Williams receives first place at state newspaper contest
News | Published on February 3, 2026 at 3:15pm EST | Author: frazeevergas
0Over 4,100 entries received in annual BNC contest
By Chad Koenen
Publisher
Frazee-Vergas Forum Editor Robert Williams received first place for a feature story he wrote as part of the annual Minnesota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest. Williams was recognized during the 159th annual Minnesota Newspaper Convention that was held at the Marriot Hotel in Brooklyn Center last week. More than 4,100 entries were received for the annual Better Newspaper Contest.
The Better Newspaper Contest recognized work completed from September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025. The Frazee-Vergas Forum competes in the category of weekly newspapers with a circulation between 1,001-1,500.
Williams received first place in the category of Human Interest Story – Personality Feature/Profile for a feature story he wrote about longtime Spanky’s server Loris Wenger.
The Frazee-Vergas Forum’s sister publications the Citizen’s Advocate and New York Mills Dispatch were also recognized at the state contest.
The NY Mills Dispatch received four awards in the category of newspapers with a circulation under 1,000 with graphic artist Rachel Poster receiving third place in the category of best advertisement, as well as publisher Chad Koenen who took first place in the category of sports feature story. The Dispatch also placed second in the category of General Reporting and Use of Photography as a Whole.
The Citizen’s Advocate received nine awards, including second place in three categories including Editorial Page as a Whole, Sports Reporting and Use of Photography as a Whole.
Poser received first place in the category of best
advertisement for an ad she created for First National Bank’s tailgate party.
Koenen took first and second place in the category of news photography. The first place entry was of a picture he took of kindergarten students throwing snowballs during the Christmas program, while he took second place for a picture he took of the Veterans Days program. Koenen also took second place in the category of best columnist and third place in the categories of hard news for a story he wrote about the Henning School Board’s intentions to stay as Heninng Hornets for athletics, as well as in the category of human interest story – news feature- for a story he wrote on the one year anniversary of the disappearance of Robert Shaw.