LAS VEGAS - The Nevada Press Association honored Winnemucca Publishing, a group of print and online publications that includes the Humboldt Sun, the Battle Mountain Bugle, the Lovelock Review-Miner and Inside Northern Nevada, with a dozen advertising and editorial awards last weekend.
The press association held its annual Better Newspaper Contest awards and banquet Saturday in Las Vegas, an event that attracted newspaper people from across the state.
This year's contest was judged by journalists and editors in Oklahoma.
At the top of the awards list, the team of graphic designers that creates ads for Inside Northern Nevada won the prestigious Advertising General Excellence award. The ad design team includes Terrie Chism, Joe Plummer, Sierra Holm and Carmen Kofoed.
Graphic designer Joe Plummer swept the Best Multi-Color Ad category, picking up first, second and third places for ads published in Inside Northern Nevada. For one of his award-winning DeLong Ford ads, the judges said, "nice looking ad. Pleasing to the eye. The dealership must be pleased with this ad. Keep up the good work!
Plummer won first place in the Best Large-Space Ad for a Liberty Motors ad, "Ram built for everything." The judges commented that the ad showed "great ingenuity with the four pics. This ad stood out among the other entries." Plummer took second place in the same category for a DeLong Ford Fiesta ad that was published in Inside Northern Nevada.
Terrie Chism, another Winnemucca Publishing graphic designer, took third place in the category for a Pershing General Hospital ad that ran in the Lovelock Review-Miner.
Sierra Holm took first place in the Best Black & White Ad category for a Karma ad for the Battle Mountain Bugle. Judges said, "Nice ad. Good illustration." Holm also won second place in the category.
Holm also garnered another first place award in the Best In-House Promotion category for a subscription campaign for the Battle Mountain Bugle.
In addition to the advertising awards, Winnemucca Publishing staffers also took home several editorial awards.
Humboldt Sun staff writer Rudy Herndon took second place in the Best News Feature Story category. Herndon's story "French updates commission..." focused on the reported discovery of invasive quagga mussel larvae at Rye Patch Reservoir, as well as ongoing tests to determine if the larvae pose a long-term threat to the popular recreation area.
Lovelock Review-Miner sports writer David E. Harrison won first place for Best Sports Story. His story, "Lady Mustangs lasso second hoops title," captured the action courtside as the Pershing County High School Girls basketball team fought for a state championship in Reno earlier this year.
Harrison also won first place for Best Sports Column. His "Know Your Mustangs" question and answer column garnered favorable comments from the judges. The judges liked the format Harrison used. "It's more candid depending on the questions posed to your subject and is a bit of fresh air..."
Humboldt Sun contributor Gini Cunningham won third place in the Best Non-Staff Column category for her informative and sometimes poignant monthly column, "Love, Dignity and Alzheimer's."
