The Homewood Star wins Alabama Press Association best public service award

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The Homewood Star captured first place in the Alabama Press Association’s 2024 Media Awards competition in the best public service category.

Contributing writer Solomon Crenshaw Jr. won the award with an October 2023 story about the challenges the city of Homewood faces with stormwater flooding and improvement projects the city was considering to deal with them. Read that story here.

Crenshaw and Neal Embry, a former editor of The Homewood Star, won second place in the news feature category for a story about injured Ukrainian soldiers learning new sports and activities at the Lakeshore Foundation.

Photo Editor Erin Nelson Sweeney won third place in the feature photo category for a photo from that same story.

The Homewood Star competes in the Alabama Press Association’s Division E, which includes associate member newspapers and free distribution products.

Starnes Media publications, which in 2023 included The Homewood Star, the Vestavia Voice, 280 Living, Hoover Sun, Village Living and Cahaba Sun, won a total of 57 awards in this year’s APA competition.

The Redstone Rocket in Huntsville won the general excellence award for Division E, while The Birmingham Times won third place. The Redstone Rocket also won the advertising sweepstakes award.

The Alabama Press Association has four other divisions that are divided based on their number of paid subscribers.

Other first-place winners in the general excellence category were The Anniston Star, The Cullman Times, Shelby County Reporter and The Observer (in Opelika). Other advertising sweepstakes winners were The Outlook (in Alexander City), Shelby County Reporter and The Observer.

Here’s a complete list of awards won by Starnes Media publications this year:

THE HOMEWOOD STAR

First-place award:

  • Best public service: In deep water: Study pinpoints stormwater focus areas” by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Second-place award:

  • News feature story: “Ukranian soldiers learn new sports, activities at Lakeshore” by Neal Embry and Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Third-place award:

  • Feature photo: “Ukranian soldier rehab” by Erin Nelson Sweeney

HOOVER SUN

First-place awards:

  • Story of the year and best feature story: “Food for our journey: Nonprofit fills gaps to nourish stomachs, spirits, souls” by Jon Anderson
  • Freedom of Information-First Amendment award: “The Hoover Channel” by Jon Anderson
  • Best layout and design
  • Best economic news coverage
  • Best sports photo: “Making plays” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
  • Best use of social media: “Hero Doughnuts opens in Hoover” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
  • Best podcast series: “Under the Lights” by Kyle Parmley and Gary Lloyd
  • Best use of video shorter than 2 minutes: Spain Park Class of 2023 graduation cap toss by Jon Anderson

Second-place awards:

  • General Excellence
  • In-depth news coverage: “Hoover crime trends” by Jon Anderson
  • Education coverage
  • Lifestyle/family pages
  • Newspaper website
  • Business story or column: “Hoover real estate spotlight” by Jon Anderson
  • Sports single-event story: “Bucs cap magical day” by Kyle Parmley
  • Headline: “Food for our Journey: Nonprofit fills gaps to nourish stomachs, spirits, souls” by Jon Anderson
  • Online breaking news coverage: “Hoover school board to meet Thursday about potential superintendent search” by Jon Anderson
  • Production and printing

Third-place awards:

  • Business story or column: “Sweet elegance: Award-winning bakery expands to Ross Bridge” by Jon Anderson
  • Sports single-event story: “Never gets old: Lady Bucs accomplish mission, win 3rd straight title” by Kyle Parmley

280 LIVING

First-place awards:

  • Best sports feature: “One of one: Briarwood senior forges unique, necessary path” by Kyle Parmley
  • Best niche publication: “Under the Lights” football magazine
  • Best headline: “Flying high: Briarwood student soars with epilepsy awareness efforts” by Jon Anderson
  • Best advertising campaign: Ritch’s Pharmacy by Emily Vandermey
  • Best regularly scheduled special advertising section: Women in Business
  • Best in-paper promotion of newspaper: Home and garden by Emily VanderMey
  • Best niche publication for advertising: “Under the Lights” high school football magazine
  • Best single color ad over ½ page: “We’ll do it” by Ted Perry
  • Best use of humor: Joe Falconer “Steer” Realtor by Ted Perry

Second-place awards:

  • Advertising sweepstakes
  • Local News coverage
  • Sports coverage
  • Sports news in-depth coverage: High school football preview
  • Human interest column: “Role reversal” by Alana Smith
  • Photo essay: “Celebrating the 2023 grade” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
  • Single color ad 1/2 page and under: Apricot Lane by Ted Perry
  • Original/creative idea: Pet Vet Express/Animal Hospital of the Hills by Ted Perry

Third-place awards:

  • Education coverage
  • Spot news story: “Two SCSO deputies shot while responding to welfare check in Meadowbrook” by Leah Eagle
  • In-depth news coverage:”Cahaba Valley Fire District approves 2 of 4 measures” by Leah Eagle
  • Sports feature: “Lions seniors remembered for on-court production, off-court relationship” by Kyle Parmley
  • Local sports column: “Let them celebrate” by Kyle Parmley
  • Sports photo: “One of one, Emmi Claire Willoughby” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
  • Production and Printing

VESTAVIA VOICE

First-place award:

  • Best in-depth news coverage: “New growth: Vision coming into focus for lower section of US 31” by Loyd McIntosh
  • Best sports single-event story: “Long time coming” by Kyle Parmley

Second-place award:

  • Sports feature story: “Balancing father and coach” by Kyle Parmley

VILLAGE LIVING

First-place award:

  • Best news feature: “Parallel lives of service: 2 West Point graduates, residents reflect on military service” by Leah Eagle

Third-place awards:

  • Sports coverage
  • Sports news in-depth coverage: High school football preview by Kyle Parmley
  • Human interest column: “In a world that’s hurting, you need stubborn hope” by Kari Kampakis
  • Creative use of multimedia: Jemison Park trail renovations by Erin Nelson Sweeney

CAHABA SUN

First-place award:

  • Human interest column: “Payphoning it forward” by Gary Lloyd