The Richmond Register has been named one of the top newspapers in the state.
Staff members collected a total of 24 awards — including 11 first-place honors — at the Kentucky Press Association’s annual awards banquet, which was held in Bowling Green.
The Register has claimed general excellence in the multi-weekly category in each of the past three years (2021, 2022 and 2023).
In addition, Nathan Hutchinson was honored as the Journalist of the Year in the weekly category for the second-straight year. The Register’s sports editor won 18 total awards, including nine first-place.
Sierra Marling claimed seven awards, highlighted by a trio of first-place finishes.
This year’s awards were judged by members of the Wisconsin Press Association.
Register staff members swept the investigative story or series category, with Hutchinson taking first place for his reports about the issues with electronic signs around the Eastern Kentucky University campus and Marling claiming second and third place.
In the best enterprise or analytical competition, Marling was the winner for her coverage of the local housing “crisis” and resident-led advocacy efforts, with Hutchinson taking third.
Marling and Hutchinson combined to take top honors in the breaking news category for coverage of the severe storms which hit Madison County last June.
“Easily the winner because of the ongoing reporting, photos and social media updates,” the judges commented. “The whole package kept people updated and informed during the event.”
Marling took first place in the best feature picture for a photo which judges said was, “a great use of resources to come up with the best (image) possible from face painting. Very good work!”
Marling also took second place in the best lede and breaking news photo categories.
Hutchinson and former Register editor Ricki Pryor were honored for their use of social media and/or multi-media, receiving a certificate of merit.
Hutchinson’s first-place entry in the editorial writer category was praised by judges as, “how local editorials are done. You choose hot topics that matter to your community and came at them with research, analysis and crisp, witty writing.”
Hutchinson took first and second place in the sports feature category for profiles on dirt track racer E.M. Snowden and former Berea Community basketball player Jaylen Dorsey.
A feature on Rick Howard of the Antique Radio Warehouse in Berea, gave Hutchinson a first-place award in the best video category. “Love the cinematography and how it all ties together,” the judges remarked.
Hutchinson was the winner for sports page/section as well.
“Quite impressive for a multi-weekly,” the judges stated. “Glad you newspaper commits that much space.”
Hutchinson also received first-place awards for picture essay, editorial page and headline writer. He was second in sports story, video, sports photo essay and front page, and was third in sports column and feature photo.
2023 KPA Awards
Richmond Register — General Excellence
First-place
Best Breaking New Coverage — Nathan Hutchinson and Sierra Marling
Best Editorial Writer — Nathan Hutchinson
Sports Feature — Nathan Hutchinson
Investigative Story or Series — Nathan Hutchinson
Video — Nathan Hutchinson
Picture Essay — Nathan Hutchinson
Sports Feature — Nathan Hutchinson
Editorial Page — Nathan Hutchinson
Headline Writer — Nathan Hutchinson
Enterprise or Analytical — Sierra Marling
Best Feature Photo — Sierra Marling
Second place
Investigative Story or Series — Sierra Marling
Best Lede — Sierra Marling
Breaking News Picture — Sierra Marling
Sports Story — Nathan Hutchinson
Sports Feature — Nathan Hutchinson
Video — Nathan Hutchinson
Sports Photo Essay — Nathan Hutchinson
Front Page — Nathan Hutchinson
Third place
Investigative Story or Series — Sierra Marling
Enterprise or Analytical — Nathan Hutchinson
Sports Column — Nathan Hutchinson
Feature Photo — Nathan Hutchinson
Certificate of Merit — Nathan Hutchinson and Ricki Pryor