For a third year in a row, the Dallas County News has been named the best newspaper in its circulation class at the 2009 Iowa Newspaper Association awards banquet held Friday, Feb. 6, at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Des Moines.
      "It is a great honor for the Dallas County News to win the General Excellence award for the third year in a row," publisher Bart McDowell said. "Recognition from your peers always makes the awards special."
      The News won a first-place award for its coverage of local government. First-place awards went to Greg Eckstrom for best sports story and Amber Williams for master columnist.
      Advertising designer Lori Schultz won first-place awards for best professional service ad and for best furnishings and appliances ad.
      The paper won second-place awards for its editorial page, headline writing and use of graphics. Williams won a second-place award for best news story. Schultz won second-place awards for best ad designer and best miscellaneous ad.
      The News won a third-place award for its coverage of agriculture. Williams won a third-place award for best personality feature, while sports editor Bill Haglund took third place for best sports columnist.
      Editor Bob Eschliman took third-place awards for best series, excellence in editorial writing and master columnist. Schultz was awarded third place for her ads featuring groceries, food or entertainment and community promotion.
      The News collected a total of 41 points, edging out the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun for first place in General Excellence for Weekly Class II, which includes all weekly newspapers with circulations of 1,401 to 2,274, by one point. Third place went to the Akron Hometowner, which scored 38 points.
      Overall Newspaper of the Year honors went to the N'West Iowa REVIEW of Sheldon, which scored 86 points, edging out the Des Moines Register by a single point. Third place went to the Carroll Daily Times Herald. The News took ninth place overall.
      The News' sister publication, The Northeast Dallas County Record, took second place in General Excellence for Weekly Class I - which includes all weekly newspapers with circulations of 1,400 or less - winning 14 awards and scoring 35 contest points.
      "We take pride in providing Dallas County the best possible newspaper we can publish. It is nice when other newspapers see the quality journalism that is in the Dallas County News," McDowell said. "With 34 awards between the Dallas County News and it's sister paper the Northeast Dallas County Record that commitment has been rewarded through the INA."

      General Excellence: First Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Second Place- Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, Third Place- Akron Hometowner.
      Best Editorial Page: First Place- Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, Second Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Third Place- Blairstown South Benton Star-Press.
      Coverage of Local Government: First Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Second Place- Akron Hometowner, Third Place- Tama News-Herald.
      Coverage of Agriculture: First Place- Akron Hometowner, Second Place- Fayette Leader, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News.
      Best Headline Writing: First Place- Fayette Leader, Second Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Third Place- Toledo Chronicle.
      Best Use of Graphics: First Place- Akron Hometowner, Second Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Third Place- Anamosa Journal-Eureka.
      Best News Story: First Place- Fayette Leader-Janell Bradley, Second Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Amber Williams, Third Place- Blairstown South Benton Star-Press-Jim Magdefrau.
      Best Personality Feature Story: First Place- Knoxville Journal-Express-Steve Woodhouse, Second Place- Cascade Pioneer-Josh Jorgensen, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Amber Williams.
      Best Sports Story: Weeklies Class 2: First Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Greg Eckstrom, Second Place- Fayette Leader-Jeff Bradley, Third Place- Fayette Leader-Randy Fink.
      Best Series: First Place- Anamosa Journal-Eureka-Michelle Phillips, Second Place- Sumner Gazette-Rachel Lewey, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Bob Eschliman.
      Excellence In Editorial Writing: First Place- Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun-Jake Krob, Second Place- Bloomfield Democrat-Gary Spurgeon, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Bob Eschliman.
      Master Columnist: First Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Amber Williams, Second Place- Greenfield Adair Co. Free Press-Kelly Fox, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Bob Eschliman.
      Best Sports Columnist: First Place- Anamosa Journal-Eureka-Daryl Schepanski, Second Place- Perry Chief-Jeff Webster, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Bill Haglund.
      Best Ad Featuring Grocery/Food/Entertainment: First Place- Bloomfield Democrat, Second Place- Mediapolis News, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News.

      Best Ad Featuring Financial, Insurance, or Other Professional Service: First Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Second Place- Akron Hometowner, Third Place- Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
      Best Ad Featuring Furniture, Furnishings, Appliances or Hardware: First Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Second Place- Fayette Leader, Third Place- Elkader Clayton Co. Register.
      Best Ad featuring Miscellaneous: First Place- Akron Hometowner, Second Place- Adel Dallas Co. News, Third Place- Mediapolis News.
      Best ad idea for a community promotion or event: First Place- Akron Hometowner, Second Place- Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, Third Place- Adel Dallas Co. News.
      Best Ad Designer: First Place- Elkader Clayton Co. Register-Shannon Durbin, Second Place- Adel Dallas Co. News-Lori Schultz, Third Place- Cascade Pioneer-Heather Wendling.