Thursday's Internet Edition, September 02, 2010.

Going up against the state’s other largest circulation weeklies, The Times Record and Roane County Reporter took second place in the overall general excellence category that recognizes winners of the most awards in the 27 individual contest categories. The Hampshire Review in Romney won first while the Morgan Messenger in Berkeley Springs finished third.

Forty-one of the state’s newspapers entered the contest this year, with over 2,100 individual entries. The contest was for material published in 2009. Judging is done by other state press associations, with this year’s contest judged by the North Carolina Press Association. Newspapers compete in three circulation divisions for dailies and three for weeklies.

Prior to this year, The Times Record and Reporter won first in general excellence 12 of the past 15 years, coming in second the other three years.

This year’s winners were announced Saturday at the W.Va. Press Association’s annual conference, held this year at Glade Springs Resort near Beckley.

In individual contest categories, Spencer Newspapers staffers won four first place awards.

Publisher David Hedges won top honors for coverage of legal issues and the courts for articles about the court system’s handling of charges filed against a local pharmacist accused of stealing drugs.

Hedges also won first place in news feature writing for a story called “Ghost of the Forest” about a mysterious photograph of an animal some believe to be a mountain lion.

Editor Jim Cooper won first place in the editorial contest for an editorial titled “Secrecy” demanding openness in local government.

Graphics designer Cathy Springston won first in feature photography for a photograph of a wild fawn and a puppy.

Second place honors went to Hedges for best columnist and lifestyle columnist (Between the Lines); Coverage of legal issues/courts (Homeowner returns); business/labor coverage (Mustang to employ 100); in-depth/investigative reporting (Coach sends message) and best written news story (Copperhead bites).

Cooper won second for news headline (Spencer bridge is falling down). Graphics editor Neil Grahame won second for best newspaper design while Cooper, Grahame and Hedges won second in photo essay for coverage of the W.Va. Black Walnut Festival. The staff took second for best front page, best editorial page and best special section (Black Walnut Festival preview).

Cooper took third place honors for news feature (Special heart); lifestyles features (Rosie the riveter); sports feature writing (Hooked on fishing); sports news writing (Lightweights lead) and business/labor coverage (Mustang begins). Springston won third in the graphics category (Trick or Treat schedule) and Hedges took third in feature photography.