The OBSERVER has won first place in this year’s New York News Publishers Association for entries submitted in the 2019 contest for Newspaper Continuing Excellence for newspapers under 10,000.

Winning this year was John D’Agostino for Page Design/Presentation for the front page of the Nov. 28 edition. The edition, which was published on Thanksgiving, featured Linda Niedbalski of Fredonia, and how she learned to walk after losing her legs following a massive heart attack nearly three years earlier.

This is the third time D’Agostino has won the first place award from NYNPA for page design. He previously won in 2015 and 2016 as well as second place for column writing from the New York Associated Press Association.

D’Agostino is the regional editor of the OBSERVER, The Post-Journal and Times Observer in Warren, Pa. He lives in Fredonia with his wife Catherine. They have two children.

Since 2000 the OBSERVER has won 11 awards from the NYNPA as well as 17 awards from the NYNAPA.