The Daily Times wins statewide journalism awards for 2023 coverage

The Daily Times brought home one first-place award, one second-place award and six awards total in the 2024 Tennessee State Press Contests ceremony Friday, July 19. The awards, which recognized work published in 2023, were announced as a cooperation between the Tennessee Press Association and the University of Tennessee System.

The newspaper competed for awards against other publications of similar size.

County Government Reporter Mariah Franklin and former City Government Reporter Ashley Yates won first place for their 2023 business coverage.

“Smart, insightful coverage that communicates a lot of information in a concise way,” wrote judges on the pair’s work.

Executive Editor Mike Sisco’s “ Sept. 11 a memory that will live on and on ” took second in the best personal column category.

Features Editor Melanie Tucker’s work was honored twice — once with a fifth-place award for her personal column “ Beauty is in the details ” and again with a fourth-place award for her news reporting. Former Education Reporter Amy Beth Miller took home fourth place for her 2023 education reporting for The Daily Times.

City Government Reporter Mathaus Schwarzen was awarded fifth place for his breaking news coverage of a thwarted bank robbery 1,000 yards from the Maryville Police Department.