The Hoover Sun won the Alabama Press Association's "story of the year" for a feature on the Food for our Journey nonprofit that collects leftover food and distributes it to homeless and hungry people in Birmingham. At left are Starnes Media Publisher Dan Starnes and Hoover Sun Community Editor Jon Anderson.
The Hoover Sun captured eight first-place awards at the Alabama Press Association’s 2024 Media Awards competition this weekend, including “Story of the year” for all size media markets.
Jon Anderson, community editor for the Hoover Sun, won “story of the year” for a feature on the Food for our Journey nonprofit that collects leftover food and distributes it to homeless people in Birmingham. Read that story here.
The Hoover Sun also won first place for best layout and design with leadership from the design team of Melanie Viering and Ted Perry and first place in best economic news coverage.
Anderson also won first place in the Freedom of Information/First Amendment category, which recognizes excellence in reporting that highlights the importance of a free press and open government.
Anderson in April 2023 wrote about Bluff Park resident Robin Schultz’s efforts to hold public officials accountable by making complete videos of Hoover City Council meetings available to the public on a permanent basis. This comes after city officials decided to stop recording the public comment section of meetings and start deleting videos from the city’s YouTube channel after 60 days. Schultz created a website, YouTube Channel and Facebook page called The Hoover Channel so everyone can have access to the videos in perpetuity.
Anderson also won first place for best use of a video shorter than two minutes with a video of a graduation cap toss from Spain Park High School’s graduation ceremony.
Photo Editor Erin Nelson Sweeney captured first place for best sports photo with an image of Spain Park High School softball player Katie Flannery turning a double play in an area tournament at Hewitt-Trussville High School and first place for best use of social media with a reel on Hero Doughnuts & Buns’ opening at Stadium Trace Village.
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Spain Park’s Katie Flannery (6) makes the throw to first base after recording an out at second in a game against Hewitt-Trussville during the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament at Goldie Paine Field on May 3, 2023. This photo won best sports photo for 2023 in Division E of the Alabama Press Association competition.
Sports Editor Kyle Parmley and Gary Lloyd won best podcast series for their Under the Lights weekly sports podcast during football season.
In addition to the eight first-place awards, the Hoover Sun also had 10 second-place finishes (including the general excellence award) and two third-place awards in the 2024 competition, which involved work published in 2023. The Hoover Sun competes in the Alabama Press Association’s Division E, which includes associate member newspapers and free circulation products.
Starnes Media publications, which in 2023 included the Hoover Sun, Vestavia Voice, 280 Living, The Homewood Star, Village Living and Cahaba Sun, won a total of 57 awards in this year’s APA competition.
The Redstone Rocket in Huntsville won the general excellence award for Division E, while The Birmingham Times won third place. The Redstone Rocket also won the advertising sweepstakes award.
The Alabama Press Association has four other divisions that are divided based on their number of paid subscribers.
Other first-place winners in the general excellence category were The Anniston Star, The Cullman Times, Shelby County Reporter and The Observer (in Opelika). Other advertising sweepstakes winners were The Outlook (in Alexander City), Shelby County Reporter and The Observer.
Here’s a complete list of awards won by the Hoover Sun this year:
HOOVER SUN
First-place awards:
- Story of the year and best feature story: “Food for our journey: Nonprofit fills gaps to nourish stomachs, spirits, souls” by Jon Anderson
- Freedom of Information-First Amendment award: “The Hoover Channel” by Jon Anderson
- Best layout and design
- Best economic news coverage
- Best sports photo: “Making plays” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
- Best use of social media: “Hero Doughnuts opens in Hoover” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
- Best podcast series: “Under the Lights” by Kyle Parmley and Gary Lloyd
- Best use of video shorter than 2 minutes: Spain Park Class of 2023 graduation cap toss by Jon Anderson
Second-place awards:
- General Excellence
- In-depth news coverage: “Hoover crime trends” by Jon Anderson
- Education coverage
- Lifestyle/family pages
- Newspaper website
- Business story or column: “Hoover real estate spotlight” by Jon Anderson
- Sports single-event story: “Bucs cap magical day” by Kyle Parmley
- Headline: “Food for our Journey: Nonprofit fills gaps to nourish stomachs, spirits, souls” by Jon Anderson
- Online breaking news coverage: “Hoover school board to meet Thursday about potential superintendent search” by Jon Anderson
- Production and printing
Third-place awards:
- Business story or column: “Sweet elegance: Award-winning bakery expands to Ross Bridge” by Jon Anderson
- Sports single-event story: “Never gets old: Lady Bucs accomplish mission, win 3rd straight title” by Kyle Parmley
Here are awards from other publications by Starnes Media:
280 LIVING
First-place awards:
- Best sports feature: “One of one: Briarwood senior forges unique, necessary path” by Kyle Parmley
- Best niche publication: “Under the Lights” football magazine
- Best headline: “Flying high: Briarwood student soars with epilepsy awareness efforts” by Jon Anderson
- Best advertising campaign: Ritch’s Pharmacy by Emily Vandermey
- Best regularly scheduled special advertising section: Women in Business
- Best in-paper promotion of newspaper: Home and garden by Emily VanderMey
- Best niche publication for advertising: “Under the Lights” high school football magazine
- Best single color ad over ½ page: “We’ll do it” by Ted Perry
- Best use of humor: Joe Falconer “Steer” Realtor by Ted Perry
Second-place awards:
- Advertising sweepstakes
- Local News coverage
- Sports coverage
- Sports news in-depth coverage: High school football preview
- Human interest column: “Role reversal” by Alana Smith
- Photo essay: “Celebrating the 2023 grade” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
- Single color ad 1/2 page and under: Apricot Lane by Ted Perry
- Original/creative idea: Pet Vet Express/Animal Hospital of the Hills by Ted Perry
Third-place awards:
- Education coverage
- Spot news story: “Two SCSO deputies shot while responding to welfare check in Meadowbrook” by Leah Eagle
- In-depth news coverage:”Cahaba Valley Fire District approves 2 of 4 measures” by Leah Eagle
- Sports feature: “Lions seniors remembered for on-court production, off-court relationship” by Kyle Parmley
- Local sports column: “Let them celebrate” by Kyle Parmley
- Sports photo: “One of one, Emmi Claire Willoughby” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
- Production and Printing
VESTAVIA VOICE
First-place awards:
- Best in-depth news coverage: “New growth: Vision coming into focus for lower section of US 31” by Loyd McIntosh
- Best sports single-event story: “Long time coming” by Kyle Parmley
Second-place award:
- Sports feature story: “Balancing father and coach” by Kyle Parmley
VILLAGE LIVING
First-place award:
- Best news feature: “Parallel lives of service: 2 West Point graduates, residents reflect on military service” by Leah Eagle
Third-place awards:
- Sports coverage
- Sports news in-depth coverage: High school football preview by Kyle Parmley
- Human interest column: “In a world that’s hurting, you need stubborn hope” by Kari Kampakis
- Creative use of multimedia: Jemison Park trail renovations by Erin Nelson Sweeney
THE HOMEWOOD STAR
First-place award:
- Best public service: In deep water: Study pinpoints stormwater focus areas” by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
Second-place award:
- News feature story: “Ukranian soldiers learn new sports, activities at Lakeshore” by Neal Embry and Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
Third-place award:
- Feature photo: “Ukrainian soldier rehab” by Erin Nelson Sweeney
CAHABA SUN
First-place award:
- Human interest column: “Payphoning it forward” by Gary Lloyd
