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The Mercury recognized at the recent SWNA awards virtual ceremony

The Estevan Mercury was recognized on a number of fronts at the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Awards, which were announced during a virtual ceremony on May 17.

The Estevan Mercury was recognized on a number of fronts at the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Awards, which were announced during a virtual ceremony on May 17.

In the General Excellence Awards, the Mercury was entered in Class C, with newspapers that have a circulation of 2,000-6,499. It took home top spot for the best editorial page, with the judges providing praise for the general comment and the appearance of the page.

The Mercury also finished second in the best overall newspaper competition, receiving a score of 861 out of 1,000 possible points. The paper received perfect scores for its community news, local features, sports and classified advertising, and also received high marks for its photography, advertising content, advertising design and overall presentation.

Mercury editor David Willberg was a finalist in two categories. He was second for the best recreation story for his article on former Estevan resident Bert Ter Hart, who spent 267 days at sea in 2019 and 2020 on a solo journey of the world. He became the first person from North America, and just the fifth person ever, to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation around the world via the five great capes, using only celestial navigation.

Willberg also finished third in the Best Health/Healthcare Story category for his article on the experiences of Estevan resident Katie Bell, a nurse who worked at a busy hospital in Boston early during the COVID-19 pandemic last spring.