Mineral Independent reporter Kathleen Woodford won three first-place awards and two third-place awards in the Montana Newspaper Association’s 2018 Better Newspaper Contest. The awards were announced Saturday at the group’s 133rd annual convention held in Billings..

Woodford won first-place in the “Best Breaking News” category for her January article, “Man rescued from Clark Fork River near Superior.” The judge commented that it was “a great story that was won by comments from the victim and the inclusion of several voices and all the pertinent info. I got a good picture of what the area looked like and how everything went down.”

She also won first-place in the Lifestyle Coverage category for her series on the Alberton/Superior afterschool programs as well as third-place in this category for her series on events held at the Mineral County Library. Woodford also received first-place for Best Sports Photo for an October 2017 volleyball picture of Clark Fork player Kenzie Mueller. A third-place also went to Woodford for Education Coverage for the April 26 article “St. Regis School works kinks out of new summit base camp teaching platform.”

“I’m honored to have received these awards,” Woodford said. “I want to thank all of the Mineral County residents for letting me into their homes, businesses, and lives to cover the important issues and events that happen here.”

The Mineral Independent is a part of Hagadone Montana Publishing, which has several publications in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wisconsin. The Montana papers include the Daily Inter Lake, Hungry Horse News, Lake County Leader, The Western News, Whitefish Pilot and Bigfork Eagle (digital only). Several reporters and staff in the Hagadone network received awards this year in a variety of categories and divisions.

The Mineral Independent and its sister publication, The Clark Fork Valley Press, which covers Sanders County, are in Division 1, which is for papers with a circulation of less than 1,250. Erin Jusseaume is the Clark Fork Valley Press reporter and also won several awards including first- and second-place for Best Video; first-place for Best Portrait Photo; and third for Best News Story. She also won first-place for Best Sponsor Page; and won first- and second-place for Best Niche Publication with advertising sales representative Lisa Larson.

Larson, who does work for both newspapers, also won first- and third-place for Best Ad to Promote Merchandise along with Juli Hindahl and second- and third-place for Best Ad to Promote Services.