PEAK TO PEAK - Almost forgotten in the tragedy of the Lakeview Fire, on October 10,The Mountain-Ear won a number of awards at the National Newspaper Association Foundation’s 2025 Better Newspaper Contest and Better Newspaper Advertising Contest.
Managing Editor Barbara Hardt and Creative Director Jessica LaFone were in Hardt’s car on the way to the airport for the awards ceremony in Minneapolis—the first time ever The Mountain-Ear had attended this annual event—when they spotted the glow from the flames, changing their destination and their lives.
At the ceremony, The Mountain-Ear was awarded First Place in its division (Daily & Nondaily Division, circulation less than 2,500) for the story series “Preserving local history,” specifically for Christopher Kelley’s article “A lifetime in pictures: Jeanette Smith.”
LaFone was awarded Second Place, Best Front Page Design, for “Eagles in a runaway victory & Camp ACA Trick-or-Treat.”
Third Place for Best Use of a Double-Truck went to Joyce Robinson for “Graduation celebration.”
Mark Cohen won Honorable Mention for Best Headline Writing for one of his Diversions.
On the Advertising side, The Mountain-Ear won Second Place for Best Newspaper Promotion for “Holiday Lights 2024” by LaFone.
LaFone also received an Honorable Mention for Best Sales Promotion Section or Edition for “2024 Pet of the Year.”
The awards are our own little ray of sunshine to come out of the Fire.
