The Budget received honors at the Osman C. Hooper Awards, hosted by Ohio News Media Association, on March 26. Non-daily newspapers in the state of Ohio submitted over 600 entries, which were judged by a blue-ribbon panel of experts in the fields of design, photography, advertising and journalism.

“Awards are a great way to see where we are in the industry,” said The Budget’s publisher Milo G. Miller. “We are honored to earn these accolades, but the real ‘awards’ come from hearing from our loyal readers and advertisers about what they enjoy, what they learned and what they are looking forward to reading each week.”

The Budget is weekly newspaper based in Sugarcreek, Ohio, and reaches at least 50,000 readers in Plain communities across the Americas.

Leading the way was The Budget’s advertising team led by Miller and Rachel Burgan. The department earned second place honors with judges praising the submitted advertisements. “Clean and easy to navigate because of good use of contrasting elements,” judges noted.

The Budget also earned several third place honors. A first-time winner was Ivan Keim. His column, “Homesteading Heartbeat,” was judged as third place in the original columns category for having a nice, down-home feel.

“We are so thankful Ivan is part of our Budget family,” said Beverly Keller, editor of The Budget’s “Closer Look” section. “His columns are something that I enjoy reading the first time through before I put my editor hat on on, and I’m looking forward to his possible return to our pages in the future.”

The Budget also took home third place honors for Best House Ad. “I love Nibbles, The Budget mouse,” judges wrote.

Miller agreed. “We all love Nibbles,” he said. Nibbles appears in the “Closer Look” section of The Budget and often helps children find penpals who share birthdates. “Nibbles has brought a sense of joy and fun to our office and the pages of The Budget,” Miller said.

Also earning third place for community impact was The Budget’s Ohio Amish Business Directory. Judges wrote that the unique piece “provides a service to the local Amish community by helping them connect to local businesses.” Miller agreed, noting that the directory continues to grow with the 2026 edition having well over 300 free listings.

Miller praised The Budget’s team for its work ethic, attention to detail and commitment to community. “We remain honored to tell the stories of our community,” he said.

This article originally appeared The Budget’s “Closer Look” section on April 1, 2026. Republished with permission.