WESTERVILLE — Six APG-Ohio newspapers won a total of 14 Hooper Awards for 2023 during the Ohio News Media and Collegiate Fellowship Day conference, which was held Thursday at Quests Conference Center in Westerville.
“I am very proud of our team and their success,” said Paul Reynolds, regional president of APG-Ohio. “Their commitment and pride for our local communities is evident in the impressive array awards by a very talented team.”
A total of 22 newspapers submitted 608 contest entries in more than 20 categories, including newspaper design, news and sports coverage, photography, and advertising.
The newspapers were split into three categories, depending on their circulation.
The Circleville Herald won four awards in categories including in-depth reporting, column writing, best sports feature and best local feature.
Editor Miles Layton won second place in the in-depth reporting category for his coverage of the Circleville K-9 attacking an unarmed man at a traffic stop.
The judges wrote of the in-depth story, “Miles Layton of the Circleville Herald provides comprehensive and responsible coverage on a police K-9’s involvement in a traffic stop by obtaining and reporting on a video recording of the case. Layton provided key information about how the canine officer directed the dog to attack an unarmed Black motorist, sending the motorist to the hospital and alarming other officers at the scene.”
Layton also won second place in the Original Columns category. Regarding Layton’s columns, the judges commented, ”The no-nonsense tone of these columns really piqued my interest. The writer’s passionate about journalism and the place where he lives, and he lets you know this sometimes in a snarky way.”
Herald Sports Editor Alicia Caple won third place for Best Sports Feature for her article on Teays Valley graduate Camden McDanel, who won a gold medal in wrestling during the 2023 U20 Pan-American Wrestling Championships. “A nice lead gets a story about a local wrestler winning gold at the Pan-American Games off to a good start.”
Former Circleville Herald reporter Steven Collins won first place in the Best Local Feature category for his article on Vietnam veteran Terry Cavinee, who reunited with his war buddy Tomez Murdock after 54 years apart.
The judges commented, “Steven Collins of the Circleville Herald makes readers care about Vietnam Marine and local resident Terry Cavinee as he recounts the vet’s participation in an Honor Flight and meetup with a war buddy from 54 years earlier. Readers need regular reminders of the cost of war. Collins delivers this in his well-reported and well-written story on Cavinee.”
The Athens Messenger earned four awards, while the Athens News won one award.
Editor Nicole Bowman-Layton along with Regional Editor Miles Layton earned third place in the in-depth reporting category for their coverage of the hiring of Lori Stewart Gonzalez as Ohio University’s 23rd president.
The judges commented, “Nicole Bowman Layton and Miles Layton and the Athens Messenger do a stellar job laying out the salary and perks for newly named Ohio University President Laura Stewart Gonzalez. Readers are well served when their local journalists dig up details about how tax dollars are spent on higher ed, especially when those dollars top $600,000 a year for one administrator.”
Bowman-Layton earned third place in the Best News Story category for a Messenger article about Federal Hocking Local Schools having to charge students for meals this academic year. The judges commented, “Nice, in-depth. Looks beyond the news of the day about how the meals program works.”
Veteran photographer John Halley won two awards in the Best News Photo category for his photographs of the Honey of the Heart parade (second place, Athens Messenger) and a protest of Artifacts Gallery (first place, Athens News).
Sports Editor Eric Decker won third place in the Best Sports Photo for his photo of Nelsonville-York football player Gavin Richards doing a flip before the start of a game. The judges commented, “Good one. The spontaneousness of the action and the photographer being in the right place and the right time earned this photo award consideration.”
Besides Miles Layton’s award with the Messenger, he won second place in the Best News Story for a Vinton Jackson Courier article, “I want justice for my son,” about Travis Williams seeking answers from authorities regarding the death of his son, Travis Dakota Williams.
The judges said, “An emotional story handled well without going over the top. Good job of following up on a story that gets overlooked until (a case)reaches a conclusion.”
An article related to Athens County written by Logan Daily News Editor Jim Phillips — “Former Nelsonville resident recounts journey from prison to redemption (and music videos)” received third place for Best Local Profile. It featured former Nelsonville resident Ryan Horrocks, who overcame addiction. The judges commented, “Jim Phillips’ solid profile covers the journey of this person’s life.”
Pike County News Watchman Sports Editor Julie Billings won three awards, one for photography and two for sports features. She won first place for Best Sports Photo for a photograph titled “Reds, Giants play at the plate,” which features a Giants player sliding into home during a baseball game in Cincinnati.
“In my six years of judging, this photograph is the best I have ever judged,” the judge noted. “It hits all of the qualities one would like to have mastery of, and as a photojournalist, there was a sense of when the action was happening, how to place themselves within the context of the image, and knowing how to capture emotion in the athletes.“
Billings won first and second place in the Best Sports Feature category. The second place feature, “Days of coaching: Daughters following in their mom’s footsteps“ highlighted two women who, like their mother, coach volleyball. The mother reflected on the first time her daughters squared off as variety coaches for the first time.
The judge noted it was a well-done story.
The first-place feature, “From wrangling sheep to wrestling, Farmer heads to state as Western’s first wrestler,” featured a wrestler heading to the state tournament. The judge noted, “This is a great story on several fronts — from the headline to the anecdote about Callie Farmer’s farm chores wrestling with 140-pound sheep — makes this the first-place winner in this category.”
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