Perry Chief, Dallas County News win four awards in Iowa Newspaper Association's annual contest

Staff Report
Sofia Diaz-Cardenas throws a pie in the face of Eddie Diaz during the Big Boom Bracket Battle Final Showdown on Friday, July 3 at Fareway. The photo took first place in the annual Iowa Newspaper Association contest in the best news feature photo category.

The Perry Chief and Dallas County News won four awards in the annual Iowa Newspaper Association contest.

Allison Ullmann, editor and reporter for the Perry Chief, won three awards: first for best news feature photo, and second and third for best video. 

"The expression on the girl's face makes us understand how much fun it must be to hit someone with a pie," judges said of Ullmann's first place photo.

Ullmann won second place in the best video category for a video she produced for a story about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's townhall in Perry.

"Good camera work captures the intensity of Biden's message," the judges said.

The third place award was for a video produced about Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's visit to Perry. 

Former Dallas County News sports reporter Andrew Brown also won first, for best sports feature photo. Judges said the photo, of the Van Meter baseball team celebrating after winning their second state title, captured "emotion with energy."

Both newspapers compete against other weeklies with circulation from 911 to 1,500.

Van Meter baseball players celebrate after winning their second straight state title on Saturday, Aug. 1. The photo took first place in the annual Iowa Newspaper Association contest in the best sports feature photo category.