Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
WORLAND - The Northern Wyoming News earned a major award and two Pacemakers at the 2020 Wyoming Press Association Winter Convention in Casper last week.
The NWN won second place in Editorial Leadership in the small weekly category. Judging was from the winners of the National Newspaper Association's Better Newspaper Contest editorial writing awards. Judges considered literary excellence, insight, scope, suitability and timeliness.
Newspapers are asked to submit between five to 10 editorials over the course of a year. Typically, the year is Nov. 1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019. With the Northern Wyoming News changing to a weekly on Feb. 1, they had to submit entries only between Feb. 1 to Oct. 31. One of the submissions included the editorial "Welcome to the Northern Wyoming News."
Other topics covered in the submissions were business losses and the impact to the community, University of Wyoming trustees and the decision to not renew the president's contract; one on being offended and discriminated, one on Memorial Day and one on looking for city council candidates.
Northern Wyoming News co-owner Gary Stevenson said, "This award exemplifies our commitment to the community and the hard work of Karla [Pomeroy, editor and manager] and the staff at the Northern Wyoming News.
Sports editor Alex Kuhn won two Pacemakers, won second in sports column writing for his column "Hear Me Out." Judges wrote, "It is clear that a lot of time and effort was invested in these selections as they featured the hallmarks of carefully polished work. I enjoyed the creativity and thought process displayed here, which shines through in a unique prose."
Pacemakers were judged by members of the South Dakota Newspaper Association.
Kuhn also took second place in general news photography category for a peewee sheep showmanship photo during the Washakie County Fair. Judges wrote, "A photo captured at the right moment. Cute."
There are 26 newspapers in the small weekly division of the WPA.