By Staff
NILES -- Leader Publications won an unprecedented eight awards in the Michigan Press Association's 2003 Better Newspaper Contest.
Winners were announced Monday.
On the advertising side, Leader Publications earned five awards, including a first, second and third place award and two honorable mentions.
Horizons 2003 was awarded first place in the state. "Hard work pays off," judges said. "Congratulations for an excellent job.
Horizons is published each February and chronicles life in the Cass County communities.
"The staff that sweated long hours to build this edition should be proud to receive the recognition of their peers. This is the second time in the last few years that Horizons has taken a first place award in the state of Michigan."
Diana Kingsley, Leader Publications retail advertising manager in Cass County, earned a second place award for Best Use of Newspaper Art Service for an ad for Lifeworks Center.
Leader Publications General Manager David Compton earned a third place honor in the Best Ad Series category for an advertising campaign he created for Brandywine Public Schools. Compton's Brandywine ads also won honorable mention in the Best Ad Idea category of the contest.
Leader Publications' Hal Shue, classifed display advertising manager, won an honorable mention in the Best Real Estate Ad category for an advertisement for Niles' Crouch Realty.
On the news side, Leader Publications newspapers won three awards.
Doug Phares, Cassopolis Vigilant publisher, was awarded an honorable mention for his column writing.
Scott Novak, sports editor of the Dowagiac Daily News, the Cassopolis Vigilant and Edwardsburg Argus, earned a second place award on his story on the retirement of long-time Dowagiac High School football coach Bernard Thomas.
Marcia Steffens, editor of the Cassopolis Vigilant and Edwardsburg Argus, earned an honorable mention for Page One design.
Leader Publications publishes the Niles Daily Star, Dowagiac Daily News, Edwardsburg Argus and Cassopolis Vigilant, as well as The Leader, a weekly shoppers' guide which is distributed in Cass and Berrien Counties in Michigan as well as in the Clay Township area of Northern Indiana.