Lebanon Express photographer Robin Camp was awarded a first place plaque in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA) 2008 Better Newspaper Contest. The photo, in the sports category, was of an accident at Willamette Speedway.

Camp also won a second place award for a feature photo of a driver at the 2007 Mountain Mud Festival and a third place award for a sports photo of a baseball player sliding into home.

Sports reporter Rachel Beck was awarded a second place certificate in the sports page design category.

Former Express feature writer Sharon Zwierzyna won a third place award in the religion coverage category for a story about the reconciliation of two churches.

The Lebanon Express, which is owned by Lee Enterprises, Inc., competed against other weekly papers with circulation of 3,500 or less.

The Albany Democrat-Herald and Corvallis Gazette-Times, also owned by Lee Enterprises, also garnered awards, both competing as daily newspapers with circulation of 10,001 to 25,000.

Democrat-Herald awards were firsts in general excellence, sports photo and feature photo; seconds in special section or issue, sports photo, photo essay, news photo and spot news coverage; and thirds in educational coverage, sports photo and enterprise reporting.

Gazette-Times awards were firsts in page one design and local column; seconds in coverage of business and economic issues and feature photo; and thirds in coverage of business and economic issues and sports story.

Contest entries were for 2007 stories, photos, headlines and page design. Fifty-five newspapers of the 88 ONPA general members submitted entries and 53 won awards in one or more of the 29 categories. The contest was judged by members of the Colorado Press Association.

Winners were announced Friday at the ONPA summer convention at Salishan Resort in Gleneden Beach.

ONPA, founded in 1887, is a professional association of the state's daily and nondaily paid-circulation newspapers.

A complete list of winners is posted on the ONPA website at www.orenews.com. Choose "Contests" from the Members tab.