The Tri-City Tribune was honored Saturday by the Arkansas Press Association with a first place award for agriculture and business coverage among small weekly newspapers in the state.

Tribune editor Samantha Martin was on hand in Little Rock to accept the award for the paper.

"We are proud of the work we do here at the Tribune," Martin said. "But more than that we are proud of the opportunity to highlight all the good things that happen in the communities we serve. The people of this area are one of a kind."

The Tribune staff also received 11 other awards at the ceremony including an honorable mention for community coverage.

Martin received a third place award for her feature story about Anna Shinabery's grandfather J.D.Gill donating platelets for her as well as a third place award in headline writing. She brought home another third place award in the general interest column category with a sentimental story about trick-or-treating with her father.

Martin's other awards include a second place certificate for the design of the Tribune's lifestyles page as well as a second place prize for her coverage of the Larry Wray Family, the 2007 Poinsett County Farm Family of the Year.

Tribune sports reporter Dan Brawner won second place for a sports column he wrote about Pete Mead as well as a third place price for an extreme skateboarding sports feature photograph. He won an honorable mention for a single sports action photo of the Lady Indians.

Both Martin and Brawner won a second place award for their news coverage of the death and funeral of Specialist Erich Smallwood who was killed in action in Iraq.

Former Tribune reporter Desha Smith won a second place certificate for her heart warming photo of a valentine's kiss between an Elvis impersonator and one of the residents of Three Rivers Nursing Center in Marked Tree.

"We're continuing to find new ways to improve our publication and the role in plays in the community," Martin said. "We want to thank our readers for their continued support and encouragement."

The Tri-City Tribune is published by Delta Publishing South, a subsidiary of Rust Communications. For more information, log onto our website at www.tri-citytribune.com