Iowa Newspaper Association honors Gazette with 37 awards

DES MOINES — Michaela Ramm, The Gazette’s health care reporter, was honored last week with the Jay P. Wagner Young Iowa Journalist Award for her outstanding reporting.

Her first-place award was one of 37 honors presented to The Gazette in the Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Iowa Newspaper Foundation and Iowa Newspaper Association.

The Wagner award honors Jay Wagner, a lifelong Iowa newspaper reporter and editor whose passions included encouraging young reporters and promoting great community journalism. A graduate of Iowa State University, Ramm began her career at The Gazette as an intern.

Executive Editor Zack Kucharski was named a Master Editor-Publisher, becoming the sixth Gazette staffer to earn the recognition since the award began in 1932. The award recognizes leadership among newspaper editors and publishers and are selected by past recipients of the award. Kucharski, who started at The Gazette as an intern in 2000, created the Iowa Ideas project six years ago. The project provides opportunities for Iowans to explore and discuss issues impacting the state.

Additional awards include:

First place: Best newspaper website; editorial writing (Adam Sullivan); Bill Monroe special digital project (derecho anniversary); coverage of agriculture; best sports section; coverage of courts and crime; best podcast; advertising special section by Chad Willenborg; newspaper marketing (Iowa Ideas).

Second place — General excellence; sports feature photo (Jim Slosiarek); best COVID-19 coverage; best features page; coverage of business; editorial special section; community leadership; master columnist (Sofia DeMartino); headline writing; sports columnist (JR Ogden); ad featuring food or entertainment; ad featuring miscellaneous products; best web advertisement; ad campaign by Chad Willenborg; advertising special section by Jacob Willenborg; newspaper marketing.

Third place — Best news story (Erin Jordan); breaking news story (Vanessa Miller); master columnist (Todd Dorman); best sports story (Vanessa Miller); coverage of politics and government; best editorial page; personality feature story (Ali Gowans); ad featuring ag products; best ad campaign; ad featuring insurance products.