Duluth News Tribune, Cloquet Pine Journal earn awards

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — The Duluth News Tribune won 37 awards and the Cloquet Pine Journal earned 13 in the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s 2021-22 Better Newspaper Contest . Most winners were announced online Wednesday and others were presented during the 2023 MNA Convention and Trade Show ceremony Thursday in Brooklyn Park.

Contributed / Megan Keller

The News Tribune was awarded the Vance Trophy for "Minnesota's Most Outstanding Daily Newspaper," based on total points earned in the Better Newspaper Contest. It is the first time the News Tribune has earned the trophy since it was first awarded in 1985.

Steve Kuchera / File / Duluth News Tribune

Competing in the multi-day division of newspapers with circulations 10,000 and more, the News Tribune took home the following awards:

• General excellence, first place, staff. 
• Arts and entertainment story, first place, “From Odessa to Duluth: The journey of Bob Dylan's grandparents,” Jay Gabler. 
• Hard news, second place, “Duluth school district considers changes to police contract,” Joe Bowen. 
• Social issues story, second place, “'A systemic issue': The path toward equitable policing in Duluth,” Tom Olsen. 
• Sports feature story, first place, “Stellar season masked Hibbing standout's struggle with an eating disorder,” Jamey Malcomb. 
• Sports feature story, second place, “Vesterstein's Olympic dream started in Duluth, reaches Beijing, with Estonia in the middle,” Brandon Veale. 
• Category X–public health policy, third place, “COVID-19 in the Northland,” Laura Butterbrodt. 
• Best use of multimedia, third place, “Taking flight before the 2022 Duluth Airshow,” Dan Williamson, Wyatt Buckner and Clint Austin. 
• Best use of video, second place, “Future uncertain for Isle Royale cabin families,” Samantha Erkkila. 
• Best use of video, third place, “Looking back at the Northland's 2012 flood, 10 years later,” Dan Williamson. 
• Website, second place, staff. 
• Use of photography as a whole, second place, staff. 
• Photography news photo, first place, “Fire destroys former Seaway Hotel in Lincoln Park,” Steve Kuchera. 
• Photography news photo, second place, “Fire destroys 2 buildings in Superior's North End,” Jed Carlson. 
• Photography photo story, first place, “Three female pilots hope to inspire girls watching them fly at Duluth Airshow,” Clint Austin. 
• Photography photo story, third place, “Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon,” Steve Kuchera. 
• Photography portrait and personality, third place, “Thanks to Ken Buehler, the whole world loves Lake Superior Railroad Museum,” Steve Kuchera.
• Columnist, third place, Brandon Veale . 
• Editorial page as a whole, first place, Chuck Frederick. 
• Herman Roe Editorial Writing Award, first place, Chuck Frederick. 
• Editorial portfolio, first place, Chuck Frederick . 
• Headline writing, first place, staff. 
• Typography and design, first place, staff. 
• Design portfolio, first place, Becca Larson. 
• Design portfolio, second place, Mindy Wirtzfeld. 
• Best magazine, third place, The Woman Today , staff. 
• Special section, third place, “20 Under 40,” Megan Keller, Julie Schulz and Jamie Holte.
• Advertising campaign, second place, Keyport Liquor ads, Scott Blatchford and Creative Team. 
• Advertising campaign, third place, Sears Hometown ads, Scott Blatchford and Creative Team. 
• Advertising Excellence, third place, Megan Keller, Ali Carlson, Scott Blatchford, Kim Quinones and Bernie Bischoff. 
• Best advertisement, third place, Lake Superior Dental ad, Bernie Bischoff and Katie Hastings. 
• Innovative online advertising, second place, “Vermilion Community College–Programs and Enrollment Campaign,” Bernie Bischoff, Erin Mayer, Click Content and Creative Team.
• Institutional advertisement, second place, Park Hill Cemetery ad, Ali Carlson and Creative Team.
• Use of color in advertising, first place, Hammond Steak House ad, Scott Blatchford and Brenda Lawrence. 
• Use of color in advertising, second place, Stewart’s Bikes, Scott Blatchford and Creative Team. 
• Classified advertising section, first place, Lori Landa, Kris Adamson, Anne Malvin, Kathy Costello and Jen Strand. 

Steve Kuchera / File / Duluth News Tribune

Competing among non-multi-day newspapers with circulations between 1,501 and 3,000, the Pine Journal won the following awards:

• Best use of video, first place, “Veterans Day 2021: A salute to service,” Samantha Erkkila, Jake Przytarski and Dylan Sherman. 
• Best use of multimedia, second place, “Tractors and tradition with Lakehead Harvest Holiday Hayrides,” Dan Williamson. 
• Best use of multimedia, third place, “Kids skate with the Easter Bunny in Cloquet,” Dan Williamson. 
• Business story, first place, “Cloquet veterinary clinic adapts to unprecedented challenges,” Jake Przytarski.
• Business story, third place, “Carlton County egg farmers monitor avian flu cases,” Dylan Sherman. 
• Investigative reporting, second place, “How the child care shortfall affects Carlton County,” Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten.
• Sports feature story, second place, “40 years later, Moose Lake's Triple Crown teams stand alone,” Jake Przytarski.
• Category X–public health policy, first place, Dylan Sherman, Jake Przytarski and Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten.
• Explanation of newspaper operations or newspaper ethics, second place, “How the Cloquet Pine Journal reports on crime, courts,” Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten. 
• Use of information and graphics and graphic illustrations, second place, “Housing shortage forces Carlton County resident to move elsewhere,” Gary Meader. 
• Use of information and graphics and graphic illustrations, third place, “Cloquet School Board rejects increase in hockey activity fees,” Gary Meader. 
• Advertising campaign, first place, Gordy’s Hi-Hat ads, Scott Blatchford and Creative Team.
• Innovative online advertising, first place, Gordy’s Hi Hat ads, Scott Blatchford and Dan Young.

Jed Carlson / File / Superior Telegram