The Nelson Star has received seven provincial nominations from the annual Ma Murrays, presented by the BC and Yukon Community Newspaper Awards, the most it has ever earned in one year.
Publisher Laura Gellatly and the Star are nominated in the Newspaper Excellence category, in which judges consider the quality of the print issue. It’s the first time the Star has received a general excellence nomination.
Reporters Bill Metcalfe and Tyler Harper are also up for several awards.
Metcalfe’s story “Charismatic, troubled and still missing: What happened to Nelson’s Cory Westcott?” has been nominated for Feature Article. Metcalfe also has a nomination for Environmental Initiative writing for “Nelson to launch countertop food waste treatment pilot in spring.”
Harper meanwhile has received four nominations.
A photo of a Sinixt man at a local event in June has been nominated for Spot News Photo, while a picture Harper took for a story on pianist Daryl Verville is among the finalists for Portrait/Personality Photo.
Harper is also up for two writing awards. The first for his feature “Kokanee Glacier can’t be saved” is in the running for the Environmental Writing award. Harper is also nominated for Historical Writing with the piece “A Nelson man fled Soviet oppression. Over 50 years later, he finds he hasn’t truly escaped it.”
The winners will be announced May 4.