The Columbia Missourian Wins 28 Awards from Missouri Press Association
By Breanna Holman
Columbia Missourian
Columbia, Mo. (Sept. 19, 2008) — The Columbia Missourian received 28 awards from the 2008 Missouri Press Association‘s Better Newspaper Contest, the winners of which were announced Saturday.
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Top row, from left: Traci Angel, Katie Barnes, Charlotte Bellis, Jeff Birnbaum, Katie Harmon, Sarah Horne. Second row: Derek Kravitz, Tori Moss, Jessica Nunez, Megan Rolland, Jake Siegel, Julie Zykan.
The Missourian received 13 first-place awards, including a General Excellence Award for the sixth consecutive year and the seventh time in eight years. Competing in the Class 1 division against papers such as the Neosho Daily News and the Lake Sun-Weekend, from the Lake of the Ozarks, the Missourian was “far and away better than the competition,” said a member of the judging panel, the Illinois Press Association, in the awards ceremony program.
The Missourian also received first-place awards in its division in categories such as Best Design, Best Feature Photograph, Best Sports Page, Best Business Story and Best Rural Life or Agricultural Story. Additionally, the newspaper won a third-place Community Service Award, after the Springfield News-Leader and the (Independence) Examiner, for its series of reports following the city’s selection of a site for a third high school.
The Missourian’s 28 MPA Awards
By Matt Willman
Columbia Missourian
Categories 50, 59, 62, 63, 64, 66 and 72 were statewide, no class designations. The rest were in Class 1, the smallest circulation size, except for 42, which was in Class 2.
- 38. General Excellence – 1st Place
- 39. Best Design – 1st Place
- 40. Best Front Page – Honorable Mention
- 42. Best Feature – 1st Place
Megan Rolland, “A street divided.” Rolland wrote about inequalities, with roots dating back to 1935, that persist between blacks and whites on Garth Avenue. - 46-N. Best News Photo – 1st Place
Andrei Pungovschi, “Community counters hate.” Features: A member of the National Socialist Movement and a protester butting heads. - 46-F. Best Feature Photo – 1st Place
Jessie King, “Bathroom humor.” Features: A clown’s feet visible underneath stall door. - 46-F. Best Feature Photo – 2nd Place
Katie Barnes, “Loving the gentle giant.” Features: A dog drinking from a faucet behind the dog’s owner. - 47. Best Photo Package – 2nd Place
Jennifer Whitney, “Looking for a way home.” Features: The homeless and nearly homeless in Columbia. - 47. Best Photo Package – 3rd Place
Various photographers, “36 hours in Columbia.” Features: Shots from 29 photographers who were sent out to capture Columbia scenes during a 36-hour period. - 50. Community Service Award – 3rd Place
Various authors, “Election of new high school site.” This was a series on plans for and controversies related to a new Columbia high school. - 52. Best Sports Pages – 1st Place
- 54. Best Sports Feature – 3rd Place
Jeff Birnbaum, “MO than meets the eyes.” This story offered a look at MU football player William Moore outside of football, including his childhood and his hip-hop group. - 56. Best Rural Life or Agriculture Story – 1st Place
Traci Angel, “Tall, Dark and Handsome.” A former show horse is used to breed a new generation of show horses. - 56. Best Rural Life or Agriculture Story – 3rd Place
Adeline Ong, “The Last Colonies.” Bees are disappearing in mid-Missouri and across the nation. - 57. Best Special Section – 2nd Place
Various authors. “Collegetown” This special section offered students a guide to “making the grade at MU.” - 57. Best Special Section – 3rd Place
Various authors, “Missourian Insider’s Guide – You haven’t seen Missouri until you’ve…” - 58. Best Investigative Reporting – 2nd Place
Derek Kravitz, “A chief under fire.” Kravitz’s story answered the question: After investigations, lawsuits and bookkeeping errors, is the fire chief’s job at risk? - 58. Best Investigative Reporting – Honorable Mention
Matt Wynn, “From jail to bail.” Several Missouri bail bond agents are convicted felons. - 59. Best Local Business Coverage Features – 1st Place
Ali Gabel, “The developing research culture.” Gabel’s coverage focuses on MU, and how it would soon begin to rake in money from academic research. - 60. Best Business Story, News or Feature – 1st Place
Jessica Nunez, “Funding farming.” Who gets what and how much farm funding? Nunez’s article featured a new database allowing people to find the answers. - 60. Best Business Story, News or Feature – 3rd Place
Sarah Horne, “Crackdown.” Horne offered a look at local businesses and individuals impacted by an increase in enforcement of immigration laws. - 62. Best Story About Religion – 1st Place
Jake Siegel, “This is the story of the Rabbi and the Minister.” In light of a National Socialist Movement march, Siegel’s article showcased a friendship that crosses faiths. - 63. Best Story About Education – 3rd Place
Tori Moss, “Designing Education.” Moss’s article was about designs and plans for a new Columbia high school. - 64. Best Story About the Outdoors – 1st Place
Katherine Harmon, “Current woes.” Missouri River sediment was causing problems and sparking debate; Harmon’s story explored the issue. - 65. Best Story About History – 1st Place
Julie Zykan, “The rise and fall of the big top.” Zykan reported on the circus and how its history of success is ending. - 65. Best Story About History – 3rd Place
Charlotte Bellis, “Previously scripted.” Bellis followed the story of brothers who said FOX took their real-life story as inspiration for its TV show, “Prison Break.” - 66. Best Coverage of Family Living – 1st Place
Various authors. Contributing to this 1st-place win were articles on Asperger’s syndrome, retirement and triplets. - 72. Best Editorial Cartoon – 2nd Place
David Friesen, “Local view – Medicaid.” Friesen’s cartoon depicted Gov. Matt Blunt presenting HealthNet as a quick fix for Medicaid.
Updated: April 29, 2020