Peninsula Pulse Earns 32 Awards, Best in Division

The Peninsula Pulse’s Best in Division award sits atop the first-place award plaques during last week’s Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation awards banquet in Madison. Photo by D.A. Fitzgerald.

Staff at the Peninsula Pulse came home last week with 32 awards and received Best in Division from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association (WNA) Foundation’s Better Newspaper Contest.

The WNA Foundation’s annual contest awards banquet was held June 24 at the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club in downtown Madison.

“It’s an honor to receive these awards and to have the Door County community recognized,” said David Eliot, publisher. “We have an incredible staff at the Pulse. These awards are a testament to their dedication and commitment to serving their community, and putting the best quality publication together every week, 52 weeks a year.”

The Pulse’s Best in Division award was for the category of non-daily newspapers across the state with at least 4,500 in circulation – the contest’s largest non-daily newspaper category. 

Among the Pulse’s awards was a third place for the coveted General Excellence award, for which judges consider the entire newspaper: layout, all editorial content and ads. The judge’s comments for that award were “Striking layout and great stories.”

The contest received 2,117 entries from 98 newspapers across the state for work that was published between Sept. 1, 2020, and Aug. 21, 2021. Entries were judged by members of the West Virginia Press Association. The entire list of winners and judges’ comments is available at wnanews.com.

The Peninsula Pulse earned these awards:

Best Front Page

First Place – Ryan Miller, Sharon Anderson, Brett Kosmider

Judge’s comments: Bold design that breaks the regular front-page mold. Like the tabloid-ish design above the fold, with the leads to inside and the more traditional look below the fold. 

Best Feature/Lifestyle Pages

First Place – Staff

Judge’s comments: Inviting and current design with good use of color. Good stories with the events.

Reporting on Local Government

First Place – Debra Fitzgerald

Honorable Mention – Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Bill Payne Advertising Award

First Place – Renee Puccini, Steve Grutzmacher

Draeb Jewelers

Best Restaurant Ad

First Place – Steve Grutzmacher

Lure

Best Small Ad

First Place – Jess Farley

Evenings in Ephraim

Best Ongoing Niche Publication

First Place – David Eliot

‘Pioneer Times,’ the newsletter of the Sevastopol School District

Best Special Section (Editorial)

Second Place for the Sustainability Issue, The Power of Trees – Debra Fitzgerald, Craig Sterrett, Kevin Naze, Patty Williamson 

Judge’s comments: Beautiful and informative section on sustainability, focusing on trees. A great job taking an important, urgent topic and making a special editorial section supported by advertising. No small feat. Great job.

Feature Story (Non-profile)

Second Place – Debra Fitzgerald

“A Musician in Quarantine”

Feature Story (Profile)

Second Place – Patty Williamson

“A Dark Night, a Lost Son of Sister Bay”

Environmental Reporting

Second Place – Craig Sterrett

“Your Litter, Everyone’s Problem”

Local Column

Second Place – Bret Bicoy

Third Place – Debra Fitzgerald

Overall Page Design

Second Place – Ryan Miller

Best Grocery Ad

Second Place – Steve Grutzmacher, Renee Puccini

Piggly Wiggly

Best Real Estate Ad

Second Place – Steve Grutzmacher, Renee Puccini

True North

Best Large Ad

Second Place – Jess Farley

Alpine Golf

Best Ad Idea (Series)

Second Place – Steve Grutzmacher

Spot

Best Use of Color

Second Place – Jess Farley, Renee Puccini

Bliss

Best Niche Product

Second Place – David Eliot

Annual Lighthouse Festival

General Excellence

Third Place – Staff

Judge’s comments: Striking layout and great stories.

Sports Feature Photo

Third Place – Brett Kosmider

“Some Day”

Best Opinion Pages

Honorable Mention – Staff

Editorial Award

Honorable Mention – David Eliot, Myles Dannhausen Jr.

General News Story

Honorable Mention – Debra Fitzgerald

“All STR Eyes on Sevastopol”

Breaking News Reporting

Honorable Mention – Debra Fitzgerald

“Stranded Angler Says Rescue Went Smoothly”

Ongoing/Extended Coverage

Honorable Mention – Debra Fitzgerald

For coverage of Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower

Reporting on Local Education

Honorable Mention – Craig Sterrett

Artistic Photo

Honorable Mention – Brett Kosmider

“Bay Thaw”

Best Video

Honorable Mention – Rachel Lukas

“The Language of Pride”

Best Use of Local Photography

Honorable Mention – Jess Farley, Brett Kosmider

“Green for Life”

In addition, reporter Kevin Boneske, who joined the Peninsula Pulse earlier this year, earned an Honorable Mention for his coverage of “Black Lives Matter in Green Bay” with his previous employer, The Press Times, in the Localized National Story category.