Entertaining, humorous columns on relatable subjects like AI and allergies. That piece on dad couldn't have been easy to write, and it was handled with humor and vulnerable honesty. Excellent work. Bonus for Looney Tunes references.

Good background on a decades-old event, but also a look at local and global impacts.

Interesting two-part story on a bizarre situation. Good balance of the city angle with the property owner. Could have moved Bolock's side a little higher in the story.

Every write-in vote is exposed in this post-election summary with a narrative that is reader-appealing!

Excellent review of the limits a community’s essential infrastructure—water, sewer, electrical—must endure and how interruptions/failures affect people. An engaging writing/reporting style!

Terrific human interest story with a business core: mobile food service! Excellent narration that’s personal. Reader engagement should be certain. More about the story’s key human figure’s personal life would help. And maybe a little more about his menu!

This sports section is very thorough and complete. There is a variety of sports being covered across different grade levels. The first page previews the entire sports section. Additionally, there are a lot of good photos to break up the stories.

A well-written, finely structured feature story that touched many bases in regard to disability issues - notably with the deaf community. I liked the first 2-3 lead graphs, but also the assorted topics touched on by this reporter. Good photos, too. Clear 1st place. Thank you!

Fun, breezy read

"Love the slice of life of snow panic that grips more than North Carolina and a teacher's attempt at keeping the peace. Toes piece is hilarious. Glad it didn't come with photos. These top three really could have all tied for first. All crafted well."

Good narrative on the scene of the fire and good follow-up with more details on the aftermath. May have buried the lead a little since it sounds like the employee maybe saved his boss' life.

Fun take on a unique evening, with very good accompanying photos.

A reasonable and reasoned account of the newspaper’s efforts to clearly present issues related to school district’s budgets and financial challenges. Good writing and sourcing, with some sources objecting to the coverage details.

Good account of town’s form of governing and the challenges facing its administrator. Very good sourcing and writing leads readers through comparison of town governing forms, the management responsibilities with each, and those governing forms affect residents and businesses.

Allen VanNoppen's storytelling on true events is gripping. He offers some introspection to offer a human element to his writing, which is a nice touch.

"Rootin’est, tootin’est best trio in an outstanding top three. The curling piece is laugh-out loud hilarious, a brilliant description of a wannabe sport. Looney Tunes are awesome and no doubt resonates with readers who grew up with those characters. The bird feeder quest is absolutely hysterical. Readers of The Paper have a treasure in these three columnists and should be grateful. There are fewer and fewer of these English language spinners today."

Well written. Brief and to the point, but with just enough tease to draw the reader into the story. They quickly tell you what the story is about without subjecting the reader to a words marathon.

Very clever headline. Informative and succinct.

"Great story, told in a fun way, almost like a radio documentary. Nice job! "

Excellent report on civil lawsuit related to child sexual abuse by a school district teacher earlier convicted, against the school district. The suit comes from a child victim now an adult. No specific penalty was included in this account. Writing and sourcing beyond the lawsuit documents were very good.

The three entries do a good job cutting through the fat of the issues at hand. They concisely state the facts and present the lesser known aspects of situations clearly for the reader, while providing clear direction and suggestions for future reflection and discussion.

These pages offer an excellent mix of editorials, columns, guest opinions and letters to the editor. The ragged right text and column heads give the appearance of an open page, even though it is filled with opinion pieces. Also nice to see color on the page – and not just the photos of the columnists. Selecting these as the best editorial pages was an easy choice.

Story speculating on possibility, not certainty. AI center proposal’s affect on community covered with depth of sourcing and detail to provide readers with a comprehensive peek at “what if” such a project lands in their community. Excellent writing, pros and cons included.

A brief account of two child abuse incidents resolved with arrest and convictions of the perpetrators launched an excellent story about community resources that aid children and families who may face similar incidents. Excellent reporting, a variety of community entities dealing with the issues, and the specific resources—people—engaging with families and victims are distinctively revealed in with details in the account.

This ad successfully taps into comic-book nostalgia with bold graphics and energetic design that strongly resonates with its target audience. The vibrant visual presentation creates excitement and leaves a fun, lasting impression.

The playful snowboarding dogs create instant visual appeal and make this ad highly memorable. Combined with a clean layout and strong call to action, the ad delivers excellent retail energy and audience engagement.

This is a great way to share some important data about what your newspaper covers and how the community can donate. The ad design is 'just right' for simply stating the facts and asking for donations.

I love how the layout of the publication, and how the photography and ad design brings everything together, in an interesting way for the reader!

This ad immediately captures attention with its bold illustration style, humor, and unforgettable personality. The creative concept perfectly matches the brand voice while delivering strong engagement and a lasting impression on the reader.