Tampa Bay Times wins top honors in Florida journalism

The Tampa Bay Times won 17 awards on Thursday from the Florida Society of News Editors, including one for the most distinguished journalist in the state.

The Times won a coveted gold medal recognizing two separate efforts — the newsroom’s hurricane coverage and an investigative series on the dangers of kratom.

Enterprise reporter Lauren Peace won the Paul Hansell Award for Distinguished Achievement in Florida Journalism for her work in 2023. The award comes with a $1,000 check.

It was the most wins among all newspapers in the state’s large newspaper division, which includes the Miami Herald, the Orlando Sentinel, the South Florida Sun Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post. The Times led the field with eight first-place awards.

Honored separately at the ceremony in Orlando was Times justice reporter Dan Sullivan. The Florida Bar Association announced him as the first place winner of the Parker Thomson Award for outstanding legal reporting, which comes with a $500 prize.

In the state contest, Times journalists achieved the top accolade for breaking news, investigative reporting, features writing, business and columnist categories, in addition to page design, photo story and sports photography.

“I’m so proud of this incredible newsroom. The results underscore that there is no one better at telling stories that impact our audience like the journalists at the Tampa Bay Times,” said editor Mark Katches.

The staff received first place in the breaking news category for its coverage of Hurricane Idalia, which reached Category 4 strength before making landfall near Keaton Beach on Aug. 30. The first place award for investigative reporting also went to Times staff for its series of stories on kratom called “Deadly Dose.” In an unusual move, both stories were named as a single gold medal winner, an honor reserved for the best journalism in each division.

Peace also won first prize in features writing for her story about families that crammed into motels to avoid homelessness. Photographer Douglas R. Clifford earned third place in the photo story category for his intimate visuals of the subjects of the story.

John Romano, whose sports-focused portfolio touched on life and death, the seismic ripple effects of an injury and Bucs retiree Tom Brady, earned first place in the columns category.

In the business category, Rebecca Liebson took first place for her nuanced coverage of Tampa Bay real estate and how the evolving market impacts local residents.

For page design, design director Sean Kristoff-Jones and deputy design director Lisa Merklin earned first and second place respectively, sweeping the category.

Ivy Ceballo’s image of Rays outfielder Jose Siri stealing home captured first place in sports photography. Dirk Shadd was first in the photo story category for illuminating the lives of feral cats near the base of the Sunshine Skyway south fishing pier and the volunteers who care for them.

Times journalists received recognition in other categories, as well.

The staff won second place in community leadership for its Tropicana Field redevelopment coverage. Graham Brink and Jim Verhulst secured second for editorials, weighing in on issues of utmost importance to Florida and the Tampa Bay area.

In the sports category, Matt Baker and Joey Knight took third place for coverage on the USF versus UCF conference realignment war on I-4, and Stephanie Hayes won third in columns for her critical takes on book-banning, dubbed “Florida’s thought police.”

Chris Urso captured stunning images of flooding in St. Pete Beach, winning third place for spot news photography.