Associate Publisher and Executive Editor Lyle Graves accepts the General Excellence plaque from David Golden, UT’s executive assistant to the president.

-- Submitted

The Nashville Ledger won top honors for its division recently at the annual University of Tennessee/Tennessee Press Association awards in Franklin.

In addition to the award for General Excellence, the 8-year-old paper, competing in its first year of eligibility, also took top honors in Division III – newspapers with combined weekly circulation of 15,001-50,000 – for:

• Best Graphics and/or Illustrations, Leigh Singleton. Judges stated: “The scoring doesn’t tell the whole story, here. Nashville Ledger was head and shoulders above the rest in graphics. This stuff is absolutely great.”

• Best Feature Photo, by Michelle Morrow, A cover portrait of Fisk University student and community activist Justin Jones.

• Best Education Reporting: Joe Morris, “Is law school worth it?," Kathy Carlson, “Haslam backs WGU despite critical audit” and “Can free school lunches survive conservative shift?," Jeannie Naujeck: “Good communications make good neighbors”

In addition, the Nashville Ledger was awarded second place for Headline Writing, Editorials, Local Features, Public Service Reporting and Business Coverage. It took third place in Makeup and Appearance.

The Ledger’s sister publications, the Knoxville Ledger and Hamilton County Herald, also performed well, winning two first place awards each.

The Herald won for:

• Best Business Coverage, David Laprad

• Best Feature Photograph, Alex McMahon, for his cover photo of UT Chattanooga student Warda Kahlot

It also took second place in Community Lifestyles and Local Features and third in Best Special Issue of Section, Make-up and Appearance, Public Service and Best News Photograph.

The Knoxville Ledger won for:

• Local Features, Mike Blackerby, “Knox Makers leaving mark" and “One man’s quest to preserve Appalachia’s artifacts”

• Best Business Coverage, Mike Blackerby, “Makeoverville" and “Knoxville’s real estate dilemma”; Hollie Deese, “Healthcare Conundrum”

It also took second for Headline Writing, Public Service, Best Sports Coverage, Best Sports Writing and Best Single Feature.

“We have a great crew, headed by Cindy Smith and Leigh Singleton, and are honored to have many of the best writers and photographers in the state contributing to our publications,” says Lyle Graves, associate publisher and executive editor of the three newspapers. “It’s so gratifying to see them get the recognition they so richly deserve.

“These were highly competitive categories, and we congratulate all the award winners. Great work.”

General Excellence winners in the other four categories include The Tennessean, Bristol Herald Courier, the Standard Banner (Jefferson County) and the Independent Herald (Oneida).