2026 NCPA Editorial and Advertising Awards
Contact: Philip Lucey, NCPA Executive Director, phil@ncpress.com
For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 10th, 2026
(Cary, NC) North Carolina Press Association members were honored for excellence in news, photojournalism and advertising coverage during the 153rd annual convention held in Cary on September 10th. NCPA's contest continues to be one of the largest in the country with over 3,000 entries from over 100 newspapers and news organizations. Wisconsin Newspaper Association members judged the contest.
This year, we partnered with the Center for Integrity in News Reporting for a cash prize that recognizes the best examples of impartial, objective, and fair reporting in newspapers. The cash prize of $5,000 was awarded to Corinne Saunders of the Outer Bank Insider for her work covering Dare County sheriff candidate Teddy Daniels. In choosing the winner, the judge noted the following: "an interesting story about a candidate for sheriff. Great use of public documents that offers a detailed story of the candidate. The story is well-written in a very readable format. It also shows the importance of not just accepting a candidate's word or social media posting. Details matter."
We also partnered with the A-Mark Foundation again this year to give special recognition to the best investigative reporting. A-Mark’s mission is to make focused grants to promote and encourage journalism and investigative reporting. This year's winners included Gavin Off and the Charlotte Observer, Andrew R. Jones and the Asheville Watchdog, and Julia Coin and the Charlotte Observer.
The Henry Lee Weathers Freedom of Information Award honors journalists or newspapers for exceptional work in advancing or upholding the cause of Freddom of Information. It also recognizes excellence in reporting about access to government-held information and the First Amendment. Mitch Kokai of the Carolina Journal, Virginia Bridges of the News & Observer, and Emily Vespa of The Assembly took home these awards.
The Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year award recognizes a photographer's body of work for the contest year and is the most prestigious photography award we give. Drew C. Wilson of the Wilson Times, Walt Unks of the Winston-Salem Journal and Dylan Ray of Coastal Review were honored with this award.
The Duke University/Green-Rossiter Award for Distinguished Newspaper Work in Higher Education recognized Jane Winik Sartwell of the News & Observer and The Assembly staff.
The Media & Law awards- sponsored by the NC Bar Association, recognizes outstanding legal reporting that fosters greater public understanding of the legal system and the role of lawyers in today's society. Mitch Kokai of the Carolina Journal, Julia Coin of the Charlotte Observer, and Joy Crist of the Island Free Press took home these awards.
Check out these video messages from Governor Josh Stein and State Auditor Dave Boliek
Dave Boliek video for NCPA members
Below is the full list of our 2026 contest contest winners:
Division A
The Avery Journal Times has won 7 awards. Please congratulate Shweta Mishra and Jamie Shell.
The Chowan Herald has won 2 awards. Let's give a big hand to Beverly Alexander.
The Daily News (Jacksonville) has won 5 awards. Congratulations to Chris Miller and Morgan Starling.
The Elkin Tribune has won 5 awards. Let's recognize Holly Lamm, the Staff, Cory Smith, Dawn Bagale, Marjorie Morrison, Serena Bowman, and Steve Baird.
The Mountain Xpress has won 9 awards. Awards go to Gina Smith, Brionna Dallara, Thomas Calder, and Justin McGuire.
The News-Record & Sentinel has won 1 award. Congratulations Johnny Casey.
The Shelby Star has won 5 awards. Congratulations to Mike Hensdill, Rebecca Sitzes, and Joe Hughes.
The Stokes News has won 1 award. Let's hear it for Bob Ward, and Brian Hodges.
The Paper has won 35 awards. We'd like to recognize Jacob Christopher, Allen VanNoppen, Angela Kuper Copeland, Paul Schenkel, Mica Banks, Devan Berry, Janina Linens, Madison Lipe, Bill Poteat, and Josh McKinney.
The Tideland News has won 1 award. Congrats to the Staff.
The Yadkin Ripple has won 2 awards. Congratulations to Serena Bowman, Marjorie Morrison, Holly Lamm, and Regenia Grant.
Division B
In Division B, the Ashe Post & Times has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Teresa Roark-Laws, Nathan Ham, and Jesse Campbell.
The Cherokee One Feather has won 9 awards. Awards go to Brooklyn Brown, Scott Brings Plenty, and Staff
The Courier-Times has won 21 awards. Let's recognize Ginger Carroll, Kelly Snow, George Willoughby, Ben McCormick, Jessie Butner, Taylor Easter, and Jan Ross.
The Daily Herald has won 9 awards. Awards go to Richard Holm, Rhonda Irby, and Gay Parrish.
The Gaston Gazette has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Joe Hughes, Kara Fohner, and Mike Hensdill.
The Hendersonville Times-News has won 1 award. Congratulations to Zachary Huber.
The Indy Week has won 10 awards. Let's hear it for Sarah Edwards, Lena Geller, Chloe Courtney Bohl, Chase Pellegrini de Paur, Nicole Pajor Moore, and Jane Porter.
The Mitchell News-Journal has won 2 awards. We'd like to recognize Noreen Nickolas and Steffen Silvis.
The Mount Airy News has won 6 awards. Let's celebrate Cory Smith, Ryan Kelly, Serena Bowman, and Regenia Grant.
The Nashville Graphic has won 1 award. Please congratulate NANCY WEST-BRAKE.
The News-Journal has won 7 awards. Let's give a big hand to Catharin Shepard and Jessica Brown.
The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald has won 7 awards. Congratulations Cal Bryant, and Holly Taylor.
The Robesonian has won 4 awards. Let's recognize the Staff and Chris Stiles.
The Sun Journal has won 3 awards. A round of applause for Caramia Valentin and Staff.
The Tabor-Loris Tribune (Tabor City) has won 6 awards. Help me celebrate Deuce and Amy Niven.
The Tryon Daily Bulletin has won 1 award. Congratulations to the staff.
The Watauga Democrat has won 11 awards. Let's hear it for Moss Brennan, Jillyan Mobley, Darla Allen, Zach Colburn, William Becker, and Staff.
Division C
In Division C, the Alamance News has won 5 awards. We'd like to recognize Kristy Bailey, Tom Boney Jr., and Tomas Murawski.
The Brunswick Beacon has won 4 awards. Let's celebrate Jenna Lapp and Christy Williamson.
The Carolina Journal has won 15 awards. Please congratulate Sydney Cook, Theresa Opeka, Brenee Goforth Swanzy, Jacob Emmons, Katie Zehnder, Mitch Kokai, Daniel Ackley, Melanie Murphy, and David Larson.
The Carolina Peacemaker has won 2 awards. Congratulations to Yasmine Regester and Ivan Saul Cutler.
The Cherokee Scout has won 9 awards. Join me in congratulating Randy Foster, David Brown, Anngee Quinones-Belian, and Cannon Crompton.
The Coastland Times has won 8 awards. Let's recognize Danielle Puleo, Summer Stevens, Theresa Schneider, Philip S. Ruckle Jr., and Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy.
The Daily Record has won 19 awards. Let's congratulate Emily Weaver McClure, Ginger Carroll, Jan Ross, Abbie Clavijo, Robert Jordan, Al Myatt, and Bennett Scarborough.
The Goldsboro News-Argus has won 4 awards. Awards go to Phyllis Moore, Aviel Smolka, and Sam Dietrich.
The High Point Enterprise has won 9 awards. Congratulations to Jimmy Tomlin, Michael Lindsay, and Laura Greene.
The Jamestown News has won 1 award. Let's hear it for Carol Brooks.
The News Reporter has won 9 awards. We'd like to recognize Joseph Williams, Franklin Davis, Joseph Williams, and Rachel Smith, and Justin Smith
The Salisbury Post has won 1 award. Let's celebrate Chandler Inions.
The State Port Pilot has won 22 awards. Please congratulate Linda Lash, Terry Pope, Morgan Harper, Carl Magnani, Joey Robinson, Michael Paul, Ben Frazier, Karen Beardslee Kwasny, Eliot Duke, and Diane McKeithan,
The Statesville Record & Landmark has won 3 awards. Awards go to Virginia Annable and Sarah C. Johnson.
The Washington Daily News has won 6 awards. Congratulations to the Staff, Holly Jackson, Megan Boltes, and Jason O. Boyd.
The Wilson Times has won 8 awards. Congratulations to Drew C. Wilson, Chris Long, and Paul Durham.
Division D
The Asheville Citizen-Times has won 5 awards. Congratulations to Josh Bell, Sarah Honosky, and Evan Gerike.
The Hickory Daily Record has won 3 awards. Awards go to Billy Chapman, and Sarah C. Johnson.
The Mountaineer has won 33 awards. Congratulations to Andrew Marshall, Becky Johnson, Kylie Frazier, Alan Sharp, Sarah White, Jennifer Worley, Mac Heishman, Aarik Long, and Heather Allen.
The North State Journal has won 13 awards. Congratulations to Ena Sellers, Stan Gilliland, Lauren Rose, Gene Galin, Shawn Krest, Asheebo Rojas, Cory Lavalette, and PJ Ward-Brown.
The Smoky Mountain News has won 4 awards. Congratulations to Kyle Perrotti, Cory Vaillancourt, and Lily Levin.
The Pilot has won 36 awards. Awards go to Abbi Overfelt, Emilee Phillips, Ana Risano, Frank Daniels IV, Lauren Ellis, John Nagy, Elena Marsh, Timothy L. Hale, Ella Clark, Scott Yancey, Samantha Cunningham, Scott Yancey, Ted Fitzgerald, Erika Leap, Elena Marsh, David Woronoff, Jonathan Bym, Maggie Beamguard, Jonathan Bym, Ginny Trigg, and Laura Douglass.
The Triangle Business Journal has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Zac Ezzone, Lauren Ohnesorge, Dane Huffman, and David Purtell.
The Up & Coming Weekly has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Troy Williams, Margaret Dickson, and Staff.
The YES! Weekly has won 6 awards. Congratulations to Alex Farmer, Ian McDowell, and Chanel Davis.
Division E
In Division E, the Catholic News Herald has won 8 awards. Congratulations to David Puckett, Lisa M. Geraci, Troy C. Hull, Liz Chandler, Christina Lee Knauss, and William Creter.
The Charlotte Observer has won 37 awards. Awards go to Théoden Janes, Nick Sullivan, Paige Masten, Mary Ramsey, Julia Coin, Amber Gaudet, Gavin Off, Scott Fowler, Jeff Siner, Rebecca Noel, Alex Zietlow, Langston Wertz Jr., Zach Dennis, Emily Broyles, Tamia Boyd, Jeff Siner, Nora O'Neill, Melissa Oyler, Chase Jordan, Peter St. Onge, CharlotteFive staff, Diamond Vences, and Briah Lumpkins.
The Fayetteville Observer has won 8 awards. Congratulations to Andrew Craft, Beth Hutson, F.T. Norton, and Rachael Riley.
The Greensboro News & Record has won 7 awards. Congratulations to Nancy McLaughlin, Kevin Griffin, John Deem, Woody Marshall, and Allison Lee Isley.
The Lake Norman Citizen has won 4 awards. Congratulations to Matt Chapman, Mandy Thornton, and Ashlie Pence DeCaron.
The News & Observer has won 28 awards. We'd like to recognize Richard Stradling, Josh Shaffer, Chantal Allam, Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan, Ethan Hyman, Luke DeCock, Danielle Battaglia, Tammy Grubb, Nathan Collins, Robert Willett, Twumasi Duah-Mensah, Anna Roman, Steve Wiseman, Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi, Drew Jackson, Kaitlin McKeown, Drew Jackson and Shelby Swanson.
The StarNews has won 7 awards. Awards go to Gareth McGrath, Allison Ballard, Renee Spencer, John Staton, Savanna Tenenoff, Bob Liepa, and Ken Blevins.
The Winston-Salem Journal has won 13 awards. Congratulations to Scott Sexton, Cindy Loman, Allison Lee Isley, Walt Unks, John Hinton, Emily Sarah Lineback, and John Dell.
Division M
In Division M, 27587 Magazine has won 7 awards. Congratulations to Bob Bogert, Mehmet Demirci, Brendan Klick, Philip M. Read Jr., Philip M. Read, and Staff.
Congratulations to Business NC, which has won 1 award.
Johnston Now Magazine has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Jamie Strickland, and Randy Capps.
O.Henry Magazine has won 9 awards. Awards go to Marley Soden, Jim Dodson, Brad Beard, Jennifer Bunting, Ross Howell Jr, Billy Ingram, Cassie Bustamante, and Cynthia Adams.
Outer Banks Milepost has won 7 awards. Congratulations to Leo Gibson, Terri Mackleberry, Jesse Davis, Ryan Moser, Stephen Templeton, Ed Tupper, and Staff.
PineStraw Magazine has won 5 awards. Congratulations to Bill Fields, Bill Case, Hannah Roser, Ron Johnson, and Emilee Phillips.
SouthPark Magazine has won 4 awards. Congratulations to Alyssa Kennedy and Cathy Martin, Ron Green Jr., and Sarah Fligel.
Walter Magazine has won 6 awards. Let's celebrate Colony Litte, Autumn Harrison, Katherine Snow Smith, Jillian Clark, Paul Jones, and Jenn Hales.
Division O
In Division O, the Asheville Watchdog has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Andrew R. Jones, Jack Evans, and Katie Linsky Shaw.
AXIOS Charlotte has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Ashley Mahoney and McKenzie Rankin.
AXIOS Raleigh has won 2 awards. Congratulations to Zachery Eanes and Mary Helen Moore.
Blowing Rock News has won 3 awards. Let's recognize Jared Everett and David Rogers.
Border Belt Independent has won 3 awards. Congratulations to Sarah Nagem, and Ben Rappaport.
Cardinal & Pine has won 1 award. Congratulations to Billy Ball.
Carolina Public Press has won 14 awards. Congratulations to Mariano Santillan, Kate Denning, Sarah Michels, Frank Taylor, Brittain Peck, Lucas Thomae, and Jane Winik Sartwell.
CityView TODAY has won 8 awards. Congratulations to Claire Mullen, Valeria Cloës, Paul Woolverton, Trey Nemec, Bill Horner III, and Bill Kirby Jr.
Coastal Review has won 4 awards. Congratulations to Trista Talton, Catherine Kozak, and Jennifer Allen.
EducationNC has won 5 awards. Congratulations to Robert Kinlaw, Mebane Rash, Robert Kinlaw, Analisa Sorrells Archer, Ben Humphries, and Alli Lindenberg Semon.
Island Free Press has won 9 awards. Awards go to Joy Crist, Don Bowers, Sam Walker, Donna Barnett, and Tabitha Souders.
NC Health News has won 10 awards. Congratulations to Rachel Crumpler, Rose Hoban, Jaymie Baxley, Grace Vitaglione, Will Atwater, Jennifer Fernandez, and Tyler Auffhammer.
NC Newsline has won 4 awards. Congratulations to Greg Childress, Clayton Henkel, and Brandon Kingdollar.
Ocracoke Observer has won 1 award. Let's recognize Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich.
Outer Banks Insider has won 1 award. A round of applause for Corinne Saunders.
Port City Daily has won 1 award. Congratulations to Shea Carver.
Richmond Observer has won 8 awards. Congratulations to William R. Toler, Betty Gallo McIntyre, Douglas Smith, and Kyle Pillar.
The Assembly has won 16 awards. Congratulations to Michael Hewlett, Emily Cataneo, Jessica Wakeman, Ren Larson, A.M. Stewart, Madeline Gray, Joe Killian, Korie Dean, John Drescher, Carli Brosseau, Jordan Green, Daniel Walton, Mitchell Northam, and Sayaka Matsuoka.
The Rant has won 5 awards. Congratulations to Billy Liggett, Gordon Anderson, and Richard Sullins.
Wise News Network has won 12 awards. Awards go to Rusty Wise, Mason Beam, and WNN Staff.
Congratulations to all our winners! Visit our online awards page for more.