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Countywide & Sun editorial writer Wayne Trotter won an unprecedented tenth Sweepstakes award for best editorial in the state Saturday at the Oklahoma Press Association’s annual convention at the Grand Resort in Shawnee.

Trotter, former co-publisher of the newspaper, still writes weekly editorials and occasional stories. His winning editorial, about the need for school consolidation, was chosen as 2018’s best in the contest sponsored by Oklahoma Natural Gas for 80 years. Cherokee Ballard presented the award and $200 check to Trotter at an awards luncheon. Coincidentally, Trotter turned 80 in February.

No other Oklahoma journalist has come close to winning the Sweepstakes as many times. At one point, he won four years in a row (1990-93), edging his friend John Wylie of Oologah who had won three in a row from 1987-89. The winner is chosen from monthly contest winners, which for Trotter comes to 77 for editorials and 27 for columns, for a total of 104.

Awards in the annual Better Newspaper Contest were handed out Saturday night, with The Countywide and Sun collecting a first place for the tornado guide it published. The Countywide also placed second among the state’s weekly newspapers for digital media, and placed third in photography. In individual awards publisher Suzie Campbell placed third in column writing and third in front page design.

The convention program featured presentations by local photographer Ed Bolt and Oklahoma Baptist University journalism teacher Holly Easttom. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation was one of the sponsors, as well as the host, for the convention for the second year in a row.

Attending from the Countywide & Sun were Campbell, marketing director Jennifer Pitts, advertising representative Ian Gliori and Gloria and Wayne Trotter.