FROM STAFF REPORTS

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Newspapers Inc. won the Alabama Press Association’s top editorial award for the 13th consecutive year and the association’s top advertising award during the APA’s annual awards banquet on June 29.

In total, the company earned 51 first, second and third place APA awards for work done in 2018, including 27 in the editorial contest, 18 in the advertising contest and six in the magazine contest.

SCNI publishes the Shelby County Reporter, 280 Reporter, Alabaster Reporter, Helena Reporter, Pelham Reporter, Shelby Living, Vestavia Hills Magazine, Mountain Brook Magazine, Homewood Life and Hoover’s Magazine.

This year, 90 publications submitted 3,394 entries in the annual contest. All entries were judged by the Illinois Press Association.

The Shelby County Reporter competes in category C in the editorial and advertising contests against other large weekly newspapers. All five magazines produced by Shelby County Newspapers, Inc. compete in the magazine contest.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. received the following awards.

Editorial contest

• General Excellence, first place
• Best Website, second place
• Best Production and Printing, second place
• Best Public Service, third place
• Best Editorial Page, third place
• Best Lifestyle Page, second place
• Best Sports Coverage, third place
• Best Local Economic Coverage, second place
• Best Local Education Coverage, second place
• Best Local News Coverage, first place
• Best Use of Photos/Editorial Content, first place
• Best Layout and Design, first place
• Best News Feature Story, first place, “People are dying” by Neal Wagner
• Best Humorous Column, second place, “Shelby County’s dragstrips” by Neal Wagner
• Best Editorial Column, second place, “We’re all part of the solution” by Neal Wagner
• Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage, second place, “U.S. Women’s Open” by Alec Etheredge and Keith McCoy
• Best Sports Feature Story, second place, “Witnessing his father’s death fuels JJ Evans” by Alec Etheredge
• Best Sports Feature Story, third place, “Playing for three hearts” by Alec Etheredge
• Best News Photo, second place, “Celebrating America” by Keith McCoy
• Best News Photos, third place, “Having fun with faith” by Keith McCoy
• Best Sports Photo, second place, “Legends on the links” by Keith McCoy
• Best Photo Essay, second place, “Fun in fair weather” by Keith McCoy
• Best Niche Publication, first place, “Shelby County Football 2018”
• Best Niche Publication, second place, “Profile 2018”
• Best Online Breaking News Coverage, first place, “Breaking coverage of fatal Galleria police shooting” by Stephen Dawkins
• Best Online Breaking News Coverage, second place, “Kat West murder coverage” by Briana Harris
• Best use of Social Media, third place, “Weekly Football Show” by Alec Etheredge

Advertising contest

• Advertising Sweepstakes, first place
• Best Classified Section, first place
• Best Single Ad over ½ page black and white, first place, “CityFest” by Daniel Holmes
• Best Single Ad over ½ page black and white, third place, “Chamber”
• Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section, third place, “Profile 2018”
• Best One-Time Special Section, second place, “Election Guide”
• Best Advertising Campaign, first place, “J&M Tank” by Kim McCulla
• Best Advertising Campaign, third place, “280 Animal Medical Center” by Kim McCulla
• Best Original/Creative Idea, second place, “Andrews Family Dental” by Kim McCulla
• Best Original/Creative Idea, second place, “Chelsea Chiropractic” by Kim McCulla
• Best Classified Display Ad, first place, “Kelly Services” by Rachel Henderson
• Best Niche Publication, first place, “Shelby County Football 2018”
• Best Niche Publication, second place, “Shelby County Visitors and Newcomers Guide”
• Best Use of Humor, first place, “280 Animal Medical Center” by Kim McCulla
• Best Use of Humor, second place, “280 Animal Medical Center” by Kim McCulla
• Best Presentation of Online Advertising, first place
• Best Innovative Online Ad, first place, “Shelby Humane Society” by Kim McCulla
• Best Innovative Online Ad, second place, “Chelsea Orthodontics” by Kim McCulla

Magazine contest

• Best Single Feature Story, first place, Homewood Life, “Homewood’s Gentleman’s Quarter” by Melanie Peeples
• Best Personality Profile, second place, Vestavia Hills Magazine, “A Force of Nature” by Melanie Peeples
• Best Single Photograph, third place, Shelby Living, “New Crops in Familiar Places” by Dawn Harrison
• Best Individual Website, third place, Homewood Life
• Best Single Ad, third place, Shelby Living, “Ditsy Daisy” by Kim McCulla
• Best Themed Issue, second place, Homewood Life, “Homewood’s Best”