Staff from Larson Newspapers attended the annual Arizona Newspapers Association Fall Convention and Annual Meeting.
This year, 50 newspapers and seven high schools entered in the Better Newspapers Contest for a total of 1,631 entries while 38 newspapers entered 512 entries in 12 categories in the Excellence in Advertising competition.
Larson Newspapers was the only news outlet in the Verde Valley to win multiple awards for both advertising and editorial excellence.
“I’m very proud and humbled that we have again been able to take home a multitude of statewide awards, continuing a long tradition of state and national recognition,” General Manager Kyle Larson said. “Our staff works tirelessly on trying to better and improve themselves and our products, and the awards are proof that their hard work is beginning to payoff. Congratulations to all of them and thank you to all of our readers as well for making this possible.”
Editorial Awards
The contest consists of eight categories measuring overall quality and 24 categories that honor individual journalists.
The Sedona Red Rock News and the Cottonwood Journal Extra are both in the same circulation category: Non-Daily with circulation 3,500 to 10,000, so Larson Newspapers typically only submits entries for the NEWS.
However this year, we entered the EXTRA, but in only one category, Page Design Excellence, and submitted one page in particular of three date-specific examples: The comic book-stylized front page created by Production Supervisor Brenda Steves and Copy Editor Andrew Pardiac to promote the Verde Valley Comic Expo. The EXTRA took first place while the NEWS won second place for regular page designs.
In the headline-writing category, Pardiac won third place for various headlines published in the NEWS while fellow copy editor Michael Rinker won third place for his headlines in The Camp Verde Journal, competing in the under-3,500 circulation category.
Photojournalist Zack Garcia won first place for Best Sports Photograph, “Speedy Excelsiors turn back clock,” second for Best News Photograph for “Semi Rollover,” third place in Best Feature Photo Layout for “Every 15 Minutes,” and third place for Best Feature Photograph for “Whip It,” a photo of a tree-climbing snake.
Photojournalist Jordan Reece won first place for “Taking the Plunge,” a photo of a BASE jumper leaping off Twin Butte, just seconds before his parachute begins to open.
The Journal won third place in Best Use of Photography.
Redrocknews.com won third place for Best Newspaper Online Site/Web Page.
Former sports reporter George Werner won third place for Best Sports Story and second place for Best Sports Column.
The Nevada Press Association judged the editorial department entries.
Advertising Awards
This contest measures the overall quality of advertising created by the newspaper staff
Steves won third place for Best Color Ad for Digs Furniture, Steves and advertising executive Doug Von Gausig won second place for Best Paid Ad Series — Color for Hyundai of Cottonwood ads.
Von Gausig and graphic designer Josh Manley took second in Most Effective Use Of Small Space for a Pawz on Main Shih Tzu ad.
Steves and Larson won first place for Best Color Ad for the Big Green Egg at Red Rock Fireplace.
Larson, Steves and advertising executive Becky Morey won Best Paid Ad Series — Black & White for the Mexidona Mexican Fine Imports series.
Morey and Steves won second in Best Black & White Ad for a Biddle Outdoor Center April Fools’ Day ad.
The Journal won third place in General Excellence.
The Nebraska Press Association judged advertising entries this year.
The convention was held at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino on the Gila River Indian Reservation on Sept. 23 and 24.
