2009 Best Journalism in Arizona

The winners of the 2009 Best Journalism in Arizona contest, as announced at the May 15, 2010 awards party. Congratulations!!

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Spanish language

Non-metro writing

Metro writing

Best in Arizona

Design

Non-metro photography

Metro photography

The Big Four:

Virg Hill Journalist of the Year

Community Journalist of the Year

Designer of the Year

Photographer of the Year

SPANISH LANGUAGE

A1. News Reporting (22 entries)

Paola Banchero is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Alaska. As a reporter, she was honored for breaking news reporting by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.

First place: Maritza Lizeth Félix, Prensa Hispana, "Un infierno por el cielo"

Judge: A quite complete report given that the event happened just a few days before the weekly’s publication. It includes eyewitness accounts of the Dantesque scene and clearly explains what happened amid the chaos, which isn’t easy to do. I like that it includes a list of the known dead and a graphic explaining that terrible day.

Second place: Samuel Murillo and Eduardo Bernal, La Voz, "Nueva ley es un terrible castigo a propietarios"

Judge: These reporters demonstrate an ability to find important information to tell the story of how an obviously regressive law could be adopted.

Third place: Samuel Murillo, La Voz, "Cada vez aumenta más el número de 'narconiños’”

Judge: This report gives us a view we normally don’t get about a part of the drug trafficking system that affects Mexico as well as the United States.

Honorable mention: Maritza Lizeth Félix, Prensa Hispana, "Bajito y suavecito"

A2. Feature Reporting (24 entries)

Nora Lopez, deputy metro editor at the San Antonio (Texas) Express-News, oversees a newsroom of about 40 reporters and seven assistant city editors, managing and directing daily news coverage and weekend enterprise.

First place: Maritza Lizeth Félix, Prensa Hispana, “Atrapados en la nostalgia"

Judge: I was impressed by the beautiful narrative that really drew the reader in. A very poignant story about caring for our elderly.

Second place: Natalia Lopera, La Estrella de Tucson,

Judge: A wonderful collection of features highlighting Hispanic culture and traditions and how they are growing and in some cases changing the face of our community.

Third place: Maritza Lizeth Félix, Prensa Hispana, "Convertiendo tragedia an esperanza"

Judge: A moving story about a young girl's brave, but losing, battle to cancer.

A3. Commentary/Analysis (13 entries)

Bob Rivard is the editor and executive vice president of the San Antonio Express-News. He has received many awards during his 27-year career, including the Society of Professional Journalists' Distinguished Service Award for Foreign Correspondents in 1982.

First place: John Vaughn, Bajo El Sol

“Derribe la barrera del idioma,” “Espìritu e inciativa es lo que creò a esta paìs,” etc.

Judge: John Vaughn's entry easily stood out as the best in this category. His ability to combine opinion while at the same time giving examples to make his point make him the winner. In "Espíritu e inciativa es lo que creó a este país," he manages to tell the story about a couple that works hard every day and is an excellent example of the American Dream. He makes a strong case for small business and the hard work put forth by immigrants.

Second place: Luis Ramìrez, La Voz, “La industria de la radio, entre la crisis y el otimismo”

NON-METRO WRITING

B1. Business Reporting (40 entries)

Rob Barry is a computer-assisted reporter for the Miami Herald who received the Bartlett & Steele Award for Investigative Business Journalism for the 2008 series “Borrowers Betrayed.''

First place: Bill Coates, Arizona Capitol Times, “Lawsuit says Casa Grande HOA run like a racket,”

Judge: The story of 50 local homeowners trying to stave off foreclosure while battling what they say is a corrupt HOA stirs outrage and captures a theme reflected at scores of developments around the country.

Second place: Renèe Schafer Horton, Tucson Citizen, “Looks like curtains for the Citizen,” “Citizen ‘day to day’; closure delayed,” etc.

Judge: Unflinching and extensive coverage of the economic struggles at a local newspaper is timely and well-researched.

Third place: Jeremy Duda, Arizona Capitol Times, “Expecting the exodus” and “Reeling them in”

Judge: This piece about Arizona's efforts to entice out-of-state businesses didn't toe the Department of Commerce's line. Instead, the reporter took the time to research, resulting in a balanced and informative series.

B2. Public Safety Reporting (20 entries)

Brendan McCarthy covers crime and police issues for The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune. McCarthy was a finalist for a 2009 Pulitzer Prize in local reporting for his eight-part series, "Homicide 37," which chronicled the police investigation into an all-too-routine murder of a New Orleans teenager.

First place: Erin Taylor, The Kingman Daily Miner, “Mother murdered while saving daughter,” “Family says they saw bad signs before fatal shooting,” etc.

Judge: Taylor repeatedly followed up on this sad incident and examined its impact on everyone involved.

Second place: Nick R. Martin, Heat City, "Gilbert police investigating mayor on suspicion of poisoning wife"

Judge: Expansive story, raises questions and seeks to provide answers. Utilizes public records, documents and interviews.

Third place: Erin Taylor, The Kingman Daily Miner, “Task force targets Bike Night riders,” “Man miffed by dress code at street drags,” etc.

B3. Politics/Government Reporting (26 entries)

E.J. Schultz, California statehouse reporter for the Fresno Bee, won the top award for beat reporting in 2008 from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors.

First place: Christian Palmer, Arizona Capitol Times, “County rejects most tax appeals”

Judge: This enterprising effort went deep into two bureaucratic tax agencies to highlight an issue most every reader cares about: property taxes. The reporter did a nice job gathering data and showing that the local and state tax boards take two very different approaches.

Second place: Jeremy Duda, Arizona Capitol Times, “Redistricting predictions”

Judge: By next year, everyone in the political world will be talking about redistricting. The reporter got ahead of the news by giving readers a sense of how the process might reshape Arizona's boundaries.

Third place: Mark Cowling and Daniel Dullum, The Florence Reminder and Blade-Tribune, “School district spends more than $10,000 on convention”

Judge: I'm sure this story caused a stir. By highlighting some questionable spending, the reporters held school board members accountable, which is what small-community reporting is all about.

B4. Health Reporting (10 entries)

Long-time journalist Ray Weiss covers aging issues for the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal. He won first place for health writing in the large newspaper category in the 2008 Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Contest, and has also picked up a National Press Club Award for consumer writing and was a finalist for the Livingston Award.

First place: Bill Coates, Arizona Capitol Times: "From teen pregnancies to heart attacks, DHS statistician tracks health data"

Judge: The work of Bill Coates of the Arizona Capitol Times stood out. He took what easily could have been a very dry, routine story about health statistics and humanized it in a novel way, by focusing on the man who compiles the numbers. He made statistics, important statistics, very interesting -- no small feat for a writer. Great job.

Second place: Bill Coates, "Communities needing dental care hitch their hopes to a trailer"

Judge: He personalized how a mobile dental trailer helps poor people get the care they might not otherwise receive. Coates goes beyond the nuts and bolts, providing the human element.

Third Place: Michael Protocollo, Arcadia News: "New tobacco product making its way into schools"

Judge: An interesting topic that is well-written and well-researched, but needed more development.

B5. Environmental/Science reporting (19 entries)

Cynthia Barnett is senior writer at Florida Trend magazine, where she covers investigative, environmental, public policy and business stories. Her numerous journalism awards include eight Green Eyeshades, which recognize outstanding journalism in 11 southeastern states.

First place: Bill Coates, Arizona Capitol Times, "Uranium rush: Sparks fly over mining near the Grand Canyon"

Judge: Bill Coates' narrative on the renewed interest in uranium deposits on public lands is an intelligent, clear explanation of everything from the geology that forms the uranium to the permitting process and the economic forces at play. Well-written, with authority and clear-headedness.

Second place: Patrick O'Grady, Phoenix Business Journal, "Renewable energy companies vying to use state land"

Judge: In this piece, Patrick O'Grady gets beyond the green jobs/economic development hype of Arizona's burgeoning solar industry to reveal the surprising public-land rush underway for renewable energy projects.

B6. Social Issues Reporting (19 entries)

Erin Middlewood, a reporter for The Columbian in Vancouver, Wash., received a 2007 national Sigma Delta Chi award for "Child Care Nightmare."

First place: Bill Coates, Arizona Capitol Times, "Homecare a lifesaver for many seniors."

Judge: Coates' story clearly laid out the consequences of a budget shortfall in human terms.

Second place: Bill Coates, Arizona Capitol Times

“Volunteers take census of people with no place to call home,” “Postal service for homeless marked for cancellation,” etc.

Third place: Joy Slagowski, Daily News-Sun

“Man ignores initial prognosis of doom,” “Compound struggle,” etc.

B7. Education Reporting (18 entries)

Tracy Jan covers higher education for The Boston Globe, where her work has won the National Headliner Award. She was a 2009 finalist for The Livingston Awards for Young Journalists for her coverage in Beijing of American universities courting Chinese students.

First place: Renee Schafer Horton, Tucson Citizen

"Miller's reported $18m package raises eyebrows" and "Coach has 2 million reasons to smile"

Judge: A startling look at the high price tag of college athletics at a time of system-wide budget cuts at the University of Arizona.

B8. Immigration Reporting (4 entries)

Dianne Solís is a senior writer at the Dallas Morning News, where she writes frequently on immigration. She also worked for the Wall Street Journal in its Houston and Mexico City bureaus; her coverage included energy, the border, freer trade policies and the rise of narcotics cartels.

First place: Jim Small, Arizona Capitol Times, “Coming up short”

Judge: Jim Small effectively probes into and assesses the effectiveness of an Arizona state law that yanks business licenses from those caught knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. The law has withstood legal challenges in higher courts, yet Small points out that without subpoena power the law lacks the essential ability to collect evidence.

B9. Sports Reporting (20 entries)

Al Lewis writes a column for Dow Jones Newswires called “Al’s Emporium,” which offers an unconventional perspective on the business headlines of the day. His writing has won multiple awards, including honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Colorado Press Association and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.

First place: Liz Manring, Sierra Vista Herald, “Enough with superlatives already,” “Bisbee a springboard for Metro,” etc.

Judge: Thorough reporting and deft writing on Warren Ballpark’s Centennial, including an interview with a 91-year-old former baseball great, a trip back in time to the beginnings of local football, and what IS clearly the best column on superlatives ever written. Manring knows her topic well and picks all the right details to keep her stories fun, which is what good sports writing is all about.

Second place: Daniel Dullum, TriValley Central.com, “Baseball as it used to be”

Judge: A colorful profile of historical baseball games from 1865 and 1880, re-enacted as a fundraiser and to honor Warren Ball Park’s Centennial. Dullum makes great use of quotes and story-telling techniques. He tells all, from how the games were played to the specs on some of the equipment, and weaves in colorful profiles on the people involved in the games, entertaining his readers all along the way.

Third place: Nicholas Smith, Inside Tucson Business,

“Rillito track brings in millions, but still set to close” and “Soccer tourneys bring in millions, but central complex likely years away”

Judge: Solid reporting and analysis of a plan to get rid of a historic horse track to make room for a $12 million to $18 million soccer complex. Well-written pieces enumerate all the pros and cons, not just crunching the numbers, but recounting the historic significance of the track as the birthplace of organized quarter-horse racing, and a draw for more than 5,000 people a year.

B10. Column writing (15 entries)

Buddy Martin has won more than 160 state and national awards as an editor, writer and TV producer. Among the awards he or his newspaper claimed were best Best Lifestyle Section nationally (Penny-Missouri), Best Sunday Sports Section nationally (APSE), Best Feature Writer New York State (Associated Press) and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news (2005). He has been named best columnist or sports columnist in Florida for both magazines and newspapers six times.

First place: Matt Bunk, Arizona Capitol Times,” “Williams, Jenson deny doing business with Desert Divas,” etc.

Judge: Bunk clearly knows how the game is played, as exemplified by: “Frankly, it was a publicity stunt. It’s the kind of PR move initiated by people who know more about lobbying and campaigning than they do about actually communicating with the public and the media.” It’s refreshing to see some good, old-fashioned muckraking for a change, backed up by the facts.

Second place: Betsey Bruner, Arizona Daily Sun, “Laundry Mary: an appreciation,” etc.

Judge: With her vast experiences and background, Betsey is able to bring to life nostalgic subjects of the Boomer generation as they pertain to news events – such as the movie about Harvey Milk and the death of musician Ali Akbar Kham. She also wrote a warm portrait of Laundry Mary.

Third place: Josh Sayles, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, “Why we’re different,” etc.

Judge: A most unusual entry, but clearly Josh represents his community with his columns. Among his subjects were cultural difference in religions and the boycotting of their own graduation by ASU students to create a political snub of Barack Obama. His best, though, was “Fueling the fire,” where he defends a Christian church for wanting to educate themselves about Judaism.

B11. Personality Profile (30 entries)

Moni Basu, a writer/editor for The CNN Wire, was a reporter and editor at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 19 years. In 2008, she produced an eight-part narrative series that won seven national awards including the Story of the Year from the Religion Newswriters Association as well as Reporter of the Year. She also won the 2009 Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting.

First place: Penelope Bass, Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, “Their place in history: The Harvey Girls and the Civilization of the American West”

Judge: This was a compelling account of more than 100,000 young women who left respectable lives to seek “inappropriate” adventure in an unfamiliar land. Why did they seek work along the railroad? What was it like? Bass answers these questions with historical research and interviews to paint a portrait of a group of women who played an important role in settling the West. I liked the imagery in this story from the wording of the newspaper want ad to the Harvey House curfews.

Second place: Alan Levine, Casa Grande Dispatch, “Security by day or by night”

Judge: A quirky look at a college security officer’s unlikely other career as an astronomer. At night, Luis Martinez rivals any professional astronomer with his star gazing and quest to protect the Earth from potential dangers from space. I love how Levine explained a complex topic (moon exploration) through the eyes of Martinez, who had a terrific way of simplifying NASA’s quest to find water on the moon.

Third place: Penelope Bass, Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, “The naked truth: The passion and petulance of singer, activist and eternal fighter Katie Lee”

Judge: Bass captures 90-year-old singer and activist Katie Lee perfectly in her story. Mellifluous and rough all at once, Bass covers how her discovery of Glen Canyon reshaped her life and how she turned to music and writing to vent her anger and frustration over a dam.

B12. Human Interest Writing (34 entries)

Elizabeth Bernstein, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal for nine years, covers consumer health, focusing primarily on mental health. In 2008, she was the winner of the American Psychoanalytic Association's Excellence in Journalism Award and also received the 2007 beat reporting award from the Deadline Club, the New York City chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

First place: Larry Hendricks, Arizona Daily Sun, “The cowboy life,” etc.

Judge: This is a tightly reported and well-told group of stories that paints a richly detailed picture of a particular slice of local life. Quotations and statistics are used to great effect, and the stories were packaged beautifully.

Second place: Susan Randall, Casa Grande Dispatch, “The heat was so great,” etc.

Judge: Susan’s stories present a layered and well-written look at a town landmark, the changes it has gone through and what these changes mean to the citizens. Her curiosity and attention to detail is impressive.

Third place: Liz Manring, Sierra Vista Herald, “Pitch black,” etc.

Judge: Liz picked interesting people and created rich, detailed and well-told profiles that inspire and inform.

METRO WRITING

C1. Business Writing (18 entries)

Rob Barry is a computer-assisted reporter for the Miami Herald who received the Bartlett & Steele Award for Investigative Business Journalism for the 2008 series “Borrowers Betrayed.''

First place: Jimmy Magahern, Times Publications, “Distressed council”

Judge: Though many entries looked at the local impact of the global economic crisis, this piece distinguished itself by offering a riveting and original perspective. I was hooked by the shocking lede and impressed with the intimacy with which the rest of the story unfolded.

Second place: Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times, “Concrete bungle”

Judge: Of all the entries about the devastation brought about by the collapse of the housing market, this well-written piece delved the deepest into both causes and the effects.

Third place: Sarah Fenske, Phoenix New Times, “Icy wing and a prayer,” “US Airways pilot demands New Times’ notes,” etc.

Judge: This interesting and hard-hitting piece draws attention to an airline's failure to protect whistleblowers in the face of an exorbitant lawsuit.

C2. Public Safety Reporting (22 entries)

First place: Nick R. Martin, Phoenix Magazine, “The third man”
Judge: A wonderfully written and gripping narrative of a crime spree. A superb mix of in-depth reporting and suspenseful writing.

Second place: Craig Harris, Yvonne Wingett, and JJ Hensley, The Arizona Republic, “Sheriff’s new bus adds fuel to feud,” “Does unit fight corruption or political foes?” etc.

Judge: Great investigative work. Stories exhibit dogged reporting that seeks accountability and transparency.

Third place: Dennis Wagner, The Arizona Republic, “TheiInformant”

Judge: A well-researched and reported story on a tragic case.

Honorable mention: Tim Steller, Arizona Daily Star, stories on Shawna Forde, Jason Bush, and Arivaca

C3. John Kolbe Award for Politics and Government Reporting (17 entries)

E.J. Schultz, California statehouse reporter for the Fresno Bee, won the top award for beat reporting in 2008 from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors.

First place: Sarah Fenske, Phoenix New Times, “Mr. Clean Elections”

Judge: This story successfully showed that the state's efforts at election reform have gone wildly off course. The reporter took the potentially arcane topic of campaign finance and made it digestible, giving example after example of unintended consequences of the 10-year-old law.

Second place: Rob O’Dell, Arizona Daily Star, “Taxpayers lost big on Rio Nuevo bond sale,” “City shouldering costs of some Rio Nuevo extras,” etc.

Judge: These stories hold the city accountable for a poorly run redevelopment project, rising costs for a bridge, and a questionable bond sale – a fine example of watchdog reporting.

Third place: Sarah Fenske, Phoenix New Times, “Odd woman out”

Judge: This was just a fun read about a woman's struggle dealing with zoning laws and attorneys. The reporter deftly weaved in details based on some good reporting, while keeping a good pace.

C4. Health Reporting (11 entries)

First place: Jimmy Magahern, Times Publications, "Second chance"

Judge: Moving story that captures the hopelessness and hope, and unflinching love between a mother and her twin children, no matter the odds. Great storytelling, observational skills and ear for dialogue, mixed smoothly with important medical background. Obviously the reporter spent a lot of time with the family and it paid off. Great story.

Second place: Ginger Rough, The Arizona Republic, "A pill to make you smarter"

Judge: A well-researched and alarming look at a very different drug problem facing many students who might be risking their health for an extra-competitive edge. The reporter studied the topic well and presented the information with the authoritative voice of an expert.

Third place: Stephanie Innes, Arizona Daily Star, "Getting nails done may pose health risk"

Judge: A detailed and well-researched expose of nail salons. The story is thorough and well written, providing a good balance between specific violations and reactions from customers and owners.

C5. Environmental/Science Reporting (7 entries)

First place: Tony Davis and Tim Steller, Arizona Daily Star, "Did Macho B. have to die?"

Judge: From a powerful investigative report in March to scoop after scoop through October, Tony Davis and Tim Steller kept the pressure on to expose a conservation agency's culpability in the outrageous capture and death of the last known wild jaguar in the United States. Their series of front-page stories about the big cat, nicknamed Macho B, revealed shocking arrogance, missteps and harm by the very people charged with caring for wildlife.

Second place: Shaun McKinnon and Dennis Wagner, The Arizona Republic, "Ecology vs. need for cash"

Judge: McKinnon and Wagner's thoughtful reporting on coal-fired power supply on American Indian reservations gives readers a deep understanding of not only the environmental and economic trade-offs, but the cultural pressures at play among Native Americans and environmentalists.

Third place: Sergio Solache, The Arizona Republic, "Mexico villages vanish under flood of dams"

Judge: Kudos to Solache in the Republic's Mexico City bureau for his well-written exposè of how Mexico is flooding villages under dams -- just as the U.S. and other parts of the world are backing away from the destructive projects.

C6. Social Issues Reporting (15 entries)

Erin Middlewood, a reporter for The Columbian in Vancouver, Wash., received a 2007 national Sigma Delta Chi award for "Child Care Nightmare."

First place: Malia Politzer, Phoenix New Times, "Lost in translation: Autism is tough to diagnose and treat"

Judge: Politzer's clear, conversational and comprehensive story illuminates how the system has failed autistic Latino children. I can easily see this story creating traction for policy change.

Second place: Tim Steller, Arizona Daily Star, "Losing all hope"

Judge: The tight focus on one man's suicide drew me in. Then Steller delivered the goods by showing how this one man exemplified a broader problem.

Third place: Carol Ann Alaimo, Arizona Daily Star, “Transgendered vets a hidden population,” etc.

C7. Education Reporting (12 entries)

Tracy Jan covers higher education for The Boston Globe where her work has won the National Headliner Awards. She was a 2009 finalist for The Livingston Awards for Young Journalists for her coverage in Beijing of American universities courting Chinese students.

First place: Rhonda Bodfield, Arizona Daily Star, "Education at charters is spotty, oversight lax"

Judge: This tenacious, thorough examination into how Arizona charters school are faring, 15 years later, uncovered unconscionable examples of greed, ineptitude and lax state oversight, in some instances, while presenting a fair picture of why other charters are successful. An excellent example of stand-out watchdog reporting, and exactly what education reporters should be incorporating into their beats.

Second place: Anne Ryman, The Arizona Republic, "Amid state tuition increases, cries of a constitutional foul"

Judge: A pleasure to read. Anne Ryman's piece on tuition increases at the state university takes the reader on a journey through history, politics, and the legal system. An interesting angle on rising college costs, as schools everywhere raise tuition and fees.

C8. Immigration Reporting (14 entries)

First place (tie): Brady McCombs, Arizona Daily Star, “Patrol’s ‘Mr. 911’ juggles phones, emotions to save border crossers”

Judge: Brady McCombs gives an intimate look at a Border Patrol agent with an unusual mission: rescuing migrants from near death. The precise selection of details — the agent's unhappy spouse and the agent's birthplace — make this tale memorable.

First place (tie): Tim Vanderpool, Tucson Weekly, “Eye of the storm”

Judge: Tim Vanderpool writes a compelling and sweeping tale of how Cochise County clenched up with law enforcement, vigilante and official, as it became one of largest border crossings for illegal entry. Vanderpool skillfully trains his lens on an intense landscape that is a central character in a drama in which immigrants in the U.S. fight back with civil rights laws against a rancher who holds them at gunpoint.

Third place: Dennis Wagner, The Arizona Republic, “At Mexico’s edge, deported migrants are left in limbo”

Judge: Dennis Wagner serves up fresh and raw prose about a familiar topic, deportation. But Wagner injects high emotion in a tale of reverse exile from the Eden of the U.S.A., where some of the deportees now have U.S.-born children or spent most of their lives themselves.

Honorable mention: Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, “Rape opens window to war’s legacy”

Judge: This sad tale looks at rape as a tool of war and then as a tool of mimicry within a Liberian refugee community in Phoenix. It's compellingly told through the battered life of a 59-pound, 8-year-old girl whose father first blamed her for the attack.

C9. Sports Reporting (13 entries)

First place: Bob Young, The Arizona Republic, “Phoenix man completes Budwater ultra-marathon”

Judge: When they named it Death Valley, it was supposed to be a warning, not an invitation for an ultramarathon. What drives someone to race 135 miles through 120-degree heat, over the lowest and highest points in the congruous United States, stopping mostly to weld his feet back together with super glue? If there’s actually an answer to such a question, Young gets about as close to it as possible, joining the race crew of ultramarathoner Perry Edinger. The result of Young’s deep reporting and elegant prose is a compelling portrait of an athlete who is tormented by deeper pains than those that come from extreme races, not to mention a fascinating glimpse into the human condition.

Second place: Robert Anglen and Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, “ASU fires baseball coach Pat Murphy”

Judge: There’s always more to the story whenever someone resigns so things can “move in a new direction.” The news media doesn’t always get to it. Anglen and Metcalfe did, though, in a series of columns that revealed what was really behind the sudden resignation of the Arizona State Sun Devils baseball Coach Pat Murphy: A looming series of NCAA violations ranging from excessive recruiting calls to unethical conduct. Their dogged reporting and frank writing swing straight for the fences on this story, and score.

Third place: Paul Rubin, Phoenix New Times, “Friday night frights”

Judge: Who cares about football at Carl Hayden Community High School in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the Valley, where crime is rampant and 80 percent of students have at least one parent who is an illegal immigrant? Rubin’s readers care, thanks to his deft and intimate account of how the school’s Falcons broke their 66-game losing streak, albeit, temporarily. A heart-wrenching tale, filled with powerful vignettes on the players, that shows there can also be dignity in losing. Great reporting, great writing put the reader right into the game.

C10. The Don Schellie Award for Column Writing (9 entries)

First place: Sarah Fenske, Phoenix New Times, “Church and state,” “The gal that got away” and “Sal DiCiccio’s Loop 202 problem”

Judge: A strong voice on community issues. Sarah Fenske’s research comes shining through in her delivery of the story, propelled by clear, concise writing and piercing commentary.

Second place: Karina Bland, The Arizona Republic, “Jitterbug: Coffee, cola and me,” “Hormone horror: When menopausal moms confront pubescent kids,” etc.

Judge: She is anything but what her last names might imply. Loved her column, “My so-called midlife,” written primarily for females but mostly adaptable to males as well on subjects like kicking caffeine and how hanging around with fat friends can make you fat. Very contemporary and hip, but framed in a mixture of opinion and fact. An easy read.

Third place: Sarah Garrecht Gassen, Arizona Daily Star, “Insurers’ tactics cause for anger,” “Does Arizona’s system serve?” and “Reforming health care”

Judge: A voice for the disenfranchised. Special kudos for her pieces on health care reform. Loved the way she pointed out the problem so well with: “The pitfalls in our system aren’t always obvious until you or a family member needs medical care.”

Honorable mention: Irene Messina, Tucson Weekly, “Hey, readers, the future of newspapers is in your hands,” etc.

C11. Personality Profile (18 entries)

Moni Basu is a writer/editor for The CNN Wire, who previously was a reporter and editor at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 19 years. In 2008, she produced an eight-part narrative series that won seven national awards including the Story of the Year from the Religion Newswriters Association as well as Reporter of the Year. She also won the 2009 Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting.

First place: Robrt L. Pela, Phoenix New Times, “Chasing Pablo”

Judge: The story revealed a profession most Americans know little about and the inner workings of a man who has devoted his life to “pawing through other people’s junk.” Pela could easily have fallen into the trap of writing a story that generated gushing sympathy for a man struggling for survival as a rapidly changing world antiquated his profession. But he resisted, stepped back and told an honest story. He pulled the reader in with the very first paragraph: “If you know Rick Orr, you know this can’t possibly be just any plaster duck…” From there, vivid imagery and details abound, unfolding a story about a man who had it all and fell to almost nothing but can never give up the one thing that drives him.

Second place: Leo W. Banks, Tucson Weekly, “The good guy”

Judge: A four-word apologia is delivered to the writer by his subject: “I’m the good guy.” And Leo W. Banks tells us a riveting story of why Jay Dobyns feels compelled to make that statement about himself. Enter the world of a rough-talking, frayed-at-the-edges undercover cop who feels betrayed by his own peeps, hardly an easy topic for a reporter to tackle. But Banks does it with ease. It’s a gutsy story of a gutsy man told with gutsy reporting and language.

Third place: Malia Politzer, Phoenix New Times, “Paint on a happy face”

Judge: What makes a man paint and sculpt the way he does? There’s a lot about Luis Gutierrez that’s not immediately apparent, the author writes. It’s the reportage and writing that goes beyond the surface that makes this story a winner. Politzer takes us on a journey that unravels the troubled life of this artist – from his drug-addicted mother to his sister’s untimely death and his personal struggle with MS. It’s an insightful portrait of the artist as a young man discovering his own voice.

C12. Human Interest Writing (25 entries)

First place: Dennis Wagner, The Arizona Republic, “Rebirth at Havasupai,” etc.

Judge: Dennis’s clearly written stories bring both local happenings and history to life. His choice of topics is fascinating and his use of quotes, statistics and even lyrics is illuminating.

Second place: Leo W. Banks, Tucson Weekly, “Navy Seal down”

Judge: This story performs an important service for readers by connecting them to a historical event and showing them the heroism in their fellow citizens. It’s told with rock-solid reporting and fast-paced, exciting writing.

Third place: Stephanie Innes, Arizona Daily Star, “Woman living in driveway is a problem cloaked in a riddle,” etc.

Judge: Stephanie’s stories nicely humanize both one homeless woman and the larger problem of how to help mentally ill people. She clearly explains a complex issue to her readers, fleshes out a hard-to-know character and offers resources for others to go for help. Fascinating.

Honorable mention: Robrt Pela, Phoenix New Times, “Space invaders”

Best in Arizona

G1. Best Criticism (20 entries)

Mark Washburn covers contemporary culture, media and writes a weekly local-affairs column for the Charlotte Observer. Prevoiusly, he was state editor of the Miami Herald and was part of the coverage effort in the wake of Hurricane Andrew that won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for public service.

First place: Robrt L. Pela, Phoenix New Times, “Getting closer,” “Beadle mania” and No (Chelsey) parking

Judge: Pela finds news ways to write about an old topic and the writer's longtime experience in Phoenix gives it a grounded sense of place.

Second place: James DiGiovanna, Tucson Weekly “Sentiment sans schmaltz,” “Conceptually funny,” and “The No. 1 fan”

Judge: DiGiovanna draws on a deep knowledge of the movie-making business to deliver crisp, thoughtful reviews free of jargon and clichés.

Third place: Lilia Menconi, Phoenix New Times, “Just beadit,” “The Tweet is on” and “Robotic charm”

Judge: Menconi uses a playful and inviting style to draw readers in and isn't afraid of taking chances -- who thought you could actually do an interview via Twitter that would yield interesting results?

G2. Best Arts Reporting (7 entries)

Donald Munro has worked at the Fresno Bee for nearly 20 years, covering arts and culture. In 2003, he was chosen as a mid-career fellow with the National Arts Journalism Program. Munro also placed second in the 2009 Best of the West contest for Arts and Entertainment Writing.

First place: Martin Cizmar, Phoenix New Times, “An ode to 1994,” “Do you hate fun music?” and “The great hoofed hope”

Judge: Cizmar's strong voice, salted with attitude and pumped up with in-your-face prose, comes across not so much as bombastic (well, maybe a LITTLE bombastic, which is fine for a music writer), but as an intriguing cross between stern and chummy. I can tell he's the kind of writer that readers feel like they know -- and have strong feelings about.

Second place: Larry Rodgers, The Arizona Republic, “Mud, sweat and fears,” “Bono-fide best” and “Grammy disc-connect”

Judge: Solid reporting in all three pieces combined with interesting angles. Each piece is well shaped and gives new insights about topics that get written about a lot by today's entertainment writers.

Third place: Niki D'Andrea, Phoenix New Times, “Desert chills,” “Native rasta” and “Viva a rockabilly”

Judge: D'Andrea relishes establishing a sense of place, which works well in the horror-movie focus of "Desert chills" and the desert setting of "Native rasta." D'Andrea is the kind of writer who gets close to subjects, such as in the "Rockabilly" piece, in which we learn about the love of one of the characters for his 1953 custom Chevy. Nice, thorough and descriptive.

G3. Best Editorial Writing (8 entries)

Rick Attig is an editorial writer for The Oregonian and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.

First place: Deborah Sussman Susser, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, “No excuse,” “Shoah business” and “Western Baptist who?”

Judge: These are all very well written and wise editorials. I admire the consistently strong voice, especially in the “No excuse” editorial, and the powerful, graceful writing throughout these pieces.

Second place: Monica Alonzo, The Arizona Republic, “Time to put brakes to speeding buses,” “Dysart must be more proactive with drivers,” and “Getting Dysart bus data anything but speedy”

Judge: These pieces are great examples of enterprise work by the West Valley Editorial Board and an inspiration to editorial writers everywhere. The editorial staff went after the GPS records from the school district, analyzed what they found and did an impressive series that will improve public safety in the community.

Third place: Kathleen Ingley, The Arizona Republic, “Budget crafters need to focus on the big picture,” “Legislators must end delay, send bills to Brewer” and “We can’t cut our way out of this budget mess”

Judge: These are sharply written, well-informed editorials about Arizona’s deep budget problems and an important public service contribution from the newspaper.

Honorable Mention: Monica Alonzo, The Arizona Republic, “We have the power to stop foreclosure blight,” “West Valley leaders: Fix foreclosure blight” and “Mortgage scammers, someone’s watching.”

G4. The Don Bolles Award for Investigative Reporting (8 entries)

David Barstow, a reporter with the New York Times, won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for revealing how some retired generals, working as radio and television analysts, had been co-opted by the Pentagon to make its case for the war in Iraq.

First place: Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, “Perfectly legal”

Judge: This was a thorough and meticulous examination of highly questionable spending and accounting practices by a complex and opaque network of 22 charities tied to one of the most powerful televangelists in the country, Don Stewart. The series, which also described shockingly lax oversight by the IRS and the federal government's annual workplace charity drive, was also notable for its use of layout, graphics and web tools to make a complex subject accessible to readers.

Second place: Ryan Gabrielson and Michelle Reese, East Valley Tribune, “Rigged privilege”

Judge: This was an ambitious and searching exploration that brought laser-like focus to an important question for Arizona -- whether an ever-expanding tax break for private school tuition is in fact opening up new educational opportunities for low-income children. The series convincingly demonstrated that rather than helping low-income families, this costly and ill-conceived tax break mostly benefited private schools and the charitable middle-men who packaged the tax breaks. Worse still, it revealed that state officials were all but powerless to stop rampant abuses of the system.

Third place: Sarah Fenske and Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times, “SCA scandal”

Judge: This work helped peel back the layers of obfuscation related to a scheme by the state Republican Party and key supporters of Sheriff Joe Arpaio to evade basic campaign finance laws. The reporters doggedly and relentlessly pressed for answers in the face of stonewalling by the sheriff's political supporters. New Times also served its readers well by fighting in court to open up sealed search warrant records that shed new light on the scandal.

G5. Project, Explanatory or Public Service Journalism (9 entries)

Kevin Vaughan, a staff writer for the Denver Post, was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2008 for a 34-part narrative serial he wrote for the Rocky Mountain News about 1961 bus crash that killed 20 children.

First place: Ronald J. Hansen and Pat Kossan, The Arizona Republic, “The tuition tax credit”

Judge: Deep Throat, the celebrated Watergate informant, famously advised Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to “follow the money.” The Arizona Republic did just that with a state program that awards a tax credits to people who donate money to private schools and found numerous problems. Among them: A program that is supposed to help poor students doesn’t; nobody is watching public officials who are out soliciting donations for private schools; and an utter failure to use donated money for scholarships as required by the law. The writing made a maddeningly complex situation understandable.

Second place: Amy Silverman, Phoenix New Times, “The lost kids”

Judge: One of the key measures of whether a social services system is working is to ask: Would I be satisfied with this if it involved my son or daughter? The answer, when it comes to the programs available for mentally ill teen-agers in Arizona, is a resounding no. Delving into heart-breaking stories, Amy Silverman details the shortcomings throughout the system that is supposed to provide help for mentally ill kids. Strong reporting and writing throughout, the series painted a haunting portrait of the struggles of families with sick teen-agers.

G6. Breaking News (5 entries)

Tony Mecia, a 14-year veteran of print journalism and the former deputy business editor at the Charlotte Observer, oversaw the newspaper’s 2009 coverage of Wells Fargo’s buyout of Wachovia that received a top honor from the Society of American Business Writers and Editors.

First place: Nick R. Martin, Heat City, “Exclusive: Arrests made in ’04 bombing of Scottsdale diversity office”

Judge: Acting on a tip, Martin beat the competition on a big story -- arrests in the 2004 bombing of Scottsdale's diversity office. But he didn't stop there. Within hours, he produced two more newsy write-throughs that continued to develop the story by using court documents and Web site statements from white supremacist groups to add important details. On a tight deadline, the pieces broke new ground, were authoritative and had just the right amount of background for readers to understand the story.

Second place: Sarah Fenske and Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times, “Stapley and Wilcox indicted”

Judge: Because of their mastery of the topic, Stern and Fenske were not only able to report breaking news of new indictments of a Maricopa County supervisor but also to know what skeptical questions to ask. In a first-day story in December, they showed why at least some of the charges were unlikely to stick -- and their reporting was vindicated when a judge dismissed the indictments last month. Their work is a reminder that reporting breaking stories is not an exercise in stenography but must show where a story is headed and why it's important.

G7. Best Short-Form Writing (5 entries)

Joanna Connors, a feature writer for the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, won the 2009 ASNE Award for Distinguished Writing for a first-person account of the rape she had not spoken of publicly for 23 years.

First place: Hillary Davis, Arizona Daily Sun, “A garden grows in Sunnyside”

Judge: The reporter makes great use of sensory detail in this feature about a teacher who uses gardening to teach his fifth-grade students about life.

Second place: Jim Small, Arizona Capital Times, “House paid $200,000 to attorney Starr in 2008”

Judge: Good shoe leather reporting on where the legislature spends money.

G8. Best Opinion Blog (13 entries)

Jodi Leese Glusco, managing editor of the news website for WRAL-TV in Raleigh, N.C., received a 2009 Edward R. Murrow for Best Large-Market TV Website as well as E&P's Best Internet News Service for the Dallas Morning News in 2003 and the James K. Batten Award for Excellence in Civic Journalism in 1995.

First place: Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times, Valley fever

Judge: Entries were newsy, well-written and full of background while also making the most of source documents, photos and links.

Second place: Martin Cizmar, Phoenix New Times, Up on the sun

Judge: A voice this clear and bold is unusual in modern criticism. While some may disagree with the opinions, the writing is hard to put down.

Third place: Matt Bunk, Arizona Capitol Times, AZ policy wonk

Judge: A textbook example of the reason blogs began -- for niche audiences to delve deep and interact.

G9. Best News Blog (8 entries)

Aron Pilhofer is editor of Newsroom Interactive Technologies at The New York Times and co-founder of DocumentCloud, a 501(c)3 organization funded through the Knight Foundation to improve journalism by making original source documents easy to find, share, read and collaborate on.

First place: Renee Schafer Horton, Tucson Citizen, “Godblogging”

Judge: Many newsrooms have launched blogs over the past few years, and, frankly, very few of them are good. Godblogging is one of the rare exceptions. It is very, very good. Renee Shafer Horton deftly weaves light opinion and straight news without veering too far one way or the other. Godblogging is well-written, well-reported, interesting and entertaining. It's a model of news blogging done right, and well deserving of this award.

Second place: Scott Wong, The Arizona Republic, “PHXBeat”

Judge: PHXBeat does a nice job with quick-hit stories and tidbits that may not rise to the level of a print or broadcast piece, but make ideal fodder for a news blog. This is another good example of how news organizations can effectively use the blog format to enhance their reporting online.

G10. Best Feature Blog (8 entries)

Heather Irwin writes the food blog BiteClub for the Santa Rose (Calif.) Press Democrat, which won the 2009 EPpy for best entertainment blog.

First place: Niki D’Andrea, Martin Cizmar, Jonathan McNamara and Stephen Chilton, Phoenix New Times, Up on the sun blog, “Trent Reznor explains scalping controversy,” “The top 10 concept records of all time,” etc.

Judge: A great combination of news, writing and observational insight. The blog entries span the sort of gossipy insights that insiders love as well as addressing a wider readership with refers to national news and the general-interest hyperlocal scene. What rocketed this blog to the top: Lots of user comments. Clearly the public enjoys this blog as well.

Second place: Jayson Peters and Chris Adams, East Valley Tribune, Nerdvana blog, “The Cage, re-gilded,” “The king of pop’s forgotten pop culture empire,” etc.

Judge: I love the great original reporting and geeky insights about the sci-fi world -- but all the entries were approachable and interesting to someone who may not know all the ins and outs of the comic/game/sci-fi world. That's a wonderful quality. Terrific diversity in the entries -- from Star Trek to Star Wars.

Third place: Martin Cizmar, Jonathan McNamara and Stephen Chilton, Phoenix New Times, Up on the sun blog, “Devastation 2009: Street Fighter IV,” “Phish festival 8 photos of the ultimate hippie Halloween,” etc.

Judge: Great combination of writing, insight on the music world and helpful tips/info for the average reader interested in the music scene. I really enjoyed a lot of the writing in this packet.

G11. Best News Headlines (3 entries)

Jim Webster has been a copy editor at daily newspapers for 20 years, mostly at The Miami Herald and the St. Petersburg Times. He has won the ACES national headline writer of the year award twice.

First place: Marc Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, “Welcome to the wheel world,” “Suburban cowboy” and “Blanket statement”

Judge: The thing that I appreciated most about the headline of this entrant was that they served not only as an entry point to the stories, but as a glue that brought together the entire presentation. The words were thoughtfully chosen to convey the story while bolstering and acknowledging the design and the accompanying photos.

Second place: Michael Petrovsky, Casa Grande Dispatch, “All ramped up and no place to go,” “$90 a night and no mint on the pillow” and “Folks find feral felines frustrating”

G12. Best Feature Headlines (10 entries)

Michael Roehrman is the deputy editor/production at The Wichita Eagle, overseeing the copy desk and design team. The American Copy Editors Society has honored him as the Headline Writer of the Year for mid-size papers four times.

First place: Clay McNear, Phoenix New Times, "Acidic Jews," "Chick magnates" and "He's with the banned"

Judge: I'm impressed with what this headline writer is able to accomplish with so little space. "Acidic Jews" and "Chick Magnates" are provocative, informative and amusing -- all in two words. The writer shows a deft touch and displays remarkable skill.

Second place: Sylvia Cody, The Arizona Republic, "Grim sweepers," Interlude with chaos" and "Pulling pet duty"

Judge: Another writer who displays skill and precision. The headlines work splendidly with the art and avoid falling back on cliches or dated references. The summary heads further illuminate the stories without parroting the main headline or the ledes. Both are tasks that sound easy but rarely are.

DESIGN

All Design categories were judged by the design staff of the Los Angeles Times, which won more awards than any other publication in the 2009 Society for News Design contest.

D1. Non-Metro Page One Layout/Design (11 entries)

First place: Michael Petrovsky, Casa Grande Dispatch, “History confirmed”

Judge: Solid front page cleverly conveying historic news. Good use of graphic storytelling.

Second place: Gabe Turner, Arizona Capitol Times, “Religious expression”

Judge: Clever idea executed well. Simple and bold.

Third place: Gabe Turner, Arizona Capitol Times, “Blue cash”

Judge: Good use of color to convey message/concept. Clean, concise layout.

D2. Non-Metro Non-Deadline Layout/Design (14 entries)

First place: Gabe Turner, Arizona Capitol Times, 2010 Political Almanac

Judge: This page stands above all others in style and sophistication. The use of scrolls and banners and Grecian columns convey the idea of politics and government quickly and concisely. It’s well organized and well done.

Second place: Rick Wacha, Arizona Daily Sun, “Daily Sun’s top sports stories of 2009”

Judge: The design of this page is clean and well organized. The easy-to-navigate numbers are a nice touch and not over the top.

Third place: Greg Bruns, Arcadia News, “Arcadia ‘At Home’ Film Festival

Judge: A fun idea done well. Clean, simple typography helps guide the reader through.

D3. Non-metro Multi-Media Package (2 entries)

First place: Lynne LaMaster, Prescott eNews, “Veterans Memorial Island and the Gheral Brownlow tree” and “Celebrating the Gheral Brownlow Christmas”
Judge: This submission featured multiple videos and a still photo gallery in support of a written story. The most ambitious and most successful of the submissions.

D4. Metro Page One Layout/Design (28 entries)

First place: Christopher George, The Arizona Republic, “Anchor defined news of an era”

Judge: Nicely organized, refined and engaging front page. Conveys the reverence of the topic well.

Second place: Christopher George, The Arizona Republic, ”White House issues dire climate report”

Judge: Bold and eye-catching. Good use of graphics as storytelling.

Third place: Jesus Soto, La Voz, “Duelo de gigantes”

Judge: A bold design that is well organized and quickly conveys the topic.

D5. Metro Non-Deadline Layout/Design (28 entries)

First place: Keri Hegre, The Arizona Republic, “The promised land”

Judge: Nicely illustrated, well designed and organized, this page stands above the rest. The readers/public faces at the bottom add a nice depth to the report and directional to additional content.

Second place: Jorge Ariel Palomares Buzani, Prensa Hispana, “Suicidiò el rostro amargo de la depresion”

Judge: Bold and well executed, this page quickly conveys the sadness and despair of the subject. The inclusion of multiple break-out information is a nice added value for the reader.

Third place: Luis Solano, La Voz, “Cardenalejal Super Bowl”

Judge: Bold, simple and consistent design make this section easy to navigate and fun for the reader.

Honorable mention (tie): Keri Hegre, The Arizona Republic, “Now, lawmakers must act to save it”

Judge: Nice use of a simple icon and typography to convey the message here. Great use of white space gives a subtle approach, boldness.

Honorable mention: Jorge Ariel Palomares Buzani, Prensa Hispana, “La primera del Sigo XXI: ‘Gripe H1N1’”

Judge: Strong execution of graphic storytelling. This graphic is well organized and breaks down a multi-faceted issue into digestible bites for the reader. It bridges all language barriers and tells the story through smartly executed illustrations.

D6. Metro Multi-media Package (4 entries)

First place: Jayson Peters, Mike Branom and Tim Hacker, East Valley Tribune, “Snake town”

Judge: This was clearly the class of the category. The navigation was intuitive. The story unfolded in a logical way. The pacing is very good. It uses many multimedia tools but uses them in a way that keeps the story as the focus of the presentation, not the effects.

Second place: Jayson Peters, Ryan Gabrielson, Michelle Reese and CeCe Todd, East Valley Tribune, “Rigged privilege”

Judge: This online presentation of a multi-part investigative series was rich in information and put the whole series right at your fingertips.

D7. Cover Design (24 entries)

First place: Peter Storch and Jasmine Hobeheidar, Phoenix New Times, “Smooth criminal”

Judge: A great cover solution executed at a very high level. The restraint with the color palette allows the graffiti to really come forward and pull you in. The white brick-wall texture is a nice touch.

Second place: Peter Storch and Jasmine Hobeheidar, Phoenix New Times, “Are your papers in order?”

Judge: Those piercing blue eyes and drawn pistol make for a captivating combination. Nice restraint in three key areas: color, type and the fact that the pistol isn't pointed directly at the reader.

Third place: Peter Storch, Jasmine Hobeheidar and Jamie Peachey, Phoenix New Times, ”Viva la razabilly”

Judge: This visually complex photograph may have caused issues as a cover image, but the design choices around it help pull it off.

D8. Multi-page Design (11 entries)

First place: Peter Storch and Jasmine Hobeheidar, Phoenix New Times, Best of Phoenix 2009

Judge: Content rich and visually pleasing, this guide is a must read for locals and visitors alike. It should have a spot on the bookshelf.

Second place: Keri Hegre, The Arizona Republic, “Viewpoints”

Judge: The fidelity to a consistent visual theme is impressive. Also very much appreciated from a reader's point of view is the schedule of upcoming or past stories.

Third place: Amanda Rohrer, East Valley Tribune, “Within reach (Super Bowl extra edition)

Judge: A statistically comprehensive guide to the big game, all in two tabloid pages. Very well organized for the amount of content.

D9. Illustration (11 entries)

First place: Peter Storch, Jasmine Hobeheidar and Rory Kurtz, Phoenix New Times, “Saving Alex”

Judge: Beautifully painted image with fantastic lighting that instantly conveys pensive solitude. The oversized orange jumpsuit and teddy bear are very nice touches. This illustration makes you want to know more about the troubled little boy and how he got there.

Second place: Peter Storch, Jasmine Hobeheidar and Brian Stauffer, Phoenix New Times, “Good cop, bad cop”

Judge: An arresting image that immediately captures a police department tearing itself apart from the inside out. The refined color palette and gritty texture make it a very compelling image.

Third place: Peter Storch, Jasmine Hobeheidar and Jeff Crosby, Phoenix New Times, “Serving up Stapley”

Judge: The illustrative definition of serving someone's head on a platter, right down to the ring of blood around Stapley's neck. Wonderfully painted piece with great lighting and attention to detail.

Honorable mention: Peter Storch, Jasmine Hobeheidar and Jeff Foster, Phoenix New Times, “Ja, Joe!”

Judge: A graphic image bound to stop readers in their tracks. The combination of red with shades of grays and blacks is striking.

NON-METRO PHOTOGRAPHY

The photography staff at the Midland Daily News in Michigan includes Photo Editor Ryan Wood, photographer Nathan Morgan and photographer John Tully. Wood has been named Picture Editor of the Year three consecutive years in the Michigan Press Photographers Pictures of the Year competition.

F1. Spots News

First place: Oscar Perez, Casa Grande Dispatch, “Fire”

Judge: This image stood out because the photographer combined a storytelling moment with nice graphic qualities. The intersecting lines of the hoses and water is very striking and the use of foreground and background layers really made this a dynamic image.

Second place: Oscar Perez, Casa Grande Dispatch, “Arrest”
Judge: We commend the photographer for capturing the moment and gaining great access.

Third place: Dave Brown, Arizona Range News, “Fire silhouette”
Judge: Striking image with nice light that contributed to the desperation of the moment.

F2. General News

First place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “Graduation”
Judge: Although graduation photos are a little cliché, we felt that this photo had the strongest moment of the top three.

Second place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “Funeral”
Judge: Good seeing by the photographer. We liked this image for its graphic appeal.

Third place: Oscar Perez, Casa Grande Dispatch, “Spelling bee”

Judge: We thought that this was a nice quite moment with good leading lines.

F3. Portrait

First place: Ross Mason, Times Publications, “Burning man”
Judge: The concept of this first portrait was different and the photographer executed it well. Nice use of light and capturing subjects personality.

Second place: Jim Poulin, Phoenix Business Journal, “R&R Surplus”
Judge: Uniqueness of content drew you into the photo, nice layering and environment.

Third place: Jim Poulin, Phoenix Business Journal, “Algae”
Judge: Graphic image with strong light. The photographer mixed the ambient and strobe well.

F4. Feature

First place: Ray Thomas, West Valley View, “Pioneer Days Rodeo”
Judge: Photo had a lot of nice qualities about it. Strong moment, composition and body language.

Second place: Brant Clinard, The Ledger, “Primping”
Judge: Graphic preparation photo. The viewer’s eye really is drawn into the eye of the cheerleader. Nice layering.

F5. Picture Story

First place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “Impact center”
Judge: Graphic images. This story was shot with a nice style and had visual variety that led the judges throughout the story.

Second place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “Special needs prom”
Judge: Nice moments and connection with the subjects. This story lacked the visual variety of the first place package but did a nice job of connecting with the subject and capturing the personalities of the prom-goers.

F6. Sports Action

First place: Brant Clinard, The Ledger, “Ouch”
Judge: We felt that this photo had one of the strongest moments of the lot.

Second place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “False start”
Judge: This image was one of the most unique. We liked the moment of the girl biting the dust, but had the photographer been able to compose the image with just her and all of the other runners’ feet, this image could have easily taken first.

F7. Sports Feature

First place: Brant Clinard, The Ledger, “Timeout”
Judge: A nice moment found between the action. Simple image but a unique find of guys helping each other out. Classic.

Second place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “Little League”
Judge: Strong peak reaction and celebration.

Third place: Josh Biggs, Arizona Daily Sun, “Thirsty”
Judge: Like the first place image, this was a nice moment found between the action.

F8. Pictorial

First place: Jim Poulin, Phoenix Business Journal, “Cigar king”
Judge: This photo was an obvious standout. We also felt that it would have done well in the portrait category.

Second place: Brant Clinard, The Ledger, “Umbrella”

METRO PHOTOGRAPHY

Trent Nelson is the chief photographer at the Salt Lake Tribune, where he has worked since 1995. He is a three-time Utah press Photographer of the Year and has covered winter and summer Olympic Games, the NBA Finals, and the NCAA Basketball Final Four for the Tribune.

E1. Spot News

First place: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic, “Bus crash”

Judges: Raw emotion drew the winners to the top in this category. The bus crash photograph pulls you right into the story.

Second place: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic, “Fire survivor”

Third place: David Sanders, Arizona Daily Star, “Burnout”

E2. General News

First place: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic, “Failures”

Judge: The first place photograph drew me in a lot more than the typical general news entry. The second place photograph seemed easy to overlook but, with its caption information, it took me beyond the usual angles from military funerals.

Second place: Mark Henle, The Arizona Republic, “Burial”

Third place: Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic, “Snowstorm”

E3. Portrait

First place: Jill Torrance, Arizona Daily Star, “Achiever”

Judge: Nice work throughout this category. First place, Achiever, stood out, but so did second place, Broken dreams. I liked the feeling from first place and the visual complexity and content in the second place photo.

Second place: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic, “Broken dreams”

Third place: Mark Henle, The Arizona Republic, “Jody”

Honorable mention: Jill Torrance, Arizona Daily Star, “Razzabilly"

E4. Feature

First place: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic, “Labor”

Judge: The intimacy in the first place photograph brought me right into the situation. A beautiful moment.

Second place: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic, “Construction reflection”

Third place: Dean Knuth, Arizona Daily Star, “Tortoise”

E5. Photo Essay

First place: Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic, “Deportees”

Judge: The Deportees photo essay is filled with memorable images including a naked man bathing in a cemetery and the worst-looking blister you will ever see. But the storytelling, the vision, and the access gained by the photographer were all admirable. An amazing body of work.

Second place: James Gregg, Arizona Daily Star, “Daycare fire”

Third place: Cheryl Evans, The Arizona Republic, “Stephani”

Honorable mention (tie): David Wallace, The Arizona Republic, “Mental Illness”

Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic, “Badwater”

E6. Sports Action

First place: Ralph Freso, East Valley Tribune, “Missing glove”

Judge: The quality of sports photography submitted was exceptional. Everything came together in the first place image, glove, ball, facial expression.

Second place: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic, “Touchdown”

Third place: Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic, “Safe”

Honorable mention (tie): Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic, “Final lap”

Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic, “Stopped”

E7. Sports Feature

First place: James Gregg, Arizona Daily Star, “Lesson”

Judge: First and second were a close call. Both are incredible photographs. Finding such a storytelling photograph off the field and behind the scenes, where many photographers don't venture, put Lesson ahead.

Second place: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic, “Championship tears”

Third place: Ralph Freso, East Valley Tribune, “Eye of the tiger”

Honorable mention (tie): Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic, “Mound”

Ralph Freso, East Valley Tribune, “Official guard”

E8. Pictorial

First place: Darryl Webb, East Valley Tribune, “American flash”

Judge: Plenty of beautiful photographs in this category, but the photographer behind American Flash took it to the next level by shooting with settings that most of the time result in photographic failure. A risky way to shoot, but this one is a winner.

Second place: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic, “Lightning strike”

Third place: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic, “Midway thrills”

THE BIG FOUR

Community Journalist of the Year

Second Runner Up

Hillary Davis

Arizona Daily Sun

First Runner Up

Bill Coates

Arizona Capitol Times

Community Journalist of the Year

Thelma Grimes

San Pedro Valley News-Sun and Arizona Range News

“Thelma Grimes’ work reflects top-notch journalistic traits – doggedness in pursuing information, a keen focus on taxpayer dollars and an ability to translate complex issues into easy-to-understand stories. In addition, she is highly productive – tackling at least 10 stories a week on a wide range of issues, in addition to managing a weekly sports’ section, special sections and projects.”

--Sandra Duerr, 2009 Press Club judge

Designer of the Year

Second runner up (tie)

Ayrel Clark, The Arizona Republic and Keri Hegre, The Arizona Republic

First runner up

Christopher George

The Arizona Republic

Designer of the Year

Peter Storch

Phoenix New Times

“This portfolio was filled with complex concepts and the ideas alone made it a contender for the top spot. But what put it there was the execution. Each idea is well thought out and works as a complete cover, not just a concept with cover furniture around it.”

Photojournalist of the Year

Second Runner Up

Rob Schumacher

The Arizona Republic

First Runner Up

James Gregg

Arizona Daily Star

Photojournalist of the Year

Nick Oza

The Arizona Republic

“Looking through the winning portfolio it is clear that the photographer of the year has a unique talent not only visually, but in working with and gaining the trust of his/her subjects. The two stories and 10 of the 11 singles submitted were very strong. Every portfolio entered in this category had at least four amazing photographs. The winning portfolios were more consistent in having a tighter edit and a consistent level of higher quality.”

-- Trent Nelson, 2009 Press Club judge

Virg Hill Journalist of the Year

Second Runner Up

Chris Hawley

The Arizona Republic

First Runner Up

Robert Anglen

The Arizona Republic

Virg Hill Journalist of the Year

Shanna Hogan

Times Publications

“A true crime writer with an ear for suspense, Shanna Hogan consistently gives readers more than ‘just the facts.’ She combines tenacious reporting with a talent for story-telling. The result: important stories that are hard to put down.”

--Ames Alexander, 2009 Press Club Judge

2009 contest rules, categories, FAQ and entry forms

-2009 Best of Writing & Design Contest Rules and Categories (13 pages)

-2009 Best of Photojournalism Rules and Categories (11 pages)

-2009 contest FAQ (3 pages)

Have multiple entries? Download the entry forms only:

-2009 Writing & Design Contest: 2-page entry form only

The contest rules, categories, FAQ and entry forms are in .pdf, or Portable Document Format files, which requires Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader to view/print.

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· Don't forget: Submissions must be postmarked by Jan. 20
· Arizona Republic employees: Click here for info on your contest entry fees

· Any contest questions? E-mail Contest Chair Le Templar

Award winner lists prior to 1998 are not available online at this time.

LAST UPDATE: 11/04/2010