Ledger staffers win seven SCPA awards

STAFF REPORT

HILLIARD The Gaffney Ledger received seven awards for its reporting, photography and page design in this year’s South Carolina Press Association contest.

The contest offers an opportunity for journalists from the state’s weekly and daily newspapers to showcase their work. This year’s contest entries were judged by members of the Texas Press Association and the awards were presented Friday in Greenville during the SCPA’s annual convention.

Sports editor Larry Hilliard won first place honors in sports enterprise reporting for his coverage of former Gaffney High standout Nick Melton’s efforts in the court system to regain his athletic eligibility at Dorman High School. Hilliard received third place in enterprise reporting for “At the bottom of the pay scale barrel,” a story on the low salaries earned by county employees.

Features writer Scott Baughman was awarded second place in enterprise reporting for his “On Deadly Ground?” story about naturally-occurring asbestos near two old iron mines in Cherokee County.

Baughman earned a second place in business reporting. He received second place in the J.L. Sims Award for spot news category for his “Interstate Fire” photo.

Scott Powell was awarded a third place award for his feature series “CTC Up Close” about the different trade programs offered to high school students at Cherokee Technology Center.

Larry B. Littlejohn received third place in sports page design.