The Gazette earns multiple awards

By: ELIZABETH WEST
Managing Editor

The Ville Platte Gazette was recently recognized for its news coverage in the areas of agriculture and sports.
At the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation‘s Organizational Awards Program on Friday, Ville Platte Gazette Managing Editor Elizabeth West accepted the Farm Bureau Weekly Newspaper of the Year Award for 2017 on behalf of The Gazette.
“I am so proud of our editorial staff and their accomplishments,” said Gazette Publisher David Ortego. “It’s not a job for them. They have the community and the quality of the product they produce as their top priority.”
West was presented the award by Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau President Scotty Fontenot at the awards program that was held during Farm Bureau’s 2017 Annual Convention in New Orleans.
Following the awards ceremony West said, “I consider it a blessing to have been able to accept Farm Bureau’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year award on behalf of the The Gazette. Agriculture is so important to our parish, state and country, and to earn this awards proves that we have done our part when it comes to keeping our readers informed about this way of life. It makes me very proud of our product and staff.
“Now I am ready to get out there and do more agriculture stories so we can try to win Newspaper of the Year again next year.”
The Gazette was selected for this award after being nominated by the Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau, and then chosen by Farm Bureau’s public relations department for being the weekly newspaper with the best coverage of agricultural news and activities.
In the area of sports, former Ville Platte Gazette Managing Editor Raymond Partsch III took home multiple awards at the Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association awards luncheon last weekend.
Partsch’s awards included the prestigious LSWA Sports Writer of the Year award, first place honors in Pro Column, Class II Prep Writer of the Year for the second year in a row, first place honors in College Events, second place honors in Pro Feature and Outdoors, and third place honors in Spot News (Open Category).
With his Sports Writer of Year award, Partsch has become the first person in the 15-year history of the award to earn that honor from a weekly or twice weekly newspaper.
“I am extremely humbled by receiving this award,” Partsch said. “I am even more proud that I earned this while working for The Ville Platte Gazette. To be the first person from a weekly or twice-weekly newspaper to be honored with this award is something that I will never forget.”
In the Newspaper Sweepstakes awards The Gazette placed first out of nine newspapers in Class II, three points ahead the Monroe News-Star who came in second place.
Ortego said, “While working for The Gazette, Raymond always took his job seriously and made an effort to provide the best content for our readers. I am very proud of the honors he has helped us earn with his sports stories.”