The Polk County Enterprise was one of several Polk County Publishing Company-owned newspapers that received recognition in the 2025 Better Newspaper Contest at the 87th annual Texas Gulf Coast Press Association Convention held April 10-12 in New Braunfels.
The Polk County Enterprise earned first place honors for special section, serious columns, feature photos, feature writing and community service.
The special section that garnered first place was the 2024-2025 Polk County Welcome Guide, a full-color 114-page magazine.
First place honors in the serious columns category were for two editorials written by Managing Editor Emily Banks Wooten. One, in the Aug. 11, 2024 issue, was called “Gen Z has a lot to teach us … if we’ll just shut up and listen,” and the other, in the Sept. 29, 2024 issue, was called “Don’t even think about telling me what my kid can’t read.”
The first place entry in the feature photos category was for two photos – one taken by Wooten and the other taken by Brian Besch. Wooten’s photo, “Riderless horse,” was of Lilli DeFord leading a riderless horse during a special tribute in memory of her late grandfather, James Bergman, during the 63rd annual Polk County Youth Rodeo. Besch’s photo, “Panda,” was of the mascot from Panda Express Chinese Kitchen high-fiving students at the Boys & Girls Club of Polk County during grand opening festivities for the Center of Hope at the club’s facility.
First place honors in the feature writing category were for two stories – one by Wooten and the other by Besch. Wooten’s story, “Two million fry released into Lake Livingston” appeared in the April 14, 2024 issue and Besch’s story, “Meet the dog walking LISD hallways” appeared in the Sept. 12, 2024 issue.
The first-place award for community service – the Farris Block Memorial Community Service Award – was for the newspaper’s coverage of the implementation of the Texas State University System Polk County Center and its role in helping to provide education, as well as skills, trades and a competitive work force in a rural community with a large lower socioeconomic demographic. Wooten compiled the coverage which included articles, photos and explanations.
The Polk County Enterprise received second place honors for display advertising, humorous columns, editorial writing, general excellence, news photos, news writing, headline writing, sports photos and sports coverage.
The second-place award for display advertising was for three advertisements designed and built by Graphic Design Editor Amy Holzworth. One was an advertisement for TSUS Polk County Center that ran in the Feb. 11, 2024 issue. Another was an advertisement for Pedigo Furniture that ran in the May 9, 2024 issue. The final one was an advertisement for Best of Polk County that ran in the July 21, 2024 issue.
The two entries entered in the humorous columns category were “Though called ‘fantasy,’ the highs and lows couldn’t be more real” in the Aug. 25, 2024 issue and “Growing old isn’t for the weak … and it sure isn’t for sissies” in the Sept. 22, 2024 issue, both written by Wooten.
The two entries entered in the editorial writing category were “Newspaper readers are good eggs” in the Sept. 8, 2024 issue and “Write the check, buy the barbecue sandwich, catfish plate, bowl of chili or raffle ticket” in the Oct. 6, 2024 issue, both written by Wooten.
Wooten took the news photos that garnered second place. One, “Lunch interrupted” was a photo of a tire that burst through the window of Alma’s Courthouse Whistlestop Cafe during lunch service that ran in the Feb. 15, 2024 issue. The other, “Voter turnout,” was a photo of the long line of people waiting to vote at the Polk County Judicial Center on the first day of early voting that ran in the Oct. 24, 2024 issue.
The second-place award for news writing was for two stories, one written by Wooten – “Heavy rainfall, flooding inundates Polk County” that ran in the Jan. 28, 2024 issue and one written by Wooten and Besch, “LISD has robust parent notification process” that ran in the March 3, 2024 issue.
Entries in the sports coverage and sports photos categories were created by Besch.
Other newspapers owned by Polk County Publishing Company (PCPC) that placed in the contest were the Tyler County Booster, the San Jacinto News-Times and the Trinity County News-Standard.
The Tyler County Booster won first place for display advertising, first place for sports photos, second place for serious columns and honorable mention for humorous columns and feature photos.
The San Jacinto News-Times won third place for feature photos and news writing and honorable mention for humorous columns, general excellence and headline writing.
The Trinity County News-Standard won first place for serious columns and news photos, second place for special section and honorable mention for humorous columns and news writing.
Additionally, in other convention-related activity, PCPC Regional Sales & Marketing Director Ashley Keenan was nominated to serve as second vice president on the board of the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association, setting her on the path to the presidency. During this time she will serve as the contest chairman the first year, then convention chairman the second year, and finally as president. She has served as a board member for four years and was over sponsorships one year.
