COLUMBIA — Two Pickens County Courier staff members were honored by the South Carolina Press Association recently for their work in 2023-24.

In the SCPA’s advertising Palmy Awards and in the annual SCPA News Contest, Courier graphic artist Emily Wright and sports editor/staff reporter Bru Nimmons received awards voted on by their peers in the newspaper industry.

Wright, a longtime ad designer and graphic artist who has been with the paper since its inception, received three first-place awards and two third-place awards in the recently announced Palmy awards. Wright won first place in the under-7,500 circulation category in

Professional Services for Robinson Funeral Home. The judges’ comments were “I loved the simplicity and elegance of the ad. The message was heartfelt, but not over the top.”

Wright also took a first-place win in the open division in the Gifts category for her Christmas ad designed for Pace Jewelers. “I liked the cleverness of the Santa tagline and the cohesiveness of the Christmas graphics. All-around great job,” judges commented.

To add to her first-place wins, Wright took gold for her Shuckin’ Shack ad in the under-7,500 category for Restaurants and Night Life ads. “Simple but effective. Catchy headline that pairs well with excellent art, color and font choice,” judges said.

Wright also took third-place awards in the open division for Public Service and Holiday ads with Pickens County Animal Shelter and Easley Audiology winning, respectively.

The honors pushed Wright’s total for S.C. Press Association Palmy Awards to 146 in her career at the Pickens County Courier.

“We are so thankful to have Emily as part of the Courier family,” Courier publisher Rocky Nimmons said of the talented designer. “She has been here with us since the beginning, and her talent has been one of the main reasons for our success. Emily’s ability to turn any ad into a head-turner is simply amazing. It is a true gift that everyone who advertises with us is given. She is a generational talent at what she does, and we are so thankful for her.”

Earlier in the year, the S.C. Press Association announced the best of the best on the editorial side of things, with Nimmons taking center stage by bringing home two first-place awards.

Nimmons spearheaded the Courier’s annual Football Frenzy preview section alongside talented writers Eugene Jolleyand Ryan Davenport, and photographers Kerry Gilstrap, Tommy McGaha and Van Hope to earn first place for Sports Section or Magazine. Judges said of his work, “Love the overall look and feel of the section. Very clean and easy to read. I want to see some of your other stuff.”

“Bru and the work of the staff he brings together each year for the Courier’s Football Frenzy is second to none. We pride ourselves on the product we produce, and Bru has taken on the incredible amount of work that is required with gusto and pushes to make it better with each issue from week to week. Bru has taken the guidance and foundation that our longtime editor Zack Mauldin has laid down and pushed to become the best,” Courier publisher Rocky Nimmons said. “Our motto has always been that we can’t get any of the hardworking young players a scholarship, but we can get them noticed, and Bru and his staff do that each and every week.”

On the other side of the coin, Bru Nimmons’ work in hard news also garnered him a first-place finish in the all-weekly division for Investigative Reporting for his story “PAC Board appeals to county council for investigation.” The story covered Pickens County Performing Arts Center board members seeking an investigation for mismanagement of the center before their appointment.

“This investigative reporting award proves what we’ve been saying for a while now — he’s still a young man, but Bru is already one of the most well-rounded newspaper professionals in the Upstate,” Mauldin said. “We’re proud of his growth in the business, and his future is very bright. We — and our readers — are fortunate to have him at the Courier.”

“The Courier prides itself on being the favorite newspaper in Pickens County,” Nimmons added. “Our product and circulation bear that out. Without the incredible talent of the people who work here, that statement would not be true. A community newspaper is only as strong as the community that supports it. It is because of you that we are able to bring everyone the best newspaper in Pickens County every single week.”