The Gazette receives 23 awards from LPA

BILOXI -- The Ville Platte Gazette earned a whopping total of 23 awards, including six first-place honors, from the Louisiana Press Association’s Better Newspaper Competition held at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Biloxi on Saturday.
The newspaper’s Publisher David Ortego following the awards banquet said, “What a year for a hard-working, talented, community minded team.
“I’m so proud of this group. Twenty plus Louisiana Press Association awards, including six first place wins, paired with the recent Newspaper of the Year award by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation makes every work day a lot more enjoyable. It’s not only a job for this staff, but apparently a job they do well.”
Former Managing Editor Raymond Partsch, III, was the top award getter for The Gazette earning a total of 10 awards, including three first place awards for his story on Ja’Quin Thomas, his editorial on the misuse of TOPS funds, and for his column on the president “Trump-eting our demise,” as well as the Sam Hanna Award for Best Regular Column.
Raymond also earned one second place for his egg paquing photo, second place for front page design, second place for his story on local taxidermy Arthur Courville, second place for a sports column, and second and third place for best sports photo.
Sports Editor Tracey Jagneaux also earned a first place in the category Best Sports Story for his feature on a Pine Prairie family’s love for sports and coaching.
Former Ville Platte Gazette Lifestyles Editor Claudette Olivier earned three awards at the LPA convention. Those awards were a first place award for Best Individual Photo, second place for Best News Photo, and second place for Individual Feature Writing.
The Gazette Managing Editor Elizabeth West also earned several awards including third place for Best News Story with her piece on Christopher Goodley’s murder trial, third place for Best Individual Photo. West also received third place for the Sam Hanna Award for Best Regular Column for her piece on patriotism lacking in the younger generation and for her piece on parish residents deserving justice too.
Other awards that were won by The Gazette’s editorial staff included first place for Best Editorial Page, third place for Best News Coverage, and second place for its Gridiron Glory Special Section.
In The Gazette’s Advertising and Composition Departments, Advertising Manager Kathy Longino and Monique Ardoin brought home three awards for their ad work.
The two ladies earned three third place awards for Staff Generated Black and White for an ad in the football special section, Staff Generated Color for an ad for the Wyble Collection and Multiple Advertiser Page for their Ville Platte World Series special.