MARYSIVLLE — The Arlington Times and The Marysville Globe brought home a trio of statewide awards from the recent Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

For the ninth time since 2000, the Arlington Times has been named one of the best newspapers in the state in its circulation group as it received a second-place General Excellence Award during the 124th annual WNPA conference in Everett Oct. 7-8.

Competing for the General Excellence Award in Circulation Group III, for newspapers with circulations between 5,001 and 12,750, The Times was judged on the quality of writing, story mix, photography and graphics, design, display advertising, classified advertising and printing, and finished behind the first-place Port Townsend Leader.

The Times also brought home the third-place award for its How To Guide in the Tourism/Community Guide Special Section division for Circulation Group III.

“Advertising content paired with ads create a unique special section,” wrote the judges. “This one, Arlington Times How To Guide, is particularly well designed. This is an all-star section.”

Brooks Smothers, art director for The Arlington Times and The Marysville Globe, garnered the third-place award in the General News Black and White or Color Photograph in Circulation Group IV,  for newspapers with circulations of more than 12,750, for the Marysville Globe.

Smothers’ award-winning photo accompanied the story titled “Working to keep schools safe” which appeared in the Oct. 13, 2010 issue of The Marysville Globe.

“Good effort to bring life to an otherwise dull photo,” wrote the judges about Smothers’ entry.

The 2011 contest drew 2,523 entries from 78 community newspapers in Washington state including  477 in the Advertising Division; 195 in the Special Section Division; 1,345 in the News Division; seven in the Community Service; and 63 in the Web Division. The judges were members of the Texas Press Association.