Thursday, September 13, 2007

Coverage of Guest House Fire, McDonald County cult nets awards for Neosho Daily

The Neosho Daily News captured two of the top three Missouri Press Association awards for best news story among smaller daily newspapers. The awards were presented Saturday.

Reporters Todd Higdon and Wes Franklin captured the top spot with their coverage of the Anderson Guest House fire. Editor John Ford took third with "Camping Trip," which I am assuming was the story of the trip the members of the alleged McDonald County religious cult took to an Oklahoma camping ground shortly after they were charged with numerous ritual sex crimes involving minors.

The Daily also did well in other areas, capturing:

-Third place for newspaper design
-Second place for best editorial
-Honorable mention for best feature photo- Senior Hill
-Third place for best sports page, Cody Thorn
-Third place for best sports story or feature, Cody Thorn
-Third place for best special section, "Our Town"

The Joplin Globe did not fare quite as well this year though it, too, won honors for its coverage of the Anderson Guest House fire as reporters Derek Spellman and Melissa Dunson took third place in best investigative reporting for their coverage of Joplin River of Life Ministries and its owner Robert Dupont.
Other awards earned by the Globe were:
-Honorable mention for best front page, Gary Castor
-Honorable mention for best feature story, Scott Meeker, "Work Speaks Volumes"
-Honorable mention for best news photo, Roger Nomer, "Remembering the Fallen"

A bright spot for the Globe was photographer T. Rob Brown who took first place in sports photo with "Hardy Competition" and second place in feature photo with "Trial by Ice."
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Actually, the first-place sports photo was "Heady Competition" -- it was a soccer photo.