Morris and Gonzalez announced as winners in Illinois Press Association contest
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Randolph County Herald Tribune has been recognized by the Illinois Press Association (IPA) for outstanding journalism. The winners were recognized at the IPA's annual convention held in Springfield.
Former reporter Dave Morris placed second for government beat reporting. Morris' winning story was on local school districts and their budgets.
Judges' comments included, "Solid reporting on the schools beat, Nice job of explaining impact."
Morris has previously won within the IPA state competition, including first place in 2008 for government beat reporting.
The Randolph County Herald Tribune's contributing photographer Jennifer Gonzalez, in her first year entering, collected two awards.
Gonzalez placed second for a front page photo series of Chester's Veteran's Day ceremony. Judges comments included, "Very nice use of color and framing to get good tight photos."
Gonzalez also received an honorable mention for a general news photograph of a young cub scout standing at attention during the same Veteran's Day ceremony. The judges comments included, "Appropriately tight on primary subject's face."
Gonzalez is currently a senior at Southern Illinois Univeristy - Carbondale where she is studying photojournalism.
More than 100 daily and non-daily newspapers throughout Illinois competed in 36 editorial categories including more than 3,800 editorial entries.
The IPA was founded in 1865 as an organization for Illinois publishers. It has evolved into the largest state newspaper association in the country representing more than 400 daily and weekly newspapers.
The Association recognizes outstanding journalism and advertising through two newspaper contests.