The Free Lance-Star won 39 awards--more than any other newspaper in its category--at a Virginia Press Association ceremony Saturday night in Roanoke.
The Free Lance-Star was one of six newspapers in its category, with daily circulations from 23,000 to almost 50,000. The paper was the sweepstakes winner, with a score of 76 points out of a possible 259.
The Free Lance-Star also won the sweepstakes for 2010.
The Free Lance-Star scored the most points in its division for writing (42) and presentation (16).
The News & Advance of Lynchburg had the most points for art/photo (15) and multimedia (24). The Free Lance-Star also won the sweepstakes for 2010.
In addition to the awards for writing, photography, artwork, presentation and multimedia, the newspaper won 13 awards in the advertising competition.
A staff photographer won a first-place award in the Virginia News Photographers Association contest. Those results also were announced Saturday.
In addition, Fredericksburg philanthropist Doris Buffett received the Virginian of the Year award Friday night. Presented by VPA for outstanding community service, the award recognized Buffett as a "shining example of generosity" for giving away about $120 million through her Sunshine Lady Foundation.
In the news competition, first-place awards went to:
Clay Jones for a cartoon
Suzanne Carr Rossi for a general news photo
Robert A. Martin for a personality photo
Amanda Montag, Karen Wonsik and Howard Owen for excellence of business pages
Gail Choochan and Karen Owen for excellence of editorial pages
Andi Russell and Janet Marshall for Healthy Living sections
Alex Russell for an online video about a pit bull reunited with its family
Portsia Smith, Scott Shenk, Jeff Branscome and Jim Hall for breaking-news coverage of the bus wreck in Caroline County
Paul Akers for editorial writing
Jeff Branscome for education writing
Edie Gross for feature story writing, feature-writing portfolio and personal-service writing
Cathy Dyson for government writing and public-safety writing
Second-place awards went to:
Reza Marvashti for a feature photo
Montag, Catherine Davis, Betty Snider, Phil Jenkins, Jim Toler and Dave Ellis for a special section, "Remember 9/11"
Choochan and Dave Smalley for Weekender sections
Akers for column writing
Jonas Beals for critical writing
Cathy Jett for personal-service writing
Adam Himmelsbach for sports-writing portfolio
Third-place awards went to:
Rossi for a breaking news photo
Peter Cihelka for a feature photo
Ellis for a sports news photo
Katherine Shapleigh for headline writing
Choochan for page design
Montag, Justin Rice, Jeff Schulze and Steve DeShazo for sports pages
Alex Russell and Smith for an online video on James Monroe High School's bid for a state championship
Rusty Dennen, Pamela Gould, Branscome and Donnie Johnston for earthquake coverage
Jett for business writing
Choochan for critical writing
Linda White for editorial writing
Dyson for feature writing
Dennen for feature-writing portfolio, government writing and investigative reporting
Smith, Shenk, Branscome and Hall for general coverage of the Caroline County bus crash
Himmelsbach for sports-writing portfolio
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
In the VNPA competition, Martin won first place in the spot news category for a photo of a protester at Quantico.
ADVERTISING AWARDS
In the advertising competition, first-place awards went to:
Jennifer Child and Bobby Hebert for fashion and personal care, color, for Rainbow Sprinkles
Amy Ennis and Tammy Slaw for food and drug, black and white, for Olde Towne Steak and Seafood
Jane Henshaw and Kris Rechin for automotive, color, for Purvis Ford
Child and Lindsey Sharpe for real estate, color, for Keller Williams
Child and Staci Hibner for recruitment, black and white and color, Dogwood Village
Staff for slick publications, The Free Lance-Star calendar
Second-place awards went to:
Henshaw and Hibner, education and churches, color, for Career Training
Henshaw and Michealle Hovey, fashion and personal care, black and white, for Ulman's
Child and Gogi Francis for food and drug, color, for Taka
Jim Solomon and Beth Loveless for online advertising for Pancho Villa
Staff for special sections for the Horse Scene
Third-place awards went to:
Elaine Coley and Loveless for food and drug, black and white, Regina's Pasta Factory
Slay, Solomon and staff for slick publications, Fredericksburg Visitor Center "Holidays in the 'Burg"
--from staff reports