The New Era won 16 awards, including eight first places, in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest, which covered newspaper content published in 2013.
The newspaper also won seven advertising awards.
This year’s contest was judged by newspaper staffs in Indiana.
“We’re pretty happy to be recognized by our peers for doing quality work,” said Publisher Scott Swanson. “In the day-to-day grind of putting out newspapers, it’s easy to lose focus and contests like this help us stay sharp.
“Of course, the judges whose opinion we are most concerned about are those who read our newspaper every week.”
The New Era took third in General Excellence, the highest award presented by the association, behind the Estacada News, which placed first, and the Lebanon Express among newspapers with circulations of 2,000 or less. Judging is based on three separate editions selected from dates designated by contest organizers.
First place awards were:
n Best Editorial for an editorial entitled “Giving the Rio help sounds like good move,” primarily written by Sean C. Morgan. Unsigned editorials in The New Era are the product of a group effort by the news staff and others.
n Best General Feature Story for a story by Morgan headlined “‘Homeless’ in SH mixed bunch with variety of needs.”
n Best Local Column for three submissions by Swanson: “Difficult day proves to be great experience – when it’s done” (about the writer’s experience on a trail run with the high school cross-country team), “If newspapers don’t tell their own story, they may tell none,” and “When big ideas become reality, we need to be ready” (remembering the late Cliff Oden and his vision for Sweet Home and how opportunities like the Community Forest are there for the taking).
– Best Sports Story for a feature story by Swanson headlined “Era ending: Triple twins on Husky girls soccer team” about the three sets of identical twins playing soccer for Sweet Home last year.
– Best Spot News Coverage for a story by Morgan headlined: “Cougar sighting at close quarters prompts effort to trap cat.”
– Best Feature Photo for a photograph by Chris Pinto of a Mud Fest participant’s truck powering through hip-deep mud.
– Best News Photo for a photo by Morgan of rescuers pulling a young boy from the South Santiam River rapids above the falls at Waterloo Park. Another photo from this incident, showing Sheriff’s Deputy John Lovik pulling a boy to safety, took third place in this category and Morgan’s report, entitled “River Rescue: Float trip becomes chilly ordeal for man and two boys,” was third in Best Spot News Coverage.
– Best Sports Photo for a photo by Morgan of Husky softball player Sierra Thayer colliding at home plate with an Elmira catcher.
Other awards were:
– Second place in Best Educational Coverage for a report by Morgan headlined “Three SH schools rank high on state report cards.
– Second place in Best Photo Essay for a collection of photos by Morgan from the 2013 Logger Olympics and Tractor Pull titled “Loggin’ and pullin’ in Sweet Home.”
– Third place in Best Feature Photos for a shot by Morgan of the Sweet Home High School cheer team performing in the 2013 Christmas Parade
– Third place in Best Sports Story for a feature by Swanson on Sweet Home graduate Ravi Patel headlined “OSU manager job’s been (mostly) a sweet gig for SHHS hoops alum.”
– Third place in Best Feature Story for a report by Morgan on efforts to improve fish habitat in the Soda Fork entitled “Trees for fish.”
The seven advertising awards were:
– First through third places for Best Private Party Ad, all designed by Pinto, a memorial for Vernon and Mildred Geil (first place), a 50th anniversary celebration announcement for Art and Loretta Dixon (second place), and a graduation celebration ad for Josh Wooley (third place).
– Second place in Best Black and White Ad, designed by Pinto for Advanced Family Eyecare.
– Second place in Best Use of Media for a Sweet Home map produced by The New Era staff members Pinto, Miriam Swanson and Kyla Jutte.
– Third place in Best Use of Media for the Linn County Parks and Recreation Program produced by The New Era staff members Pinto, Scott Swanson, Miriam Swanson and Jutte.
– Third place in Best Use of Single Color and Black for an ad designed by Pinto for Steelhead Strength and Fitness.