The News-Banner received 10 awards Friday afternoon at the Hoosier State Press Association’s annual banquet in Indianapolis.
The individual first-place honors went to editor Holly Gaskill for best general news photo, opinion page editor Mark Miller for best general commentary and best in-depth feature or feature package, and Sydney Kent for best portrait photo.
Second-place honors went to sports editor Ryan Walker for best sports event coverage, Rick Sprunger for best sports feature, and Kent and Gaskill for best multiple picture group.
Miller also received third place for best editorial writer and Kent third for best in-depth feature or feature package. The News-Banner also received third place for best special section.
The News-Banner is in Division 3, a category that includes all daily newspapers in the state with a population of 6,000 readers.
“During my time at the News-Banner, we have won quite a few awards — these might be the most impressive,” said President and Publisher Doug Brown. “Mark has been winning awards for years and are well deserved. Holly, Ryan, Sydney and our most recent addition, Jonathan Snyder, are setting the standard for our new generation. I couldn’t be happier for them to receive statewide recognition for the work they do day in and day out. The future is very bright for The News-Banner.”
Below are awards and works, as listed during the awards program:
• First Place, Best General Commentary: Mark Miller
• Third Place, Best Editorial Writer: Mark Miller
• Third Place, Best In-Depth Feature/Feature Package: Sydney Kent, Christmas in Recovery series — December 2023, two stories following the addiction recovery journeys of women at Grace and Mercy Transitional Housing and Hannah’s House during the holiday season.
• First Place, Best In-Depth Feature/Feature Package: Mark Miller, “One family remembers” — May 23, 2023, the story of Lt. Jim Harris, a Liberty Center man who lost his life during the Vietnam War, and those who will always cherish his memory.
• Second Place, Best Sports Event Coverage: Ryan Walker, “Lewis outduels Tigers in county baseball battle” — April 26, 2024, detailing Norwell’s 5-0 triumph over Bluffton in baseball.
• Second Place, Best Sports Feature: Rick Sprunger, “The handkerchief on the rim” — Feb. 23, 2024, following the history of the Norwell High School basketball tradition and its revival preceding the girls’ journey to the state title competition.
• First Place, Best General News Photo: Holly Gaskill, “Downtown fire” — July 7, 2023, depicting firefighters at the raging fire that ultimately condemned the historic building at 123 S Marion St. in downtown Bluffton.
• First Place, Best Portrait: Sydney Kent, “A life well loved” — Jan. 26, 2024, a portrait of Roberta Arnold at her kitchen table in the home where she has lived since 1955.
• Second Place, Multiple Picture Group: Holly Gaskill and Sydney Kent, “Fire destroys downtown landmark” — July 7, 2023, additional photographs of the downtown Bluffton fire.
• Third Place, Best Special Section: Staff, “Who We Are” — Published June 29, 2023.
newsroom@news-banner.com
