The Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter won four awards in the 2011 Washington Better Newspaper Contest.

The awards were presented Oct. 7 at an awards dinner during the 124th annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Convention, at the Holiday Inn Downtown Everett.

The Reporter papers competed against other newspapers in Group IV, the highest circulation category. The newspapers were judged on work produced from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. The contest drew 2,523 entries from 78 community newspapers; entries were judged by members of the Texas Press Association.

Photographer of the Year: Chad Coleman for a portfolio of his work.

Second place: Best News Story – Short, “Animal control: too little, too late,” Celeste Gracey.

Third Place: Best General Feature Story – Long, “When help means life or death: Eastside cities working to provide permanent shelter for homeless, Celeste Gracey.

Third Place: Color Feature Photo, “Hail to the king,” Celeste Gracey.

Third Place: Best Sports Personality Profile, “Eastlake players get big-league perspective,” Kevin Endejan.

Gracey also won an award for work she did at the Renton Reporter before joining the Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter. She took third place for Best Business Story (including Technology and Agriculture) for “West Hill is full of economic promise; who will step up?”

Also, Linda Ball, who covers Sammamish, won an award for work she did at the Mercer Island Reporter. She took second place for News of the Weird for “Human skull found at Island estate sale.”