MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Winners of the 2013 Alabama Press Association Better Newspaper Contest were announced Saturday during the 2013 Alabama Press Association Summer Convention at the Hilton Sandestin in Destin, Fla.

At the conclusion, The Selma Times-Journal was named one of the top small, daily newspapers in the state of Alabama after having earned a total of 20 editorial and advertising awards.

Among those awards announced, the Times-Journal was named the recipient of the top advertising award in its division — Sweepstakes — and was named second overall in the General Excellence category, only coming in behind the Opelika-Auburn News.

“I’m extremely proud of our staff for being recognized as one of the best newspapers in the state,” Times-Journal publisher Dennis Palmer said. “They pour their heart and soul in to their service to the community and it shows in the stories they write and the photos they take, which is something I’m convinced the judges saw when comparing the Times-Journal to others in our peer group.”

On the editorial side of the contest, the Times-Journal received the following in addition to the General Excellence Award:

• Best Use of Photographs and Editorial Content: First place
• Best Special Section: First place for the 2012 Horizons edition entitled “Letters from Home”
• Best Local Sports Column: Second place for former Times-Journal reporter Robert Hudson’s column calling on Selma and Dallas County to schedule one another in high school basketball
• Best Use of Graphics and Illustrations: Second place for a Life&Style section designed by Katie Wood
• Best Niche Publication: Second place for one of the editions of Spanish Moss published in 2012
• Best Photo Essay: Second place for a series of photographs taken by Sarah Cook from the 2012 Central Alabama Fair
• Best Public Service: Third place for the newspaper’s series on the YMCA of Selma’s debt crisis and the campaign to help save the facility
• Best Editorial Page: Third place
• Best Local Economic Coverage: Third place
• Best Spot News Story: Third place for coverage of the heavy rains in August 2012 that caused spotted flooding in portion of Selma’s historic Old Town
• Best News Feature Story: Third Place for Ashley Johnson’s feature on whether constables are still a needed office in Dallas County
• Best News Photo: Third place for a photograph taken by Tim Reeves at vigil in Beloit in September 2012 for Adline George who remains missing

As for the advertising awards earned, the Times-Journal received the following in addition to winning Sweepstakes:

• Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section: First place for the 2012 Horizons edition entitled “Letters from Home”
• Best Original or Creative Idea: First place for the production of the Historic Selma map
• Best Signature Page: First place for the ABC’s of Christmas created by Michelle Coleman
• Best Ad ½ Page or Under, Color: Second place for an ad for the city of Selma’s recycling program entitled “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.”
• Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section: Second place for the 2012 edition of Salute to Industry
• Best Signature Page: Second place for a page entitled “A Mother’s Day Treat”

The awards reflect work produced by newspapers between January and December 2012. The Kentucky Press Association judged the entries.

“It was an absolute pleasure to see the hard work put forth by the staff honored in such a huge way,” Times-Journal editor Tim Reeves said. “I’ve always said we do not produce a newspaper each day for awards, but it is nice to have the hard work recognized by your peers.”