BILOXI – Four first place awards and a second place finish inthe General Excellence category were among 12 honors The DAILYLEADER received Saturday during the Mississippi Press Association’s2005 Better Newspaper Contest.

The newspaper’s annual “Focus” edition again won top honors forBest Special Section or Issue. The newspaper staff also won firstplace awards for Best Front Page and Best Lifestyles Section orPage.

Managing Editor Matthew Coleman received a first place award inthe Best Headline competition.

The newspaper’s awards were in the Daily Division C category,for newspaper’s with circulations under 9,000. Awards werepresented during MPA’s 140th annual convention at the ImperialPalace in Biloxi.

The DAILY LEADER received a second place award for overallGeneral Excellence. The Greenwood Commonwealth was the first placewinner.

Second awards for LEADER staff members went to Publisher BillJacobs for Best Editorials, former staff photographer Joel Bonnerfor Best Sports Feature Photograph, Coleman for Best PersonalityPortrait and the staff for Best Editorial Page.

Among third place awards, Sports Editor Tom Goetz was recognizedfor Best Sports Page or Section and to Bonner for Best FeaturePhotograph, where he also received an honorable mention.