Leader Earns 24 MNA Awards
POLSON — The Lake County Leader claimed 24 awards in the Montana Newspaper Association’s 2011 Better Newspaper Contest, including seven first-place honors.
Editor-in-Chief Ali Bronsdon, who hauled in nine individual awards in the competition, received first-place recognition for “Best Serious Column,” “Best Nature Photo” and “Public Service Journalism.”
Andrew West of the Delaware State News judged the “Best Serious Column” category for the event and in his comments he wrote that Bronsdon’s “voice demonstrates a great sense of community pride,” and that her column “is written with the readers in mind.”
The Cape Gazette’s (Del.) Dennis Forney was the judge for “Best Nature Photo,” finding Bronsdon’s photo of a sunset over Logan Pass (“Going to the Sun”) to be best among Division 3 contestants.
“The dramatic and magical beauty of nature sings from the photo with its rich colors brought out by an excellent exposure,” Forney wrote in his comments. “A great example of capturing the moment.”
Sports Editor Brandon Hansen placed six times and collected first place in the “Best Sports Story” category for “Remembering Marvin.”
The story detailed the emotional loss and remembrance of Marvin Hudson-Lewis, a Salish-Kootenai College basketball player who drowned while swimming in South Dakota.
“Wonderful tribute to Marvin,” West wrote in his comments.
Former reporter Lisa Broadt collected three awards and earned top honors in the categories of “Best Health-Fitness-Medical Science Reporting" for her story about Ronan’s “Rockin’ Robots," and “Best Web Project” for an article and video combo introducing readers to Port Polson Players characters Bullshot and Rosemary. The Leader also took home the top prize in the “Best Lifestyle” category for its “Theater Series.”
“An interesting look at the development of the Polson community’s theater district and its history,” Owens wrote in his comments.
The Leader received nine second-place awards, six third-place awards, and two honorable mention honors to go along with its seven first-place awards.
What The Leader Won...
Best Headline Writing
Dylan Kitzan, second place
Best Serious Column
Ali Bronsdon, first place;
Lisa Broadt, second place
Best Humorous Column
Brandon Hansen, third place
Best Long Feature Story
Ali Bronsdon, second place
Best Health-Fitness-Medical Science Reporting
Lisa Broadt, first place
Best Lifestyle
Lake County Leader “Theater
Series,” first place
Mark Henckel Outdoors Reporting Award
Ali Bronsdon, third place
Best Sports Story
Brandon Hansen, first place
Best Sports Column
Brandon Hansen, second place
Best Sports Feature
Brandon Hansen, second place
Best Editorial Page(s)
Lake County Leader, second place
Best Sports Page(s)
Lake County Leader,
honorable mention
Best Graphics
Ali Bronsdon, second place
Best Feature Photo
Ali Bronsdon, honorable mention
Best Sports Photo
Brandon Hansen, second place
Best Photo Essay
Ali Bronsdon, third place
Best Nature Photo
Ali Bronsdon, first place
Best Website
Lake County Leader, third place
Best Web Project
Lisa Broadt, first place;
Ali Bronsdon, third place
General Writing Excellence
Brandon Hansen, second place;
Dylan Kitzan, third place
Public Service Journalism
Ali Bronsdon, first place