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The Shepherdstown Chronicle and The Journal exceed expectations at WVPA convention

By Toni Milbourne - For the Chronicle | Aug 16, 2024

Editor Tabitha Johnston holds up The Shepherdstown Chronicle’s General Excellence Award, which was presented at the West Virginia Press Association Convention on Saturday. Toni Milbourne

CHARLESTON — Both the Shepherdstown Chronicle and The Journal were thrilled to be recognized in multiple categories of newspaper excellence at the West Virginia Press Association’s annual convention. The event, hosted in Charleston by WVPA, brought together newspaper personnel from around the state who had submitted entries to the advertising and editorial contests held each year.

The WVPA conducted business meetings and educational seminars along with the advertising awards and editorial awards luncheons held at the Four Points by Sheraton Friday and Saturday.

The Chronicle secured the General Excellence Award in Division IV, the highest award given per division. In addition, the Chronicle staff received over 20 first, second or third place awards for entries submitted for the 2023 calendar year.

“The Shepherdstown Chronicle winning the ‘General Excellence’ award in our division is the highest honor we could expect and we are forever grateful for the West Virginia Press Association and judges recognizing our hard work,” said Trevor Evans, general manager.

In addition to the awards earned by The Chronicle, The Journal staff brought home more than 20 first, second and third place awards as well as second place for General Excellence in Division II.

“I am proud of the Journal and Shepherdstown Chronicle editorial staff as they have worked hard for these editorial awards,” Evans said.

Newspapers across the state are divided into divisions based on circulation. There are four divisions with like papers competing against each other. The Journal falls into Division II, while the Shepherdstown Chronicle is in Division IV. Entries are judged each year by another state press association. This year, the judges were from the North Dakota Newspaper Association, said Stella Gill, WV Press coordinator of special events. Points are awarded for each winning entry and the newspaper with the most points in each division wins the General Excellence award. General Excellence awards are given for both Editorial and Advertising divisions. Neither the Journal nor the Chronicle submitted entries to the advertising competition this year. The newspaper with the highest number of points across both competitions–editorial and advertising combined–earns recognition as Newspaper of the Year. The 2024 recipient was The Inter-Mountain, in Elkins.

Awards for the Journal in 2024 included:

1st place–Toni Milbourne, best legal affairs reporting

1st place–Bob O’Connor, best news columnist

1st place–Andrew Spellman, best sports columnist

1st place–Rick Kozlowski, best sports event reporting

1st place–Rick Kozlowski, best sports news & feature reporting

1st place–Journal sports/design staff, best sports pages

1st place–Journal sports/design staff, best sports special section

1st place–Journal editorial/design staff, best editorial page

1st place–Rick Kozlowski, best news photograph

1st place–Journal editorial/design staff, best newspaper design

2nd place–Toni Milbourne, best governmental affairs reporting

2nd place–Rick Kozlowski, best sports columnist

2nd place–Rick Kozlowski, best sports event reporting

2nd place–Journal sports/design staff, best sports pages

2nd place–Toni Milbourne, best lifestyles feature

2nd place–Ainsley Hall, best news photograph

2nd place–Journal editorial/design staff, best single issue

3rd place–Toni Milbourne, best governmental affairs reporting

3rd place–Rick Kozlowski, best sports event reporting

3rd place–Toni Milbourne, best editorial

3rd place–Toni Milbourne, best feature photography

Chronicle awards included:

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, best reporting generated from public notice

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, best in-depth or investigative reporting

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, best news feature

1st place–John Doyle, best news columnist

1st place–Bob Madison, best sports columnist

1st place–Kristi Hendricks, best lifestyle column

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, best editorial

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, beat feature photography

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, best photo essay

1st place–Tabitha Johnston, best photographer/videographer

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best in-depth or investigative reporting

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best governmental affairs reporting

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best news feature

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best lifestyles feature

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best headline writing

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best feature photography

2nd place–Tabitha Johnston, best news photography

3rd place–Tabitha Johnston, best governmental affairs reporting

3rd place–Tabitha Johnston, best lifestyles feature

3rd place–Tabitha Johnston, best feature photography

3rd place–David Pennock, best photo essay

The newspapers recognized for general excellence in editorial coverage in 2024 included Division I (dailies over 16,000 circulation), The Register-Herald; Division II (dailies under 16,000 circulation), The Inter-Mountain; Division III, (weeklies over 4,000 circulation), The Hampshire Review and Division IV (weeklies under 4,000 circulation), The Shepherdstown Chronicle.

In the Advertising division, the General Excellence awards went to The Herald Dispatch in Division I; The Inter-Mountain in Division II; The Spirit of Jefferson in Division III and The Weston Democrat in Division IV.