The County Post West took home six awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s annual convention Friday, Feb. 28, in Waukesha.

The WNA’s Better Newspaper Contest recognizes excellence in reporting, graphic design and advertising.

The awards are given in several daily and weekly categories, based on circulation.

The County Post West competed against other large-circulation weeklies throughout the state.

Editor Robert Cloud earned a first-place award in Investigative Reporting for his summer 2013 series on drug abuse and heroin in Waupaca County.

Cloud won a first-place award in Business Coverage for his story on Waupaca Foundry, “Leading the world from Waupaca.”

Cloud took a third-place award in Interpretive Reporting for his spring 2013 series on suicide.

Staff Writer Angie Landsverk won a first-place award in Local Government Reporting for stories about the city of Waupaca’s debate on the fluoridation of public water, the design for Waupaca’s South Park coming in higher than budgeted and Waupaca Police being called to one tavern more than 20 times in a year.

Graphic artist Cody Popp earned a first-place award for Graphics for his design work that accompanied several County Post stories, including the series on drugs and the series on suicide.

Sports Editor Greg Seubert garnered a second-place award for his August 2013 feature story, “A place for healing, hope,” which described a young girl’s trip to a summer camp for burn victims.

The sister publication in New London, County Post East, received four third-place awards.

Reporter Bert Lehman was recognized for his Full Throttle racing column, for his feature photo of a lumberjack, and for Local Government Reporting.

Reporter Jane Myhra, who covers Manawa for the County Post East, won third-place honors for Headlines.

The Better Newspaper Contest drew 2,806 total entries from 125 newspapers. The entries were judged by the Missouri and Kansas Press Associations and published between Sept. 1, 2012, and Aug. 31, 2013.