Best Lifestyle Feature Writing Nov. 13, 2013

The Tyler Star News garnered a third place general excellence in the West Virginia Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

The award for Division Four (weeklies with circulation 4,000 and under) was given Saturday night at the conclusion of the WVPA’s 2014 Convention at Canaan Valley Resort.

The general excellence award is given based on a point system for all editorial honors earned by a newspaper. For the Tyler Star News, Staff Reporter Judy Light earned two first place awards, two second place awards, and one third place award. First was earned for Best Sports Page or Pages in the Aug. 28, 2013, edition. The top honor was also given to her in the Best Lifestyle Feature Writing category for her “Honoring our Veterans” piece published on Nov. 13, 2013. Light earned second place awards in the Best Sports Columnist and Best Sports Feature Writing for her “On The Light Side” and “Celebrating With Super Bowl Champs”, respectively. Her “Celebrating Flag Day” spread in the June 19, 2013, edition earned third place in the Best Photo Essay category.

The Tyler Star News actually tied for third in general excellence in their division. The other two papers in third place were The Montgomery Herald and Glenville Democrat/Pathfinder. First place went to The Record Delta of Buckhannon and second place was earned by The Princeton Times.

The Tyler Star News also earned several advertising awards: first place, Best Single Ad, Black and White, Under 1/4 Page, Tyler County Band Patrons; first, Best Theme Pages Retail, Halloween Page; first, Best Special Section, Sistersville High School Alumni; second, Best Special Section-Sports, Football Preview 2013; third, Best Special Section-Sports, Sports Schedules Spring, Fall Winter; and third, Best Special Section, Tyler County High School Alumni.

Best Sports Page or Pages Aug. 28, 2013

The Inter-Mountain Newspaper of Elkins earned the “Newspaper of the Year” honor, recognizing top performance in both the WVPA’s editorial and advertising competitions.

Spencer Newspapers publisher David Hedges was honored with the Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award by the West Virginia Press Association Saturday night. The award is the highest individual honor bestowed by the state’s oldest press organization. It is given in recognition of Hedges’ service to newspapers in the state, the West Virginia Press Association, and to his local community.

Tom Hindman, photographer for the The Daily Mail of Charleston, won the “Photo of the Year” honor.

“This competition displays the quality of journalism in West Virginia. From the largest daily newspaper to the smallest weekly newspaper, West Virginian residents benefit from the outstanding and dedicated work of journalists working in the Mountain State,” said Don Smith, executive director of the West Virginia Press Association. “Community journalism remains the centerpiece of the newspaper industry in West Virginia. The West Virginia Press Association is proud to recognize and honor these outstanding journalists and newspapers.”