02/29/08 — News-Argus brings home six awards

View Archive

News-Argus brings home six awards

By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on February 29, 2008 1:55 PM

CARY -- Members of the News-Argus staff traveled to Cary Thursday for the North Carolina Press Association's annual awards banquet and brought six awards in writing and photography back to Goldsboro from the news, editorial and photojournalism competition.

The newspaper's 2007 Progress edition, "Portraits," was also honored, receiving third place in the special section category.

Winning entries include:

* "Innocent," 2nd place, General News Reporting. This story, written and researched by staff writers Kenneth Fine, Nick Hiltunen, Anessa Myers, Matthew Whittle and Lee Williams, was written in two versions on deadline and chronicled the vindication of Dwayne Dail, a local man wrongfully imprisoned for 18 years before DNA evidence cleared him of the rape charges that landed him behind bars.

* "Innocent," 3nd place, General News Photography. Judges said Bobby Williams' shot told the story. Shortly after the judge said "You are a free man," there was Dwayne Dail -- arms extended, smiling. He had been waiting 18 years to hear a judge confirm what he had always proclaimed, that he did not rape his 12-year-old accuser.

* "Wings Over Wayne," 2nd place, Photo Page. Photographers Greg Sousa, Mitch Loeber and Bobby Williams documented a day on the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base tarmac at last year's Wings Over Wayne Air Show.

* "A soldier's memories, service ... and the flag," 3rd place, Profile Feature Writing. Written by Kenneth Fine, this piece tells the story of retired Army Maj. Bob Stone, a Vietnam veteran and Silver Star winner with stories to spare and was published in advance of Independence Day.

* "Mr. Wuf, revealed," 3rd place, Sports Feature Writing. Life as North Carolina State's mascot is only one of the challenges Calvin Cole takes in stride. The other, the one that nearly killed him, is diabetes. In this story, Fine reveals the vulnerability of the young man under the wolf.