Tribune-Sentinel awarded best in class

The Grant Tribune-Sentinel won 22 awards to finish atop its class in the Nebraska Press Association’s 2018 Better Newspaper Contest. 

The awards were announced at the conclusion of the association’s 144th annual convention Saturday night, held this year in Lincoln. 

The Tribune-Sentinel competes against other Nebraska newspapers with circulations from 860-1,499. Entries were judged by members of the Texas Newspaper Association.

The Tribune won five first place awards, nine second place awards and eight third place awards to win the Class B division. 

Other years the Tribune won the top award include 2015 and 2016. They received runner-up in 2017. 

Other weekly class winners were the Orchard Antelope County News, the Aurora News-Register and the Blair Washington County Pilot-Tribune. 

This year’s winner of the Loral Johnson Community Newspaper Sweepstakes Award, the top winner of all classes, went to the Orchard Antelope County News.

Tribune Co-publisher Russ Pankonin expressed his appreciation to the Tribune’s staff. 

“They are constantly striving to serve Grant and the Perkins County communities and it’s gratifying to see those efforts recognized by their peers,” he said.

Samantha Goff was also named runner-up of the Outstanding Young Journalist Award on Friday. 

Two other Johnson Publications newspapers earned awards in the better newspaper contest as well.

The Imperial Republican won one first, three seconds and four thirds and compete with newspapers with circulation between 1,500 and 2,499. 

The Wauneta Breeze won four seconds and one third. They compete against weekly newspapers with circulations up to 859. 

Results of the awards are as follows:

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

First Place: Classified Section, Best New News Idea, Editorial Page, Editorial by Brooke Robertson and Russ Pankonin, Sports Writing by Russ Pankonin.

Second Place: General Excellence, Community Promotion Ad by Samantha Goff, Headline Writing, Public Notice and Its Promotion, Creative Ad Writing by Samantha Goff, Building Circulation by Samantha Goff, Youth Coverage, Reader Interaction by Samantha Goff, Use of Color by Darci Tomky.

Third place: Sports Column by Larry Pritchett, Breaking News by Brooke Robertson, Feature Series by Brooke Robertson, Agricultural Ad by Samantha Goff, Specialty Section, Best Use of Social Media by Samantha Goff, Best Use of Social Media, Single Retail Advertising Idea.

The Imperial Republican

First Place: Editorial Page.

Second Place: Signature Page by Jana Pribbeno, Chris Fidler and Karen Hayes, Editorial by Russ Pankonin and Jan Schultz, Sports Writing by Russ Pankonin

Third Place: Classified Section, Community Promotion Ad by Jana Pribbeno and Karen Hayes, Sports Page, Front Page.

The Wauneta Breeze

Second Place: Sports Action Photo by Diane Stamm, Sports Column by Diane Stamm, Single Retail Advertising Idea by Sheri Hink-Wagner, Breaking News Photography by Diane Stamm

Third Place: Sports Action Photo by Diane Stamm