The Chief last week was judged the best all-around newspaper in Canada in its circulation category.
Squamish's community newspaper was named the winner for Best All-Around Newspaper among papers with circulations between 3,000 and 3,999 at the 2012 Canadian Community Newspaper Association (CCNA) awards gala in Toronto. Rounding out the three finalists in the category were The Fitzhugh (Jasper, Alta.) and the Gulf Islands Driftwood (Salt Spring Island).
"The Squamish Chief understands presentation and for that reason barely edged out the Jasper Fitzhugh solely due to its superior front page and an incredible Day in the Life supplement," wrote the judge.
The Chief also won the competition for Best Front Page in the same category, and finished second in the competition for Best Website in the 3,999 and under circulation category.
Special thanks to freelance photographer Rich Duncan, whose close-up shot of a Pacific white-sided dolphin in Howe Sound graced the front page of the May 27, 2011, edition of The Chief, one of the newspaper's two submissions in the General Excellence and Best Front Page categories.
Chief reporter Rebecca Aldous captured a third-place award in the Best Feature Story (circulation up to 3,999) for a feature entitled "Seeking shelter," about the effort to find safe beds for wayward teens in Squamish.
"Aldous shines a light on the difficulties faced by homeless teens with nowhere to go in Squamish," the judge in the Best Feature category wrote. "Aldous takes a look at the fragmented system of friends, social services and good Samaritans who try to step into the void and offers the possibility of change in the future."
The awards were announced just a week after The Chief was named winner of the Best All-Around Newspaper award in its circulation category at the B.C. and Yukon Community Newspaper Association competition.
