Category 1 - Best Editorial
First Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Staff
Editorial “Trekks” a difficult topic in child services and offers a series of clear cut paths to follow.
Second Place
The Independent - John Cannon
A tough no holds barred stand is strength of this editorial that calls for action now.
Third Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Sarah Reddoch
Editorial covers key points of local info on sex offender issue and states what should be done.
Category 2 - Best Spot News Coverage
First Place
The Independent - Tim Preston
Well done. Good second-day lede. Good coverage of event.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Emily Toadvine
Good story. Well written.
Third Place
The Independent - Kenneth Hart
This “Duct Tape Bandit” made national news. Reporter does a job of relating events of the robbery and capture.
Category 3 - Best General News Story
First Place
The Advocate Messenger - Todd Kleffman
A well-researched and balanced account of the death of a small business and its impact on a town.
Second Place
The Gleaner - Donna B. Stinnett
A well-written and personalized approach to coverage of an event that otherwise could have produced a humdrum story.
Third Place
The Independent - Mike James
Clearly a lot of prepatory work went into this article which clarifies a highly technical subject.
Category 4 - Best Feature Story
First Place
The Gleaner - Beth Smith
Well-written, well done story.
Second Place
The Independent - Mike James
This was fun to read. Good piece.
Third Place
The Gleaner - Frank Boyett
What a hoot! Seems this happens in every community or soemthing like it! Thanks for a great read.
Category 5 - Best Column
First Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - John Friedlein
I love Friedlein's “Stories from the Heartland.” He finds interesting characters adn tells their stories in a lively voice. He keeps the pieces tight, a real blessing.
Second Place
The Independent - Lee Ward
Third Place
The Independent - John Cannon
Category 6 - Best Sports Column
First Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Nathaniel Bryan
Consistent and clear style.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Herb Brock
Columns would be valuable to readers. Would be something I would look for.
Third Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Greg Crews
Interesting style. Keeps me reading.
Category 7 - Best Sports Story
First Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Rob Herbst
Very interesting, I couldn't stop until the end. Great quotes. Definitely the best submission in this category by far.
Second Place
The Independent - Mark Maynard
Good angle on the parents. Easy to read and informative.
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Larry Vaught
A unique sports story for a unique event. Well done.
Category 8 - Best Sports Feature Story
First Place
The Advocate Messenger - Bobbie Curd
A different topic but it was the exceptional writing which made this story the winner.
Second Place
The Independent - Mark Maynard
Good stuff, the story painted a picture.
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Hal Morris
Solid writing technique, interesting story on a somewhat common topic.
Category 9 - Best Enterprise or Analytical Story
First Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Holly Tabor
Great story. Good research. Good use of details. Very informative. Good thinking “outside the box.” I've never seen this issue raised before or discussed so thoroughly.
Second Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - John Friedlein
Global warming is a major issue. But the reporter managed to localize it, and did it well.
Third Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Jim Gaines
Way to dig deep. This was another angle to the water shortage that I never knew, or never would've thought of.
Category 10 - Best Investigative Story or Series
First Place
The Advocate Messenger - Todd Kleffman, Herb Brock
Solid reporting and strong writing gave this the edge in a tough category. Good presentation helped put it on tap.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Stephanie Schell
Nice job with a unique topic; well written.
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Todd Kleffman
Good job with interesting topic.
Category 11 - Best On-Going/Extended Coverage Story
First Place
The Gleaner - Beth Smith
Beth did a truly outstanding job on the state worker murder, following all the way through legislative action. A very comprehensive piece of extended coverage.
Second Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Burton Speakman
A dramatic story/series about a terrible tragedy. It took guts to run that first story with its lead. Good work!! Wonderful photos too.
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Todd Kleffman
Nice job by Todd. Great pullouts and timeline help the reader. Photos also assisted this coverage as well.
Honorable Mention
Kentucky New Era - Julia Hunter
Wow! So young, how sad!
Category 12 - Best Business/Agribusiness Story
First Place
The Advocate Messenger - Stephanie Schell
Attractive design, significant topic written in a way that surely appealed to a wide range of readers.
Second Place
The Independent - Allen Blair
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Herb Brock
Category 13 - Best Headline
First Place
Kentucky New Era - Laura Coleman Noeth
Wonderful headline “To B-17 Again.” Fun and accurate for story. Big pat on back for this head writer.
Second Place
The Gleaner - Douglas White
Effective play on words and sets the tone for what is to follow.
Third Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Norm Haney
“Dizzy over Gillespie” now that's a great headline.
Category 14 - Best Spot News Picture
First Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Joe Imel
Great shot of the overall scene. The up-close shot did it for me, with the firefighter comforting a victim. It made me go, Wow!
Second Place
The Independent - John Flavell
Great timing! Way to be there! A nice up-close shot of the guy, too.
Third Place
Elizabethtown News Enterprise - Neal Cardin
Loved the angle on this shot. You see the blaze, but feel the firefighters' frustrations in trying to put it out.
Category 15 - Best General News Picture
First Place
The Independent - Kevin Goldy
The photographer caught an expression of agony that says it all. Good composition, great use of natural lighting.
Second Place
The Gleaner - Mike Lawrence
An artistic commentary on one man's struggle against enormous odds.
Third Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Lara Cooper
Excellent composition and technical quality.
Category 16 - Best Feature Picture
First Place
Bowling Green Daily News - David W. Smith
Does double duty: visually appealing and draws you into the feature. A funny, well-timed catch.
Second Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Joshua McCoy
The daughter's expression and body language evokes memories familiar to any student in need.
Third Place
The Independent - John Flavell
Great use of available light! Takes the viewer right into the cave. Good play of light/shadow make great shapes.
Category 17 - Best Picture Essay (Spot, General or Feature)
First Place
The Advocate Messenger - Clay Jackson
This was extremely funny and caught the eye from all the judges.
Second Place
The Independent - John Flavell
Love the use of available light and the brave choice of going black & white. Nice motion on the front page as well.
Third Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Joe Imel
Photographer had a good variety of photos and captured a lot of fun and excitement.
Category 18 - Best Sports Picture
First Place
The Gleaner - Darrin Phegley
This picture told the story. Somebody won and somebody lost. It's special because the photographer's lens caught the other story, loser not winner.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Clay Jackson
The strength of this pix is the clear focus and detail of what's going on in this bareback riding photo.
Third Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Miranda Pederson
This photo would be a great “replay” shot. It shows clearly who did what.
Category 19 - Best Sports Picture Essay
First Place
Bowling Green Daily News - David W. Smith
“Off the Beaten Track” is the hed for this layout. It also is what this visual assignment did in not going to the usual places for a layout.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Clay Jackson
“Dirt Devils” spread takes reader to a place that's not NASCAR. Also shows some track faces enjoying the action.
Third Place
The Gleaner - Tyler Orsburn
In case you missed the game, well, Tyler Orsburn takes you there capturing action.
Category 20 - Special Sections
First Place
The Independent - Adam Van Kirk
Second Place
Kentucky New Era - Joe Wilson
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Staff
Category 21 - Best Graphic
First Place
The Gleaner - Darrin Phegley
Nice photo illustration for a full-cover of a section.
Second Place
The Gleaner - Chuck Stinnett
Good idea for a graphic, clean and clear.
Third Place
The Independent - Adam Van Kirk
Good use of type and space in this full-page graphic.
Category 22 - Best Sports Page/Section
First Place
The Independent - Jennifer Fields
The variety and presentation makes this a great package of pages.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Jane Cox
A close second, had to flip a coin because the variation, photo placement and content all rocked.
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Jane Cox, Larry Vaught
Ditto on the second place submission. They are outstanding sports pages.
Category 23 - Best Business/Agribusiness Page
First Place
The Gleaner - Chuck Stinnett, Kathy Moore
Interesting, well-written stories, strong local content.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Jane Cox, Staff
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Tracy Simounet, Amanda Brannock
Category 24 - Best Lifestyle Page
First Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Natasha Allen
A visually appealing section with a strong focus on entertainment and other things happening in the community.
Second Place
The Gleaner - Donna Stinnett, Staff
A substantial section with emphasis on local features and other community news focused on what's occurring in people's lives.
Third Place
The Advocate Messenger - Jane Cox, Staff
Striking covers highlight this section which also includes interesting historical pieces.
Category 25 - Best Editorial Page
First Place
The Advocate Messenger - John Nelson
A good mix of editorials, people's voices and contributed local pieces. The “Thumbs Up Thumbs Down” feature allows you to weigh in on a lot of local issues.
Second Place
The Independent - John Cannon
Strong editorial voice with a very active letters-to-editor section.
Third Place
The Gleaner - Steve Thomas, Staff
Good local flavor with several staff voices.
Category 26 - Best Front Page
First Place
The Independent - Adam Van Kirk
This paper takes good advantage of its news opportunities. The headlines are crisp, and the stories are well written.
Second Place
The Advocate Messenger - Jane Cox
Third Place
Bowling Green Daily News - Andy Dennis
Category 27 - Best Newspaper Website
First Place
Bowling Green Daily News -
Front page throws page out of balance, should be link. Easy to navigate with navigational links at top and bottom. Good, usable content.
Second Place
Kentucky New Era -
Front page too busy. No navigational links at bottom of each page. Content organized and formatted correctly.
© Kentucky Press AssociationThird Place
The Advocate Messenger -
Outdated look and feel. Need to go three or more tiers deep to get to content. Lacks navigational links at bottom of page. I liked easy links to archived pages.