MEMPHIS – The DAILY LEADER news staff captured 14 editorialawards, including a divisional first place honor and an honorablemention against all newspapers in state, Saturday during theMississippi Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest awardsluncheon.

Staff Writer Scott Tynes received a first place award for BestPersonality Portrait for a picture of an 80-year-old woman takingher first plane ride. The award was in the Daily Division Ccategory, for newspapers with circulations under 9,000.

In the Best Editorial Cartoon category, a competition for allstate newspapers, Corey Hart received an honorable mention. Theawards were presented during the Mississippi, Arkansas, TennesseeTri-State Press Convention.

In other Daily Division C honors, Managing Editor Nanette Lasterreceived second place awards for Editorial Page, General InterestColumn and Best Headline.

Sports Editor Tom Goetz earned a second place award for BestSports Page or Section. Goetz also received a third place award forBest Sports Column.

Other individual third place honors went to Publisher BillJacobs for Best Commentary column, News Editor Matthew Coleman forBest Spot News Story and Photographer Joel Bonner for Best SpotNews Photo.

The DAILY LEADER staff was recognized with third place awardsfor Best Special Section or Issue and for Best Front Page.

Lifestyle Editor Cassandra Johnson got an honorable mention forBest Pictorial Series in One Issue. Also, Sports Writer RichardDube was given an honorable mention for Best Sports ActionPhoto.