Argenta News & Blog - After 13 years, Times is runner-up

After 13 years, Times is runner-up

Written by Eric Francis

Saturday, July 12 2008

I just got in from the Arkansas Press Association Better Newspaper Contest banquet and, for the first time since before I joined the staff of The Times of North Little Rock back in 1996, your local weekly paper did not take home first place for general excellence among the state's large weekly newspapers. That honor went to The Leader of Jacksonville, which had been The Times' biggest competition at the APA contest for years, seeming always to finish second in general excellence. The Times' run of victories therefore ends at 13 years in a row -- not bad, all things considered. A comprehensive list of awards taken home by the paper is listed on the jump.

Among the awards reaped by The Times this year (for stories published during 2007) were: Carol Haynes, second place in feature writing for her story about the 1957 attempt to integrate North Little Rock High School; D.J. Smith, honorable mention in in-depth/series reporting for his coverage of the electric rate hike; Carol Haynes, first place in editorial writing for the editorial on how the newspaper shared the city's shame during the 1957 integration crisis (though the entry was credited to "staff," Carol was the architect of that editorial, with D.J. assisting), along with third place for an editorial on a Freedom of Information Act violation (also attributed to staff, but authored by Yours Truly); Jeff Reed, honorable mention in sports news reporting for his story about the tragic death of a baseball coach hit by a ball at Dickey-Stephens Park; D.J. Smith, third place and honorable mention in general interest columns for, respectively, writing about the grown-ups only tour of animal mating habits at the zoo, and his appeal to young people to hit the road after graduating high school and before college; Jeff Reed, first place in sports columns for his one on the opening of Dickey-Stephens Park; D.J. Smith, honorable mention in headline writing for "Sherlock Bones helps man find lost dog;" Carol Haynes, second place in feature photos for her image of a veteran visiting the new Korean War Memorial in Little Rock; Jeff Reed, honorable mention in sports feature photos for a shot at a Central Arkansas Christian game; first place to staff for best front page (incorporating design, photos and news content); first place in feature page portfolio to designers Caryn Price and Jesse Gonzalez; first place for staff in special issues for the Baseball on Broadway magazine marking the grand opening of Dickey-Stephens Park; third place in coverage of politics for D.J. Smith and Carol Haynes; second place for staff in coverage of business and agriculture; third place for staff in coverage of tourism; third place for staff in community coverage; and second place in freelancer recognition for Deborah Horn's story "Looking into the future."

Comments (9)

Written by Old Roi Polloi, on 12-07-2008 20:06
Congratulations to the award-winning writers and freelancers who worked for The Times in 2007!

They lost....
Written by Big dog daddy, on 13-07-2008 08:58
Because you and DJ are no longer there.

other former Timesians
Written by Eric Francis, on 13-07-2008 18:32
Correct, BDD. Nor is Carol Haynes, or designer Caryn Price, and I don't know how much more freelance work Deborah Horn (an honorary Argenital if ever I knew one) is planning to do for The Times.

They lost......
Written by britbratty, on 14-07-2008 10:05
I agree, also, BDD!

2007
Written by Old Roi Polloi, on 14-07-2008 11:56
It doesn't make sense to say The Times took 2nd place because Eric and DJ departed. Both of them worked at the paper in 2007.

Roi Polloi's right...
Written by Eric Francis, on 14-07-2008 15:10
... DJ and I were both there last year, which is the year for which the awards were presented. Which gives it a little more of a sting to me, not having been able to maintain the run of firsts.

Written by Old Roi Polloi, on 14-07-2008 16:20
Eric, you shouldn't feel stung that The Times lost its 1st place status while you were still there. The paper declined because of changes in corporate leadership and an obvious departure from the values that made the paper great. It was out of your control.

I second that emotion!
Written by britbratty, on 14-07-2008 16:37
Couldn't have said it better, Old Roi Polloi. I agree with the reason you stated for the decline.

OH well
Written by Big dog daddy, on 16-07-2008 21:33
I tried to give you and DJ a compliment. In 2007 it seemed as if you and Dj were doing all the work. I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was you and him that were filling the paper boxes too. You were both overworked, Thats why the times lost hows that? It will never be the same as it was years ago when it was a good paper. I love the Dogtown Wire and now I come here to get more news too, more than I have ever gotten from the time this year. You are both great reporters and deserve credit for bringing it. I too agree with Roi you gave it your best and now your here giving your best. Keep up the good work, and we'll keep up the reading.