Argus Observer takes home state honors

The Argus Observer in Ontario, Oregon, took home two awards in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2018 Better Newspaper Contest.

Argus entries were entered in dailies with 10,000 or less circulation.

Editor Leslie Thompson won first place in Page One Design. Judging was based on use of headlines, photography, content, makeup and typography.

The newspaper also took home third place in spot news coverage. Stories submitted in this category follow.

“Police Suspect arson in string of Payette crimes” by Hunter Marrow was a story about a string of fires started on the same night throughout Payette.

"Storm Troopers” by Hunter Marrow and Rob Ruth was an article about how communities within the Western Treasure Valley came together to battle a record snow year.

Rob Ruth’s “Snow load crushes Weiser Lanes,” about how the snow load on a decades-old bowling alley brought the building down.