Winners in the Nebraska Press Women 2015 Communications Contest were announced April 25 at the close of the NPW spring convention in Lexington.
The Marianne Beel Sweepstakes Awards were presented to the top three award winners. Taking first place was Lori Potter of Kearney (at right in photo), the agriculture/natural resources reporter for the Kearney Hub. Placing second was Carla Chance of Cedar Creek, marketing communications director for Video King/VKGS in Omaha, and placing third, LuAnn Schindler of Clearwater (at left in photo), managing editor for the Clearwater Record/Ewing News.
In all, there were 114 entries in a wide variety of categories from features and photography to social media and specialty articles. Entries that took first place in their respective categories are eligible to compete at the national level, if the entrant is also a national member. A total of 41 first-place entries from Nebraska will compete in the national contest. Results from national competition will be announced in September.
State award recipients, and their awards, are listed below, alphabetically by community:
Clearwater – LuAnn Schindler, managing editor for the Clearwater Record/Ewing News: first, graphics; first, specialty articles – hobby or craft; first, specialty articles – sports; first, personality profile – 500 words or fewer; second, headlines; second, photo essay; second, specialty articles – business; second, specialty articles – education; second, specialty articles – religion; third, specialty articles – history; and third, page design – newspaper.
Fullerton – Barbara Ann Dush Micek, author and editor of the Nance County Journal, and Nancy Hansen, author: first, books and creative writing – nonfiction books for adult readers – biography or autobiography.
Fullerton – Tracy Lynn Blessen Belitz, author: honorable mention, collection of short stories written and published together in a book.
Grand Island – Terri Hahn of Osceola, features editor for the Grand Island Independent: first, headlines; first, sections or supplements infrequently edited by entrant – newspaper; first, publications regularly edited by entrant – newspaper; second, single page/section/supplement regularly edited by entrant – newspaper; second, page design – newspaper.
Grand Island – Bette Pore, copy editor for the Grand Island Independent: first, editing and page design, print publications – single page/section/supplement regularly edited by entrant – newspaper; first, editing and page design, print publications – page design – newspaper; and second, headlines.
Kearney – Amanda Brandt, digital reporter for the Kearney Hub, and Ashley White, online editor/city hall reporter for the Kearney Hub: first, continuing coverage or unfolding news, and Brandt and Tyler Jacobs, Kearney Hub video editor: first, videos for website – corporate or for-profit. Brandt also placed first in feature story – print-ibased newspaper and second, social media campaign – corporate or for-profit.
Kearney – Jessica Kokesh, Kearney Hub regional editor: third, feature story – print-ibased newspaper; third, personality profile – more than 500 words; and honorable mention, news story – print-based newspaper.
Kearney – Leslie Means, Kearney Hub columnist and program director for Her View From Home: second, columns – general; second, Web and social media – blogs – corporate or for-profit; and third, columns – humorous.
Kearney – Lori Potter, agriculture/natural resources reporter for the Kearney Hub: first, enterprise reporting; first, photo essay; first, photographer-writer; first, specialty articles – agriculture/ agribusiness/aquaculture; first, specialty articles – education; first, specialty articles – green/environmental; first, specialty articles – science or technology; first, columns – general; first, columns – personal opinion (bylined, not editorial); first, single photograph – general photo (open competition – no subcategories as to type of publication); first, personality profile – more than 500 words; second, specialty articles – government or politics; second, specialty articles – history; second, single photograph – sports photo; second, news story – print-based newspaper; second, feature story – print-ibased newspaper; third, specialty articles – business; and third, single photograph – news or feature photo.
Kearney – Kim Schmidt, Kearney Hub public safety reporter: first, blogs – corporate or for-profit
Kearney – Mary Jane Skala, business/lifestyles reporter for the Kearney Hub: first, specialty articles – arts and entertainment; first, specialty articles – business; first, specialty articles – physical health/fitness/mental health/self-help; first, specialty articles – religion; and third, columns – personal opinion (bylined, not editorial).
Kearney – Ashley White and Amanda Brandt, both with the Kearney Hub: first, investigative reporting, and first, website edited or managed by entrant – corporate or for-profit. White also earned first in specialty articles – government or politics; first, news Story – print-based newspaper; and honorable mention, feature story – print-ibased newspaper.
Lincoln – Cheryl Alberts Irwin, freelance writer, and Judy Nelson, freelance writer and author: first, public relations materials – newsletters – nonprofit, government or educational.
Lincoln – Ruth Thone, freelance writer: second, columns – humorous; second, columns – personal opinion (bylined, not editorial); honorable mention, columns – informational (how-to, Q&A, advice); and honorable mention, personality profile – more than 500 words.
Norfolk – Mary Pat Finn-Hoag, agriculture/youth editor for the Norfolk Daily News: second, specialty articles – agriculture/ agribusiness/aquaculture.
North Platte – Heather Johnson, reporter for the North Platte Telegraph: first, special series; first, specialty articles – history; second, specialty articles – green/environmental; second, specialty articles – physical health/fitness/mental health/self-help; second, specialty articles – social issues; second, personality profile of more than 500 words; and third, news story – print-based newspaper.
North Platte – Lori Clinch, weekly columnist for the North Platte Telegraph and freelance writer: first, columns – humorous.
Omaha – Carla Chance of Cedar Creek, marketing communications director for Video King/VKGS in Omaha: first, single advertisement for print or electronic publication; first, advertising campaigns built around one subject (print, online, or combination of the two); first, advertising posters, billboards, and banners; first, communications programs and campaigns – audiovisuals; first, publications regularly edited by entrant – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication; first, page design – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication; first, social media campaign – corporate or for-profit; second, photographer-writer; second, website edited or managed by entrant – corporate or for-profit; second, videos for website – corporate or for-profit; third, headlines; third, photo essay; honorable mention, specialty articles – business; and honorable mention, feature story – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper print publication.
Omaha – Sherry Thompson, freelance writer: first, writing for the Web; first, specialty articles – social issues; first, videos for website – nonprofit, government or educational; second, blogs – nonprofit, government or educational; second, public relations materials – newsletters – nonprofit, government or educational.
West Point – Delores Meister, freelance writer: second, enterprise reporting; third, specialty articles – agriculture/agribusiness/ aquaculture; third, specialty articles – education; third, specialty articles – government or politics; third, specialty articles – physical health/fitness/mental health/self-help.
CONTACT: Glennis Nagel, contest co-chair, 308.224.4221
