Journalists from across West Virginia gathered at the Resort at Glade Springs in Daniels, this past weekend to celebrate the best of the best at the West Virginia Press Association Convention and Better Newspaper Contest Awards.

The staff of The Pocahontas Times had reason to celebrate.
In the advertising contest, Sunny Given won first place for Best Single Black and White Ad under half page and Kim Totten won third place for Best Classified Display Ad.

The editorial staff won several awards as well.

Suzanne Stewart won first place in best headline news for "Road tested roadkill recipes sure to make you salivate" and third place in excellence in photography ﾖ photo essay for the Butterfly Festival.

Geoff Hamill received second place in best coverage of governmental affairs for his series on the state line dispute in conjunction with the windmill project on Tamarack Ridge.

Along with receiving awards, The Pocahontas Times celebrated another prestigious accomplishment.

Editor Pamela Pritt was named President of the WVPA Saturday morning during the conference.

"It's not a popularity contest, it's a matter of how much time you've been on the board," Pritt said. "I was treasurer, then I spent two years as Vice President of weeklies and then this year I'll be president."

The Pocahontas Times has been a member of the WVPA since it's inception and Pritt became a member in 1995.

"When I began in the newspaper business, there were a lot of things I didn't know about and the Press Association provided that education for me," she said. "I learned a lot both through the former executive director Bill Childress and current executive director Gloria Flowers."

After serving 13 years on the board, Pritt is prepared to take her place as president.

"It's quite an honor to be president of a prestigious state-wide group," she said. "It's a responsibility that I think I'm ready for after my time on the board. It's not a president out in front and leading type position. It's a number of newspaper people, publishers and the WVPA staff behind that person with the title. No one can do it alone, but certainly with that team behind me, I feel pretty confident that we can have a great year."

The Charleston Daily Mail's Nanya Friend was elected Vice President of daily newspapers and David Corcoran of the Glenville Democrat was elected Vice President of weeklies.

Pritt's duties as president will include speaking at the Legislative breakfast in January, planning and conducting the fall retreat in November, the budget meeting in June, and the general membership meeting in August.

After serving as president, Pritt plans to continue serving on committees as immediate past president, as well as on the Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award committee.

Following in the footsteps of Jane Price Sharp, Pritt said it is an honor to be the seventh female president of the WVPA.

"Jane Price Sharp was the second female president in 1967," Pritt said. "She was one of the original leaders of this organization and I hope she's proud of me and I think she is."

Sharp, the newspaper's Editor Emerita, is a lifetime member of the West Virginia Press Association and, in 1995, won the Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award.