Designers, Writers Honored for Work
It's the little paper that could.
In a time where small community print newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur, or being gobbled up by faceless corporate conglomerates, the twice-a-week locally-owned and operated Community News Brief (CNB) is thriving, and its industry peers recently confirmed its success. At the 2026 Illinois Press Association (IPA) annual convention in East Peoria, owner and publisher Lynne Campbell, and her staff, brought home numerous top awards, including the exclusive Harold & Eve White Memorial Tropy Sweepstakes Trophy for Division B newspapers, as well as a top four finish for General Excellence.
A Sweepstakes Trophy is awarded to newspapers in each division (A-E) for the number of points received at the annual convention. Members of the Hoosier State Press Association judged the IPA entries. In addition, the CNB brought home four first place awards, five second place awards, five third place awards and four fourth place awards.
'To be recognized by your peers is always a great honor, but it is more than that. It is the pride I feel for the amazing team of writers, designers and support staff the CNB has built. Like a parent of an accomplished child, I feel my team is an extension of my family and I could not be more proud of all of them.' said Campbell. 'And most importantly—none of this would be possible without the support of our advertisers and subscribers. Without the advertising support, we could not provide the many stories by so many talented writers, and without the stories we would not have the subscribers.
It's all about that.'
Awards & Categories include: Advertising First Place:
Morgan Payne: 'Air, Wind & Fire' Macomb Balloon Rally Ad Advertising Third Place:
Tabitha Palm: Macomb Country Club Membership Drive Ad Editorial First Place:
Darcie Shinberger: Remember When: 1975 (feature); All Female Honor Flight (personality profile) and Tariffs' Impact on Local Businesses (business/economic reporting). Editorial Second Place:
Cheryl Douglas: A History of St. Francis Hospital 1-5 (feature writing) Lynne Campbell & Darcie Shinberger: Sports Complex Update (gov't/beat reporting) Darcie Shinberger: Tales from the Home (feature); Buses & Baseball School Board Votes (gov't/beat reporting); Grace Baker Tribute (obituary tribute) Editorial Third Place:
Lynne Campbell: Economic Boom: Response to Wall Street Journal (gov't/beat reporting) Darcie Shinberger: Growing Up Skateland (personality profile); Medicaid, Mental Health Cut Impacts (localized national story); Career Technical Education Center (gov't/beat reporting); Essie Rutledge Tribute (obituary tribute).
Fourth Place Editorial:
Nathan Woodside: The Murder of Bryson Saddoris (news reporting series) Darcie Shinberger: School Board Takes on Numerous Isssues (gov't/beat reporting); New Illinois (feature writing) Campbell along with her husband, Tony and daughter, Tabitha Palm, created The Community News Brief in 2017, initially as a free newsletter publication that was published three days a week and placed at businesses around McDonough County. In 2021, the CNB transformed into a successful weekly newspaper, morphing the Friday free publication into a weekly by-subscription paper, while still keeping two free 'newsletter' publications per week, all of which continued to feature local news, events, sports, entertainment and more. The Community News Brief continued its growth and in 2023, expanded into a twice-a-week by-subscription newspaper, while still keeping a free newsletter, now called The MIDWEEK (delivered to area businesses on Wednesdays). Today, The Community News Brief also has a digital edition available to subscribers, along with the twice-a-week newspaper and the free MIDWEEK.
Today, The Community News Brief employs nine writers, two graphic designers, two delivery drivers and an office manager. The Community News Brief is a family affair: office manager Lisa Miller is Lynne's niece, besides her husband, Tony, and daughter, Tabitha, her son Tyler helps with maintenance and building projects and her daughter Tiffany Porter designs the Hometown Tee's line, Macombopoly magnets and other items for The Community Market.
Read Friday's Edition of the Community News Brief for a special editorial: 'It's More Than That'
