Columbia Daily Tribune journalists and their Gannett colleagues around the state received several high honors in the 2020 Better Newspaper Contest, sponsored by the Missouri Press Association.
The awards recognize the best work published in Missouri in 2019.
The Columbia Daily Tribune’s executive editor Jim Van Nostrand, news editor Rudi Keller, sports editor Kevin Graeler, digital editor Gabriela Velasquez, former editor Charles Westmoreland and former digital editor Jardyn Angell won first-place for general excellence.
The staff also came second for best sports pages and third for best overall design.
Moberly Monitor-Index reporter Erik Cliburn received five first-place awards, including:
- Best feature story
- Best news story
- Best news or feature series
- Best education story
- Best history story
He also earned two second-place and two third-place awards, as well as one honorable mention.
Tribune photographer Don Shrubshell won two first-place awards, for best sports photo and best sports feature photo while former photographer Hunter Dyke won second place in both categories.
Mexico Ledger reporter Charles Dunlap won first-place for best feature story and second-place for best breaking news story and best news or feature series, as well as third place for best rural life or agriculture story.
Tribune reporter Roger McKinney came third for best feature story.
Graeler and Tribune sports reporter Eric Blum won third place for best sports story or package. Graeler also won third place and honorable mention for best sports columnist.
Kirksville Daily Express freelance reporter Michael Bupp came second for best sports photo. Former Kirksville managing editor Jason Hunsicker won honorable mention for best serious columnist.
The Springfield News-Leader won first place for:
- Best overall design
- Best business story
- Best rural life or agriculture story
- Best religion story
- Best outdoors story
- Best history story
- Best military story
- Best news or feature obituary
The newspaper also won nine second-place, nine third-place and nine honorable mention awards.
The Examiner in Independence won five second-place and two third-place awards and an honorable mention.
The Lake Sun Leader in Osage Beach won four first-place, two second-place, six third-place and four honorable mention awards.
