FROM STAFF REPORTS

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Newspapers Inc. has earned the Alabama Press Association’s top award for the 10^th-straight year, the APA announced during its annual awards banquet on June 18.

Shelby County Newspapers also won the APA’s top advertising award, bringing the company’s total number of first-, second- and third-place APA awards to 57 for this year.

One hundred ten newspapers submitted 2,775 entries in the editorial contest, and 60 newspapers submitted 1,007 entries in the advertising contest. The entries were judged by the Louisiana Press Association.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. publishes the Shelby County Reporter, Alabaster Reporter, Pelham Reporter, Helena Reporter, 280 Reporter, Shelby Living and Hoover’s Magazine.

The Shelby County Reporter competes in category C against other large weekly newspapers.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. received the following first-place awards in this year’s contest:

 

Editorial contest

-First place in the general excellence category

-First place in the most improved category

-First place in the best newspaper website category

-First place in the best editorial page or section category

-First place in the best local education coverage category

-First place in the best news feature story coverage category for Neal Wagner’s story “Inspiring a Legion”

-First place in the best feature story category for Baker Ellis’ story “It’s a family thing”

-First place in the best local sports column category for Baker Ellis’ column “It’s worth it: Understanding and internalizing defeat”

-First place in the best spot news photo category for “Shelby County hit hard by Dec. 25 flooding” by Jason Ingram

-First place in the best headline category for “Grab a coal one” by Graham Brooks

-First place in the best special section category for “Shelby County Football 2015” by Baker Ellis

-First place in the best niche publication category for “Hoover’s Magazine”

 

Advertising contest

 

-First place in the best single ad over one-half page, black and white for Alabaster CityFest

-First place in the best regularly scheduled special section category for “Profile 2015”

-First place in the best original or creative idea category for “Andrews Family Dentistry” by Meagan Mims

-First place in the best signature page ad for “Small business celebration”

-First place in the best niche publication category for “Shelby Living”

-First place in the best use of humor category for “Lawn mower for sale” by Daniel Holmes

-First place in the best presentation of online advertising category for Shelbycountyreporter.com

-First place in the best innovative online advertising, single ad category for “Coolbox Storage” by Meagan Mims

-First place in the online revenue builder category for daily emails