The Ontario Community Newspaper Association’s (OCNA) 2025 Better Newspaper Competition awards list names Prince Edward County’s newspaper of record seven times. 

The Picton Gazette was recognized for outstanding work in six categories:
General Excellence, Investigative Reporting, News Series, Editorials, Photography, and Design. 

Not quite President Trump in the Epstein files, but good enough for this small town paper. Founded in 1830 as The Hallowell Free Press, it is Canada’s oldest community newspaper.

The OCNA newspaper competition celebrates excellence in journalism. The Picton Gazette was recognizing for outstanding work in six categories: General Excellence, Investigative Reporting, News Series, Editorials, Photography, and Design. 

In Class Three publications, those with a circulation of 8,000 and over, the Gazette earned an Honourable Mention in the General Excellence category for the first time.

Publisher Karen Valihora earned two awards nods and an Honourable Mention. The editorial Wash Your Hands, which calls out the various provincial ministries supposedly overseeing Picton Terminals, each of which says the other should be doing it, is a finalist for Best Editorial. It was published on October 23, 2024

Ms. Valihora, who doubles as a York University English professor, also earned a finalist nod in the Best Feature/News Series category for ongoing coverage of Picton Terminals and its pending Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO).

The series addresses the quarrying activities at the Terminals and the County’s decision to settle its legal dispute with the company by asking the province to grant an MZO to the site. That MZO is now MIA — missing in action. The ongoing stories draw attention to community concerns about the activities at the Terminals and encourage public engagement. 

Ms. Valihora also earned an Honourable Mention in the Best Investigative News Story for MarinaGate, which chronicles the County’s decision to sue former Picton Marina operator Tenacity. It was published August 27, 2025.

Meanwhile, News and Photo Editor Jason Parks was recognized for a third straight year for photography. He is a finalist for Best Feature Photo and Best Sports Photo. His shot for a Maple in the County story captures not just the joy of maple syrup season but the onset of spring light.

In his sports photo submission, the 21-year newspaper veteran captures the dedication of the PECI Junior Panthers Rugby Team in a muddy Bay of Quinte victory over Trenton High School.

Mr. Parks won the 2024 Spot News award for his coverage of the Treasure Cove fire and earned a second place award in 2023 for Sports photo of the year.

“It’s an incredible honour to be recognized through the OCNA awards program again. I also can’t say enough about the support and guidance Chris Fanning and Karen Valihora have demonstrated since the start of their tenure here at the Gazette. Laurels like these honour the dedicated work that goes into each and every issue of Canada’s oldest community newspaper,” Mr. Parks said.

Finally, Art Dirtector Natalie Piper follows up an Honourable Mention in 2024 with a finalist nod this year in the Best Retail Layout category.

Ms. Piper’s full-page design for PEC Wine’s Wassail festival — a special feature sponsored by Visit the County — brings out the warmth of the season, and suggests the long history of the seasonal festival while offering clear and detailed information.