Advocate wins three first-place awards in Arkansas Press Association contest

A van parked in front of the Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center at 2 Office Park Drive in west Little Rock. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate 06/22/2023)

The Arkansas Advocate took home first-place honors in three categories in the Arkansas Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Editorial Contest.

The awards were announced June 29 at the APA’s annual convention in Jonesboro.

Advocate reporters Tess Vrbin and Antoinette Grajeda placed first in the news story category among online-only news outlets for their story “A year without abortion” marking the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade case which made abortion a constitutional right.

Hunter Field, the Advocate’s former deputy editor, was named the best beat reporter for his coverage of the Arkansas Corrections Board’s dispute with Gov. Sarah Sanders and then-Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri.

Vrbin placed second in the same category for her coverage of transgender issues in Arkansas, and Grajeda, who replaced Field as deputy editor, placed third for her coverage of fallout from Sanders’ signature education overhaul legislation, the LEARNS Act.

Freelance reporter Jordan Hickey captured first place in the freelance recognition category for his series on the nascent lithium production industry in South Arkansas.

Other stories by Vrbin recognized by the judges from the Kentucky Press Association were

• Second place in the feature story category for a year-end look at battles between public libraries and county quorum courts.
• Third place in the news story category for a piece on the firing of the Saline County library director by the county judge.

Field’s investigative reporting on allegations of fraud against the chairman of the state Medical Board placed third in the investigative series category.

Advocate Editor Sonny Albarado placed third in the news and political column category for his commentaries on legislative efforts to amend the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

The Advocate also placed second in general excellence among online-only news sites.

The post Advocate wins three first-place awards in Arkansas Press Association contest appeared first on Arkansas Advocate .