Daily Sun staff honored with seven awards from New Hampshire Press Association

The New Hampshire Press Association presented the 2020 Excellence in Journalism Awards Thursday night during a Facebook Live event, and the team from The Laconia Daily Sun took home honors in seven categories.

Reporter Michael Mortensen received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the press association, one of two this year. Mortensen, whose New Hampshire journalism career started at The Laconia Citizen in 1979, has covered everything from municipal government and general news to fires, police calls and presidential primaries. He has worked as a wire editor, regional news editor, news editor, editorial writer, and managing editor.

Roberta Baker, a solutions journalism reporter for The Sun's own Sunshine Project, was recognized in second place for the Journalist of the Year honor. Baker also earned first place for the Community Service Award in the daily division for "'Perfect Poison' lingers in NH homes," a series about the critical issue of lead paint in the state, and third place for the Feature Story Award in the daily division for "The magic of Happy Sounds."

The third place Feature Page Award in the daily division was earned by layout designer Janis Carroll and reporter Adam Drapcho for "King of Halloween."

Former managing editor Roger Carroll took first place honors for editorial writing in the daily division, and former reporter Rick Green received second place in the First Amendment Award, daily division, for his reporting on secret land deals in the city.

Also awarded during Thursday's ceremony were The Laconia Daily Sun's sister papers The Conway Daily Sun and The Berlin Sun, as well as the Granite State News Collaborative, of which all three papers are members.

To view the recording of the event, visit facebook.com/PressNH/videos/4415653005216457.

— Julie Hirshan Hart