Congratulations to the 2013 winners!
For judge’s comments and descriptions of work, click here to download the awards booklet. Community winners were automatically entered into statewide categories for a chance to win.
Virg Hill Arizona Journalist of the Year
Bob Ortega, The Arizona Republic
First runner-up
John Dougherty, InvestigateMEDIA and Phoenix New Times
Second runner-up
Evan Wyloge, Arizona Capitol Times
Arizona Community Journalist of the Year
Glenn Gullickson, Echo Magazine
First runner-up
Adam Curtis, Sierra Vista Herald
Second runner-up
Curt Prendergast, Nogales International
Arizona Designer of the Year
Rick Konopka, The Arizona Republic
First runner-up
Adrienne Hapanowicz, AZ magazine (The Arizona Republic
iPad edition)
Second runner-up
Peter M. Storch, Phoenix New Times
Arizona Community Photographer of the Year
Jarod Opperman, Daily News-Sun (Sun City)
First runner-up
David C. Jolkovski, Ahwatukee Foothills News
Second runner-up
Beatrice Richardson, Sierra Vista Herald
A1. Spanish-language news reporting
First place
Perla Trevizo, La Estrella de Tucson
Second place
Maritza Lizeth Felix, Prensa Hispana
Third place
Maritza Lizeth Felix, Prensa Hispana
A2. Spanish-language feature reporting
First place
Liliana Lopez Ruelas, La Estrella de Tucson
Second place
Joseph Trevino, La Estrella de Tucson
Third place
Samuel Murillo, La Voz Arizona
Honorable mention
Marco Arreortua, La Voz Arizona
A3. Spanish-language commentary/analysis
First place
Ernesto Portillo Jr.. La Estrella de Tucson
Second Place
Maritza Lizeth Felix, Prensa Hispana
Third place
Maritza Lizeth Felix, Prensa Hispana
B1. Community investigative reporting
First place
Evan Wyloge and Hank Stephenson, Arizona Capitol Times
Second place
Cindy Yurth, Navajo Times
Third place
Curt Prendergast, Nogales International
C1. Statewide investigative reporting
First place
Bob Ortega, Rob O’Dell and Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Evan Wyloge and Hank Stephenson, Arizona Capitol Times
B2. Community public service journalism
First place
Hillary Davis, Yuma Sun
Second place
Luige del Puerto, Jeremy Duda, Hank Stephenson, Evan Wyloge, Arizona
Capitol Times; and the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
Third place
Chris Flora, The Explorer
C2. Statewide public service journalism
First place
Stephanie Innes, Emily Bregel, Carli Brosseau, Alexis Huicochea and Patty
Machelor, Arizona Daily Star
Second place
Craig Harris, Beth Duckett and Dustin Gardiner, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic
B3. Community breaking news
First place
Cindy Yurth and Bill Donovan, Navajo Times
Second place
Hank Stephenson, Jeremy Duda and Ben Giles, Arizona Capitol Times
Third place
Shar Porier, Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review
C3. Statewide breaking news
First place
Tim Steller, Carli Brosseau, Stephanie Innes, Kimberly Matas, Becky Pallack
and Kim Smith, Arizona Daily Star
Second place
Staff, The Arizona Republic: “Murder in the first degree”
Third place
Perla Trevizo and Carli Brosseau, Arizona Daily Star
B4. Community public safety reporting
First place
Gary Grado, Arizona Capitol Times
Second place
Jim Nintzel, Tucson Weekly
Third place
Bill Coates, Casa Grande Dispatch:
C4. Statewide public safety reporting
First place
Richard Ruelas, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Gary Grado, Arizona Capitol Times
Third place (tie)
Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times
Shanna Hogan, The Valley Times
B5. Community politics and government reporting
First place
Glenn Gullickson, Echo Magazine
Second place
Luige del Puerto and Evan Wyloge, Arizona Capitol Times
Third place
Jeremy Duda, Arizona Capitol Times
C5. Statewide politics and government reporting
First place
Rob O’Dell, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Paul Giblin and Caitlin McGlade, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Joe Ferguson, Darren DaRonco, Jamar Younger, Alexis Huicochea and
Patrick McNamara, Arizona Daily Star
B6. Community health reporting
First place
Angela Gonzales, Phoenix Business Journal
Second place
Angela Gonzales, Phoenix Business Journal
Third place
Mark Cowling, Florence Reminder and Blade-Tribune
C6. Statewide health reporting
First place
Bob Ortega, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Amy B Wang, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Monica Alonzo, Phoenix New Times
B7. Community environmental/science reporting
First place
Alastair Lee Bitsoi and Larissa L. Jimmy, Navajo Times
Second place
Adam Curtis, Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review
Third place
Hayley Ringle, Phoenix Business Journal
C7. Statewide environmental/science reporting
First place
Mary Jo Pitzl, Brandon Loomis, Matthew Dempsey and Michael Squires,
The Arizona Republic
Second place
Tony Davis, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Brenna Goth and Tom Beal, Arizona Daily Star
B8. Community social issues reporting
First place
Lynn Trimble, Raising Arizona Kids
Second place
Alysa Landry and Bill Donovan, Navajo Times
Third place
Hillary Davis, Yuma Sun
C8. Statewide social issues reporting
First place
Emily Bregel, Veronica Cruz and Patty Machelor, Arizona Daily Star
Second place
Jimmy Magahern, Phoenix Magazine
Third place
Karina Bland, The Arizona Republic
B9. Community education reporting
First place
Gary Grado, Arizona Capitol Times
Second place
Alastair Lee Bitsoi and Cindy Yurth, Navajo Times
Third place
Daniel Dullum, Florence Reminder & Blade-Tribune
C9. Statewide education reporting
First place
Anne Ryman, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Gary Grado, Arizona Capitol Times
Third place
Eugene Scott, The Arizona Republic
Honorable mentions
Amy B Wang and Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic
Richard Ruelas and Anne Ryman, The Arizona Republic
B10. Community immigration reporting
First place
Todd Miller, Tucson Weekly
Second place
Curt Prendergast, Nogales International
C10. Statewide immigration reporting
First place
Bob Ortega and Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Perla Trevizo, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic
B11. Community business reporting
First place
Luige del Puerto, Arizona Capitol Times
Second place
Mike Sunnucks and Angela Gonzales, Phoenix Business Journal
Third place
Jonathan Clark, Nogales International
C11. Statewide business reporting
First place
Ronald J. Hansen, Catherine Reagor and Michelle Ye Hee Lee, The Arizona
Republic
Second place
Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Dawn Gilbertson, The Arizona Republic
Honorable mention
Josh Brodesky and Rob O’Dell, The Arizona Republic
B12. Community sports reporting
First place
Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal
Second place
Jason Skoda, Ahwatukee Foothills News
Third place
Daniel Dullum, Florence Reminder & Blade-Tribune
C12. Statewide sports reporting
First place
Scott Bordow and Matt Dempsey, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Doug Haller, The Arizona Republic
Third place: Bob Young, The Arizona Republic
B13. Community column writing
First place
Adam Gaub, Maricopa Monitor
Second place
Michael Rinker, Lake Powell Chronicle
Third place
Bill Coates, Casa Grande Dispatch
C13. Statewide column writing
First place
Tim Steller, Arizona Daily Star
Second place
Dan Bickley, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Stephen Lemons, Phoenix New Times
B14. Community editorial writing
Jonathan Clark, Nogales International
No second or third place awarded.
C14. Statewide editorial writing
First place
Doug MacEachern, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Jonathan Clark, Nogales International
Third place
Sarah Garrecht Gassen, Arizona Daily Star
B15. Community personality profile
First place
Gillian Drummond, 3 Story Magazine
Second place
David Mendez, Tucson Weekly
Third place
Adam Curtis, Sierra Vista Herald
C15. Statewide personality profile
First place
Ron Dungan, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Angela Pittenger, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Robrt L. Pela, Phoenix New Times
B16. Community human-interest writing
First place
Curt Prendergast, Nogales International
Second place
Bill Coates, Casa Grande Dispatch
Third place
Mari Herreras, Tucson Weekly
C16. Statewide human-interest writing
First place
Karina Bland, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Scott Craven, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Dianna M. Náñez, The Arizona Republic
Honorable mention
Shanna Hogan, The Valley Times
B17. Community short-form writing
First place
Bill Coates, Casa Grande Dispatch
Second place
Luige del Puerto and Ben Giles, Arizona Capitol Times
Third place
Mark Cowling, Florence Reminder & Blade-Tribune
C17. Statewide short-form writing
First place
Richard Ruelas, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Dianna M. Náñez, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Kristen Cook, Arizona Daily Star
B18. Community arts criticism
First place
Margaret Regan, Tucson Weekly
C18. Statewide arts criticism
First place
Kerry Lengel, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Cathalena Burch, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Laura Hahnefeld, Phoenix New Times
B19. Community arts reporting
First place
Gillian Drummond, 3 Story Magazine
Second place
Matt Hickman, Sierra Vista Herald
Third place
Shondiin Silversmith, Navajo Times
C19. Statewide arts reporting
First place
Benjamin Leatherman, Phoenix New Times
Second place
Cathalena Burch, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Gillian Drummond, 3 Story Magazine
B20. Community opinion blog
No awards given.
C20. Statewide opinion blog
First place
Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times
No second or third place awarded.
B21. Community news blog
First place
Hayley Ringle, Phoenix Business Journal
No second or third place awarded.
C21. Statewide news blog
First place
Matthew Hendley, Phoenix New Times
Second place
Rebekah L. Sanders, The Arizona Republic
No third place awarded.
B22. Community features blog
First place
Dan Gibson, Tucson Weekly
C22. Statewide features blog
First place
Benjamin Leatherman, Claire Lawton and Janessa Hilliard, Phoenix New
Times
Second place
Rachel Miller, Lauren Saria, Laura Hahnefeld, Amy Silverman and Brandon
Third place
Dan Gibson, Tucson Weekly
B23. Community multimedia package
First place
Evan Wyloge, Arizona Capitol Times
Second place
Evan Wyloge, Arizona Capitol Times
C23. Statewide multimedia package
First place
Cheryl Evans, Adrienne Hapanowicz and Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona
Republic
Second place
Staff, Phoenix New Times
Third Place
Evan Wyloge, Arizona Capitol Times
B24. Community news headline writing
First place
Bill Coates, Casa Grande Dispatch
Second place
Cindy Yurth, Navajo Times
Third place
Michael Rinker, Lake Powell Chronicle
C24. Statewide news headlines
First place
Bill Coates, Casa Grande Dispatch
Second place
Ron Solomon, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Ron Solomon, Arizona Daily Star
C25. Community feature headlines
First place
Cindy Yurth, Navajo Times
Second place
Michael Rinker, Lake Powell Chronicle
Third place:
Michael Rinker, Lake Powell Chronicle
C25. Statewide feature headlines
First place
Sylvia Cody, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Sylvia Cody, The Arizona Republic
No third place awarded.
D1. Community Front-page design
First place
Michael Rinker, Lake Powell Chronicle
Second place
Bethany Strunk, Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review
Third place
Janet LaValley, Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review
D2. Community non-deadline layout/design
First place
Randy Metcalf, Explorer Newspaper
Second place
Bethany Strunk, Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review
Third place
Luis Solano, La Voz
D3. Statewide Page One Design
First place
Rick Konopka, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Danielle Rindler, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Gabe Turner, Arizona Capitol Times
D4. Statewide non-deadline layout/design
First place
Luis Solano, La Voz Arizona
Second place
Rachel Van Blankenship, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Rick Konopka, The Arizona Republic
D5. Statewide tabloid/magazine cover design
First place
Peter M. Storch and Kyle T. Webster, Phoenix New Times
Second place
Adrienne Hapanowicz, AZ Magazine (The Arizona Republic)
Third place
Peter M. Storch, Phoenix New Times
D6. Statewide multi-page design
First place
Peter M. Storch, Andrew Pielage and Evie Carpenter, Phoenix New Times
Second place
Jeff Randall, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Staff, Phoenix New Times
D7. Statewide illustration, drawn
First place
Peter M. Storch and Graham Smith, Phoenix New Times
Second place
Chiara Bautista, Arizona Daily Star
Third place
Tammie Graves, Arizona Daily Star
D8. Statewide illustration, photo-based
First place
Rachel Van Blankenship, The Arizona Republic
Second place
Rachel Van Blankenship, The Arizona Republic
Third place
Peter M. Storch and Jesse Lenz, Phoenix New Times
BRICK WALL AWARD
Apache County Board of Supervisors
The Arpaio First Amendment Disservice Award, also known as the “Brick Wall” award, “honors” officials and government agencies that do their utmost to ignore public records requests and open meeting laws, hide or destroy public documents and place themselves above the public’s constitutional right to know about their government.
This year’s recipient is the Apache County Board of Supervisors. The board eliminated its Call to the Public from its meeting agendas
because of criticism from residents, the White Mountain Independent’s Mike Leiby reported. “I don’t like being criticized in public and to have people come here and say we are doing this or doing that is not OK. I come here to conduct business and I don’t have time (to be criticized),” Supervisor Joe Shirley Jr. said at the meeting. Supervisor Barry Weller tried to restore the Call to the Public but couldn’t get a second on his motion.
The board also ejected a resident who tried to livestream a board meeting, denied public records requests, refused to e-mail public
records, and charged fees to review public records regardless of whether copies were requested.
SLEDGEHAMMER AWARD
Carli Brosseau, Arizona Daily Star
The Sledgehammer Award is a tribute to reporters who relentlessly hunt for the truth despite obstacles thrown their way.
This year’s recipient is Arizona Daily Star reporter Carli Brosseau. She is tireless in her pursuit of public records. When told by police
departments she couldn’t scan public records related to SB 1070 and would have to pay for copies, she pushed the Arizona Ombudsman to request an opinion from the Arizona Attorney General. The resulting opinion says journalists and the public may use smart phones to scan and photograph records instead of paying for copies.
As a result, several police departments have changed their public-records policies. In a separate stand, Brosseau wrote about the South Tucson City Council refusing to make executive-session agendas more specific. As a result, the council has made changes.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Caitlin Schmidt, University of Arizona
Josh Burton, Arizona State University