The St. Tammany Farmer’s sports section has been recognized as the third-best in the state at the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s annual awards ceremony held on June 23 in Natchitoches. This is a significant achievement for the weekly newspaper, as it was judged in the Open Division, where all newspapers, regardless of staffing levels or circulation, were considered in one category.
The Advocate, the Farmer’s sister newspaper based in Baton Rouge, won first place for Best Sports Section, while the Shreveport Times placed second. Despite facing tough competition from these larger papers, The Farmer managed to make it into the top three.
Sports Editor Joseph Halm of The St. Tammany Farmer received recognition in five different categories and won four awards. Halm finished second in Class II Prep Event for his coverage of Archbishop Hannan volleyball team winning its third state volleyball title in four years. He also placed second in Open Division Breaking News for his article on Pope John Paul II volleyball coach Danny Tullis resigning following the tragic death of his son Christian. Halm earned third-place honors in Open Class Prep-Amateur Photography for his photograph of Northshore baseball’s Reese Jobert sliding into home after a wild pitch. These accolades contributed to Halm finishing third in the Class II Prep Writer of the Year rankings.
The Louisiana Sports Writers Association awards are presented annually during the LSWA convention and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s induction festivities. These awards celebrate outstanding work by the state’s top writers and photographers for the year and are judged by prominent journalists from across the U.S. Those interested can subscribe to The St