A total of four first place awards, two second, and three third earned the Wetzel Chronicle a third place general excellence award in the West Virginia Press Association 2008 Better Newspaper Contest. The winners were announced Saturday at Snowshoe Resort, culminating the annual WVPA convention.

The newspaper competes in division four-the highest circulation (5,000 and up) weekly division in West Virginia. Awards are given in 25 categories and the general excellence honors are given based on total points accumulated from awards within those categories.

Sports Writer Bruce Crawford garnered many accolades, with the pinnacle being first place in the sports section category for his Football 2008 preview section. He also earned second place for a photo of a Paden City Wildcat jump ball and two third place honors-one for a beautiful scene of the Williamstown and Magnolia football lines ready to engage under a sunset painted sky and one for the sports pages in the Nov. 26, 2008, edition.

Editor Amy Witschey captured first place in the written news story category for her story in the illegal immigration operation bust that included El Caporal Restaurante in New Martinsville. She also received second place for a feature photo taken during the Paden City Labor Day Celebration parade and third place honors for best editorial page.

Former Staff Writer Brenda Dorsey was also recognized, first place, for her in-depth reporting involving numerous articles on the oil and gas boom in Wetzel County. Another first was given to Dorsey in the governmental affairs category for her coverage of the controversy over all-terrain vehicle limitations in Paden City.

The Wetzel Chronicle’s sister publication, Tyler Star News, earned two second place awards and two honorable mentions in their division, five.

Also during the WVPA convention, Wetzel County native Cecil B. Highland Jr. was one of two inductees into the West Virginia Press Hall of Fame. Highland was president and general manager of Clarksburg Publishing Company until his death in 2002.

The other inductee was Eldora Marie Bolyard Nuzum, 19262004, the first female editor of a daily newspaper in West Virginia. A memorial plaque in honor of both inductees will be housed at the WVPA office in Charleston and at the WVU School of Journalism.