The Wetzel Chronicle Staff. Front row from left: Lisa Northcraft, advertising; Amy Witschey, editor; Diann Wright, circulation. Back row: Bruce Crawford, sports; Tammy Bucy, advertising; Miranda Stokes, staff writer; Bill Abraham, staff writer.

The Wetzel Chronicle earned four editorial awards and one advertising award in the West Virginia Press Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. A banquet was held Saturday at The Resort at Glade Springs near Beckley, W.Va.

The newspaper competes in division four-the highest circulation (5,000 and up) weekly division in West Virginia. The paper received two first place awards. They were in the categories of Service to the Community for the newspaper’s efforts at fighting the area’s drug abuse problem and for Best Special Section, the Paden City High School Alumni 2009 edition.

“I am particularly happy with the Service to the Community award,” said Editor Amy Witschey. “We made a concerted effort to present informative and hopefully eye-opening stories, artwork, and editorials to help combat the local drug problem.”

Witschey earned two third-place awards in the categories of Best Coverage of Legal Issues/Courts for a story titled “Biggest Pill Dealer In County Is Sentenced” and Best Lifestyle Columnist for her Taking Aim column.

The Wetzel Chronicle’s sister paper, the Tyler Star News, received five editorial awards and captured second place general excellence in their division in the WVPA Advertising Awards Contest.

Also during the WVPA Convention, G. Ogden Nutting was presented the Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award.

See the related story at www.wetzelchronicle.com/page/content.detail/id/503378/Nutting-Receives-Kelly-Honor.html?nav=5001