The Northeaster came home a winner once again. Your friendly neighborhood newspaper won 22 awards in the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, including first place for General Excellence. Awards were presented Thursday, Feb. 1 at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park.
Contest entries were sorted into categories based on circulation. The Northeaster competes in the “non-multi day over 7,000” or “non-multi day” groups depending on category.
Publisher Vince Brown and Margo Ashmore took third in the Best Advertisement category, while the newspaper received third place for advertising excellence and second place for its classified ad section.
It was a good night for Northeaster reporters.
Judges found merit in Cynthia Sowden and Alex Schlee’s coverage in the Business Profile category, with Sowden taking first for “Sentyrz celebrates 100 years,” second for “At 10 years, Sociable Ciderwerks brewing new ideas,” and Schlee third for “Fillory Design gives old trees new life.”
Sowden was also awarded first place for “Hollywood Theater ready for its next act” in the Business Story section.
Al Zdon took first place in Government/Public Affairs Reporting for his coverage of the Kt Jacobs recall effort in Columbia Heights; Cynthia Sowden garnered a third place award for the same subject and category.
Hard News: Alex Schlee received a third place award for his hard news story, “No rush to clear out Quarry campers,” while Cynthia Sowden’s “Potholes plague motorists, cities” received second place in the same category.
Karen Kraco received second place for “Church founded in 1888 will fold into Mill City” in the Human Interest category. In the Human Interest Story-News Feature category, she took third place for “Black Men Teach supports new North Park teachers.”
Human Interest Story-Personality Feature/Profile: Mark Peterson scored first for his profile of the late Father John Brandes, “Tireless champion of Catholic ministry and seeker of peace.”
Local Breaking News Coverage: The combined efforts of Mark Peterson, Cynthia Sowden and Al Zdon brought in a first for their story, “City clears Quarry camp.” Sowden received third place for “Found lying: CH Council seeks to censure Kt Jacobs.”
The Northeaster garnered two of three awards in the Social Issues category, with Karen Kraco taking second for “Native American artists share thoughts on cultural appropriation,” and Al Zdon third for “Homeowners, agencies team up to save Silver Lake from invasive milfoil.”
Mark Peterson took second for his sports story, “Coaching SAV girls’ soccer is a family affair.”
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Karen Kraco was awarded first prize for her feature photo of a coyote at Sullivan Lake Park.
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Mark Peterson took second place in portrait and personality for his photo of Edison alumni cheerleader Patty Felegy Klein during the school’s 2022 centennial celebration.
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celebrating the first place award for General Excellence at the MNA photo booth, publisher Vince Brown along with Cynthia Sowden, editor, and Davis Steen, client services, (Karen Kraco)
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Mr. Brown earlier in the night accepting same on behalf of the entire Northeaster team. (Davis Steen)