The New Era was honored as the best weekly newspaper in Oregon last week by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, receiving first place in General Excellence for weeklies of 2,000 circulation or less.
The awards were presented at the organization’s convention, held July 28-29 in Welches, which included a debate featuring the three candidates for Oregon’s Governor’s Office (see page 1).
The New Era also won the Sweepstakes Award, given to the weekly newspaper that wins the most awards in the competition. Sweet Home’s newspaper finished with 22 awards – six first-places, 10 seconds and six thirds.
It was the second first-place Elmo Smith General Excellence award (named after the former publisher of the Albany Democrat-Herald) won by The New Era – which also won in 2002 under Publisher Alex Paul.
“It was a little overwhelming to see our name pop up on the screen so many times,” said Editor/Publisher Scott Swanson of the awards presentation. “We’re really appreciative that journalists in another state saw quality in what we’re doing for our readers. It’s definitely a shot in the arm to win General Excellence.”
The Malheur Enterprise finished second in General Excellence and the Creswell Chronicle was third. The award is the highest presented to Oregon newspapers. Judging is based on criteria including general and departmental news quality; reproduction excellence; advertising enterprise; editorial comment; general appearance, makeup and style; photos and graphics; and thoroughness of local coverage. This year’s competition was judged by newspaper staffs in Maine.
Other top awards for The New Era were:
— First place in Best Special Section or Issue for The New Era’s 2021 Graduation section.
— First place in Best Educational Coverage for a story by Swanson on Sweet Home Junior High’s 2021 summer school program.
— First place for Best Local Column for three columns written by Swanson on why The New Era ran a front page (on Nov. 21, 2021) on which the upper half was blank with a headline “What if there were no local reporters?” and discussing the difficulties experienced by newspapers across the country and proposed federal legislation called the “Local Journalism Sustainability Act;” another on the state’s new law that bans law enforcement agencies from releasing mugshots of arrestees; and a third on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
— First place for Best Photo Essay for a section of photos from the 2001 Sportsman’s Holiday celebration; and
— First place for a photo by Benny Westcott of Sweet Home’s volleyball team winning the state championship in the spring of 2021.
Second-place awards were:
— Best Special Section or Issue for the newspaper’s Veteran’s Day section.
— Best Coverage of Business or Economic Issues for a story on a local business, entitled “Building Bears,” written by Sarah Brown.
— Best Educational Coverage for a story by Westcott about the dismissal of a local teacher for not providing proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or submitting a religious or medical exemption.
— Best Feature-Personality for a story by Swanson following the death of local beloved teacher Melissa Klumph.
— Best Sports Story for a report by Swanson on the rapid expansion of girls wrestling.
— Best Spot News Coverage for a staff report on an arson fire that burned the fellowship hall at Elm Street Baptist Church.
— Best Feature Photo for a photo by Swanson of Sweet Home High School students enjoying the May Week Track Meet following the resumption of school in the spring of 2021.
— Best News Photo for a photo by Swanson of the crowning of 2021 Sportsman’s Holiday Queen Haley Nunez.
— Best Sports Photo for a photo by Westcott of Sweet Home volleyball player Kendra Jamison slamming the ball past a Newport player last fall.
— Best Overall Website for sweethomenews.com.
Third-place awards were:
— Best Feature Story-General for a story by Westcott about Job Corps students’ efforts to repair Longbow Organizational Camp.
— Best Sports Story for a story by Westcott about three Sweet Home High School alums’ participation in their second championship season in a year, this time with Linn-Benton Community College’s volleyball team.
— Best Government Coverage for a report by Westcott about a discussion of the city’s homeless situation by the Health Committee.
— Best News Photo for a photo of a log truck rollover by Swanson.
— Best Sports Photo for a photo entitled “Friday Night Lights at Husky Field,” by former staffer Sean C. Morgan, of Sweet Home’s first varsity football game in 16 months.
— Best Feature Photo, entitled “Fall Feathers,” by Swanson, of wild tom turkeys showing off for the ladies in a Sweet Home field.
“This is a testimony to the efforts of our staff, who’ve gutted it out through a very difficult period in recent years,” Swanson said.
“I’m really grateful for our editorial staffers, Sarah Brown, Cory Frye and Benny Westcott, who put a lot of effort into covering our community.
“But all of our staff members, in every department, definitely share in this award.”