The Boerne Star emerged from the April 18-20 South Texas Press Association convention in Galveston with awards earned in several news and sports categories.
The Star earned second place in General Excellence in the STPA’s Division 3 category, for newspapers publishing two or more times per week.
Pacing the Star’s awards haul was its sports section. Sports Editor Kerry Barboza earned a first place in the Sports Coverage category, as well as a third place in Sports Photography.
“Solid overall, including writing, variety of coverage and ‘look,” the judges said. “Good headlines and good cut-in on photo with ‘Greyhounds mash Minutemen.’ Not overboard, like some tend to do.”
The Star earned its second-place General Excellence award featuring issues from April, July and October.
“Nice front-page layout. A-plus community calendar and (crime) reports,” judges stated in their remarks. “A-plus sports photos, stories and Leininger sports feature.”
The Star received second-place awards in the “Special Sections” category for its Spring/ Summer Visitors Guide and in the “Lifestyles” page entry.
“A very comprehensive community guide for newcomers. You’re answering a lot of questions they may have, in an easy-to-digest way,” the judges said. “Many of the spreads had a wonderful design.”
The Lifestyles pages, from April 29, 2023, and Oct. 29, 2023, drew raves from the judges as well.
“I loved the bold eye-catching headers an inviting ‘Children’s Corner.’ Clean layout; easy to read,” judges said.
Third-place awards were earned in the newswriting, headline writing and feature photography categories. News articles featured in the Star’s entry included an article by Jeff Flinn covering a court hearing of a teen being remanded from juvenile to adult custody, and former Managing Editor Zach- ary-Taylor Wright’s coverage of the arrest and conviction of Kendall Batchelor on intoxication manslaughter charges for the June 2, 2022, accident that claimed the life of a longtime Boerne resident.
Judges said, “In the ‘Teen convict to spend time in adult prison,’ the writer makes good use of strong quotes to move the story along.”
Of its feature photography entries, judges said, “These photos do a nice job of showcasing your community.”
No comments followed the third-place headline writing award.
“We’re glad to be recognized by our peers for the work we do here in Boerne,” Flinn said. “Awards were earned in categories across the board: sports, news, headlines, lifestyles, photography and special sections.
“We attempt to paint a broad picture of the Boerne community we know and love, and these awards justify our focus on our community, its people and events,” he added.
“We have the whole of Boerne to thank for these accolades.”
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