The Rockdale News brought home 14 awards, including six first place awards, in its division for the 2013 Better Newspaper Contest, the Georgia Press Association's annual recognition of excellence by industry peers.

The Rockdale News won first place for Page One, based on the overall content, selection and layout of its front page.

Rockdale News Editor Michelle Kim won first place in Business News for coverage of Pratt's expansion of its manufacturing campus to recycling and solid waste collection operations and the expansion of Hillphoenix.

The paper also excelled with three photography-related first place awards.

Rockdale News Photographer Darrell Everidge swept the first- and second-place spots for News Photograph as well as first place for Sports Photograph and first place for Photo Essay.

Columnist David McCoy collected a first-place Humor Column award for the "Pecan Pie for the Mind" series.

The annual Back in the Day special section, looking at the history of Rockdale, won second place in its division.

"It's always a great honor when your peers honor you. The awards are a testimony to the hard work of our newsroom staff,'' said T. Pat Cavanaugh, publisher of The News.

The full list of award winners are:

- Page One, First Place

- Business News, First Place, Michelle Kim

- Special Sections, Second Place, Back in the Day

- Editorial Page, Third Place

- Religion Coverage, Third Place, Nhi Ho

- News Photograph, First and Second Place, Darrell Everidge

- Sports Photograph, First Place, Darrell Everidge

- Feature Photograph, Third Place, Rachel Goff

- Photo Essay, First Place, Darrell Everidge

- Photo Illustration, Third Place, Tyler Smith and William Brawley

- Serious Column, Third Place, Lisa Hetzel

- Humorous Column, First Place, David McCoy

- Website, Third Place