Nebraska Press Association Awards 2019

BREAKING NEWS! 2019 Nebraska Press Association Better Newspaper Contest Winners

28 Pages

Thursday, June 25, 2020

http://www.nebpress.com

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News Photo of the Year

Kearney Hub By: Erika Pritchard Title: Yanney Heritage Park Flooded

Editorial of the Year

Rhoades Family Print Weekly Class C Award

Advertisement of the Year

Rhoades Family Print Weekly Class D Award

North Platte Telegraph By: Todd von Kampen Title: On Iron Eagle, Listen to the River

Blair Washington Co. Enterprise By: Lynette Hansen & Nicole Robinson Title: City of Blair Celebrates 150th

Rhoades Family Print Weekly Class A Award 1st Place: Gering Courier 2nd Place: Arlington Citizen 3rd Place: Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska

Rhoades Family Print Weekly Class B Award

1st Place: North Bend Eagle 2nd Place: Ord Quiz 3rd Place: Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor

1st Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News 2nd Place: Aurora News-Register 3rd Place: West Point News

Feature Photo of the Year

1st Place: Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune 2nd Place: Hickman Voice News (TIE) 2nd Place: Blair Washington Co. Enterprise (TIE) 3rd Place: Bellevue Leader

Edgecombe Family Digital Weekly Class B Award 1st Place: Elgin Review 2nd Place: Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor (TIE) 2nd Place: North Bend Eagle (TIE) 2nd Place: Ord Quiz (TIE)

Edgecombe Family Digital Weekly Class C Award 1st Place: Hartington Cedar Co. News 2nd Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News 3rd Place: Aurora News-Register

Arlington Citizen By: Grant Egger Title: A Crowning Moment

Sports Photo of the Year Loral Johnson Sweepstakes Print – Weekly

First Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News Second Place: Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Third Place: Aurora News-Register

Print Sweepstakes-Daily

First Place: Kearney Hub Second Place: Grand Island Independent Third Place: Norfolk Daily News

Edgecombe Family Digital Sweepstakes-Weekly First Place: Hartington Cedar Co. News Second Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News Third Place: Elgin Review

Edgecombe Family Digital Sweepstakes-Daily First Place: Scottsbluff Star-Herald Second Place: Grand Island Independent Third Place: Kearney Hub

Norfolk Daily News By: Jake Wragge Title: EV Stuns No. 1 Nebraska Press Association Acknowledgements: NPA President: Terrie Baker, Grand Island Independent ONEpress President: Nathan Arneal, North Bend Eagle Executive Director: Dennis DeRossett, Lincoln Video Show designer, co-narrator, imaging: Mark Cramer, Omaha Video Show co-narrator: Tess Cramer, Omaha NPA/ONEpress staff, judging coordination, text preparation, proofreading: Carolyn Bowman

Contest Committee: Mike Konz, Chair, Kearney Hub Terrie Baker, Grand Island Independent Tory Duncan, Sutton Clay Co. News Michael Wendorff, Callaway Courier Jim Dickerson, Albion News Dennis Morgan, Elgin Review Amy Johnson, Springview Herald Willis Mahannah, West Point News Nathan Arneal, North Bend Eagle Carolyn Bowman, NPA/ONEpress Convention Committee: Terrie Baker, Grand Island Independent

Amy Johnson, Springview Herald Chris Rhoades, Blair Enterprise Publishing Carrie Colburn, York News-Times Gerri Peterson, Mullen Hooker Co. Tribune Peggy Year, Hartington Cedar Co. News Susan Watson, NPA/ONEPress Dennis DeRossett, Executive Director, NPA/ONEPress Design and printing: Scottsbluff Star-Herald generously donated the work to design and print the Better Newspaper Contest Publication.

We would like to thank the Illinois Press Association for judging our Better Newspaper Contest for 2019.

Omaha World-Herald Awards Service to Agriculture

Daily: Grand Island Independent Class A: Arlington Citizen Class B: No Winner Class C: Aurora News-Register Class D: Hickman Voice News

Community Service

Daily: No Winner Class A: North Bend Eagle Class B: Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Class C: Aurora News-Register Class D: Orchard/Neligh Antelope Co. News Tribute: Although the Omaha World-Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star are not eligible for the Better Newspaper Contest, NPA would like to recognize the two newspapers. NPA praises the two newspapers for their longtime, quality journalism and fine service to the association.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

Agricultural Advertisement

Small Ad — Under 1/4 page or less than 3 x 10 1/2”

Class B

Class A 1st Place Springview Herald Title: Ice Cream & Brownies By: Amy Johnson Judge’s Comments: Very good ad, well balanced.

Class C 2nd Place Albion News Title: Beaver Bearing By: Julie Dickerson 3rd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal Title: Messman Fertilizer — NACHUR By: Julie Sulzbach

1st Place Imperial Republican Title: Farm Credit Open House By: Jana Pribbeno & Jen Huff

1st Place Elgin Review Title: Are Your Bulls All They Should Be? Semen Testing By: Lynell Morgan Judge’s Comments: Love it!

Subject matter could have been handled so many ways. Such a fun ad!

2nd Place Petersburg Press Title: Leifeld Hardware Says Get Organized By: Julie Dickerson 3rd Place Ralston Recorder Title: Mufon By: Echo Bronk

2nd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Get Spooked By: Nathan Arneal 3rd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Title: Penney Exhibit Ribbon Cutting By: Troi Arnold

Class D 1st Place Hickman Voice News Title: Crossroad Designs – Feel the Love By: Katherine Crawford Judge’s Comments: Excellent balance between art, background and all typefaces. Logo and store info is handled well also. This designer is top notch and is doing quality work for the newspaper and their clients. Flawless.

Nice work, your clients are lucky to have your skills to help get their message across.

2nd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Sterling Wine & Ale Festival By: Katherine Crawford 3rd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Denim & Diamonds By: Katherine Crawford

Class D 1st Place Hickman Voice News Title: Biodiesel – NE Soybean Checkoff By: Katherine Crawford 2nd Place Hickman Voice News Title: First State Bank By: Katelyn Billups

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Sapp Bros. Petroleum By: Paige Anderson & Nicole Robinson

Class C 1st Place Papillion Times Title: Brownie’s Bar & Grill By: Rob Feltman Judge’s Comments: Excellent use of artwork for background. Good sizing on type, good use of white space and color is effective.

Many go for too much info — this ad sends the message home with its clean lines and makes me want to go get some barbecue. Mission accomplished.

2nd Place West Point News Title: FCS Diabetes By: Karlie Cole & Dorothy Litz 3rd Place Albion News Title: Albion Vet’s Club American Legion 100th Year By: Julie Dickerson

Daily Daily 1st Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Automated Dairy Specialists By: Kelli Ganskow & Suzie Wachter

2nd Place Scottsbluff StarHerald Title: Marker Ag — Silence By: Nicci Vorse & Dalene Louden

3rd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Fortify Plant By: Lindy Cronister & Apryl Lee

1st Place York News-Times Title: Movie Times By: Courtney Kinnison Judge’s Comments: Use of ticket is brilliant for the backdrop to this well designed ad.

Excellent choice of type faces and sized well. Top notch. Worthy of an Oscar.

2nd Place York News-Times Title: Ratzlaff Farms By: Courtney Kinnison 3rd Place Kearney Hub Title: Country Catering By: Jacey Anderson & Tiffany Fisher

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

Signature Page

Class D 1st Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Christmas Shopping Guide By: Lizz Alder & Dave Fiala

Class A 1st Place Hemingford Ledger Title: Congratulations Bobcats on a Great Season!

By: Holly Wade & Dalene Louden 2nd Place Wauneta Breeze By: Staff 3rd Place Springview Herald Title: District Champs/State Bound By: Amy Johnson

2nd Place Bellevue Leader Title: Veteran’s Parade By: Staff

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Good Luck at State Wreslers By: Staff

Class B 1st Place Elgin Review Title: EMS Salute By: Lynell Morgan

2nd Place Grant Tribune-Sentinel Title: Saluting Our Area Farmers By: Samantha Goff 3rd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Bee-lieve in Bloomfield Football By: Angelique Boyer

Daily Class C 1st Place Falls City Journal Title: Mother’s Day By: Chelsie Alexander

2nd Place Orchard/Neligh Antelope Co. News Title: State Cross Country By: Angelique Boyer

3rd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal Title: Halloween Safety A-Z By: Julie Sulzbach

1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Bridal Guide By: Staff

2nd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Christmas A to Z By: Cheryl Helser-Garcia, Connie Ernest & Steph Cooper

3rd Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Autism & Awareness Month By: Cheyanne Fowlkes & Lizz Kemling

Classified Section Class B 1st Place Elgin Review By: Lynell Morgan 2nd Place North Bend Eagle By: Staff 3rd Place Plainview News By: Staff

Class A 1st Place Gering Courier By: Steph Cooper & Staff 2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska By: Staff 3rd Place Wauneta Breeze By: Shelby Brennan

Class D 1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune By: Staff 2nd Place Bellevue Leader By: Staff 3rd Place Hickman Voice News By: Staff

Class C 1st Place Orchard/Neligh Antelope Co. News By: Carrie Pitzer & Angelique Boyer 2nd Place Cozad Tri-City Tribune By: Teri Hanson 3rd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal By: Julie Sulzbach

Daily 1st Place North Platte Telegraph By: Julie Murrish 2nd Place York News-Times By: Cheri Knoell 3rd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Staff

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

Advertising Campaign Class C

1st Place West Point News Title: FCS Full Service By: Karlie Cole & Dorothy Litz Judge’s Comments: Ads are clean and uncluttered with a common format and easy to read text. Art used compliments the message of each ad.

Class A 1st Place Gering Courier Title: Monument Physical Therapy Series By: Nicci Vorse & Dalene Louden Judge’s Comments: Nice layout, the message was continual, but the use of various art sports kept the ad looking fresh!

2nd Place Gering Courier Title: Panhandle Coop Wine & Spirits By: Doug Southard, Kelly Zwetzig & Dalene Louden 3rd Place Callaway Courier Title: Bow Family Furniture By: Staff

2nd Place Albion News Title: Wells Drug/Hallmark Merry & Magical By: Julie Dickerson 3rd Place Orchard/Neligh Antelope Co. News Title: Cyber Monday By: Angelique Boyer

Daily

Class B 1st Place Ord Quiz Title: Nebraska’s Big Rodeo By: Megan Dietz & Heidi Dawe Judge’s Comments: Great use of fonts for the ad. It is attention getting, yet easy to read. The photos also went very well with the ad.

2nd Place Ord Quiz Title: It Pays to Shop in Ord By: Megan Dietz & Heidi Dawe 3rd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Brunswick State Bank By: Angelique Boyer

1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Floor to Ceiling By: Rachel Cloran Judge’s Comments: Wonderful use of art, fonts and layouts. The entire campaign was clean and showed a variety of products and services that the business had to offer the public.

Class D 1st Place Hickman Voice News Title: Animal Run & Chili Cook-off By: Katherine Crawford Judge’s Comments: EXCELLENT use of theme carried across multiple ads.

Creative use of fonts and colors.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Shop Local By: Staff 3rd Place Wahoo Newspaper Title: Pet of the Week By: Amy Prohaska & Cheryl Ludvik

2nd Place York News-Times Title: Kitchen Appliance Update By: Courtney Kinnison

3rd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Inspire Chiropractic By: Penny Galliart

Single Retail Advertising Idea — Color

Class A 1st Place Gering Courier Title: A2B Journeys – Let Your Journey Begin By: Nicci Vorse & Dalene Louden Judge’s Comments: Warm colors accentuated with strong art elements makes an attractive ad that lures the reader in.

It would be easy in an ad like this to overload the space available, but this presents just the right blend.

2nd Place Gering Courier Title: Oregon Trail Plumbing – Dragging the Outhouse Around By: Nicci Vorse, Ashley Young & Dalene Louden 3rd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Breakfast with Santa at Marketplace By: Katelyn Billups

Class D Class C 1st Place Aurora News-Register Title: Mars Petcare By: Dave Bradley & Karla Senff Judge’s Comments: Readers won't be able to turn the page without looking at this ad. Elegant with a strong balance of text to image that communicates without drawing away from the visuals. Strong font choices.

2nd Place Crete News Title: Home & Garden Expo – Crete Chamber of Commerce By: Dave Fiala & Nichole Javorsky 3rd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal Title: Geneva Home Center – Holiday Open House By: Julie Sulzbach

1st Place Hickman Voice News Title: Emsuds By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Clean, distinguished look that helps set the tone for the business as one that has style.

Good blending of art and text elements.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: MCH Baby Expo By: Lynette Hansen & Jen Stolz 3rd Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Merle’s Flower Shop By: Staff

Class B 1st Place Ord Quiz Title: Happy Jack Car Show By: Megan Dietz & Heidi Dawe Judge’s Comments: Great attention to detail sets this apart as an ad keeping the reader experience in mind. Things as seemingly simple as outlining text to make sure things pop out against a strong visual background helps draw someone in and almost demand they see it.

2nd Place Alliance Times-Herald Title: Bruce Furniture By: Erica Chipperfield 3rd Place Elgin Review Title: Knights of Columbus Fish Fry By: Lynell Morgan

Daily 1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Harmony Nursery By: Amanda Johnson Judge’s Comments: Beautiful. Large play of day lily image grabs attention, punctuated by a wonderful selection of colors that complement one another.

Good blending of fonts.

2nd Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Renegade Western Store By: Kelli Ganskow & Stephanie Bates 3rd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Trends By: Lindy Cronister & Apryl Lee

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

Single Retail Advertising Idea — Black and White

Daily 1st Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Mark Kripal By: Megan Duckworth & Apryl Lee 2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: FirsTier Bank By: Rita Woodside & Tiffany Fisher 3rd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: A Moment By: Megan Duckworth & Apryl Lee

Class A 1st Place Petersburg Press Title: Jim has Worms By: Julie Dickerson

2nd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Washington County Fair Rodeo By: Lynette Hansen & Rachel Birdsall 3rd Place Gretna Guide & News Title: Bark Club By: Kaitlyn Billups

Class B 1st Place Ord Quiz Title: The Victory Underground By: Megan Dietz & Heidi Dawe 2nd Place Elgin Review Title: Fido – Breaking the Law By: Lynell Morgan

3rd Place Ord Quiz Title: Trotter Whoa & Go Pizzas By: Megan Dietz & Heidi Dawe

Class C

Class D

1st Place Albion News Title: Albion Locker Grilling By: Julie Dickerson 2nd Place Sutton Clay Co. News Title: Thank You Real Estate By: Karla Fehr 3rd Place West Point News Title: Plaza Car Wash Grand Opening By: Karlie Cole & Dorothy Litz

1st Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Lichti’s By: Patty Lavelle & Dave Fiala 2nd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Starlight Lounge By: Staff 3rd Place Fairbury Journa-News Title: Grand Opening of Waterpark By: Jennifer Lewis

Single Classified Advertising Idea

Single Classified Advertising Idea — Black and White Class A

Color (DAILIES ONLY)

Class A was combined with Class B

Class B

1st Place Elgin Review Title: Holiday Pet Care By: Lynell Morgan 2nd Place Gretna Breeze Title: Auction Block By: Echo Bronk

3rd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Morrill Elementary By: Staff

Class C

Daily 1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Burger King By: Penny Galliart Judge’s Comments: This ad meets the category requirements of a clever headline that attracts the readers as well as entertains. It is designed clean and simple, despite a little crowding due to the advertiser not purchasing quite enough space for all they wanted to convey. The color choice makes it eye catchy and the typography is very attractive and easy to read. Easily stands out among its competitors in this category.

2nd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Swans By: Lindy Cronister & Apryl Lee 3rd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Great Plains Health By: Julie Murrish & April Lee

1st Place Orchard/Neligh Antelope Co. News Title: Wanted: Fun with Dirt By: Angelique Boyer 2nd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal Title: Gary’s Brick-House Grille – “Lettuce” Know if You’re Interested

By: Julie Sulzbach 3rd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal Title: Generations Bank – Loan Officer By: Julie Sulzbach

Class D Class D combined with Daily Entries

Daily

1st Place Hickman Voice News Title: Buel Properties By: Katelyn Billups 2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: Walmart Hiring Event By: Andrea Dzingle & Katie Simmons 3rd Place Kearney Hub Title: Sandhills Oral & Facial Surgery By: Andrea Dzingle & Katie Simmons

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

Creative Ad Writing

9

Sports Action Photo

Class A Class A Class A was combined with Class B

Class B

1st Place Ord Quiz Title: A Mug Only a Mother Would Love By: Lacy Griffith, Heidi Dawe & Megan Dietz Judge’s Comments: Loved “A Mug Only A Mother Would Love.” The headline and graphic worked really well to capture attention! The play on the Halloween them of “Nightmare on Main Street” was really clever.

2nd Place Elgin Review Title: Wrap Up Christmas Shopping By: Lynell Morgan 3rd Place Bloomfied Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Bloomfield Baker By: Angelique Boyer

1st Place Arlington Citizen Title: 220-Pound Embrace By: Grant Egger Judge’s Comments: Judges felt this image should have been entered in Sports Feature, but couldn't resist recognizing such a great jubilation shot.

2nd Place Callaway Courier Title: High Schoiol Rodeo Bulldogger By: Michael A. Wendorff 3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Eagles Qualify 7 for State Track By: Joe Burns

1st Place Orchard/Neligh Antelope Co. News Title: BOOsters Halloween By: Angelique Boyer Judge’s Comments: It's a toss up on which ad was my favorite, “BOOsters” or “Deck Your Hauls.” They were both outstanding and I'm sure your clients were thrilled with both the look of the ad and the advertising results they received!

2nd Place West Point News Title: F&M Bank Happy Holiday Season By: Karlie Cole & Dorothy Litz No 3rd Place was Awarded.

2nd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Final Shot By: Nathan Arneal 3rd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Fast Break By: Nathan Arneal

1st Place Chadron Record Title: Battle By: Brandon Davenport Judge’s Comments: A great tangle of arms and the ball. Judges hoped the technical issues with the image were the result of the press run, and beyond the photographer's control.

Class D 1st Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Eyes on the Ball By: Stephanie Croston Judge’s Comments: Perfectly timed touchdown catch.

2nd Place Ogallala Keith Co. News Title: In the Zone By: Harry Lipsiea 3rd Place Ogallala Keith Co. News Title: Laying Out By: Harry Lipsiea

Class C

Class C

Class B

1st Place West Point News Title: Basepath Collision By: Mike O’Brien Judge’s Comments: Judges’ pick for best of category in ALL divisions! A great collision shot with glasses, hat and helmet flying off from the contact.

We wondered if this was an out?

Daily

2nd Place Cozad Tri-City Tribune Title: Putting His Faith in the Pole By: Kelly Ninas 3rd Place Albion News Title: Merten Helmetless Tackle By: Joe Flanagan

1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Hastings’ Sophie Cerveny Dodges the Tag By: Carissa Soukup Judge’s Comments: Great softball shot!

Judges wished the players were just a little closer to each other.

2nd Place Hastings Tribune Title: Diving Attempt By: Amy Roh 3rd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Dogs Directing Fair Traffic By: Barrett Stinson

Sports Feature Photo Class A 1st Place Arlington Citizen Title: Headed to Hastings By: Grant Egger Judges Comments: The definition of joyful excitement.

2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Jessica Cotant Consoles Kenzey Kanno After the Loss to Lincoln Christian By: Brendan Carl 3rd Place Wauneta Breeze By: Diane Stamm

Class B 1st Place Chadron Record Title: Eating Dirt By: Brandon Davenport Judges Comments: Great face and expression! What a unique find.

2nd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Emerging Threat By: Nathan Arneal 3rd Place Elgin Review Title: Criss Cross By: Dennis Morgan

Class D 1st Place Fairbury Journal-News Title: Heartbreaking Defeat By: Nathan Heuer Judges Comments: The photo of itself drips with disappointment, then to read they lost on a throwing error fuels the pain.

Class C Class D Class D was combined with the Dailies

Daily

1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Girls Night Ouch By: Amanda Johnson Judge’s Comments: My favorite was “Girls Night Ouch” but all three entries had extremely effective headlines to draw readers in and then a clear message for each client.

Excellent work.

2nd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Family Hearing By: Megan Duckworth & Apryl Lee 3rd Place Kearney Hub Title: Family Practice – Mother Hull — Regency By: Andrea Dzingle, Tiffany Fisher, Rita Woodside & Jane Fruge

1st Place Cozad Tri-City Tribune Title: New All-Class State Record: Heels Over Head By: Kelly Ninas Judges Comments: Great size and layout. Full face shot, height of action and the curve of that pole set this one apart.

2nd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Wynot BB Girls Celebrate State Title By: Jeremy Buss 3rd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Underwater Coach By: Kenneth Ferriera

Daily 1st Place Kearney Hub Title: Stymied By: Erika Pritchard Judges Comments: Pure anguish.

The rain drops mimicking tears adds to the drama.

2nd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Bayard Edges Out Leyton By: Preston Goehring 3rd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Lights Out Performance By: Staff

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Mid-Race Photo-Op By: Grant Egger 3rd Place Bellevue Leader Title: Girls Wrestling By: Joey Waller

10 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Sports Page Class D

Class B

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune By: Scott Strenger Judge’s Comments: Strong photos and headlines pop off the page.

Layout and design are pleasing.

Very easy to read. Good content and stories are well-written.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise By: Scott Strenger 3rd Place Ogallala Keith Co. News By: Harry Lipsiea

1st Place North Bend Eagle By: Nathan Arneal Judge’s Comments: Very clean look with a thoughtful design. Good use of photos and graphics for sidebars.

Very well done.

2nd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor By: Carrie Pitzer 3rd Place Lexington Clipper-Herald By: Benjamin Arrowood

Class A

Daily

Class C

1st Place Arlington Citizen By: Scott Strenger Judge’s Comments: Good mix of stories and columns. Excellent design with strong photos. Very good job overall.

2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska By: Staff 3rd Place Milford Times By: Staff

1st Place Norfolk Daily News By: Jay Prauner Judge’s Comments: Welldesigned sports pages, with strong photos and well-thought-out layout.

2nd Place Grand Island Independent By: Staff 3rd Place Kearney Hub By: Staff

1st Place West Point News By: Mike O’Brien Judge’s Comments: Tremendous amount of content. Very good use of photos. Pleasing page design. Very easy to read.

2nd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News By: Carrie Pitzer 3rd Place Elkhorn Douglas Co. Post-Gazette By: Staff

Sports Column

Meanderings Excerpt

By Michael A. Wendorff Heart.

That’s how Head Coach Jeff Cole sums up his South Loup Bobcats when a game is on the line.

Such was the case Saturday evening with 32.4 seconds left on the clock trailing 61-57 to the A-M Coyotes in the MNAC Championship game at North Platte CC. It looked

for all the world like the Bobcats were skinned by an outstanding Coyote team and the pelt ready to be stretched and dried.

Nope. This old editor has got to stop doubting when South Loup gets itself in a hole this year – even with seconds left on the clock and trailing by four points.

Eddie Berger finally got free and swished a long three in with 15 tics left.

He fouled Seth Miller at the other end who made the front end of a one-and-one but missed the second for a two-point gap. Cole said the strategy dispensed to the immediate time-out was to get the ball to Kalen Dockweiler to drive inside for a twopoint try, make it and then hope for a foul.

Inside was packed tight and the pass went out to Berger, and then back to

1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: From the Banks of Maple Creek By: Nathan Arneal Judges Comments: “Playoff Dash One For The Ages”

3rd Place Grant Tribune-Sentinel Title: Pitching with Pritch By: Larry Pritchett

Jace Connell who sank the fateful three from the top of the arc for the winning shot.

We’ve seen a good video that shows 2 seconds left on the clock after the shot and the refs correctly put 2 back on. There was some confusion among fans prepared to get huffy if it was not called a trey but it was struggles at the scoreboard controls at fault. South

Loup had been awarded that vital point.

The long, desperate inbounds pass was well covered by the Bobcats back in prevent defense and Connell intercepted. Game over.

This old editor has been covering high school ball for more than 30 years and we can’t remember a more entertaining contest with more riding on the result than this one.

Excerpt

By Nathan Arneal Just days ago, the North Bend Tiger boys basketball team played in the state championship game. It’s still a little hard to grasp for me.

When I was leaving the Devaney Center after the first round win Thursday, a buddy about my age said, “We didn’t even know what the state tournament was in our day!”

“No,” I corrected him.

“We knew what it was. It was where we went to watch

other schools play.”

As a youth who attended the state tournament annually with my dad, making it to state was the ultimate goal.

At the time, the Tigers had made state just once in a 75year span, when I was too young to remember.

After talking to several of this year’s players during their three-day run in Lincoln, I wonder if they grasp the historical significance rarity of what they’ve done.

Honestly, I don’t think they

do.

They are a confident bunch. Several of them told me they knew they could play for a state title. They expected it.

Confidence is good. It helps you reach goals. But part of me was thinking… you just expected to do something that hasn’t been done in North Bend in 93 years?

There are hundreds of players, literally generations of athletes that wore the

orange and black that knew they were the ones. Guess what. They weren’t.

I include myself in that group. My buddies and I were pretty successful in youth basketball. We had size, skill and depth. Adults actually told us we were going to be the group that took North Bend back to state.

When our varsity careers finally arrived, we lost the district final by 3 points our junior year. As seniors, we were bumped up to Class

New wrestling criteria means more qualifiers Excerpt

By Carrie Pitzer Ever seen an arm wrestling match during a district wrestling championship? How about a wrestler jumping over the other while grabbing his opponent’s legs for a quick pin?

No? Then you missed an entertaining match between Neligh-Oakdale’s Cameron Wilkinson and Brock Kester

1st Place Callaway Courier Title: Meanderings By: Michael A. Wendorff Judges Comments: Easy to read and a fresh perspective; writer obviously has experience in column writing.

2nd Place Gretna Guide & News Title: The Vine By: Darren Ivy 3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Zam Driver Turned Writer By: Grant Egger

State finals a fantasy no more

Class B

2nd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Title: The Chair By: Mark Jackson

Class A

in the 113 district final Saturday afternoon. If you want a good chuckle, go to the ACN Facebook page and check out the video. I guarantee you’ve never seen a district final quite like that one.

It may have caught some fans off guard seeing teammates “battle” it out on the mats, but thanks to a new NSAA rule, teams could enter multiple wrestlers in each

weight class, which proved successful for two Antelope County teams. Don’t worry, the NSAA thought of everything, including team scores. If two wrestlers were in the same weight class, only one could count toward team points. Also, no more than 14 total wrestlers can compete from a team.

Locally, we saw teams double down three times.

Neligh-Oakdale qualified both Wilkinson and Kester at 113 and later qualified both Kaleb Pofahl and Jayden Arehart at 170. Elkhorn Valley also doubled a weight class and qualified both Josh McFarland and Mitchell Petersen at 160.

Before anyone gets too upset, Wilkinson and Kester may have had a little fun in their final as the last two remaining wrestlers, but they still earned

their state berths. The same can be said for the other four local wrestlers in similar situations.

They still had to win to get to the point where they could forfeit or be pinned by their teammate. They still battled each other in practice all season – or for the last several years. There were no gimmes for any of these wrestlers on Saturday.

They earned it. Period.

B where we lost in the subdistrict final. The next year NBC moved back to C1 where we’ve been ever since.

My dad’s senior team, which still holds the school record for best winning percentage, lost by a single point in district finals.

So when I see this group of Tigers who aren’t as awestruck as I am by the idea of playing in the state tournament, it takes a little getting used to.

Class C 1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News By: Carrie Pitzer Judge’s Comments: “Scholarship” column – simply stated, views are clear because the writing is there. A different perspective that stands out.

2nd Place Aurora News-Register Title: Big Rich Sports Report By: Richard Rhoden 3rd Place Falls City Journal Title: Right or Wrong It’s My Opinion By: Brian McKim

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

11

Sports Column

Oh, what a night Excerpt

By Ismael Rodriguez Jr. I arrived at Prairie View School, a small elementary school tucked in a cozy neighborhood at the back of Ogallala, just before the varsity girls game tipped-off.

The air was cool and breathless as I walked over to the main entrance, smiling at an unusually stocked parking lot for a junior varsity game.

Inside, some people lingered across the lounge area overlooking the gymnasium, waiting on friends or family with giant grins and hugs all around. The noise resonating from within the open doors leading to the gym had an allure, one unable to escape.

I flashed my media credentials at a lady sporting an Ogallala-white “Truth” basketball shirt selling tickets

by the entrance, slipping an orange-colored program and being engulfed by a cast of bright lights.

Walking toward the back of the gymnasium, where I sat by the Cozad visiting section, two things stood out: 1) The last game of the night, the one that had really filled over 3,000 seats with fans from all over the area, couldn’t come sooner. 2)

Daily

These teams didn’t like each other very much.

“Hey, how’s it going,” a Cozad fan said with a warm, genuine smile that disrupted my train of thought.

“Pretty sweet so far,” I said, reminding myself that although a war was coming, people on both sides still carried their kind, Midwestern manners. “How are you?”

“I’m doing well,” she said,

fidgeting with a girl’s hair, one that sat nestled between her legs. “Thanks.”

I struck up conversations with a couple of more fans on the Cozad section, listening to their predictions, and agreeing on the lively atmosphere and jitters permeating Prairie View, something they admitted was beyond anything they’d seen in quite some time.

1st Place North Platte Telegraph By: Ismael Rodriguez Jr. Judges Comments: “Oh What a Night” column. Great, colorful writing. Writer did a good job of keeping things clear. You could feel the excitement in the air.

2nd Place Hastings Tribune By: Nick Blasnitz

3rd Place Kearney Hub Title: Buck’s Beat By: Buck Mahoney

Category 20 was discontinued Sports Feature Writing

‘Playing with Purpose’ Excerpt

By Tyson Agler This past weekend the Gretna volleyball program wrapped up its 2019 campaign at the Class A State Tournament in Lincoln. The Lady Dragons had a magical run all the way to the state championship match but ultimately fell short in a hard-fought five-set contest to Papillion-LaVista South on Saturday.

The Lady Dragons finished as state runner-up for

the first time in Class A, and third time in program history. However, this season meant so much more to the Gretna netters, the coaches and the community.

Before the magical season began for Gretna, the team and community were struck by tragedy this past summer.

Five Gretna High School students were involved in an auto accident in late June, which claimed the lives of Alexandria Minardi, 15,

Addisyn Pfeifer, 16, Kloe Odermatt, 16, and Abigail Barth, 15.

Roan Brandon, the daughter of head volleyball coach Mike Brandon, was the lone survivor.

“It obviously took a while to get to a point when we thought it was appropriate to intervene,” said Gretna senior Lydia Yost. “A lot of us who had a personal relationship with Roan made sure to go see her in the hospital and

2nd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: A 19 Family Tradition By: Jenny Higgins 3rd Place Chadron Record Title: True Thorne: Cardinals’ Unsung Leader By: Brandon Davenport

make sure her family was doing alright.”

Roan was released from the hospital in July and the Brandon family began its long road to recovery.

The volleyball team was there every step of the way to support their coach and teammate.

“As a team we were really missing her in the gym at our summer camp,” Yost said.

“She was at home by then and we all call her Ronnie.

We wrote Ronnie on the back of our t-shirts. We sent her a video and told her we were thinking of her. On her birthday, we went to their house and brought her donuts. We tried to do everything we could and we knew Mr. B (Coach Brandon) tried to be there as much as possible and we knew he had so many other things going on. We knew they needed their time and we’re so happy they’re doing better now.”

Excerpt

By Brooke Robertson Perkins County Senior Beau Wood finished this year’s wrestling season undefeated as the Class C 195 Nebraska State Champion.

After ending last year’s season at 30-1 with his second bronze medal, Wood said, “I may not be undefeated anymore, but I still wrestle for someone who is.”

He was able to prove just that as he stood and pointed upward at the sound of the whistle proclaiming this year’s championship victory.

As a four-time state qualifier, Wood returned home his sophomore and junior years with the bronze medal in Class D. The fight for the gold would prove even more difficult this season with the Plainsmen’s move to Class C.

But the title and the hardware that comes with it have never been Wood’s priority.

His faith in Jesus Christ is No. 1.

“Praise Jesus either way.

I’m going to do whatever God’s got planned for me. If He wants me to win, cool.

If He doesn’t, that’s alright, too,” he said before the semi-finals Friday night at CHI Health Center in Omaha.

Wood contributes his strong faith to his parents, Brandon and Amana Wood, and his grandparents. He is active in FCA, church, youth group and has gone on a couple mission trips.

Beau and classmate Caden Waitley “keep each other in check” while facing the many temptations of high school.

With my faith, I just

Brother, sister coach together Excerpt

By Carrie Pitzer The resemblance was almost uncanny Saturday morning as Tyler and Sonya Legate slipped into the folding chairs in the corner of Mat 5 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.

They sat on the edge of the metal chairs, elbows resting on their knees as they yelled both instructions and

encouragement to Pierce 160-pounder Brett Tinker.

While Tyler and Sonya are no strangers to wrestling, the weekend marked the first time the brother and sister duo coached together on Nebraska’s biggest high school stage.

While it’s not common to see a female coaching wrestling at state – or on any high school mat for that

2nd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Richt on Cue By: Brendan Carl 3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: America’s Pastime By: Grant Egger

matter – 25-year-old Sonya, who graduated from Elkhorn Valley in 2012, looked as comfortable coaching as she said she felt. Like any good wrestler, Sonya’s working her way around the mat, waiting for the right time to take her shot.

“For me, I want to coach girls’ wrestling, but right now, I have to be coaching boys,” Sonya said minutes before

wanted to be different than everybody else. I didn’t want to do any of the partying, the drinking, having sex before marriage or anything like that,” Wood said, hoping to show others that if he can get through it, they can too.

After speaking to a fellow wrestler and leading him to Christ, Wood began speaking to his opponents about Jesus after each match.

Class C

Tinker took the mat for the Class C fifth-place match.

“It’s about coaching. Just coaching,” Tyler added.

Roger and Rosemary Legate’s three children were raised on the wrestling mat in their Neligh basement.

Tyler and Colby Legate are the only brothers to ever win state titles at Neligh-Oakdale with Tyler winning 189 in 2007 and Colby at 171 in

2009. They are also the last Warriors to strike gold at the state meet.

But Sonya didn’t wrestle competitively. She practiced, but Tyler said their parents never allowed her to wrestle in matches. Against two state champions at home, one could argue she was forced to be competitive every time she stepped on the mat in the basement.

Excerpt

By Kevin Houck Growing up with an older brother can be difficult when it comes to competition. But growing up playing sports with all boys is another beast. For Calie Peterson, both of those things are true.

The 14-year-old has been playing on a travel hockey team since she was 6 years old. Many nights and sum-

mers are filled with travel and hockey with not much time for leisure in between, including, for most of that time, being the only girl skating up and down the ice.

“It’s fun, but it can get tiring at times,” Calie said.

“Sometimes I just want to be home in my own bed, but I like it.”

The Petersons’ passion for hockey came from Calie’s

mother, Stacy, who grew up a hockey fan, and then played in a men’s recreation league until Calie’s older brother, Ethan, was born.

“I used to go to all the Lancer games really. Then I tried hockey one year and played on the Metro Classic Hockey League when I was 20. I learned there, and then I got pregnant with my son, so I didn’t get to play any-

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Coaching Siblings By: Carrie Pitzer Judges Comments: Fun story on brother and sister who coach wrestling together.

GREAT!

more,” Stacy said. “So then I was like ‘My kids are going to play hockey.’”

And that’s exactly how it played out. Calie would accompany her mother to Moylan Iceplex for Ethan’s practices. While Calie would watch Ethan intently on the ice, Stacy, eventually, decided to put Calie on the other ice rink.

“I thought I might as well

Staying positive Excerpt

By Jeff Van Patten If you’ve ever met Drew Haley, of Dalton, or Thomas Matson, of Log Lane Village, Colorado, you would know that giving up is not an option for either teen. Both are upbeat and ultra-competitive.

The two teens, who competed in the Monument Marathon 5K on Saturday, Sept. 27, had an obstacle

2nd Place Doniphan Herald Title: Giltner & Gretna: Two Communities Come Together By: Christine Hollister 3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Stories to Tell By: Grant Egger

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Husky Seniors Rewarded with State Medals By: Richard Rhoden 3rd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Voice of the Warriors By: Jenny Higgins

Peterson outskates the competition for the game she loves

Class D 1st Place Bellevue Leader Title: Hockey Player By: Kevin Houck Judges Comments: GREAT story on a female hockey player. Go get 'em!

1st Place Gretna Guide & News Title: Playing with Purpose By: Tyson Agler Judges Comments: Wonderful story about the lone survivor of a car crash, returning to volleyball.

Wood gives God the glory

Class B 1st Place Grant TribuneSentinel Title: Wood Gives God the Glory By: Brooke Robertson Judges Comments: To-the-point piece about a young athlete who wears his faith on his sleeve. A clear winner! Excellent!

Class A

other runners didn’t – both were running with a prosthetic leg.

Haley lost his leg after suffering a devastating injury during an Aug. 30, 2018, football game. In that game against Morrill, Haley went up high to catch a pass and was tackled. Haley suffered a knee dislocation that damaged the popliteal artery cutting off blood flow to his lower leg. Haley’s leg had gone

too long without blood flow, leaving the doctors with one option – amputation.

Despite the injury that led to Haley’s leg being amputated, he said he never thought he would have to give up playing sports.

“My goal right after (getting my leg amputated) was to play basketball my senior year,” he said. “I always thought I’d be able to participate. I just didn’t

think (running a 5K) would be part of the training. I thought I would just go and do it.”

Haley has lofty goals for his senior season playing for the Leyton Warriors.

“I’m expecting me to be able to play as well as I did before, but I’m wanting to play better than I did before. It’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “There’s a saying that a person with a prosthetic has to work

twice as hard to move their legs as a person without one. Even though I might be doing the same things, I have to work harder to do them. Which means I use more energy and I’m more tired. It’s going to take some effort.

Haley said he will be on the court on Dec. 6 when the Warriors play the first game of the season, a basketball tournament in Bayard.

put her in the Learn-to-Skate summer program on the other ice rink,” Stacy said.

“She was there anyways with me. She picked it up a lot quicker.”

From there, Calie’s passion started to take off. After the Learn-to-Skate program, Calie completed the Initiation Program that year too. Shortly after, Ethan took his younger sister under his wing.

Daily 1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Staying Positive By: Jeff VanPatten Judges Comments: The personality of each of the men comes through in this fine piece of amputees running in a 5K with their prosthetics. Well done. This story will stay with you.

2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: Road Trip: Kearney’s Bill Giffin Visits Home Turf on Coast-to-Coast Bike Race By: Buck Mahoney 3rd Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Golden Girls Coach By: Paul Hughes

12 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Sports Game Coverage

Eagles finish 6th in Class C Excerpt

By Grant Egger After winning his semi-finals match Friday night at the CHI Health Center, Remington Gay was directed to get his picture taken by the NSAA back inside the arena’s tunnels.

As the 220-pound Arlington wrestler made his way through the cluttered

walkways around the mats with coach Brandon Mues in tow, strangers and acquaintances alike congratulated him. They slapped his back and gave knowing nods, but as he hit the tunnel and approached the NSAA portrait backdrop, Hunter Gilmore appeared with a grin on his face.

The first two Eagles to

reach a state tournament championship match since 2006 tied up in a tight embrace.

“It’s just been a great ride,” Mues said. “These kids have been working at this for years. This has been a lifelong dream for these kids.”

The dream hit its pinnacle Saturday when Gay

2nd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Pojar Gold By: Nathan Arneal 3rd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Bees Sting Pender By: Jenny Higgins

started. We’re…I wouldn’t even count us as friends anymore, we’re family.”

The 44-2 junior’s wrestling family was waiting for him Saturday after he left the mat with a 6-2 title victory against Boone Central’s Jon Merten.

In the match, Gay – who won his other three state bouts by pin – took an early, 3-2 lead through one period.

Excerpt

By Brent Hardin The Louisville girls switched on a winning light Thursday with an electric display of defense against Nebraska City.

The Lions relied on their defensive intensity to generate a 49-31 victory over the Pioneers. Louisville forced Nebraska City to commit 27 turnovers in the game, and

the team collected 17 steals and 12 pass deflections. The Lions converted a large number of those giveaways into points on the other end of the court.

“Defense has been the backbone of our team for the past few seasons, and that’s what we’re looking for again this year,” LHS head coach Wally Johnson said. “We don’t have a lot of height but

we do have a lot of length and that’s a huge deal for the type of defense we like to play. It was a big key tonight.

We were able to get a lot of steals and deflections because of our length and our ability to get to the basketball.”

Louisville (2-2) stormed ahead of the Pioneers (0-3) midway through the first half.

The team held Nebraska City scoreless for a 7:59 stretch

that included eight turnovers.

Louisville flipped a 10-9 deficit to a 19-10 lead during the run.

Louisville kept its offense clicking in the third quarter.

The team scored on six of seven trips midway through the period to create a 38-19 gap. Lea Kalkowski, Faye Jacobsen, McKenzie Norris, Brooke Smith and Sagan Leach all produced points

Going the Distance Excerpt

By Jenny Higgins Thousands of spectators filled the stands and dotted the grassy hillsides in Burke Stadium. As the competitors walked up to the white starting line on the red track, a hush fell over the crowd. When the starter pistol blasted Saturday morning, the fans jolted to attention and loudly cheered on the runners as they took off.

A burst of adrenaline coursed through him as he felt the buzz of excitement and heard the roar of the crowd. Cole Belitz was running on the state’s biggest stage for track and field – the NSAA State Track and Field Championships.

After running near the back of the pack for the first lap of the 800, Belitz moved into the second lane and started passing his competitors, one by one. The loud speaker

2nd Place Schuyler Sun Title: Chuy Wins Gold By: Nate Tenopir 3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Fit for Kings By: Grant Egger

boomed, “Cole Belitz of Neligh-Oakdale is moving into second.”

“I was like, ‘Yeah, they better take note of this – I’m moving up,’” he said with a grin.

Before hitting the straightaway, Belitz heard the announcer one more time, “It’s the final turn. Let’s bring them in.” The crowd went into a frenzy as they screamed for the runners darting toward the finish line.

during the three-minute span.

The Lions kept Nebraska City from chipping away at the deficit the rest of the night. An assist from Norris to Jacobsen in the closing seconds of the third period made it 41-23, and Leach’s assist to Lauren Votta in the paint kept the score 43-24.

LHS made four steals in the final quarter to seal the victory.

Class C

“And a sprint to the finish line…” the announcer boomed. “Cole Belitz of Neligh-Oakdale to the line!”

He had won his heat in 2:04.28, the fastest time in his career. It was good enough to beat out seven runners in the fast heat for sixth place overall.

“I didn’t hear them say anything at the end,” Belitz said. “I was just really excited with my time and being able to kind of pull that one out of

nowhere.”

The senior runner was seeded 17th heading into the race after running his previous PR of 2:07.7 at districts.

“I was like, ‘How am I going to crack the top eight?’ I was in the slow heat too,” Belitz said. “I knew I had to win my heat to have a chance.”

Winning his heat had another reward – he would hear his name on the loudspeaker at Burke.

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Going the Distance By: Jenny Higgins Judges Comments: Awesome lead.

That's how you get a reader's attention.

Well-written throughout. Nice work.

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Sixty-five, Oh My! By: Kurt Johnson 3rd Place Albion News Title: Dynamic By: Joe Flanagan

Warriors – Class C-1 Champs

Class D 1st Place Wahoo Newspaper Title: Warriors – Class C-1 Champs By: Jason Unger Judges Comments: Wonderfully written from the first words to the last. Awesome job.

1st Place Arlington Citizen Title: Eagles Finish 6th in Class C By: Grant Egger Judges Comments: Really liked this story. From an engaging lead throughout, this was the best of the class.

Nice job.

Louisville girls knock off Nebraska City

Class B 1st Place Plattsmouth Journal Title: Louisville Girls Knock Off Nebraska City By: Brent Hardin Judges Comments: Clever lead and kept the “electricity” throughout. Nice job.

became the first Arlington state champion since Bubba Stork in 1997. Gilmore, a sophomore, came up short in overtime of his 120-pound title match, but helped his squad finish sixth in Class C, which tied the school-best finish in 1984.

“This is 11 years in the making,” Gay said. “We’ve been together since all of us

Class A

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Derby Worthy By: Grant Egger 3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Twice By: Grant Egger

Excerpt

By Jason Unger It didn’t matter that wind chills inside Memorial Stadium dipped under 20 degrees.

It didn’t matter that toes and fingers were numb.

High school kids didn’t even mind hanging out for 45 minutes after the game for pictures, hugs and frozen tears.

The Wahoo Warrior football team were champions for the first time in school history and there wasn’t anything Mother Nature could throw at them to change that.

The Warriors left no doubt as to who was the number one team in Class C-1 with a dominating 38-0 win over number two and previously undefeated Pierce on Tom Osborne Field inside Memo-

rial Stadium on Nov. 26.

The game changed in a three play span midway through the first quarter.

Senior Trevin Luben fumbled in an attempt to return a Pierce punt with 7:47 remaining in the first quarter.

The first big break of the game fell to the Bluejays and Pierce had all of the momentum, taking over at the Warrior 11-yard line.

Two plays later everything changed and Pierce was never heard from again.

With Wahoo senior Gunnar Vanek bearing down on him, Pierce quarterback Dalton Freeman was picked off by senior Kole Bordovsky who rumbled down the Pierce sideline for 78 yards before getting tripped up at the 13-yard line.

“I wanted the pick-six,

but, it led to a score for our offense and as a defense that is our job,” said Bordovsky who also set a new school record for tackles in a season with 161. He had 10 stops on Tuesday.

The very next play Luben high-stepped into the endzone, kicker Jesus Zaragoza added the extra point and Wahoo led 7-0 with 6:56 remaining in the first quarter.

FPB sends home Three Rivers Excerpt

By Will Reynolds CJ Remmenga was sick Friday.

No. Not the kind where you’re coughing, have a stuffy nose, and are bed-ridden.

His “sickness” was more along the lines of swing-and-miss stuff on the pitching mound.

“I don’t understand it at my age, but I know he had filthy stuff,” Five Points Bank head coach Kevin Asher said with a smile. “He says ‘I’m really sick today coach.’”

Remmenga’s illness led him to hurl a five-inning no-hitter to eliminate the Three Rivers Bandits, the Oklahoma state champions, from the Mid-South Regional tournament at Duncan Field with a 10-0 victory.

“I was in the bullpen (before the game) and making a little joke because I felt everything I had today,” Remmenga said. “I said, ‘Coach, I’m feeling it right now. I feel sick,’ and he went along with it and had fun with it.”

Remmenga faced 16 hitters – one more than minimum in the game shortened by the mercy rule – struck out two, walked one and hit one. Another reached on an error. But he rolled two double play balls, and kept the Bandits guessing at the plate.

“He kept us off balance,” Three Rivers head coach Mike Whitten said of Remmenga. “When you face a pitcher like that, with his off-speed, you’ve got to make adjustments and we just didn’t.”

Twelve of the 16 batters Remmenga faced received first-pitch strikes.

“It just starts with commanding the fastball really. If you can get guys to swing over top of that, you just keep them off-balance by throwing it where they can’t hit it,” Remmenga said.

“First-pitch strikes are very important, and you get them to ground out a lot because they aren’t really expecting anything hard again.”

His offense supplied plenty of support. Nearly all of it in one inning.

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Daily 1st Place Hastings Tribune Title: FPB Sends Home Three Rivers By: Will Reynolds Judge’s Comments: Good start to the story and it continued all the way through. Nice job.

Cut Out The Fat and Look Better!

2nd Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Nothing but Net By: Nick Benes 3rd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Crusaders Go Back-to-Back By: Bob Hamar

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

13

Photo Page

Class A 1st Place Arlington Citizen Title: Washington County Fair By: Staff Judges Comments: A nice variety of images.

Photography is sharp and creative.

2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Press Advertising Service Title: State Basketball By: Brendan Carl & Darren Ivy 3rd Place Gering Courier Title: Search Continues for Missing Man By: Lauren Brant

1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: Old Settlers Images By: Nathan Arneal & Mary Le Arneal Judges Comments: Each image is a nice slice of life from a local event, as a group it really shows the quality of the photographer's work.

Great job.

Class D

Class C 1st Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Schroeders Film TV Show By: Kenneth Ferriera Judges Comments: Good, clean images of both in front and behind the scenes of the TV shoot.

Class B

2nd Place Sutton Clay Co. News Title: State Football By: Tory Duncan & Ashley D. Swanson 3rd Place Aurora News-Register Title: The Boys of Summer By: Richard Rhoden

1st Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Living History Days By: Joe Burns Judges Comments: Wonderful variety of images. The black and white treatment was perfect for the subject matter.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Tower of the Four Winds By: Joe Burns 3rd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Fall Sports Photo Spread By: Staff

2nd Place Chadron Record Title: 2019 White River Wacipi By: Brandon Davenport 3rd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Memorial Day 2019 By: Nathan Arneal

Daily 1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Lighting Up the Night By: Lauren Brant Judges Comments: Rich colors and a nice variety of images from the event.

2nd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: And the Race is On By: Mark Rein 3rd Place Kearney Hub Title: Pistols on the High Plains By: Erika Pritchard

Feature Photography

Class A 1st Place Gering Courier Title: Giving Blood By: Lauren Brant Judge’s Comments: Great reaction.

2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Fall Fever By: Ben Phillips

Class B 3rd Place Gering Courier Title: Nano Sand By: Lauren Brant

1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: Shout for the Queen By: Nathan Arneal Judge’s Comments: Nice moment.

2nd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Pool Jumping By: Nathan Arneal 3rd Place Lexington Clipper-Herald Title: Counting Cows By: Brian Neben

Class C 1st Place Sutton Clay Co. News Title: Tears at Graduation By: Tory Duncan Judge’s Comments: Amazing.

This rose to the top immediately. Wonderful moment and emotion.

2nd Place Sutton Clay Co. News Title: SC Grads Laughing By: Ashley D. Swanson 3rd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: St. Helena Carnival By: Kenneth Ferriera

14 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Feature Photography Daily

Class D

1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Tumbling Fun By: Lauren Brant Judge’s Comments: Great low angle and fun moment.

2nd Place Grand Island Independent Title: A Blast of Cold Air By: Barrett Stinson 3rd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Plating Up Breakfast By: Lauren Brant

1st Place Wahoo Newspaper Title: Just Ducky By: Lisa Brichacek Judge’s Comments: Cute moment.

2nd Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Recital Showcases Dancers from InMOTION By: Stephanie Croston 3rd Place Bellevue Leader Title: Riders By: Brody Hilgenkamp

News Photography

1st Place Gering Courier Title: Samsung Project By: Lauren Brant Judge’s Comments: Perfect caption of kids giving their best in a project. No clutter, great angle, sharp, great action of students. Hands down, 1st place!

Class A 2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Minatare Fireworks By: Sandy Standley

2nd Place Cozad Tri-City Tribune Title: Ecstatic Parents of State Champion By: Kelly Ninas 3rd Place Elkhorn Douglas Co. Post-Gazette Title: Balloon Bust By: Lance Lawton

1st Place Wahoo Newspaper Title: Down Time By: Lisa Brichacek Judge’s Comments: Good eye by the photographer and captures the mood of the situation incredibly well. The uniqueness of the moment captured in the photo also hooks readers in.

2nd Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Color Explosion By: Lysandra Marquez 3rd Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Hitting the Target By: Emily Hemphill

Daily 1st Place York News-Times Title: York High School Homecoming Parade By: Eric J. Eckert Judge’s Comments: A unique take to homecoming parade festivities that really grabs your attention and leaves you wondering, “How did he get that shot?”

2nd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Seedling Mile Elementary Fifth Grader Logun Colson By: Barrett Stinson 3rd Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Ice Chunks on Highway 12 By: Darin Epperly

Breaking News Photography

Class A 1st Place Niobrara Tribune Title: Swept Away By: Valorie Zach 2nd Place St. Edward Advance Title: Sand Bagging By: Jim Dickerson

Class B

1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: Crowd Wow By: Nathan Arneal Judge’s Comments: Great reaction of crowd. Makes you wonder what they are watching. Great angle. Sharp. Good Photography. Puts a smile on your face.

2nd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Title: Township Officials Meet to Help Restart Boards By: Mark Jackson 3rd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Welcome Home, Sailor By: Carrie Pitzer

Class D

Class C 1st Place Elkhorn Douglas Co. PostGazette Title: Watermelon Eating Contest By: Lance Lawton Judge’s Comments: Photographer captured incredible detail from the kid's expression to his massive bite and the water dripping down off the watermelon. Good decision to get above the action for the photo. Nicely done and evocative.

3rd Place (Tie) Mullen Hooker Co. Tribune Title: Homecoming Class Competition By: Gerri Peterson 3rd Place (Tie) Gering Courier Title: A Family’s Heartache By: Lauren Brant

3rd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Contrasting Weather Outside Lyman By: Halle Fegler

Class B 1st Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Icebergs Swallow Town By: Tyler Agler

2nd Place Elgin Review Title: Intersection Accident By: Lynell Morgan 3rd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Got Cows?

By: Carrie Pitzer

Class C 1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Glowing Fire By: Carrie Pitzer

2nd Place Falls City Journal Title: Lighting Over the County Courthouse By: Nikki McKim 3rd Place Imperial Republican Title: Fiery Accident Claims a Life By: Megan Kelley

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

15

Breaking News Photography Daily 1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Rain, Rain, Please Go Away; Man in Kayak on Fairgrounds By: Barrett Stinson Judge’s Comments: The excellent composition of this photo is what put it over the top. It conveys the extent of the flooding while capturing a compelling human moment.

2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: Yanney Heritage Park Flooded By: Erika Pritchard 3rd Place York News-Times Title: Barn Destroyed by Fire By: Eric J. Eckert

Class D 1st Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Semi-Tractor Trailer Swept into Flood Waters By: Joe Burns Judge’s Comments: Excellent photo captured in dangerous conditions.

2nd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Semi Accident By: Michael Wunder

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Highway 133 Truck Fire By: Joe Burns

Use of Color — News — WEEKLIES ONLY Class D

Class B 1st Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Santee Powwow By: Trisha Zach

Class C

Class A 1st Place Gering Courier Title: Moving Water By: Lauren Brant 2nd Place Arlington Citizen Title: 2019 Year in Review By: Scott Strenger

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: BRAN Ride By: Jenny Higgins, Bailey Frey & Carrie Pitzer

3rd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Press Advertising Service Title: Taking Time to Be Thankful By: Staff

2nd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Easter Fun By: Jessy Hilkemeier, Jenny Higgins & Carrie Pitzer 3rd Place Aurora News-Register Title: Strive for Five By: Staff

Personal Column

Enjoying buddy days Excerpt

By Lauren Brant My dad and I have shared many fond memories fishing or out hunting, but the role of a father is more than little moments. For my dad and I, it’s about enjoying ‘buddy days’ and sharing lifelong memories.

Growing up, my dad started a tradition of enjoying buddy days. They were typically on Wednesdays, which was his day off from work.

I have enjoyed being in the outdoors since I was young and have many fond memories going on fishing and hunting trips with my dad. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized those memories began when I was five months old. Our first buddy day started on Father’s Day 1994 as he carried me in a baby carrier and my Zebco Snoopy fishing pole into the river for our first fishing trip.

As I grew up, we continued to go fishing and my dad taught me how to take a fish picture and tell fish stories. While I may have only caught a 10-inch rainbow trout, holding the fish out in front of me gave the illusion of a larger fish in the photos.

Since then, my dad has taught me many valuable skills and life lessons that have shaped the

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Construction Toys By: Alaina Albright

2nd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Title: Turkey Time By: Staff 3rd Place Gretna Breeze By: Rachel George

person I am today.

He taught me how to ride a bicycle, how to drive and dessert is a go-to meal, especially during college.

A fond memory from my childhood was learning to ride my bike.

With my white helmet strapped on my head and a pink coat, gloves and boots on, I sat on my pink and purple bike.

My dad held onto the seat as he adjusted the training wheels and then we were off. Pedaling down the sidewalk, the training wheels rattled against the concrete as I swayed back and forth. As I picked up momentum, I looked behind me and realized my dad was not holding onto my seat anymore. He was standing with my mom in the driveway, smiling at my accomplishment.

Class A 1st Place Gering Courier By: Lauren Brant 2nd Place Wauneta Breeze By: Tom Pantera 3rd Place Gering Courier By: Rich Macke

Setting off on the adventure Excerpt

By Sarah Lentz Stamp number: one Drive time: 0 minutes Miles away: 0 miles Worth the trip?: Absolutely I’ve always been a bit of an adventurer. I love to try new things and you’ll NEVER hear me turn down a road trip, which is handy considering going just about anywhere in the Cornhusker state requires a bit of a road trip. To give myself, let’s be honest, an excuse to spend my summer traveling I decided I’d participate in the Nebraska Passport program put on

by Visit Nebraska. As I travel, I’ll be sharing my experiences at the various stops with you, dear readers. I have no doubt

I won’t make it to all the stops, we live in a pretty big state, but I’ll do my darndest.

I thought the most logical place to start would be in our very own Nebraska Passport stop, Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company.

I would venture to guess that most of Wayne County has been to the brewery at some point or another, whether it be to just enjoy the brew of the week or at an event in the spacious back room.

If you haven’t, seriously do, the brewery is one of several newer businesses that are the unsung heroes of the community. They’re something unique that can entice outsiders to come to town and pull up a stool at the bar and enjoy Wayne

America.

In fairness, I like beer, but I’m pretty sure the wide variety of types on tap can suit even those who will only drink a cold one “if they have to.” Johnnie Byrd is great because it can definitely also appeal to the snobbiest of beer snobs. Even a teetotaler can find a beverage at the brewery with its homemade sodas on tap, just like the beer.

Recently they’ve even expanded to carrying Nebraska wines and plenty of options for Nebraska liquors. If a cocktail is your thing, they’ve got that covered too. I, like my friend James Bond, would suggest the martini – for beer guys, they know how to make a good one.

Class B 1st Place Wayne Herald By: Sarah Lentz

2nd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor By: Carrie Pitzer

3rd Place Elgin Review By: Dennis Morgan

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Start to Finish By: Scott Strenger 3rd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Easter Egg By: Staff

16 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Personal Column

Editor finds himself in the middle of a real horror story Excerpt

By Rob Dump I read a very disturbing story recently.

While I started reading, thinking it would be an interesting and informative piece, I soon found out it was actually a horror story.

I hate horror stories – never could understand why anyone would like to waste their time, or spend their money, to have someone scare them.

And, just like those horror stories, this one has given me nightmares and kept me up at night.

Let me explain.

You see, I subscribe to the New York Times digital edition. While I never have time to read everything they produce each day, I’ve always got time to read a couple of interesting news or feature stories.

The other day I saw a headline about a weekly

Unfortunately, the story of the Warroad Pioneer is not a unique one these days.

It’s a story that most people just don’t know about, though.

In the last 10 years, the presses have stopped rolling on more than 1,800 newspapers across the United States.

After decades of service to their communities, these papers have simply locked their doors and closed up shop.

This is a disturbing trend

that raises a lot of questions.

Journalists who are trained in how to ask questions and report the answers are taught to rely on the Five W’s and H as the basic formula for information-gathering.

Without a local newspaper…

• WHO will hold those in power accountable, exposing corruption, abuse of power, explaining where our tax dollars are going, etc.?

Class C 1st Place Hartington Cedar Co. News By: Rob Dump Judges Comments: Creative use of the theme of horror to describe the current news landscape. The column about the ring delivered the exact right amount of sentimentality. A joy to read.

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister By: Kurt Johnson 3rd Place Albion News By: Jim Dickerson

Diary of a Mad Driver or How a ’97 Pontiac Bonneville got her Groove Back

Class D 1st Place (Tie) Fairbury JournalNews By: Gordon Hopkins Judges Comments: The humorous twist in each column is masterful. I especially admire the vulnerability of the columnist.

1st Place (Tie) Bellevue Leader By: Ron Petak Judges Comments: Two wellreported, civicminded columns that address real concerns of local residents. This is what a local column should look like.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune By: Leeanna Ellis 3rd Place Bellevue Leader By: Eugene Curtin

newspaper in Minnesota, so I started reading.

It was a sad tale – a tale about a newspaper that had published continually for 128 years, but had decided to publish its last edition back in May. Their community’s reliance on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram had hit their bottom line hard. After struggling financially for years, they simply couldn’t afford to keep the doors open anymore.

Excerpt

By Gordon Hopkins So I got my driver’s license recently, as you may have heard, and I thought you might be curious how it was going. It’s been a long time since I’d been behind the wheel of a car, so it’s been an adjustment. To give you an idea, here is a diary of my first full week as a driver.

Monday: Nebraska had just

been hit with what some had dubbed a “Polar Vortex.” Others with a more hip, fashionable bent were calling it “Arctic Chic.”

I woke up to a temperature of minus ten degrees. Before getting my license I usually walked to work. With temperatures like that, I was glad I could drive. So I bundled up, went out to start the car, and discovered I couldn’t

open the door. I had to go and get a butter knife to chip ice off the door handle before it would open.

Once I gained access to the vehicle, I climbed in, stuck the key in the ignition, and the car made a noise that cars don’t normally make: Phffmpt. Then it made another non-car-like noise: clunk. Actually, cars sometimes do make the “clunk” noise, but

usually only when the engine falls out.

I tried again to start the car. Once again I heard phffmpt-clunk.

I tried again. Phffmpt-clunk.

Again. Phffmpt-clunk.

Phffmpt-clunk.

Phffmpt-clunk.

It sounded like the car was spitting rocks into a spittoon.

Clearly, the car wasn’t going to

start, so I wrapped a scarf around my face so my beard wouldn’t shatter, and walked to work.

Tuesday: It was warmer the next morning, so I just knew the car would start this time.

Phffmpt-phffmpt-clunk.

Phffmpt-phffmpt-clunk.

Phffmpt-phffmpt-phffmpt-clunk.

Okay, so it still didn’t start, but I could tell it was getting closer.

This time it was different Excerpt

By Ron Petak This time was different.

When the man-made flood waters came barreling down the Missouri River in 2011, we saw it coming. Slowly but surely we watched Haworth Park and low-lying areas succumb to the river.

This time was different.

A perfect storm of rapidly melt-

ing snow and heavy rains took their toll on every waterway in eastern Nebraska. Saturated rivers that feed into the Platte spilled out of their banks. Levees and dikes in many cases couldn’t take the pressure of the surging water.

Southern Sarpy County was smack dab in the eye of the storm.

Like 2011, farm fields and RV pads were buried beneath lakes of water, but this time people’s

homes and their lives fell victim to flood waters.

Businesses were damaged and an Air Force base surrendered to the forces of nature.

None of them had a chance.

This time it was faces we know.

This time it was our cousins, our friends, our co-workers.

This time it hit home.

This time it is heart-wrenching and heartbreaking and we’re left

to wonder how so many families – many without flood insurance – are going to bounce back.

Like so many communities in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, Bellevue and Sarpy County have come together to help those in need. The Bellevue Junior Sports Association and Thanksgiving Lutheran Church served as drop-off sites to collect food and goods. Calvary Christian Church

opened its doors as a Red Cross shelter and restaurants provided food for first responders.

And in that way, this time is no different because we are a community of caring and passion.

We don’t sit idly by watching our neighbors suffer alone.

We will never forget the flood of 2019, nor will we ever forget how community wins out in the end.

Take a chance, listen to the B side Excerpt

By Brad Staman Sometimes what you think you will like turns out to be on the B side, instead of the A. However, it requires flipping the record.

Back before music downloads, CDs, even cassette and 8-track tapes, there were records. There were records with a whole album and others with singles. A single would have the song that was expected to be the hit on the A side. Flip the record and you would find a song a

few thought would be very popular.

In 1971, Rod Stewart released “Reason to Believe” as a single. It climbed to No. 62 on the charts, but the song on the B side, “Maggie May,” became Stewart’s first No. 1 song.

For the Beatles, “Strawberry Fields Forever” was on the B side. Other big hits on the B side, included Queen’s “We will Rock You,” Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” Kiss’ “Beth,” and Bill Haley and the Comets’ “Rock

Around the Clock,” to name a few.

There is a great political lesson for each of us in the hits from the B side.

We listen to what we like.

We tune into the television and radio stations whose talking heads swing their telecasts the way we like.

We read the columnists, online sources and social media influences who agree with us, those on our A side. The B side is of no concern to us – it is not worth flipping over to give

even a listen. Songs on the B side are not for us and we will avoid flipping the single.

Back when singles were the normal way musicians released new music, newspapers were the main source of political opinions. Television offered one or two stations with no clear political leanings. We were forced to be exposed to both sides of the record, both sides of an issue.

The opinion page might have a column from a Re-

Daily

publican and second from a Democrat, or a conservative one day and a liberal the next. One day the right leaning reader might be happy, but the next they might disagree with what the liberal wrote, but they would read the column. The liberal reader would agree with the column on day two, not on day one, but they would read the opposing view. By doing so, both heard the A side and the B side. They heard both sides of an issue.

1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald By: Brad Staman Judge’s Comments: Metaphor is used powerfully in these columns. The column with the restaurant analogy was a perfect representation of what's happening in modern media.

The B-side column is a reminder we all need.

2nd Place Columbus Telegram By: Matt Lindberg 3rd Place Kearney Hub By: Mary Jane Skala

Breaking News

Lifted to Safety

Class A 1st Place Arlington Citizen Title: Lifted to Safety By: Leeanna Ellis 2nd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Arlington Among Hardest Hit in Historic Flooding By: Teresa Hoffman 3rd Place Doniphan Herald Title: #DoniphanStrong By: Christine Hollister

Excerpt

By Leeanna Ellis Dawn Hackworth and her family could hear the helicopters overhead.

They only had minutes to put their shoes on, grab a few belongings and head to the roof of their home, which was surrounded by floodwaters from the swollen Elkhorn River.

After two days trapped in their home southeast of

Arlington, the Hackworth family was finally able to be evacuated – a harrowing rescue captured on the camera and seen across the country.

Dawn and David Hackworth spent March 13 running errands in Fremont. The warm day led to much of the snow left on the ground from the last storm melting.

As they returned to their home at 25610 Dutch Hall

Road, along the Elkhorn River, there was a trickle of water coming across one of the roads.

“But it was clearly field runoff,” said Dawn, a second-grade teacher in Omaha.

The river looked as it always did.

That night, the Hackworths went to bed. Dawn, David and their adult sons, Ryan and Tim, had no way

of knowing they would face some of the worst flooding to ever hit the state.

At 4:30 a.m. March 14, Dawn’s daughter-in-law, Kelsey, who lives in Blair with their other son Jake, texted her. Kelsey had planned to drop her son off at the Hackworths’ house that morning.

“How is your gravel road?” she asked.

The Preparation Excerpt

By Nathan Arneal With word of ideal flood conditions developing, an emergency North Bend City Council meeting was called for Tuesday night, March 12.

Several inches of snow still covered the ground. Rain was predicted for the next few days. The ground was frozen.

There was no place for water to go.

“We felt like we needed

to get some sort of plan in action,” councilman Dan Minarick said. “None of us have experience with a flood of this magnitude.”

The city had 2,000 sandbags on hand. As water kept rising, another 15,000 bags were brought in.

Wednesday morning volunteers started filling bags at the high school. The rain resumed and the operation was moved indoors at Frontier

Coop. Sand from Lux Sand and Gravel was dumped on the ground and scooped by approximately 100 volunteers into bags. They were loaded onto trailers and taken around where more volunteers were placing around buildings.

The Water – Levee failure triggers flood Last Tuesday, March 12, there was still several inches of snow on the ground.

Then about 70 hundredths of rain fell in a 24 hour span.

By Wednesday, fire department personnel were keeping a close eye on the Platte River, afraid of an ice jam causing a flood.

While a sandbagging effort was in full swing in North Bend Wednesday, smaller waterways to the north began to flood, including the Maple Creek eight miles north of North Bend. The north end of Main Street by the old pop-

Kelsey told her mother-inlaw that there were reports of water over the road on U.S. Highway 30 at Arlington.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” Dawn said. “I made my way out to our deck. It was still pitch black so you couldn’t see anything, but I could hear the current. The water was already about 12 inches all over our property going under our house.”

Class B corn plant was briefly closed as water pooled there.

By Thursday, the flooding to the north had subsided.

The Maple was in its banks with the water level down to about half capacity.

Perhaps all the precaution and sandbags was for naught?

Thursday night, around 9 p.m. events were set in motion that would change any feeling of good fortune in North Bend.

1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: Flood Story By: Nathan Arneal 2nd Place Plainview News Title: Fire Consumes Hardware Store By: Brook D. Curtiss 3rd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Lux Dies By: Mary Le Arneal

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

17

Breaking News

90-year-old escapes fire in ‘nothing but my birthday suit’ Excerpt

By Carrie Pitzer With a -37 degree wind chill, a 90-year-old Brunswick man escaped a house fire last Wednesday morning wearing “nothing but my birthday suit.”

Mearl DePeel was sound asleep when he was startled awake by the smell of smoke around 2:45 a.m. He leaped from bed and instantly saw flames coming from an adjoining exercise and

storage room, which was on the west end of the house.

DePeel, who was a firefighter for 25 years, knew when he reach for the door handle, he couldn’t get out that way.

“It burned my hand,” DePeel said as he turned his hands over so the palms faced up. “They feel like they’re burning today because I froze them out there. I froze my hands and my feet last night.”

Somehow De Peel managed to reach a phone

Class D 1st Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Beyond Belief By: Staff

Judge’s Comments: The volume of coverage shows a Herculean effort by the staff. Lots of entry points into the story. In a category flooded with flood stories, this one stands out for its thoroughness, writing and packaging.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: 11-Year-Old Boy Killed in Bicycle-Semi Crash By: Leeanna Ellis

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: OPD Helicopter Crashes at Blair Airport By: Leeanna Ellis

near his kitchen to call 911.

Despite being naked, DePeel, who will turn 91 on Valentine’s Day, then escaped outside without any clothes on.

It wasn’t but a few seconds in the nearly 40-below zero wind chill that DePeel realized he should have grabbed something to wear, so with a cloth over his face, he ran back through the entire house to grab his robe as flames matched him step for step.

“There were flames all

around me, and the house was so full of smoke by that time, I almost was on my hands and knees and was getting so sick,” DePeel said matter of factly. “I know every corner of that house. I can find my way in the dark without any trouble.”

Barefoot and wrapped in only his robe, DePeel stood on his metal deck and watched flames engulf his two-story home of 60-plus years. Although “it felt like

an hour and a half,” firefighters were on the scene in about five minutes and immediately carried DePeel to one of the fire trucks.

DePeel said it wasn’t sadness or fear going through his mind at the time. He was simply trying to survive.

“When you’re standing out there in the nude in 37-below weather, you don’t think about much of anything other than finding something to cover up,” he said.

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Naked 90-Year-Old By: Carrie Pitzer Judge’s Comments: Nice art and interesting read. Some of the writing is a bit gratuitous — “entire house,” “instantly saw.” The packaging and subject matter moved it to the top.

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Storm Rips Through Area Farm By: Richard Rhoden

3rd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Volunteers Risking Their Lives By: Carrie Pitzer

Area firefighters rescue residents caught in flood Excerpt

By Leeanna Ellis, Teresa Hoffman & Daniel Buhrman As floodwaters began to rise, Washington County fire and rescue personnel responded to multiple calls for people stranded in their homes in the county and the surrounding areas.

On Saturday, Arlington, Blair and Fort Calhoun volunteer firefighters banded together to rescue people stranded by the Elkhorn

River flooding west of Arlington.

A dramatic air rescue was caught on camera Friday as Gov. Pete Ricketts and Unicameral Speaker Jim Scheer surveyed the historic flooding in portions of northeast Nebraska.

A National Guard Black Hawk helicopter could be seen lifting people off the roof of a house to safety in Arlington.

Blair firefighters spent

hours searching house to house Thursday looking for people who did not leave their homes following a mandatory evacuation in Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Fire Chief Joe Leonard said the Blair crews were dispatched to Missouri Valley shortly after 9 a.m.

Eleven firefighters and the department’s boat, rescue squad and heavy rescue unit responded to help the neighboring city only 13

Barn destroyed by fire Excerpt

By Melanie Wilkinson A barn which housed show animals and equipment owned

by Larry and Rita Hoblyn was destroyed by fire Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 20.

The York Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at 1418 Road 14 – about two miles east of the York County Fairgrounds, just after 1 p.m.

Class C

When they arrived, the blaze was well underway.

The Waco Fire Department was called in for mutual aid and the York County Sheriff’s Department arrived on the scene to provide traffic and other assistance.

Trains were halted for approximately 1 ½ hours so tankers would not be blocked from crossing the railroad tracks just

west of the scene.

At the scene, York Fire Chief Mike Lloyd was informed that a worker at Hoblyn’s farm was moving snow when he saw smoke coming from the cupula on the top of the barn. He was able to get all the animals – but one – out of the barn before it became fully engulfed. Discussion at the scene included that the barn quickly became engulfed.

miles away.

Firefighters rescued five people from their homes.

Three people refused to leave their homes. Leonard was unaware if they eventually got out.

The first two individuals rescued had physical disabilities and medical issues.

“We had to go into the house to rescue them,” Leonard said. “They were actually laying in the water.”

Both were in critical con-

dition with hypothermia.

“Once we got them back, we handed them off and we regrouped and figured out what we needed to do next,” Leonard said.

The crew then headed to the east side of town to help two people who were in a boat tied to a tree. On the way, they found another man in a camper.

Leonard said the rescue effort was a challenge due to the current and the wind.

Daily 1st Place York News-Times Title: Barn Destroyed by Fire By: Melanie Wilkinson

Gates were moved outside the barn, in order for the cattle to move further away as the barn literally became an inferno.

The barn and its contents were a total loss. A dollar value of the loss has not yet been established, nor has the cause of the fire.

Hoblyns are nationally known in the livestock industry, winning countless titles in the areas of swine and cattle.

Judge’s Comments: In a category with several fires and lots of flooding, this one had the most impactful photo. Definitely draws the reader in. Writing is concise and clear with the most important info up front. Well packaged. Solid work.

Paginator deserves a pat on the back, too.

2nd Place Hastings Tribune Title: Lightning Causes Fire By: Will Vraspir

3rd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Lincoln County Treasurer Firing – Day 1 By: George Haws

Feature Series

Friendship reaches its tail end at auction Excerpt

By Tom Pantera Ruth Petsch of Wauneta lost an old friend early last year, but found a fitting way to memorialize him.

Charlie the peacock died early in 2018, after years of hanging around Petsch’s home. Petsch, 80, donated his last set of tail feathers to the live auction at the Cattlemen’s Ball, where it was put on the block as a surprise item.

Ball Treasurer Joey Large is still totaling up the bids, but estimates the tail feathers, which filled most of a 5 foot,

a shine to the bird. He’d dig into the seed she left for other birds, and since he was sort of a big hungry guy, she would sneak him a little extra.

After hanging around for six years, “he was an old friend,” she said. “I could walk outside and holler at him; he’d started running with the turkeys.”

Petsch watched the seasons of Charlie’s life. He stuck around in the foulest winter weather, and every fall, he’d molt, losing his magnificent tail feathers. Then every

8 inch-by-8 foot inch frame, brought in at least $5,000 in five rounds of bids; winning bidders repeatedly turned it back to be re-auctioned before finally being donated to the McCook Community Hospital.

The sale was the last act of a six-year friendship.

Charlie apparently escaped from the west side of town, made his way to the east side, near Petsch’s home, where he attached himself to a flock of wild turkeys.

Petsch took something of

Class B 1st Place Chadron Record Title: From Drought to Floods: Mirage Flats Farmers Persevere By: Kerri Rempp Judges Comments: The Mirage Flats series was well-researched and detailed, with quotes from both long-time residents and historical researchers to make it a lively and informative read. Infographics and historical and current photos made the series come alive. It chronicled the challenging history of Mirage Flats, showing us the difficulties early settlers faced in trying to irrigate the land, and the solutions subsequent settlers worked out. It also painted a portrait of the settlers' social life, schools and tight-knit community. The extensive research and reporting the writer did really shows and resulted in a thorough and detailed picture of the Mirage Flats' history, culture, present-day uses and future.

2nd Place 3rd Place Ord Quiz No 3rd Place Awarded.

Title: WWII Veteran Connor By: Lisa Fischer

spring, they’d grow back.

Petsch’s life, and her regard for Charlie, took a special turn in May 2017, when she was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Often as not, when she got home from her chemotherapy and radiation treatments, she’d spot Charlie.

And Charlie became more than just a hanger-on.

“All that he had been through, alone, you’d think, if he can survive out there alone, I sure could survive with the care of family and friends, a

loving husband and thousands of prayers,” she said.

Not that it was all serious.

Charlie provided the occasional laugh, as well. If feeding time was a bit late, he’d look through the kitchen window and squawk until he got a response. And Petsch’s husband, Rodney, decided he needed a “bird psychiatrist” after the bird developed something of a romantic attachment to the bumper of one of their cars.

“He’d go out and romance that bumper,” he said.

clogs. Maybe it was the end of the song or maybe it was the sound of the water churning in the washing machine behind him, but the inmate quickly jerked back to the reality inside the Antelope County jail.

“I do the laundry here in Antelope County, and they give me the opportunity to sit and play the guitar while I’m getting that work done,” Fredrickson said. “If I can just pull my guitar out and play for even

1st Place Wauneta Breeze Title: Cancer Survivors at Cattlemen’s Ball By: Tom Pantera 2nd Place Hyannis Grant Co. News Title: Through the Sandhills of Time: Do You Remember?

By: Sharon M. Wheelock 3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Arlington Public School Retirements By: Teresa Hoffman

From drought to floods: Mirage Flats farmers persevere Excerpt

By Kerri Rempp “We planted grain for four years with just enough to get our seed back in the 1930s.

In 1931, I put in winter wheat which winter killed, then I put in spring wheat and that blew out, then I put in corn and it dried out. The following year the crops didn’t even get a start.

Nothing but Russian thistles grew, which we pastured, made hay and put of silage of. Prices went all to pot. Hogs sold for

$1.90 a hundred. A good critter couldn’t pay for the freight to market. Corn was $.10 a bushel, wheat $.18.” –P.V. Jensen “A Pioneer’s Dream Come True: The Mirage Flats Irrigation Project” by Mark Clapp and Rolland Dewing Jensen was one of a group of Danish enticed to move to the Mirage Flats area in southern Sheridan County after World War I, in search of cheaper land and a brighter future. Like many others in the region, he was

overwhelmed by the Great Depression and the devastation the dry years wrought and moved to Iowa.

His story is one of many that homesteaders and later settlers in the Mirage Flats faced. Not all ended in failure, in large part due to the creation of an irrigation project in the 1940s, approved by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the country was plunged into an economic downturn.

“John Page, Chief of the Reclamation Bureau, advised

County gives inmate opportunity to ‘breathe fresh air’ through music Excerpt

By Carrie Pitzer A blue pick rested between his thumb and index finger.

Richard Fredrickson closed his eyes and gently strummed the six strings of the Jasmine acoustic guitar.

It was only a four-minute song, but for a few precious moments, the 34-year-old forgot he was wearing an orange jumpsuit and tapped his foot wearing cheap gray

Class A

five minutes, it’s like a weight lifted off your shoulders.”

Sentenced in Washington County for robbery, Fredrickson has spent the last four months in the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center. Nineteen of the 26 inmates housed in the Neligh jail on Tuesday were from other departments, providing Antelope County with extra revenue to cover costs.

Regardless of the number

of inmates, Nebraska Jail Standards requires the same number of jailers working the facility, so Sheriff Bob Moore said he welcomes long-term inmates like Fredrickson, who is expected to serve another three months.

While this is Fredrickson’s first stint at the Antelope County jail, the Omaha man is no stranger to incarceration. He served nearly 10 years in the state penitentiary

for robbery and doesn’t deny his actions. But this time, Fredrickson said, he plans to leave incarceration rehabilitated, and he credits Antelope County.

“The guys and women who work here want to help us.

They want to see us succeed, and that seems so rare,” he said. “They’re supportive and helpful. They care, and that is the biggest thing. They care, and I am a human being.”

me today that the Mirage Flats project has received Presidential approval involving approximately two and a half million dollars of which one and a half million is allocated from WPA funds. I expect operations to commence within 60 days. Congratulations,” said Congressman Harry B. Coffee, who represented the state’s Third District, in a telegram to Carl Horn at Hay Springs. Horn spearheaded the 1940s effort to bring irrigation to the region.

Class C 1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Inmate Rehabilitation By: Carrie Pitzer Judges Comments: This is a well-written series. The subject chosen to write about is what really carries it. It may have been helpful to have an “outsider’s” voice, like a commissioner or perhaps even a relative. But the story is interesting even without that.

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Where Are They Now? By: Staff

3rd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Summerland Consolidation By: Carrie Pitzer

18 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Feature Series

Montana adventure: Following the Lewis and Clark Trail Excerpt

By Joe Burns On this Tuesday evening of June 4, I am sitting in the comfort of the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena, Mont., posting pictures and thinking about the wealth of experiences during my last week on the Lewis and Clark Trail through Montana.

My first stop was the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, which preserves the site of the June

25-26, 1876, Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Plains Indians as the Battle of Greasy Grass. While this battle field has no direct relationship to Lewis and Clark, it was a site that I have always wanted to visit. The site is beautiful and it recognizes and honors fallen Lakota, Northern Cheyenne Arapaho, as well as Seventh Cavalry soldiers and civilians. What I found most surprising is that there was only about 70 years

Treasury Albert Gallatin.

My next principal destination was Fort Benton, which was the starting point for my three day canoe trip into Missouri Breaks National Monument. I booked the tour through Missouri River Outfitters and could not have been more pleased with the experience. Except for some hazy skies due to wildfires in Alberta, Canada, the weather could not have been better.

The roughly 50 miles of

vertical white cliffs and eroded white sandstone columns, spires, toadstools and hoodoos are still much as Lewis describes in his journal.

Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery entered the White Cliff area on May 31, 1805. In a lengthy and poetic journal entry, Lewis described the effect of water.

“Breaking down the soft sand cliffs and worn it into a thousand grotesque figures…”

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Through My Eyes – Traveling Lewis & Clark Trail By: Joe Burns Judge’s Comments: Wow. Beautifully told, well documented and with photos to illustrate what the traveler saw.

2nd Place Ogallala Keith Co. News Title: Rural Environmental Sustainability By: Kenneth Lipp 3rd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Building Solid Futures By: Jacilyn Bruns

Family clung to bed frame as tornado struck in Pilger

Daily 1st Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Trail of Destruction By: Staff Judge’s Comments: This was a great story, so vivid, so emotional, that I honestly got goosebumps.

between Lewis and Clark’s exploration of the western frontier and the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

My next stop was the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers, which are the headwaters of the Missouri River at Three Forks Montana State Park not far from Bozeman. Lewis decided to name the rivers after President Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State James Madison and Secretary of the

Class D

2nd Place Fremont Tribune Title: National Foster Care By: James Farrell,Colin Larson & Tammy RealMcKeighan 3rd Place Norfolk Daily News Title: Dual for the Ages By: Paul Hughes

Excerpt

By Sheryl Schmeckpeper Now and then, Jodi Slonecker gets a whiff of an odor that mentally takes her right back to the pile of rubble that was once her home.

It was the smell of “musty basements, corn and gas… and death,” Slonecker said.

“If there is a smell to death and destruction, that’s what it is.”

The stench rose out of the splintered wood, broken furniture and shredded clothing

that had been in buildings blown apart by the EF4 tornado that nearly wiped out the town of Pilger on June 16, 2014.

“I don’t want to smell it again,” Slonecker said.

Slonecker, who at the time was working for Ameritas from her home in Pilger, had just shut down her computer and was about to make supper that late Monday afternoon. Her children, Camron, 10, and Samantha, 9, at the time, had been

outside most of the day and were in the basement playing video games.

The air hung thick and heavy; black clouds swirled overhead.

“Tanner (Slonecker’s older son) called and said, ‘Get the kids, get downstairs, there’s a tornado headed your way,’” she said.

Slonecker and her children did as they were told. Then she thought about her purse and went back upstairs to retrieve it.

“I could already see it (the tornado),” she said. “The hair on my arm was standing up.”

Slonecker rushed back downstairs, and she and her children huddled together on the bottom bunk of Camron’s bed. Within seconds, the town’s warning siren went off, the ground shook; glass shattered; wood splintered.

“I bear-hugged my mom and sister and held on with all my might,” Camron said.

“I remember thinking, don’t

let us die.”

Slonecker and her children clung to the bed frame and each other so they wouldn't get cut by flying debris.

“It felt like a train was going by,” Slonecker said.

“After a few seconds, there was a suctioning noise. The house was being lifted off (the foundation), and we were inside the tornado. Stuff was flying, and I was thinking, ‘Don’t let my kids die.’ I felt like it was never going to end,” she said.

Single Feature Story

“Chester from Nebraska” Excerpt

By Janet Larreau When he’s not in school, working, or doing farm chores, Chester Oberg can be found in his bedroom listening to rap music. He loves it, and his favorite bands are dc Talk and Newsboys who are currently one of the most popular Christian groups in the country.

“His siblings know all the words, too, because he’s always singing,” said his mom,

Dynette.

Who knew he was practicing for a reason? Certainly not Chester. This unassuming 15-year-old farm boy from Nebraska recently became an overnight sensation, and everybody’s talking about it.

Chester, who will be a freshman at Arnold High School in just a matter of weeks, attended the Nazarene Youth Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, in July.

People attended the event from the United States and Canada. The conference is held every four years, and this year, Chester really wanted to go.

His mom, who is pastor of Last Call Ministries in Arnold, told him they didn’t have the $1,500.00 fee, and he would have to come up with the money himself.

“He sold his 4-H pigs last year and used all of his money to go,” she said.

2nd Place Plattsmouth Journal Title: Longtime Local Business Nears End of the Road By: Tim Rohwer

3rd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Title: Next Case: Samuelson Retires After Over 20 Years as County Court Judge By: Mark Jackson

Class A

The song seemed to go really well with the theme, and I checked the Newsboys concert schedule, and they did not have a concert for that Friday night.”

When Chester entered the concert venue packed with about 9,000 people, he – along with other concert-goers – was wearing a band on his wrist that turns concerts into an interactive light show. The color of band you are wearing determines where you sit or stand.

1st Place Arnold Sentinel Title: Chester from Nebraska By: Janet Larreau Judge’s Comments: Great narrative style, great context for readers, lots of personality through quotes.

Excerpt

By Brandon Davenport Connie Moore always liked sheep, and she doesn’t have an explanation why.

Her father raised sheep and Connie showed them in 4-H when she was growing up in Chadron. Now, Moore has about 60 of her own, as well as cows, pigs, and about 100 goats on her 350 acres of land south of Chadron.

It’s enough to keep the

retired educator plenty busy, but Moore, who turns 70 in April, doesn’t let that stop her from serving on the board of directors of the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producer Association. She’s also heavily involved with Chadron Special Olympics, where her son, a longtime Special Olympics athlete, competes in several events through the year.

Moore’s also a longtime

member of 4-H. She and her late husband Pat were leaders in Keith County.

Her children were active in the organization and now so are Moore’s grandchildren.

She stays involved with 4-H through judging and through her grandkids.

A native of Chadron, Moore got her education in business and economics and was an educator for 40 years, teaching first in Thedford,

then in Paxton, Rangely, Colorado, and in Crawford.

She and her late husband, a former principal in Rangely, returned to Chadron about ten years ago following his retirement. Unfortunately Pat passed away six years ago, February.

At 60 sheep, her operation is more than a hobby – she says they work too hard at it for that to be true. Moore keeps the number of sheep

A Local Legend Excerpt

By Carrie Pitzer Dipping his hand deep into the cauldron in front of him, George Strassler’s voice danced as he recited Act 4, Scene 1 of “Macbeth.”

Although the toddler in front of him wiggled as she looked back and forth between the cauldron and the 85-year-old pretending to be the three witches, Strassler didn’t miss a line, which came as no surprise

since he’s played the role every Halloween for the last 51 years.

But Thursday was different.

“I’m sure this is the last year. I’ll be 86 in January,” Strassler said while sitting near the front door of his Neligh home as he prepared for his final Halloween performance.

The George and Ruth Strassler production became a Halloween legend years ago thanks

to their love of the theater.

A Lincoln High graduate, Strassler earned a theater scholarship to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He didn’t act much in college, instead concentrating on becoming a dentist.

The Strasslers loved Halloween and acting, so immediately after getting married they started putting on short scenes on Halloween when the children stopped while trick or treating. That was 1955.

2nd Place Wahoo Newspaper Title: Blizzard Can’t Stop Reception By: Lisa Brichacek 3rd Place Seward Co. Independent Title: Twins’ Remains Returned to Nebraska after Decades By: Stephanie Croston

where it is because that’s the amount her available pasture can hold, plus, as she says, “When they’re lambing, that’s enough.”

She’d prefer that lambing to occur in May or June, but says that doesn’t always happen.

This time around her sheep are lambing in mid-February, made apparent by the dayand-days-old lambs huddled in their enclosures under heat lamps in the barn.

Class C

“It’s fun to see how many kids come and see their reactions,” Ruth said.

They moved to Neligh in 1968 and decided to change their act to “Macbeth” and have been reciting the same scene for the last 51 years.

“We missed a couple of years here and there,” George admitted, but added there weren’t many years he didn’t don make up and a robe for the part.

“I got a laugh out of the kids coming to the door. I

thought it would be more fun with something to say and who said it better than Macbeth?” he said.

Being a dentist, the cauldron was filled with apples before it was in time replaced by candy. Of course, the children still had to dip their hand inside the cauldron for the candy after hearing the tale.

Strassler doesn’t mince words when describing his favorite part of the evening.

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Local Legend By: Carrie Pitzer Judge’s Comments: Great opener. Good use of quotes. Very descriptive writing with strong adjectives and powerful verbs.

Captures a real sense of the subject's motivation.

2nd Place Aurora News-Register Title: Gold Star Girl By: Cheyenne Rowe 3rd Place West Point News Title: Catering Career Simmers By: Willis Mahannah

One pedal at a time

Class D 1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: One Pedal at a Time By: Daniel Buhrman Judge’s Comments: Great story of a guy literally just riding through town. You did a great job of weaving him into the community for a day and getting his message out there.

2nd Place Milford Times Title: Huntington Narrows Field to Study of ‘What’s Eating you’ By: Emily Hemphill 3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: A Touch of Glass By: Teresa Hoffman

Shepherding the flock

Class B 1st Place Chadron Record Title: Shepherding the Flock By: Brandon Davenport Judge’s Comments: Great lede, good color on personality. Good photos.

It was money well spent.

On Friday night of the conference, a surprise concert was held.

“We only knew there was going to be a concert, but not who was going to be there,” said Chester. “I kinda thought it might be (Newsboys) though, because they had just come out with a new song called “Love One Another” and the theme for the conference was “Love God, Love Others, Love Lived.”

Excerpt

By Daniel Buhrman A little more than halfway through his 25,000-mile bicycle trek across the lower 48 states, Daniel Hurd made his way through Blair on Thursday.

“I’m actually going to go sit next to the river for awhile,” he said.

Hurd began his journey, setting out from Plymouth, Mass., a little more than 19 months ago to raise awareness about suicide.

“Because I’m doing this for suicide awareness, I’m doing it with no savings,” he said.

“The little money I have with me is from donations, so I can show people that there’s still people in the world who are willing to help regardless whether they know the whole story or not. Give those people that are struggling the hope that, with the basis of nothing, we can survive.”

Hurd, a veteran, said he’s attempted suicide three times.

He said he was thinking of a

fourth when a friend urged him onto a bicycle.

“I didn’t ride bikes since I was a kid, I rode motorcycles.

It was something I thought I was above,” Hurd said. “He had tried four or five times to get me on a bicycle, and it was not for me. At least I thought.”

But Hurd went on one, two and then a third ride with his friend.

“I was struggling with what we’d already done,” he said. “I was struggling to get

home, and he said, ‘It’s one pedal at a time. Left right, left right.’ That got me through that ride and ultimately got me started to live my life in the moment instead of so much in the past or so worried about my future, which is so many people’s struggles.”

The experience is what pushed Hurd to plan his trip across the U.S. He said he wanted to visit friends he’d served with in the military, who were living in 32 different states when he started in

2017.

“To get to them, I had to do 42 states, so what’s the other six at that point,” Hurd said.

Nebraska is his 33rd state and Blair marked about 14,000 miles on the road. He said he’ll usually go about 40 to 60 miles per day, but has gone up to 130 miles in a day to represent the more than 120 people who commit suicide in the U.S. daily. Over three years, his 25,000 total miles will average to about 22 miles per day.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

19

Single Feature Story

Finding feathers Excerpt

By Ashley Bebensee Three-year-old Rhakenna Aden was snuggled up with her mom and two older brothers watching a movie on the morning of Jan. 6 when a pair of angel wings hanging behind her parents’ bed clattered to the floor.

The noise startled her family members, but Rhakenna didn’t move.

“That’s never happened before, ever. It scared the

boys and me because it was loud when it hit the floor,” said Tasia Aden, Rhakenna’s mother.

Tasia noticed Rhakenna’s eyes were rolled back and she wasn’t responding.

When Tasia got up, Rhakenna started seizing. Tasia and Rhakenna’s father, Jamion, rushed her to the hospital, and the seizure lasted for 40 minutes.

Rhakenna was hospitalized for two days.

She was seen by a pedia-

trician in Kearney and later released from the hospital.

Rhakenna had an appointment for an EKG and MRI the follow week, which had to be pushed back two weeks.

On Jan. 23 – a week before her appointment – Rhakenna passed away in the middle of the night.

Since that day, wings and feathers have continued to play a significant role in the Aden family’s journey to healing.

Daily

They chose to honor Rhakenna’s memory through Rhakenna’s Wings, a project in their hometown of Cozad featuring wings painted on businesses and buildings around the town.

When Rhakenna was still a baby, Tasia drew a feather and the Biblical verse Psalms 91:4 on a chalkboard above her and Jamion’s bed.

The verse reads, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find

refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

“I don’t know why that stuck so much that I put it above our bed,” Tasia said.

“It feels like that’s how God and Rhakenna know how to send us messages because that was such a powerful verse for us, enough to put above our bed. We put wings on our wall, and now we are constantly getting feathers and wings in ways to let us know she is with us.”

1st Place Kearney Hub Title: Finding Feathers By: Ashley Bebensee Judge’s Comments: You allowed the story to be told through your writing and did not force it.

You handled a difficult topic with compassion.

2nd Place Fremont Tribune Title: Efforts Lead to Rescue of Elusive Stray Dog By: Colin Larson 3rd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Gratitude Still Goes Strong By: Jeff Bahr

Entertainment Story

X marks the spot

Class A 1st Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: X Marks the Spot By: Darren Ivy Judges Comments: Entertaining story. People who didn't get to attend could feel like they did attend by reading this.

2nd Place Gering Courier Title: Oregon Trail Days By: Lauren Brant 3rd Place (Tie) Gering Courier Title: Old West Weekend By: Lauren Brant

3rd Place (Tie) Petersburg Press Title: Petersburg University By: Helen Baumgartner & Julie Dickerson

Excerpt

By Darren Ivy Last week several thousand people descended on Mitchell as the community hosted the 2019 BFA U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship and also the Old West Balloon Fest at the Mitchell Airfield.

Friday to Sunday also brought hundreds of Rat Rods, Hot Rods and other creations to the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds for the eighth annual High Plains Riot. These automotive enthusi-

asts also came from all over the country to be a part of one of the fastest growing shows in the country.

A craft show and market also was held in downtown Mitchell on Saturday to coincide with both events and to give the crowds of people another activity to take in.

“What a weekend for our town of Mitchell,” commented Alesha Gardner, whose husband Jeremiah organized the High Plains Riot. “We had the

Balloon fest, craft show and the High Plains Riot! Our little town was the place to be. We needed this! For quite awhile our town has been dying. When we all work together we can show everyone what we love about Mitchell. I love where I live, and want other people to love it as well. We need to breathe life back into our community!”

More than 70 balloons launched and could be seen over The Valley. The competition balloons launched ended up

Arcadia Band Performs With World Famous Orchestra Excerpt

By Lisa Fischer Arcadia High School (AHS) band members were provided with a once in a lifetime opportunity courtesy of a famous orchestra’s performance at The Golden Husk on April 4.

AHS Vocal and Instrumental Instructor Jerilyn Tonniges directed her students in performances before and at the end of The World Famous Glenn

Miller Orchestra’s Thursday performance that began at 7:30 p.m. Tonniges brought 32 Arcadia High School band members to the event that was attended by nearly 250 people.

She is in her second year of instructing AHS’s band and decided after the orchestra performed at the Golden Husk in 2017, to sign her band up to take part when they were scheduled to return in 2019.

“I didn’t want my students

to miss out on this opportunity,” Tonniges noted. “I’m proud of their performance and how they’ve prepared for this moment since January.”

The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra performance featured: music director and vocalist Nick Hilscher along with vocalist Hannah Truckenbrod.

The evening’s performance included selections from the Glenn Miller Orchestra

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Footloose a Sellout Production By: Cheyenne Rowe 3rd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Art Walk a Canvas for Creativity By: Kurt Johnson

attempt, Miller’s second band became a success that included multiple hit records and huge box office sales.

Miller received his first Gold Record in 1941 for his recording of “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Just three years later, Dec. 15, 1944, Glenn Miller disappeared after his plane went down over the English Channel on a flight from London to Paris at the height of his popularity.

Excerpt

By Jenny Higgins The stage has been set for the future, allowing the show to go on at Neligh’s historic downtown theater.

In an attempt to save the beloved New Moon Theater, a local non-profit group purchased the closed theater last winter with plans to return it to its former grandeur. The group would like to begin showing movies again and

utilize the stage in front of the big screen for other cultural arts events, such as small concerts.

Committee member Melanie Miller said everyone on the six-member New Moon Community Theater board has a sense of nostalgia for the Main Street theater that has gone dark.

“It’s such an art deco jewel,” Miller said. “It’s important for us to restore

and maintain it and have it be part of our community identity and community pride.”

The New Moon Theater comes with a vast history, which has attracted a lot of attention over the years.

Even Hollywood director Alexander Payne was so taken by it during the filming of his movie, “Nebraska,” that he hosted his crew for a movie night in the Neligh theater.

Originally known as the

her first experience in theater.

“I’ve been acting since I was 10,” she said. “I’ve been involved in theater for over a decade of my life. It’s become a passion of mine.”

McNamara, a Wayne State College graduate, has been involved in more than 30 productions throughout high school, college and in community theater in Papil-

Dailies 1st Place Kearney Hub Title: Junk Jaunt: Battle of the Generations By: Staff Judges Comments: This was a fun way to cover this event. The two stories of the teams' travels made for an interesting read.

2nd Place Grand Island Independent Title: 15-Year-Old Debuts Film She Wrote at Age 11 at Prairie Lights Film Festival By: Austin Koeller 3rd Place Scottsbluff StarHerald Title: Ballooning By: Lauren Brant

1st Place Ord Quiz Title: Arcadia Band Performs with World Famous Orchestra By: Lisa Fischer Judges Comments: Story reflects the excitement of the students getting to perform with this band and also conveys the history of why this was a big deal.

Moon Theater, the theater was opened about 110 years ago by J.C. Jenkins. In 1944, tragedy struck as a fire ravaged downtown Neligh and destroyed the theater. It was later rebuilt by architect Henry A. Rappke of Omaha, and owner Walt Bradley renamed the theater, The New Moon Theater.

The 552-seat theater was eventually sold by the Bradley family and changed

Tradition: BHS Drama Department to present ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Excerpt

By Leeanna Ellis Victoria McNamara made her way around the stage Wednesday as she adjusted blocking for a song in Blair High School’s upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

This is the first production directed by McNamara, a first-year teacher, but it’s not

Class B 2nd Place Ord Quiz Title: “Elvis” Rocked and Guests Remembered By: Lisa Fischer 3rd Place Ord Quiz Title: Sheila Greenland Band Takes Part in VCCFF Celebration By: Lisa Fischer

Work to begin on theater

Class C 1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Theater Renovation By: Jenny Higgins Judges Comments: Nice job capturing community interest in this place and all the work going on to bring it back to life. This will no doubt be a hub of the community.

Library like: “Moonlight Serenade,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” and “Here We Go Again.”

Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda, IA, on March 1, 1904 and formed his first orchestra 33 years later in 1937. Even though his first band was considered a financial failure, Miller launched a second orchestra a year later in 1938. Unlike his first

flying all over the countryside as they were given different targets each day.

The balloonists also participated in several different glows and were easily accessible to attendees, who wanted to get up close looks at the unique balloons.

Looking at friends’ pages on social media during the week, nearly everyone had a photo of some sort taken with a hot air balloon or one in the background.

lion-LaVista and Ralston.

Getting the opportunity to share her passion with students has been a dream for her.

“It’s my craft. I like to work on it and I can’t think of a better way to work on and expand my craft than teaching it,” McNamara said. “Trying to teach people how to perfect theirs, it’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life, and

I couldn’t imagine a better group of kids to work with.

These kids have been fantastic.

They are so easy to work with and they are so talented.”

“Fiddler on the Roof” is a classic musical, which first opened on Broadway in 1964. It has seen numerous revivals, including a 2015 run on Broadway. It was also the subject of a 1971 film.

Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman with five daughters, must choose between letting his daughters marry who they want or carry on the tradition of arranged marriages using a matchmaker.

McNamara said she chose “fiddler” for the large cast – there are 51 in the ensemble – but also the message of the show.

hands several times over the years. In 2011, the New Moon Theater and the Starlite Drive-In were purchased as a package deal

by Stacy Klabenes of Neligh. The downtown theater closed in 2014; however, Klabenes continues to show movies at the drivein theater each summer. In late 2018, he sold the New Moon Theater to the local on-profit group.

Class D

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Tradition By: Leeanna Ellis Judges Comments: Reporter spent time with the director and cast and it shows. Telling interviews and descriptive language entice readers to come out and see how the work that went into this production will pay off.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Fish and Chats By: Daniel Buhrman

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Sold for a Cause By: Daniel Buhrman

Junk Jaunt: Battle of the generations Novices give sale adventure a new-aged spin Excerpt

By Tiffany Stoiber I’m a junk jaunting novice.

I’ve been to my fair share of garage sales in 24 years, but never had I ventured out north on the shopping spree colloquially known as the “Junk Jaunt.”

But what better time to start then in a competition?

And who better to compete against than the generation oft pitted against my own: baby boomers?

My Kearney Hub co-worker Erika Pritchard and I made up the millennial team. Mary Jane Skala and Lori Potter were the baby boomers. We had six items to find, $25 to do so and a mission to buy better items than Mary Jane and Lori.

In true millennial fashion, Erika and I started our jaunting at bright-butno-so-early 9:30 a.m. We remembered to grab lattes, but forgot our printed-out scavenger hunt list. Luckily,

we’re products of the tech age, so I just pulled up the list from a saved email on my phone.

Our jaunting started in Hazard, where the Faith Lutheran Church’s youth group was having a sale, and everything was half off. Here, we found our first item: A strange metal disc on a handle.

Neither of us knew what in the world we had just found, but it was only 25 cents. We figured if we had no idea what it was,

it was a shoo-in to be the most unique find on the trail.

We later discovered, after consulting Erika’s mother who was running a vegetable stand across the parking lot, that it was a tool meant to go on top of a frying pan to prevent oil from splattering everywhere. Unashamed of falling into the stereotype of not knowing how to cook and being dependent on our parents, we ventured on.

Two more stops later, still in Hazard, we found an adorable red fleece onesie with a Husker “N” on it. We were

particular enamored with its attached hat, but Erika kept her cool as she negotiated the seller down from $3 to $2.

Feeling as though we were the bargain-hunting queens of central Nebraska, we made our next stop in Loup City. There, at three separate houses, we found three more items for our list: the New Testament on cassette tape, our religious item; a pair of children’s jelly shoes, a clothing item from our childhood; and a pair of antlers made into candle holders, a hunting/fishing item.

20 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

In-depth Writing

Hinge ideas begin to take shape Excerpt

By Brody Hilgenkamp When dozens of Ralston’s civic, business and government leaders braved the snow and wind to meet in the Ralston Arena’s Side Room and Lounge Jan. 22, a theme emerged from their discussions about what the city’s next economic development project represented.

A chance to re-brand the

city.

The leaders were there to discuss the Hinge project, an economic development vision to develop the area around 72nd and Main Streets so it serves as a connection between the arena and the city’s downtown. The idea came out of the city’s 10-year comprehensive plan it completed in 2014 and it included mixed-use devel-

centralized location in the metro area.

The problem was the rest of the metro area either wasn’t aware of that identity because the charm isn’t easily viewable to drivers on busy commuter arteries like 72nd and 84th Streets, and the city was more well known for the stigma of a struggling arena.

The Hinge, they felt,

represented an opportunity to draw more of those commuters, concertgoers and hockey fans into the heart of their unique city.

“We’ve talked about branding and we’ve talked about finding an identity that would be unique,” Mayor Don Groesser said after the meeting. “I think that’s what we’re looking to do and they really proved that tonight.”

Excerpt

By Suzi Nelson The month of March raged in like a lion in the Ashland area, and its rampage continued as the month wore on with a historic combination of weather conditions that united to create flooding over a five-day period.

Last week, rainfall combined with rapid melting of the thick blanket of snow covering the

area, creating a runoff value that area waterways could not handle. Ice jams created additional problems.

The first round of flooding began in the central part of Saunders County in the middle of last week, when the creeks around Wahoo began to fill up. By last Thursday morning (March 14), that water had made its way to Ashland and the Salt and

Wahoo creeks were out of their banks.

“There’s water in places I’ve never seen it before,” said Ashland Mayor Rick Grauerholz.

The water reached beyond the spot on Furnas Street where Grauerholz remembers seeing it during other floods that took place in the 68 years he has lived in Ashland.

“I’ve seen it on Furnas

to improper disposal of human remains prior to the start of the trial.

The case was submitted to the jury Wednesday at 3:53 p.m., and shortly after 6:30 p.m., the judge was notified they had reached a decision.

Trail, 52, appeared to show no emotion, staring forward, as each verdict was read.

A jury of six men and six women heard testimony for

Class D 1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Black Elk Park Plans By: Leeanna Ellis Judges Comments: Informative, wellwritten, correct usage of quotes.

2nd Place Bellevue Leader Title: Mental Health Facility By: Eugene Curtin 3rd Place Ogallala Keith Co. News Title: Fighting Through an Emotional Rollercoaster By: Polly Taylor

nearly four weeks and viewed 844 pieces of evidence, including gruesome photos of her dismembered remains, before reaching their unanimous verdict in Saline County District Court on Wednesday night.

The presiding juror confirmed the guilty verdicts read by the district clerk.

Judge Vicky Johnson asked defense attorney, Joe Murray,

if he wished for the jury to be polled and he did. The judge asked each juror, “Is this your verdict?” to which all 12 responded, one by one, “Yes.” “Obviously, the verdict was disappointing,” Murray said later. “We did not feel that the evidence supported the finding of the jury.”

On the other hand, prosecutors from the Attorney General’s office said they

3rd Place Friend Sentinel Title: City Holds Hearing After Audit Finds Extreme Overspending By: Hope Moural & Emily Hemphill

of her triplex when she left for work at 7 a.m. She left work early, returning home at 11:20 a.m. By that time, the water was even higher.

The rising water along Furnas Street helped prompt Ashland-Greenwood Public Schools Superintendent Jason Libal to call off school last Thursday. The condition of the roads in the rural areas was also a contributing factor.

Class C

were “pleased with the determination of the jury.”

The Attorney General’s office thanked the law enforcement agencies involved for “a thorough investigation, professionalism, and support,” including the FBI, Lincoln Police Department, Saline County Sheriff, Saline County Attorney, Clay County Sheriff and the Nebraska State Patrol.

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Sydney Loofe Trial By: Jenny Higgins Judges Comments: Compelling courtroom coverage of murder verdict supplemented well with sidebars on a juror's perspective and the response of the victim's family.

2nd Place North Platte Bulletin Title: Substandard Housing By: George Lauby & Martin Owen 3rd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Sheriff Bails Out County By: Carrie Pitzer

Blair resident proposes mountain bike trail for Black Elk-Neihardt Park Excerpt

By Leeanna Ellis Brent Fullmer is a cycling enthusiast. He’s ridden mountain bike trails across the country, including in Utah, Texas and Iowa, where he has previously lived.

For the last five years, Fullmer has called Blair home.

“As a cyclist, one of the things I really miss is having a good trail,” he said. “We’ve

got plenty of good terrain around here. We’ve got plenty of elevation for good trails.”

On Wednesday, Fullmer presented a proposal to the Blair Park Board to create mountain bike trails in Black Elk-Neihardt Park, which overlooks the city and the Missouri River valley and is the highest point in Blair.

“I think it’s something that

would really help this park,” Fullmer said. “Black Elk has a loop on it, but the park itself is small. It’s only a half mile in length.”

Fullmer’s plans call for a 3.2-mile natural surface trail throughout the park. The multiuse trail would be built in four sections, including through some of the park’s wooded and more secluded areas. It would be designed with support for

Owners must prove valuations Excerpt

By Erika Pritchard Buffalo County property owners who wind up with escalating tax valuations may have no one to blame but themselves.

If they haven’t joined the parade of protesters headed to the courthouse, they might want to reconsider.

The deadline to file a valuation protest is July 1, and if trends hold, some property

1st Place Ralston Recorder Title: Hinge Project By: Brody Hilgenkamp & Austin Plourde 2nd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Flooding Aftermath By: Staff

Street, but this is a little further than I’ve seen it before,” he said.

The entire intersection of Furnas Street with 14th Street/Highway 66 was waterlogged, blocking the road leading north out of town.

Trina McCall said everything was dry when she went to bed at 9 p.m. on March 13.

By the next morning, water was standing in the parking lot

Jury needs less than 3 hours to find Trail guilty of murder Excerpt

By Jenny Higgins Sydney Loofe’s family members wiped away tears and clung to each other as the verdicts were read.

After less than three hours of deliberation, the jury found Aubrey Trail guilty on both counts – first-degree murder and criminal conspiracy to commit murder – in Sydney’s 2017 death. He pleaded guilty

Class A

Historic flooding hits Ashland area hard

Class B 1st Place Ashland Gazette Title: Flood Coverage By: Suzi Nelson 2nd Place Plattsmouth Journal Title: Mentoring to Young People Offers Lasting Benefits By: Tim Rohwer 3rd Place Chadron Record Title: Blizzard By: Kerri Rempp

opments, entertainment and dining areas.

As those leaders identified and ranked the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Hinge, a theme emerged. They viewed Ralston as a place with a strong sense of community and small-town appeal, with a prized library and a hidden gem of a downtown with untapped potential, all in a

owners likely are to see double-digit increases.

Based on the past two years, valuations of some commercial properties in downtown Kearney, for example, rose by 25 percent, according to a comparison of 2018 and 2019 valuations.

“What it is about Buffalo County is people are paying very high astronomical prices for properties because they can apparently, and because

we’re hurting for places for people to live in,” said Ethel Skinner, who was hired by the Buffalo County Board in 2017, midway through the term of former assessor Joe Barber, who resigned abruptly.

Referees have begun hearing protests, and so far there have been 655 filed since June 1. They began protest hearings June 17.

That number could be only a fraction of the protests that

will be heard, because during the past four years, Buffalo County has had an average of 2,104 protests, which is more than three times as many as neighboring Hall County.

Property owners who are steamed about the valuation figures they read on the little yellow postcards mailed by the assessor’s office in May were looking at valuations that were months in the making.

erosion control and safety.

“This is not set in stone by any means,” Fullmer said. “I’m definitely open to suggestions.”

Fullmer said a trail could be beneficial to the city as it increases the attractiveness of the community and is in line with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce’s initiative to create additional recreation areas through the metro area. Riders, he said,

will travel to different trails.

“Is this a long enough trail that people would come a distance to ride it?” board member Betsy Anderson asked.

“What are other trails like?

Are they the same distance?”

Mike Ferrell, vice president of Trails Have Our Respect (THOR), which is advocating on Fullmer’s behalf, said 3 to 6 miles is standard for a mountain bike trail.

Daily

1st Place Kearney Hub Title: Assessor Forced to Fix Valuation Problems By: Erika Pritchard & Mike Konz Judges Comments: Property assessments are an important but often overlooked factor in a community's economy and well-being. This series does a fantastic job of portraying the problems — some of them procedural and some of them personal — in Buffalo County and relentlessly followed up on what was being done to address them. I can't help but think the public spotlight on this matter helped spur the fixes that were put in place. Bravo!

2nd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Flatrock Fix-Its By: Todd von Kampen

3rd Place Fremont Tribune Title: Behind the Matrix By: James Farrell

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

21

Public Notice and Its Promotion Class C Class C was combined with Class D

Class D

1st Place Hickman Voice News By: Staff Judges Comments: Clean, great supportive ads.

2nd Place Aurora News-Register By: Kurt Johnson 3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise By: Staff

Daily 1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald By: Brad Staman & Rich Macke 2nd Place Kearney Hub By: Mike Konz & Scott Casper 3rd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Staff

Class A Class A was combined with Class B

Class B

1st Place Grant Tribune-Sentinel By: Samantha Goff

3rd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska By: Staff

2nd Place Elgin Review By: Lynell Morgan

Editorial Page Daily

Class C 1st Place West Point News By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Page is clean, direct and easy to read.

Editorials are concise and to the point.

Overall, a good read.

1st Place Grand Island Independent By: Bette Pore Judge’s Comments: Page looks nice, and the “Our Opinion” is well-written and well thought out. Good, solid use of letters to the editor.

2nd Place Aurora News-Register By: Kurt Johnson 3rd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News By: Rob Dump

2nd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Kent Warneke

Class A Class A was combined with

Class D

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Love the extras on this page. The way they enhance it with graphics and reader interactives make it stand out from the rest. It was a solid three different pages with different content each time.

Class B

Class B

1st Place Gering Courier By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Page was the most local of all the entries, all with original writing. Passion is evident in this staff.

2nd Place Grant TribuneSentinel By: Staff 3rd Place Wauneta Breeze By: Staff

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune By: Staff

3rd Place Seward Co. Independent By: Staff

Editorial

Tribune Editorial Excerpt

By Valorie Zach Sometimes one has to look at the past to see the future.

As Niobrara residents try to find their way to recovery in the weeks ahead, they might want to crack open a Niobrara community history book.

The latest one was published in 2006.

There residents will see and be reminded of all those river battles Niobrara has

3rd Place Kearney Hub By: Mike Konz

fought and won in the past, in an attempt to hold this community together.

As a river town, Niobrara had to relocate the entire town twice to find a safe place to be.

Niobrara is located on the south bank of the Missouri River near the junction of the Missouri and Niobrara rivers.

The Missouri River Dams, which were constructed under the Pick-Sloane plan begin-

ning in 1954, have influenced the flow of the Missouri and Niobrara Rivers. Because of this town’s location, Niobrara has had many river woes, but through them all, the profound determination of the citizens of Niobrara to preserve Niobrara as a community has come shining through.

The words of the late Lester Fitch, who was instrumental in the moving of

Niobrara in the mid-1970’s, and who worked tirelessly to get the bridge across the Missouri – the Chief Standing Bear Bridge – still hold truth today: “I believe that our actions over the past years, as the problem of high water has reached crisis proportions, demonstrate quite vividly the validity of the assumption that the citizens of Niobrara do desire to preserve their

community,” Fitch said.

Fitch also said that a key factor in holding the community together has been a common belief that the U.S. Government would not stand by and allow a community that has endured for more than 100 years to be destroyed. “We have always felt that such a result would be so offensive to American ideals of justice that it would not be permitted to happen.”

Class A 1st Place Niobrara Tribune By: Valorie Zach 2nd Place Mullen Hooker Co. Tribune By: Gerri Peterson 3rd Place Gering Courier By: Rich Macke & Lauren Brant

22 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Editorial

Communities struggling to find EMTs, firefighters Excerpt

By Carrie Pitzer I put a lot of miles on as I travel to the different communities we cover, and I spent much of the window time this week thinking about local EMTs and firefighters.

On Thursday in Creighton, my staff and I had a conversation with an EMT about how there just aren’t enough volunteers in Knox County. She asked what would happen if there’s an accident and no one was available

because there simply aren’t enough? It’s a scary thought, but it’s not out of the realm of happening.

Ironically, it was just a few hours later I found myself in Clearwater having nearly the same conversation with a couple of volunteer firefighters while at the school, one who also serves as an EMT. He told me he’s amazed by how much Ewing and Clearwater depend on one another because there aren’t enough EMTs.

Two different people in two different counties. But the same conversation.

Both individuals Thursday talked about the requirements to earn certification being very demanding. Granted, both agreed the training is vital to having quality medical treatment in emergency situations.

Are the requirements the reason why rural communities are struggling to find volunteers to be EMTs and firefighters? Maybe, but per-

for everything – fighting fires, coaching youth teams, working the concession stand, flipping pancakes at a fundraiser, etc.

I know everyone’s busy.

Believe me, I understand being busy as well as anyone, but I don’t think that’s an excuse for not volunteering for something.

Perhaps being a firefighter or an EMT isn’t for you. It’s definitely not for me, but it is for my older brother. At least, it is now.

Class B was combined with Class C

Class C 1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News By: Carrie Pitzer Judges Comments: Speaks with authority and forward-thinking. Suggests possible solutions. Strong reporting and writing.

2nd Place Aurora News-Register By: Kurt Johnson 3rd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer By: Mark Jackson

This is a time for courage, not for fear

Class D Class D was combined with Daily

Daily

1st Place North Platte Telegraph By: Todd von Kampen Judges Comments: Very well written editorials. Cases are well argued, with logic, passion and compassion, on topics of strong local interest. Strong calls for action are included. They can be a little wordy at times and run on a bit long, but otherwise are thoughtful and stimulating.

2nd Place Bellevue Leader By: Staff

haps there’s more to it than that. Shrinking population is likely a contributing factor.

Fewer residents mean fewer volunteers. We’re seeing smaller class sizes and smaller families, so that could be part of the issue.

But we also have the 10 percent/90 percent factor as well. You know, where 10 percent do 90 percent of the work. Take a look around your community. The same 10 percent of people are often the volunteers

Class B

3rd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald By: Brad Staman

Excerpt

By Todd von Kampen The fear is rising, and it’s totally understandable why.

It was voiced at last week’s Planning Commission meeting, where some opponents of North Platte’s latest economic development project raised the dark vision of even more Union Pacific job cuts and ghost towns.

We get it. We’re as sick at heart as everyone else at

seeing good, hard-working people shown the door.

We’re as worried as they are that too many profit-driven layoffs – both at Bailey Yard and among train crews miles away from first responders in our region’s great vastness – will fatally compromise safety and lead to avoidable tragedies.

But economically speaking, this cannot be a time of fear in North Platte. It must be a time of courage.

And we do see that courage amid the understandable fear.

Tuesday marks the 90th anniversary of the single worst economic day in our history: “Black Friday,” Oct. 29, 1929, when Wall Street suffered the knockout punch that wasn’t fully shaken off until Pearl Harbor.

The great Depression was a massive national loss of confidence, one that Herbert Hoover (who first

used the word “depression” in economic terms) and then Franklin Delano Roosevelt labored to rebuild.

(Yes, Hoover does belong alongside FDR here.

Roosevelt’s successor, Harry S. Truman, noted that FDR had continued some of Hoover’s anti-Depression efforts and added, “The Depression was not created by Herbert Hoover, it was created for him.”)

In an economic depres-

sion, like a personal one, people withdraw inside themselves. They cling to what they have. They don’t reach out and take chances.

Again, all of this is understandable.

But an economy functions only when people are exchanging goods and services. The longer people hold back, the worse things get.

That’s what North Platte cannot afford this time around.

News Writing

Controlling the blaze Excerpt

By Lauren Brant The Gering Fire Department hosted fire training exercises on public land in the Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management Area at the Wildcat Hills Saturday, Sept. 14. The annual Western Nebraska Engine Academy is a two-day training that provides fire personnel with experience and replenishes the land.

As the firefighters and

other fire personnel arrived at Five Rocks Amphitheater Saturday, they held a debriefing about the day’s objectives before heading out into the field for the live fire training.

The objectives focused on safety of the personnel and public, utilization of strategies to minimize exposure, use of full suppression tactics and to assist when needed with initial attack efforts.

“Having everyone come

Class B 1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: NBC Speech Flood By: Nathan Arneal Judge’s Comments: Excellent. I think this is a lovely blend of hard news and human interest, each of them informing the other. Both a great view of the flood as an event that real people lived through and an interesting tale of interactions and happenings; this surely pleased every sort of reader and did justice to all parties in the story.

2nd Place Ashland Gazette Title: Generosity Surfaces During Flood Clean Up By: Suzi Nelson

3rd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Flood Oral History By: Nathan Arneal

down and participate is phenomenal,” Gering Fire Chief Nathan Flowers said.

Saturday’s training provided 171 fire personnel from four states with opportunities to complete their task books.

“To reach a certification, fire personnel have to complete their books,” Jay Wickham, who is the district office operations manager with the South Dakota Wildland Fire, said. “The person at the

certification level evaluates the trainee to see if they are qualified. This opportunity gives them experience to get those certifications.”

Once the fire personnel arrived on scene, they split into their branches to begin their assignments. Personnel worked on the ground as well as in the air to put out the grass fires. The first branch worked toward the northeast of the management area along

1st Place Gering Courier Title: Controlling the Blaze By: Lauren Brant 2nd Place Gretna Guide & News Title: Pulling Together By: Tyson Agler 3rd Place Schuyler Sun Title: ‘It was Like Christmas’ By: Matt Lindberg

NBC speech travels long road home from districts Excerpt

By Nathan Arneal Jaxon Wietfeld woke up Wednesday morning to the news that school had been canceled.

Instead, volunteers were being called to help fill sandbags for potential flooding in the area.

He also received a text from NBC speech coach Ross Lafleur saying that the district speech meet scheduled for that day in Bancroft was still on.

The meet would be a success for the Tigers, with five speakers qualifying for the state speech

meet, the most in Lafleur’s 10year coaching tenure.

But the 2019 district speech tournament will be remembered

by NBC’s 20 participating students and two coaches for other reasons. What started out as a speech meet developed into a three-day-quest to return home.

Bus driver Joe Kaup and his 22 passengers pulled out of the NBC parking lot around 7:20 a.m. Wednesday. It was a cold, rainy, foggy morning. Kaup was instructed to turn the bus around if he felt conditions were not safe.

In that case, NBC would forfeit the meet.

The Tiger contingent made it without issue. Barely.

“They were closing (Highway) 275 right behind our bus on the way up,” assistant speech coach Bev Grueber said.

Not everyone was so punctual. When the pre-meet coaches’ meeting began, two schools had yet to arrive, unable to find a route to Bancroft as through the growing maze of closed roads.

During the meeting, the Logan View coach took a phone call

Volunteers journey into flood zone Excerpt

By Cheyenne Rowe Much like the turbulent tides that washed across almost all of Nebraska just a week earlier, the trek to deliver the flood relief supplies gathered by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, the Aurora Public School district and the Aurora Rotary Club was filled with a rough, obstacle-laden path.

Despite every turn-around and back track, Mayor Marlin

Class A

Carter Canyon Road after assigned personnel lit the fields using drip torches. The torch’s fuel is a mixture of diesel and gasoline. The personnel were guided by a burn plan.

Josh Burke with the Imperial Fire Department was an igniter, who used a drip torch to set fires within the upper valley area Saturday morning.

“It takes a lot of prep work to get things ready ahead of time,” Burke said.

Seeman, City Administrator Rick Melcher and Chamber Coordinator Justise Rhoden pushed on, determined to deliver what had been collected to the flood-stricken towns of Genoa and St. Edward.

As Seeman put it, the group needed more than an hour to get about 300 yards, because what would have been a straight shot to Genoa became a maze of dirt roads used to weave through closures and washed out paths.

Eventually, behind schedule, the group was successful in reaching its first stop – with the help of several local farmers and road workers along the way.

“I wasn’t expecting to see so many supplies,” said FCCLA Vice President of Community Service and Twin River student Conner Oberhauser. “It was amazing to see all of the supplies because it’s crazy how all the towns in Nebraska have come together to support each other.”

Oberhauser said he especially likes to help others in situations like this because people in his community really needed it. He and fellow Twin River students available to unload supplies from the trailers jumped immediately into action, without so much as a complaint or hesitation.

“It is important to give service to my community because one day I’m going to need it in return,” he said.

from her administration. Soon after, Logan View forfeited and left for home.

“I knew first thing it was going to be different,” senior Harley Cave said. “They hold coaches and judges meetings before the meet, and those ran a lot longer than they would have if it was a normal meet.”

By the time the first round of competition started, it was 10:30, an hour and a half behind schedule. There was more than the potential for state berths causing tension in the air.

Class C Judge’s Comments: An appropriate blend of 1st Place hard news and human interest. I appreciated Aurora Newsthe varied perspective across the piece, both in Register Title: Volunteers what kind of community members are speaking and what part of the supply chain we're seeing.

Journey into Must also be said that this story Flood Zone is heartfelt when it is warranted. None of this, By: Staff however, sacrifices the facts, which is a major triumph.

2nd Place North Platte Bulletin Title: Lincoln County Treasurer: Fired By: George Lauby

3rd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: School Consolidation By: Carrie Pitzer

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

23

News Writing

Without a road Excerpt

By Leeanna Ellis Steve Harshman wants nothing more than to return home after historic flooding along the Elkhorn River damaged his house just east of Nickerson.

But the Dodge County resident has no road to lead him there.

“Even if they can get my house fixed, I can’t get to it,” Harshman said.

Harshman’s house at 1585 County Line Road sits just south of state Highway 91, which

was severely damaged during the flood. Crews with Goree Excavating are in the process of repairing the highway, which was washed out. Pooling water still remains on either side of the highway.

County Line Road, which is maintained by the Washington County Roads Department, also received significant damage.

“Right now, part of that intersection is missing,” Highway Superintendent Bill Hansel said.

“We have to wait for that part

Class D

of the highway to get finished before we can get started.”

Hansel expects his crews could start repairs on the road north of the highway soon, but Harshman’s side will have to wait.

“I don’t want to interfere with the state’s job of getting the highway open,” Hansel said.

In the meantime, clean up crews and contractors have used skid loaders to drive through a field to access Harshman’s property.

2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: SROs Relationship-driven Policy By: Tiffany Stoiber

3rd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Water, Sewage has Receded, But It will Take Awhile to Make Homes Habitable Again By: Julie Blum

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Without a Road By: Leeanna Ellis Judge’s Comments: Good use of quotes. Challenges facing a flooding victim relays the flood's impact. Story flows well. Solid writing.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Maintenance Responsibility for Herman Dam Unclear By: Daniel Buhrman

3rd Place Hickman Voice News Title: Restored Trail Memorial Keeps Palmyra History Alive By: Michael Wunder

Assessing the damage

Daily

1st Place Fremont Tribune Title: Assessing the Damage By: James Farrell Judge’s Comments: This reporter/photographer served as the eyes and ears for the readers – going to see damage that other people probably hadn't seen and explaining the work that had to be done. This is the kind of reporting a community needs during a crisis so people can fully understand the impact of a natural disaster. Terrific descriptive writing, too. Bravo.

“It’s a mess,” he said. “I’ve got major foundation issues.”

When the Elkhorn River began to rise March 14, Harshman didn’t even consider evacuating.

His home, which was built in 1928, was elevated. The main floor was three feet off the ground, he said.

“That’s the one part I was very fortunate,” Harshman said.

“If the house wasn’t built that way, it most certainly would have (had water on the main level).”

Excerpt

By James Farrell Craig Harbaugh, an investigator with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, got a request on Wednesday to check on a house at the end of Big Island Road, west of Fremont between Leisure Lake and the Platte River, whose waters yielded days of flooding and destruction in the communities near its banks.

On Wednesday, the western-most end of Big Island Road was hard to find. The Platte’s waters had washed large chunks of

it away, along with slabs of the thin strip of land that it once ran over. Harbaugh pointed out to a pile of debris with no discernible structure surrounded by floodwater and fallen trees, out on an elevated bank near Leisure Lake.

“The house I was supposed to check on?” he said. “That was the house.”

Reaching this end of Big Island Road was an adventure in itself.

Roads to the area were still closed and some, like Ridgeland Avenue, were submerged in newly made lakes. Along Big Island Road,

stretches of road and property were covered in sludgy river sand – many residents who were assessing the damage to their properties did so while riding ATVs. Harbaugh had his own ride.

With Kyle Gaston of Nebraska Game and Parks, he hopped in the back of a SHERP ATV, a sturdy, amphibious vehicle with massive gear-like tires that rose up to Harbaugh’s shoulder. It passed through floodwater as easily as it crossed paved road.

Throughout the day on Wednesday, Harbaugh and Gaston used the

SHERPA to traverse this flooded area to check in on residents who had decided to wait out the flooding.

They had transported some people out of the area, including one elderly man who needed medical attention.

They passed out information on how to get relief, and even helped some property owners return to their homes to pick up belongings and assess the damage, which in this community, was severe.

“From here, it’s just a longterm plan of trying to get Dodge County back to the way it was,” Harbaugh said.

Headline Writing Class D

Class B

1st Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune By: Staff 2nd Place Bellevue Leader By: Staff 3rd Place Hickman Voice News By: Staff

1st Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor By: Trisha Zach 2nd Place Grant Tribune-Sentinel By: Staff 3rd Place Ord Quiz By: Lisa Fischer

Class A

Class C

1st Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska By: Darren Ivy 2nd Place Arnold Sentinel By: Janet Larreau 3rd Place Doniphan Herald By: Christine Hollister & Randy Sadd

Daily

1st Place Broken Bow Custer Co. Chief By: Donnis Hueftle-Bullock 2nd Place Elkhorn Douglas Co. Post-Gazette By: Staff 3rd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News By: Carrie Pitzer

1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald By: Jeff VanPatten 2nd Place Kearney Hub By: Courtney Follmer 3rd Place Hastings Tribune By: Andy Raun

Front Page Class B

Class D

1st Place North Bend Eagle By: Nathan Arneal Judge’s Comments: If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, who needs a story? Great job.

2nd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor By: Trisha Zach & Carrie Pitzer 3rd Place Gretna Breeze By: Staff

1st Place Seward Co. Independent By: Staff 2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise By: Staff 3rd Place Bellevue Leader By: Staff

Class A

Class C

1st Place St. Edward Advance By: Jim Dickerson Judges Comments: Impressive photos.

Very detailed. Great work! Pictures tell what took place, and are very active, showing the community pitching in to help.

2nd Place Gretna Guide & News By: Darren & Cassie Ivy 3rd Place Wakefield Republican By: Sean Anderson & Mike Renning

1st Place Crete News By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Photos typically make the front page...and the smiling faces on this one make the community proud!

2nd Place Geneva Nebraska Signal By: Greg Scellin & Julie Sulzbach 3rd Place Broken Bow Custer Co. Chief By: Mona Weatherly & Donnis Hueftle-Bullock

Daily 1st Place Kearney Hub By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Creative design. Nicely placed photos with feature story.

2nd Place Hastings Tribune By: Staff 3rd Place York News-Times By: Staff

24 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

General Excellence Class B

Class D

1st Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Excellent flood coverage. Incredible photo on the March 21 cover.

Nice work all around on such an important story.

2nd Place North Bend Eagle By: Staff 3rd Place Grant Tribune-Sentinel By: Staff

1st Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Good front pages; strong ad design. Good use of interactive polls. Strong photo pages.

2nd Place Bellevue Leader By: Staff 3rd Place Seward Co. Independent By: Staff

Class A

Class C

1st Place Arlington Citizen By: Staff Judges Comments: Solid page design, easy to follow, priority on key flood news. Nice opinion page with legislative update from local official.

2nd Place Gering Courier By: Staff 3rd Place Milford Times By: Staff

1st Place Aurora News-Register By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Love the front page pic selection. I am always a sucker for lively high school play production! Oh, and butterflies...Nice story count on front. That is difficult to do. In this day and age it is nice to see editorial take precedence over ads on front. Not a fan of that many jumps, but it does make for nice story counts on front. Incredible page count for a town that size!!

2nd Place West Point News By: Staff 3rd Place Elkhorn Douglas Co. Post-Gazette By: Staff

Daily 1st Place Grand Island Independent By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Clean design, impressive photography, engaging headlines, solid local news reporting and robust local sports report. The Independent is an outstanding local paper on the whole.

2nd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Staff 3rd Place North Platte Telegraph By: Staff

Special Single Section Class A 1st Place Stapleton Enterprise Title: Weather Supplement By: Marcia Hora & Kendra Cutler 2nd Place Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska Title: Graduation 2019 By: Darren Ivy 3rd Place Doniphan Herald Title: Honoring Our First Responders By: Christine Hollister, Jodi Sadd & Randy Sadd

Lifestyles (DAILIES ONLY)

Class B

Class C

1st Place Elgin Review Title: Beef Section By: Marie Meis & Lynell Morgan Judge’s Comments: This section really showcased the community covered by this newspaper.

It was very informative and the design was striking.

2nd Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer Title: Fire Prevention Week By: Staff 3rd Place Elgin Review Title: Heart Section By: Dennis Morgan & Hospital Staff

1st Place Imperial Republican Title: Snow Days By: Staff Judge’s Comments: A great idea for a standalone section. Nice writing, photography, design.

2nd Place Broken Bow Custer Co. Chief Title: Salute to Ag Producers By: Staff 3rd Place Aurora News-Register Title: Workforce Tribute Featuring Millennials By: Staff

Class D

Daily 1st Place Scottsbluff StarHerald By: Staff Judge’s Comments: The layouts are clean and engaging, with attentiongrabbing photos and headlines.

2nd Place North Platte Telegraph By: Susan Szuch & Andrew Bottrell 3rd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Sheryl Schmeckpeper

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Celebrating 150 Years By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Holy cow. What an undertaking.

Anniversary special sections are always a lot of work, but combining three milestone anniversaries — one of them being for the paper — had to be a challenge.

Readers can see how much care and effort went into this, with a clean layout, interesting stories and historical photos. I love the combination of old and new, and looping in the readers with the man on the street features. (I especially liked the feature asking kids what the town will look like in the future).

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: People, Places and Progress of Washington County By: Staff 3rd Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Salute to Heroes By: Staff

Daily 1st Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Veterans Day Section By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Veterans sections can seem “easy” in that every subject has a compelling story.

But they don't write themselves. The North Platte Telegraph has a handsome section here that is literally stuffed full of interesting material, the kind that transcends generations. For readers 40 and younger, who may know next to nothing about these wars, this section is better than a textbook.

It is well-written and well-presented and will be a keepsake for hundreds of families. Well done.

2nd Place Grand Island Independent Title: Murder Mystery By: Staff 3rd Place (Tie) Kearney Hub Title: Honoring our Veterans By: Staff 3rd Place (Tie) Hastings Tribune Title: American Legion Regional Tournament Section By: Staff

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

25

Special Section (Multiple Publication Days) Daily

Class D

Class A & B Classes A & B were combined with Class C

Class C

1st Place Aurora News-Register Title: High School Sports Preview Editions By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Wonderfully put together pieces, combined with creative art made this entry very enjoyable to read through.

1st Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Stars By: Staff Judge’s Comments: These sections were well organized, had a wide variety of interesting stories and the layout — and in particular the use of people in pictures — was visually appealing.

The play on words was smart and set the tone for the sections. It's a great example of community journalism.

2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: UNK Today By: Staff 3rd Place Hastings Tribune Title: Sports Preview Sections By: Staff

2nd Place Chadron Record Title: Progress By: Staff 3rd Place Broken Bow Custer Co. Chief Title: Getting Ready for County Fair 2019 By: Staff

1st Place Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune Title: Washington County Fair Preview & Awards By: Staff Judges Comments: Great section. When a community pulls together after a disaster it is never forgotten. Perfect theme for county fair coverage and carried it through until the end. Section does a wonderful job recapping what was needed to continue a community event. Nice layout, good use of photos. Made us want to attend the fair.

2nd Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Home & Acreage By: Staff

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. PilotTribune Title: Salute to Ag By: Staff

Specialty Pages/Lifestyle Sections Class A

Class C

1st Place Springview Herald Title: County Fair Coverage By: Amy Johnson & Kelsi McGee Judges Comments: Good layout.

Excellent storytelling and action photos.

All local content.

2nd Place Gering Courier Title: Community Coverage By: Brad Staman & Lauren Brant 3rd Place Doniphan Herald Title: Route 65 & Over: Wisdom for the Ages By: Staff

Daily

Class C Entries were Combined with Class D

1st Place Grand Island Independent By: Terri Hahn Judge’s Comments: Excellent use of photography. The greenhouse photos were well done. Good mix of local business stories along with state and national news.

2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: Reveal Magazine By: Kim Schmidt, Tiffany Fisher & Kimberly Rahe 3rd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Farm & Ranch By: Staff

Class D 1st Place Aurora News-Register Title: Specialty Business Pages By: Kurt Johnson Judges Comments: Tough choice between #1 & #2. Good use of local photos & welldone local stories making business news interesting. The Chuck's Drive-In story was an extraordinary celebration of hometown entrepreneurship.

2nd Place Hickman Voice News By: Staff Class B There were no entries in Class B

3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Title: Breast Cancer Awareness By: Staff

Youth Coverage

Freedom Of Information Class D

Class B

Class D was combined with Daily

1st Place Tekamah Burt Co. Plaindealer By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Very good writing and including the advertising component was a good plus.

2nd Place Ord Quiz By: Lacy Griffith, Heidi Dawe & Megan Dietz 3rd Place Plattsmouth Journal By: Brent Hardin

Daily 1st Place Kearney Hub By: Staff Judge’s Comments: Interesting, well-written stories.

2nd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Staff 3rd Place Seward Co. Independent By: Staff

Class A

Class C

1st Place Doniphan Herald By: Christine Hollister, Jodi Sadd & Randy Sadd Judge’s Comments: This paper engages students of all ages in producing their school pages.

For the older students they assist with the editing and provide feedback. Creating newspaper readers in the finest way!

2nd Place Arnold Sentinel By: Debbie Connelly, Janet Larreau & Diana Coleman 3rd Place Gering Courier By: Lauren Brant

1st Place Aurora News-Register By: Staff Judge’s Comments: The Heroes and Huskies project is an impressive way to engage youth and this paper approached this program — which they also help sponsor — from numerous angles. We also liked how they gave voice to the various FFA presidents.

2nd Place Orchard Antelope Co. News By: Staff 3rd Place Broken Bow Custer Co. Chief By: Staff

Orchard Antelope Co. News

By: Carrie Pitzer Judge’s Comments: This newspaper clearly “gets” its responsibility to open the processes of government to the public, whether that means livestreaming public meetings or using the leverage provided by open records laws.

26 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Best Nie Program

Web Sites Class A There were no entries in Class A

Class D Class D was combined with Daily

Class B Class B was combined with Class C

Class C

Doniphan Herald

By: Christine Hollister, Randy Sadd & Jodi Sadd Judges Comments: This was the best of several strong entries. The Chirp and Nest are well done and give students a hand in making the newspaper and a voice in the community.

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News By: Staff

Daily

1st Place Omaha Daily Record By: Scott Stewart, Antone Oseka & Jason Huff Judge’s Comments: Easy to navigate and not a long scroll down on the front page. Great use in the lead photo when the website loads; it is not cut off. Weather box is prominent. No annoying subscribe pop-ups. I would have liked to have seen a larger banner ad on the page, but being from the editorial department, not a deal killer. Nice organization, concise, user friendly, everything you want from a user standpoint.

2nd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News By: Rob Dump, Kaylee Minnick & Raelynn Schmidt 3rd Place Aurora News-Register By: Staff

2nd Place Norfolk Daily News By: Dennis Meyer, Ashley Gracey & Stephanie Bates 3rd Place Blair Washington Co. Enterprise By: Staff

Online Video Class A

Title: Introducing the 2019 Wolfpack Volleyball Team By: Lynell Morgan 2nd Place Elgin Review Title: Harlie Loses Her Eyelashes By: Lynell Morgan No 3rd Place was Awarded

Class A was combined with Class B

Class B

1st Place Elgin Review

Class C

1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Music Rehabilitates Inmate By: Carrie Pitzer 2nd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Cedar Dominates in VB to Earn Trip to State

By: Rob Dump & Peggy Year 3rd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Cedar and LCC BB By: Jake Higgins

Class D

Class D was combined with Daily

Daily

1st Place Kearney Hub Title: Cruise Nite Classic Car Tour By: Rick Brown & Ana Salazar 2nd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Honoring Fallen Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Jerry

Smith By: Lauren Brant, Maunette Loeks & Staff 3rd Place Kearney Hub Title: Kearney Underground: The World Theatre By: Tiffany Stoiber & Ana Salazar

Online Coverage of Breaking News Class C 1st Place Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Historic Flooding By: Staff 2nd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Murder Suspect By: Rob Dump & Kenneth Ferriera 3rd Place (Tie) Albion News Title: Flooding was Extensive By: Staff 3rd Place (Tie) Albion News Title: Flood Damage was Extensive By: Staff

Class D No Entries Received in Class D

Daily

Class A Class A was combined with Class B

1st Place North Bend Eagle Title: Flood By: Nathan Arneal

Class B

2nd Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: First Aerial Coverage of Flood By: Carrie Pitzer

3rd Place Arlington Citizen Title: Semi-Tractor Trailer Swept into Floodwaters near Arlington By: Leeanna Ellis

1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Bomb Cyclone By: Stephanie Romanski 2nd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Honoring Trooper Jerry Smith By: Maunette Loeks & Lauren Brant 3rd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: A Mother’s Plea: Chance, Come Home By: Maunette Loeks & Lauren Brant

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Nebraska Press Association

Best Use of Social Media

Best Sports Video

Class A

Class A

Class A Entries were Combined with Class B

No Entries Received in Class A

Class B

1st Place Ord Quiz Title: World War II Veterans By: Lisa Fischer Judge’s Comments: I love this project and the highlighting of veterans in your community.

(I think I want to steal this idea to use in my community!)

27

2nd Place North Bend Eagle Title: Flood Coverage By: Nathan Arneal 3rd Place Doniphan Herald Title: Coming Together After Devastating Flooding By: Christine Hollister, Jodi Sadd & Randy Sadd

Class B

Class B combined with Class C

Class C

1st Place Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor Title: Buzzer Beater By: Carrie Pitzer 2nd Place

Orchard Antelope Co. News Title: Good Catch By: Luke Jacobsen 3rd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: HNS and LCC BB Insane Play By: Jake Higgins

Class D

No Entries Received in Class D

Daily

York News-Times Title: Simon Otte – Nebraska

Football Spring Game By: Steve Marik 2nd Place York News-Times Title: State Football Championship: Osceola/ High Plains vs. Burwell By: Steve Marik & Eric J. Eckert 3rd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Exploring the Outdoors; Students Visit Wilcat Hills During HandsOn Field Trip By: Lauren Brant

Sports Photo of The Year Class C Class C was combined

with Dailies

Class D

No Entries Received in Class D

Daily

1st Place Grand Island Independent Title: Restaurant Nostalgia By: Stephanie Romanski Judges Comments: What a great idea to get readers involved and create an interactive story.

Editorial of The Year

2nd Place Kearney Hub Title: Most-Wanted Restaurant in Kearney By: Tiffany Stoiber, Mike Konz & Erika Pritchard 3rd Place Scottsbluff Star-Herald Title: Bomb Cyclone 2019 By: Maunette Loeks

Advertisement of The Year

EV Stuns No. 1 By: Jake Wragge Norfolk Daily News Judges Comments: The moment was captured so well! You can clearly see the great upset AND victory in the same image. This image tells the best story out of all the images.

Feature Photo of The Year

City of Blair Celebrates 150th By: Lynette Hansen & Nicole Robinson Blair Washington Co. Enterprise Judges Comments: Simple, but clear ad celebrating Blair's 150 years.

Local photos, local faces, and plenty of reasons to make Blair your home. GREAT!

A Crowning Moment By: Grant Egger Arlington Citizen Judges Comments: Great capture of the completely amazing look on this young lady's face. Just glancing at the photo made me happy for her. It's hard to snag these kinds of spontaneous moments. Good job!

News Photo of The Year On Iron Eagle, Listen to the River By: Todd von Kampen North Platte Telegraph Judges Comments: Incisive thinking paired with lyrical writing about an issue at a City Council meeting -- funding to repair a golf course because of flooding.

“The river has weighed in mightily on this dispute four times. ... Its opinion: This is a bad place for a public golf course.”

Yanney Heritage Park Flooded By: Erika Pritchard Kearney Hub Judges Comments: Apparent aerial shot nicely framed, colorful and sharply focused.

Point of view offers great perspective. Good job!

28 Nebraska Press Association

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Best Digital Ad Idea

1st Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Don Miller By: Raelynn Schmidt Judges Comments: Nice and neat. Lots of information in a small space. People will want to click to see the house of the week. Also noticed it rotates into at least two spots on the home page, so people definitely will find it.

Class C

2nd Place Aurora NewsRegister Title: Aurora Mall By: Karla Senff

3rd Place Hartington Cedar Co. News Title: Local Journalism By: Raelynn Schmidt

Class D Class A

Daily

No Entries were Received in Class A

Class B 1st Place Elgin Review Title: Jonny Dodge Weekly Specials By: Lynell Morgan

Class D was Combined with Dailies

2nd Place Ord Quiz Title: For All Your Printing Needs By: Megan Dietz No 3rd Place was Awarded

PRINT CLASS A SWEEPSTAKES: 1st Place: Gering Courier 2nd Place: Arlington Citizen 3rd Place: Morrill Voice News of Western Nebraska

PRINT CLASS B SWEEPSTAKES: 1st Place: North Bend Eagle 2nd Place: Ord Quiz 3rd Place: Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor

PRINT CLASS C SWEEPSTAKES: 1st Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News 2nd Place: Aurora News-Register 2nd Place: West Point News

PRINT CLASS D SWEEPSTAKES: 1st Place: Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune 2nd Place: Hickman Voice News (TIE) 2nd Place: Blair Washington Co. Enterprise (TIE) 3rd Place: Bellevue Leader

PRINT WEEKLY SWEEPSTAKES AWARD: 1st Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News 2nd Place: Blair Washington Co. Pilot-Tribune 3rd Place: Aurora News-Register

PRINT DAILY SWEEPSTAKES AWARD: 1st Place: Kearney Hub 2nd Place: Grand Island Independent 3rd Place: Norfolk Daily News

DIGITAL CLASS B SWEEPSTAKES: 1st Place: Elgin Review 2nd Place: Bloomfield Knox Co. News Monitor (TIE) 2nd Place: North Bend Eagle (TIE) 2nd Place: Ord Quiz (TIE)

DIGITAL CLASS C SWEEPSTAKES: 1st Place: Hartington Cedar Co. News 2nd Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News 3rd Place: Aurora News-Register

DIGITAL WEEKLY SWEEPSTAKES AWARD: 1st Place: Hartington Cedar Co. News 2nd Place: Orchard Antelope Co. News 3rd Place: Elgin Review

DIGITAL DAILY SWEEPSTAKES AWARD: 1st Place: Scottsbluff Star-Herald 2nd Place: Grand Island Independent 3rd Place: Kearney Hub

1st Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Comic Strip Feature By: Hope Richardson, Aryn Durnell & Katlynn Weathers Judges Comments: Eye-catching, perfect, great placement on home page. Excellent, creative artwork. ... great promo

2nd Place North Platte Telegraph Title: Fly Local By: Stephen Barkley, Katlynn Weathers & Megan Duckworth

3rd Place (Tie) Norfolk Daily News Title: Village Flower Shop By: Staff 3rd Place (Tie) Grand Island Independent Title: Tom Dinsdale Automotive By: Todd Birchard