Press named best weekly in state

Ozaukee Press was recognized as the best large weekly newspaper in the state during the Wisconsin Newspaper Association convention in Madison last week.

The Press won the WNA Foundation Better Newspaper Contest’s highest honor — the first-place General Excellence award — in the largest weekly circulation category.

Entries were judged by the Colorado Press Association.

“Community newspapering at its finest!” the judges wrote of Ozaukee Press. “Quality reporting, great photography, excellent page layout and enticing ads. Good mix of hard news and features and overall a well-crafted product.

“You serve your readership with an outstanding local newspaper.”

The Press won 23 awards, including 11 first-place recognitions, in the contest.

Publisher Bill Schanen III won first-place awards for editorial writing and in the Best Opinion Pages category.

“Solid and compelling arguments, well explored and cited,” the judges wrote of his editorials.

Editor Bill Schanen IV won first-place awards for reporting on local education and in the Best Feature Photo category for his picture of fishermen shrouded in sea smoke in Port Washington’s Rotary Park on a brutally cold day.

“Good explainers on school budgeting with great context,” the judges wrote.

Reporter Kristyn Halbig Ziehm won first place in the Ongoing/Extended Coverage category for multiple stories on the Vantage Data Centers Lighthouse Campus project in Port Washington.

“Impressive coverage of a complicated process,” a judge wrote. “Well-rounded and fair to all sides, as it should be. A very complete and well presented picture of a potential project that could impact the region for generations to come. My clear No. 1.”

Sports editor and reporter Mitch Maersch won first-place awards in the Sports News Story category for his March 2025 piece on the Cedar Grove-Belgium boys’ basketball team’s buzzer-beater win over Manitowoc Roncalli and for business coverage.

“Excellent gamer on a game that sure deserved it,” the judges wrote.

Photographer Sam Arendt won first place in the Artistic Photo category for his  photo of Port Washington High School students letting loose an explosion of baby powder as part of a so-called white-out event during a football game.

Erin Schanen won first place in the Local Column category for her Impatient Gardener columns.

“These columns are amusing and informative about plant (and human) nature. I like the warm and practical approach. Nicely done!” a judge wrote.

In the advertising competition, graphic artist Becky Casarez won first place in the Best Use of Color category for a Port Chili Bowl ad.

“The contrast in colors makes this pop!” a judge wrote.

Ozaukee Press also won first place in the Best Feature/Lifestyle Section category for its Home and Garden Section.