Sun receives 49 NDNA awards

The Jamestown Sun received second place in the General Excellence award, the top award for daily newspapers in its category in the North Dakota Newspaper Association’s annual contest. The awards were presented Friday at the NDNA Convention in Williston.

The Sun received a total of 49 awards in news, sports, photos and advertising.

Other newspapers in the category, those with a circulation of 12,000 or less, are the Devils Lake Journal, Dickinson Press, Valley City Times-Record, Wahpeton Daily News and Williston Herald.

The General Excellence award honors the newspaper for its news coverage, editing, photography, headlines, design, advertising and overall product.

In news awards, former Sun Reporter Katie Ryan-Anderson took first place in reporting for her story on families of suicide victims working to raise awareness. Sun Reporter Kari Lucin received third place in the category for her story about dachshund puppies rescued from a hoarder near Valley City.

Reporter Keith Norman received second place in feature reporting for his story of a team of sisters who worked to get recognition of their uncle, who had died as a prisoner of war in World War II. He also received third place in spot news for his coverage of a pilot who was forced to land his plane on an Interstate 94 off-ramp due to bad weather and third place in agricultural coverage for his story on plans for a new dairy being called off.

Reporter Ben Rodgers took third place in government reporting for his story on how postal consolidation would affect Jamestown area residents. He also received a third-place award for sports column.

Managing Editor Kathy Steiner took second place in standing news fronts for the business page and second place in headlines.

Assistant Editor Logan C. Adams received first place in front page design excellence. Steiner took second place in the same category.

Former Sun graphic designer Michael Voight received third place for informational graphics.

The Sun’s 2011 Progress Edition, “Where are we going?” was awarded first place for special news section. Sun staff also received third place with their editorial calling for fairness in handling early retirement for local educators.

The Sun also received second place in the website category and third place for overall design excellence.

In sports, The Sun’s sports staff received third place for its sports page. Sports Editor Dave Selvig received second place in sports reporting series for his coverage of James Vollmer, the Jamestown College athlete who suffered a spinal injury in a pole-vaulting accident, and third place in sports feature for his story on Aleona Reyes, a Jamestown College cross-country competitor.

Former Sports Reporter David Griswold received second-place awards in sports reporting, sports column and sports feature and third place in sports reporting series.

In photos, Sun Chief Photographer John M. Steiner received 16 awards, including seven first-place awards. He took first place in news photo, spot news photo, sports photo, picture story, pictorial photo, portrait photo and outdoor recreational photo; second place in news photo; third place in news photo, feature photo, sports photo, picture story and pictorial photo; and honorable mentions in spot news photo, feature photo and pictorial photo.

Adams also received an honorable mention for picture story.

In advertising, Lisa Barnick took two first-place awards for use of color and signature page. She also received second place in promotion of the community.

Rob Keller received first place for home/gardening ad and second place for promotion of the newspaper-advertising.

Gavin Kutz took first place for agricultural ad, second place in food ad and third place in vehicle ad.

Rena Hoggarth received second place for single ad.

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