Category 1 - Best Editorial
First Place - Flemingsburg Gazette, Guy Townsend
Factual account of arrogance, administrative incompetence made more dastardly
by huge salary that exemplifies all that is wrong with Kentucky and
American secondary education.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
Thoughtful expose of small, rural, poor counties wo are ignored by state
government because they lack votes. Shame on state that produced Abraham
Lincoln.
Third Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Succinct explanation of the purpose of local newspapers and their role
in bringing attention to, and, hopefully solutions for issues the public
must know about.
Category 2 - Best Spot News Coverage
First Place - Todd County Standard, Staff
Thorough coverage and many interviews regarding all facets of storm.
Story illustrated with excellent photos.
Second Place - Flemingsburg Gazette, Carolyn Schwartz
Excellent coverage of church fire, follows path of fire and aftermath.
Thorough job of recording near loss of historic church to community.
Copuse history of building.
Third Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Excellent “personal” piece about advanced storm spotter during tornato
that hit part of McLean County through interview, interesting angle and
well written.
Category 3 - Best General News Story
First Place - Flemingsburg Gazette, Charles Mattox
Exceedingly thorough narrative of a sad, unfortunate situation involving
upholding the law despite a relocation witness and a remorseful sex
offender and former law officer. Top job!
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Unique, well-written beginning of the school year piece about a creative
new program for often shell shocked freshmen.
Third Place - Breathitt County Voice, Jeff Noble
Well told piece on Relay for Life that concentrated on one person’s unfortunate
situation and their uplifting attitude. Moving not trite.
Category 4 - Best Feature Story
First Place - McLean County News, Amie Powers
A story about a 9-year-old who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy
at 15 months tugs at you emotionally.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
A 35-year-old woman finding her family is a touching story that is not
overdone.
Third Place - Hickman County Gazette, Gaye Bencini
Bencini’s story follows Nashville Star contestant Brandi Gibbon and her
journal on the show. Well done!
Category 5 - Best Column
First Place - Gallatin County News, Kelley Warnick
Mike Royko isn’t dead; he just moved to Kentucky. “Advice for Governor
Fletcher” was especially good, funny, biting and to the point.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
“Now he walks with the angels” was very moving and well written. Good humor
in “Couth I ain’t.”
Third Place - Todd County Standard, Toby Hightower
What a gem! Well written and insightful. Obviously a local column, but
it has universal appeal. Why the heck hasn’t this column been syndicated?
Category 6 - Best Sports Column
First Place - Breathitt County Voice, James David Fugate
“Don’t know Jack Sovat” recalls his youth and the present for interesting reading.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Steve Everett
Everett’s hodge-podge of sports briefs keep local readers wanting more.
Category 7 - Best Sports Story
First Place - Olive Hill Times, Staff
The Times took a simple youth fishing derby story and played it up big
with interesting kids quotes and facts.
Second Place - Campbell County Recorder, James Weber
Weber does a nice job on this state championship football story with
a good lead and refreshing writing.
Third Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Great lead, great quotes. A really solid story.
Category 8 - Best Sports Feature Story
First Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Well written, fresh perspective of local school sports through eyes of
siblings. Interesting lessons and observations the result of writer’s
enthusiams and questions.
Second Place - Breathitt County Voice, Jeff Noble
Detailed account of girl’s basketball player 30 years ago and not elected
to Hall of Fame. Shows importance of high school sports for keeping this
girl from dropping out.
Third Place - Flemingsburg Gazette, Brad Laux
Well done piece on often overlooked figure, team mascot. Interesting
that young man plans to attend college and tryout as its mascot.
Category 9 - Best Enterprise or Analytical Story
First Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
How Bird Flu affects local poultry industry is insightful and informative.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
Good number crunching on a new jail proposition.
Third Place - Lyon County Herald Ledger, Rae Wagoner
Waggoner looks at campers as a year round resident, exploring why they
do it and who is doing it.
Category 10 - Best Investigative Story or Series
First Place - Trimble Banner, Darren Pike
Piece really digs into adult business ordinance from all angles. Well
written!
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
The Standard looked at old jail verses new jail figures to give readers
clear facts about the story.
Third Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
A sometimes boring topic such as school testing scores is broken into
multiple stories that go way beyond the numbers.
Category 11 - Best On-Going/Extended Coverage Story
First Place - Todd County Standard, Staff
The Standard’s in-depth look at a new jail used community opinion, thoughtful
analysis and tons of facts to keep the local readers well-informed.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Staff
An adult business possibly moving into Elkton took the readers into a
scenario many communities face. Giving the adult business owner equal
and fair coverage gave the readers extra insight.
Third Place - Trimble Banner, Darren Pike
The Milton Bridge project was brought to the forefront by Pike and contrasted
a thing of the past to a bridge to the future.
Honorable Mention - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester, Amie
Powers
Honorable mention for serious issues.
Category 12 - Best Business/Agribusiness Story
First Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
How the buyout of tobacco crop is very informative and well written.
A little history, a little present, a little future makes this a top
story.
Second Place - McLean County News, Amie Powers
Rising fuel price story tells how it affects local farmers. Local farmers
and an extension agent provide the background for this informative
story.
Third Place - McLean County News, Ben Hoak
An in-depth look at an aviation business takes the readers to a new high.
Category 13 - Best Headline
First Place - Flemingsburg Gazette, Brad Laux
Two of the three headlines made me laugh. Nice play.
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Nice selection of headlines.
Third Place - Flemingsburg Gazette, Charles Mattox
Streaker headline was awesome!
Category 14 - Best Spot News Picture
First Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
We liked the composition. It looks like the boy is walking against wind
which works well for photo.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
The framing of the fire with firefighter makes a striking spot news photo.
Third Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
Nice to see photographer getting close and officials letting her/him.
Category 15 - Best General News Picture
First Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Nice job getting close to a real moment.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
The body language on this photo is fantastic!
Third Place - Trimble Banner, Darren Pike
This could have placed higher due to news content and moment, however
it’s not sharp. In this situation, the moment should have been anticipated
better.
Category 16 - Best Feature Picture
First Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
Great, unique feature event with good expression. Would like to see hand
not cut off at wrist.
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Nice graphic photo with nice color. There were quite a few pictorial-type
photos in this category, but this one stood above the rest.
Third Place - Olive Hill Times, Denver Brown
This event has great potential! The photographer did a good job capturing
many to show character of event.
Category 17 - Best Picture Essay (Spot, General or Feature)
First Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
This could benefit from some heavy editing; many photos are repetitive.
However, the photographer did a great job getting real moments within
a re-enactment, used different lenses and good composition.
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
A couple of these could be edited out (like boy on tractor). We really
liked swing photo and thought that could be lede. Photographer did
good job covering different events within fair.
Third Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
Nice lede shot and great detail pics. Could also use more editing.
Category 18 - Best Sports Picture
First Place - Olive Hill Times, Denver Brown
Nice tight action of peak moment. Good expression.
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Photographer did a great job of looking beyond the action for the effect
of the win on the players. Good thinking!
Third Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Good tight action but a little too tight. Good anticipation though.
Category 19 - Best Sports Picture Essay
First Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
Best package by far. Nice lede and details.
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Good three-picture package. Nice up-close action on lede. Wish there
was more room between face and end of photo.
Third Place - Breathitt County Voice, James David Fugate
Fine series. We thought center photo should have been entered as a single.
Category 20 - Special Sections
First Place - Todd County Standard, Staff
This is a really impressive, comprehensive section devoted to Robert
Penn Warren. Nice mix of stories and photos.
Second Place - Lyon County Herald Ledger, Jody Norwood
Escape to the Lakes vacation guide is well laid out. Informative and
eye-appealing.
Third Place - Todd County Standard, Staff
Not your boring Back to School section. Head lice played up big in a
light way. Kids will actually read this section.
Category 21 - Best Graphic
First Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
This was a clear winner and top notch election graphic. Really eye-catching!
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Dana Long
Very creative scrapbooking graphic, gave it nice play on the front page.
Third Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Nice use of color and black and white on this graphic.
Category 22 - Best Sports Page/Section
First Place - Breathitt County Voice, James David Fugate
Only one word--WOW! You put the local into local news. Lots of stories,
tons of photos. Moms and dads are kept smiling with this one!
Second Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Nice looking front page. Looks like a daily. Good stories, catchy headlines.
Real quality here!
Third Place - Lyon County Herald Ledger, Jody Norwood
I liked this section a lot. Good Job
Honorable Mention - Olive Hill Times, Denver Brown
Category 23 - Best Business/Agribusiness Page
Certificate of Merit - Todd County Standard, Stephanie Craft
Category 24 - Best Lifestyle Page
First Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Savvy is a great lifestyle page. Nice mix of stories, interesting feature
photos, good layout. Great job!
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Staff
Photos really make this page pop out at you. Really great photos!
Third Place - Lyon County Herald Ledger, Rae Wagoner
Page is photo heavy, but that’s ok if they are well shot. Color was well
done.
Category 25 - Best Editorial Page
First Place - Todd County Standard, Stephanie Craft
Nice laid out editorial page, good local columns. A local editorial would
make this page top-notch.
Second Place - Olive Hill Times, Myra Hogan
Some good things, some bad things on this page. Good, very local, graphically
pleasing. Bad, change fonts on column body and font sizes. Stay consistent.
Third Place - Gallatin County News, Denny Warnick
Not sure where a local scenic photo fits on an editorial page every week,
but page is good besides that.
Category 26 - Best Front Page
First Place - McLean County News, Jonna Spelbring Priester
Good photos, well displayed. Very clean, well-designed flag that works
well in black and white. The “Flash Back” feature on the front page
is an interesting touch.
Second Place - Todd County Standard, Ryan Craig
Great photos and good layout. Refers around the flag get a little too
busy. I like the use of spot color for front page refers. Since you
have full color capabilities why not redesign your flag to take advantage
of it?
Third Place - Lyon County Herald Ledger, Jody Norwood
I guess similarity to USA Today is intentional, but it seems to work.
Left column has a little too much air. Tracking is a bit too tight
on bylines. You might consider eliminating bar at top of the page to
give your flag more air.
Category 27 - Best Newspaper Website
Certificate of Merit - Flemingsburg Gazette
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