Iron String Press Writers Earn Accolades from Their Peers
STAFF REPORT
COOPERSTOWN
Iron String Press, parent company of “The Freeman’s Journal,” “Hometown Oneonta” and AllOtsego.com, has received three awards from the New York Press Association.
The results of the 2023 Better Newspaper Contest were announced during NYPA’s Spring Conference, held Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, in Albany. According to organizers, 142 newspapers submitted 2,530 entries. The entries were judged by members of the Tennessee Press Association.
Of the 379 awards presented last weekend, “The Freeman’s Journal” received both second- and third- place nods for “Best Column, Division 3” as well as an honorable mention for “News Story, Division 4.”
Columnist Terry Berkson was awarded second place for his column, titled “Life Sketches.” The three columns submitted—“Yellow Submarine Haunts Coney Island Creek,” “On the Bug Bus to San Antonio,” and “Turkey Fishing: a Christmas Story”—were described by the Tennessee judges as “entertaining, well-written columns.” Berkson has a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Brooklyn College. His articles have appeared in “New York” magazine, “The New York Daily News Sunday Magazine, and “Automobile” magazine. He lives on a farm in Richfield Springs with his wife, Alice.
“Thanks so much for the great news,” Berkson said when he learned of the award. “It makes me want to get back home to my writing table.”
Jamie Zvirzdin’s “Citizen Science” columns—“False Alarms in Science and the Media: Examining Cause and Effect,” “The Power of the Placebo Effect, Part II: When Belief Brings Harm,” and “AI Renaissance: a Chance to Reduce Cheating, Revitalize the School Experience”—were thought to be “well-written, interesting columns.” Zvirzdin, who also has ties to Richfield Springs, researches cosmic rays with the Telescope Array Project, teaches science writing at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of “Subatomic Writing.”
“What a nice surprise! It’s been my honor to support local newspapers and help build up our community’s intellectual immune system,” Zvirzdin said in an e-mail on Monday, April 29.
Contributing writer and former ISP News Editor Wriley Nelson earned an honorable mention for his news article, “Fox Nurses Rally against Understaffing,” published December 21, 2023. Nelson, a lifelong Otsego County resident and 2018 graduate of Cooperstown Central School, earned a political science degree from Hamilton College in December 2022. He wrote for Hamilton’s satirical paper, “The Duel Observer,” all four years at college.
“I am extremely grateful to the New York Press Association for this honor, and to my wonderful co-workers at Iron String Press for their support. I would be remiss, however, if I did not note that at least 100 journalists have been killed by Israeli occupation forces since October—in order to cover up a genocidal assault on a dense urban refugee camp that has already killed at least 15,000 children—representing the deadliest period for journalists worldwide since the Committee to Protect Journalists began keeping records in 1992. This profession is under unprecedented assault at home and abroad.”
“Iron String Press has been in a rebuilding phase these past 12 months or so, and it is very edifying to once again be recognized by our journalism peers,” said General Manager and Senior Editor Darla M. Youngs. “Terry’s columns have been well-loved by readers for a number of years, so it’s nice to see him get the recognition he deserves. Jamie joined our ‘stable’ of contributing writers in 2023 and her unique observations and perspectives have been very well received.
“Wriley came on like gangbusters in March 2023, when he was hired as staff writer. In just four short months, he was promoted to news editor. It was no surprise to me that this article garnered accolades—Wriley’s work has been nothing short of excellent since day one,” Youngs said.
Iron String Press is the sole remaining independent and locally owned newspaper publishing enterprise in Otsego County. Through its print publications and its digital counterpart, AllOtsego.com, Otsego County households have the benefit of local news in local hands at a time when the U.S. is losing an average of more than two community newspapers each week. Over the last 10 years, more than 2,600 weekly publications have closed or merged with other papers.
“As an organization, we are so proud of all of our writers; we’re proud of our entire staff. We work very hard to produce quality newspapers each week,” said ISP Publisher Tara Barnwell. “Local journalism is very important in our community. It brings everyone together to talk about issues that matter. Support from the community is what makes us who we are and will ensure our longevity in the future.”
To subscribe to “The Freeman’s Journal,” visit https://www.allotsego.com/subscribe/. Subscriptions to TFJ include free access to AllOtsego.com. Those who prefer their news online can subscribe to AllOtsego.com via this link as well.