The Daily Freeman Journal was recognized over a dozen times during the Thursday evening awards ceremony at the Iowa Newspaper Association Convention.

In an era when newspapers are disappearing across the United States, the Iowa Newspaper Association continues to recognize excellence during its annual Iowa Newspaper Association Convention and Awards Ceremony held each year in Des Moines.

One of the most esteemed awards was the first-place award earned by Jane Curtis, former editor of the Daily Freeman Journal, who was cited as a Master Columnist.

Curtis, who retired from the Daily Freeman Journal, was editor for the prior three and a half years before retiring in December 2025.

Once again, the Daily Freeman Journal earned first in community leadership with writers Curtis, Robert E. Oliver, Kolleen Taylor and David Borer cited for their contributions to the newspaper.

First place awards were also received by Trevor Christensen for best advertising series or campaign, and the best ad featuring agriculture.

The Crossroads series written by Robert E. Oliver and illustrated by former editor Jane Curtis earned a second place award,

Second place for ag reporting was also presented to the Daily Freeman Journal. Those recognized for those stories again included Curtis and Oliver, but also recognized writing by Lori Berglund and Kristin Danley Greiner.

Second place awards were also presented to the Daily Freeman Journal for best editorial pages, best feature pages and the best newspaper website.

Third place coverage was awarded to Oliver and Curtis also for best continuing coverage.

Additional awards in advertising included second place awards to the best ad featuring financial, insurance or other professional service, and third place for ads featuring grocery, food or entertainment, and for best ad featuring automotive, boats, aircraft, tires, and gasoline.

The Daily Freeman Journal is considered a multi-day publication and was judged against others in the same classification. The Freeman Journal is the smallest of the daily newspapers in this class, which is measured by circulation and population.

Some of the other winners in other categories in that classification were the Iowa Falls Daily Citizen, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Waterloo Courier and the Clinton Herald.