Florida Weekly writers, ad designers win top honors

Florida Weekly took home 17 awards recently in Florida newspaper contests recognizing the best writing and advertising design in the state.

In the Florida Press Association's 2008 -

2009 Display Advertising Contest, Florida

Weekly won nine awards. Judges singled out the Fort Myers-based newspaper for Best Ad Series (second place), Entertainment and Dining ad (first and second place), Creative Use of a Newspaper (first and second place), Professional Service ads (two first place awards), Automotive ad (first place) and Small Retail ad (first place).

In the recent Florida Press Club 2009

Excellence in Journalism Contest, Florida

Weekly won for health writing, environmental reporting, front page design, feature page design, feature photo essay, serious feature writing, light feature writing and special sections.

"Our designers are the best in their field. They work closely with our account executives and the advertisers themselves to create the message that brings in customers," said Florida Weekly Creative Director Jim Dickerson. "Receiving top honors from the Florida Press Association is testament to their talent."

Executive Editor Jeffrey Cull echoed those sentiments.

"Awards are not what we strive for at

Florida Weekly. We're interested in giving our readers and advertisers the best printed product in Florida," he said. "But it's nice when your peers single you out for these accolades."

Florida Weekly publishes weekly newspapers in Greater Fort Myers, Greater Naples and Punta Gorda/Charlotte County with a combined circulation of 50,000.

Other local winners of the Florida Press Club 2009 Excellence in Journalism Contest included the Marco Island Eagle with four awards. There were no other local winners in Florida Press Association's 2008 - 2009 Display Advertising Contest.

Florida Press Club 2009 Excellence in Journalism Contest

Health writing - Second place:

Roger Williams, Florida Weekly

Environmental reporting - Second

place: Roger Williams, Florida Weekly

Light feature writing - Third place:

Nancy Stetson, Florida Weekly

Serious feature writing - Third

place: Bill Cornwell, Florida Weekly

Front page design - First place: Eric

Raddatz, Florida Weekly

Feature page design - Second place:

Eric Raddatz, Florida Weekly

Feature photo essay - Second place:

Staff, Florida Weekly

Special sections - Third place: Staff,

Florida Weekly: '09 Hurricane Guide; Power Women

Florida Press Association's 2008 - 2009 Display Advertising Contest

Small retailer - First place: Florida

Weekly, Kim Boone, Rare Find…

Automotive - First place: Florida

Weekly, Amanda Hartman, Sam Galloway, Sam Galloway Ford Goes Green Professional services (not medical) - First place: Florida Weekly, Center for Great Apes

Professional services (medical) - First place: Florida Weekly, Engle

Creative use of newspaper - First

place: Florida Weekly, Florida Weekly

Testimonial, and second place: Florida

Weekly, Are You In The Know, In The Now?

Entertainment and dining - First place - Florida Weekly, Vapiano, and second place: Florida Weekly, Bistro 41

Best ad series - Second place: Florida

Weekly, Michelle DeNomme