Statesman, NSC claim 18 MPA awards

BRANSON, Mo. - The Missouri Press Association (MPA) has once against recognized The Daily Statesman and The North Stoddard Countian for excellence during the year 2011, with the presentation of 18 MPA awards in the association's annual Better Newspaper Contest.

The contest annually recognizes excellence in writing, photography, design, and layout in both daily and weekly newspaper publications across the state.

The Daily Statesman was honored with a total of 11 MPA awards. Sports Editor Jerry Jarrell picked up two awards, both in the category of Best Sports Photograph. Jarrell claimed a third place award for a photo entitled, "Dexter Leap," and a first place award for his photo, "Running Hard."

Statesman News Writer Mike McCoy received an Honorable Mention for his portrayal of "Joe Brown" in the category of "Best Story About History."

News Writer Corey Noles earned a third place award for his photograph, "Four-Wheeler Flood," depicting rescue efforts during the 2011 flooding in Southeast Missouri. Noles also received Honorable Mention in the category of Best Sports Columnist for his St. Louis Cardinals column.

Managing Editor Noreen Hyslop earned six awards for writing and photography. A first place award was presented to her in the category of Best Feature Story for her portrayal of the challenges faced by Bloomfield High School cheerleader Torrie Baker, who is profoundly deaf. In the same category, Hyslop was awarded third place for another feature story entitled, "1500 Miles," a tongue-in-cheek account of a Dexter family's driving adventure to upper Michigan state to pay a long overdue bill of five dollars at a Michigan hospital that dated back to the 1950s.

A third place award in the category of Best Feature Photograph went to Hyslop for a photo called, "Annie Banken." The photo was taken at Keller Library's Story Hour and depicted Banken being surprised by the presentation of a giant boa constrictor to hold.

Hyslop earned a second place award in the category of "Best Story About Rural Life or Agriculture" for her feature entitled, "The Cowboy Way." The same feature earned another second place award in the category of "Best Story About Religion." The story described the new wave of worship in a western style setting at a rural Puxico church.

Another second place award went to Hyslop for an article telling of the historic marker put into place at the birthplace of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper in Bloomfield, Mo.

The North Stoddard Countian, a weekly publication, also earned several awards for excellence. Seven awards were issued to the Statesman's sister publication in Bloomfield, where Corey Noles is Managing Editor.

A third place award was issued to the NSC for General Excellence. The award cited the paper's variety in coverage and feature writing. The NSC also earned a third place award in the category of "Best Front to Back Newspaper Design."

Noles was awarded third place for an article on Mingo Job Corps in the category of "Best Breaking News Story."

Additionally, Noles earned third place for a feature, "Scientist Explores," in the category of "Best News Story."

Noles earned second place for his feature story entitled, "The Gorby Project," a touching story of a Bloomfield couple's struggle in an effort to adopt a Russian toddler. A photograph by the same title earned Noles a third place award in the "Best Feature Photograph" category. A third place award also went to Noles in the category of "Best News Photograph" for a depiction of a levee break during the 2011 floods.

The awards were distributed at the Missouri Press Association's annual convention held in Branson, Mo., in early October.

"We are very proud of the accomplishments of all the staff members who have a part in the daily operation of both The Daily Statesman and The North Stoddard Countian," said General Manager Bobby Greer. "These awards are due to a tremendous team effort, and the entire staff is credited with the continued success of both publications."