Havre Daily News wins statewide awards

The Havre Havre Daily News’ advertising department and the news department each took home a first-place award in the Better Newspaper Contest this weekend at the annual Montana Newspaper Association contest in Missoula.

Page designer Caleb Hutchins won first place in the headline category in the division for small daily newspapers and large weeklies. He won the award for a for a series of headlines.

“Best headlines across all subdivisions of this contest. Congratulations!!!,” wrote a judge from the North Dakota Newspaper Association. “If I move to Montana someday, I will subscribe to your newspaper. Your headlines makes these articles irresistible!!.”

The Advertising Department won a first-place award for a black-and-white house ad for Henny Penny Cupcakes.

“Ad has a good flow. Simple, but effective,” judges said.

The Havre Daily News also won the following awards at the convention:

• The Advertising Department won a third-place prize for best special section for the newspaper’s How-To guide.

• Sports Editor George Ferguson won a second-place award in the column writing category.

• Daniel Horton won second place in the best sports photo contest.

• The sports staff, under Ferguson’s leadership, won third place in the best sports section contest.

• The Advertising Department finished second in the best single house ad contest.

• Advertising finished third in the multi-sponsored ad category.

• The newspaper’s website finished third in the best website contest.

• The Havre Daily News finished third in the best freedom-of-information effort. The newspaper successfully fought efforts to force reporter Zach White to testify about newsgathering efforts in the case of then-City Councilman Rick Dow, who was charged with violating the city‘s ban on using a cell phone use while driving.