Selections from Sun Courier reporter Ruby McAllister’s portfolio submitted as part of the 2026 Iowa Better Newspaper Contest. McAllister took home second place in Best News Feature Photo for her capture of quilts laid across pews at the United Church of Christ during the 2024 Reinbeck Art Festival (bottom right) as well as a second in Best Photographer overall. The newspaper also won first place for Coverage of Education. PHOTOS BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DES MOINES – The Sun Courier took home three awards during the annual Iowa Newspaper Association (INA) Convention and Awards Ceremony held on Thursday, Feb. 5, in Des Moines. The 2026 Iowa Better Newspaper Contest – judged by members of the Minnesota Newspaper Association – honored newspapers from across Iowa publishing the best work between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025.

The Sun Courier, competing in the Weekly Class I division for papers published once a week and with less than 700 subscribers, took first place in Coverage of Education for its reporting by Ruby McAllister on the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District, including the district’s work to pass a bond referendum. “Nice overall coverage of many school district topics, especially financial with the budgets,” the judges wrote of McAllister’s work.

McAllister also won second place for Best News Feature Photo for her image of quilts laid out across the pews at the United Church of Christ in Reinbeck on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, during the community’s annual Art Festival. Of the photo, judges wrote, “This image is appealing in so many ways, but mostly it’s award-winning for capturing the artistic work of the quilters in the exquisite setting of natural light filtering through stained glass.”

McAllister also earned a second-place award for Best Photographer overall. The category requires photographers to submit a portfolio of examples of their published work taken during the contest year; entries were judged on technical ability and breadth of work. As part of her portfolio, McAllister submitted images of Katie and the Honky Tonks performing at Reinbeck’s The Dig Inn last summer; TF Clydesdales of rural Gladbrook competing at the 2025 Iowa State Fair; members of Gladbrook Fire and Rescue conducting an extraction demonstration in August 2025; the 2024 Reinbeck Art Festival; and Vanessa Arvizu-Ersland performing in the Gladbrook-Reinbeck High School Drama Department’s November 2024 staging of “Sister Act.”

“From lighting, to capturing portraits and even crash scenes, the photographer does a very nice job of capturing the community,” judges wrote of McAllister’s submission. “My personal favorite is the young lady [singing] in the play. Nice job!”

From left to right, Times-Republican correspondent Sara Jordan-Heintz, Tama-Grundy Publishing reporter Ruby McAllister, Times-Republican/Tama-Grundy Publisher Grant Gibbons and Times-Republican/Tama-Grundy Publishing Managing Editor Robert Maharry pose for a photo with the first place plaques the newspapers received at the 2026 Iowa Newspaper Association’s banquet in Des Moines on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The Iowa Falls Times-Citizen was recognized as the INA’s 2026 Newspaper of the Year.

Coverage of Education

Class I: First Place- Sun-Courier, Second Place- West Branch Times, Third Place- Colfax Jasper County Tribune

Best News Feature Photo

Class I: First Place- Solon Economist- Chris Umscheid, Second Place- Sun-Courier- Ruby McAllister, Third Place- Solon Economist- Chris Umscheid

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Best Photographer

Class I: First Place- Oakland Herald- Donald Nielson, Second Place- Sun-Courier- Ruby McAllister, Third Place- Scranton Journal- Dustin Teays

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER