HARRISBURG, Pa. — Denny Bonavita, whose columns regularly appear in The Post-Journal, won two second-place awards in Pennsylvania’s annual Keystone Press Awards contest honoring the best journalistic work statewide in 2019.

Bonavita, who retired seven years ago as editor-publisher of the Courier-Express/Tri-County Sunday in DuBois, Pa., continues to write editorial commentaries and weekly columns for that Community Media newspaper and other area publications.

His second-place award for columns was for these titles: “When men come to depend on Depends;’ “Sadness, anger over abuses, then redemption;” and “What is now ours still touches others.”

He also won a second-place Keystone award for best editorial commentaries. Those entries discussed the link between the controversy over Justice Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation and young adult alcohol abuse; too-frequent winter wrecks on a hazardous Interstate 80 curve and bridge; and using sheriffs to check references for gun permits.

Bonavita, 77, had been the managing editor of the Times-Observer in Warren, Pa., in the 1980s. He and his wife live near Brookville, Pa.

“At this geezer stage of my life, I do sometimes wonder whether what I write remains of value to readers,” Bonavita said. “These awards show that good work in newspapers can still be interesting and informative.”