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So, each Tuesday I write about 650 words for The Emporia Gazette.

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Tonight I felt very honored to pick up this nice piece of wood and thin sheet of metal.

My three columns that were judged as a unit were:  “Per Aspera,”  “Storm Season,” and “Mellencamp’s ‘Small Town.'”

The Kansas Press Association Awards were held this evening at the Airport Hilton in Wichita. Eighty-nine Kansas newspapers submitted more than 2,800 entries. The contest was judged by Louisiana journalists.

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Me and Gwen Larson, Managing Editor of The Emporia Gazette.

Also representing The Emporia Gazette: In the column-writing category, Ashley Knecht Walker received a second place award. In sports writing, Michael Ashford and Jesse Newell won first place awards. And Newell and C. J. Moore received third place awards, also for sports writing. Read more here.

Thanks to you all for reading my columns, for your comments and encouragement. Thanks to The Gazette for giving me space to spill my words. And thanks to my sweet Dave for, well, gosh, everything.

Oh, and he wasn’t there tonight, but my friend Tom Parker won all kinds of writing awards for the Washington County News.

(Photos by Dave Leiker.)

17 Comments

  1. Wow!! Congratulations on this well-deserved honor! We all know that you are a terrific, wonderful, magical writer and now others have noticed that, too! YEA Cheryl!!

  2. Congratulations, Cheryl. You looked beautiful!
    I loved the sign – “First Place Emporia Gazette Cheryl Unruh”
    That even had beauty!
    Also, Congratulations to Tom. FOP is very honored to have such talented friends to be associated with.
    We are very proud!
    And . . Congratulations to the Gazette staff!

  3. Congratulations, Cheryl! You deserve it. I enjoy reading your writings and site. Because of it, I feel like I’ve “almost” been to Kansas. Hope to someday.

  4. Thumbs up, and huzzah! (I wanted to say different words for “congratulations..”)

    I read your column here because I don’t ever see the Emporia paper, and I always enjoy it.

  5. Congratulations, Cheryl! I always love reading your columns. I’m so glad you post them here, or I’d never have seen them.

    I love Tom’s writing, too. Something about it just speaks to my soul. I’m glad I followed the link to his blog from your page. I need to buy a copy of his book. (Maybe I should head to amazon.com now before I forget again!)

    Hey, you don’t have a book out there, do you? Does Dave have a nice big coffee table book of his photography? I’m so glad I found you wonderful, creative Kansas people:o)

  6. Congratulations, Cheryl! You’re the best, and now you have the “nice piece of wood and thin sheet of metal” to prove it! We salute you!

  7. What an honor! I’ve been meaning to stop by and congratulate you. 🙂 Now find a prominent place to hang that award! 🙂

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