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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Newspapers Inc. was recognized with 74 Alabama Press Association Media Awards for its work across advertising, editorial and magazine platforms during 2021.

The APA released the top three winners in each category for the year on Tuesday, May 24, after Illinois judged the work of local newspapers and their products earlier this year. A total of 52 publications submitted 1,858 entries in this year’s version of the annual contest.

In the editorial contest, the Shelby County Reporter earned 36 awards, including 10 for first place, 12 for second place and 14 for third place.

The advertising contest received another 25 awards with 10 for first place, eight for second place and one seven for third place.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. also operated five magazines during 2021 and received 13 awards for its work in Shelby Living Magazine, Homewood Life Magazine, Hoover’s Magazine, Mountain Brook Magazine and Vestavia Hills Magazine.

The magazines received six first place awards, six for second place and one for third place.

The Alabama Press Association will still announce 12 more awards at its APA Media Awards Banquet on June 25 in Orange Beach, including this year’s winner of the General Excellence award for each division.

Below is a recap of each winning piece in the different categories:

Editorial contest

-First place in the Best Layout and Design category

-First place in the Best In-Depth News Coverage category for “Tornadoes” by Alec Etheredge and Emily Sparacino

-First place in the Best Local Sports Column category for “Ultimately it is just a game, but it is one that helps with healing” by Alec Etheredge

-First place in the Best News Photo category for “Matthew Blount’s father Barry Blount in front of his son’s tombstone” by Keith McCoy

-First place in the Best Sports Photo category for “Cam Crawford gets horizontal on dunk” by Keith McCoy

-First place for Best Special Section-Newsprint category for “Profile” by staff

-First place in the best Online Breaking News Coverage category for “Major flooding event hits Shelby County” by Alec Etheredge

-First place in the Best Use of Social Media category for “Instagram Reels” by staff

-First place in the Best Use of Video Shorter than 2 Minutes category for “Polar Express reel” by Meg Herndon

-First place in the Best Use of Video Longer than 2 Minutes category for “Election Forums” by Keith McCoy

-Second place in the Best In-Depth News Coverage category for “Chelsea school system by Emily Sparacino and Alec Etheredge

-Second place in the Best Editorial category for “Weathering the storm together” by Alec Etheredge

-Second place in the Best Human Interest Column category for “COVID-19 is not discriminatory” by Daniel Holmes

-Second place in the Best Editorial Column or Commentary category for “Workers not lazy, just tired” by Michelle Love

-Second place in the Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage category for “Oak Mountain championship run” by Alec Etheredge

-Second place in the Best Spot News Photo category for “House flattened by tornado” by Alec Etheredge

-Second place in the Best Sports Photo category for “Catching a dynasty” by Keith McCoy

-Second place in the Best Photo Essay category for “Number Juan” by Keith McCoy

-Second place in the Best Niche Publication category for “Profile” by staff

-Second place in the best Online Breaking News Coverage category for “Tornado breaking news coverage” by Alec Etheredge and Emily Sparacino

-Second place in the Best Podcast Series category for “Shelby County Live Pregame Show” by Alec Etheredge

-Second place in the Best Use of Video Shorter than 2 Minutes category for “October Haunted House” by Meg Herndon

-Third place in the Best Spot News category for “Tornadoes rip through county” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best News Feature Story Coverage category for “Couple rescued from rubble of collapsed trailer following tornado” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best Editorial Column or Commentary category for “My new perspective on COVID-19” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage category for “Thompson state championship coverage” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best Sports Feature Story category for “Dad reunites with son at football game” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best Feature Photo category for “A wood crafter shapes a wooden bowl” by Keith McCoy

-Third place in the Best News Photo category for “Alabaster July Fourth celebration” by Keith McCoy

-Third place in the Best Spot News Photo category for “Waterlogged” by Keith McCoy

-Third place in the Best Sports Photo category for “Never wavered” by Keith McCoy

-Third place in the Best Photo Essay category for “Path of destruction” by Alec Etheredge and Keith McCoy

-Third place in the Best Niche Publication category for “Football” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best Use of Social Media category for “Football Pregame Show” by Alec Etheredge

-Third place in the Best Use of Video Shorter than 2 Minutes category for “9-11 reel” by Meg Herndon

-Third place in the Best Use of Video Longer than 2 Minutes category for “Shelby County Live Pregame Show” by Alec Etheredge

Advertising contest

-First place in the Best Single Ad ½ page and under, black and white category for “Southwest Water” by Rhett McCreight

-First place in the Best Single Ad over ½ page, black and white category for “CPAP Plus” by Jessica Caudill

-First place in the Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section-Newsprint or Glossy category for “Profile 2021” by staff

-First place in the Best Original/Creative Idea category for “Lawn Mower For Sale” by Daniel Holmes

-First place in the Best Classified Display Ad category for “Lawn Mower For Sale” by Daniel Holmes

-First place in the Best Niche Publication category for “Shelby County Football” by staff

-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 for “Shelbycountyreporter.com” by staff

-First place in the Best Innovative Online Advertising-Single Ad category for “CreActive” by Tori Montjoy

-First place in the Best Online Revenue Builder category for “Digital Subscriptions” by Meg Herndon

-Second place in the Best Single Ad over ½ page, black and white category for “The Shelby County Chamber – Small Business Awards” by staff

-Second place in the Best In-Paper Promotion of Newspaper category for “Profile 2021” by staff

-Second place in the Best Original/Creative Idea category for “Vulcan Termite” by Rhett McCreight

-Second place in the Best Classified Display Ad category for “Wimberly Apartments” by staff

-Second place in the Best Signature Page category for “Oak Mountain State Champs” by staff

-Second place in the Best Use of Humor category for “Alabaster For Tomorrow” by Tori Montjoy

-Second place in the Best Innovative Online Advertising-Single Ad category for “DaySol Coffee” by Rhett McCreight

-Second place in the Best Online Revenue Builder category for “SCR Daily Email” by staff

-Third place in the Best Single Ad ½ page and under, black and white category for “Valleydale Animal Clinic” by Rhett McCreight

-Third place in the Best Single Ad over ½ page, black and white category for “The Shelby County Chamber – Tourism Awards” by staff

-Third place in the Best Single Ad over ½ page, color category for “Alabaster For Tomorrow” by Tori Montjoy

-Third place in the Best Advertising Campaign category for “Health Services, Inc.” by staff

-Third place in the Best Signature Page category for “Veterans Day” by staff

-Third place in the Best Niche Publication category for “THS Calendar” by staff

-Third place in the Best Innovative Online Advertising-Single Ad category for “Bug Out Training” by Rhett McCreight

Magazine contest

-First place in the Best Personality Profile category for Vestavia Hills Magazine’s “A Family Man” by Madoline Markham and Blair Ramsey

-First place in the Best Business Feature category for Hoover’s Magazine’s “A Clean Start” by Amy Ferguson

-First place in the Best Photo Essay category for Shelby Living’s “Running Free” by Denise George and Madoline Markham

-First place for Best Individual Website for Vestaviahillsmagazine.com

-First place in the Best Overall Design category for Vestavia Hills Magazine

-First place in the Best Travel Feature category for Vestavia Hills Magazine’s “Rediscover Gatlinburg” by Christiana Roussel

-Second place in the Best Single Feature Story category for Vestavia Hills Magazine’s “A Mission in High Gear” by Madoline Markham

-Second place in the Best Personality Profile category for Homewood Life Magazine’s “Everyone’s Favorite Mailman” by Melanie Peeples and Kathryn Bell

-Second place in the Best Photo Essay category for Shelby Living’s “In the Dark” by Klint Rhodes and Madoline Markham

-Second place in the Best Single Ad category for “Collective & Co.” by staff

-Second place in the Best Travel Feature category for Vestavia Hills Magazine’s “The Great Carolina Outdoors” by Christiana Roussel

-Second place in the Best Culinary Feature category for Vestavia Hills Magazine’s “Cookie Cheer” by Sara Guven and Karen Askins

-Third place in the Best House Ad or Self-Promotion category for “Subscribe Now” by staff