Ohio County Times-News staff earns 17 awards in annual KPA contest

The staff of the Ohio County Times-News brought home a total of 17 awards from the annual Kentucky Press Association awards banquet held during the winter convention at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington on Jan. 24.

The 2024 Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers contest, conducted annually for all members of KPA, was judged by members of the Arkansas Press Association. A total of 77 newspapers from across the state registered to compete in the contest.

The newspaper won second place General Excellence in the Weekly 3/Multi-Weekly Division Advertising Contest and third place General Excellence in the Weekly Class 3 Editorial Contest.

“We are humbled and honored to receive these awards. I am so incredibly proud of my staff,” said Editor Dana Brantley. “We are such a great team and it means a lot when others in the industry recognize our efforts.”

Ad Manager/Graphic Designer Sonja Davis picked up a total of nine awards in the advertising contest.

She won first place for Best Use of Color, Best Black & White ad and Best Professional Services ad; second place for Multi-Advertiser/Sig Page, Best Agriculture/Lawn and Garden ad and Best Use of Color and third place for Multi-Advertiser/Sig Page, Best Professional Services ad, Best Entertainment/Dining ad and Best Holiday ad.

Davis’ first-place win in the Professional Services category came for an advertisement for Paragon Printing.

The judge said: “It says Paragon Printing has an award-winning graphic designer and this ad shows it. Wonderful color and very nice layout.”

Davis has been with the Times-News/Paragon Printing for more than three years and has 32 years of experience in graphic design and the printing industry.

Community Editor Georgina Dockery picked up a first place award in the Best Cover of a Special Section/Publication in the advertising contest with her design of the 2024 Ohio County Fall Sports Preview.

Dockery has been with OCTN for 18 years.

Brantley picked up five awards in the Editorial Contest including a first place award for Best Headline Writer, second-place awards for Best Enterprise or Analytical Story and Best Front Page and third place for Best Columnist for her weekly “Confessions of a Preacher’s Wife” columns and Best Sports Feature Story.

Of Brantley’s columns, the judge said: “The author has a unique voice and a unique experience set that allows her to connect with the reader in a way that is both wholesome, but not overly Utopian.”

Brantley has been with the Times-News since April 2018. She has been working as a journalist for more than 30 years at multiple news outlets across the state.