Salem, Vinton writers win state awards
Two writers for the Salem Times-Register and The Vinton Messenger have won writing awards from the Virginia Press Association.
Awards to Meg Hibbert, editor of the Salem Times-Register, and Kristin Adams, writer for The Vinton Messenger, were announced over the weekend at the VPA Advertising and News Conference and Annual Meeting on April 9 in Norfolk.
Members of the Missouri Press Association judged the contests. The Times-Register and The Vinton Messenger won for weekly newspapers who have under 5,000 circulation.
Kristin Adams
Adams was a former summer intern for the Times-Register who started writing for The Vinton Messenger and The Cave Spring Connection after graduating from Roanoke College in 2009.
She won second place in the category of General News Writing for the article “Community Reacts to Murder-Suicide with Love,” about about ways the Vinton area pulled together after the deaths of Kimberly and Timothy Drew. This was her first time entering the VPA competition.
The judge who selected Adams’ article noted: “Great story which dealt well with the better side of a bitter outcome. It immediately connected you to the community involved. Good length and depth to the story.”
The 2010 News and Editorial Contest was for entries published between January and December 2010.
Hibbert’s winning article and columns were published in the Times-Register as well as The New Castle Record. She won third place in column writing for an entry of three columns: “Bear!” “It’s Paula Deen, Y’all,” and “Raccoons in the Chicken Yard.”
The bear column written after a black bear broke into her Dodge Durango to steal homemade cookies on April 1 last year is perhaps her most-read column, judging from comments from readers.
Meg Hibbert
Hibbert won second place in the Feature Story Writing category for “No bull – Local Rider Competes in Rodeo.” Hibbert followed 19-year-old bull rider Josh Wright from Elliston as he pitted his abilities with those of Bull No. 523, a brown-and-white ton of bull in the rodeo at the Salem Civic Center.
Hibbert has been editor of the Salem Times-Register since July 1999.
Congratulations to both of you!
Congrats!
Congratulations Kristin, a job well done.