CJ, SCC's Bridge both earn KPA awards for journalism excellence

Jan. 29—Local journalists excelled in the Kentucky Press Association 2023 Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers contest, with both the Commonwealth Journal and the Somerset Community College publication The Bridge winning multiple awards.

Commonwealth Journal Editor Steve Cornelius, staff writers Christopher Harris and Carla Slavey, and page designer Faith Head all received awards for their work created between the beginning of October 2022 and the end of September 2023. The Commonwealth Journal competes in Daily Class 1, against papers that publish four or more days per week with a circulation of 10,000 or less — a division that includes a number of strong publications from the likes of Ashland, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, and Owensboro.

Cornelius won second place for "Best Breaking News Coverage" for his work reporting the March 2023 fire that severely damaged Cornerstone Baptist Church in Somerset. Said the judge of Cornelius' submission, "A sad story to have to report when a community loses a church for whatever the cause."

Cornelius also won third place for "Best Breaking News Picture" for his on-scene photograph of another blaze — this one the August 2023 fire that affected several businesses in the Burnside Plaza. Said the judge, "Kudos to the photographer for working after hours on a Friday night to get to the fire scene while the structure was still burning and firefighters were actively responding. Nice job balancing the difficult exposure of a night scenes with flames and flashing emergency vehicle lights."

Harris received three recognitions in this year's contest. One was for "Best Feature Story," which involved a Black History Month reflection by local citizen John L. Perkins about the segregated history of the Virginia Cinema balcony and how that was handled during the theater's renovation. Wrote the judge, "You took the reader by the hand and showed how one man triumphed over racism."

Harris was also a third-place finisher for "Best Sports Feature Story," a category in which he submitted two stories meaningful to the Somerset Briar Jumper community — one centered around reactions to former quarterback Kaiya Sheron getting a chance to start a game for the Kentucky Wildcats football team, and one a remembrance of late Jumper football coach Robbie Lucas.

Both Harris and Slavey demonstrated their ability to start a story strongly by placing in the "Best Lede" category, concerning the opening paragraph or two of a news or feature story. Slavey was second in that category and Harris third.

Slavey also won third place for "Best General News Story," for her coverage of of a lawsuit by two Somerset Police Officers against the department and the city based on allegations of discrimination and retaliation. Said the judge, "Very tough subject matter, but the reporter wasn't afraid to shy away and didn't let 'this is a personnel matter' get in the way of writing an informative, balanced story."

Head won second place for "Best Front Page" based on a selection of pages she submitted for consideration. Said the judge, "The front page featuring the tribute to John Sherman Cooper stands out," referencing the Commonwealth Journal's coverage of the "Toast to John Sherman Cooper" event at the Virginia last August.

"I'm very proud of our newsroom as they continue to cover our community at a very high level," said Commonwealth Journal Publisher Mark Walker. "Our experienced team does a wonderful job at covering breaking news and features that Somerset has grown accustomed to reading."

Over at Somerset Community College, it was another successful year of Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers competition for The Bridge, which publishes content generated by SCC students. For the third consecutive year, The Bridge, won the General Excellence award for best overall newspaper in its division — Student Publications Class 1, for schools with enrollments of up to 10,000.

The Bridge and its staff set a new publication record for individual awards with 34 total, surpassing the 28 won in last year's contest, which broke the record of 19 received in 2021.

Additionally, former Bridge managing editor Laurie Abbott was named the KPA's 2023 Student Journalist of the Year, the first SCC student ever to receive the honor.

"I'm proud of all of the student journalists who have served with The Bridge over the past 20-plus years, but what the past three staffs have accomplished is both unprecedented and kind of unbelievable," said Jeff Harris, the Bridge staff's faculty advisor at SCC.

Harris called Abbott's being named Student Journalist of the Year, "the icing on the cake."

"Laurie deserves it," he said. "She is amazingly talented and amazingly dedicated in everything she does."

Abbott won a total of 11 awards — the highest number among the staff — and earned top spots in three categories: "Best Feature Story," "Best General News Photo," and "Best Feature Picture."

The Monticello resident received six second-place awards in the categories of "Best Columnist," "Best Ongoing/ Extended Coverage" (shared), "Best Business Story," "Best Lede," and "Best Headline," as well as third-place honors in "Best General News Photo" and "Best Feature Picture."

"I am incredibly honored to be named Student Journalist of the Year and so grateful to have had the opportunity to represent The Bridge," said Abbott, who is now serving as a legislative intern for state Rep. Jennifer Decker. "I have loved working on The Bridge and have learned so much that I can use.

"The Bridge being named best overall again makes me so proud of all the work we've all put in," she added. "But it's Jeff Harris' contributions that move me the most. His dedication to the newspaper and the students is inspiring."

Nicole Flannery, a current co-managing editor for The Bridge, was pleased with the contest outcomes as well.

"The Bridge winning the Excellence Award for the third year in a row is amazing!" Flannery said. "I joined first as a volunteer in the Spring of 2022 and then as a staffer in the Fall of 2022 and feel like I have made invaluable friendships. It is definitely a team effort, and it is clear to me how much we all care for The Bridge. I think that is one of the reasons we have continued to win it, our passion and care for the work."

The London resident brought home three first-place awards among her nine total, including one in the "Best Columnist" category. Judges remarked that Flannery's columns "are cohesive and strong. She shares personal experiences and uses them as examples to improve her school."

Flannery also received first place honors for "Best Headline" and "Best Photo Essay" (shared); second-place awards in the categories of "Best Sports Story," "Best Sports Photo," and "Best Photo Essay" (shared); and third-place awards in the categories of "Best Sports Story," "Best Enterprise/ Analytical Story," and "Best Photo Essay."

Erin Most, The Bridge's other co-managing editor, won a total of four individual awards, including first place in the category of "Best Business Story." Judges said that Most's article on SCC's lineman program was a "good in-depth report about career opportunities in a rather uncommon field."

Most also won a first-place award for "Best Lede" and second-place awards for "Best Feature Picture" and Best Ongoing/ Extended Coverage (shared).

"I feel surprised and very blessed to have won any awards, especially given that this semester makes only my second as co-managing editor," the Bronston resident said. "I think I had a lot of wonderful staff, current and past, to look up to and learn from.

"As far as winning the Excellence Award for the third year in a row, I can't say I'm surprised," Most added. "I think winning that award again accurately reflects the passion and work that The Bridge staff has put into each issue that we release. I'm beyond proud of the team I work with."

Kinsley Perkins of Somerset won a total of three individual awards, including first-place in the category of Best General News Story. Judges wrote that her article "took time to really show the benefits and impact (of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society) on members and the community. Really well written!"

Perkins also won a second-place award in the category of Best Investigative Story and a third-place award for Best Lede Paragraph.

Staffers Danielle Roy (Somerset), Matthew Abbott (Monticello), and Josette Pitman (Somerset) received awards as well.

Roy won three individual awards: a second-place finish in the category of "Best Feature Story" and both second- and third-place finishes in the category of "Best Sports Feature Story."

Matthew Abbott won a first-place award for "Best Investigative Story," and Pitman shared a first-place award for "Best Photo Essay."

In addition to the Excellence Award, The Bridge won staff awards in the categories of "Best Front Page" (first and second place), "Best Editorial Page" (first and third place), "Best Special Section" (second and third place) "Best Use of Social Media" (2nd place), and "Best Video/ Podcast" (3rd place).

The Bridge and its staff members earned 12 first-place awards total and swept seven different categories in the contest.

In its division of Student Publications Class 1, Murray State University's student newspaper, The Murray State News, was runner-up to SCC's The Bridge.

In its eight years competing in the KPA newspaper contest, The Bridge and its staff have won a total of 155 awards, more than any other school in its class over the same period.

The contest results were announced at the KPA's annual Winter Convention in Bowling Green on Friday.