PICKENS — The Pickens County Courier was again named one of the top newspapers in its class by the South Carolina Press Association recently, and several of the Courier’s staff members were also honored for their work in 2019.

After delaying its annual meeting in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCPA held the meeting virtually last month, announcing award winners from the state’s top daily and weekly publications.

In the press association’s annual news contest, the Courier took third place in the general excellence category among all the state’s medium-circulation weekly newspapers. The general excellence category recognizes newspapers based on all aspects of their publication, including reporting, photography, design, advertising and more.

Topping the list of individual awards, Courier contributor Dr. Tom Cloer earned his first-ever SCPA award, taking a first-place plaque for his series of articles about the 1947 lynching of Willie Earle and Pickens native Will Gravely’s 2019 book “They Stole Him Out of Jail: Willie Earle, South Carolina’s Last Lynching Victim.”

In describing Cloer’s articles, which appeared in the Courier over a five-week span and beat out series from both medium-sized and smaller weekly newspapers across the state, judges said the series provided “compelling writing — couldn’t stop reading.”

Courier editor Zack Mauldin said Cloer’s series was one of the most widely read features the newspaper has published in its history.

“Dr. Cloer’s historical features have been reader favorites since he first began contributing to the Courier, but the Willie Earle series took it to another level,” Mauldin said. “We have had people call from around South Carolina and even outside the state asking for copies of those papers, and we still get compliments on the series even now — almost a year and a half after it was originally published.”

Mauldin was also honored by the press association for the design of the newspaper, taking first-place awards in both the page one design portfolio and photo page design categories among all weekly papers in the state, as well as a second place for photo page design.

Ron Barnett, a veteran reporter who joined the Courier staff last year, took third place in the column writing category for weekly newspapers in the Courier’s medium-circulation division.

In addition to the news contest awards, Courier graphic designer Emily Wright won recognition during the press association’s annual Palmy advertising awards.

Wright took first place in the Gifts category open to all newspapers in the state with a circulation smaller than 12,000 for an ad she designed for Pace Jewelers.

Wright also won second place in the Outdoor/Recreation category among all newspapers in the state for an ad she designed for Triple T Diamond Sports & Entertainment Center.

“I am so proud of all the hard work that every person here at the Pickens County Courier puts in each and every week,” Courier publisher Rocky Nimmons said. “It humbles me to know that for the second year in a row, we have earned a place as one of the best newspapers in South Carolina.

“The amazing part is that it has always been a community effort. From the incredible work of Courier mainstays Zack Mauldin and Emily Wright to those who contribute their vast talents, such as Dr. Tom Cloer and Ron Barnett, the Courier continues to grow and prove that this staff is second to none. We all do what we do because our community needs us and we feel they deserve a great newspaper in return for the support they give us.”