Herald Earns Four Awards for Journalism

The Herald has won four awards in the Pennsylvania NewsMedia's 2020 Keystone Media Awards.

More than 2,700 entries were received from 122 news organizations in Pennsylvania. Entries – in 54 regular categories and eleven specialty categories across seven circulation and four broadcast divisions – were judged by journalists in Colorado.

The Herald competes in a division for weekly newspapers under 6,000 in circulation.

The Herald's winning entries were published in 2019. Awards were announced on April 30, 2020.

The Herald was recognized for:

• First Place, Sports Action Photo – "Liftoff," by Gerald T. Leidy. The photo, published on Page A-8 of the Jan. 24, 2019 edition of the Herald. The photo caught Central freshman Parker Gregg in mid-air as he drove in for a layup in a game against the Penns Valley Rams in a JV game.

Photographer "Book" Leidy spoke to the Herald about his photograph:

"I want to thank the Lord for giving me the strength and talent to create my photographs," Leidy told the Herald. "[This is] some good news for me. This is the second time I have won a first-place award in the Pennsylvania NewsMedia's annual awards. The first time was for a photograph of a football player jumping over a defense player. At the award dinner in Harrisburg, the computer screwed up and the projector had my photo on the screen the whole dinner, for 1-1/2 hours. This basketball photograph is my second first-place award image and was made with me in a wheelchair during my broken-ankle period. Just two weeks after surgery, I had help being led out of the house, down the first steps, down a ramp and into the car. What a big mistake. At the game, my ankle started to swell, with major pain. I got back home and only left the house for doctor visits. It was April until I could stand and use a walker for the first time."

• First Place, Sports Feature Photo – "C-K Repeats as District Champions" by Gary M. Baranec. The photo was published on Page A-1 of the June 6, 2019, edition. It shows four Claysburg-Kimmel softball athletes holding their trophy up high after the team won its second straight District 6 Class 1A softball championship on May 31. The Lady Bulldogs, seeded third, knocked off top-seeded Glendale 8-5 for the fifth district title in 11 years. Photographer Baranec captured the celebration of seniors Emily Claar, Madison Knisely, Jazmin Kennedy and Corryne Weyandt.

• Second Place, Personality Profile – "World War II Vet Looks Back On a Well-Lived Life," by Staff Writer Rick Boston. The story was published on Page A-1 of the Sept. 5, 2019, edition. The story profiled Saxton native John Fisher, then 92, who volunteered for the U.S. Navy during World War II.

• Honorable Mention, Ongoing News Coverage – "RS Shooting Raises Questions About Country's Mental Health System" by Staff Writer Rick Boston. The story was published on Page A-1 of the Aug. 1, 2019, edition. The story described questions being asked about the effectiveness of the country's mental health system following the officer-involved shooting of Todd Messner in Roaring Spring on July 26.

"I always liked the slogan used by the Cove Relay for Life a few years ago," said Herald Publisher Allan J. Bassler. "It was, 'Mighty, Mighty Cove' and I thought that it captured the determined spirit of our area. These awards show the same spirit. The Cove might be small, but we're mighty."

Bassler said that the awards show the power and importance of community journalism.

"The Herald is here to serve the Cove. That's the whole and entire reason that it exists," he said. "If it weren't for the Herald, what news source would there be to tell people about the Cove's events? Who else would put local faces on the front page each week? How else would local businesses be able to reach their customers?"

Bassler said that the award-winning stories and photos show that great work can be done by a small newspaper.

"Look at what these stories and photos captured," Bassler said. In Book Leidy's sports photo, you can feel the determination and drive of a young athlete. Gary Baranec's photo of four C-K softball athletes captures the honest and hard-earned joy of their victory. Rick Boston profiled someone who could easily qualify as the Cove's Most Interesting Man in one story. In the other, he used an unfortunate local event to illuminate a larger problem."

Bassler said winning the four awards is especially heartening now, when the Herald and other businesses are threatened by coronavirus-related restrictions and closings.

"These awards, along with the steady flow of subscriptions we've seen lately, are very helpful in keeping our newspaper publishing," Bassler said. "Subscriptions show the community's support and help us pay the bills. These awards remind us that we're doing a great job for our community."