The Salmon Arm Observer is celebrating after being named among the best community newspapers in the country.
At the recent Newspapers Canada Better Newspapers Contest, the Observer won second place in the country for general excellence in its circulation class.
Additionally, the paper won the award for the best front page in the country and a third place for best editorial page.
In addition to the general excellence award, which encompasses all the elements of the newspaper, Observer reporter/photographer Evan Buhler took home a haul of his own awards in the specialty competitions.
Buhler completely swept the sports photography category, winning first through third place for his entries, whcih included a first-place photo of a Silverbacks goalie stopping a puck with his face mask, a second-place entry featuring a Silverback player suspended in mid-air and third place for a unique hoop-eye view of a Salmon Arm Secondary Golds basketball game.
Buhler also won first place for news feature photo for an image entitled “To the beat of the drum” which featured a local dragon boat team.
And to wrap up the photography awards, Buhler also won third place for his photo essay on the 2016 Roots and Blues Festival.
In addition, the Observer was honoured for having the best sports section in its circulation category.
Buhler has since left the Observer and is currently travelling in New Zealand.