Delaware Press Association announces eleven awards for Wilmington City Council Members, Council Staff, and WITN-22 Staff
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Wilmington City Council Members, Council Staff, and WITN-22 Staff win Top Honors from Delaware Press Association
Delaware Press Association announces eleven awards for Wilmington City Council Members, Council Staff, and WITN-22 Staff.
Delaware Press Association (DPA) recently announced that several staff members of Wilmington City Council and WITN-22, the City’s government television station, and several Council Members topped the list of recipients with eleven awards for its “2022 Professional Communications Contest.”
For the first time in history, Wilmington City Council won second-place honors for Best Website by DPA in the 2022 Professional Communications Contest. City Council’s website, www.wilmingtoncitycouncil.com, is managed by Yesenia Taveras, Director of Communications for Wilmington City Council, with collaboration on legislation items and calendar events from City Clerk Maribel Seijo and Legislative Administrative Assistant/Deputy City Clerk Akira Grenardo.
Site improvements in the last nine months have included a newsletter subscription popup, updated biographies and press kits for each council member, an updated FOIA information request web page, the creation of three new web pages (Council Vacancy, Redistricting, and Community Organizations), a new Pending Legislation search bar, an upgraded Legislation Archive search bar, enhanced newsletters, and a new Instagram account. The implemented changes provide streamlined navigation and easy access to information.
“We are delighted that Wilmington City Council’s website has been recognized for the first time by DPA,” said Taveras. “Tremendous work has been done to make sure City Council’s website is accessible to as many people as possible. This year alone, the Council’s website has received more than 28,000 views. It’s a joy to use and is a credit to everyone involved. It looks great, is easy to navigate, and is a vast improvement.”
Under the current leadership of WITN-22 Station Manager, Wendell L. Raulston, Jr., Producer Amanda Robins and Digital Media and Web Content Coordinator Saquan Stimpson won first-place honors for the 2022 Best On-the-scene Report award for their 22News story “MAXIMA 104.1 FM Festival Hispano 2021.” The program has advanced to the National Federation of Press Women National Communications Contest and the results will be announced on June 25, 2022. Robins and Stimpson also received second-place honors for their 22News story “Stop the Violence Rally.”
“I am proud of the job this WITN staff has been doing during these challenging times, and for that work to be recognized by DPA speaks to the effort Amanda and Saquan have been putting forth, and I can’t ask for more,” said Raulston, Jr. “Congratulations to them on their first and second-place awards, and we will see how the first-place piece does nationally.”
Yesenia Taveras was also the former Station Manager of WITN-22. Under her leadership, the following programs earned top awards from DPA:
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2nd Place: Television, Special Programming: “2 Minute Drill: 5th District Council Member Bregetta Fields, “Our West Side, Our Roots” mural,” which includes Taveras, WITN-22 Freelancer Robert Kaehler, and 5th District Council Member Bregetta Fields.
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3rd Place: Television, Special Programming: “2 Minute Drill: 7th District Council Member Chris Johnson, City of Wilmington’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget hearings,” which includes Taveras and 7th District Council Member Chris Johnson.
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3rd Place: Television On-the-scene Report: “22News: Free Food and Clothing Giveaway,” which includes Taveras for her solo news package.
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Honorable Mention: Television, Special Programming: “2 Minute Drill: 5th District Council Member Bregetta Fields, Council Supports Roberto Clemente Baseball League,” which includes Taveras and 5th District Council Member Bregetta Fields.
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Honorable Mention: Television, On-the-scene Report: “22News: The Freedom Center,” which includes Taveras for her solo news package.
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Honorable Mention: Television, Advertising Video: “Covid-19 FEMA Funeral Assistance Program,” which includes Taveras and New Castle County Register of Wills Ciro Poppiti III.
“The pandemic required us to work very differently and creatively,” said 5th District Council Member Bregetta Fields. “The recognition speaks to City Council’s committed approach to providing special programming that informs and educates residents and visitors about services, programs, events, and activities available in the city, in addition to providing gavel-to-gavel coverage of live committee and council meetings.”
Wilmington City Council also earned individual awards from DPA, including:
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Honorable Mention: Graphics and Design: Taveras for her infographic flyer “New Law Counts Incarcerated Persons at last known Home Address for Redistricting.”
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Honorable Mention: Electronic Newsletter for Nonprofit, Government, or Educational: Taveras for her “Wilmington City Council’s August 6, 2021 Newsletter.”