The Clarendon Enterprise was recognized with the General Excellence Award and the Community Service Award at the 106th annual Panhandle Press Association Convention held here last week.
Winners of the PPA’s Better Newspaper Contest were announced Saturday at the Bairfield Activity Center, and the Enterprise received four first place plaques in the categories of Sports Photography, Editorial Writing, Feature Writing, and Advertising Initiative.
The paper got second place honors for Best Society & Lifestyles featuring Bob Watson, Peggy Cockerham, Kathy Spier, and Ben Estlack; Special Sections; Humorous Columns by Roger Estlack; and News Photos by Roger and Ella Estlack. The Enterprise received second place for Best Website, News Writing, and Front Page Layout.
Clarendon was third in Human Interest Photos and Serious Columns by Roger Estlack, and the “Cub Reporter,” Ben Estlack earned Honorable Mentions for columns in the Serious and Humorous categories.
Clarendon also took home the Community Service Award for its coverage of the water recreation project, and the Cub Reporter was specifically mentioned by judges for his columns on the subject.
Last week’s convention began Thursday, April 14, with a welcome dinner held at the Saints’ Roost Museum and catered by the Honey-Do Spoiler Chuckwagon team from Pampa. Rev. Black Flowers of Clarendon performed live music, and Jo Shaller, also of Clarendon, recited cowboy poetry. The Museum, which is the permanent home of the PPA Hall of Fame, was open for tours for members of the press.
Featured speakers at the convention on Friday were Kevin Slimp and J. Pat Hickman. Group classes were conducted all day Friday by Slimp, a respected industry trainer and speaker, who held sessions on Customer Service, Page & Ad Design, and Photoshop tips.
Hickman keynoted Friday night’s banquet, catered by the Bar H Dude Ranch. He is the president of Happy State Bank, one of the fastest growing banks in America and a longtime PPA Sponsor. He talked about the bank’s mission statement and the keys to success.
Dr. Randy Reddick of the Texas Tech College of Media & Communication and Ashlyn Tubbs, former Clarendon Enterprise reporter and current reporter for KCBD-TV in Lubbock, facilitated a discussion Saturday on ways to use social media to connect with readers.
Saturday’s awards luncheon was catered by Great Western Dining, and the Best Western Red River Inn was the convention’s host hotel.
PPA members throughout the convention were extremely complimentary of Clarendon and especially of the amenities at Clarendon College and the Saints’ Roost Museum.
The PPA was led this year by Clarendon’s Ashlee Estlack. She will continue on the board as Immediate Past President with the following officers for 2016-2017: Larry Thornton of Muleshoe, President; Joni Yara of Booker, Vice President; and Roger Estlack of Clarendon, Secretary/Treasurer, along with directors Tara Huff of Fritch, Robin Brooks of Dumas, Ginger Wilson of Childress, Robert Arrowsmith of Hereford, and Rob Langrell of Clovis.
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