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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Newspapers Inc. was recognized with 57 Alabama Press Association awards for its work across advertising, editorial and magazine platforms during 2020.

The APA released the top three winners in each category for the year on Friday, May 28, after South Carolina judged the work of local newspapers and their products earlier this year. A total of 54 publications submitted 1,852 entries in this year’s annual contest.

In the editorial contest, the Shelby County Reporter earned 34 awards, including 14 for first place and 10 each for second and third place.

The advertising contest received another 12 awards with five for first place, six for second place and one for third place.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. also operates five magazines and received 11 awards for its work in Shelby Living Magazine, Homewood Life Magazine, Hoover’s Magazine, Mountain Brook Magazine and Vestavia Hills Magazine.

The magazines received four first place awards, three for second place and four for third place.

 The APA will still announce 12 more awards at its APA Media Awards Banquet on June 26 in Orange Beach, including this year’s winner of the General Excellence award for each division. 

Editorial contest:  

• First place in the Best Local Education Coverage category
• First place in the Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage category for “Thompson state championship coverage” by Alec Etheredge
• First place in the Best Sports Single Event Story category for “Back to Back: Thompson wins 2nd title in a row with miracle finish” by Alec Etheredge
• First place in the Best Feature Photo category for “Roy Brook and his American flag” by Keith McCoy
• First place in the Best News Photo category for “Flyover celebrates frontline workers” by Keith McCoy
• First place in the Best Sports Photo category for “High flying victory” by Keith McCoy
• First place in the Best Headline category for “A brick Waugh” by Alec Etheredge
• First place in the Best Special Section Newsprint category for “Profile”
• First place in the Best Niche Publication category for “Election Guide” by Alec Etheredge and Jamie Dawkins
• First place in the Online Breaking News Coverage category for “Jeff West guilty verdict” by Emily Sparacino
• First place in the Best Use of Social Media category for “Facebook high school sports videos” by Alec Etheredge
• First place in the Best Use of Video (Shorter than 2 minutes) category for “Cheerful Carolers” by Scott Mims
• First place in the Best Use of Video (Longer than 2 minutes) category for “Mayoral forum” by Keith McCoy
• First place in the Best Community Event category for “Election forums” by Keith McCoy
• Second place in the Best Lifestyle/Family Pages
• Second place in the Best Layout and Design category
• Second place in the Best Spot News Story category for “Zeta leaves a mark” by Scott Mims
• Second place in the Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage category for “Girls wrestling changes” by Alec Etheredge and Dawn Harrison
• Second place in the Best Sports Single Event Story category for “Soaring to the top” by Alec Etheredge
• Second place in the Best Photo Essay category for “A final salute to Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley” by Keith McCoy
• Second place in the Best Niche Publication category for “Visitors Guide”
• Second place in the Online Breaking News Coverage category for “COVID-19 breaking news” by Staff
• Second place in the Best Podcast Series category for “The Shelby County Football Preview Show” by Alec Etheredge
• Second place in the Best Community Event category for “Basketball media days”
• Third place in the Best Spot News Photo category for “Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley’s funeral” by Keith McCoy
• Third place in the Best In-Depth News Coverage category for “COVID-19’s impact on local schools” by Staff
• Third place in the Best Human Interest Column category for “Shirley will always be a legend” by Alec Etheredge
• Third place in the Best Local Sports Column category for “Remembering the legacy of Parker Boswell” by Alec Etheredge
• Third place in the Best Photo Essay category for “A night to Shine” by Keith McCoy
• Third place in the Best Special Section Newsprint category for “Letters to Santa” by Emily Sparacino
• Third place in the Best Use of Social Media category for “Facebook Life Football Pregame Show” by Alec Etheredge
• Third place in the Best Podcast Series category for “The Shelby County Football Live Pregame Show” by Alec Etheredge
• Third place in the Best Use of Video (Shorter than 2 minutes) category for “Welcome home Destiny” by Keith McCoy
• Third place in the Best Use of Video (Longer than 2 minutes) category for “Shelby County Football Live Pregame Show” by Alec Etheredge

Magazine contest: (4 first place, 3 second place, 4 third place for 11 total)

• First place in the Best Single Feature Story category for “In sickness and in health” by Madoline Markham and Mary Fehr in Mountain Brook Magazine
• First place in the Best Personality Profile for “The Jesus Man” by Melanie Peeples and C.W. Newell in Homewood Life
• First place in the Best Photo Essay category for “Alabama the Beautiful” by Stuart Franco and Madoline Markham in Homewood Life
• First place in the Best Ad Campaign Series category for “LaPaz” in Shelby Living
• Second place in the Best Individual Website category for Homewoodlife.com
• Second place in the Best Ad Campaign Series category for “Freedom Soap” in Hoover’s Magazine
• Second place in the Best Cover Photo category for “Pie Chef” on the cover of Mountain Brook Magazine
• Third place in the Best Individual Website category for Mountainbrookmagazine.com
• Third place in the Best Single Ad category for “Rinehart Agency” in Shelby Living
• Third place in the Best Themed Issue for “Mountain Brook Magazine 2020 Weddings”
• Third place in the Best Culinary Feature category for “Dread River Distilling Co.” in Vestavia Hills Magazine 

Advertising contest:

• First place in the Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section category for “Shelby County Football 2020”
• First place in the Best Classified Display Ad for “Donkey for Sale” by Daniel Holmes
• First place in the Best Signature Page category for “Thank you essential workers”
• First place in the Best Presentation of Online Advertising category
• First place in the Best Innovative Online Advertising single ad category for “Pelham Civic Complex” by Rhett McCreight
• Second place in the Best Classified Page or Section category
• Second place in the Best Original/Creative Idea category for “Lawn Mower for Sale” by Daniel Holmes
• Second place in the Best Classified Display Ad for “Wexford Health” by Caroline Hairston
• Second place in the Best Signature Page category for “How to make a mask”
• Second place in the Best Niche publication category for “Visitors Guide” by Staff
• Second place in the Best Innovative Online Advertising single ad category for “Whiskers and Wags” by Staff
• Third place in the Best Innovative Online Advertising single ad category for “280 Animal Clinic” by Staff