Mirror editor Shawn F. Linenberger learned in April that the newspaper had won 16 awards in this year’s Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence.

Winners in this year’s daily and nondaily categories were announced during the annual Kansas Press Association Convention. This year’s awards ceremony and banquet took place Friday at The Oread Hotel in Lawrence.

The Mirror, which is in the Nondaily Division II category, won the overall Sweepstakes Award again after taking the top spot in 2022 and 2023.

Each year, journalists submit their work in various categories, with another state press association judging the submissions each year.

Stories, photos and other items published in 2023 were eligible for the Awards of Excellence contest.

In total, The Mirror won 16 awards: seven first-place awards, three second-place awards and six third-place awards.

The Mirror won first place in feature story youth story, sports story, sports feature story, headline writing, sports photo and design and layout excellence. The newspaper swept the feature story and sports story categories.

Mirror editor Shawn F. Linenberger won 14 of the awards, while former sports editor Justin Nutter and photographer Landon Cory each one an award for sports story and sports photo, respectively. Both contribute to The Mirror at various times during the year.

Linenberger’s story about Kansas State men’s basketball coach Jerome Tang visiting Tonganoxie’s Taylor McWilliams in the hospital during the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City won three awards.

Other examples of The Mirror’s award-winning work were stories on Hill’s Pet Nutrition opening its plant in Tonganoxie, a local resident who decorates clients’ homes during the holidays and a couple that puts out elaborate decorations at Halloween.

“It’s wonderful to look back through the year and see what stories we’ve been able to tell about Tonganoxie’s people and the community’s events,” Linenberger said. “It brings great pride and joy to share our stories with others.”

A member of The Mirror’s staff since 2001, Linenberger handles most news and sports stories, as well as photography and layout and design of the newspaper each week. Linenberger also utilizes contributed content from community members, including regular columns.

The Mirror is no stranger to winning the Sweepstakes Award, as the newspaper has won its share of the top prize during the last couple decades. The recent string is, however, the first overall Sweepstakes victories since the weekly newspaper accomplished the feat in 2011.