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Local papers bring home eight awards


Winners in South Dakota Newspaper Association’s Better Newspapers Contest were announced this weekend during the association’s annual convention, May 30 to June 1 in Medora, N.D.

Awards were given in several categories, including news reporting and opinion writing, photography, newspaper design and advertising. Work done by newspapers during 2018 was eligible for the contest.

There were 1,111 entries in the 2018 SDNA contest.

This local newspaper was among those recognized. Independent Publishing, consisting of The Lennox Independent and Tea Weekly brought home a total of eight awards in this year’s contest.

Lennox Independent publisher and editor Kelli Bultena said, “I am very proud of how consistently we place in the South Dakota Newspaper Association’s contest. There are some great papers that we compete with, and yet our papers always manage to bring home some hardware.”

This year, The Lennox Independent brought home third place for Best Spot News Photo by Anne Homan. The photo featured Katherine Loewe after it was announced that she won the Doodle for Google contest.

The judge said, “Great capture!”

The Lennox Independent also brought home second place with the Holiday Recipe Book, editorial design by Homan; advertising by Bultena, in the Best Multiple Advertiser Special Section.

And a third place was awarded to The Lennox Independent in Best Editorial Writing, for Bultena’s “From the Editor” column.

The judge stated, “Thoughtful and well-written. I like the focus on local. For instance, the need for funds for the municipal band. Bringing some attention editorially to a need within the community.”

Tea Weekly newspaper was awarded five top three finishes. Placing third in Best News Series with Wendy Sweeter’s articles, “New Year, New You.”

Tea Weekly took second place in the Best Spot News Photo for Bultena’s “clown and boy” shot during Teapot Days.

Tea Weekly also brought home several awards in the advertising category with Bultena’s third place finish in Best Series Ad Idea for J&R Mechanical, a second place in Best Use of Art Service for a Sunshine Food Thanksgiving ad and first place in Best Newspaper Promotion for the “Embrace your Hometown ad series.

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