BY BILL SHUMWAY

North Country This Week

The value of local news media was highlighted earlier this month in Albany.

Hundreds of reporters, ad designers, photographers and editors from many newspapers and local news websites from around the state were honored for their quality work.

We are proud that seven North Country This Week staffers were among those recognized at the New York Press Association annual spring conference.

A free newspaper serves both news readers and advertisers, and we received awards in both departments.

Advertising Consultant Julie Spadacinni and production staffers Cathy Whalen, Miki Crary, Debbie Morgan and Georgia Schiavone, who design and lay out the ads, received first place for “Best Multi-Advertiser Page.”

Jimmy Lawton and Matt Lindsey in our newsroom were recognized with a second place award for “Coverage of Agriculture.”

“Shop… Dine… Visit… Canton for the Holidays” was the title of the full-color, two-page spread featuring 17 local merchants that won the “multi-advertiser” category. Published three times during the last two months of 2018, the goal was to encourage residents to “shop local” for the Christmas season.

“Love this,” wrote the contest judges. “This page creates holiday cheer while avoiding discordant clutter.”

In the news category, the judges noted our reporting was “presented in a compelling narrative” with “details and statistics (that) were appropriate and complementary.”

Lawton’s well-researched story, “Decline of the Small Dairy,” chronicled the growth of large farms that milk thousands of cows as traditional family farms are failing. Lindsey’s coverage focused on the under-reported topic of local honeybee die-off, and legislation aimed at addressing the issue.

Every week, our sales staff works one-on-one with local businesses and organizations to develop media plans to increase their sales or achieve other goals. Then, our production staff designs ads that compel residents to “buy local,” find a better job, buy a house, discover bargains, or attend a local community event.

Every day, our news room reports, edits and posts more than 50 stories, many promoting community events or acknowledging accomplishments by area residents, others well-balanced reports about significant local issues.

From DeKalb Junction to Norwood, Lisbon to Colton, our award winners live throughout St. Lawrence County. Perhaps you know one of them. If so, next time you see them, why not say, “congratulations!”

Bill Shumway is editor and publisher of North Country This Week and NorthCountryNow.com