STPA members gather for industry sessions, awards

Showing off sweepstakes in their divisions of the South Texas Press Association annual contest are (from left) Craig Garnett and Meghann Garcia, Uvalde Leader-News; Ken Esten Cooke and Kim Grinke Jung, Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post; and Marc Robertson and Manuel Azocar, Frio-Nueces Current. 
 

BOERNE – South Texas Press Association convention attendees heard how their colleagues with Uvalde Leader-News have personally and professionally dealt with covering the horrific May 24, 2022, Robb Elementary School shooting as the aftermath of the tragic event impacted and polarized the state and nation.

The 97th STPA convention featuring informative sessions, recognitions and celebration of the 2023 STPA Better Newspaper Contest winners was held in Boerne.

The Uvalde Leader-News staff, led by Publisher Craig Garnett, gathered to discuss and answer questions in the session called “Covering A Local Tragedy That Went International.” Described as very sobering and informative, the session scheduled for 30 minutes ran almost two hours.

Recording the session were ABC News producer Megan Streete and documentarian Andrew Fredericks, who have been following and filming the staff at the Uvalde Leader-News since the May 24, 2022, school shooting for a feature-length documentary planned for release in 2024.

Other informative sessions featured John Burnett, recently retired NPR correspondent, discussing “Divided America;” Griff Singer, retired journalist and senior lecturer, School of Journalism and Media, The University of Texas at Austin, speaking on “Headlines That Sell Stories, Not Cause Headaches;” and Austin Lewter, director, Texas Center for Community Journalism, journalism professor, Tarleton State University, demonstrating “Free Apps That Can Make Your Job Easier.”

The group also honored two individuals for their contributions and service to STPA.

TPA Executive Vice President Donnis Baggett received the Red Gibson - Friend of South Texas Press Association award. Baggett works with the TPA Legislative Advisory Committee in lobbying lawmakers in Austin and supporting government transparency. A longtime supporter of TPA and former president of the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, Baggett worked for years as a volunteer with press association legislative groups before he joined the TPA staff in 2012.

Cyndy Slovak-Barton received the Chester Evans Award in recognition of her years of dedicated service to South Texas Press Association. Slovak-Barton retired from the newspaper business in 2022. She was the owner/publisher and consistent contest winner of Hays County Free Press and News-Dispatch in Dripping Springs. She served on STPA’s board, is a past president, was scholarship chairman for many years, served on TPA’s board, was a member of the Legislative Advisory Committee and was inducted into the Texas Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2020. Currently, she is co-owner of Gap Strategies, a business in which she assists with media strategy and manages business operations.

Awards in the STPA Better Newspaper Contest were announced. The Uvalde Leader-News was the sweepstakes winner in the semiweekly division. In addition, Leader-News staff member Pete Luna and Melissa Federspill were awarded photographer and journalist of the year honors. Sweepstakes winners in the weekly divisions of the contest were the Fredericksburg Standard Radio-Post and the Frio-Nueces Current.

New STPA officers for 2023-24  include:

Chairman of The Board Manuel Azocar III, Frio-Nueces Current, Pearsall

President Rhonda Chancellor, Pleasanton Express

First Vice President Jeff Wick, The Fayette County Record

Second Vice President Paul Prause, Flatonia Argus

Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Berger, Hondo Anvil Herald

Assistants to the President Mary Judson, Port Aransas South Jetty, and Larry Jackson, Fayette County Record, La Grange (Ret.)

Historian Sue Brown, Texas Press Association, Austin

Directors, Terms Expiring 2024

Shannon Crabtree, El Campo Leader-News, and Marc Robertson, Frio-Nueces Current, Pearsall

Directors, Terms Expiring 2025

Ken Esten Cooke, Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, and Regina Keilers, Fayette County Record, La Grange

Directors Terms Expiring 2026

Melanie Berger, Flatonia Argus, and Meghann Garcia, Uvalde Leader-News

Finance Chairman Ken Esten Cooke, Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post

Media Services Chairman Lisa Walter, Fredericksburg

Scholarship / Internship Chairman Regina Keilers, Fayette County Record, La Grange

Site Selection Chairman Tania French Sistrunk, Hays Free Press.

Arrangements for the 2024 meeting will be announced later.