Chronicle wins numerous awards at press association gathering

The Lovell Chronicle was judged one of the top small weekly newspapers in Wyoming for 2022, receiving three major awards and numerous individual honors at the 124th annual Wyoming Press Association Winter Convention at the Little America Hotel in Cheyenne Jan. 19-21.

For the second straight year, the Chronicle staff was awarded the most individual ribbons, called Pacemakers, in the small weekly category, earning the newspaper the WPA Foundation Sweepstakes Award.

The Chronicle also received Robert Warner Photography Award for photographic excellence for the second consecutive year.

The third major award for the paper came in the Editorial Excellence category for editorials written by editor/publisher David Peck in 2022. Judges wrote, “Writer nails clear and concise writing, with well-argued and researched points. A delightful array of topics, both national and local, with acute analysis and willingness to take a stance.”

The Chronicle’s sister newspaper, the Greybull Standard, was named the outstanding small weekly newspaper in Wyoming and also won the top prize for typography.

Pacemakers

Chronicle staff members received 24 individual Pacemaker awards in various categories.

Production manager Karlie Hammond won a blue ribbon in the category of Use of Graphic Elements for a school report card for Big Horn County School District No. 2. The judge wrote, “Very clever use of colored graphs to show changes in school performance compared to state norms. It makes reading and deciphering the information much easier. Great job!”

Hammond and the staff received a blue ribbon for Front Page Design, with the judge writing, “The presentation is highly readable and attractive. Good use of color elements, and I really like the changing art next to the masthead. Newspapers are a visual media, and appearance is crucial. I would buy this paper on initial appearance.”

Hammond won five awards for ad design. She took first place for the North Big Horn Hospital Share A Stocking program in the Institutional Ad category with the judge noting, “It is so important to encourage people to reach out and help our fellow man, with the ongoing hard times. It is especially needful to help children. This is very tasteful, and it grabs one’s attention. All the pertinents are big enough to see without being overwhelming. The use of color and font choice is well done.”

Hammond won honorable mention in the same category for a Town of Byron water report, with the judge stating, “This is a very clever ad. I liked the use of the water
graphic to bring attention to the content. The font is easy to read.”

Hammond won first and second place for Merchandise Ad. The blue ribbon was awarded for a Queen Bee Mother’s Day ad, with the judge writing, “Clever use of artwork. Displays the merchandise perfectly. Clean and simple ad. Very appealing.”

The red ribbon was awarded for a Red Apple Valentine’s Day ad, with the judge noting, “The visuals are enticing and absolutely make you want to shop at this store. The pricing and different options stand out. Makes Valentine’s Day shopping look easy.”

Hammond received a red ribbon in the House Ad category for an ad entitled, “Where Does Your Advertising Dollar Go?” The judge wrote, “Good illustration. Delivers the message well. Logos at the bottom stand out.”

Reporter Ryan Fitzmaurice won a blue ribbon in the Feature Story category for his two-part story “From Ukraine to Lovell.” Wrote the judge, “A very well-written and compelling article that provides the reader with localized insight into a global situation. The flow and crafting of the story left me anxious to find out what happened next with every new paragraph – the mark of a great feature.”

Fitzmaurice also won the top prize for Column Writing, with the judge noting, especially, Fitzmaurice’s column “A call for common decency.” The judge wrote, “Crisp writing, thoughtful position, pointed criticisms. You’ve done a great service to the LGBTQ community.”

In the Sports News Story category, the Chronicle won first and second place. Fitzmaurice earned the blue ribbon for his story “Champions! Lady Grizz bring home first state title in 29 years” with the judge noting, “Very well-written gamer about an exciting moment in local sports. The writer does a great job of setting
the scene, then moves smoothly through the details of the contest with quotes well placed throughout. Nice work!”

Editor David Peck placed second in the Sports News Story category for his story “Bulldogs edged 8-6 in state title game in Laramie. Wrote the judge, “Solid sportswriting in this piece about a team coming up just short of its goal.
A good interview with the coach adds color to
the details.”

Fitzmaurice won the blue ribbon for Education Reporting for a series of stories on local schools. The judge commented, “All stories were well written and interesting. News stories informed readers about how events at the schools affect their lives. Feature stories promoted student success and were not ‘cheerleading’ for the schools.”

Peck receives both the first- and second-place awards for Obituary Writing, the blue ribbon for his column entitled “Our talented designer and great friend Dusty” following the death of designer Dustin McClure in February. “The writer did a very nice tribute, not only because he was one of his employees, but as a friend outside the office,” the judge wrote. “Nice job of detailing Dustin’s life and why he will be missed.”

The red ribbon was awarded for a Peck column entitled, “Jim Angell was one of a kind” written following the death of the former Wyoming Press Association director. Wrote the judge, “Again, the reporter knew Jim, which made this a close second place selection. He brought Jim’s life to the community to let the readers know how special Jim was to the Wyoming Press Association.”

Peck received an honorable mention award for Column Writing, with the judge stating, “Slogans, brandings and posturing in elections  …  You’ve expressed the viewpoint most of us share. Platitudes and party-based moralizing don’t do much for any of us. You’ve done a great job speaking for the masses.”

The Chronicle staff received a second place ribbon for Special Section or Supplement for the 2022 Historical Edition at Mustang Days, with the judge noting, “Good local content, not canned copy. Clean layout.”

The staff also earned honorable mention recognition for Best Website.

Photography

Members of the Chronicle staff won seven individual awards for photography. Hammond won the blue ribbon in the Scenic category for her photo of the Aurora Borealis last spring. “The northern lights are always amazing to see,” the judge wrote. “Great job with the exposure. These are always tricky with the northern lights. I wish I could have been there.”

Fitzmaurice won first place in the Sports Feature category for his photo of the Rocky Mountain High School girls basketball team celebrating after winning the state basketball title in March. Wrote the judge, “A strong moment. Variety of emotion moved this one higher in the rankings.”

Fitzmaurice won a red ribbon for his photo in the Sports Action category for his picture of the Tillett horse race event in September. The judge wrote, “Yippie ki yay! This fabulous shot of a fabulous moment is not only a great sports image, but a really beautiful photo. Of the rider. Of the horse. And where shots that include people in the stands often seem like distractions from the main act, here they help set the stage for the event.”

Peck won three honorable mention awards: in the Spot News category for an emotional embrace by coach Lauren Shumway of a cheerleader in the high school gym lobby on the night the school honored Peiton and Phoenix Hackenberg following their untimely death in a car crash in February, for a photo of the Lovell Elementary School third-grade play in the General News category, with a judge writing, “Fun expressions” and for a photo in the Portrait-Personality category of little Gabryella McIntosh belting out a song during the Lovell Elementary Christmas concert in December of 2021. Wrote the judge, “Sing loud. I’ll bet she dances like nobody’s watching, as well. Great capture.”

The Chronicle staff won first place for Best Use of Photos, with the judge praising the staff for “great use of big, eye-catching photos,” adding, “All of them, whether color or black and white, staff or courtesy photo, are crisp and clean, well composed.”