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The Arkansas City Traveler won the 2007 Burton Marvin Award for community journalism for its coverage of the Jodi Sanderholm case.

The award is given each year by the William Allen White Foundation to recognize outstanding reporting by newspapers in Kansas.

The Topeka Capital-Journal won the News Enterprise award for coverage that triggered the downfall of Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison.

Given since 1974, the Burton Marvin Award recognizes outstanding reporting by newspapers in Kansas. The award is named in honor of the foundation's first director and a former Dean of the KU School of Journalism.

The award was presented last Friday during William Allen White Day activities at the University of Kansas. Traveler Publisher Dave Seaton and reporter Foss Farrar were in Lawrence to accept the award.

"We are proud of the rich history of journalistic excellence in Kansas," said Ann Brill, Dean of the School of Journalism. "It is an honor for the school to be associated with this prestigious award. We congratulate The Topeka-Capital-Journal and The Arkansas City Traveler."

A press release states:

"The Traveler's coverage reflected it's commitment to serve the public as reporters, including Foss Farrar, a KU graduate, sorted through limited information made available by local authorities. Farrar and his colleagues on the Traveler provided a balanced account of the missing young woman, discovery of her body, and the arrest and charging of a local man in the case."

"An ongoing story like this one is a special challenge to a community newspaper, which is pulled and tugged by rumors," said judges. "It was important to be sensitive to the families of the victim and the accused and to help Arkansas City readers make sense of the tragedy."

"In addition to its extensive coverage, the Traveler made use of its Web site to update the story and to provide a place for readers to post their thoughts."

The Kansas City Star was recognized for an entry that explored the ramifications of an attack on Kansas National Guard soldiers in Iraq.