: Dave Miller, Paul Bryant, David A. Bryant, Jacob Brooks, Emily Hilley-Sierzchula and Jana Lynn Kilcrease, Killeen Daily Herald

First place: Andrea Ball, Caroline Ghisolfi, Carol Motsinger and Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle

Second place: Anna Bauman, Sam González Kelly, Anastasia Goodwin and Megan Menchaca, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Mizanur Rahman, Maria D. De Jesús, Tim Carlin, Annie Stuckey, Yin Yin Chan, Matt Schwartz and Antranik Tavitian, Houston Landing

Freedom of Information

First place: Dalondo Moultrie, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

Second place: Kim Smith, Odessa American

Third place: Andrew Hodge, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Honorable mention: Valerie Reddell, Lufkin Daily News

First place: Chase Rogers, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Second place: Paul Bryant, Jacob Brooks and Emily Hilley-Sierzchula, Killeen Daily Herald

Third place: Victoria Rossi, El Paso Matters

First place: Andrea Ball, Caroline Ghisolfi, Carol Motsinger and Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle; Lomi Kriel, Lexi Churchill, Jinitzail Hernandez, Zach Despart, Perla Trevizo, Jessica Priest and Uriel J. Garcia, Texas Tribune

Second place: Kate McGee and James Barragán, Texas Tribune

Third place: Céilí Doyle, Monroe Trombly, Angelica Perez, Danya Pérez and Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Landing

Honorable mention: Alex Stuckey and Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Landing

Team Effort

First place: Josh Edwards, Nicole Bradford and Andrew Hodge, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Second place: Kim Smith and Laura Dennis, Odessa American

Third place: Felicia Frazar and Dalondo Moultrie, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

Honorable mention: Stacy Faison, Gary Stallard and Greg Weatherbee, Lufkin Daily News

First place: Lauren Villagran, Omar Ornelas, Aline Simerman, Rafael Carranza and Daniel Gonzalez, El Paso Times

Second place: Haley Samsel, Rachel Behrndt, Juan Salinas II, Fort Worth Report; Tracy Idell Hamilton and Andrea Drusch, San Antonio Report

Third place: Staff, El Paso Matters

Honorable mention: Christopher De Los Santos, Matt Kyle, Kourtney David and Carl Hoover, Waco Tribune-Herald

First place: Sig Christenson and Brandon Lingle, San Antonio Express-News

Second place: Ryan Autullo, Tony Plohetski, Nate Chute, Bridget Grumet, John Moritz and Hogan Gore, Austin American-Statesman

Third place: Anna Bauman, Sam Gonzalez Kelly, Anastasia Goodwin, Megan Menchaca, Sarah Smith and Hannah Dellinger, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Staff, Dallas Morning News; Emerson Clarridge, Harrison Mantas, Amanda McCoy, Gabe Trevino, Abby Church and Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Staff, San Antonio Express-News

Newsroom of the Year

First place: Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Second place: Lufkin Daily News

Third place: Abilene Reporter-News

First place: El Paso Times

Second place: Valley Morning Star

Third place: El Paso Matters, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

First place: Dallas Morning News

Second place: Houston Chronicle

Third place: San Antonio Express-News

Are you a star? TME announces more award winners.

Posted on April 20, 2024May 7, 2024 by txme

The second set of awards announced Saturday includes our Star awards, as well as the Celeste Williams and Michael Brick award winners. Find the complete list of winners and runners-up here.

Designer of the Year

First place: Stacy Faison, Lufkin Daily News

Second place: Warren Morrison, Greenville Herald-Banner

Third place: Cheryl Donatto, The Baytown Sun

First place: Louis San Miguel, Laredo Morning Times

Second place: Santana Gallacher, Tyler Morning Telegraph

Third place: Randy Ferguson, Longview News-Journal

First place: Jeff Criesi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Second place: Alma Lozoya, The Dallas Morning News

Third place: Tom Fox, Houston Chronicle

Star Breaking News Report of the Year

First place: Kim Smith, Odessa American

Second place: Matt Hollis and Dave Rogers, The Baytown Sun

Third place: Felicia Frazar and Dalondo Moultrie, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

Honorable mention: Stacy Faison, Lufkin Daily News

First place: Lauren Villagran and Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times

Second place: Fernando Del Valle, Harlingen Valley Morning Star

Third place: Emily Hilley-Sierzchula, Killeen Daily Herald

Honorable mention: John Oliva and Chase Rogers, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

First place: Staff, Austin American Statesman

Second place: Staff, The Dallas Morning News

Third place: Sam González Kelly, Sarah Smith, Hannah Dellinger, Jen Rice, Yilun Cheng, Jhair Romero, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Patrick Svitek, Zach Despart, James Barragán, Carla Asudillo, Chris Essig, Texas Tribune

Star Investigative Report of the Year

First place: Stacy Faison, Lufkin Daily News

Honorable mention: Kim Smith and Laura Dennis, Odessa American

First place: Matt Kyle, Waco Tribune-Herald

Second place: Claudia Lorena Silva, El Paso Matters

Third place: Lauren Villagran, El Paso Times

Honorable mention: Robert Moore, El Paso Matters

First place: Kiah Collier, Jeremy Schwartz and Lexi Churchill, Texas Tribune

Second place: Kate McGee and James Barragán, Texas Tribune

Third place: Lauren Caruba, Smiley Pool and Ari Sen, The Dallas Morning News/San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Emily Brindley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Star Online Package of the Year

No entries

First place: Chase Rogers, Olivia Garrett and Angela Piazza, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Second place: Lauren Villagran, Omar Ornelas and Aline Simerman, El Paso Times

Third place: Claudia Lorena Silva, El Paso Matters

Honorable mention: Katecey Harrell, Les Hassell and Santana Gallacher, Tyler Morning Telegraph

First place: Mikala Compton and Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman

Second place: Staff, San Antonio Express-News

Third place: Staff, The Dallas Morning News

Honorable mention: Amanda Drane, Elizabeth Conley, Alexandra Kanik, Jordan Ray-Hart, Jonathan Diamond and Jill Karnicki, Houston Chronicle

Star Opinion Writer of the Year

First place: Stacy Faison, Lufkin Daily News

Second place: Steve Showalter, The Baytown Sun

Honorable mention: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel; Kent Miller, Greenville Herald-Banner

First place: Dave Miller, Killeen Daily Herald

Second place: Michael Morris, The Facts

Third place: Bill Whitaker, Waco Tribune-Herald

First place: Nancy M. Preyor Johnson, San Antonio Express-News

Second place: Bridget Grumet, Austin American-Statesman

Third place: Joe Holley, Houston Chronicle

Star Photojournalist of the Year

First place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Second place: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Honorable mention: Chris Cody, The Baytown Sun

First place: Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

Second place: Corrie Boudreaux, El Paso Matters

Third place: Stuart Villanueva, The Galveston County Daily News

First place: Smiley N. Pool, Dallas Morning News; Ricardo B. Brazziell, Austin American Statesman

Third place: Jessica Phelps, San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle; Chris Torres, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Star Reporter of the Year

First place: Kim Smith, Odessa American

Second place: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Third place: Kent Miller, Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable mention: Dalondo Moultrie, Seguin Gazette Enterprise

First place: Lauren Villagran, El Paso Times

Second place: Jacob Sanchez, Fort Worth Report

Third place: Andrea Drusch, San Antonio Report

First place: Eleanor Klibanoff, Texas Tribune

Second place: Jamie Landers, Dallas Morning News

Third place: Julian Gill, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Alex Stuckey, Houston Landing

Celeste Williams Star Sports Reporter of the Year

First place: Nathan Hague, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Second place: David Claybourn, Greenville Herald-Banner

Third place: Robert Avery, The Baytown Sun

Honorable mention: Josh Havard, Lufkin Daily News

First place: Travis L. Brown, Bryan-College Station Eagle

Second place: Jake Dowling, The Facts

Third place: Garrett Kroeger, Laredo Morning Times

Honorable mention: Jack Stallard, Longview News-Journal

3A:

First place: Evan Grant, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Honorable mention: Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman

Michael Brick Storytelling Award

First place: Sarah Smith, Houston Chronicle

Second place: Alex Stuckey, Houston Landing

Third place: Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Priscilla Totiyapungrpasert, El Paso Matters