(L to R) Kristin Williams, Erica Techo, Sarah Finnegan, Emily Featherston, and Sydney Cromwell display their first place plaques at the Alabama Press Association Better Newspaper Contest
The Homewood Star captured a collection of awards last weekend at the annual Alabama Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
Chairman of the APA Better Newspaper Contest Committee Dee Ann Campbell presented the winners at the Alabama Press Convention at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama, on July 8. Categories for the awards ranges from outstanding reporting, photography, design, advertising and multimedia. The Homewood Star competed in Division E of the contest, the division for associate members and publications with free circulation.
The Homewood Star won 10 editorial awards across Division E:
1st Place – Best Use of Graphics/Illustration
2nd Place – Best Photo essay
2n Place – Best Sports photo
2nd Place – Best Business Story
2nd Place – Best Sports Feature Story
2nd Place – Best Local Education Coverage
3rd Place - Creative Use of Multimedia
3rd Place – Best Spot News Photo
3rd Place – Best Feature Photo
3rd Place – Freedom of Information/First Amendment Award
In all, Starnes Publishing tallied 55 awards across all seven of its papers- 280 Living, Hoover Sun, The Homewood Star, Vestavia Voice, Village Living, Cahaba Sun and Iron City Ink.
Starnes Publishing distributes all seven of their papers monthly along with daily e-newsletters.
General Excellence awards are the highest awards the APA awards each year. They are based on a total number of points earned from five different areas: issues submitted to the General Excellence category, awards in one of the general categories, awards in public service and Freedom of Information, awards in single events and awards from the advertising contest.
Some of the other exceptional awards presented to Starnes Publishing this year focused primarily on serving the local Birmingham community. These included:
280 Living:
Most Improved
1st Place – Best Public Service
Hoover Sun
1st Place – General Excellence
1st Place – Best Local Economic Coverage
2nd Place – Best Public Service
2nd Place – Freedom of Information/First Amendment Award
Vestavia Voice
1st Place – Best Local News Coverage
1st Place – Best Local Education Coverage
1st Place – Freedom of Speech/First Amendment Award
3rd Place – General Excellence
3rd Place – Best Public Service
Awards from previous years can be found on the Starnes Publishing’s website at http://starnespublishing.com. To view previous awards of The Homewood Star, visit the page Here.
