Gulf Coast Media newspapers win 3 Alabama Press Awards

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Gulf Coast Media’s newspaper group won five awards this year in the Alabama Press Association’s first round of the annual Better Newspaper Contest - including three first place awards. The group includes The Baldwin Times, The Onlooker, The Islander and The Courier.

Courier Editor Cliff McCollum snagged two first place wins. Those were for, In-Depth News Coverage, for “Baldwin Behind Bars” an inside look at the Baldwin County jail, and another for best humorous column.

McCollum outdid himself in the Best Humorous Column and earned the second place spot as well. He also placed second in Best News Feature Cover Story with his piece, “A look inside the Baldwin County Animal Shelter.

Features Editor Allison Marlow won first place for Best Feature Story for “Making the Band.” Marlow followed the Elberta High School band for four months as the students and director navigated their first year in existence.

This year, 90 publications from across Alabama submitted 3,394 entries in the annual contest. The Illinois Press Association membership judged the entries.

The awards will be presented on Saturday, June 29 at the 2019 APA Summer Convention at the Perdido. Additional awards will be announced at that event.