Sister Paper Machias Valley News Observer Claims 21

The Maine Press Association’s annual state conference, held on October 19 at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Event Center in Bar Harbor, celebrated a remarkable evening for Washington County’s only two weekly publications, The Calais Advertiser and Machias Valley News Observer. 

The prestigious event saw The Calais Advertiser clinch an impressive 26 awards, while Machias Valley News Observer garnered 21 accolades, culminating in an impressive 47 awards collectively. This recognition highlights the outstanding contributions of both publications to local journalism.

Pierre Little, publisher of the two papers, who was awarded a first-place award in the Editorial category, expressed his pride in the achievements of the editorial teams. “This recognition from the Maine Press Association reflects the dedication and hard work that our staff puts into every issue,” Little said. 

The evening’s standout moments included The Calais Advertiser clinching the prestigious General Excellence in Advertising award for the second time, and Jayna Smith being honored with her second Best in Show award for photography.

Among other highlights for The Calais Advertiser was its recognition with the top honor for its sports section and sports page design. In the photography categories, Smith excelled, achieving first and second place in Sports Photography and first place in People Photo, along with third place in Picture Story for her published veterans’ event photos. 

This marks Smith’s second consecutive year winning overall in sports photography, her third overall win in four years. It is also her second consecutive first-place win in the People Photo category. 

Graphics designer Cheryl Stabinski also received a number of awards at the MPA’s state conference. She secured first place for Best Supplemental Cover for her design of the annual Downeast Basketball Review, showcasing her creativity and skill. Her expertise also earned her the top award in the Best Customized Advertising Solution category, reflecting her successful collaboration in developing a tailored solution for a client’s needs.

Together, Smith and Stabinski won first for their Shop Local campaign; third place in the Specialty Design category, which featured veterans being honored; and second place for Community Engagement Idea, the Veterans Day issue, which also won second for Best Sponsored Content. As well, in Self-Promotion, Stabinski’s subscription ad design using Smith’s local sports photo, took top honors.

Also taking home awards were Bob Bryson, second place for Editorial Cartoonist, and former University of Maine Machias economics and political science professor Jon Reisman, second place for the Critic’s Award for his often-controversial column “Freedom Studies.” 

Little emphasized the newspaper’s significance to the community, noting that it has been a staple in the city since 1836. “The Calais Advertiser and its editorial newsroom are vital to our community’s health and economic growth,” he stated. “I want to thank our business community and our advertisers for their continued support. Without businesses advertising and utilizing the services of The Advertiser, we could not have covered so many important stories. Having reporters dedicated to focusing on our region far surpasses what social media offers and it demonstrates our commitment to the vibrancy and growth of our local community.”

He also praised the dedication of his staff, saying, “These awards are not won without teamwork and a commitment to telling the stories of our wonderful community in eastern Maine. I congratulate all the reporters of The Advertiser for a job well done. I also want to acknowledge our esteemed administrative assistant Kathy Devine and, last but certainly not least, my wife Wendy, who has kept us focused on our financial realities.”