Leader-Telegram bags 20 awards in state journalism contest

The Leader-Telegram won 20 awards in the 2019 Wisconsin Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest, reports the publication. It also bagged the top overall honor for newspapers in its circulation class.

The Telegram competed in the category for daily newspapers with circulation between 7,000 and 20,000. The awards were as follows:

• First place in the general excellence category under the leadership of editor Gary Johnson.
• Special projects reporter Eric Lindquist won three first-place awards.
• Assistant editor Liam Marlaire won a first-place award in the editorial category.
• Photographer Dan Reiland won the top prize in the general news photo category.
• Retired photographer Steve Kinderman won a first-place award for a sports photo.
• Former sports reporter Aaron Rose took a top prize in the sports feature category.
• Reporter Sarah Seifert won second place for breaking news coverage.
• Third-place winners were city government reporter and business editor Andrew Dowd, Kinderman for general news photo and freelance writer J. Hollars of Eau Claire for local column.
• Sports staffers Jack Goods, Ron Buckli, Spencer Flaten and Rose were awarded an honorable mention in the best sports section category.
• Staff reporter Nate Jackson won second place in the environmental reporting category.

In total, the newspaper claimed eight first-place awards, four seconds, five thirds and three honorable mentions.