Published: April 24, 2009 09:58 pm      

Register-News honored

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MAKANDA — The Mt. Vernon Register-News received awards in every general excellence category announced during the Southern Illinois Editorial Association 113th General Meeting Friday at Giant City State Park Lodge.

In addition, Paul Lorenz, managing editor of the Register-News sister newspaper, the McLeansboro Times Leader, received the distinction of winning the Charles Feirich Original Column contest.

The Better Newspaper Contest is an annual competition open to Southern and central Illinois newspapers. Newspapers and individual journalist entries from newspapers are judged in four divisions — with the Register-News competing in Division C for daily newspapers with a circulation of 25,000 or under.

The general excellence categories are best local news coverage, newspaper design, best use of photography, best editorial page, advertising excellence, best local sports coverage and general excellence. The SIEA randomly “pulls” two editions of newspapers randomly from the same week for all newspapers. This year the pull dates were the weeks of Oct. 19 through 25 and Dec. 7 through 13 in 2008.

The Register-News received a second place for advertising excellence, and a third place for best local sports coverage. The newspaper received honorable mentions for best local news coverage, best newspaper design, best use of photography, best editorial page, and general excellence.

In addition, the Register-News Web site, www.register-news.com, also received an honorable mention for best Web site.

Register-News reporter Kandace McCoy received an honorable mention in the individual category of best feature story for “Mask Crusade,” the story of local athlete Alicia Capps and her work to make face masks mandatory for all softball players in the infield.

Lorenz received two honorable mentions for best education story for “Planting seeds: Pupils learn to take care of the Earth,” and “Staying on Track.”

Lorenz took top honors in the Charles Feirich Original Column competition for his column, “Giving thanks that November is over.” Comments from the judges called Lorenz’ column a “piece of compelling prose. It is witty, short and captivating. You cannot avoid empathizing with him.”

Winners in the judges are selected at the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale School of Journalism, with faculty working with top journalism students to select winners in all divisions.