Henry Frederick, a former metro newspaper reporter who made the transition to online news reporting back in 2008, is among Sunshine State's most decorated journalists in past four years with 11 overall awards for 25 stories, three blogs & top online news site with use of social media. In the 2015 competition, Frederick won first place in breaking news for three stories that made national headlines. He also won second place in sports feature writing for two features that also made national headlines.
By SERA FREDERICK
Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- One reporter was recognized by the Sunshine State's most competitive journalism organization for excellence in breaking news coverage for three Central Florida deadline stories that made national headlines.
Henry Frederick, publisher of HeadlineSurfer.com received first place in the category of "Breaking News" for three of the biggest and most shocking deadline stories of 2015 in the Daytona-Beach-Orlando metro region:
• The Port Orange father who gunned down his three kids execution-style before blowing his own brains out; headlined: VCSO: Port Orange father guns down his 3 kids then kills himself after wife runs next door; headlined:
• The pregnant South Carolina mom who tried to drown her three children by deliberately driving her SUV into the Daytona Beach surf before she jumped out; headlined: Bail set at $1.2 million for pregnant mom who drove van into Daytona Beach surf with 3 kids inside; headlined: Edgewater cops shoot and kill confrontational man wielding butcher knife after tasering him has no impact.
• Two Edgewater cops who shot and killed a knife-wielding man after tasers had no impact, headlined: Edgewater cops shoot and kill confrontational man wielding butcher knife after tasering him has no impact.
Though all three breaking news stories were heavily covered by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Orlando Sentinel, as well as the Orlando TV broadcast news crews and national media outlets, only the coverage presented by Headline Surfer®, was deemed award-winning.
Frederick also received a second place award from the Florida Press Club in the category of "Sports Feature Writing" for two write-ups:
• NBA great Shaq's acknowledgmentt during his Orlando Magic Hall of Fame induction that he regretted leaving the City Beautiful for the Hollywood glitz and glamour; headlined: Shaq inducted into Magic Hall of Fame; regrets leaving 'City Beautiful' for Hollywood glitz & glamour.
• First-person reflection on the death of ESPN SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott who succumbed to cancer at age 32; headlined: Remembering ESPN anchor Stuart Scott: Personality resonates in story telling.
Overall Award Winners
Awards were handed out during the Florida Press Club's annual banquet on Nov. 7 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
The Palm Beach Post's year-long investigation into 256 police shootings over the last 15 years was the winner of both of Florida Press Club's top awards in its annual Excellence in Journalism Competition.
Judges awarded the Frances DeVore Award for Public Service and the Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting to The Palm Beach Post writers Lawrence Mower, Pat Beall and Joe Capozzi for their police series.
Among the rest of the award-winning entries:
• Writing – Breaking News
Class A1 first place: Mimi Whitefield, Miami Herald; second place: Derek Gilliam and Gary Smits, Times-Union; third place: Eileen Kelley, Times-Union.
Class B first place: Staff, Treasure Coast Newspapers; second place: Staff, Treasure Coast Newspapers; third place: Staff, Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Class C first place: Jessica De Leon, Amaris Castillo, Richard Dymond, Bradenton Herald; second place: Darrell Hofheinz, Palm Beach Daily News; third place: Aleese Kopf, Palm Beach Daily News.
Class D first place: Henry Frederick, HeadlineSurfer.com; second place: Abraham Aboraya and Richard Bilbao, Orlando Business Journal; third place: Kristine Gill and Bill Green, Marco Eagle.
• Business Writing
Class A-B first place: Charles Elmore, The Palm Beach Post; second place: Mimi Whitefield, Miami Herald; third place: George Andreassi, Max Dixon and Arnie Rosenberg, Treasure Coast Newspapers; honorable mention: Josh Salman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Class C first place: Valerie Garman, Panama City News Herald; second place: Marilyn Young, The Financial News and Daily Record; third place: John Henderson and Valerie Garman, Panama City News Herald.
Class D first place: Emon Reiser, South Florida Business Journal; second place: Brian Bandell, South Florida Business Journal; third place: Matthew Richardson, Orlando Business Journal.
• Commentary Writing
Class A first place: Chuck Strouse, Miami New Times; second place: Mark Woods, Times-Union Tia Mitchell, Times-Union
Class B Mark Lane, Daytona Beach News-Journal Eve Samples, Treasure Coast Newspapers Christy Feinberg, Sun Newspapers
Class C Gerald Ensley, Tallahassee Democrat Brian Thompson, St. Augustine Record Marty Clear, Bradenton Herald
Class D Thom Smith, The Coastal Star Tom Swick, Fort Lauderdale Magazine Al Lewis, South Florida Business Journal Honorable Mention: Audrey Blackwell, Venice Gondolier Sun.
• Environmental Writing
Class A first place: Mimi Whitefield, Miami Herald; second place: Trevor Bach and Dianna Wray, New Times Miami.
Class B first place: Dinah Voyles Pulver, Daytona Beach News-Journal; second place: Scott Wyland, Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Class C first place: Tom Palmer, The Ledger.
Class D first place: Willie Howard, The Coastal Star; second place: Anjali Fluker, Orlando Business Journal.
General News Writing:
Class A first place: Larry Hannan, Florida Times-Union; second place: Eileen Kelley, Florida Times-Union; third place: John Pacenti, The Palm Beach Post.
Class B first place: Josh Salman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune; second place: Katie Sartoris, The Villages Daily Sun; third place: Drexler James, The Villages Daily Sun.
Class C first place: Brandon D. Oliver, Palatka Daily News; second place: Marilyn Young, The Financial News and Daily Record; third place: Gary White, The Ledger; honorable mention: Kate Irby, Bradenton Herald.
Class D first place: Aisling Swift and Bill Green, Marco Eagle; second place: Steve Bauer, Sun Coast Media; third place: Dan Moffett, The Coastal Star.
• Government News Writing:
Class A first place: Clifford Davis, Times-Union; second place: Joe Capozzi, The Palm Beach Post; third place: Eliot Kleinberg, The Palm Beach Post.
Class B first place: Chris Graham and Skyler Swisher, Daytona Beach News-Journal; second place: Tony Holt, the Daytona Beach News-Journal; third place: Katie Sartoris, The Villages Daily Sun.
Class C first place: Valerie Garman, Panama City News Herald; second place: David Chapman and Marilyn Young; The Financial News and Daily Record; third place: John Henderson, Panama City News Herald.
Class D first place: Abraham Aboraya, Orlando Business Journal; second place: Dan Moffett, The Coastal Star; third place: Steve Bauer, Sun Coast Media.
• Headline Writing
Class A-B first place: Chet Fussman, Times-Union; second place: Steve Nelson, Times-Union.
Class C-D first place: Susan E. Hoffman, Sun Coast Media; second place: Bill Green, Marco Eagle; third place: Chris George, The Ledger.
• Health Writing
Class A-B first place: Eddy Duryea, The Villages Daily Sun; second place: Skyler Swisher, Daytona Beach News-Journal; third place: Charles Elmore, The Palm Beach Post.
Class C-D first place: Jason Parsley, South Florida Gay News; second place: Abraham Aboraya, Orlando Business Journal; third place: James Combs, Akers Media Group
• Light Feature Writing
Class A first place: Kyle Swenson, New Times Broward; second place: Steve Nelson, Florida Times-Union; third place: Matt Soergel, Times-Union.
Class B first place: Mark Lane, Daytona Beach News-Journal, second place: Christy Feinberg, Sun Newspapers; third place: Chris Gerbasi, The Villages Daily News.
Class C first place: M.M. Cloutier, Palm Beach Daily News; second place: Trisha Murphy, Palatka Daily News; third place: Asia Aikins, Palatka Daily News.
Class D first place: Megan Ribbens, Orlando Business Journal; second place: Mary Thurwachter, The Coastal Star; third place: Lance Shearer and Bill Green, Marco Eagle.
• Minority Reporting
Class A first place: Matt Soergel, Times-Union, second place: Andrew Pantazi, Florida Times-Union; third place: Mimi Whitefield, Miami Herald.
Class B-C first place: Amaris Castillo and Richard Dymond, Bradenton Herald Julie Kay, Daily Business Review Claire Aronson, Bradenton Herald
Class D first place: Jason Parsley, South Florida Gay News Ron Hayes, The Coastal Star Susan E. Hoffman, Sun Coast Media
• Opinion Writing
Class A-D first place: Bill Thompson, The Ledger; second place: Staff, Treasure Coast Newspapers; third place: Susan E. Hoffman, Sun Coast Media.
• Public Safety Reporting
Class A first place: Eileen Kelley, Times-Union Andrew Pantazi, Times-Union Michael E. Miller, New Times Miami
Class B first place: Tony Holt, Daytona Beach News-Journal Katie Sartoris, The Villages Daily Sun Melissa E. Holsman, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Class C first place: Cindy Swirko, Gainesville Sun Michele Dargan, Palm Beach Daily News Aleese Kopf, Palm Beach Daily News
Class D first place: Susan E. Hoffman, Sun Coast Media Dan Moffett, The Coastal Star Rich Pollack, The Coastal Star Writing – Religion Writing Class A-D Andrew Pantazi, Times Union Ann Claire Shilton and Bill Green, Marco Eagle Pat Steele, The Villages Daily Sun
• Serious Feature Writing
Class A first place: Trevor Bach, Miami New Times; second place: Eileen Kelley, F.orida Times-Union; third place: Eliot Kleinberg, The Palm Beach Post.
Class B first place: Josh Salman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune; second place: Eddy Duryea, The Villages Daily Sun; third place: Brittany Van Heyningen, The Villages Daily Sun.
Class C first place: M.M. Cloutier, Palm Beach Daily News; second place: Mark Young, Bradenton Herald; third place: Carole Hawkins, The Financial News and Daily Record.
Class D first place: MaryAnn DeSantis, Lake & Sumter Style Magazine; second place: Abraham Aboraya, Orlando Business Journal; third place: Patrick Riley and Elysa Delcorto, The Banner.
• Sports Column
Class A-D first place, Mark Blumenthal, Palatka Daily News; second place: Mark Lane, Daytona Beach News-Journal; third place: Gene Frenette, Florida Times-Union; honorable mention, Mark Blumenthal, Palatka Daily News.
• Sports Feature Writing
Class A first place: Vito Stellino, Florida Times-Union; second place: Don Coble, Florida Times-Union; third place: Justin Barney, Florida Times-Union.
Class B first place: Matt Cote, The Villages Daily Sun; second place: Keith Pearlman, The Villages Daily Sun; third place: Steve Trivett, The Villages Daily Sun.
Class C first place: Roy Fuoco, The Ledger; second place: Dustin Kent, Panama City News Herald; third place: Alan Dell, Bradenton Herald.
Class D first place: Richard Bilbao, Orlando Business Journal; second place: Henry Frederick, HeadlineSurfer.com; third place: Steve Bauer, Sun Coast.
• Sports Writing
Class A first place: Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union; second place: Gary Smits, Times-Union; third place: Don Coble, Times-Union.
Class B-D first place: Dustin Kent, Panama City News Herald; second place: Steve Trivett, The Villages Daily Sun; third place: Mark Blumenthal, Palatka Daily News.
• Travel and Tourism Writing
Class A-B first place: Michael Salerno, The Villages Daily Sun; second place: Mimi Whitefield, Miami Herald.
Class C-D first place: Richard Bilbao, Orlando Business Journal; second place: MaryAnn DeSantis, Lake & Sumter Style Magazine.
