The 2026 Iowa Better Newspaper Contest’s first place winner for Best Sports Photo in the Weekly Class I division. The photograph was taken by North Tama Telegraph reporter Ruby McAllister at Webster City High School on Oct. 30, 2024, as the Redhawk volleyball team rushed the court after securing a state tournament berth with their defeat of River Valley. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DES MOINES – The North Tama Telegraph took home three first-place awards and three second-place awards across multiple categories during the annual Iowa Newspaper Association (INA) Convention and Awards Ceremony held on Thursday, Feb. 5, in Des Moines. The 2026 Iowa Better Newspaper Contest – judged by members of the Minnesota Newspaper Association – honored newspapers from across Iowa publishing the best work between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025.

The Telegraph, competing in the Weekly Class I division for papers published once a week and with less than 700 subscribers, took first place in Best Continuing Coverage for its reporting by Ruby McAllister on the Traer Municipal Utilities (TMU) Board. “I’m impressed with the laser focus on this complex, small-town issue,” the judges wrote of McAllister’s work. “Thorough, in-depth coverage that (I sense) prompted local leaders to look hard at what was going on.”

McAllister also won first place for Best Sports Photo for her shot of the North Tama volleyball team rushing the court at Webster City High School on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, after defeating the River Valley Wolverines in four sets for the Class 1A Region 7 championship and a state berth. Of the photo, judges wrote, “This photo captures the excitement and energy of a team that is state-bound – as well as the supporters in the stands. What an amazing moment to capture and highlight in the community newspaper!”

Writer and North Tama High School alumnus Sean Dengler earned the paper a first place award as well in the Master Columnist writing category for his local column, Dengler Domain. “Great job of writing interesting content on local and national topics that are interesting for readers,” judges commented.

Columns chosen by newspaper staff as part of Dengler’s submission included “Time to Fight for Rural Iowa” and “The End: After five generations of toiling the land, the Dengler family is done,” – the latter exploring Dengler’s decision as a beginning farmer to to stop actively farming his family’s five-generation land in rural Tama County.

North Tama Telegraph columnist Sean Dengler’s 2026 INA first-place award for Master Columnist. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“After five generations of toiling the land, the Dengler family is done,” he wrote on Oct. 11, 2024, as part of the column. “The hardest part about ‘retiring’ from farming is I feel like I am losing another grandparent. Physically, I could keep farming. Financially, I do not know.”

The Telegraph earned second place in the Harrison “Skip” Weber Coverage of Court and Crime editorial category for coverage of the first-degree murder trials of Karina Cooper and Huston Danker. “Great photography, great writing. All done with a small staff. Wonderful work,” judges wrote of McAllister and correspondent Jonathan Meyer’s work.

McAllister also earned a second-place award for Best News Photo for a photograph taken of Clutier American Legion members conducting Memorial Day services at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery in rural Clutier on May 26, 2025. The image – titled “‘Secure to us evermore the peace for which our comrades died” – depicts Legionnaires firing a three-volley salute for fallen comrades. Of the photograph judges wrote, “Capturing the shells in midair brings this photo to life. Composition is strong, and the weathered faces show the true meaning of Memorial Day in remembering and honoring those who served.”

Finally, McAllister took second place in the newswriting category Best Sports Feature Story for her story “End of an era?: North Tama coaches implore school board to consider move to 8-Player football next season” which was published on Nov. 1, 2024, and covered the waning days of Class A football at North Tama.

The Iowa Falls Times-Citizen was recognized as the INA’s 2026 Newspaper of the Year.

A photograph by Telegraph reporter Ruby McAllister titled "Secure to us evermore the peace for which our comrades died" which earned a second-place award for Best News Photo (Weekly, Class I) at the 2026 INA awards ceremony on Feb. 5 in Des Moines. The photo was taken on Memorial Day, May 26, 2025, at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery in rural Clutier. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Best Continuing Coverage

Class I: First Place- Traer North Tama Telegraph- Ruby McAllister, Second Place- Colfax Jasper County Tribune- Jamee Pierson, Third Place- Tama-Toledo News Chronicle- Ruby McAllister

Best Sports Photo

Class I: First Place- Traer North Tama Telegraph- Ruby McAllister, Second Place- Holstein Advance- Brent Harm, Third Place- Earlham Echo- Todd Weber

Master Columnist

Sean Dengler pictured planting corn in early May 2023 near Clutier. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

Class I: First Place- Traer North Tama Telegraph- Sean Dengler, Second Place- Montezuma Record- Simone Bates, Third Place- Solon Economist- Milli Gilbaugh

Harrison “Skip” Weber Coverage of Court and Crime

Class I: First Place- Calmar Courier, Second Place- Traer North Tama Telegraph, Third Place- Tama-Toledo News Chronicle

Best News Photo

Class I: First Place- Solon Economist- Chris Umscheid, Second Place- Traer North Tama Telegraph- Ruby McAllister, Third Place- Earlham Echo- Todd Weber

From left to right, Times-Republican correspondent Sara Jordan-Heintz, Tama-Grundy Publishing reporter Ruby McAllister, Times-Republican/Tama-Grundy Publisher Grant Gibbons and Times-Republican/Tama-Grundy Publishing Managing Editor Robert Maharry pose for a photo with the first place plaques the newspapers received at the 2026 Iowa Newspaper Association’s banquet in Des Moines on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Best Sports Feature Story

Class I: First Place- Colfax Jasper County Tribune- Troy Hyde, Second Place- Traer North Tama Telegraph- Ruby McAllister, Third Place- Prairie City PCM Explorer- Troy Hyde