News Summary
At the South Carolina Press Association awards, The Island News from Beaufort received 18 awards, showcasing their excellence in community journalism. This marks their sixth consecutive winning streak, with notable wins in various reporting categories including government and sports. The publisher expressed pride in their dedicated team’s hard work and gratitude to the supportive community. This achievement emphasizes the importance of local journalism and its positive impact on the community.
Island Publication Shines at State Awards Ceremony
Columbia, SC – The buzz is alive and well in the cozy town of Beaufort as the local publication, The Island News, took the spotlight at the recent South Carolina Press Association awards luncheon held on April 4, 2025. Marking their sixth consecutive winning streak, the dedicated team has racked up an impressive total of 18 coveted awards! This recognition showcases the exceptional talent and commitment to community journalism that the small team brings to the table.
Evans Leads with Community Pride
At the heart of this achievement is the publisher, who has expressed immense pride in the accomplishments of the hardworking staff and gratitude towards the supportive Beaufort community. This strong bond between the publication and its readers has undoubtedly contributed to their continued success.
Category D Dominance
Competing in the challenging Category D, which includes the largest weekly newspapers across the state, The Island News has truly distinguished itself from the pack. The recognition at the awards luncheon serves as a testament to the dynamic duo of Editor Mike McCombs and Assistant Editor Delayna Earley, who each secured a remarkable two first-place awards. Their collaboration on a rather unique story—a boat crashing through the window of a Waffle House in Port Royal—garnered them the first-place award in the Short Story category.
Celebrating Excellence in Government and Sports Reporting
Besides the jaw-dropping boat incident report, Earley also shone bright with her first-place win in Government Reporting. Meanwhile, McCombs struck gold once more with a first-place award in the Open Weekly Division for Sports Headline Writing. Their talents truly exemplify the depth of coverage the publication provides to the community.
Creative Design Takes Center Stage
Page designer Hope Shreve and beloved photographer Bob Sofaly also made a huge impact at the awards ceremony, boasting a total of five awards each. Shreve’s creative prowess landed her first, second, and third-place accolades in the Sports Page Design category and additional high rankings in the Page One Design category. On the other hand, Sofaly showcased his incredible talent through a series of stunning photographs, including first and second places in the Sports Action Photo category and awards in other areas such as Pictorial and Spot News Photo categories, and a humorous nod with a third-place win in the Humorous Photo category.
Spotlight on Columnists and Photographers
Wes Kerr made waves once again by repeating his impressive first-place victory in the Spot Sports Story category. Meanwhile, Terry Manning, who previously took home first place, secured a third-place spot in Column Writing this year. Not to be forgotten, Amber Hewitt celebrated her debut award, taking home a third-place win in the Feature Photo category.
Lowcountry Weekly Joins the Celebration
The accolades didn’t stop there! Lowcountry Weekly, the sister publication, also took home two well-deserved awards, with Margaret Evans earning second-place honors in both Column Writing and Arts & Entertainment Writing.
All of this adds up to a fantastic year of recognition and accomplishment for The Island News, a bright example of community journalism that continues to inspire and inform. The commitment to high-quality reporting by its dedicated staff shows that, at a time when news is more important than ever, local journalism is alive and well!
For those interested in reaching out, Mike McCombs, the Editor, is available at [email protected]. Here’s to many more successful years of bringing news to Beaufort!
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Additional Resources
- The Island News Wins 18 SC Press Association Awards
- Island Packet: Local News
- Lowcountry Lifetime Achievement Awards Celebrate 2025 Winners
- Glenn Miller to Receive Inaugural USCB Alumni Awards
- Google Search: Community Journalism
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