By Ginger Kozlowski
Staff Writer

NNI/Amy Vellucci Neighborhood News Inc. staffers achieved recognition in many areas from the New Hampshire Press Association on Friday, Sept. 8. In front from left are Jerry Liptak, Sapna Pathak, Rookie of the Year Jim Devine, Susan Clark and Kristin Crawford-Ellis; behind are Nicholas Brown, Rod Hansen, Christine Heiser, Joseph Edgerton, Gail Stratos, Ginger Kozlowski, Janet Cote, Darrell Halen and Bruce Preston.

MANCHESTER – Neighborhood News Inc. took home 25 awards from the New Hampshire Press Association on Friday, Sept. 8.

Named Rookie of the Year was Salem Observer reporter Jim Devine.

Second place for General Excellence went to The Salem Observer.

The reporting staff of Neighborhood News took first place for both Investigative News Story or Series and second place for the Community Journalism Award for a series on property taxes. The series ran in The Hooksett Banner, The Bedford Bulletin, The Bow Times, The Goffstown News and The Salem Observer. Writing for the series were Nicholas Brown, Jerry Liptak, Jim Devine, Darrell Halen and Joe Cox.

Neighborhood News’ sports staff was outstanding at the awards, winning first and second place for Sports Feature, noting Sapna Pathak’s writing on sports injuries and Marc Thaler’s coverage of drugs in youth sports.

Winning third place for general news story was reporter Joseph Edgerton for The Bow Times.

In photography, photo editor Bruce Preston took second place for General News Photo, first place for Spot News Photo, and first place for Picture Story. Eric Baxter, former editor of The Manchester Mirror, took first place for Business/Economic Writing.

Neighborhood News newspapers were also noted in design by the NHPA. Designer Gail Stratos took first place for Front Page Design for The Salem Observer, and first place for overall design for The Salem Observer. The Bow Times and The Hooksett Banner tied for second place for overall design. First place in design for Sports Section/Pages went to The Goffstown News. Third place went to The Salem Observer’s Janet Cote, Bruce Preston and Jim Devine for Arts and Entertainment Section/Pages.

In the advertising awards, Kristin Crawford-Ellis won first place for Local Advertising, Black and White, first place for Local Advertising, Color and third place for Sponsorship Pages, Black and White. Karen Reynolds took second place for Sponsorship Pages, Black and White, and Sue Pirog took first place for Sponsorship Page, Color. Gail Stratos also won second place for Advertising Supplement, and first and second place for Advertising Supplement Covers.