Columbia Missourian Wins 56 Missouri Press Association Awards
The Columbia Missourian won 56 Missouri Press Association awards in multiple categories; 17 entries received first-place honors.
The Newspaper Also Won the Gold Cup Award in the Class 2 Dailies Category for the Fourth Consecutive Year
By Emily Peters
Columbia, Mo. (Oct. 20, 2016) — The Columbia Missourian won 56 overall awards in the 2016 Missouri Press Association Better Newspaper Contest. The newspaper also won the Gold Cup in Class 2 Dailies for the fourth consecutive year.
The Missourian won awards for multiple categories, such as ongoing coverage, photos, multimedia, design, its website and projects that were published in 2015. This year 17 Missourian entries were awarded first-place honors.
The Missourian is a digital-first publication that covers all of Boone County. Vox Magazine, a weekly city magazine published by the Missourian, won awards in the News or Features and History categories. Vox publishes a weekly city magazine and daily website that provide insight on local news and culture. Both news agencies are available on different platforms, such as mobile and social media.
Tom Warhover, executive editor of the Missourian, said this year’s award winners are distinct because the excellent work produced was created during a time of incredible tension.
“Some of the award winners were directly from the past year’s protests at MU, and others had nothing to do with them,” Warhover said. Regardless, he said, everyone was under pressure, noting, “students and journalists delivered excellence despite long days, weeks and months.”
Missourian Managing Editor Jeanne Abbott attended the MPA’s annual convention to accept the awards on behalf of the publications. The convention was held on Oct. 1 in Branson, Missouri.
The awards are as follows:
Gold Cup
- Class 2 Dailies, Columbia Missourian
First Place
- General Excellence: The Missourian won first place in General Excellence with its April 2, Oct. 28 and Nov. 11, 2015, issues.
- Best Coverage of Rural Life or Agriculture: Stories by Janie Booth, Katie Kull and Kylee May with features on the 100th Anniversary of Perche Baptist Church, a profile on the plight of a young farmer and on the use of edible landscaping in Columbia.
- Best Feature Story: “Michael Middleton: Creating a Campus, Country That ‘Ought to Be'” by Alexa Ahern, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Front Page: The Missourian won first place for its June 7-8, June 18 and June 28, 2015, front pages.
- Best Information Graphic: “Infographic on the Kansas City Royals” by Jason Bredehoeft, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Investigative Reporting: “More Public Universities Recruit Affluent Out-of-State Students at Expense of Poorer, In-State Ones” by Liying Qian.
- Best Local Business Coverage: “IBM’s Lack of Projected Job Growth” by Jacob Steimer and “Undeveloped Land in the Area of Battle High School” by Carolyn Heger, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Local Business Story: “IBM’s Lack of Job Growth in Columbia” by Jacob Steimer, Columbia Missourian.
- Best News Feature or Obituary: “Carl Kenney Sr. Put His Heart into Family and Work” by Sophia Zheng.
- Best News or Feature Special Section: “University of Missouri Tigers 2015 Homecoming Guide” by Columbia Missourian Staff.
- Best News Story or Package: “The Life of Today’s Black Athlete, and How It Influenced a Movement at MU” by Aaron Reiss and Jacob Bogage, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Page Design: Columbia Missourian Staff
- Best Sports Photo: “Amy Phillippe Takes a Practice Run in the Arena” by Stephanie Sidoti, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Education: “UM President Out” by Columbia Missourian Staff.
- Best Story about Religion: “Rock Bridge Pastor to Retire After Finding Her Place as a Gay Woman in a Christian Church” by Alex Jacobi, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Rural Life or Agriculture: “Scarce, Expensive Land Makes It Hard for Young Farmers to Get Started” by Katie Kull, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Video: Video featuring Jonathan Butler by Columbia Missourian Staff.
Second Place
- Best Business Story: “Flight Delays Plague an Increasingly Popular Columbia Regional Airport” by Austin Huguelet, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Coverage of Government: “Columbia Terminal Railroad Looks for Answers to Money, Traffic Troubles” by Austin Huguelet, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Headline Writing: The Columbia Missourian Staff
- Best Information Graphic: “Depicting Black Students’ Success at MU” by Shivia Hardiman, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Investigative Reporting: “Ill-Fated Rescue Reveals Communication Breakdowns Erroneous ‘Pings'” by Karol Ilagan, Columbia Missourian.
- Best News or Feature Series: “The Killing State” by Shawn Shinneman, Vox Magazine.
- Best News or Feature Obituary: “Leroy Korschgen” by Matt McCormack, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Online Newspaper or Website: columbiamissourian.com
- Best Overall Design: The Columbia Missourian for its Sept. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 10, 2015, print editions.
- Best Sports Feature Photograph: “Brian Smith Celebrates After Miklus’ Triumph” by Kayla Wolf, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Education: “The Short, Controversial Life (So Far) of MU’s Leader” by Kasia Kovacs, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about History: “The Life and Death of Renz Prison” by Christine Jackson, Vox Magazine.
- Best Story about the Outdoors: “Nine Things You Didn’t Know about the Nine-Banded Armadillo” by Sean McNealy, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Religion: “Imani Mission Center Closes Doors, Leaving Hole in Community” by Michaela Marshall Dungey, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Video: “Protest Stops Parade” by Katie Hogsett, Columbia Missourian.
- Community Service: “First-Person Stories of Everyday Racism” by Missourian Staff.
Third Place
- Best Feature Photo: “Brian Cottle Smokes a Cigar” by Kayla Wolf, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Military Story: “Female Veterans Struggle with Identity, Recognition After Service to Country” by Jill Deutsch, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Multimedia Reporting: Concerned Student 1950 protests by Missourian Staff.
- Best News or Feature Obituary: “Life Story of Edward J. Metzen” by Tim Tai, Columbia Missourian.
- Best News or Feature Stories: “First Generation Students: Most Likely to Succeed” by Vox Magazine Staff.
- Best Sports Feature Photograph: “Battle Senior Defensive-Lineman Jerrion Nelson Injured” by John Happel, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Sports Feature Story: “Twenty-Five Years Later, the ‘Fifth Down Game’ is a Source of Humor” by Aaron Reiss, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Education: “Quest for Justice Drives MU Hunger Strike to Grab ‘Things by the Root'” by Kasia Kovacs, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Religion: “Pastor Repairs One Church During the Week, Preaches at Another on Sunday” by Cecilia Salomone, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Video: “The First Night of Concerned Student 1950’s Protests” by Hannah Sturtecky, Columbia Missourian.
Honorable Mention
- Best Breaking News Story: “Temporary Restraining Order Blocking the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services” by Natalia Alamdari and Elise Schmelzer, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Business Story: “Family-Run Food Truck Serves Up Cuban Cuisine and Culture” by Stephen Daw, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Coverage of Government: “City Hopes to Take CoMo Connect Toward Sustainability” by Carolyn Heger and Laura Welfringer, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Investigative Reporting: “Asaad Brown’s Family Push” by Elise Schmelzer, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Military Story: “Veteran Couple Finds Strength as They Recover from PTSD, Substance Abuse” by Katie Kull.
- Best Serious Columnist: Carl Kenney, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Sports Feature Photograph: “Eierman Does It Again with Clayton” by Michael Tish, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Sports Feature Story: “After ‘The Week,’ Tigers Bring Home a Win” by Jacob Bogage, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Education: “Michael Middleton: Creating a Campus, Country That ‘Ought to Be'” by Alexa Ahren, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about Rural Life or Agriculture: “Drowning on the Vine: Weather Takes Toll on Bradford Research Center Tomato Crop” by Kayla Piedimonte, Columbia Missourian.
- Best Story about the Outdoors: “Couple’s Coveted Land Caught Up in Conservation Dispute” by Jack Suntrup, Columbia Missourian.
- Community Service: “Competition and Misconceptions: Challenges MU Faces in Diversifying Its Faculty” by Emma Vandelinder, Columbia Missourian.
Updated: October 6, 2020