BVD makes respectable showing in 2022 Better Newspaper Contest

The Blackfoot Valley Dispatch didn't do too badly in this year's annual Montana Newspaper Associations Better Newspaper Contest, despite cutting back significantly on the number of submissions.

The BVD, a Division 1 newspaper with a circulation of fewer than 1250, picked up a total of ten awards for photography and writing and even one for an ad.

We brought home a first place for Best Feature Photo for "Feathering her Nest" an image by Roger Dey of a female Mountain Bluebird carrying a beak full of nesting material to a birdhouse on Stemple Pass Road.

We also scored a first-place recognition in Best Portrait Photo for an image of Cindy Meiler getting a friendly nibble on the hand from her old donkey M&M.

The final first place image came in the category of Best General News Photo, for Dey's photo of Bridget Creel from Girls on Shred taking a ride at the Lincoln Skatepark.

The photo of a contestant in the Ring of Fire being flipped in the air at last year's Lincoln Rodeo scored a close second place in the Best Sports photo category, rounding out the photo awards for the paper.

Turning to writing, a story about the history of the Canyon Creek Store brought Dey a first-place nod for Best Feature Story, while his look at the legacy left by the Unabomber's arrest here 25 years ago took first in Best Lifestyle Coverage.

Other awards include a third-place win in Best Lifestyle Coverage for Dey's story on the 2021 vintage snowmobile show and fun run; a third place in Best News for his story on Lincoln School's rejection of funds associated with the sale of politically charged baseball caps, and third in Best Sports Feature story for his story on the Bob Purdy Tournament.

Finally, the BVD picked up a surprise second place for their ad for the Old West Christmas Fest. This year marked the first time the BVD entered advertisements in the contest.