The American Press won 11 news awards — including six first-place honors — during Thursday’s Louisiana Press Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Competition in Baton Rouge.

The South Dakota Press Association judged the 29 LPA member publications that entered the contest. The American Press competes in Division I against The Advocate in Baton Rouge and The Times-Picayune in New Orleans.

The American Press received first place in the general excellence category for its coverage of an EF-2 tornado that pounded Lake Charles on April 10, 2024.

Executive Editor Crystal Stevenson and sports writer Rodrick Anderson won first place for best overall website. The pair also placed second in front page design — Rodrick for a McNeese State University-themed front page announcing the first home football game of the season and Stevenson for her picture page of the Capital One Tower’s implosion.

“Great-looking pages,” the judges wrote. “Two different design approaches, and they are done very well.”

Rodrick also placed first in the best sports photo category with an image of the Lutcher Bulldogs celebrating after Marshall Louque’s three-run first-inning home run in the Division II semifinals of the LHSAA state baseball tournament.

“Love the variety of the action involved in these photos,” the judges wrote in naming Rodrick the category’s top winner. “The celebration image has great emotion and draws in the reader.”

Rodrick also shared second-place honors with staff writer Doris Maricle in the photo package category — Rodrick for his collection of high school rodeo photos as well as continuing shots of the Capitol One tower as it crumbled to the ground and Maricle for photos of the Jeff Davis Special Olympics.

Maricle also placed third in the news photo category for an image of a funeral procession at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery.

Columnist Jim Beam won first in best single editorial for his piece attacking efforts by state Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, that would allow governments to withhold records on how they make decisions. The bill, though it ultimately failed, was supported by Gov. Jeff Landry who said residents aren’t worried about the details and only want elected officials to solve their problems.

“Nice job of explaining shameful efforts by Louisiana legislators to dodge public accountability and enable government secrecy,” the judges wrote.

Beam also placed third in the regular column category for a piece on a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments be placed in every classroom in the state, including grades K-12 and at university and college levels.

Recently retired graphic artist Donna Price was awarded the Gary Hebert Award for best layout and design for a trio of cover designs featuring brown pelicans putting on a show for area spectators, a celebration of taco night at the family table, and mental health awareness.

“Pages are clean and easy to read,” the judges wrote. “Love the Mental Health layout and use of color — well done! I do love when photos are allowed to go beyond their border on a page. Overall, all pages are well done and attractive.”

Staff writer Emily Burleigh won first place for best web project for her Teacher of the Week-themed special section and coordinating online voting efforts for the American Press Teacher of the Year honors.

Page designer Nick Walsh received third-place honors in the headline category for “Shu-perman,” which accompanied a piece on McNeese State basketball standout Christian Shumate and his attention-grabbing dunks.

“Short and sweet,” the judges wrote.