BOSTON – The Bangor Daily News was among eight daily newspapers honored Friday with the New England Newspaper Association’s annual “Publick Occurrences” Awards for courage and independence.

The “Publick Occurrences” awards were established in 1991 to mark the 300th anniversary of Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick, the first newspaper published in the United States.

The Bangor Daily News was honored for a special report on the 2000 Census; the Providence Journal for a series on the dangers of lead paint poisoning in children; the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram for a series on domestic violence prevention programs; Bridgeport Connecticut Post for coverage of corruption allegations in city government; The Cape Cod Times for coverage on less affluent members of affluent communities; The Concord (N.H.) Monitor for “Life Lessons – Rumford School;” The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press, for a look at runaway teen-agers; and The Standard-Times of New Bedford (Mass.) for a piece on children living in poverty at a motel.

Also, James A. Rousmaniere, president and editor of the Keene (N.H.) Sentinel, was elected Friday to replace Richard J. Warren, publisher of the Bangor Daily News, as the president of NENA. Warren will continue to serve on the board as immediate past president.

The association also named its newspapers of the year and presented the Allan B. Rogers editorial award to the Maine Sunday Telegram of Portland, Maine.

The newspapers of the year were: The Citizen, Laconia, N.H., dailies 12,000 and less; The Newport Daily News, Newport, R.I., 12,000-20,000; Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, 20,000-35,000; Cape Cod Times, Barnstable, Mass., 35,000-60,000; Portland Press Herald, Portland, Maine, 50,000-150,000. Sundays: Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, 40,000 and under; The Day, New London, Conn., 40,000-70,000; Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine, 70,001-200,000; The Providence Journal, Providence, R.I., Metro papers over 200,000. Weeklies: Braintree Forum, Braintree, Mass., 5,000 and less; The Wellesley Townsman, Wellesley, Mass., 5,001 and higher.