2016 BNC Awards of Excellence Winners

Presented June 2017

Sue Gawlak Best Local Editorial Sponsored by: St. Albert Gazette

1. Fort Macleod Gazette for "Bitter business as usual for council"
   Credits: Frank McTighe
2. Deh Cho Drum for "Accountability needed in Cholo investigation"
   Credits: April Hudson
3. Ponoka News for "A great responsibility"
   Credits: Jeffrey Heyden-Kaye

Best Feature Story by a Local Writer Sponsored by: Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

1. Okotoks Western Wheel for "Prairie Passion"
   Credits: Krista Conrad
2. Innisfail Province for "Tiger who claws from the heavens - Exiled but forever resolute"
   Credits: Johnnie Bachusky
3. Olds Albertan for "Homegrown - Danielle, she's from Olds"
   Credits: Joseph Ho

Higher Education Writing Award Sponsored by: University of Alberta

Winner: Olds Albertan for "Student provides dental care in Ecuador"
Credits: Doug Collie

Excellence in Education Writing Sponsored by: Lethbridge College

1. High River Times for "Log cabin build teaches students new skills"
   Credits: Paul Krajewski
2. Sherwood Park News for "A new kind of spin class"
   Credits: Sarah Comber
3. Cochrane Eagle for "Students ready to build futures"
   Credits: Jenna Dulewich

Best Habitat Conservation Story Sponsored by: Ducks Unlimited Canada

1. Cochrane Eagle for "Future of wild horses in limbo"
   Credits: Lindsay Seewalt
2. Rocky Mountain Outlook for "Parks studying connectivity in 40 Mile Creek "
   Credits: Tanya Foubert
3. Sherwood Park News for "Biosphere designation OK'd"
   Credits: Megan Voss

Best Special Sections and Supplements Award Sponsored by: Metro Creative Graphics, Inc.

1. St. Albert Gazette for their "Graduation Supplement"
   
2. Lacombe Express for "Culture & Harvest Festival"
   
3. Ponoka News for their "Ponoka Stampede Supplement"
   

Healthy Communities Journalism Award Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Spruce Grove Examiner for "They exude a lot of empathy and patience"
   Credits: Marcia Love
2. Morinville Free Press for "Morinville family manages rare diagnosis in six-year-old"
   Credits: Cynthia Wandler
3. Shootin' the Breeze for "Service Dog Joins Alexis for a New Beginning"
   Credits: Erin Fairhurst

Gordon Scott Memorial Award for Best Feature Column by a Local Writer Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Taber Times for "Saturday's concert more than being Hip"
   Credits: Greg Price
2. Sundre Round-Up for "Small town victory against big government"
   Credits: Simon Ducatel
3. Fort Saskatchewan Record for "Why it's important to remember the 'Christ' in Christmas"
   Credits: Omar Mosleh

Arts and Culture Writing award Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Lacombe Express for "The Central Alberta man behind the airbrush"
   Credits: Ryan Wellicome
2. Okotoks Western Wheel for "Okotoks filmakers"
   Credits: Tammy Rollie
3. St. Albert Gazette for "St. Albert Children's Theatre celebrates 35 years of play"
   Credits: Anna Borowiecki

Best Environmental Writing Sponsored by: AWNA

1. St. Albert Gazette for "Trashing Morinville"
   Credits: Kevin Ma
2. Rocky Mountain Outlook for "Debate rages over wolf bounties"
   Credits: Cathy Ellis
3. Spruce Grove Examiner for "Drop in fish numbers prompts call for investigation"
   Credits: Marcia Love

Sports Writing Award Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Bow Valley Crag & Canyon for "Canmore Eagles junior A hockey team"
   Credits: Russ Ullyot
2. Jasper Fitzhugh for "The Yak Attack"
   Credits: Paul Clarke
3. Westwind Weekly News for "Bulldog bows out"
   Credits: J.W. Schnarr

Best Agriculture Supplement Sponsored by: Genome Alberta

1. St. Paul Journal 
2. Coaldale Sunny South News
3. Taber Times 

Excellence in Creative Advertising Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Rocky Mountain House Mountaineer for "Caroline Supplies"
   Credits: Shelly Safronetz, Jean Vos
2. Wainwright Star/Edge for " Wainwright Golf Glub-Grand Opening"
   Credits: Carrie Baumgartner
3. Shootin' the Breeze for "Fox Theatre has ice cream and doughnuts!"
   Credits: Shannon Robison

Creative Use of Colour in Advertising Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Wainwright Star/Edge for "Vivid Photography"
   Credits: Carrie Baumgartner
2. Claresholm Local Press for "Flu shots"
   Credits: Amanda Zimmer
3. St. Albert Gazette for "MDO"
   Credits: Nell Piche, Lori Mitchell

Ad Campaign Award Sponsored by: AWNA

1. Wainwright Star/Edge for "Armstrongs Clothing - Not Just the Classics"
   Credits: Carrie Baumgartner
2. Claresholm Local Press for "Look who's reading the Local Press"
   Credits: Amanda Zimmer, Skyler Mantler
3. Rocky Mountain House Mountaineer for "Everything H2O water and hottub"
   Credits: Shelly Safronetz, Jean Vos

Best Local News Story Sponsored by: AWNA

1. St. Albert Gazette for "Big Lake blaze creates towering inferno"
   Credits: Kevin Ma
2. Rocky Mountain Outlook for "Shooting incident suspect arrested"
   Credits: Jordan Small
3. High River Times for "Downtown changes prompt business owners' opinions"
   Credits: Kevin Rushworth