HARRISONBURG, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – WINA News Radio was named the Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias for the seventh straight year during Saturday’s annual Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters awards banquet.

”This year was especially sweet in that in past years the radio awards were split between Metro and non-Metro markets,” WINA News Director Jay Hart said.

A panel of judges from Colorado reviewed 598 entries from 37 news organizations in Virginia and West Virginia.

WINA news anchor/reporter Dori Zook took first place in both the Best Newscast and Best Radio News Anchor categories, and Hart and Zook took second place for Best Continuing News.

WINA is owned by the Charlottesville Media Group, which also operates Cville Right Now. Cville Right Now was recognized as the VAPB’s top website for the second straight year.

“This award is the product of a lot of hard work by a great team of people at CMG,” editor-in-chief Mike Barber said.

NewsRadio WINA partner WVIR-TV (29News) won the small market television Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias.

29’s Avery Davis took the top award for Best MMJ/One-Person Band Reporter, and Kate Nuechterlein was chosen Best Reporter.

29 News Steve Rappaport was awarded Best TV News Anchor.

WCAV-TV’s Izzie Begley received the top award for Best Sports Feature “Bayram’s Corner”