The Dallas Morning News named newsroom of the year in Texas journalism awards

The dallas Morning News received nine first-place awards in the 2023 Texas Managing Editors journalism awards, including being named newsroom of the year.

In total, 18 awards and two honorable mentions went to The News.

The results, recognizing the work of news outlets across the state, were announced over the weekend at the Texas Managing Editors annual conference in Temple.

The News competes in the 3A class, which includes the state’s largest newsrooms.

“Every single reporter, photojournalist, designer, digital, multiplatform and front-line editor, researcher and columnist in our newsroom works incredibly hard and believes wholeheartedly that the journalism we pour ourselves into is vital to our community and its future,” The News’ executive editor Katrice Hardy said. “From our coverage of education and health care, from our coverage of the arts and transportation, from our coverage of our public safety institutions to our state and local governments, we aspire daily to publish journalism that informs our readers about people, programs and policies that impact their lives.

“This honor is truly amazing because it underscores that our work has an impact on our community and across North Texas.”

First-place awards

The News’ staff won Newspaper of the Year in the 3A class, the contest’s highest honor. The last time The News won this award was in 2020.

Rangers beat writer Evan Grant won first place in the Celeste Williams Star sports reporter of the year category. His body of work included covering the Texas Rangers becoming World Series champions for the first time; the Rangers acquiring Max Scherzer from the New York Mets; a profile on MLB player brothers Nathaniel and Josh Lowe and their mother’s brain cancer diagnosis; how ex-Rangers general manager Jon Daniels was faring a year after firing; and Bally Sports’ financial woes.

Alex Lee, of Carrollton, takes a photo at ground level in a field of bluebonnets at Bluebonnet Park on April 10, 2023, in Ennis. This photo was part of the winning portfolio from Smiley Pool.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Smiley Pool won first place for Star photojournalist of the year with photography covering an array of subjects including the Cowboys, Rangers, an in-demand Nick and Sam’s server, the aftermath of the mass shooting at the Allen outlets, bluebonnets and more. Pool finished in a tie for first place with Austin American-Statesman photographer Ricardo B. Brazziell.

Watchdog columnist Dave Lieber won first place for general column writing, recognizing his work covering a senior caught in the middle as TxDOT faced criticism for lack of empathy; a mayor’s actions that led to a council member’s arrest in Godley; and a Watchdog report on syndicates spending millions of dollars on Texas’ lottery to beat out everyone else.

Architecture critic Mark Lamster won first place for comment and criticism, which included stories about Fountain Place, the rocket-shaped tower that stands out in Dallas’ skyline and a Carrollton church that he deemed “the best new building in Texas.”

Cowboys beat writer Michael Gehlken won first place sports feature for his profile on “the untold legend” of Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith’s hands.

Photographer Tom Fox won first place in photojournalism for his work on The News’ Deadly Fake project uncovering fentanyl’s many effects on North Texas.

Texas Rangers fan from 1972, Terry Cox, (center) from Tyler, TX, including other, cheer following Texas Rangers’ winning the World Series in five games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, during a watch party at Globe Life Field on, Nov. 1, 2023, in arlington. Shafkat Anowar won first place in feature photography for this image.(Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer)

Photographer Shafkat Anowar won first place in feature photography for the photo of a Texas Rangers fan’s response to the team’s World Series win at a watch party of Globe Life Field.

Multiplatform editor Sandra Guerra-Cline won first place in headline writing. Her best headlines included: The stars at night are not so bright — Results of study on artificial lighting’s effect stun scientists; History’s resting place — Oakland Cemetery, home to Rusty the dog, lives on despite the odds; Home, home on the stage — Academy of Country Music settles in, might stay awhile; With only words as weapons — At hearing, victims’ loved ones confront Walmart gunman who killed 23; and A cheap car is a nonstarter — There’s only one left under $30,000 for shoppers in the U.S.

Second-place awards

The News staff won a second-place award for Star breaking news report of the year, recognizing its quick and extensive coverage of the mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets. The team produced more than 17 stories in the first 24 hours after the tragedy, accounting for stories from its bureaus in Austin and Washington, D.C., and articles translated into Spanish.

The News’ editorial board won second place for editorial writing for a series of political pieces, including one after Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted in his impeachment trial and another that named the eight Paxton whistleblowers as The Dallas Morning News’ Texans of the Year.

Breaking news reporter Jamie Landers won second place for Star reporter of the year. Her body of work included a narrative on how the Dallas Zoo mystery unraveled, a eulogy for a vulture at the zoo, the reopening of a restaurant at the Allen outlets following a mass shooting and contributions to the newsroom’s Deadly Fake project about how Narcan vending machines could help combat the drug crisis and police investigating fentanyl-related deaths as homicides.

Sports columnist Kevin Sherrington won second place for sports column writing, which recognized his work covering Texas Rangers’ Adolis García seizing the moment for the team in the World Series, a story of bitter beginnings and the birth of the Rangers-Astros rivalry and Colorado’s Deion Sanders’ reaction to his team’s win over TCU.

Assistant news editor Alma Lozoya also won second place for designer of the year for a series of front-page designs.

Third-place awards

The News’ staff won third place for Star online package of the year with its Deadly Fake project that published at least one story on each day in September.

Lauren Caruba, Smiley Pool and Ari Sen won a third-place award in Star investigative report of the year for the series Bleeding Out. The project, which The News completed in partnership with the San Antonio Express-News, was an investigation into why tens of thousands of injured Americans die from preventable bleeding each year.

Pool was also awarded third place for sports photography. Multiplatform editor Erik Schutz won third place for headline writing.

Honorable mention

The News received a staffwide honorable mention for team effort for its coverage of the mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets.

Education Lab reporter Talia Richman was recognized for honorable mention in specialty reporting. Her stories included the story of a Texas student scared of school shootings being punished, a look at Texas’ explosion of uncertified new teachers filling shortages and how Texas plans to make access to advanced math more equitable.

Credits