The Natchez Democrat won 28 awards Saturday at the Mississippi Press Association’s 2006 Better Newspaper Contest — Advertising.

The newspaper won the Advertising Excellence Award, given to only one newspaper in the state.

In addition, the newspaper’s staff earned 11 other first-place awards, including the first-place in the Silver Dollar Idea Award for all daily newspapers for the Doctors’ Pavilion grand opening section.

“I’m extremely proud of our advertising staff and graphic artists team,” said Kevin Cooper, Associate Publisher. “Each of them works hard each day to help their advertising customers get their message out to our readers.

“To earn such honors from our peers is truly a special honor.”

Other awards included:

Best Single Retail Ad, Black and White — Ann Janette, honorable mention.

Best Institutional Ad, Black and White — Adam Gwin, second place.

Best Service Ad, Black and White — Janette, first place; Gwin, third place.

Best Grocery or Restaurant Ad, Black and White — Gwin, first and second place.

Best Auto Ad, Black and White — Sue Loy, first place.

Best Retail Ad, Color — Janette, first place; Gwin, second place.

Best Institutional Ad, Color — Janette, first and third place.

Best Service Ad, Color — Janette, second place.

Best Grocery or Restaurant Ad, Color (All daily newspapers combined) — Barbara DePrato, first place.

Best Automobile Ad, Color — Loy, honorable mention.

Best Small Space Ad — Loy, third place; Ryan Richardson, honorable mention.

Best Section or Edition Dedicated to an Editorial Topic — Staff, second place for Profile 2006.

Best Section or Edition Dedicated to a Retail Sales Promotion — Staff, first place, second place, honorable mention.

Best Series of Ads — Gwin, first place.

Best Theme Page — Staff, first place.

Best House Ad, editorial — Staff, first place.

Best Niche Publication —Staff, third place.

Best Preprint or Specialty Design (all newspapers combined) —Richardson, third place.

Best Print Quality (all daily newspapers combined) — Staff, third place.