The Press newspapers this week received six awards in the National Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper and Better Newspaper Advertising contests. The contests covered content published in 2010.

Columnist and Copy Editor Ger Erickson was awarded First Place for Best Humorous Column for the whimsical tale of his encounter with the mythical coyote god Ohlétteh. Said the judges, “Well written and original, great read, well done.”

Staff Writer Samie Hartley grabbed two awards, earning Honorable Mention for Best Feature Story for her piece on a chef who survived Hurricane Katrina and came to cook in Brentwood. She also received an Honorable Mention for her series of Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back stories about Relay For Life, which judges said were “Well-written features; much better than the usual Relay For Life effort.”

The Press also picked up awards for its advertising, including First Place for Best Small-Page Ad; First place for Best Classifieds; and Second Place for Best Use of Ad Color.

Established in 1885, the National Newspaper Association is the voice of America’s community newspapers and the largest newspaper association in the nation.

“Once again, The Press has received national acclaim for the work done by the talented people we’re fortunate enough to have in every department,” said Managing Editor Rick Lemyre. “I couldn’t be prouder or more appreciative of the people I get to work with each and every day.”