Star-Observer wins five WNA first place awards

The Hudson Star-Observer picked up five first place awards — four in news and another in advertising — at Friday night’s Wisconsin Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest awards at Middleton, Feb. 24.

Reporter-photographer Margaret Ontl picked up a first place award for Business Coverage (stories about local industry Larsen Sports & Physical Therapy’s relocation, Taco John’s anniversary and Preco’s expansion into Hudson). The judges labeled her entries as “strong writing (with) interesting leads that take a reader into the story...”

Ontl also won a first place award for Reporting on Local Education (Young adult literature project, “Pennies for Patients” and “Every day is Earth Day” stories). “Stories are well-written and reported; reporter has a firm grasp of the beat,” said the judge.

Associate editor Randy Hanson received a first place in Spot News for a photo he made of a home set on fire by a lightning strike.

“The urgency of the situation is understated. Readers must wonder when additional help will arrive,” the judges from the Illinois Press Association commented. “The photographer’s decision to stay back and include the entire house in the frame and the firemen on the driveway was the right choice — it helps present the situation accurately.”

Star-Observer outdoor columnist Mike Yurk also received a first place in competition among Local Outdoor Columns. Yurk entered “From the Dockside” columns entitled “The Thrill of a Successful Cast, “Grandpa’s Fishing Pole”, and “Saying Goodbye to an old Family Member”. The judges declared Yurk’s pennings a “simple, fresh writing style. Fun, easy read,” they commented.

In advertising competition, HSO sales representative Melissa Peloquin and designer Laura (Howard) Frisvold won first-place award for “Discover Historic Downtown Hudson”, a map project done in cooperation with the Hudson Chamber of Commerce and Christiansen Creative. “Very creative. Nice clean look. Ad design clean and elegant,” the judges said.

The Star-Observer received second-place awards for design of its feature pages (Becki Lamar), entertainment pages (Carole Rieg), and its 2011-12 Hudson Community Guide, a effort led by editor Doug Stohlberg, ad director Mary Beth Kremer and design supervisor Becki Lamar.

Also at last week’s convention, members installed Steve Dzubay, publisher of the Star-Observer, River Falls Journal and New Richmond News, as association president.

Dzubay, 53, has served on various committee capacities and on WNA’s board of directors for several years.

The 2011 Better Newspaper Contest included 2,869 total entries from 135 newspapers. Eligible entries were published between Sept. 1, 2010, and Aug. 31, 2011.

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association (WNA) was established in 1853 and is the oldest press association in the world. Created by and for Wisconsin’s newspapers, WNA exists to strengthen the newspaper industry, enhance public understanding of the role of newspapers, and protect basic freedoms of press, speech and the free flow of information.

Tags: news, business, hudson