Gainesville Sun takes home 4 awards in premier Florida journalism contest

One of Florida's premier journalism contests ended Thursday with the Gainesville Sun once again being recognized for its award-winning coverage across a range of topics.

The annual Florida Society of News Editors journalism contest recognizes work across the Sunshine State's newspaper industry and features some of the best reporters and editors in the business.

The Sun staff, which competes in Division C, earned second place in the community leadership category for its extensive coverage of Terrell Bradley's arrest by the Gainesville Police Department.

The series of articles began when the newspaper learned that a man was in the hospital after losing an eye during a K-9 attack. Upon further investigation, reporters found inconsistencies between the original narrative shared by GPD officers and what actually occurred, including the original reason for the traffic stop. GPD, which took weeks to address the arrest, eventually suspended two officers, reprimanded three others and halted its K-9 unit after public pushback and protests.

More: A Gainesville man lost his eye after a police K-9 attack. Community members demand answers

More: Alachua County Commissioner Mary Alford plans to resign after district residency questioned

The Sun's Andrew Caplan picked up a third-place award in investigative journalism for his dogged coverage of residency claims from Alachua County commissioners. The reporting resulted in one official resigning from office, though gaining her seat back during the next election, as well as two elected leaders being fined for back taxes.

It is the third time this year Caplan has been recognized for his investigative reporting, having secured first place in the investigative category for the South Carolina Press Association awards in March and earning a McClatchy Presidents Award for his 2022 project "Cut Off" back in June.

Business reporter Alan Festo also picked up a third-place award for his extensive coverage of "growth and development" in Alachua County, where he chronicled the latest openings and closings around the region in 2022. His reporting, which readers have grown to love over the years, is one of several categories that set the newspaper apart from its regional competitors.

Gannett photographer Doug Engle's dedication to the profession was also recognized with first place in sports photography. Engle, who splits time between the Ocala and Gainesville newsrooms, earned top honors for The Sun for his coverage of the Florida Gators.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville Sun staff takes home 4 awards at annual FSNE contest