Division C
Bennett Scarborough
Diamond Youth World Series
Some neat images of youth baseball, with a range of shots that capture cool moments in this event. Good framing/focus. Well done!
Daily Record Staff
Community Coverage
Good mix of quality coverage of hard news, government, the arts, entertainment and religion.
Abbie Clavijo
The Great Flag Football Debate
Very good and complete look at an up and coming opportunity for girls with a new program. This should get those in decision making positions to think. Well written and just a good read
Abbie Clavijo, Al Myatt
Best Sports Coverage
very good and covers it all. Good writing and excellent information provided as the end result. Well worth the read
Daily Record Staff
Letters to Santa
Robert Jordan, Emily Weaver McClure
Urine Trouble: City raises stink
Ginger Carroll, Emily Weaver McClure
Calls to ‘The Bricks’ Timeline
Effective use of static images to help tell the story.
Emily Weaver McClure
Leaders set budget plans with ’82 cents’
"The city council used a visual gimmick to help council members prioritize budget items. While the story is mostly about the one meeting, it does a good job explaining the gimmick and the outcomes. "
Abbie Clavijo
Camels force Pirates to face the ‘Music’
Abbie Clavijo
Coats native competes in 2026 Paralympics
Merits first place for its clarity, dignity, and confident storytelling. Respectfully told feature that combines clear reporting with emotional restraint. Excellent storytelling of athlete’s preparation and perseverance while providing necessary context about para-sport classification and competition, avoiding pity and focusing on achievement.
Staff
Sports coverage March 2026
I was able to really get into this one. Great treatment of subjects and excellent writing and headlines. Would buy this paper
Emily Weaver McClure
Man deemed ‘hero’ in midnight rescue: But this wasn’t his first rescue
It's not often to see many stories about individuals performing more than one act of heroism. Brett Baker's story is one that deserves to be spread father than ever before, and the reporter, Emily Weaver, has done it justice thus far.
Emily Weaver McClure
Fowl limits ruffle feathers
"This story reports about a proposed unified development land ordinance and does a pretty good job explaining the complex ordinance and why people have problems with it. While much of the reporting is from one meeting, it does include some history that is relevant to show the passion of dissenters. Note: With multi-story entries the judge looked more for depth of a single topic or issue over unrelated breadth. "
Ginger Carroll
Jenny’s Grill
Fun way to show off the customer's menu!
Ginger Carroll, Jan Ross
Community Yearbook
Ginger Carroll
Lee’s Fresh Market
Ginger Carroll, Jan Ross
Veteran’s Salute
Ginger Carroll
Harnett County Shrine Club
Strong visual hierarchy and smart promotional focus elevated this ad above the competition.
Ginger Carroll, Jan Ross
Cotton Festival