American Community Newspapers Wins 46 Editorial and Photo Journalism Awards

Company Wins an Impressive 27 Suburban Newspapers of America Honors



DALLAS, March 3  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Community Newspapers Inc. (AMEX:ANE) ("ACN") today announced that dozens of its newspapers and employees have been recognized with a total of 46 awards for their outstanding contributions to journalism, including a total of 27 honors from the Suburban Newspapers of America ("SNA") 2007 Editorial Contest.  Several of the company's regional newspapers were also recently honored by their respective regional associations for editorial and photography in their local markets, including Minnesota, Ohio and Northern Virginia.

Gene Carr, Chairman and CEO of ACN, commented, "On behalf of the honorees, I would like to thank the SNA and the regional associations for their support and recognition.  The awards given to our publications were hard-earned and are deeply appreciated.  ACN employees strive to maintain our outstanding reputation and ongoing dedication to their local communities.  I want to thank them for their continued effort and commitment, and congratulate them on their well-deserved honors."

The SNA contest was judged by the American Press Institute, and saw more than 3,000 entries.  Winners were recognized at the SNA Spring Publishers' Conference held February 20-22, 2008 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  A full listing of ACN awards from the SNA 2007 Editorial Contest includes:

  Newspaper         Cluster      Recipient   Award           Place

  Edina Sun-        Minnesota    Poverty -   Community       3rd Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          The Poor    Service -
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   Next Door   Editorial

  Eden Prairie      Minnesota    Poverty -   Community       3rd Place
  Sun-Current,      Sun          The Poor    Service -
  Eden Prairie, MN  Newspapers   Next Door   Editorial

  Bloomington Sun-  Minnesota    Poverty -   Community       3rd Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          The Poor    Service -
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   Next Door   Editorial

  Richfield Sun-    Minnesota    Poverty -   Community       3rd Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          The Poor    Service -
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   Next Door   Editorial

  Sun Gazette -     Sun Gazette  Racial      Best Editorial  Honorable
  Arlington         Publications Divide in   Writing         Mention
  Alexandria, VA                 Arlington

  New Albany News,  Suburban     Tix Issue   Best Editorial  1st Place
  Columbus, OH      News         Tether      Cartoon
                    Publications Bill

  Pickerington      Suburban     Superinten- Best Editorial  1st Place
  Times-Sun,        News         dent Hunt   Cartoon
  Columbus, OH      Publications

  Reynoldsburg      Suburban     Cherry      Best Editorial  2nd Place
  News, Columbus,   News         Tomato      Cartoon
  OH                Publications Fest

  Olentangy Valley  Suburban     Coyote      Best Editorial  2nd Place
  News, Columbus,   News         Problem     Cartoon
  OH                Publications

  Columbus, OH      Suburban     School      Best Editorial  3rd Place
  Publications      News         Funding     Cartoon
                    Publications

  Little Elm        Star         Roller      Best Sports     2nd Place
  Journal, Plano,   Community    Girls       Writing
  TX                Newspapers

  The Times,        Suburban     Chris       Best Sports     1st Place
  Columbus, OH      News         Miles -     Writing
                    Publications Sports
                                 Writing

  Frisco            Star         Homefield   Best Sports     2nd Place
  Enterprise,       Community    Advantage   Writing
  Plano, TX         Newspapers

  Bexley News,      Suburban     A           Best News       Honorable
  Columbus, OH      News         Statement   Photo           Mention
                    Publications of Protest
                                 by
                                 Cassandra
                                 Bergman

  McKinney Courier  Star         Crash       Best News       2nd Place
  Gazette, Plano,   Community    Scene       Photo
  TX                Newspapers

  The Booster,      Suburban     Feature     Best Feature    1st Place
  Columbus, OH      News         Photo -     Photo
                    Publications Dan
                                 Trittschus

  The Booster,      Suburban     Feature     Best Feature    3rd Place
  Columbus, OH      News         Photo -     Photo
                    Publications Dan
                                 Trittschus

  Gahanna News,     Suburban     Feature     Best Feature    Honorable
  Columbus, OH      News         Photo -     Photo           Mention
                    Publications Jeffry

  Worthington       Suburban     Cheerleader Best            Honorable
  News, Columbus,   News         Shooting    Continuing      Mention
  OH                Publications Coverage    Coverage

  Hilliard          Suburban     Old         Best Breaking   3rd Place
  Northwest News,   News         Hilliard    News Story
  Columbus, OH      Publications Held
                                 Hostage

  Sun-Current       Minnesota    Autism      Best In-Depth   1st Place
  South Group       Sun          Series      Reporting
                    Newspapers

  Eagan Sun         Minnesota    Autism      Best In-Depth   1st Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          Series      Reporting
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers

  Burnsville Sun    Minnesota    Celebrating Best Feature    3rd Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          Life in
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   the Face
                                 of Death

  Reynoldsburg      Suburban     Reynolds-   Best Local      3rd Place
  News, Columbus,   News         burg        Election
  OH                Publications Primary     Coverage

  Columbus, OH      Suburban     Craig       Best Non-Page   3rd Place
  Publications      News         Rusnak      One Layout
                    Publications Layouts

  Mesquite News,    Star         Chris       Best Non-Page   Honorable
  Plano, TX         Community    McGathey    One Layout      Mention
                    Newspapers

  Lewisville        Star         Friends     Best Young      Honorable
  Leader, Plano,    Community    and Family  People's        Mention
  TX                Newspapers   Celebrates  Coverage
                                 9-Year-
                                 Old's Life

  Alexandria, VA    Sun Gazette  Arlington   Best Coverage   3rd Place
  Publications      Publications Schools     of Local
                                 and         Education/
                                 Students    School
                                             District
                                             Issues

  Westerville News  Suburban     Project     Best Arts &     1st Place
  & Public          News         with        Entertainment
  Opinion,          Publications Passion by  Writing -
  Columbus, OH                   Lisa        Feature
                                 Aurand

  Alexandria, VA    Sun Gazette  Review of   Best Arts &     2nd Place
  Publications      Publications Nude        Entertainment
                                 "Macbeth"  Criticism/
                                 Play by     Commentary
                                 Brian
                                 Trompeter

  Eden Prairie      Minnesota    Poverty -   Best Coverage   1st Place
  Sun-Current,      Sun          The Poor    of
  Eden Prairie, MN  Newspapers   Next Door   Investigative
                                             Reporting

  Edina Sun-        Minnesota    Poverty -   Best Coverage   1st Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          The Poor    of
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   Next Door   Investigative
                                             Reporting

  Bloomington Sun-  Minnesota    Poverty -   Best Coverage   1st Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          The Poor    of
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   Next Door   Investigative
                                             Reporting

  Richfield Sun-    Minnesota    Poverty -   Best Coverage   1st Place
  Current, Eden     Sun          The Poor    of
  Prairie, MN       Newspapers   Next Door   Investigative
                                             Reporting




Recognition by the SNA follows ACN's recent award wins at the Minnesota Newspaper Association's ("MNA") "Better Newspaper Contest Awards Presentation," where the Company was honored with more than ten awards given to fifteen ACN employees and nine of its publications.  The awards included the event's top prize, the Lynn Smith Community Service Award, presented to The Melrose Beacon for its efforts in leading the community in last year's Sesquicentennial Celebration.  The Waconia Patriot took second place in the category for its leadership role in a community-wide effort last summer to honor Waconia's World War II veterans.

ACN's Ohio Cluster of properties, Suburban News Publications, was honored with the following awards at the 57th annual Ohio News Photographers Association conference at Kent State University held February 15-16, 2008:

  -- First Place Photo Staff - A cumulative award recognizing the entire
     body of work submitted by Tim Johnson and staff.
  -- Award of Excellence for Assigned Feature - Jeffry Konczal
  -- Award of Excellence Assigned Feature - Cassandra Bergman
  -- Award of Excellence Sports Action - Jeffry Konczal
  -- Award of Excellence Feature Picture Story - Tim Johnson
  -- 3rd Place General News Photo - Ben French



In its Northern Virginia properties, writer Dusty Smith and The Leesburg Today took home third place in General News Writing in the Virginia Press Association's 2007 News, Editorial and Photo Contest.  Leesburg Today's 80-page The Guide to Loudoun won second place in the VPA's 2007 Advertising Contest in the category of Guides, Anniversary & Progress Editions. Additionally, Margaret Morton from Leesburg Today received the 2008 Excellence in Veterinary Reporting from the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association for her reporting on the outbreak of a contagious equine ailment.

About American Community Newspapers Inc.

ACN is a community newspaper publisher in the United States, operating within four major U.S. markets: Minneapolis - St. Paul, Dallas, Northern Virginia (suburban Washington, D.C.) and Columbus, Ohio.  These markets are some of the most affluent, high growth markets in the United States, with ACN strategically positioned in many of the wealthiest counties within each market.  ACN's goal is to be the preeminent provider of local content and advertising in any market its serves.  In these markets, ACN publishes three daily and 83 weekly newspapers, each serving a specific community, and 14 niche publications, with a combined circulation of approximately 1.4 million households.  In addition, ACN's locally focused Web sites have average monthly page views and visitors of approximately 5.1 million and 1.3 million, respectively, extending the reach and frequency of its products beyond their geographic print distribution area. 

DATASOURCE: American Community Newspapers Inc.



CONTACT:  Nancy Zakhary of Brainerd Communicators for American Community

Newspapers Inc., [phone], 

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