Staff from the Sequim Gazette earned 20 individual and team honors at the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest (BNC).

The 2024 BNC awards were announced at a ceremony on Oct. 4 at the organization’s annual convention in Olympia, where professionals recognized top industry work at Washington non-daily and small daily newspapers.

The Gazette, a Sound Publishing newspaper, earned second place in general excellence in WNPA’s Group 2 among WNPA’s four circulation groups. Some of Group 2 includes the Bainbridge Island Review, North Kitsap Herald, Methow Valley News and Anacortes American newspapers.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen Emily Matthiessen’s photo of these of Western Tiger Swallowtails earned the photographer a first place in the Portrait Photo division of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest.

Sequim Gazette reporter Matthew Nash earned Feature Writer of the Year (Groups 1-2) and third place in the Newswriter of the Year category.

Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell was selected Sportswriter of the Year (Groups 1-2).

“Year after year, the Sequim Gazette team steps onto the WNPA stage to receive accolades for their remarkable achievements,” said Eran Kennedy, regional publisher of the Olympic Peninsula Group that includes the Sequim Gazette, Peninsula Daily News and Forks Forum. “I firmly believe this success is due to the Gazette’s unwavering commitment to quality local journalism and community service.

“Your dedication continues to inspire and inform us all. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks for a job well done.”

The Sequim Gazette’s Dec. 27, 2023 feature page took second place in the Feature Page Design category at the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest.

The contest considered writing, design, photography, advertising and web content from newspapers statewide between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.

The Arizona Media Association judged this year’s WNPA contest, with submissions totaling 913 news pieces, 314 photo entries, 184 advertisements and 93 special sections from 50 participating newspapers.

Sequim Gazette’s other 2024 BNC honors include:

Writing

Matthew Nash

• First place, Crime & Court Story, Group 2 (“School district settles suit with former employee”)

• Second place, Environmental Story, Group 2 (“Sequim’s irrigation ditch draws ire”)

• Third place, Personality Profile-Long, Group 2 (“From kinder to senior”)

Emily Matthiessen

• Third place, Business Feature, Group 2 (“A ‘family’ that heals”)

Michael Dashiell

• Third place, Education Story, Group 2 (“Sequim board approves school reconfiguration”)

• Third place, Sports Personality Profile, Groups 1-2 (“Sequim’s Little looks to cap dominant prep career”)

Bertha Cooper

• First place, Editorial, Group 2 (“The gift of time”)

Sequim Gazette advertising representative Lara Stanton took home a first place honor in the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest for this promo of The Lodge at Sherwood Village.

Photography

Emily Matthiessen

• First place, Portrait Photo, Groups 1-2 (“Our colorfully-winged neighbors”)

• Third place, Feature Photo, Group 2 (“Neverland creature”)

Emily Matthiessen and Michael Dashiell

• Second place, Online Photo Essay, all groups (“Irrigation Festival’s Second Weekend”)

Design, web content

Michael Dashiell

• Second place, Feature Page Design, Groups 1-3 (“Historic Cadillac gets a spotlight at The Henry Ford”)

• Third place, Feature Page Design, Groups 1-3 (“Exploring Patagonia”)

• Third place, Editorial pages, Groups 1-2

Advertising/Ad design

Lara Stanton

• First place, Single Advertiser/Smaller Than Half Page, Groups 1-2 (“The Lodge at Sherwood Village”)

• Second place, Romantic Ads, Groups 1-2 (“By Design Group”)

John Jaeger

• Third place, Full Page Ad, Groups 1-2 (“Y&K International Cuisine & Bar”)

• Third place, Use of Small Space, Groups 1-3 (“Plaza Jewelers”)

See others 2024 BNC winners at tinyurl.com/SEQbnc2024.

Sequim Gazette staff photo / Sequim Gazette reporter Matthew Nash earned Feature Writer of the Year and Gazette editor Michel Dashiell earned Sportswriter of the Year in the 2024 Better Newspaper Contest.