The Journal of the San Juan Islands won seven awards at this year’s annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association annual Better Newspapers Contest. Here’s the list of award-winning entries:

Second Place: Best News Story – long – Steve Wehrly, “Tattoo artist shines in national debate”.

Second Place: Special Event/Festivals Special Sections… San Juan County Fair Guide 2012 (staff).

Third Place: Special Event/Festivals Special Sections… 2012 Fall Sports Preview (staff).

Second Place: Best Special Section Cover… The Book of the San Juan Islands 2013 (staff).

Second Place: Best Feature Page Design (Groups I-IV combined) “Art in Melted Beeswax”, Kathryn Sherman, Scott Rasmussen.

First Place: Best online Ad… “Dog for All Seasons” (Group I-IV combined): Judges comments: “This digital entry quite honestly blows away the competition.”

Second Place: Best online ad… “Island Hospital”.

The Journal sister paper, the Islands Sounder, was the winner of 12 awards, including second place for General Excellence.

Sound Publishing newspapers together received 218 awards, including 75 first place awards and 77 awards for second place.