Advocate wins 13 awards in statewide newspaper contest

The Mt. Sterling Advocate won 13 individual awards and was named a General Excellence­ recipient in the Kentucky Press Association’s 2025 Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers Contest.

Awards were announced during at a banquet Jan. 23 in Louisville that concluded a KPA winter convention. The contest is conducted annually for members throughout the state that are part of the KPA. 

General Excellence is the KPA’s top honor. The Advocate placed third overall among newspapers of its size for General Excellence. The Advocate also received 13 individual awards, including three first-places, helping it secure the General Excellence honor.

Staff members Editor Jamie Vinson, Sports Editor Dan Manley and Senior Writer Tom Marshall each received multiple awards.

First-place 

• Best breaking news coverage­—Tom Marshall and Jamie Vinson, for a story about a local storm that produced significant wind damage.

• Best sports feature­, Dan Manley, for a story about marathon runner Alan Newkirk’s trips to seven continents.

• Sports picture essay—It was a compilation of photos by Tonia Witt, Advocate staff and community submissions for multiple photo pages of the historic Montgomery County Boys’ basketball trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Witt, Tonia Witt Photo, has covered sports and local events for the Advocate for a number of years.

SECOND PLACE

• Best sports special section­—Advocate staff, special boys’ basketball sweet 16 section.

• Best sports page/section—Dan Manley

• Editorial page­—Jamie Vinson

• Best headline writer­—Jamie Vinson

THIRD PLACE

• Best editorial writer^­­­—Jamie Vinson

• Best general news story—Tom Marshall, for a 9/11 reflection story.

• Best feature story—Jamie Vinson, for a story about local trio who traveled overseas on a mission trip to help Costa Rican children in need.

• Best sports columnist­—Dan Manley

• Best ongoing/extended coverage­—Tom Marshall for coverage of a conflict between Judge David Barber and Commonwealth Attorney Ashton McKenzie.

• Best website­­—Jamie Vinson

The contest was judged by members of the South Carolina Press Association.