Fayetteville Observer staffers win 15 North Carolina Press Association Awards
The Fayetteville Observer won 15 awards in the North Carolina Press Association's annual journalism contest, the NCPA announced in June.
"I'm incredibly proud of our talented and devoted team of journalists at the Observer," said news director Beth Hutson. "Seeing our hard work recognized by our peers is gratifying."
For the North Carolina Press Association Awards, the Observer competes in Division E, which includes newspapers across the state with a circulation of more than 10,000. The awards were given out during the association's 150th annual convention Thursday in Raleigh.
Here's the full list of The Fayetteville Observer's awards for this year:
First place
Sports reporter Rodd Baxley: Sports news reporting, for his story about ousted Seventy-First High School basketball coach Tony Jones.
Food, dining and business reporter Taylor Shook: Email newsletter for her Fayetteville Foodies newsletter. (Get it in your inbox every Thursday by signing up at fayobserver.com/newsletters.)
Senior North Carolina reporter Paul Woolverton: Election/political reporting for his story on independent voters in North Carolina.
Opinion editor Myron B. Pitts: Editorials, with an entry consisting of three columns, including on ousted coach Tony Jones; book removals in Cumberland County Schools; and the renaming of Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty.
Last year's contest Fayetteville Observer takes 14 1st place awards, 36 total in NCPA contest
Second place
Shook: Beat news reporting for her story on the death of beloved Fayetteville restaurant owner Sun Thompson.
She also won for headline writing, with an entry consisting of three stories: Good pie-brations: Meet the retro school bus turned new Fayetteville food truck; Gaga for Wawa: 7 things to know as the convenience chain plans a Fayetteville location; and Don't get married at the jail: Here's how to plan a speedy & special Fayetteville wedding
Public safety reporter Lexi Solomon: General news reporting for her coverage of Jada Johnson, a Fayetteville woman who was killed by Fayetteville police in her grandfather's home.
The Fayetteville Observer staff: Sports coverage; and appearance and design.
Third place
Pitts: Serious columns, with an entry consisting of three columns, including on a former City Council candidate who was a member of the Proud Boys; racially restrictive housing covenants; and how anti-abortion laws affected a Fayetteville woman and her mother.
Photographer Andrew Craft: Photography, general news for behind the scenes as artillery fires at Fort Bragg
Gannett storytelling reporter Danielle Dreillinger: News enterprise reporting for her stories of North Carolinians facing decisions on abortion, adoption and parenting.
Military reporter Rachael Riley: Profile feature for her story on an Army veteran who used farming to cope with PTSD.
Shook: Use of social media for the Fayetteville Foodies Facebook page; and leads (the introductory sentences of a story).
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville Observer wins North Carolina Press Association Awards
