By Angela Marshall
The Nassau Herald earned a first-place award for coverage of education, which included a survey conducted by the paper in which new security measures at the public schools were tested. The award was earned in Division 4, the highest circulation category. Of the award, the judges said: Thorough and balanced board coverage and nice work on enterprise stories involving very topical issues.
The Herald's advertising department also scored big at the state convention, taking first place for best large-space ad and third place for overall advertising excellence.
In addition, the Nassau Herald won a second-place award for coverage of crime/police/courts, for the story of a man accused in the murder of his brother on Jefferson Street in Inwood. Solid, straight reporting and writing in your news pages, the judges said of the coverage. Stories are not bogged down with official Ôlingo.' Stories have a sense of place and balance, especially the murder on Jefferson Street.
Nassau Herald Editor Jeff Lipton took third place for community service, again for his investigation of school security in the Five Towns. Judges said the investigation is a role model for newspapers of all sizes. The Nassau Herald also won honorable mention for editorials.
Among the other awards the Heralds brought home were first-place honors in four categories: in-depth reporting, spot news, column writing and sports features. The Heralds' art department also won the award for best special-section advertising.
One hundred eighty-four newspapers submitted a total of 3,621 entries to the annual Better Newspaper Contest, which was judged by members of the Illinois Press Association on Jan. 23. The many contest categories were divided into four divisions based on circulation.
Super. Absolutely super, exclaimed the Heralds' elated publisher, Cliff Richner, when asked for his reaction to the papers' numerous awards. I think this is the best staff we've ever had, and the breadth and depth of the awards reflect that. To win spot news
and in-depth reporting, coverage of education and coverage of crime, opinion writing, sports ... It really shows what a small staff can do with commitment and good old-fashioned hard work.
Ads take awards
The Herald advertising department won eight awards, including two first places for best large-space ad in the Nassau Herald and best special-section advertising for the Menu Guide, which appeared in all 13 Herald newspapers. The Menu Guide also earned third place for best special-section cover, designed by Mike Bologna, the papers' general manager. The department also came in third for overall advertising excellence.
Ads in the Rockville Centre Herald received honorable-mention awards in both the best special-section advertising and best small-space ad categories. The Merrick Herald won honorable mention in multi-advertiser pages.
The advertising department also took two blooper awards, much to its chagrin Ñ and the delight of its colleagues in Saratoga. Presentation of the first-place ad for a fruit laxative that was so easy to use you just poop in your mouth, really got the crowd going.
