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ORANGE BEACH – The Redstone Rocket had another good showing in the Alabama Press Association’s 2025 Better Newspaper contest. This year the paper placed second overall in its division.
“We’re proud of our team for continuing our tradition as one of the state’s best newspapers,” Skip Vaughn, Rocket editor, said. “The Redstone Rocket is the only Army newspaper that competes annually in the Alabama Press Association awards program. It represents an outstanding collaboration between the Army and Tennessee Valley Media, our civilian enterprise publisher. We have a great team, and our top two finish proves it every year.”
Members of the Rocket’s staff brought home a total of 42 awards, the most the paper has ever won.
“Each member of the Rocket’s team is extremely talented and versatile, which is apparent by the wide variety of awards won by its staff,” Jonathan Stinson, the Rocket’s assistant editor, said.
“Marian Accardi is singlehandedly responsible for our second place finish in the best local education coverage category and our third-place finish in the best local economic coverage category.
“Erin Enyinda’s work with the Rocket’s social media accounts earned a second and third place finish in the best use of social media category. Her video interviews with Col. Wendy Gray and Sonnie Hereford won second and third place awards in the best use of video over two minutes category.
“Eric Schultz, a lifelong photojournalist, won a third-place award for his feature on John Breashears, and a second-place award for his news feature about a local group of astronomers expressing their concerns about the city’s bright lights.
“They’re truly an amazing group of people.”
There were five first-place awards in the categories of best use of photographs and editorial content, best humorous column, best news photo, best use of video (less than two minutes) and best signature page.
The staff won 20 second-place awards and 17 third-place awards.
“I’m so proud of the staff,” French Salter, the Rocket’s general manager, said. “Their work and commitment to serving the Redstone community through the Rocket is top shelf. To be recognized in such a way reinforces the work as well as sets Redstone Rocket apart as being one of the premier publications in the state as well as the nation.”
Overall, 53 publications submitted more than 1,700 entries. The Michigan Press Association served as this year’s judges.
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