The Cortez Journal won three first-place awards and a second in the annual National Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest.

Photo editor Sam Green won in the Best Photo Essay category for his picture page, “Going Hog Wild,” and won Best Sports Photo for a picture entitled “Mr. Sandman.”

Former managing editor Dale Shrull won for a feature story, “Give the Kid a Hand,” and took second in the Best Business Feature category for “Hat Maker.”