The Telegraph's local news coverage earns 10 Georgia Press Association awards
The Telegraph's 2017 investigative reporting, breaking news coverage, feature writing, storytelling and photography earned 10 Georgia Press Association awards.
Veteran journalist Joe Kovac Jr. was praised for his "fascinating read with great storytelling" in his tale of a midnight ride back to Georgia with a pair of escaped inmates accused of killing two Georgia Department of Corrections officers.
That exclusive coverage coupled with Kovac's story of a mother coping with two sons being murdered and Gregg Allman's obituary earned him first place in feature writing among the state's leading newspapers.
The comprehensive Allman obituary penned on deadline was also recognized in Kovac's second place for breaking news coverage, which also included reporting of a teen shooting victim who fought for the release of the friend who pulled the trigger and another courtroom drama about the conviction of a local pastor in the murder of his girlfriend.
Kovac and former Telegraph cops and courts reporter Amy Leigh Womack also won first place in enterprise reporting in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of two Peach County sheriff's deputies.
The judges praised their extensive research in reporting a "compelling story that pulled the reader through to the last paragraph" while detailing a Byron man's confession to his law enforcement son that he had "killed two cops."
Womack also took top honors in the state for investigating reporting in her expose of abuse allegations within the Wilkinson County high school basketball program.
The Telegraph won first place for best online news project for its 2017 homicide timeline compiled by reporter Laura Corley.
The Telegraph's photojournalists captured five awards including two first place honors for news categories and three awards for sports coverage.
Photojournalist Jason Vorhees won best spot news photograph for the SWAT team capture of a man who held officers at bay and caused local schools to lock down.
Vorhees also was honored with second place in sports photography for his "great timing for the action" as a Warner Robins High School football player causes a quarterback to drop the ball during a playoff game last November.
He also took third place for sports feature with a shot of a Taylor County basketball player's attempt of a 360 dunk during the Middle Georgia All-Star Basketball Classic in March 2017.
Former Telegraph photo editor Woody Marshall's "great use of compositional focus" caught the eye of judges who awarded him first place news photograph for his picture of a grieving Macon family during the return of the remains of a soldier who was shot to death.
Photojournalist Beau Cabell won third place in photo essay for his pictures of a young boxer in his first bout.
The awards were announced at the Georgia Press Association's 132nd annual convention at Jekyll Island Friday.
This story was originally published June 11, 2018 at 11:21 AM with the headline "The Telegraph's local news coverage earns 10 Georgia Press Association awards."