GOFFSTOWN – Continuing its tradition of excellence, The Telegraph’s editorial team earned 24 awards in the 2018 New Hampshire Press Association Distinguished Journalism contest.

Award recipients were honored at a banquet last week at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on the campus of Saint Anselm College.

“It has been a good year for The Telegraph,” said Heather Goodwin Henline, the newspaper’s publisher and general manager. “We did very well in the New England Newspaper & Press Association contest, claiming 19 awards.”

“These honors again reinforce our commitment to the community and each and every one of our readers,” Goodwin Henline added. “We have an extremely talented team of reporters and editors that work very hard every day to produce the best possible newspaper. I am very proud of our staff as we look forward to the future and to bringing new content to the pages of The Telegraph.”

Two of the top honors received by the newspaper included a second-place nod to Adam Urquhart in the Journalist of the Year category. Urquhart has been with The Telegraph for nearly two years, reporting on a variety of issues, including Nashua city government.

The second major award received by a Telegraph staffer went to longtime employee Dean Shalhoup. The newspaper’s senior staff writer received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shalhoup, the son of former Telegraph Managing Editor Michael Shalhoup, joined the newspaper’s staff in 1971 as a junior in high school. His first task was writing briefs of school games for the sports roundup.

By the time he graduated from Nashua High School, he was ready for a full-time job with the newspaper, and it has been his vocation and his avocation ever since.

“Dean brings stories to life, and words leap off pages,” his nomination letter read. “His columns, which often have a historic bent, publish Sundays on The Telegraph’s front page. It’s a spot of honor he has earned via his years of service, but his writing also always is worthy of that top billing. … The depth of knowledge, detail and emotion he brings to his writing is as much talent as it is experience.”

“Dean is, hands down, the best reporter I have had the pleasure of working with throughout my 30-year career,” said Telegraph Editor in Chief Matthew Burdette. “His ability and skill to turn a phrase is second to none, and this newspaper and our great community are truly blessed to have someone like Dean to not only be a watchdog, but also to be a friend to those in the area.”

Other honorees included: Second place feature page, Matthew Burdette; third place feature page, Matthew Burdette; first place graphic/cartoon/illustration, Matthew Burdette; second place graphic/cartoon/illustration, Matthew Burdette; third place graphic/cartoon/illustration, Matthew Burdette; third place crime and court reporting, Dean Shalhoup; first place general news photo, Mathew Plamondon; second place special section, The Telegraph staff; first place magazine cover, Matthew Burdette; second place magazine cover, Matt Hannon; first place front page, Matthew Burdette; second place front page, Matthew Burdette; second place sports columnist of the year, D. Quincy Whitney; third place sports columnist of the year, Dean Shalhoup; first place sports page, Alan Greenwood; second place spot news reporting, Dean Shalhoup; second place editorial writing, Casey Junkins; second place columnist of the year, Dean Shalhoup; second place rookie of the year, Hannah LaClaire; third place rookie of the year, Mathew Plamondon; first place excellence in collaboration, The Telegraph staff and second place First Amendment reporting, The Telegraph staff.

“I am extremely proud of our entire staff, from the reporters and editors to our page designers and support personnel,” Burdette said. “It is a true team effort to put out a newspaper each and every day.”

“That said, I also am thankful for our many faithful readers and advertisers of both our print and online editions. Without them, what we do would not carry the weight and have the impact it does,” Burdette added. “Community newspapers are, indeed, alive and well. They played a key role in the formation of this great nation and they continue to do so today and will for many, many years to come.”

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