The Wilmington StarNews has been recognized by the North Carolina Press Association for excellence in reporting, writing, newsletters and photography.
The honors recognize content published between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, and highlight the work of StarNews journalists across sports, news, features and photography.
The StarNews competes in Division E, which includes newspapers with a total digital and print circulation greater than 20,000 or whose primary editorial focus is a single municipality with a population of 120,000 or more, and distribute aprint product multiple days per week.
This division includes the largest newspapers in North Carolina, making the recognition a testament to the quality and impact of the StarNews' work among
the state's leading publications, Executive Editor Sherry Jones said.
"I'm extremely proud of our staff and thankful for their expertise, passion and dedication," Jones said. "The StarNews has been providing essential local news coverage for more than 150 years. These awards reflect the hard work our journalists put in every day to keep readers informed."
Awards were presented in various categories, including sports news reporting, email newsletters, photography and feature writing.
The following is a look at the specific awards received by the StarNews during a ceremony Sept. 10 in Cary.
First place
- Staff: Sports Coverage , Editions from March 1 and March 2, 2026
Second place
- Gareth McGrath: Beat Feature Reporting, Pearl of the coast: How UNCW researchers are helping NC's oyster and shellfish farmers
- Allison Ballard: Email newsletter, Port City Foodies
- Renee Spencer: Serious Columns, 'Southport Strong'; What I've learned; Rejection is a bump in the road
Third place
- John Staton: Beat Feature Reporting, 'Bare' necessities: Back in the day, Carolina Beach Boardwalk hosted a strip club or two
- Renee Spencer, Savanna Tenenoff, Bob Liepa: Breaking News Coverage, Mass shooting in Southport
- Ken Blevins: Photography, Sports Feature, Hoggard girls basketball
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: StarNews staff recognized for excellence in reporting, photography
