“While commitment to publishing a quality community newspaper that is relevant to our readers is our primary mission, it’s nice that our staff has been recognized by their peers for their hard work,” Frontiersman Publisher Kari Sleight said. “Getting that recognition in a division competing with larger newspapers with more resources, such as Anchorage Daily News and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, is a quite an achievement.”
The contest recognizes the newspaper’s strong photography, sports writing, page design, headline writing and news writing in the Large Newspapers and Publications division of state publications. Judged by other industry professionals in the Lower 48, Frontiersman Photo Editor Robert DeBerry won three awards for his work in 2007, including winning second and third place for Best Feature Photo.
 ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman Robert DeBerry'€™s second-place photograph of Cherie LeBlanc-Shue being comforted by granddaughter Whitney Kramer during the 2007 Amblin'€™ for Alzheimer'€™s Valley Walk at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. |
A photo of a local high school football player laying out for a catch caught the attention of judges and earned DeBerry second place for Best Sports Photo.
“Robert DeBerry and his photography have improved the overall look and quality of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman,” Sleight said. “His eye for detail and determination to capture the soul of a story through his camera lens helps readers visually capture the essence of the story.”
Sports Editor Jeremiah Bartz was recognized in two categories, winning third place in Best Sports News Reporting for his story, “A great loss,” featuring former Palmer High School football coach Vince Tubbs, who died in February 2007 after a battle with cancer. Bartz’s story about a hockey scrimmage, “Another way to skate,” impressed judges and won third place for Best Sports Game/Event Story.
“Local sports is the backbone of any good community newspaper, and that’s why we are committed to providing the most in-depth coverage of the Valley sports scene of any media,” Sleight said. “There is simply no other media that comes close to meeting our coverage. I am pleased with our sports department, and the pride it takes in bringing the sports and outdoors stories to life for our readers is evident in the stories it shares with our readers.”
“Mr. Bartz’s story on a hockey scrimmage proved to be far more than meets the eye,” the judges’ comment sheet says. “This is an example of good execution of an abstract, non-traditional sports story.”
Managing Editor Greg Johnson won first place for Best Page Layout and Design for his front page design. Judges remarked on a “nice top-down design. Interesting reefers (front-page teasers of what’s inside) and solid use of a grid structure. Use of information boxes are helpful.”
Johnson also won second place for Best Headline Writing, where a group of headlines are judged as a single entry.
Several former Frontiersman staffers also won awards for their work at the newspaper. Former managing editor Mark Kelsey was awarded third place for Editorial Writing, while Russell Stigall won third place for Best Environmental Reporting. John Moses, a former copy editor and writer, won second place for Best Education Story for his account of a school lunch boycott by Su Valley students.
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