Bank of Holly Springs
Article Image Alt Text

Dillon Day’s photo of the downtown Holly Springs fireworks show won a first-place award, as did (below) Ronnie Day’s sports photo from a spring game between Byhalia and Coffeeville.

Article Image Alt Text
Article Image Alt Text

Editor Barry Burleson displays Ronnie’s first-place plaque, while Dillon shows off his first-place award.

Article Image Alt Text

Pictured with their certificates of recognition are (from left) Penny Lomenick, Barry Burleson and Sue Watson. The South Reporter competes in the largest circulation category for weekly newspapers in the state.

Newspaper wins six awards, including two firsts

The South Reporter won six awards Saturday in the Mississippi Press Asso­ciation’s 2017 Better News­paper Contest.

Highlighting the honors was a pair of first-place awards for the father and son duo of Ronnie Day and Dillon Day.

Ronnie, who passed away in January of this year at the age of 58, was a regular contributor to the newspaper as a photographer. Dillon has followed in his dad’s footsteps.

Ronnie’s first-place award came in the Best Sports Action Photo category. It was a photo of Byhalia and Coffeeville competing in a spring football jamboree contest.

The judges wrote – “Love the grimace on the Coffeeville player’s face as he prepares himself for impact with the ground. I’d love to know how big No. 55 ended up with the ball.”

Dillon’s first-place award came in the Best Feature Photo category. It was a photograph from the City of Holly Springs’ downtown fireworks display last year.

The judges simply wrote – “what a show” – about his photo of fireworks lighting up the sky adjacent to the clock on top of the Marshall County courthouse.

“Dillon told me the week before I left for the awards ceremony – ‘I hope my dad wins something,’ ” publisher Barry Burleson said.

“Needless to say, when both Ronnie’s and Dillon’s names were announced as first-place award winners Saturday, I immediately smiled and then also held back a few tears.

“The Day family is a part of the extended South Reporter family. We love them dearly, and we miss Ronnie so very much.

“Ronnie was an outstanding photographer, and we know he would be so proud that his son is taking up that same love for photography.

“Saturday was indeed a special day for the Days and for The South Reporter.”

This year’s convention was held in New Orleans in conjunction with the Louisiana Press Association.

Photographer Penny Lomenick won a second-place award in the Best Sports Feature Photo category. Her photo, “The sweetest of victories,” ran on the front page and featured some of the Marshall Aca­demy Lady Patriots celebrating a state softball championship.

Staff writer Sue Watson won a third-place award in the Best Planned Series category. The initial story was about a body found at Chewalla Lake and was followed up with articles on the investigation and an arrest in the murder case.

Editor and publisher Barry Burleson won a pair of third-place awards for Best Sports News Story and Best Sports Feature for articles about newly-hired coaches in Marshall County.

The 2017 Better News­paper Contest was judged by volunteers from the South Carolina Press Association. Fifty-one newspapers submitted a total of 2,307 entries into this year’s editorial contest.

The South Reporter competes in the largest circulation category for weekly newspapers in the state.

“Awards are special, but more than anything else, it is our goal to serve our community to the best of our ability,” Burleson said. “We appreciate everyone’s support.”

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
FAX: (662) 252-3388
www.southreporter.com