The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

The Laker/Lutz News hauls in 12 statewide awards

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The Laker/Lutz News recently received 12 statewide honors, including five first-place awards during the Florida Press Association’s 2023 Weekly Newspaper competition.

Mike Camunas, staff writer and photographer for the newspaper, received 10 of those awards, including four first-place honors.

This photograph, shot by Mike Camunas for The Laker/Lutz News, was deemed the top feature photo in the Florida Press Association’s 2023 Weekly Newspaper contest. The awards were for work published in 2022. (File)

B.C. Manion, editor of the newspaper, won first place in one category and third place, in another.

The stories and photographs receiving honors covered a broad range of topics.

They were singled out for recognition from more than 1,500 entries submitted by 57 weekly newspapers across Florida. The Laker/Lutz News competes in the largest circulation division in the contest.

Judges for the competition included experienced editors and publishers from California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.

Here are the contest results for work published in The Laker/Lutz News during 2022.

First place:
Education News: “Zephyrhills High ushers in a brand new look”: Mike Camunas
Faith & Family Reporting: “A smokin’ roadside attraction”: Mike Camunas
Agricultural & Environmental Reporting: “Banded together, for the birds” and “A glowing good time”: Mike Camunas
Feature Photo: “Senior prom”: Mike Camunas
Sports Feature Story: “Champions in cheerleading, and in life”: B.C. Manion

Second place
Portfolio Photography (Robert J. Ellison Memorial Award) : Mike Camunas
Education Feature: “Students soar, in this Sunlake program”: Mike Camunas
Faith & Family Reporting: “First family moves into new village”: Mike Camunas

Third Place
Hurricane Feature Story: “Pitching in to help victims of Hurricane Ian”: Mike Camunas
Sports Photo: Mike Camunas
Sports Page or Section: Mike Camunas
Community History: “Women Trailblazers: They helped carve a path for others”: B.C. Manion

Published August 02, 2023

These girls were part of the South Pasco Predators Pee Wee cheer team, who were the subject of a story by B.C. Manion that was selected as the best sports feature story in the Florida Press Association’s 2023 Weekly Newspaper Contest awards. Shown here are, front base: Lily Kate Paban, Emily Kunze, Payton Lawler, Akilah Polanco, Leah Garner, Ella Cole, Kailynn Fuqua and Isabella Wilson; flyers: Sarah Nubel, Brielle Jordan, Lilianna Haywood, Cora Parks and Kaitlyn Edwards.
Learning Gate Community School first-graders Norianna Marquez, left, and Ava DiPallo closely examine an indigo bunting that environmental resource teacher Jim McGinity just banded and soon will release. Mike Camunas, the writer and photographer on this story, received first place in agricultural and environmental writing in the Florida Press Association’s 2023 Weekly Newspaper Contest.
Zephyrhills High underwent a two-year, $33-million renovation, which included redesigning the common area to make it more spacious and to provide a prominent location for the school’s massive trophy case. Mike Camunas, the writer and photographer for this story, received a first place award in the education news category of the Florida Press Association’s 2023 Weekly Newspaper Contest.