Awards were presented June 20 during the Georgia Press Association (GPA) convention at Jekyll Island to celebrate outstanding achievements in community journalism.
In this year’s editorial contest, 482 awards were presented in 42 categories to 74 newspapers from 2,213 total entries.
Eatonton-based Smith Communications — publisher of The Eatonton Messenger, Lake Oconee News, The Baldwin Bulletin, and The Jones County News, among several other titles — received 21 top-three recognitions.
The Eatonton Messenger earned a GPA first-place award for Layout and Design, attributed to Managing Editor Josh Lurie. Lurie also received a second-place award for Page One Design for The Messenger. The Baldwin Bulletin placed first for Layout and Design under Editor Bailey McCully, and The Jones County News staff placed third in the same category.
The Eatonton Messenger Editor Ian Tocher and sports reporter Lance McCurley won second place for sports section or pages.
Lake Oconee News Associate Editor Hannah Barron placed first in Lifestyle Coverage, with Messenger Editor Tocher taking second place in the same category.
The Jones County News Editor Debbie Lurie-Smith took home third-place awards in Lifestyle Coverage and Business Writing. She also earned a first-place award in Local News Coverage for The Jones County News.
McCully won first- and second-place awards in education writing for The Bulletin.
For special issues, Lake Oconee News earned a third-place award with credit going to McCurley, Tocher, and Lurie. They also won a third-place award in special issues for The Bulletin.
Tocher received a first-place award for Photo Essay, and Brandy Round received third place in the same category for The Jones County News.
The Jones County News reporter Greenberry Moore won second place in feature writing.
Lake Oconee News won second place in the magazine product category, credited to Lakelife Magazine Editor Lynn Hobbs and Lurie. Lake Oconee News also earned a third-place award in the same category, attributed to McCurley and Lurie.
LON’s Leigh Lofgren and Hank Segars also won first- and second-place awards in magazine photography, respectively.