.jpg)
LINCOLN — The Laurel Advocate, Randolph Times and Cedar County News all earned awards Saturday during the Nebraska Press Association annual convention and Better Newspaper Contest.
The Advocate earned a third-place award for a breaking news photo of a car fire by Sandra Cross. Advocate intern Hannah Ryun earned a second-place plaque for her video report on the annual Ag Days celebration.
The Cedar County News was also honored as one of the top weekly newspapers in Nebraska, earning 25 awards at the Nebraska Press Association’s annual convention.
The Hartington-based newspaper also claimed the top weekly digital news producer award, marking the third time in the seven-year history of the category that the News has earned the weekly sweepstakes honor for its work in video, social media and web content.
In addition, the News captured the digital sweepstakes award in its circulation class for the sixth time.
Former Northeast Nebraska News Company publisher Rob Dump was also recognized, earning runner-up honors in the Editorial of the Year contest for an editorial focusing on the role of small towns in standing up to large corporations.
The recognition continues a strong run for Northeast Nebraska News Company publications. This marks the third consecutive year one of its newspapers has placed either first or second in the statewide editorial contest. A Cedar County News editorial won the award in 2024, followed by a Randolph Times editorial in 2025.
The Cedar County News was also recognized for its overall editorial page and editorial writing.
Awards were presented Saturday night during the association’s banquet at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln.
A total of 2,051 entries were judged this year by members of the North Dakota Newspaper Association.
The Cedar County News also earned a bronze award in the overall sweepstakes competition for newspapers in its circulation category.
That category includes entries from both daily and weekly newspapers statewide.
The Randolph Times received a first-place award for a community promotion advertisement created ahead of a school bond election.
The Times also earned first place for a series of articles by Rob Dump highlighting the 90th anniversary of First State Bank. A feature story by former editor Trisha Benton — a Valentine’s Day profile of Don and Ann Marie Thies — also received first-place honors.
Benton added a third-place award for reporting on the dismissal of Randolph’s former city clerk.
In the statewide print sweepstakes competition, the Knox County News was named the top weekly newspaper, while the Hastings Tribune earned top honors among daily newspapers.
The Knox County News finished with 18 firstplace awards, 12 second-place awards and seven third-place awards to claim the weekly title.
The Hastings Tribune totaled 12 first-place, 11 second-place and four third-place awards for 240 points to win the daily division.
Flatwater Free Press won the inaugural Class C Digital Sweepstakes Award, recognizing larger print and digital newsrooms.
Contest categories included writing, photography, advertising, digital media, design and overall creativity.
In total, the Cedar County News earned eight first-place awards, seven second-place awards and nine third-place awards.
Cedar County News first-place awards included:
• Digital sweepstakes award for best overall digital presence, including social media, website, video and digital advertising
• News photographer Jeremy Buss for a firstplace image featuring Cedar Catholic wrestling coaches leaping into celebration
• Best Classified ad for a help wanted ad for Laurel-Concord-Coleridge school.
