CHAPEL HILL — At the 85th annual N.C. Press Association Winter Institute in Chapel Hill last night, the Bladen Journal was presented with a pair of editorial awards for work done between Oct. 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2009.

The Bladen Journal competed in Community Division-B for newspapers with a weekly circulation of 3,500 to 10,000. The contest was judged by the Alabama Press Association.

Rhonda Griffin, a former staff writer and editor of the Bladen Journal, was awarded first place in the general news reporting category for her April 24, 2009, story titled “Wedding day heartbreak.” That story chronicled the wedding-day tragedy of a bride-to-be, whose groom and best man were killed instantly in a car accident on their way to the church.

W. Curt Vincent, editor of the Bladen Journal, earned a second-place award in the lightern columns category for his three-part series that dealt with “The story of a lifetime in six words.” Those columns first asked readers to send in their life’s story using six words, then revealed the numerous responses and, finally, talked about Vincent’s choice as the best entry and a lunch date with the author.

The awards are the first for the Bladen Journal in three years.

“It always nice to be recognized by your peers,” Vincent said. “But the goal of the Bladen Journal will always be to bring the stories of Bladen County to our readers.”