The Lincoln County News took home 21 awards in the 2021-2022 Maine Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, including first place awards for cartoon, editorial, and photography.
The staff of The Eagle’s Talon, Lincoln Academy’s student newspaper, and staff of LCN shared a first place award in the category of Best Young Reader Engagement.
The awards were presented during a ceremony at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel and Conference Center in Bar Harbor on Saturday, Oct. 22.
Newcastle artist Glenn Chadbourne continued his winning streak, collecting first place for editorial cartoon for the fourth consecutive year. Graphic Designer Amber Clark won first place in the category of Supplement Cover for the second year with the “Outdoors” edition of Lincoln County Magazine.
Staff racked up three first place awards for photography, with Sports Reporter Paula Roberts taking top honors for Scenic Photo and Reporter Bisi Cameron Yee for News Photo and Picture Story.
Acting Editor Maia Zewert received a first place Critic’s Award for her “Brunch, Please!” column and took top honors in the Editorial category for “Reestablishing Tradition,” which detailed the efforts of Lincoln Academy students and staff to bring back The Talon.
Zewert was also elected to the Maine Press Association Board of Directors during the annual business meeting at the conference.
The contest divides newspapers into three categories: dailies and large and small weeklies by circulation. The LCN competes in the category for the state’s large weekly newspapers. Industry professionals from outside Maine judge the entries. The judges of the 2021-22 contest work in Oregon.
The awards ceremony was the final event of the Maine Press Association’s annual conference, which includes a full day of professional development and talks about industry trends. Earlier in the day, Chris and Paula Roberts were inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame. (See article on page 1A.)
“The entire LCN team has a lot to be proud of with this year’s haul, including Chris and Paula’s well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame and an award shared with the incredible student journalists at Lincoln Academy,” Zewert said. “It will be difficult to top next year, but I have no doubt the staff will rise to the challenge.”
The Oct. 22 event was the organization’s first in-person conference since 2019.
Established in 1864, the Maine Press Association is one of the oldest professional news organizations in the nation. Among its goals, the association works to protect the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the public’s right to know, and to promote and foster high ethical standards in journalism.
A complete list of LCN awards follows:
First Place, Best Young Reader Engagement Idea – The Eagle’s Talon – Staff of The Talon and Lincoln County News
First Place, Critic’s Award – Brunch, Please! – Maia Zewert
First Place, Editorial – Reestablishing Tradition – Maia Zewert
First Place, Editorial Cartoonist – Glenn Chadbourne
First Place, News Photo – Fire Training – Bisi Cameron Yee
First Place, Picture Story – Viola Stone – Bisi Cameron Yee
First Place, Scenic Photo – Memorial Sunset – Paula Roberts
First Place, Supplement Cover – Outdoors – Amber Clark
Second Place, Best Young Reader Engagement Idea – GSB Students Investigate – Maia Zewert
Second Place, News Headline – Retro Restaurant in Waldoboro has Customers asking for S’more – Bisi Cameron Yee
Second Place, Sport Photo – Late Tag – Paula Roberts
Second Place, Spot News Photo – More Water – Bisi Cameron Yee
Third Place, Campaign or Series – Medomak Cheerleaders – Staff
Third Place, Editorial Page – Staff
Third Place, Feature Headline – From Allium to Zinnia and All the Blooms Between – Bisi Cameron Yee
Third Place, News Photo – Graduation Celebration – Bisi Cameron Yee
Third Place, Opinion Columnist – After Deadline – Bisi Cameron Yee
Third Place, Sports Columnist – On the Trail – Paula Roberts
Third Place, Sports Section – Staff
Third Place, Spot News Story – Jefferson 17-Year-Old Remembered as Positive ‘Helper’ – Evan Houk
Third Place, Supplement Cover – Live from Lincoln County – Amber Clark
