Saratoga Sun earns second place nod for general excellence and editorial leadership
Zachary Laux, former Sun reporter, Keith McLendon, Sun graphic artist and Liz Wood, Sun general manager, show off their honors after the Wyoming Press Association Banquet and awards ceremonies. Laux, was employed by the Saratoga Sun most of 2013 before being promoted to publisher of the Pine Bluffs Post in December.
Newspapers in Cheyenne, Jackson and Newcastle were honored as being the best newspapers in Wyoming for the year of 2013 during ceremonies held in Laramie on Saturday.
The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle in Cheyenne, the Jackson Hole News&Guide and the Newcastle News Letter Journal were awarded the Wyoming Press Association's "general excellence" awards for daily newspapers, large weekly newspapers and small weekly papers, respectively, during the WPA's annual convention in Laramie.
"The judges in New Mexico who picked our top newspapers told us that choosing a winner was a difficult job," said Anne McGowan of the Lander Journal, who was elected the WPA's president for 2014 during the convention. "We've always been proud of the high quality of Wyoming's newspapers. These awards just point out the best of the best."
The "general excellence" award is one of five major awards given to Wyoming newspapers during the convention and is based on a number of factors including writing quality, advertising, sports and news coverage and layout and design.
The winners were determined in judging by members of the New Mexico Press Association.
Placing second for general excellence among daily newspapers was the Gillette News-Record, which also placed first for typographic excellence and second for advertising excellence. In addition to placing first for general excellence, the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle won top honors for editorial excellence and advertising excellence.
The Laramie Daily Boomerang placed second for editorial excellence, while the Casper Star-Tribune earned second-place honors for typographic excellence.
Winning first for photographic excellence among daily newspapers was the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. A Tribune-Eagle photo taken by Michael Smith titled "Close-up of the Day" was also selected as the WPA's "Photo of the Year." Smith's photo was also named the top photo for the year among daily newspapers. A shot titled "Sour Face" from Price Chambers of the Jackson Hole News&Guide was named the year's best photo among large weekly newspapers, and one titled "Close Race" by Karla Pomeroy of the Basin Republican-Rustler won among small weeklies.
Among large weekly newspapers, those with a circulation above 2,500, the Cody Enterprise placed first for editorial excellence, followed by the Jackson Hole News&Guide. Top advertising excellence honors went to the Powell Tribune, which also placed first for typographic excellence.
The Jackson Hole News&Guide placed second for advertising excellence and typographic excellence, while the Green River Star placed second for general excellence.
Top honors for photographic excellence among large weeklies went to the Jackson Hole News&Guide.
In addition to placing first for general excellence among small weekly newspapers, the Newcastle News Letter Journal placed first for editorial excellence and typographic excellence. In second place for general excellence was the Saratoga Sun, which also placed second for editorial excellence.
The Thermopolis Independent-Record won first-place honors for advertising excellence, followed by the Lovell Chronicle. The Glenrock Independent placed second for typographic excellence and the Basin Republican-Rustler placed first for photographic excellence.
In addition to the election of McGowan as president, the WPA selected Robb Hicks, publisher of the Newcastle News Letter Journal, as vice president and Jerry Raehal, publisher of the Laramie Boomerang, as secretary/treasurer.
The WPA also elected several members to fill openings on its board of directors. Raehal was re-elected to a three-year term representing daily newspapers, Toby Bonner of the Powell Tribune, a past president of the WPA, was elected to a three-year term representing large weeklies and Hicks was elected to a 3-year term representing small weeklies. Mark Tesoro, publisher of the Bridger Valley Pioneer, was elected to a two-year term representing small weeklies.
Saratoga Sun's general manager, Liz Wood, who had served on the Wyoming Press Assocation board for the past two years, chose not to run for a board seat this year.
The Wyoming Press Association is a trade association that represents all 44 of Wyoming's legal newspapers in areas including education, public relations and lobbying.
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