The “General Excellence” plaque presented to the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune newspaper at the Awards Banquet for the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s annual convention.

WENATCHEE – The Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune was recognized by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association with a third place General Excellence Award at their annual convention, held this year in Wenatchee.

Bill Forhan, publisher of the Gazette-Tribune and the four other community newspapers in the North Central Washington Media group accepted the plaque for the weekly publication and offered congratulations to the staff. The plaque, the second one received by the Gazette-Tribune, was presented at the awards dinner on Friday, Oct. 1 at the WNPA’s 122nd Convention.

The newspaper’s staff also received several individual awards. Charlene Helm, advertising representative, took home a first place for her “Red Hot Deals” group of ads. Gary DeVon, managing editor, received a first place for Best Business Story “Heavy Haul Corridor results in more jobs for Oroville” and a first place for Color Portrait for his photo “Not just fiddling around.” Emily Hanson was awarded a third place for Best Personality Profile – Short “From POW to retiree.”

NCW Media Inc. publishes the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune, Quad City Herald, Lake Chelan Mirror, Cashmere Valley Record and Leavenworth Echo. Altogether the group took home more than two dozen awards from the convention.