Blank Slate takes 7 press club awards

Willston Times voted No. 2 on LI, first in education coverage and 2nd, 3rd in editorial writing

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Blank Slate Media took home seven awards from the Press Club of Long Island for news, headline writing and commentary at the group’s annual gala Thursday night at the Woodbury Country Club in Westbury.

The publication, which puts out six weekly newspapers covering the North Shore, won first place in the category of education reporting, second place in best community weekly newspaper, editorial and government and politics reporting and third place in editorial, best headline and humor column.

“It’s nice to get recognition for the quality and effort we put into the coverage of our local communities,” editor and publisher Steven Blank said in an interview.

Blank Slate Media’s lone first-place award came from coverage of racial disparity in state aid for North Shore School districts by former reporters Robert Pelaez and Steven Keehner.

Two editorials by Steven Blank commenting on former Manhasset Superintendent Vincent Butera, who left the district following a 2020 investigation that found he violated the school district’s sexual harassment policy, and the cross-endorsement of Nassau County judges won third and second place awards, respectively.

Blank Slate Media won seven awards at the Press Club of Long Island’s annual gala on Thursday, June 15.

Blank said despite not having the same resources as other competing publications such as Newsday a commitment to doing a good job will always produce good journalism.

“A lot of it is about being smart with your resources, being efficient and determining what we’re going to cover,”