Once again, we here at the House of News are proud to share the results of the Missouri Press Association’s 2017 Better Newspaper Contest and how we fared in said competition. To put it mildly, the dog is pleased. Over 150 weekly, community newspapers across Missouri compete annually in a variety of news-gathering and delivery categories. We’re privileged once again to be considered tops in our field in a very crowded competition.

First up, our Managing Editor Paul Thompson secured a second place berth in the Multi-Media Reporting category for his expertly produced and finely crafted Northeast Newscast podcasts. Each week Paul sits down with a different person from our community and has a 25-30 minute conversation with them about a current project or event. This week our focus is on Ryan Maybee of The Reiger, and an overview of The Reiger’s expansion plans in the now burgeoning East Bottoms community.

El Bryan, better known as Bryan Stalder, has brought home the brass almost every year he’s produced cartoons for our local community newspaper, and we’re tickled pink to have him as part of our team.

Mr. Publisher Bushnell also scored a second place award in the Tilghman Cloud Memorial Editorial Award for a piece entitled (18U.S.C. 922[g][1-9], an editorial questioning why the Jackson County Prosecutor chooses not to use federal sentencing guidelines to lock up violent, dangerous felons who commit gun crimes. The award is one of the most prestigious awards given in Missouri to authors of opinion pieces in newspapers.

The Dog is also pleased to say we secured three Honorable Mentions in the annual competition. Once again, Bryan Stalder secured an HM in the Best Photo Package category for his spread of the 2017 annual Tweed Ride at the Concourse. Stalder also picked up an HM in the Best Editorial Cartoon category for his Johnson County Wastewater cartoon. Last but certainly not least, our 2017 Editorial Intern Abby Cambiano secured an Honorable Mention in the Best Military Story category for her coverage of the B-17 “Madras Maiden’s” visit to Kansas City and an interview with local WWII veteran Roy Shenkel, a Waist Gunner in the B-17 “Jersey Mosquito.” Shenkel was on his fourth mission when his plane was shot down in April, 1944. He spent the remainder of the war, 13 months and one week, in a German prison camp. Shenkel will never know of this award, however, as he passed away on August 2nd, 2018. This News-Dog was honored to have shaken his hand and been a part of his history.

The Newshound would like to say thank you to our readers and our advertisers for continuing to support community journalism in the Historic Northeast community. It’s a huge responsibility and an honor to be recognized by our Journalism peers for our craft. Thank you.