Beacon Wins Top Honors, Named Best Weekly Newspaper in Montana

The Flathead Beacon was named the best weekly newspaper in the state at the Montana Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. The awards were handed out Saturday night at the association’s 136th annual convention, which was held in Big Sky.

In total, the Beacon took home 68 awards and 26 first-place plaques, including General Excellence, Best Website, and the Thomas Dimsdale Award for Best Weekly Newspaper. The Beacon’s quarterly magazine, Flathead Living, won Best Niche Publication.

The Billings Gazette won the Sam Gilluly Award for Best Daily Newspaper in Montana.

Erin Leonard of the Madisonian is the president of the association. Leonard will be succeeded as president by Chad Knudsen of the Glendive Ranger-Review. He will serve a one-year term.

First Place Awards

Thomas Dimsdale Award (Best Weekly Newspaper) – Flathead Beacon

General Excellence – Flathead Beacon

Best Niche Publication – Beacon Staff, Flathead Living magazine

Best Website – flatheadbeacon.com

Best Digital Presentation – Beacon Staff, Project 7 Podcast

Best Investigative Journalism – Tristan Scott, “It’s Like Fighting a Ghost”

Best Feature Story – Micah Drew, “3,000 Miles, One Trail and No One in Sight”

Mark Henckel Outdoor Writing Award – Tristan Scott, “A Turn of the Tide”

Best Breaking News Coverage – Andy Viano, “City of Kalispell Not Liable for Police Shooting of Veteran in His Home”

Best News Story – Myers Reece, “Three-Year-Old Boy Hospitalized with Rare Syndrome Linked to COVID-19”

Best Education Coverage – Andy Viano, “Prepared for an Uncertain Future”

Best Sports Feature Story – Micah Drew, “The Recovery of a Racer Turned Mentor”

Best Sports Story – Micah Drew, “Bulldogs Seek to Triple Down on Legacy”

Best Lifestyle Coverage – Maggie Dresser, “Far Off Broadway”

Best Column Writing – Myers Reece, “Goodbye, Caddis”

Best Headline Writing – Micah Drew

Best Feature Photo – Hunter D’Antuono, “The Plunge”

Best News Photo – Hunter D’Antuono, “Behind Glass”

Best Portrait Photo – Hunter D’Antuono, “Best of Preps”

Best Front Page – Dwayne Harris, “Seeking a Safe Haven”

Best Graphic – Pierce Ware, “The Road to Montana”

Best Marketing Campaign – Dwayne Harris, Project 7

Best Page Layout and Design – Dwayne Harris, “Who is Cliff Doe?”

Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise Color – Pierce Ware, Genesis Kitchen

Best Ad to Sell or Promote Services Color – Dwayne Harris, Weyerhaeuser

Best Online Ad – Dwayne Harris, David Fetveit

Hundreds dive into the new decade with a frigid dip into Flathead Lake for the 26th annual Polar Bear Plunge at The Raven in Woods Bay on Jan. 1, 2020. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

Second Place Awards

Best Newspaper Special Section – Beacon Staff

Best Digital Presentation – Micah Drew & Hunter D’Antuono

Best Investigative Journalism – Tristan Scott

Best Feature Story – Maggie Dresser

Mark Henckel Outdoor Writing Award – Micah Drew

Best News Story – Tristan Scott

Best Breaking News Coverage – Andy Viano

Best Continuing News Coverage – Andy Viano

Best Education Coverage – Myers Reece

Best Sports Feature Story – Andy Viano

Best Sports Story – Micah Drew

Best Lifestyle Coverage – Justin Franz

Best Column Writing – Myers Reece

Best Sports and Outdoors Column Writing – Rob Breeding

Best Feature Photo – Hunter D’Antuono

Best News Photo – Hunter D’Antuono

Best Front Page – Pierce Ware

Best Graphic – Brittany Westlund

Best Marketing Campaign – Brittany Westlund

Best Page Layout and Design – Pierce Ware

Best Sports Page Layout and Design – Dwayne Harris

Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise Color – Pierce Ware

Best Ad to Sell or Promote Services Color – Pierce Ware

Best Online Ad – Pierce Ware

Skyleigh Thompson, senior soccer player for Flathead High School. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

Third Place Awards

Best Newspaper Special Section – Beacon Staff

Best Investigative Journalism – Andy Viano

Mark Henckel Outdoor Writing Award – Myers Reece

Best Education Coverage – Andy Viano

Best Sports Feature Story – Andy Viano

Best Lifestyle Coverage – Micah Drew

Best Column Writing – Kellyn Brown

Best Feature Photo – Hunter D’Antuono

Best Portrait Photo – Hunter D’Antuono

Best Sports Photo – Hunter D’Antuono

Best Front Page – Dwayne Harris

Best Graphic – Dwayne Harris

Best Page Layout and Design – Pierce Ware

Best Sports Page Layout and Design – Dwayne Harris

Best Ad to Sell or Promote Merchandise Color – Pierce Ware

Best Ad to Sell or Promote Services Color – Dwayne Harris

Best Online Ad – Pierce Ware

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