Times News staffers won 19 news awards and several advertising awards in recent journalism and advertising contests.

In the Pennsylvania Association Press Managing Editors contest:Dave Rowe won for best full page design for a Spotlight section titled, "Stellar Stitches," which featured a story by Donald R. Serfass about Cathy Riotto and Joan Demko winning blue ribbons for knitting at the State Farm Show.The Times News swept the best general news reporting category with a first place for "The War on Drugs" and second place for "A Trucker's Nightmare: 3 Rig Crashes in 3 days."The drug package included stories by Amy Miller, Chris Reber, Jarrad Hedes, Kathy Kunkel, Donald R. Serfass, Terry Ahner and Brian Myszkowski."A Trucker's Nightmare," highlighting problems with trucks traveling on the Broad Mountain, included several stories by Amy Miller and an editorial by Donald Serfass.Serfass also garnered a second place for "Frozen Solid," a story about Justin Smith, a McAdoo hypothermia survivor who was clinically dead for 12 hours. Serfass also won second place for several editorials.Richard Strack took second place in column writing for a compilation of three of his Saturday columns.Kristine Porter and Bob Ford won a second place in the multimedia storytelling category with photos and a video on the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall coming to Palmerton.Bob Ford captured first places for his "Football Player of the Year" graphic and in the Sports category for a photo titled "Fumble."Ford also captured second place for a photo story, "Time to Make the Doughnuts," about students from Carbon Career & Technical Institute making doughnuts for Fastnacht Day.In the Keystone Press Awards, sponsored by the Pennsylvania News Media Association:Chris Parker, Chris Reber and Jarrad Hedes took second place for Ongoing News Coverage for stories about a veterinarian charged with neglecting horses.Richard Strack received an honorable mention for his feature, "To honor a fallen comrade."Donald Serfass received an honorable mention in the news feature category for "Frozen Solid."Brian Myszkowski took a second place for a video story about the No. 425 steam locomotive.Bob Ford received honorable mention in graphic/photo illustration for his football player of the year photo illustration. Ford also took first place with a sports photo titled "Fumble."Amy Burger captured first place in page design for "A wider view," a three-page compilation that included "Heading to Harrisburg," "Tour de Shore" and "Garden of Secrets."Dave Rowe garnered second place for page design for "A creative eye," a three-page compilation of "Stellar Stitches," "Tamaqua's McGinty Beer" and "More Than a Keepsake."Kelley Andrade took second place in the photo story/essay category with "Temple of the sun," about her trip to Peru.Awards were presented at the Pennsylvania Press Conference in Lancaster.The Times News advertising department received five awards of excellence at the Interstate Advertising Managers' Association spring workshop in State College. They were:• First place for the Pocono Renaissance Faire in the best campaign using multiple products, single advertiser.• First place for most innovative idea for sports flyers.• Third places for best print ad, single advertiser, with La Dolce Casa DiMaggio's; multiple advertiser ad for Women in Business and most innovative idea for the Legacy of Jim Thorpe.