ACN Wins 35 Awards, Including Top Weekly Newspaper Honor

The Antelope County News won 35 total awards, including top honors in the weekly division at the Nebraska Press Association awards over the weekend in Lincoln.

Sweepstakes winners from the Better Newspaper Contest were the Antelope County News/Orchard News (weekly division) and the Norfolk Daily News (daily). 

The Antelope County News' point total was more than double that of second-place newspaper, Gering Courier. The ACN ended the night with 35 total awards, including 18 first-place awards, eight judged second best awards and seven judged third best awards for a point total of 296. It was the ACN's first year to win the top weekly sweepstakes award, and they beat out the second place winner by 154 points. There are 153 weekly newspapers in Nebraska and 62 entered.

The ACN received multiple awards in the same categories and swept several in the online category, including all three video awards and breaking news. 

By placing first among all the Nebraska weeklies entered, the ACN will display the prestigious Loral Johnson Community Weekly Sweepstakes Award for one year. This year marks the 15th annual presentation of the Loral Johnson Community Newspaper Sweepstakes Award. Johnson had a passion for community journalism throughout his life, and this award is given in memory of his enthusiasm.

The ACN is owned by Pitzer Digital, which purchased the Bloomfield Monitor/Knox County News last October. That newspaper won three first-place awards and garnered 30 points. Awards were for creative ad writing, breaking news photo and headline writing.

The Norfolk Daily News was the winner in the daily category, which excludes dailies in Omaha and Lincoln. It finished with 7 first-place awards, 14 for second and 10 for third for a point total of 250. This is the second time the Norfolk Daily News has won the daily sweepstakes. They beat out the second place winner by 12 points. Nine daily newspapers were entered.

Some Of The ACN Winners

First Place Breaking News Photo

Second Place News Photo

First Place Single Feature Story

Third Place Sports Feature Photo

First Place Best Use Of Color

First Place Best Use of Social Media

First Place Online Video 

First Place Small Ad

First Place Photo Page

First Place Signature Page

First Place Sports Page

Antelope County News Awards
Weekly Sweepstakes (all divisions) 
1st Place: Antelope Co. News/Orchard News

Class A Sweepstakes (By Circulation)
1st Place: Antelope Co. News/Orchard News

Division Awards
Building Circulation
1st Place: Title: Connecting With Alumni
By: Carrie Pitzer

Reader Interaction/Contest
1st Place: Title: Facebook Fun
By: Staff

Small Ad - Under 1/4 page or less than 3 x 10 1/2” 
1st Place: Title: Stealth Broadband
By: Samantha Cleveland

Signature Page
1st Place: Title: State Volleyball
By: Samantha Cleveland

Single Classified Advertising Idea - Black and White Class A
3rd Place: Title: Bus Driver Help Wanted
By: Samantha Cleveland

Creative Ad Writing
1st Place: Title: Sign of the Times
By: Samantha Cleveland

Sports Feature Photo 
3rd Place: Title: Diaper Division
By: Carrie Pitzer

Sports Page
1st Place
By: Logan Lawson

Sports Column
1st Place: Title: Play by Play
By: Logan Lawson

Photo Page
1st Place: Title: Orchard Celebration
By: Samantha Cleveland & Carrie Pitzer

News Photography
2nd Place: Title: Power of Prayer (Sydney Loofe)
By: Pammela Maxwell

Breaking News Photography
1st Place: Title: Squealing (Semi Rolls)
By: Carrie Pitzer

Use of Color
1st Place: Title: Ribbon of Hope (Sydney Loofe)
By: Carrie Pitzer & Samantha Cleveland
2nd Place: Title: Quinceanera
By: Carrie Pitzer

Single Feature Story
1st Place: Title: Look for Me in Rainbows (Rebecca Ickes Hausmann)
By: Carrie Pitzer

In-depth Writing
1st Place
Title: Gone With the Wind
By: Cadrien Livingston

Public Notice and Its Promotion
1st Place
By: Carrie Pitzer

Best New Idea – News
2nd Place
Title: Facebook Live for News

Headline Writing
3rd Place
By: Carrie Pitzer

Front Page
3rd Place
By: Carrie Pitzer

Special Section (Single Publication Days)
Title: Progress Edition
By: Staff

Special Section (Multiple Publication Days)
1st Place: Title: Senior Sections
By: Staff

Youth Coverage
2nd Place
By: Staff

Online Video
1st Place: Title: Volunteers Round Up 1,500 Pigs
By: Carrie Pitzer
2nd Place: Title: AMH 65th Anniversary
By: Carrie Pitzer & Dylan Widger
3rd Place: Title: Uprooted Traveling Boutique
By: Carrie Pitzer

Online Coverage of Breaking News
1st Place: Title: Sydney Loofe
By: Staff
2nd Place: Title: Semi Overturns
By: Carrie Pitzer
3rd Place: Title: Fatal Accident
By: Carrie Pitzer

Best Use of Social Media
1st Place: Title: Sydney Loofe
By: Staff
2nd Place: Title: State Sports Coverage
By: Staff

50 - Best Digital Ad Idea
1st Place: Title: Need for Speed
By: Carrie Pitzer
2nd Place: Title: Click for a Tow
By: Carrie Pitzer

Bloomfield Monitor/Knox County News
(Owned by Pitzer Digital)
Creative Ad Writing
1st Place: Title: Rolling into the New Year
By: Pammela Maxwell & Samantha Cleveland

Breaking News Photos
1st Place:  Title: Lifenet Lands
By: Cory Loomis

Headline Writing
1st Place: By: Carrie Pitzer