Tampa Bay Beacons writers, photographers and designers won 22 awards, including 11 first-place plaques, in the Florida Press Association Weekly Newspaper Contest.<\/p>\n
The awards were announced June 5 during the 2025 Florida Media Conference in Lake Buena Vista.<\/p>\n
The Beacons, which now includes 17 publications in five counties around Tampa Bay, was included in Divisions A and B, which are reserved for the largest groups in the contest.<\/p>\n
The 11 first-place awards is a new high for the organization. Among them were some of the event\u2019s most prestigious awards, including General Excellence, which honors a publication\u2019s overall quality. <\/p>\n
\u201cWinning 22 awards, including General Excellence, is a testament to the talent and dedication of our entire team,\u201d said Jay Rey, publisher and president of the Tampa Bay Beacons. \u201cBut more than the hardware, it reflects our commitment to serving the communities across Tampa Bay with the kind of local journalism they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other highlights this year were awards for Portfolio Photography, best overall column, and numerous honors for news, features and sports categories.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese awards reflect not just one snippet of time, but an entire year of high-quality work by our staff and contributing writers and photographers,\u201d said Chris George, executive editor of the Beacons. \u201cEach one brings a passion to their job, but also to the community they cover, and these awards show that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following is a list of our winners.<\/p>\n
First place<\/p>\n
\u2022 General Excellence: Staff, for overall quality of the Belleair & Largo Bee.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Portfolio Photography (Robert J. Ellison Memorial Award): Mike Camunas for a collection of photos for the Wesley Chapel Beacon.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Serious Column (Sally Latham Memorial Award): Chris Core for his column about a couple who were married for 81 years. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Sports Column: John C. Cotey for his column about a Wesley Chapel pitcher\u2019s perfect game.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sports Spot News Story: Bob Putnam for his coverage of the Pasco-Hernando State College baseball team\u2019s national championship. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Sports Feature Story: John C. Cotey for his story about a hockey program that raises awareness for suicide among veterans. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Sports Photo: Mike Camunas for his photo from the Land O\u2019 Lakes flag football team\u2019s upset victory of the top-ranked team in the country.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Best Obituary: John C. Cotey for his story about Ralph Lupton Jr.<\/a> <\/p>\n