Late Democrat staffer scoops 5 writing wins

In his opening remarks at the 2006 Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors awards, AP Nashville Chief of Bureau Adams Yeomans remembered Franklin, a reporter for The Democrat for 19 years who died in March. He noted the three Malcom Law Investigative awards Franklin won during his time at the paper.
Of the three second-place TAMPE awards handed to The Democrat staff, Franklin and former Democrat reporter Cori Galeano won second place for their story about sewer problems on Neal Street caused by heavy rains.
In the University of Tennessee/Tennessee Press Association newspaper contest, Franklin garnered first place for best news reporting for an article about a Hispanic mother ordered to learn English to regain custody of her child by Judge Barry Tatum.
He was also honored with a second-place UT/TPA award for best personal column for his musings about the changes in technology during his life. A fifth-place win for Franklin came in the best personal humor column, which focused on Sen. John Ford's political and personal troubles. He also captured sixth place for local feature coverage of holiday activities with Chief Photographer Bill Cook.
Other Democrat staffers captured eight wins from the TAMPE, UT/TPA and Tennessee Sports Writers Association newspaper contests for various articles, editorials, columns and photography from 2005.
The daily newspaper brought home three TAPME awards – all second places – and nine UT/TPA awards, which included two first, two second, one third, two fifth, and two sixth places. Awards were presented at a luncheon at Sheraton Music City in Nashville.
In the TAPME awards, The Democrat competes in Division III, which includes dailies with circulation of 10,000 or less. In the TPA awards, the Monday-Saturday newspaper competes in Group III which is for dailies with circulation of 30,000 or less.
The Democrat's three second-place TAPME awards were for daily deadline reporting, business news and feature photography.
Following Franklin and Galeano's win in daily deadline, former reporter and current Cumberland University Public Relations Director Brian Harville won for a collection of business articles. Photographer Dallus Whitfield's feature photography award was for a picture of a small girl and a goat taken at the 2005 Wilson County Fair.
In the TPA awards – presented after the TAPME luncheon – Franklin and former managing editor Clint Brewer collected the two first-place wins.
Franklin's article took first place for best news reporting, while Brewer was honored with one of the eight UT Edward J. Meeman Foundation awards in the best single editorial category. Brewer's editorial was titled "What about Indie Clark?" which dealt with the shooting of a Lebanon High School student in a local housing project. The Foundation awards $100 to each newspaper for its accomplishments in editorial writing and public service journalism.
Second-place honors in the public service category were awarded to Harville and former reporter Jared Allen for a series of articles about school construction in Wilson County titled "Books & Mortar."
Third place in the editorials category was awarded to The Democrat for various editorials written in February 2005.
Whitfield won fifth place for best sports photograph for a picture taken during Mt. Juliet High School girls' state championship basketball tournament.
The Democrat took sixth place in best education reporting for articles compiled throughout the year by Mt. Juliet News Managing Editor Laurie Everett, Night News Editor J.K. Devine and staff writers Allen, Franklin, Galeano, and Harville.
The Democrat wasn't the only newspaper within the Lebanon Publishing Company to walk away with awards. The Democrat's two weekly sister newspapers – Mt. Juliet News and Hartsville Vidette – won awards. Both papers compete in Group 1 for weekly papers with a circulation of 5,139 or less.
The Mt. Juliet News won six awards, including first place for public service; second place for best education reporting, local features, and makeup and appearance; fourth place for best single feature; and fifth for best single editorial. Laurie Everett is managing editor of the News, and The Democrat's feature editor Sherry Phillips designs and layouts the newspaper.
The Vidette, edited by Rebecca Strasbaugh took fourth place in makeup and appearance.
At a separate awards program Friday in Mt. Juliet at the Quality Inn hotel, Democrat Sports Editor Andy Reed won second place for Best Headline Writer in Division II, which is for daily newspapers with a circulation of 20,000 or less.