Falmouth Outlook takes top finishes in KPA General Excellence, 39 awards in news and advertising including 11 first place honors. Look at all the winning entries in the headings under Awards 2020.
The one mantra that is talked about in the offices of Falmouth Outlook is that we want to tell the stories of Pendleton County. Its events. Its people Its history.
Throughout the past two years, the community has provided us with numerous opportunities to tell those stories and this year, the Kentucky Press Association has awarded our staff with 38 awards, including 11 first place honors for stories and advertising.
Also, for the second consecutive year, KPA has honored the editorial side of Falmouth Outlook with the first place award in General Excellence, essentially awarding the paper as the best small town, weekly newspaper in the state.
After winning third place in advertising last year, Sarah Beckett was awarded second place for her advertisements throughout the past year.
“I am so proud of our Outlook team for their efforts each week to provide strong community journalism to our readers and excellent business opportunities to our advertisers. It is so rewarding to be recognized by our piers at the Kentucky Press association for these efforts. We brought home a record number of awards this year, and I know my staff is motivated to do even better next year,” said Publisher Neil Belcher.
To view the award winning stories, view photos or advertisements, go to www.falmouthoutlook.com and click on Awards 2020. The weather may delay posting of the entries at the
beginning of the week.
First place awards
Breaking News Coverage for Keith Smith’s “MANN-hunt” story. The photo of search dogs and armed law enforcement officers readying to apprehend Justin Mann won first in Breaking News photo and the front page was one of three entries that garnered second place.
Smith also received honor for his General News story entitled “Ambulance Director position mishandled.”
Fran Carr’s remembrance of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic as it affected Pendleton County. It ran in the early days of Covid and was a best feature news story.
Keith Smith and Sarah Beckett tagged team to highlight the Area Technology Center in Campbell County that serves Pendleton County High School won in Best Enterprise.
Sarah Beckett and Sam McClanahan won first place for their Holiday Recipe and Gift Guide.
Sam McClanahan is a creative sort with headlines and was named the best headline writer in the Commonwealth for our classification. The three entries were: “Bevin is Kentucky’s lastest one and done,” “Wildcats take the sting out of the Bluejackets,” and “Coffey desired to coach the Ladycats, Now he is.”
Sarah Beckett won first place for the advertisement she created for O’Hara Landscaping Services in Professional Services, Wyatt’s Valentine Day ad, Happy Mother’s Day Multiple Advertisers, Moonlight Madness ad and Dixie Feeds in Agribusiness.
Second place awards
In best breaking news coverage, Smith’s “Someone is in the house, mom” story on a burglar in the home of Haley Volz while she was there.
Scott Collins won as best sports columnists for his weekly NASCAR column that many readers enjoy.
Collins is the main sports layout person and his sports pages were also honored.
Falmouth evacuated because of a flood warning that did not come to pass. Smith’s “The flood that wasn’t” was recognized in Best Investigative explaining why it did not happen.
Carolyn Reid snapped a photo of a Christmas wreath laying on a veteran’s tombstone to accompany her story on Catfish divers laying of the wreaths. It was recognized in Best Feature photo.
Smith snapped several photos of the storm damage that ran through Pendleton County and the essay was named in Best Picture Essay News.
The 2020 38th District Preview was awarded the Best Graphic with Beckett, Collins, McClanahan, Reid and Smith all contributing. Beckett and McClanahan were aslo awarded a second for the Snappy Tomato banner ad that ran on this page in Entertainment and Dining.
The Outlook submitted three of his best front pages over the past 52 weeks and received second in Best Front pages.
Beckett’s picture essay of the 2019 Woolfest was named in the Best use of color category.
Third place awards
McClanahan’s story on Mary Pettit’s stepping down as Ladycats Fast Pitch Head Coach after taking the team to the state tournament was recognized in Best Sports story.
As tensions mounted across the country Smith’s article entitled “No chokeholds for Pendleton County law enforcement officers.” was honored in Best Investigative.
Carolyn Reid’s “Gun Sanctuary” story covering fiscal court earned honors in Best General News.
McClanahan covered Nate Jones’ signing with the Cincinnati Reds through his release and the ongoing story earned him a top finish in Best Extended Coverage.
Collins is a regular at the Pendleton County Farmers Market and his story on their building was honored in Best Agribusiness.
Smith’s column In the Hammock won with three entries. They were: “Is this the end of the handshake,” “One of the joys of being a dad” is dad jokes, and “Yes, there is a racism problem in Pendleton County.”
In the storm damage picture essay, there was a single photo of a mule who had been in its stall throughout the storm and above its head was a missing roof. It was recognized in Best General News Picture.
When Governor Andy Beshear ordereed a mask mandate, Smith put a mask on the Woolfest sheep by the City of Falmouth sign and it was recognized with a Best Feature News Picture.
Beckett and Collins combined for a graphic of Seeing Red: Jones signs with Cincinnati Reds that was honored in Best Graphic.
Smith won in Best Headline writer with “Watch of the bite of tar snakes,” “Someone is in the house, mom” and “School starts Aug 14, but what will it look like.” and for his photo of the first fiscal court zoom meeting.
Beckett and McClanahan teamed again with a second award in Professional Services for Bison Services.
The 38th District Preview won numerous awards including for multiple advertisers.
The Moonlight Madness won a second award in Entertainment Dining.
After scoring a third place finish in the news end, the Holiday Recipe and Gift guide won third in the advertising end for Beckett and staff.
Beckett used Melissa Lawson’s article on the Sharp Walking Trail and received recognition in the Creative Use of Newspaper.