The Hamilton County Herald has won five first-place awards in the annual University of Tennessee/Tennessee Press Association newspaper competition.
The Nashville Ledger and Knoxville Ledger, both sister publications, won four and five first-place awards, respectively. The three publications had a combined 30 top-five commendations.
Chattanooga’s first-place winners are:
• Local features: David Laprad for a feature on Chattanooga attorney Chris Collins
• Community Lifestyles: Nancy Henderson for a feature on Drocella Mugorewera, executive director of Bridge Refugee Services in Chattanooga and Knoxville.
• Best Education Reporting: Nancy Henderson, Hollie Deese and Jeannie Naujeck
• Best Single Feature: David Laprad for a feature on Realtors Walter and Vanessa Amador
• Best Business Coverage: Hollie Deese and David Laprad
Knoxville’s first-place winners are:
• Best Business Coverage: Joe Morris, Linda Bryant, Mike Blackerby, Dave Link
• Best News Photo: Adam Taylor Gash for a cover story on the Sevier County mulching operation
• Investigative Reporting: Linda Bryant, Nancy Henderson
• Best Sports Writing: Rhiannon Potkey
• Local Features: Joe Morris, Hollie Deese
Nashville’s first-place winners are:
• Best Business Coverage: Bill Lewis, Hollie Deese, Jeannie Naujeck, Tim Ghianni, Tom Wood, Linda Bryant
• Investigative Reporting: Hollie Deese, for her story on I-440 reconstruction options.
• Public Service: Tom Wood, Kathy Carlson, Linda Bryant, Sam Stockard
• Personal Humor Column: Joe Rogers for his column on why John Prine is great but not a good fit for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Newspapers were competing against publications of similar circulation. The Nashville Ledger competed in Category 3, while the Knoxville Ledger was in Category 2 and the Hamilton County Herald in Category 1.