Iowa newspaper contest honors Gazette

DES MOINES - The Gazette has been honored with more than 40 awards in the Iowa Newspaper Foundation's annual contest.

For the second year in a row, the news organization won the Bill Monroe Innovation Award - this time for its Pints & Politics series of community events featuring discussions between audiences and its journalists covering politics. Last year, The Gazette was honored for Iowa Ideas, its ongoing solution-oriented journalism in magazine and news articles, culminating each year in a symposium featuring hundreds of participants.

The awards were presented Friday evening in Des Moines at the Iowa Newspaper Association's Annual Conference.

FIRST-PLACE HONORS

The Gazette was honored with first-place awards for best sports section, best newspaper website, best podcasts, best use of social media, best feature page, best coverage of government and politics and best special section - the production of 'Epic Rebirth,” a special report on the 10th anniversary of the 2008 floods.

Insight Editor Todd Dorman was honored with a first-place award for best blog. Photographers Stephen Mally and Rebecca F. Miller received the top recognition for sports photo and best news feature photo, respectively.

SECOND-PLACE HONORS

Second-place honors were awarded collectively for general excellence, editorial page, coverage of education, coverage of agriculture, total newspaper design, community leadership, use of graphics, as well as for financial/insurance/professional services advertising, agricultural advertising and web advertisements.

Reporter B.A. Morelli received second-place recognition for news story; columnist Adam Sullivan for blog and editorial writing; Mally for breaking-news photography; Miller for photo story; former designer Michelle Maakestad for overall ad design.

THIRD-PLACE HONORS

Third-place overall recognition included headline writing, advertising for grocery/food/entertainment, ads featuring automotive, miscellaneous advertising, agricultural ads and advertising for community promotions or events.

Third place individual honors included reporter Kat Russell for breaking news; Morelli for news feature; columnist Lynda Waddington for editorial writing; reporter Vanessa Miller for personality feature; Dorman for master columnist; reporter Mike Hlas for sports columnist; photographer Jim Slosiarek for news photo and sports feature photography; and photographer Cliff Jette for breaking news photo.