The Northampton Press placed first in the "publications regularly edited by entrant" category in the 2012 National Federation of Press Women communications contest.

"A publisher of mine once told me, 'I'd rather be a strong weekly than a weak daily,'" wrote one of the contest judges. "The Northampton Press is a strong weekly with solid editing, writing, photography and design content going on with a clear sense of purpose. It is a newspaper that seeks to keep pushing on its coverage and for its community. Nice! Keep up the good work."

Editor Johanna S. Billings accepted the award at the NFPW conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 22.

Billings is also editor of the Whitehall-Coplay Press and Catasauqua Press.

Placing second in the publications regularly edited by entrant at the national level was Suzanne Hanney, editor of Streetwise Inc. in Chicago. Third place went to Leslie O'Donnell, an editor with Nutfield Publishing in Londonderry, N.H. Barb Belknap, editor at Sandoval Signpost in Placitas, N.M., received an honorable mention.

In order to qualify for the national contest, entrants must win at the state level. This is the first year Billings entered the publications regularly edited by entrant category.

Billings won first place in the feature photography and photo essay categories plus an honorable mention in column writing in the 2011 NFPW contest. She also won first place in feature photography in 2010.